Thank you Netgally for the ARK!

I’ve never read a Grace Reilly book I haven’t liked. Such a fun time throughout this book. I love both main characters and I’m such a sucker for a well written hockey romance.

Thank you Netgalley for the E-Arc exchange for an honest review.

I tried reading this one but only made it to about the 15% mark before realizing it just wasn’t for me. While the premise started off promising, I couldn’t connect with the characters or the plot. Nothing really held my interest, and I found myself quickly losing motivation to keep going. This one just wasn’t the right fit for me.

What a welcome back to the Callaghan family!

This felt like a story with 2 parts, just when you think the main issue is forbidden relationship, BOOM along comes the most toxic father on the planet.

The way Nikolai handled his childhood trauma was more mature than what I was expecting from a college student, even though he has his regrets and he had panic attacks he removed himself from situations where he can hurt others and its refreshing to read.

Izzy was a complex character, at times she felt young but then others she was wise beyond her years. Her constant need to be like her brothers and not feel like a failure really added pressure but her and Nik helped give each other the strength they needed to improve.

The supporting cast was back in full force and really built upon their own books, you really feel like part of the family and every character was brilliant.

It was an easy read but with very heavy topics of abuse but beautifully written.

Wow, I enjoyed this SO, SO much! From the sweet nicknames from Nic *squeals into pillow* and in another language, to their relationship being a summer fling to something more, the bromance and honestly so many other things. But I also appreciated that Nic realized that in order for him to be a better partner he needed to go to therapy and take some space to recalibrate. I loved the slowburn of it and that moment they couldn't be without each other and the lightbulb moment *chef's kiss*

I am a sucker for a hockey romance and this delivers on all levels. Good spice, the plot was plotting!

I like that this book touches on heavier topics such as mental health and other things. I think this brings more to the characters.

The romance behind this story is stunning and will keep you captured until the last moment

This was definitely a fav hockey romance!!!! Definitely a must read if you’re trying or already a sports romance reader! I loved the tension, the drama, and the romance!!!

I love reading books with friends and I was so glad when Christine and I realized we both had an ARC of Wicked Serve and could buddy read on our trip! This book was so much fun and I was so glad to have someone to squeal with over the swoony, spicy, fun that is Wicked Serve. I have loved the whole Callahan family and I highly recommend reading the rest of the books in this series first so you can get to know this fam. I am so sad to be leaving behind the Callahan but I can’t wait to see what Grace Reilly has in store for us next!

Did not love this one. Maybe because it's part of a series which I hadn't read, but I highly doubt it. Just wasn't for me.

The characters were pretty enjoyable. The spicy scenes were very well done and I loved that there was a lot of it.
Overall though, I just felt like the book was too long for a romance !


thank you to net galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review *

This is a Dual POV romance that where the MMC deals with his past history and trauma of domestic violence, and the FMC struggles with her ability to find herself in her life and her family, they're all stars and she's not sure that's the path she wants in the end.

Isabelle and Nikolai met in the summer, he was her boss's son, and it was supposed to be just a summer fling that no one ever found out about. Summer ended, the fling is over, but when Nikolai gets kicked out his college for something he didn't do, his grandfather gets him a spot at McKee which just so happens to be where Isabelle attends school. It also happens to be where Isabelle's brother Cooper attends school, Nikolai's rival in hockey. Will they be able to get along on the same team or stay rivals? Will Nikolai and Isabelle reignite that summer spark, or burn out entirely?

This is the 4th book in the series, but they're able to read on their own.

Words cannot describe how much I loved these too together. Have been waiting for izzys story since she showed up at school - chef kiss. Grace Reilly can do no wrong, other than ending this series bc I’m going to miss them so much!!!

I felt like this one had so much potential for me to love it. Hockey romance plus it had an element of volleyball. I was really liking it until about halfway through and then it started to drag.

Wicked Serve #4 in the Beyond the Play Series by Grace Reilly

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

What to expect

Summer fling
Brother’s rival
Secret romance
He falls first and hard
Spice
Delicious chemistry

Grace writes books and I read them! She is able to grab a readers attention and keep them hooked from start to finish. I have enjoyed reading about the family dynamic and how it has evolved of the series.

I really liked both MMCs and how their relationship developed. They had great chemistry and the spice was perfect.

Not going to give anything away, instead I highly recommend reading this book and series as a whole.

I finally gave this book a second chance! Now that I’m more familiar with rom-coms, I appreciate this one so much more! It was an easy read. It had humor, romance, banter, and a solid plot. I just love Grace Reilly’s writing style. I’m so glad I gave this a second chance.

Great end to the series and seeing our FMC stick up for what she wants and that she is not just the baby of the family but an independent woman who can take care of herself! Bought the whole series for my shelf!

I absolutely loved this book! The banter and the relationship between the FMC & MMC was everything! I love sports romances and picking this up was a great idea! I love the tropes as well! Grace always kills it!

A will they won’t they possessive bad boy hockey player that is her brothers rival. They decide to be and friends with benefits and end it when the summer is over and go their separate way, but when he gets transferred to her college old sparks get reignited, but as they start to fall for each other a small l mishap gets her lead spot on her team taken away.

I will always be a sucker for a good FMC nickname from the MMC — and when it’s in Russian? Chef’s kiss. 💋

This was my first Grace Reilly book, and while it works perfectly as a standalone, I found myself wishing I’d read the first three books to fully appreciate the found family dynamic and the protectiveness of the FMC’s brothers and their partners. That said, I still fell for the characters and their slow, emotional unraveling.

The story centers on two main characters who are clearly struggling with their feelings for each other, trying (and failing) to keep things platonic while also dealing with complicated family dynamics in very different ways. Their chemistry was sweet and believable, and I loved how their emotional journeys unfolded with care and subtlety.

While this was mostly a light, breezy read — one I flew through in a sitting — it also touched on deeper issues in a way that added substance without weighing the story down. Those emotional beats hit just right, leaving me both satisfied and curious to explore more of this world.

I’ll definitely be going back to read the first three books, and I’m excited to dig into more of Grace Reilly’s writing. If you’re in the mood for a heartfelt, funny, and emotionally grounded romance, this one delivers.

4.5 stars!

I had no idea Wicked Serve was book 4 in an interconnected series, so that's my bad. This can be read as a standalone, but for me, I was so interested in the other couples too, that I will definitely be going back to read the other books. Wicked Serve was a cute and fun sports romance book. Nikolai and Izzy's relationship was cute, and I was so intrigued by the forbidden romance.

Wicked Serve by Grace Reilly is a spicy, trope-filled college sports romance that checks all the expected boxes—but unfortunately, doesn't offer much to set itself apart from the growing crowd in this genre.

As the final book in the Beyond the Play series, I was hoping for something fresh or emotionally resonant to wrap things up. While the setup—a forbidden romance between a hockey player and his rival’s little sister—is promising, the execution felt a bit formulaic. I’ve read many stories like this one, and this didn’t bring anything particularly new to the table.

Nikolai is your classic broody bad boy with a soft side, and Izzy is the ambitious, sunshine heroine trying to carve out her own path. Their chemistry is definitely there, and the steam is solid. Fans who enjoy friends-with-benefits evolving into something deeper will likely enjoy their dynamic. But for me, their story didn’t dig deep enough emotionally or developmentally to really stand out. I found myself going through the motions, rather than being fully invested.

If you’re already a fan of the series or enjoy low-stakes, spicy college romances with all the expected tropes, this may still hit the spot. But if you're looking for something fresh or different in the hockey romance niche, this one may leave you wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.