This book exceeds my expectations, that's for sure.
I love how Nik's story unfolds one at a time, and Isabelle's way to cope with his problem. I also like Nik's decision in the end and how Isabelle stays busy while loyal to him.
This book has it all: it's spicy, romantic, it gets me to tears and ended up feeling happy.
I'd love to read more story on the Callahans and how Izzy's relationship with her brothers develops after she's with Nik.

Overall, I give 4 stars for this book. Recommended for those who need a cozy read and feeling emotional at the same time.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the eARC!!

If you’re looking for a fun, fluffy romance then check out Wicked Serve by Grace Reilly! It’s got it all… sports romance, brother’s enemy , second chance romance after a summer fling.
This book was a bit dragged out at parts, but overall the couple was enjoyable and taking their ages into consideration they didn’t really bother me with their lack of communication. I didn’t realize this was a series when I requested the ARC but I am curious to read the other siblings’ stories.

Cute book and great end to the Callahan siblings! It was so nice to have the cameos from the characters that we know and love. I do think there were parts that were a bit cheesy and I felt the book was slightly too long. It felt like the author tried to fit too much in. Overall I would recommend for fans of the series! A cute, fun sports romance.

Anyone who knows me knows I’m a hoe for a hockey romance. But a hockey romance, brothers rival and she’s an athlete too. 🥵

Wicked serve was such a quick and fun read. The way Nikolai is so reserved and kind of a jerk but not with Izzy. 🥹 The way Izzy just wants to be seen not in her siblings/families shadow! I loved their dynamic so much.

I absolutely would throw some hands if my family manipulated me with power/money to get what they wanted.

This is the fourth in a series but I think reading as a standalone was perfectly fine! You get glimpses/updates form the couples of the other books but that’s typical in romance series!

Thank you to @NetGalley for letting me read the advanced ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This was alright. I feel like the book was way too long and the FMC had the personality of a wet bag. I loved the spicy scenes and the MMC. Their relationship had some cute parts too. Overall if youve read the first 3 in the series, you probably want to finish it so you would like them altogether again.

Brother's rival is about to be the next big thing and Grace Reilly is ahead of the curve with it! Wicked Serve was a great romance novel about two characters who see each other in a way no one else has before and pushes the other to open up to the love they deserve. The rival-turned-teammate is becoming a new fave of mine and I thoroughly enjoyed the sweet cameos of the post-HEA life for the previous Callahan couples! Excited to see what Reilly spins up next but this was a great send-off to her debut series! Recommend for fans of The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy!

A spicy brother's rival hockey romance? Umm, yes please!

I have not read the other books in this series but that did not matter one bit as I was immediately transported into this steamy college setting.

I am sometimes creeped out by new adult spicy romances but this one did not focus on age and youth, making that just a fact instead of the center of the book.

Thank you to Net Galley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC!

I want to like this series more than I do. They’re fine spicy sport romance books but they’re just kind of meh.

This book just really missed some depth for me. They’re rich college kids who all have some aggressive kinks (good for you, no judgement) and that’s just kind of it. Sure there the story of them figuring themselves out as they grow through college, but it’s always problem, solution and not a lot in between.

Thank you so much for Avon for allowing me to read this!

When I grabbed this book as a Read Now, all I saw was two athletes on the cover and was sold from there. Turns out this was a 4th book in a series and I had not read any of the other books in the series. I will say I don't think it was necessary to have read the prior 3 books in the series to follow along with this book.

I am unsure how I feel about this book because there were elements that I really enjoyed but I also was meh for other parts of it. The book was very long and I'm not sure if it was necessary for it to be over 400 pages. If you are looking for a book that does have a plot but has a LOT of spice, this could be for you. I didn't know much about how Grace's writing or her books but I was so surprised at how much spice was in this book. The chemistry between Izzy and Nikolai is very apparent early on and carries throughout the book. Nikolai is SO head over heels for Izzy.

One thing I appreciated is that feeling in your early 20s when you are unsure about how you want to proceed with your future. You don't want to disappoint your family and friends but you also need to feel fulfilled in someway as well. Both characters had these conflicts on different scales. I felt bad for Izzy as she was constantly comparing herself to her brothers and their careers whereas Nikolai tried so hard to separate himself from his father and feeling like a let down to his mom & grandfather.

Overall I really loved the relationship between Izzy and Nik and just how in love they both were with each other.

3.75

Nikolai and Izzy are adorable characters with an incredible connection that melted my heart 💕 Nikolai is the quintessential broody, complicated hockey player with a past that’s far from simple, while Izzy is a determined, fiery athlete trying to carve out her own path under the shadow of her family’s legacy. After a top secret summer fling with her brother’s biggest hockey rival, things get very interesting when Nikolai and Izzy are forced back together. I loved watching their “one-time thing” evolve into something real and meaningful. I usually crave a bit more drama in forbidden romances, but the way these characters navigate their relationship—complete with green flags—was refreshing. Their journey from sneaky hookups to deep emotional connection felt authentic, making the romance both swoon-worthy and heartfelt.

I found this book to be a great blend of plot and spice, earning it a solid 3/5 for steaminess. Grace Reilly did a great job balancing the romance with themes like family pressure and self-discovery, which added some unexpected depth.

While there were a few slower moments, the chemistry, sports drama, and emotional growth made it a fantastic read overall. If you’re into new adult, sports romances with a perfect blend of heart and heat, this book is for you!

4/5 ⭐️s
🌶️🌶️ - medium spice *with praise kink, spanking, anal, hand necklace, and slight dom/sub play

LOVES:
- I didn’t read the first 3 books in the series, but the author caught me up on the necessities quickly and efficiently
- Getting some pretty heavy Elle Kennedy vibes, which is partially a positive cause I loved her Off-Campus series, though once in a while it felt a little too similar
- “Do you want advice, or do you just want me to listen?” Way to go, Nik 👏🏻 most men go their whole lives without learning this.
- Nik doesn’t always handle everything perfectly, but he tries really hard and works on his mental health. He’s a good dude.

CRITIQUES:
- It’s always a little weird for me when college students have crazy money. I mean, buying diamonds and last-minute international travel on a private jet, sheesh. I just can’t relate.
- It’s a little longer than it needs to be, could’ve been paired down a bit

This was a great quick read. Izzy is a college volleyball player, and her brother is on the hockey team. Nik ends up as a transfer on her college's team after a summer fling with Izzy. They attempt to pretend like they don't know each other, but quickly they are having a secret romance. Mainly secret from her brother, who is now his teammate and not a super fan of Nik. In addition, Nik is dealing with some daddy issues and it ends up that he is also very rich. So basically a very rich, hot, college hockey player romance at its best.

5⭐️ **ARC** I loved this book from the beginning through the end. The character and relationship development was amazing, and I found them to be extremely relatable. Personally, I related most to Nikolai. Unfortunately, I had a father similar to his and I felt every emotion Nikolai experienced like it was my own. I teared up and was feeling so many different emotions reading Nikolai’s thoughts about what he felt he deserved and his relationships with his parents, and the external and personal pressures upon him. I saw myself in both Nikolai and Isabelle, I applied the same pressures that they both did to myself throughout college, often thinking the same things about myself. Also, I absolutely sobbed at the end, the last chapter and epilogue took me out. And don’t even get me started on how loving and inspiring their relationship is and the way they love each other. And how he speaks Russian to her?! Sunshine?! My Favorite?! God, I’m seriously obsessed. I was on the edge of my seat unable to stop reading the entire time. I’m so honored and grateful to have received this ARC, easily one of my favorite sports romance books.

“I put her hand against my heart so she can feel its staccato beating. ‘I feel your light here, always.’” SAY F*CKING LESS, I SOBBED.

In Grace Reilly’s novel, Wicked Serve, Izzy is interning for a NYC party planner, when she meets her boss’s son Nikolai. Nik and Izzy have a summer fling and even though it is what they both agreed to, neither want it to end. It does need to end though since Nik and Izzy’s brother are hockey rivals. Nik and Cooper are two of the best college hockey players and Cooper can’t know about their summer together. So Izzy and Nik part ways and each head back to their school.

Izzy misses Nik, but decides to focus on her volleyball game and live up to the expectations of her family of super successful athletes. At least that is the plan until Nik shows up at her school. Turns out an incident at his school resulted in him needing to transfer.

Cooper is the captain of Nik’s new team and tells him his sister is off limits, not knowing about the summer. Cooper and Izzy try to stay away from each other, but the chemistry is too strong. Will the stress of trying to keep their relationship a secret be too much?

Wicked Serve is a great story with A LOT of spice. It was a bit spicy for me, but if you like hockey romances and spice, this needs to be on your TBR. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for a chance to read an advance copy,

This book was so cute! I smiled, laughed and cried! Isabelle and Nikolai are perfect for each other. I love how supportive they were of each other, and how almost seamlessly Nik fit into Isabelle’s family. When the epilogue was done, I still wanted more!

This was such a good book! It was easy-to-read and a quick read as well, I really liked the characters and storyline. I definitely recommend it!

The fourth and final book in the beyond the play series! I can’t believe it’s over! What a beautiful way to wrap up the series!

This book follows the youngest Callahan sibling, Isabelle, the passionate volleyball player and wedding planner, and Nikolai, the emotionally broody Hockey player who happens to be her brothers viral.

This book was a beautiful end to the series with the precious couples sprinkled all throughout, which is my favourite. Izzy and Nick definitely have their own flaws but mesh together so well to create a raw love story. This book captured many hearts. Reilly did a wonderful job at painting a realistic relationship with realistic problems that is not picture perfect.

I have been a loyal Grace Reilly fan since the beginning of this series. Cooper and Penny’s story in Breakaway was my favorite and I honestly didn’t know how this would measure up, but I loved it just as much!

Isabelle’s character was so relatable. She had depth that wasn’t seen in the other stories and her struggles with wanting to be successful in a family full of athletes were so real and made so much sense.

I loved that Nikolai was a bit tortured and had trauma, but he was still so sweet and caring with Isabelle and he was a good friend to all the guys in his team.

Their chemistry was off the charts and the spicy scenes were so hot! I loved the development of their relationship and that family members were supportive and accepting.

This was the perfect college sports romance and it works well as a standalone, but is also a great end to the series!

Isabelle and Nikolai had a summer romance but ended as they went to separate colleges. When Nikolai takes blame for an incident after a hockey practice, he is expelled from his school. His grandfather, who is extremely wealthy, gets him into the same college as Isabelle and on the hockey team (where her older brother, Cooper, is the captain) on the condition that he works for him after graduation instead of playing for the NHL. Isabelle and Nikolai rekindle their romance but decide to keep it quiet due to Cooper. With Nikolai’s complicated past and Isabelle’s drive to be perfect in everything, the couple must decide if their relationship is worth it or should they go their separate ways.

I absolutely loved this book. It was extremely easy to get into and romantically spicy too. The characters were likable and made you want to root for the couple. This is the fourth book of a series but you do not need to read them. The author gives the necessary background to understand. I liked the book so much, I plan to go back and read the previous books.

The book does cover some heavy topics but the author did a wonderful job conveying it throughout the story.

Thanks you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐️

I couldn’t wait for Izzy & Nikolai’s book and it was amazing. Brothers rival, secret relationship let’s gooo 🤪 I like how Izzy and Nik had a fling over the summer and we got little glimpses of their fling while we’re in the present when they see each other again. If you’ve read breakaway then you know Cooper and Nikolai aren’t the best of friends, especially after Nik made comments about Penny (coopers girlfriend) and then Izzy. Izzy doesn’t want Cooper or any of her brothers to know she had a fling with Nikolai. She thinks they’ll never need to know since summer is over now and they’re going back to their schools and won’t see each other again….. until they do because Nikolai has no choice but to transfer to McKee where Izzy and Cooper go to school.

Now Nikolai has to get along with Cooper since they’re on the same team. And although he tells himself to stay away from Izzy he can’t. So they start sneaking around and I just love a secret relationship 🤭 They may have had a fling but Nikolai knew more about Izzy than Izzy knew about Nikolai. So it was nice to see Nik slowly start to open up to her about his childhood and his dad. Nikolai also struggles with panic disorder and seeing him go through that alone was breaking my heart. Izzy never gave up on showing him that no matter what she’ll always be there for him. She never stopped proving to him that he was not his father.

I adored these two and it was so great to be back with all the Callahan’s and see what everyone is up to. It’s always so bittersweet when a series is complete. Can’t wait to see what Grace releases next 🫶🏻