Wicked Serve by Grace Reilly
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🏒 sports romance
💕 he falls first
🏒 brothers rival
💕 secret relationship
🏒 found family

Well, let me just start by saying that Wicked Serve is like a hot summer day and a refreshing splash of cool water all rolled into one. I’m talking about the kind of book that leaves you fanning yourself and maybe questioning if you need to call for backup (or a cold drink). Grace Reilly definitely knows how to turn up the heat with this spicy little number!

Now, I usually steer clear of books that lean heavily into the spicy side of things. But in this case, Reilly strikes a perfect balance between sizzling scenes and a gripping plot. The result? A steamy rollercoaster that I couldn’t resist, earning a solid 4 stars from me!

Let’s talk about Nik, the Russian college hockey player who made my heart skip a beat. His accent? Absolutely irresistible. And when he spoke Russian to Izzy? Cue the blushes! If you’re like me and have a soft spot for a man with an accent, Nik will make you swoon. Where can I sign up for someone to whisper sweet nothings in another language?

Izzy and Nik’s journey starts as a summer fling but quickly evolves into something much deeper. The passion and chemistry between them are off the charts! But, and here’s the rub, I docked a star because the book felt a bit stretched out. There were moments where I thought, “We could trim this down a notch.” Plus, Izzy’s persistence about Nik’s past felt a bit rushed—sometimes it’s better to let those secrets unfold in their own time, don’t you think?

Despite these minor hiccups, Wicked Serve is a delightful read that I thoroughly enjoyed. And the best part? The series can be enjoyed in any order, so I’m eagerly eyeing the next book on my reading list!

If you’re ready for a spicy romance with a side of hockey and a swoon-worthy accent, this one’s for you. 📖💫

I have loved this series so much, when I read the first few chapters I have to admit I was a little sceptical on whether or not I was actually going to enjoy this book. But after 4 - 5 chapters I was hooked and by the end of the books I was shocked that I was even sceptical.

I'm going to admit there were parts of the book where I thought scenes were either drawn out or unnecessary. But in the end I would give this book 4 stars.

I think this book was a good way to end off the series and say goodbye to some of my favourite characters. I cannot wait to see what Grace has coming next.

You would enjoy this book if you like:
Hockey x Volleyball
Sneaking Around
Panic Disorder Rep
Boy Obsessed
Brothers Rival turned Teammate
Broddy x Bubbly
Family Drama
Possessiveness

Thank you Valentine PR for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

I was hooked to this from start to end, it was so good?? The angst, the fast but not too fast pacing, the discussions of consent, the way the MCs' respective anxieties and traumas were dealt with >>>>>>
Literally every single chapter was amazing. There were twists and drama, but the good kind, drama which the MCs needed to move forward, and I really loved that!

Also also, the forbidden ish romance and the sneaking around? The found family? The slow-burn love? The KOALAS?? Absolute perfection.

TWs - physical and verbal domestic abuse faced by a mom and kid from the dad (past), PTSD and panic attacks on page about said domestic abuse, anxiety, cheating (past, not the MCs)

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Valentine PR LM for an advanced copy!

Loved how cute and fun this was. Nikolai and Isabelle spent a summer together, knowing it would end when they went back to their respective colleges. However, when Nikolai transferred to Isabelle’s school, they rekindle the romance but has to hide it bc Nikolai is her brother’s rival. Some real life issues about mental health, self worth, family issues. Overall, an enjoyable read.

🌟 4/5

🛑 Look at the author's trigger warning!!!

‼️ While this book could be read as a standalone, this is book 4 of the Beyond the Play series.

ℙ𝕆𝕍: first person, dual perspectives

𝕄𝕪 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
It was so fabulous being back into the world of Callahan family! We finally get to read Izzy and Nikolai's story.

This family is so easy to love. One of my favorite things about this book was seeing all of the previous characters again. It focuses on Izzy and Nik, obviously, but we still see the foundation of Izzy's family in this book.

I loved how the 3rd act breakup isn't based on Nik being Izzy's brother's teammate/friend. It was brought up appropriately, IMO, but didn't linger and cased too much drama.

The dynamic between the MCs was heartfelt. I loved the chemistry and how supportive the characters were of each other. Both MCs deal with insecurities, but when they trust in each other, that's where the real chemistry is!

One thing that I think would have made this book better is seeing more of Izzy and Nik meeting and interacting. The book starts after the summer they had together, and even though we know they had a spicy summer, I feel like we missed out on quite a bit.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for an ARC!

I am so sad that it's time to say goodbye to the Callahans. I have loved this family with my whole heart since First Down, but Grace gave us such a perfect, fitting farewell with Wicked Serve. Izzy has always been such a big presence in the Callahan family, so I was beyond excited to get to read her story, and it was absolute perfection.

Wicked Serve is romance at its absolute finest. The banter. The spice. The SWOON. The heavier moments and all the warmest fuzziest feels. This book has it all, and I loved every single second of it.

It was so much fun to watch Nikolai and Izzy navigate a secret on-campus relationship they never expected to have after their summer fling. The way they got creative in sneaking around to hide the relationship from Cooper was such a complete delight, and their stolen moments together were funny, sweet, and SO. Damn. Hot. The two of them are absolute fire together. Even when they are navigating harder issues - Nikolai's panic attacks, his history with his father, Izzy's questioning her place in her own family, and both of them reconsidering their futures in the sports thet love - they do it with so much love and respect for each other and so much devotion that it doesn't feel hard or angsty - it feels like a real and true part of their love story.

And because no one writes family like Grace, when Cooper does eventually find out about the relationship, his reaction, and the way that he and Nikolai build a real friendship feels so genuine and true to the Callahan family. And speaking of the Callahans, I adored that their family dynamic was on full display in this book (and that we got one more Callahan Christmas!). I loved seeing how all the other couples are doing, and Izzy's relationship with Bex, Penny, and Mia is so beautiful and so special. And the way that the whole family embraced Nikolai and welcomed him into the fold felt so perfect and so true to what we know of the Callahans.

I literally never wanted this book to end, but then Grace gave us the absolute best final chapter and epilogue of all time, and wrapped up the Callahan's story so perfectly that, even though it's over, I felt satisfied and completely content with how everyone's story ended up. If you have been a fan of this series from the beginning, Wicked Serve is a perfect ending. I am so happy to have been able to read it early, and I can't wait to see what Grace gives us next.

"If she's sunshine, I’m the guy who hopes it never starts raining.”

“If I’m sunshine to him, then he’s the earth beneath my feet, the grass between my toes, grounding me like nothing else.”

The book at a glance:
💌 Hockey romance
💌 Secret relationship
💌 Brother’s rival
💌 Interconnected standalone

3.5 🌟

Overall, this was an entertaining read but it did feel a little too long. If you like bubbly girly girls x loner bad boys, this might be your cup of tea.

While I absolutely loved Nikolai, Isabelle came across as a little too immature. She didn’t know how to respect boundaries or how to create a safe space to open up about past trauma.

Thank you to Valentine PR, NetGalley, and Avon books for the advance copy.

Wicked Serve follows a summer romance with an expiration date into a possible long-term connection when our main characters end up at the same college for the year. For an added layer of complexity, the MMC is also the rival of the FMCs older brother so there are some interesting family dynamics at play as well.

The first thing I will say is there is absolutely no reason this book needed to be 400 pages long. By like 30%, I kind of felt like I already had the whole story and didn't need to continue. I have nothing against longer books as long as the plot is strong and there isn't just filler for filler, but I found myself skimming this one far too often.

If you are looking for a really wholesome hockey romance, this one might be the one for you! Our MMC falls first and HARD for our FMC and it honestly just makes the whole book with how sweet it is.

-hockey player x volleyball player
-brother’s rival turned teammate
-secret relationship

4.5/5 ⭐️
3.5/5 🌶

isabelle and nikolai spent the summer constantly circling each other & hooking up. when it was time to go their separate ways, nikolai left without a word - effectively putting an end to their summer fling… until he shows up at her school after being kicked out of his. not only that, he’s the newest teammate of the hockey team her brother’s the captain of - making him off limits!

i loved this SO much!! isabelle is pure sunshine & goodness. she takes care of all of the people she cares about & she gives all she has to everything she does. nikolai is broody & closed off. he’s complicated & stoic, but he has the softest spot in his heart for isabelle. he can’t stop thinking about her & can’t stop spoiling her with lavish gifts that isabelle doesn’t think she deserves.

this was fun & spicy & has so much found family in it. i loved getting to see the other callahan siblings & their HEAs!! i couldn’t have asked for a better wrap up to this series!! 🥰

gah!! This book! I was so glad I read it with Quinn so I could freak out about it! We’ve been waiting to hear Isabelle’s story even when we introduced to her during First Down. I loved all the cameos of the brothers throughout the book. I had to keep reminding myself these are college kids making mistakes and miscommunicating. But beyond that this book is SO fun and also SO spicy! Love you Grace Reilly!! Can’t wait to see what you do next!!

Ever so often, you just need a good new adult sports romance, and Grace Reilly delivers every time. Wicked Serve is book 4 in her Beyond the Play series, and it's a brother's rival hockey romance. Izzy and Nikolai connected while she was in New York for a summer internship, but that's all it was--a summer fling. He is, after all, her brother's biggest rival on the ice. But then he shows up on McKee's campus as the newest addition to their hockey team. Izzy literally can't avoid him, even though she's sworn nothing will distract her from her volleyball goals. Their proximity reignites the fire that was never really extinguished, and it's only a matter of time before they give in.

This book is swoony and steamy, and I love that he is so gone for her. He even flies her to Australia to hang out with koalas. I mean, that's adorable. Because of the age of the characters, there are a few things that had me shaking my head, frustrated by their choices--but they don't have the benefit of a 37 year old's hindsight, so I can forgive them for being young and a little bit dumb in love.

This was my first Grace Reilly book, and is the #4 in a series about a super athletic family. This story follows youngest sister Izzy, volleyball player, who is in a secret romance with her brother's hockey rival Nikolai. This book is extra spicy!

This book is too long in my opinion at 448 pages. A lot of the story felt resolved earlier and it didn't feel like it needed to be dragged out.

Thank you Netgalley & Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for the advanced reader copy.

My first Grace Reilly read did NOT disappoint!

Was I the only person getting “Grease” vibes to begin with?
A secret, summertime romance... a hunky boy transfers to a new school - HER school... they made no promises and can’t be together because it just wouldn’t be accepted. His friends wouldn’t understand.
But they can’t stay away from each other...

And then, Grace Reilly takes it up a notch!
Tackling BIG things like domestic abuse, mental health, and family communications. There's definitely enough angst even after the lovebirds take their romance public to keep you hanging on.

LOVED the HEA in the Epilogue too!

Wicked Serve by Grace Riley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶🌶🌶/5

Final book in the Callahan family came to play (tehe)! Izzy and Nik were so well set up with both of the characters having their moments in other parts of the series. The whole Callahan family also brings the perfect amount of banter and heart and their conversations were so realistic and natural. 

Nik's entrance into the book was ICONIC. It felt like the cliffhanger at the end of an episode and I SCREAMED. I knew that Nik was going to get his redemption arc and it was beautiful. He is such a complex character who had to deal with so many things in so many directions and the way Grace executed his character was wonderful. Izzy was absolutely the epitome of sunshine and was so gorgeous in her willingness to support Nikolai. The way he spoke about her made my heart happy - it was so sweet.

The series ended in the most beautiful way - the epilogue was perfect and really highlighted the way the Callahans have been there for each other through the whole series!

Thank you so much Valentine for the ARC! This was a book and a series I was so excited to get the final installment for because Breakway was one of the first books I read when I got back into reading and I couldn't wait to experience the stories of the rest of the siblings!

Wicked Serve was a cute and fun read with some spice.
The pacing of the book felt a bit off to me.
Overall, a ok read but way too long.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this book to death. Ever since I finished "Stealing Home" in May of last year, I’ve been eagerly awaiting Isabelle and Nikolai’s story. The three brothers captured my heart, but the series wouldn’t have been complete without our favorite Callahan!

Izzy meets Nik during a summer internship at Nik’s mother’s company. Their summer fling is intense but they decide to end it when the summer does because Nik also happens to be the rival of Izzy’s brother, Cooper. However, after a teammate's mistake, which Nik takes the blame for, he is thrown out of school and transfers to McKee. Despite Cooper's request that Nik stay away from his sister, Izzy and Nik can't seem to resist each other. Eventually, they stop hiding their feelings and come clean about their relationship after Izzy accidentally injures herself after an argument.

Grace’s writing is simply incredible; I don’t know how else to explain it. I adore her books so much, and I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next!

𝙒𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚
- 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘺

Isabelle Callahan
Nikolai Abney-Volkov.
#4 Beyond the Play


Isabelle is a sunshine girl from a family of sportsmen on her journey to prove her legacy and show her Volleyball coach that she deserves to be on the team because of her love for it and not because she is a Callahan. She wants absolutely no distractions no matter if its just a smart, drool worthy hockey rival of her brother and her summer fling who happens to make her heart flutter by just a glimpse.

Nick on the other hand is a complicated guy with secrets from his past and is struggling between his dream to get into NHL and family obligations. He has this last year with his favorite sport and wants to give it his all.
Which also means that his summer fling with sister of his ex rival and now team captain should remain just that, a summer fling.

But what will happen when they both come across each other?? Will the attraction they both feel for each other take over their desire to not risk it this year??? OR their past, challenges of their careers and the truth tear them apar???

Grace has done a beautiful work with this dual sports romance ( dual because both MMC and FMC are sports person) The details of both the sport are shared beautiful without confusing a non sport reader like me.

Where Izzy is all sunshine and full of positivity she also struggles and that's what makes her real. Her insecurities, her endless love for her family and her strong will to prove herself is what I admired the most.

Nick was the sweetest, cutest the most lovely person and perfect for Izzy. He not only had Izzy the push she needed to grow out of her comfort zone he supported her whenever and cheered for her the loudest. Despite struggling with his life and goals he was always there for Izzy, just like Izzy was there for him. He pushed himself to be better for her and dealt with his issues and trauma in the right way.

A beautiful book with sports romance, mental health rep. and found family which you will definitely love.

I've loved this one from Grace and going to pick other books from the series next.

Toodles 💕

I'm unsure how I feel about this. I both liked it and didn't like it at the same time. There were some really, really good parts of the novel, but there were also so very poorly done ones. Very 50-50 on the scale.

*I received an ARC from Netgalley. My review is my own

✨ New Review ✨

Title: Wicked Serve
Author: Grace Reilly
Genre/s: sports romance
My format: eBook 📱 #ARC
Spice level: 3
Spice quality: 4
Swoony-ness: 4
Feels: 🥹😂😭🫠🤭
Darkness: 🖤🖤🖤
Tropes:
🏒 Forced Proximity
🏒 Second Chance
🏒 Dual POV
🏒 Hockey Romance
🏒 Trauma Bonding
🏒 Found Family
🏒 University/College Romance

This was a fun, swoony, and spicy hockey romance.

It ticks all the usual boxes for a hockey romance and a few more. The depth of emotion and trauma was beautiful and their relationship was all the more believable and enjoyable for it.

This was the first in the series for me, but it is written perfectly so you can read it as a standalone. Whilst it is clear that many of the side characters were the MCs in previous books, it was easy to follow on.

The pace of this book was quite slow for a hockey romance, which is not a bad thing! As Grace really focussed on the emotions, the trauma, and the healing the slow pace felt … I dunno, respectful (?) to the characters.

And that spice, it be spicy. A little shminky and a lot hot. Very good read.

Th@nks to: @valentines PR for providing this copy.

**These are my honest thoughts that I have provided voluntarily.

✨ 𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝔼𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎 ✨
Wicked Serve by Grace Reilly
Book 4 - Beyond the Play Series
Pub Date: August 13, 2024

Review Title: Match Point
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)  
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (3/5)  

👊🏼Tropes:   
College Sports Romance
Hockey Player x Volleyball Player
Brother’s Rival / Teammate
Secret Relationship
Grumpy x Sunshine

✌🏼Vibes:
Sad to see the Callahan series end! The chemistry between Nik and Isabelle was addictive. Although much of the drama was immature (duh - they’re college kids), there were moments of great character growth in the end. Battling the effects of childhood trauma and breaking the self-conceived boundaries of perfection were two of the underlying victories in the book. I missed some of the best friend bonds, but the family ties were as strong as ever! I loved the spice! I craved resolution to family drama.

👉🏼My Summary:
Nikolai Abney-Volkov trained his entire life for a professional hockey career, but it ties him to a dark past he wishes he could forget. Will he give up on his lifelong dream or fight for a future he’s always wanted?

Isabelle Callahan has strived to live up to the greatness of her family, but a career in a professional sport was never going to be in the cards. Will she finally find purpose and a true sense of self worth outside of her performance on the court?

👇🏼Recommended to...  
College sports romance readers unafraid to wade through the murky waters of childhood trauma.