WORTH THE WAIT!!

While it took me longer to read than I wanted it to (school started and I was BUSY) it was still so good and easy to jump back into after a couple of days of not picking it up. I loved Nik SO MUCH. Izzy needed somebody to really see her and her insecurities and that's just what Nik did while also being the more supportive and encouraging person.

A hockey and volleyball romance filled with secret flings and the complexity of navigating familial expectation.

This book is great through about the first 50% the characters are fun, the chemistry is there, the world is built up and we even get what I think would have made a fine third act break up. Just to see you're not even halfway through the book. I think ultimately this book had too much it wanted to try and do and get to.

ARC Review ✨️

☆Nikolai & Izzy♡

Nikolai plays hokey and just so happens to be the biggest rival of Isabelle's brother. Isabelle plays volleyball and ends up having a little fling with Nikolai. They know they can never be together because of her brother, so where does that leave them?
I completely devoured this story! I enjoyed the characters, and the secrets fling was so fun to read. This story was also filled with so much spice 😍 The author's writing was perfect! I haven't read the rest of this series, but it's on my tbr now!

Thanks so much to the author, Valentine PR, and Netgalley for the ARC!

I have enjoyed this entire series and think its safe to say that the two titles featuring hockey as the sport are my favs! I enjoyed how hard the mmc fell and I enjoyed the development of their relationship.

This book covers some pretty heavy topics so please make sure to read trigger warnings before reading <3

This book contains a lot of the tropes I don't normally read, but it is just so good that I loved it so much. I didn’t expect to fall head over heels in love with. I already admired Grace Reilly, but I didn’t anticipate loving this book as much as I did. It’s real, messy, and raw. While friends-with-benefits is not typically a trope I gravitate towards, this book is so much more than that.

I adored Nikolai. I appreciated that he had a genuine disorder and sought help for it. He was an excellent book boyfriend, and I loved that he’s more than just a typical hockey player. Despite his trauma, he does the work to address and heal from it. His choices at the end, where he prioritizes his own well-being to be better for himself and then for Izzy, were particularly meaningful.

Izzy was another highlight of the book. She’s sweet, stands up for herself, and is the perfect match for Nikolai. She supports him through everything while also deeply caring for him. I also admired her dedication to her studies, even while in a relationship. The chemistry between the two main characters is fantastic, and the sex scenes are written exceptionally well—they're incredibly steamy.

There is so much emotion packed and this book touches on hard topics, but addresses them in an appropriate way.

I loved everything about this book. Go check it out!

I loved this book so much because it really shows you that it’s okay not to be okay 👏🏼 I really appreciate when authors not only have mental health representation in their books but when they portray it in their MMC’s, it’s not always just women who struggle with anxiety and panic attacks.

Izzy and Nik’s relationship was so beautiful, it may have started out as just a fling but it quickly developed into so much more and I loved every second of it! I loved how supportive they were through each others struggles and I’m so so happy that we got to see so much of Izzy’s family and even some of Nik’s there at the end. The epilogue was chefs kiss and of course made me cry 🥹

✨3.5/5✨

One things for sure, I am deep in my hockey romance era. Wicked Serve by Grace Riley is the 4th book in the Beyond the Play series but I feel like it could definitely be read as a standalone (which i did) it’s easy to follow along with the characters that were most likely mentioned and developed in the first 3 books. This story follows Nikolai and Isabelle. Nikolai is Isabelle’s hockey rival and what started as a summer fling has quickly turned into more. This does have spice but the overall story is actually really sweet. I love how supportive Isabelle’s family is of her despite some of her insecurities. I do think the story dragged on a little with a few different plot twists but overall it was a good read. I’d recommend this to anybody in their hockey romance era!

Thank you to @authorgracereilly @netgalley and @avonbooks for this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I had to DNF at chapter 16. I tried and tried to read but it just could not keep my interest. I didn't have a single care in the world for these characters.

4.75 stars

I adored this one! It is easily one of my favorite hockey romances I have read so far. I also liked the balance of volleyball and hockey elements. It was refreshing to see two talented athletes fall in love. The blend of tropes as a whole is just so great. It checked a lot of my boxes and did so skillfully.

I wish we could've seen a bit more of their summer fling in the past that started it all. There were a few flashbacks, but they didn't provide the context I was hoping for. They are so cute, and I would've loved to see more of how Nikolai pulled Isabelle at the beginning.

The one part that confounded me was how everyone continually brought up how purple everything was at the university. It seems to be building up to some kind of plot point and then it just... disappears. It was a failed Chekov's gun moment. If you are going to bring something up over and over, it should contribute to the plot in a significant way.

I love how there are a whole host of LGBTQ+ side characters. I noticed at least two lesbian characters and one gay character. It was a nice blend of queer culture being naturally integrated without feeling forceful or there for brownie points. In a sizeable friend group on a college campus, there are likely a few queer people. It helped ground the story in a bit of realism.

There were a lot of moments that made me laugh out loud. The guys in this story were particularly amusing. Especially when James locked Cooper and Nikolai outside in the snow to work things out. I also smiled at all of the bonding moments including the matching sibling tattoos.

The one part of this story that I didn't love so much was the aggressive daddy issues. It makes sense for Nikolai's character but less so for Isabelle. Her conflict would be much more effective if it was strictly centered on her brothers. Not every older male needs to be a threat or source of tough conflicting feelings.

I really admire Reilly for the way she employed the setting to propel the plot forward. Each setting served a purpose for the story in a sensical way. It felt deliberate and calculated effectively.

This book has a good bit of spice but this spice contributes to the character development. If you are not a fan of spice, I do not recommend this book.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to the hockey romance fans. It is full of characters with depth that also bring about a lot of humor. There are a lot of daddy issues so prepare yourself for that before going in.

I received this book as an arc from Valentine PR. My review is honest and voluntary.

Grace Reilly hit it over the net AGAIN! We return to McKee University and watch everyone’s favorite little sister, Izzy, live her own love story with Nikolai. It was so fun to learn more about Izzy and watch her develop on the page. This has been one of my favorite book series, and I’m so glad it ended with this story! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy.

This was SUCH a cute read and I absolutely loved Izzy and Nikolai! I'm a sucker for a grumpy meets sunshine dating trope and this one didn't disappoint! Plenty of spice with great pacing that also did a great job at addressing serious topics sensitively. Thanks so much for the ARC!

🏐 Book Review 🏐

Wicked Serve by Grace Reilly
🏐
This book was so cute! It is the perfect summer fling to secret romance book. Nikolai is broody, broken, secretive, and closed off. Izzy is girly, loves pink, and is sunshine personified. They are complete opposite, but they completed each other perfectly because they supported each other, but also pushed back when they felt like it was in the other person’s best interest. I loved Nikolai’s Russian heritage and the Russian words, phrases, and nicknames that are sprinkled throughout the book. It does deal with some heavy topics from Nikolai’s past, but it was done very well and with sensitivity. It was the perfect ending to the series, and now we have books for all of the Callahan siblings.
🏐
My rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
🏐
Read if you like:
▫️he plays hockey and she plays volleyball
▫️brother’s rival and teammate
▫️damaged hero
▫️found family
▫️dual POV
🏐
Thank you to Valentine PR, Avon, Harper Voyager, and Grace Reilly for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

i was very fortunate to receive an ARC of Wicked Serve by Grace Reilly from ValentinePr, thank you so much!! 🩷

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5

content warning: mentions of domestic abuse, alcoholism, disordered eating, panic disorder, and cheating, as well as explicit sexual content.

“our love has felt like springtime. warmth chasing away shadows, light spilling into the open. i imagined sun-drenched days ahead, but the frost hasn’t left the ground. the flowers haven’t bloomed.”

i absolutely devoured this book, once i started reading it i couldn’t stop!! and though this book touches on some heavier topics, nothing ever felt forced or awkward. the plot was just beautiful and the characters are fantastic!! I loved that both characters had their own sport that they excelled in and had to find their self-worth one and together.

isabelle and nikolai are so cute together! the love story between them was both beautiful and heartbreaking. nik was dealing with so much trauma, and it obviously impacted the way he viewed the world, especially his view of what love and relationships could be. and isabelle became the bright spot in his light, and she took care of him in ways no one else ever had. they really did have a sweet and genuine connection!

this book was super cute and lighthearted, and the spice was good! so if you're in the mood for an easy cute read, i definitely recommend reading this book! also, this was my first time reading anything by grace and it definitely didn’t disappoint!! i will now be binging all of her previous work and i can’t wait to read her future work!! once again thank you so much to valentinepr and grace reilly for providing me with this arc 🩷

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Wicked Serve…Isabelle and Nikolai… NO NOTES!

While Sebastian may be my favorite of the Callahan brothers, Isabelle is giving him a run for his money in the favorite Callahan sibling contest.

There was so much to love about this book. Watching the relationship between Izzy and Nik, learning and watching Nik deal with his childhood trauma, getting to see all of the Callahan family again… yes, yes, yes.

Grace Reilly has a hold on me and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyage for the chance to read an advanced copy of Wicked Serve!

Wow. This book exceeded all my expectations. It’s the final chapter of the Callahan family series from Grace Reilly, and she finished with a win. Wicked Serve is the perfect blend of sports and romance that hits all the right notes. Nikolai and Izzy’s story is filled with the ideal amount of steam, tension, and heart.

I adored how the book combines the intense world of college sports with a romance that’s both swoon-worthy and complicated. The chemistry between Nikolai’s broody charm and Izzy’s fiery independence kept me turning pages. And those playful koalas? I CANNOT!

If you’re into steamy, emotional reads with a sports backdrop, Wicked Serve is a must-read!

Wicked Serve by Grace Reilly

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley for review. My opinions are my own.

5/5 stars

I have read other books in this series and really wasn’t a fan. This book seemed to handle the substance a bit more delicately, while also being - ahem - still extra spicy.

This book centers on Isabelle, the youngest of the Callahans, and Nikolai, a rival of Cooper, Isabelle’s brother on the rink. Isabelle and Nik meet because of her summer internship and choose to keep their relationship secret because of Cooper. This becomes increasingly more difficult as Nik is forced to transfer to McKee University and join the hockey team.

There are several triggers in this book: panic disorder, domestic violence, difficult parental relationships.

Izzy and Nikolai had a wonderful summer romance. Nikolai went back to college, ready to play hockey when as team captain he took the blame for a team member’s mistake and was kicked off the team. Nik’s grandfather told him he would get him in wherever he wanted to go but then he had to go to work for him and playing professional hockey was out of the question. Nikolai struggles with nightmares concerning his dad, an abuser in Russia, earning the trust of Izzy’s brother, hockey team captain, and the loss of professional hockey. Izzy struggles with being a strong athlete like her older brothers. Izzy and Nikolai struggle to keep their rekindled romance a secret. This is a wonderful book about trust, communicating, and allowing someone to help in times of trouble. Great story and characters.

Another sweet and sexy entry into Grace Reilly's Beyond the Play series! Wicked Serve delivers a wicked helping of heart and heart. With a little bit of angst, a lot of emotions, and a really charming love story in the center, it was a great journey back into the Beyond the Play World.

Never let Grace's covers fool you- they are always full of deep topics and also are ultra spicy- and this one certainly touches on heavier things- like the impact of trauma on a persons mental and emotional well being, and also how those kinds of challenges can impact personal relationships. I really appreciated the mental health representation - and while I might not have catalyzing incidents like represented here or the depth of challenges faced, I think we all can relate to a certain extent to what it feels like to have anxiety, to feel overwhelmed and over committed. And while I'm not a mental health expert, to me at least it seems liked Grace handled this topics with realism, sensitivity, and care.

I really adored Nikolai- he made the whole book for me. He's a beautiful soul trapped in a big hockey players terrifying frame. The Russians swooner- I mean a man who whispers sweet nothings in his native tongue?! Microtrope I never fail to melt for. And I loved seeing a the focus of the mental health of the hero for a change- so much of their story is about his journey, and I appreciated how it was prioritized. Isabelle I didn't quite love at first- in part because of the ways in which she pushed Nikolai early on. It felt a bit immature- but as things moved along, I grew to like her and found her to be quite patient and sweet. The angst was pretty low between them, which I appreciated - it's refreshing to have a low drama dynamic.

Their summer romance (which is a great way to finish my summer!) was a whirlwind that evolves into more thanks to fate. I really liked them together and their chemistry, and overall enjoyed the story, but I do feel like the pacing dragged a bit in places. The HEA felt to happen about halfway, which honestly I liked getting to see so much of them in their happy couple place, but the backhalf did feel a bit long for how it progressed the story.

I did really enjoy the audio narration- I'm not super familiar with either narrator, but Faith Clark brought a lot of charm to Isabelle and Oscar Reyes as just the right dash of grit to a very emotive performance- and I thought the accent was great and ultra delicious.

*Established/pre-existing relationship
*Found family
*Hockey x Volleyball MMCs
*Spice
*Brothers rival turned teammate
*secret romance
*Mental health rep
*boy obsessed
*found family
*Russian MMC

I've been waiting for this book since reading Izzy's brothers stories and it was so worth the wait. Getting to see Izzy from a different point of view added so much to her character. Nik and her were so good together.

This was my first Grace book and while I enjoyed it, it was too long. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and it was slow going for me. I did enjoy a less than toxic relationship with these two which was nice given their collage age. If it had been shorter I may have devoured it. I loved the rivals and hockey troupes and I will probably pick up another book by her in the future.