This is my first book by Grace Reilly and I wish I enjoyed it more.
The story and plot had so much potential but it really fell flat. I felt like scenes were rushed and there was no true conflict that needed resolution. Even though it was a sports romance, I knew nothing about the sports and actually experienced the characters emotions while playing. Isabelle is young but her character seemed to see everything in black and white. I also couldn't sympathize with her struggles. They weren't rooted in anything but her own insecurities. Nikolai had the more complex background but that too felt flat and superficial. I feel like there were words and scenes and tropes place onto paper, hoping to be a book. It was a struggle for my to finish the book, especially because I enjoy a good sports romance.
Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this arc!

Good new adult sports romance. This is the first book I have read by Grace Reilly but I'm a sucker for a good hockey romance so thought I'd give it a try. Very well written, excellent plot and overall good read. I am definitely going to go back and read some of her other works.

This book follows Isabelle "Izzy" Callahan who is the the only girl following in her brothers and fathers shadows. All are successful athletes in their own rights and Izzy feels a bit of a failure when she struggles on the college volleyball team. When she takes a summer internship as an event planner, she meets Nikolai who is a well known hockey player on the college level. In fact, he is a big rival of her brother's. When the two embark on a summer fling, their chemistry is off the charts but at the end of summer both go their separate ways. Neither really wants that but they don't talk about it and just go silent with each other. When Nikolai gets kicked out of his college and ends up at the same school as Izzy, all bets are off. As much as he doesn't think he is good for Izzy, he can't stay away. When they finally do start a relationship, it has its up and downs especially with Izzy's brother. But Nikolai has a past he doesn't want to share and it is a burden he doesn't want to share. Izzy wants to help but is she enough...she doesn't want to feel like a failure at this two.

Definitely a good story line with some emotion. Nikolai has a lot to overcome for sure. Good angst and love between the main characters.

3.5 ⭐️

Do you need a new hockey romance? A Russian book boyfriend who just so happens to be her brothers rival? A lot of the time I felt this was mostly spice and a sprinkle of plot but I won’t complain about it this time because this was cute. I love how obsessed Nikolai was with Isabella but his inner monologue became a little repetitive with his incessant thinking he will turn out like his father. Also don’t even get me started on his mother and how she acted after they left Russia.

I’m also getting a little tired of third act breakups because of the miscommunication trope so there’s that too but overall if you want a short hockey romance read to add to your tbr this one is a good option.

Thank you Avon/Harper Voyager for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

This has been one of my most anticipated reads for 2024 following having read the rest of this series, Grace Reilly once more did not disappoint. Wicked Serve is probably my favorite book of hers so far, I absolutely loved how she wrote Izzy and Nik. I could not put the book down from the second I picked it up, finishing it in just one sitting. I loved the dynamic between Izzy and Nik and the cameos from our favorite past characters. It was so fun to read this book.

Thank you so much NetGalley for the ARC! Can't wait to see what Grace comes out with next!

3.75 stars. Nikolai and Izzy already had a "fling" before this book starts and I can't decide if I liked that or not. I liked that it didn't feel like that insta-love situation because they knew each other from before, but I missed reading how they got together (to be fair this could have been shown in book 3, but I got this as a review copy and hadn't read the others). Izzy's family is really close, and she keeps their relationship a secret from all of them as he was a hockey rival of her brother's. Nikolai's family is the opposite, and he has PTSD/past trauma, that hasn't been addressed until this book.

While I enjoyed the story, I just felt like there was something missing, which is why I took a star off. I also struggle with too much repetition and Izzy's love of pink and the word slick were used too frequently for my tastes. This book had all the "moments": sweet, sad, happy, sexy, scary.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon & Harper Voyager for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

🏒 Book Review 🏒
|| Wicked Serve ||
|| Author: Grace Reilly ||
Format: NetGalley ebook
Release Date: August 13, 2024
Read from: August 8, 2024 to August 17, 2024
2024 RG: 104/100

MCs: Nik and Isabelle

🏐 College sports
🏒 Secret relationship
🏐 Brother’s rival
🏒 He falls first and harder
🏐 Found family
🏒 Dual pov
🏐 Men’s mental health rep

Isabelle Callahan is a college volleyball player struggling to keep up with her family’s expectations. All she wants to do is belong somewhere fully. She also can’t seem to move on from her summer fling. But she’s never going to see him again, right?

Nikolai Abney/Volkov is just trying to outrun his past. Well not all of it. A certain wedding planner intern won’t leave his mind. When he gets kicked out of his college for covering for his teammate, he is transferred by his grandfather to the very college that said intern attends.

It’s not long until their paths cross and feelings resurface.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️5/5

“I can’t change my past, but I can shape my own future.”

And also Izzy is a Sabrina Carpenter fan and I absolutely love it.

I am hooked! I can’t wait to go back and read the first 3 books in this series that follow Izzy’s brothers!

If you’re a sports romance junkie like me you’re gonna love this book! I love the relationship and how it develops between Isabelle and Nik. I also love her brothers!

Isabelle and Nikolai meet over the summer when she interns for his mom. They have a beautiful summer fling until she wakes up one morning and he’s gone like the wind. That’s fine though because they go to different colleges in different states, and oh yea he’s her brother’s punk hockey rival!

Everything is fine, she needs to concentrate on volleyball anyways, until she runs into him at a party and realizes he’s transferred to her school! Trying to rekindle things and keep them on the down low is harder than it seems. Not to mention all the trauma gone Nik’s dad he hasn’t dealt with or faced. Will he let his fear and issues stop him from true love?

Tropes
🏐 Sports Romance
📍 Close Proximity
😡 Grumpy Sunshine
🩷 He Falls First
🤫 Secret Romance
🏒 Brother’s Teammate

“ if she’s sunshine, I’m the guy who hopes it never starts raining.” 🥹

Wicked serve can be read as a stand-alone alone or as the 4th book in the Callahan sibling series. I highly recommend all of them by Izzy’s book was my favorite!

Her & Nickolai’s relationship was adorable. Just two people who love each other being the other’s biggest fan. They experienced true highs and lows but through it all they did it together.

I truly loved this series & sad to see it end. But I’m excited for what Grace gives us next.

I requested to read and review this book for free from HarperCollins Publishing Inc. This story line plot had humor, romance, mystery and drama. Can love conquer all? Can we truly be happy and comfortable with yourself? Do people deserve second chances? Isabelle had grown up with a sports family is that someone they can all have in common or will the difference be to much? The Callahan crea are a unique bunch but will that tie them together or tear them apart? Nikolai has only ever knew hockey will it be his saving grace or a curse? Or could it be both? Can he decide there is more to life then hockey? And how does one navigate family and making friends? This book is for a mature audience and can read anywhere!

This book was incredible. Grace Reilly’s books always blow me away. But I absolutely loved Izzy. Nikolai is most definitely my favorite MMC of hers as well & that’s saying something because all the boys have been drool worthy.

Nikolai is so absolutely enthralled by Izzy & I love a good ‘he falls first’ & ‘brothers rivalry ’ romance. The growth both characters make by the end of the book was absolutely beautiful. All the stars, will always recommend!!

Nikolai and Izzy had a summer love that I wish we could've gotten to read more about. Nikolai now has to transfer schools and ends up at McKee with Izzy and playing hockey with her brother Cooper. He wants to immediately get together with her, but it turns serious quickly. Nikolai is beyond swoony and fell hard for Izzy. Their story is real and just a good one to read! Highly recommend.

We get to catch up with little sister Izzy and her summer fling with her brother’s rival Nikolai. He somehow gets expelled from his own school and transfers to Izzy’s. Nik’s got his own tragic backstory with an abusive father, overbearing grandfather, and an emotionally detached mother, but he’s a very charming flirt who is very good at pleasing our girl Izzy. While they rekindle their relationship, they’ve got to keep it a secret from Izzy’s brother (and now Nik’s teammate), Cooper. And really, they’re just friends with benefits anyway. (Sure, they are.) Izzy has her own feelings of inadequacy of being the youngest sibling in a group of pro athletes, but she’s working through it. I liked the writing style of this book and how Nik and Izzy each independently deal with their own insecurities. High on the steam!

Nik and Izzy were like magnets to one another. Their chemistry/attraction to one another was unavoidable. I loved how possessive/protective and supportive they were for one another. They were willing to stand up for one another under any situation. I really enjoyed the sweet, fluffy moments and Grace didn’t disappoint in the passionate/steamy scenes!

This book wouldn’t let me put it down.

It’s exactly the type of romance I absolutely love. The writing style captivated me so much that I now want to read all of Grace's other books. Besides Nikolay and Izzy, who completely stole my heart, the side characters were also perfectly written. I’m definitely diving into the rest of this series.

As for Nikolay, it wasn’t just his personality and his challenging backstory that drew me in—his Russian heritage definitely added to his charm. I’m obsessed with all things Russian—the language, the culture—so every time he spoke Russian, I melted a little more.

This is one of those books where I just have to highlight a favorite scene, and for me, that was the one in Australia. I adore koalas and consider them some of the cutest animals in the world, so seeing Izzy experience my biggest wish was pure joy.

I also appreciated the depth in the story; that always adds to my enjoyment.

Overall, I highly recommend this book!

I mean do I even need to write a review for this??!! Grace Reilly ALWAYS delivers!!! She did not fail us with Izzy and Nik!!! I am SO sad to say goodbye to the Callahan family. While you can read this book as a standalone, I would highly encourage you to read the others to help understand the full storyline.
Here are just some of the tropes you can expect:
✨ Brothers Rival/Forbidden Romance
✨ Dual POV
✨ Hockey MMC/Volleyball FMC
✨ Mental Health Rep
✨ Found Family
✨ Summer Fling turn FWB (The summer fling starts before the book...I know that irks some people.)

Yes, there are some cringe moments in the book but I just laugh them off and keep reading. Please know this book covers many heavy topics, so please read the trigger warnings!

Thank you so much to Grace Reilly & Valentine PR for an ARC of this book!

I love a secret romance book! Izzy and Nikolai are prefect and this was a great addition to the Callahan Series! Mental Health representation was so well done. And spice was handed out in spades!

The story was good I felt it drag a little bit overall a good read. The relationship between Nikolai and Isabelle was very positive, they had great communication and cared for one another. A healthy story between two who cared for one another. They story could have been shorter and it would still give us the same impact. It was nice to see a healthy relations between two people who wanted the best for one another.

This was my first read by Grace, but it won’t be my last. Normally I like more grit and darkness to my reads, but I’m always one for a palate cleanser and that was what this was to me. This book had a smattering of angst and a decent amount of chemistry. I loved that Grace showed how Nik was dealing with his mental health and not shying away from it or using it in passing and never addressing it again, that always frustrates me when authors do that.

I respected the way Izzy and Nik were always there supporting each other and fortifying the bond between them more and more each page turned. You could tell that they belonged together from the start and watching their relationship organically grow and mature was really sweet to see. All in all, I will definitely be picking up more from this author.

3.5 ⭐️

A hot summer fling that they thought would go no where but was destined to be forever.

Isabelle comes from a family of athletes and all she wants to do is prove to them that she belongs at the top too.

Nikolai is determined not to let his past control him even if that means giving up the one thing that’s only ever brought him happiness, hockey.

After a hot summer fling the two will never see each other again, to Isabelle’s dismay. Until Nik of course does something to jeopardize his future and the two of them get thrust together at the same school. But can they pick up where they left off when Nik used to be Isabelle’s brother’s biggest rival?

This book was good. My favorite part was the FMC. She was strong, smart, and not incredibly annoying like most are. My biggest problem was with Nik. He was all over the map. It felt as though the author couldn’t decide what kind of “book boyfriend” she wanted to write so he got a little bit of everything.

I will say the spicy scenes were immaculate, 5 stars alone for that. Outside of the bedroom, Nik just became a mess which was sad because he had a lot of opportunity to explore anxiety in men. It was like he was half way developed.

Besides that. For the most part the rest of the book was entertaining! There were a lot of great parts and a lot of bits that could definitely be reworked. Very solid foundation though.

So good! Loved these characters and everything about this book! Gave me butterflies and I didn’t want it to stop!