4 stars for Part 4 of this series. I haven't read any of the previous books in the series but I had no trouble following the plot in Wicked Serve. This is a spicy hockey romance that leans more towards "lust" than "love". I enjoyed watching Isabelle and Nikolai's story unfold even though this book was a bit on the long side. There is mental health representation with the MMC. Overall, I liked the book and would recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Wicked Serve is available on August 13, 2024.

5 stars

I read this whole series before getting to this one and while it wasn’t necessary to the story really, I’m glad I did because this was the best of them all. Izzy was so unapologetically girly which I loved. Very Elle Woods at times in all the best ways. And Nik, all the swooning (and filth!). I really felt his struggle with his past and his mental health, and how those experiences might affect his actions. That 3rd act was heart wrenching but also felt right and necessary.

Also, Grace Reilly loves a DP scene…

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I loved the first 3 books in the Beyond The Play series, so I was really looking forward to this one!

Nikolai was just… Nikolai? I don’t even know. I loved him.

“𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞 𝐈𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞.”

SAY FRICKIN LESS, SIR. The crawl to me seen will always be top tier. Like why is it so HOT 🥵

“𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞,” 𝐈 𝐬𝐚𝐲, 𝐦𝐲 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠. “𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞, 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫, 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐫.”

A man who begs for his girl in ANY way oh my gahhhhh 🥹

Isabelle’s inner turmoil with being enough and comparing herself to her family, was so relatable. There was an aspect of that to Nikolai’s character too, but the depth in hers was just great for her development.

Obviously Niko was my fave 🤩

The fave in the series always belongs to James & Bex, but it was still a quick and fun read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

This is the fourth book in this series, and this is Nikolai and Izzy’s story.
Izzy is the youngest and only daughter, in her family off athletes, and she is determined to win back her volleyball position. Nikolai is Izzy’s brothers biggest rival, and they shared a whirlwind summer fling. No Nik is forced to transfer to a rival school to complete senior year, and the last things he wants is the captain to find out about his fling with his sister.
This is a well written story which has family, friendships, broody / sunshine, secrets, revelations, romance, challenges, and love, which leads to an entertaining, and heartfelt college sports romance.
I look forward to reading more from this author whose work I recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Releases August 13th!

Sign me up to be the 5th Callahan sibling!!

I was fortunate to get an ARC copy of this book and let me just say it was amazing! Thank you to This book has so much goodness in it, I don’t even know where to start!

Wicked Serve is the 4th book in this standalone interconnected series and this one follows the youngest Callahan sibling, Isabelle and her older brothers hockey rival turned teammate, Nikolai Abney-Volkov. We follow their secret romance from the summer and then into school when Nikolai has to suddenly transfer from UMass to McKee University where Isabelle is a sophomore on the volleyball team and her brother is the captain of the hockey team.

I loved the volleyball sprinkled throughout with the hockey. As a past volleyball player, I vote we need more hockey/volleyball sports romances in the world! The trials of love, abuse, large families, and team sports play throughout this book.

I’m sad to see this family go but omg the epilogue was the perfect closure!! I cannot wait for everyone to read this! Oh, and prepare yourself because it is a spicy one 🥵🥵

-volleyball x hockey player
-college romance
-older brothers rival/teammate
-found family
-secret relationship
-Russian
-family drama

🌶️🌶️🌶️

This book was a great read and hits all the bases for a sports romance and friends to lovers read. From the initial meet cute to the end these two melted my heart and I loved how they showed up to support each other in this book.

I like watching the relationship blossom between Nikolai and Izzy, though it's not all completely smooth sailing and there are enough obstacles to overcome, their overwhelmed desire to be with each other wins out on the end.

𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼:
ఌ sports romance
ఌ hockey vs volleyball
ఌ secret relationship
ఌ mental health rep
ఌ brother’s rival
ఌ dual POV

Thanks to Valentine PR, NetGalley and Grace Reilly for my e-ARC.

4/5 ⭐️ 3/5🌶️

🏒🏐🏒🏐🏒🏐

I was so excited to Finally get Izzy’s story!

Izzy & Nik first a summer fling when Izzy worked under his mom doing wedding planning. They both loved spending time together and they thought they never see each other again until Nik runs into trouble with his current college and his grandpa gets him into McKee.

Izzy is a volleyball player and Nik is in hockey, originally Izzy brother Cooper rival. They did have their relationship in secret because of how Cooper would act, but after Cooper saw how much Nik cared for Izzy he can around they actually became great friends.

I feel like since they are both athletes it makes them have a bond to where they understand each other so well. These two really have some chemistry together.

I love how much Bex & James were in this book especially with Izzy planning there wedding. It made my heart so full. ❤️

The only thing I was not a fan of was how some parts really dragged which made the book longer than it needed to be.

I have to say this has to be the spiciest and heaviest out of all the books in this series. What Nik had to deal with his father and his past was heartbreaking to see. Even though he went through so much with him, I have to say he really knew how to be there for Izzy and treat her the way she needed to be treated.

Tropes
Volleyball & Hockey
Forbidden
College
Mental health/ anxiety rep
Brothers rival
Found family



Thank you to Valentine PR & Grace Reilly for this ARC!

This was my first hockey romance and I wasn't sure what to expect but I was not disappointed. This was such a spicy read! It did feel at points that every few chapters, there was a spicy scene which depends on what you like as a reader. However, I would be remiss if I didn't elaborate on how the author weaves a story about found family and mental health representation throughout. I really felt for the MMC, Nikolai, and enjoyed seeing his relationship with the FMC, Isabelle and her family. I really enjoyed that the author had short and concise chapters that served the purpose and made me feel engaged as a reader. I do wish the author had explored the MMC and his family dynamics. I felt there was a lot of build up to the character's father and then the scene felt a bit rushed. I wish the communication and growth of the MMC had been explored more with the FMC. I will definitely go back to read the rest of the series. This book gave me Maxton Hall/Elite vibes if you enjoy those shows. This was a 4 star read for me because I enjoyed the characters' dynamics and I really got pulled into their world.

Read if you like:
Spice, All the Spice
Teammate's sister
Found Family
Mental Health Rep

Thank you to Valentine PR and Grace Reilly for this ARC.

I haven't read any of the other books in this series and that didn't seem to matter. All are stand alone. This book was way too long. Goodness did this book drag on. I kept wondering when it would pick up and really capture my attention. While there were parts of the book I enjoyed, I don't have any interests in reading any of the others in this series. Half way through the book I felt it hit every single step most romances hit and it was STILL GOING. It's a 3 stars for me since I did like the story but just hated how long it was dragged out.

This was my first read from this author and I really enjoyed it. I read it in one sitting. I really enjoyed this story about Nikolai and Isabelle. You should definitely read this one.
I received an ARC copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest voluntary review.

Isabelle Callahan meets Nikolai Volkov while spending her summer in NYC working for his mom. They have a fun romance but when the summer ends she heads back to McKee U and he heads back to Boston.

Nikolai is an amazing hockey player. He has a toxic dad who played pro and still lives in Russia. He also has a controlling grandfather who wants him to give up hockey and run the family business. When he gets transferred to McKee, he promises his grandfather he will give up hockey for good.
Isabelle is the youngest Callahan. Her three older brothers all played sports and she always compared herself to them. She plays on the volleyball team but it’s not her true passion. When Isabelle and Nikolai run into each other again on campus they can’t seem to stay away. At first, they hide their relationship but they are quickly becoming each other's safe space. But Nikolai’s past still haunts him and threatens to ruin everything good.

I liked these two together. Like her other books in the series, these two were locked in and determined to go the distance. Nikolai struggled with a lot of anxiety and past trauma and Isabelle was there for him every step of the way. I thought the author did a great job of showing how they dealt with their insecurities and struggles but they still had open communication with each other. I am sad to see this series end!

Read if you like
Hockey Romance
Brother’s teammate
Grumpy x Sunshine

Hockey/Vball, brother's enemy, fling turned more, deciding futures, and hot hot spice.

This is not the first book in the series, but it can be read as a complete stand-alone. Everything you need to know will be given to you. However I do think you will get more out of the book and connect more to the characters if you have read the previous books as you have met all of the sibling before, and know about the family and friend dynamic.

I’m slightly confused about my own feelings with this book- I came for the silly lil hockey romance, but the part I actually liked was Nikolai’s journey of self-acceptance and growth!

Isabelle and Nik’s journey to being together was quick, faced few obstacles, included some very inspiring doses of open and healthy communication, and was essentially settled before the halfway point in the book. Their biggest stressor being her older brother being his new teammate was so easily overcome, I was overjoyed at the lack of toxic brotherly masculinity! I was very thrown off by the extravagance Nik showed her- and those definitely took me out of the story!!

Once that part was essentially wrapped up, we were taken on a journey with Nikolai coming to terms with his relationships with his father and grandfather, handling (and mostly mishandling) panic attacks, and working to become the best version of himself for Isabelle. Isabelle, meanwhile, is dealing with comparison to her athletic family and juggling school, a job, and playing volleyball which I can’t even tell if she likes??

Overall, this was a mostly fun read and an enjoyable world, even without having read the other standalones in the series!

Thank you to Grace Reilly and NetGalley for a chance to read in exchange for an honest review!

Overall: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plotline: 4.5/5
Writing: 4/5
Tropes: F/M Romance; Hockey; Friends-with-benefits to Lovers; Brother's Rival; Hockey x Volleyball; Grumpy/Sunshine

Themes:4.5/5
Romance: 5/5
Spice Factor: 3
Enjoyment Factor: 4.5/5

Review: This is probably my new favorite Callahan Siblings book. This one felt the most raw and emotional from both sides. I became so invested in Nikolai and Izzy's individual story arcs and their romance. There was never any miscommunication, which was refreshing, as they constantly told each other how they felt and why they felt that way. Nik was a perfect grump MMC, and Izzy was the ideal comparison. Their banter was immaculate, as were their spicy scenes! It was shocking but in the best way

If you’re in the mood for a sports/college romance where a woman falls for her brother’s rival, *Wicked Serve* by Grace Reilly might be just what you’re looking for. The idea behind the story sounded great, and I was excited to dive into it. The whole rivalry aspect had a lot of potential, especially with the tension it could bring to the romance.

But, honestly, this one wasn’t for me. The book felt way too long, and there wasn’t enough happening to keep me hooked. The constant back and forth between the characters got old pretty fast, and I found myself getting bored most of the time. It’s a shame because Nik’s character was actually really interesting—his backstory and personality had so much going for them, but the story just didn’t deliver in a way that kept me engaged.

I can see how some people might enjoy the slow burn and the relationship drama, but for me, it just didn’t hit the mark.

I am so sad that this was the last of the Callahan siblings books, but at least it was a great one! Nik and Izzy are a fantastic couple, there is so much sneaking around, a secret relationship with her brother's rival, found family, hockey and volleyball, and plenty of SPICE! But this one also brings a lot of childhood trauma and abuse to the table, meeting with a girl who seems confident but secretly has never felt like she's enough in a family of all-star male athletes. They have things to work through, and their relationship can't stay a secret forever. But there is a real lack of drama, there are no misunderstandings or miscommunications here. And honestly, I loved that. It was so refreshing. It was just two people trying to navigate a relationship in college.

And maybe there is even a koala.

"My sunshine girl."
"If I'm sunshine to him, then he's the earth beneath my feet, the grass between my toes, grounding me like nothing else."

I've really enjoyed the 'Beyond the Play' series, and I was so excited for Isabelle's storyline! As the youngest child, and only sister of the Callahan family, she is definitely that girl, but I found it much more endearing than obnoxious! I looved the sunshine vs. reserved MMC take this book takes. All I want is to hug Nikolai and be friends with Isabelle. I was worried where this book would go with how quickly they were together, but I stayed pleasantly entertained throughout it all and just thought it was a great ending to the series for all four couples (I loved Isabelle doing Bex and James wedding!)

"She made the world fall away all summer, and she's doing it again right now with each kiss and each scratch of her nails down my back."

🩵College Hockey MMC x College Volleyball FMC
💙Brother's Nemesis, turned bestie?
🩵Friends with Benefits
💙Broken Boy x Sunshine Girl
⚠️DV exhibited by MMC's father

Final Rating: 4⭐, 3🌶️

Thank you Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for an eARC of Wicked Serve by Grace Reilly. Also, thank you SO MUCH GoodReads for offering an ARC giveaway of this book which I won! First time owning a physical copy of an ARC. and I was so elated! This is my honest and unpaid review!

Wicked Serve started strong for me. I loved that it got straight into the story and the connection was already developed. But then, that is all we got. A whole lot of sneaking around and this was the only part of the plot.

The book was way too long as it felt like a whole lot of dialogue and not enough of a plot going on. I think looking back now, we would have been better off reading about their meet cute as it would have developed the plot further.

I DNF’d at 44% as I felt like I was just reading the same thing over and over again. I didn’t find myself reaching for it.

He's her brother's biggest hockey rival and she's the volleyball player that is off limits... yet what was only suppose to be a summer fling turns into something more when he transfers to her college hockey team and is determined to keep their situationship going... but she's a romantic at heart and wants more... that is if he is even able to. Nikolai lives and breathes hockey, his entire childhood his abusive father trained him to be the best until Nikolai finally left the Russian hockey team and moved with his mom.. yet after an incident with his team where he covered for his teammates, he is expelled. So Nikolai makes a deal with his grandfather: if he is grandfather helps him get into the college and play hockey he'll give up hockey after college and take over the family business. There's just one teeny tiny hitch, Isabelle, the girl he's in love with whom he had a summer fling with and the very same little sister of his former hockey rival and now new teammate/captain. Nikolai and Izzy are magnets but have decided to keep their a relationship a secret... but the longer it goes on the harder it gets to hide. It doesn't help that Nikolai's father is breathing down his neck and he hasn't told Izzy about any of his family issues. Izzy is also struggling to keep lying to her brothers and the fact that she is meant to be focusing on her position as a volleyball setter but feeling like she isn't good enough. Both Izzy and Nikolai are so supportive of one another and dearly love one another, and the steam is great in this book. I had a lot of fun reading it and yeah it did feel a bit long, like 100 pages too long and it could have been shortened because the drama in this book did not warrant that much time. However, overall I had fun, the spicy scenes were great, and the romance was a happy one.

Release Date: August 13,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Nikolai and Isabelle have a summer fling which ends when Nikolai returns to Massachusetts where he is completing his final year while Isabelle is based in New York, a sophomore at McKee University.

Nikolai gets into trouble causing him to be expelled. He ends up joining McKee University and this brings him back into close proximity with Isabelle. Soon, they renew their fling as a “Stress relief pact” when they are both actually way more attached than they are willing to admit.

As they navigate their secret relationship, other issues also come their way. Will they be able to resolve them together or will they be forced apart? Read this to find out!

Though this is my first time reading this series, I am immediately drawn into the close-knit Callahan family. When an accident brings them all together, it was heartwarming to see how this beautiful family reacts and cares for each other.