4.5…A cute read with a sometimes emotional love story. Izzy is a college volleyball player with dreams of being a wedding planner. She comes from a family of extremely successful athletes and sometimes struggles with not being enough..but don’t we all. Nikolai is a college hockey player with NHL dreams but struggles with what he truly wants and who he truly is. He had an intense backstory that added an extra dimension to this story. This was a love story about family, and being accepted for who you are. About loving your family so much that you don’t truly know yourself…until you learn how to love yourself. I really Liked Nikolai and Izzy together they truly belonged together. I loved how they supported each other and stood up for each other. I look forward to reading more books by this author

I loved this book this series is amazing! I have always loved this series. I loved the character development, and how the book flowed with the rest of the series. I am very thankful for the opportunity to get to read this book early.

I enjoyed this for the most part. I do think some parts dragged a bit but I was still very interested in the plot and characters.

This book is the fourth installment in the Beyond the Play series. It is a cute sports romance that is a quick read. I would suggest though that you read the other books first before reading this one.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for my ARC.

What an amazing way to end this series! The callahans will always hold a special place in my heart and this was a great tribute to them. I knew Izzy was going to shine from when I read breakaway and she didn't disappoint.
Her lack of self confidence and tearing herself down was so relatable and I love the way she was portrayed and how she flourished throughout the book.
Nikolai is such a precious boy and I fell in love with him more with every chapter. Book boyfriend added to the list- check.
Something Grace always does so well is include actual sports in the books so you know and feel like you're reading a sports romance and this book is no exception.
The writing was great and I loved how Izzy and nik navigated life and their relationship, it was so freaking cute and swoon worthy and just had me completely in my feels the whole way and yes tears were shed.
Sweet, sexy and swoonworthy is the perfect way to describe this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. With the hockey romance sub-genre really taking off in 2024, i loved the way the characters in his read gave us a fresh edge to the storyline. The palpable energy and chemistry between the character was a highlight as well as the drama! I lapped it up. No spoilers here ;) you've gotta read it.

I'm so sad this is the last book in the series! These sports romances are so fun and off the charts spicy. Hockey is my favorite sport, and I really enjoyed this romance between Izzy and Nicolai.

This was a fast read, but it still could have been shorter than 400(!) pages. I skimmed a lot and felt that there was a lot of fluff that could have been left out to make the flow better.

I loved that we saw some of the characters from the earlier books in the series. It really ties it together and made me smile.

The "summer fling reunited" trope was fun too, and I liked the 'brother's rival" bit too.

After not loving books 2 and 3, as much as #1, this one was a much better book!

I will start this one stating I'm glad I had this one in audio because I'm not sure I would have finished it if was in print. Nik and Izzy are a second chance, sports, spicy (sort of), college story. Nik gets in trouble at his previous school and his grandfather pulls strings and gets him transferred and now he is on a team where his rival is the captain and just happens to be the brother of the fling he had the previous summer. Izzy wants nothing more than to get back where she was on the volleyball team but her coach is doing everything in her power to keep her down. When she crosses paths with Nik on campus all bets are off and BAM they start back up again. Hockey and volleyball and family and lots of a lot happening to get to the end.

This was such a fun, banter and chemistry-filled sports romance. I'll read any that Reilly puts out!

Grace Reilly’s “Wicked Serve” is a captivating addition to the hockey romance genre, delivering a perfect blend of passion, conflict, and heartwarming moments. As a fan of sports romance, this novel exceeded my expectations in many ways.

The story follows Izzy and Nik, whose lives intersect in unexpected ways, setting the stage for a rollercoaster of emotions. Reilly’s portrayal of the hockey world is both vivid and authentic, making it easy to get lost in the fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled environment. The detailed descriptions of the games and training sessions provide a realistic backdrop that enhances the narrative.

The characters are well-developed and relatable, each with their own strengths and vulnerabilities. Izzy is a compelling protagonist whose journey of personal growth and self-discovery is inspiring. Her chemistry with Nik is electric, with sparks flying from their first interaction. The fact that he is the first man to give her the big O says a lot about their chemistry!

Reilly’s writing style is engaging and fluid, with dialogue that feels natural and scenes that are richly detailed. The emotional depth of the story is one of its standout features; it explores themes of trust, perseverance, and the importance of support systems in the face of adversity.

One of the highlights of “Wicked Serve” is the way it handles the complexities of relationships, both romantic and platonic. The secondary characters are not just background figures but play significant roles in shaping the protagonists’ journeys. The camaraderie among the hockey team members adds an extra layer of warmth and authenticity to the story.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I liked the cast of characters but wasn't into this book really at all. The growing friendship between the male lead and her brother was more compelling to be honest.

Wicked Serve by Grace Reilly is a fun, flirty, and steamy romance that effortlessly combines sports, passion, and the thrill of unexpected love. With its captivating characters, witty banter, and sizzling chemistry, this book is perfect for readers who enjoy fast-paced, heart-racing romances with a side of humor.

Hockey Romance, need I say more? This was a great fun romantic comedy that had me laughing and sometimes wanting to cry a bit. I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope to read more from this author!

I did not finish this book. I was drawn in by the cover and the tropes of secret relationship, brother's enemy, and ice hockey from the provided summary. However, I found issue with glacial pacing and lack of differences from other similar stories led me to keep putting it down. Eventually, I never picked it back up.
For the characters, there isn't much that sets them apart from the crowd or really makes me want to root for them to become a couple. I took fault with many of their actions. Why did Nikolai feel he needed to take the fall and implode his life for a teammate? As for Izzy, why should I feel bad for her having to overcome nepotism? Does she deserve a chance to prove her immature, ice cold coach wrong? No, I could see caring if Izzy was moving on to professional of Olympic dreams, but she wants to be an event planner and doesn’t appear to take anything seriously.

This book just solidifies how much of a fan I am of Grace Reilly! I loved this story between Nik and Izzy- the chemistry in this book was on FIRE! I found the mental health represented in the book super relatable, this story blended such a great mixture of emotions and feelings! Please do yourself a favor and read this book and series!

This book gives off second chance romance vibes without a fully tragic breakup which fills a very big gap I think in the bookish community. Grace Reilly does such an amazing job of showing multiple layers in her characters and seeing the softer side of Nik had me swooning! I love that each character has their own individual journey as well as their relationship made the book feel more immersive. I related to Izzy so much as a youngest daughter and the moments with her parents had me in tears (happy ones)

Okay I'm bummed and also excited to find out this is the last oook in the Beyond the Play series of standalone novels with interconnected characters. It didn't take away from the story at all! But I'm definitely going back and reading the others now!
Wicked Serve was a fun fluffy read that also touches on a few serious topics. I enjoyed that though Isabelle and Nikolai's relationship is a secret, it's still so sweet and full of peace and support. I genuinely loved how they were together. The most encouraging partners.
The biggest reason I want to go back and read the other books is because I LOVE Izzy's family dynamic so much. It plays a huge role in this story as Nikolai's family history is very rocky and he often finds himself lost and wanting in that department. I adored seeing Izzy's relationships with her siblings, especially Cooper with how close they are.
I feel like the plot got lost a little at times so l didn't think it needed to be as long as it was. But I still very much enjoyed the story and recommend it for all my sports romances fans!

I love sports romances, especially hockey! I was super excited for this second chance, older brother’s rival turned teammate love story. Unfortunately, this story did not hit for me. While I loved the premise and the overall themes, I was frustrated by the female main character’s very privileged attitude and I had a very hard time sympathizing with her. The male main character had a truly traumatic childhood with real trauma responses and her responses felt selfish. Plus the stuffed animal, everything needs to be pink attitude was a bit childish and hard to relate to as a reader.

That being said, I loved how supportive the male main character was of her dreams and goals and was willing to better himself for their future. It was very sweet. Also the spice was perfect.

Overall, while this story was not my favorite, I did have a good time reading it.

"When I’m around her, I can’t focus on anything else. We could be in the middle of a hurricane, and I’d just stand there like a goddamn fool, cataloging the raindrops on her face."

This was a really sweet college romance, filled with spice, sneaking around, and emotional swoonworthy moments.

Read if you enjoy:
🏒College/Sports Romance
🖤Secret Relationship/Sneaking Around
🏒He Falls First
🖤Found Family
🏒Close Proximity
🖤Teammate's Sister