*2.5 stars rounded up*

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a sucker for a hockey romance, and this one sounded promising. Nikolai is a promising young NHL prospect expelled from his college after taking the fall for a drug incident. Izzy is the youngest in a family full of athletes and has always struggled with feeling good enough and making her own way in the world. They have a fling over the summer and call it quits there - but then Nikolai is transferred to Izzy's school. Lots of trauma, lots of room for character growth.

However....

At times, these two just read as privileged, hard to relate to rich kids. Nikolai's background was also delved into far more than Izzy's, making her character fall flat.

Also.

There's a lot of spice but... At times (a lot of times, really) the language used is so cringey it took me out of it. It's 2024. It's not hard to find out how readers feel about certain terms, it's a huge topic of conversation online.

I truly loved this book more than I thought I would! I’m always a sucker for a sports romance and this was so no exception! I do think that the book was too long in some areas a s contained scenes that did not contribute to the plot that would be my only negative comment

"Wicked Serve" by Grace Reilly delivers a delightful blend of romance and sports, featuring compelling characters and steamy moments. Izzy and Nikolai's chemistry leaps off the page as they navigate their complicated relationship and personal growth. The mix of hockey and volleyball adds a unique twist, while the emotional depth and family dynamics enrich the story. Overall, it's a captivating read that balances spice and heart, making it a must-read for fans of the genre.

i wish i loved this, but it just wasn't anything super special :(
the characters were fine, but it was at times acted a little to mature for their age. this was also much spicier than expected, don't be fooled by the cover and description! something about this just didn't work for me though. it just felt like it dragged onnnn and past the 50% mark i was so tempted to dnf this one. based on the other reviews though it might have just been a me thing!

Sweet, swoonworthy, and super steamy!! Grace Reilly is a new autobuy author for this reader!

What you need to know:
- hockey YES
- volleyball BRUTAL
- issues with parents EVERYWHERE
- flawed characters growing into themselves and closer ONE HUNDO P

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC of Wicked Serve by Grace Reilly. This book marks the final chapter in the Callahan family's story, and it certainly delivers a memorable conclusion. Fans of the Beyond the Play series will not be disappointed as they experience Izzy's journey to love and the redemption arc of Nik, a side character from Breakaway. This book blends elements of forbidden romance, personal growth, and emotional healing, making it a compelling and quick read.

It has been about a year since I read the first two books of this series, but I read book 3 right before I started Wicked Serve and I think Wicked Serve is my #2 favorite of the series.

Rankings:
1. First Down
2. Wicked Serve
3. Breakaway
4. Stealing Home

Absolutely loved Wicked Serve! What a great follow up to Breakaway. Maybe we will se Sebastian’s book next??

The plot was just beautiful. 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. Nikolai honestly is going to live rent free in my head for a long time. He is an absolute gem of a book boyfriend. A Russian hockey player that whispers, sweet and sexy Russian words in your ear. He was absolutely swoon worthy.
“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.”

We finally get to see Izzy's story and finish out the Beyond the Play series.

It is a cute easy romance read with a balance of smut and plot.

In this we get to see how fiercely Nik falls in love with Izzy and we get to see some cameos from our favorite original characters as their family grows. Definitely worth adding to the TBR for a summer/fall read.

Just finished "Wicked Serve" by Grace Reilly and while I loved the forbidden love aspect, the storyline was a bit hard to follow with its abrupt jumps. I wish there was more depth in Nikolai's conflict with his father and Izzy's family drama—it felt a bit lackluster. Overall, it was an interesting read, but I wanted a bit more from the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC.

Special thanks to NetGalley for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for a review.

To start, I LOVE hockey romances! The fact that our other main character, Izzy, played volleyball really sealed the deal for me. Two of my favorite sports in one book, sign me up.

The beginning of the book was giving Grease in my opinion. Izzy and Nik’s secret summer fling with very clear tension when they saw each other again. This book was very sweet and I loved the mental health representation. Seeing Nik prioritize his mental health was so important. And the support that Izzy provided melted my heart🥹 I loved getting to see Izzy’s protective side especially toward her loved ones.

This book had so much potential but I wish there was more in their story. It fell flat for me, I wanted it to be more developed. I wish we got a better look at their relationship during the summer rather than when they met again. They were kinda immature but they’re also college kids so take that as you will. Other than that, I did enjoy the story. It was a bit long, there were definitely areas that could have been cut.

If you loved the other books in this series, you’ll love this one. Though you don't have to read the others in the series, there are some reoccurring characters but the background of their stories doesn’t really impact this one. I think the family dynamic is very well explained in all the books. Izzy intrigued me from the moment we met her in the previous books. I was very interested in seeing where and how her book would go especially because I did love the others.

Izzy and Nik were spectacular from the very beginning. They had me rooting for them right off the bat. I loved how well they balanced each other out & you could see that right away. I loved how even though they weren’t together, Izzy showed up for Nik. They TRULY cared for one another. Izzy was such a sweet, beautiful character to read. From glimpses we get in the other books, she comes off as a little shallow so I was so glad that she had depth and felt very real. I loved seeing her getting her Callahan tattoo. It came at perfect timing in the book.
Nik was so heartbreaking to read. Like Izzy, he’s really easy to love. And you really root for him to get his happy ending and just rooting for his happiness. I loved him.

Everything about this book was so good. The length was perfect for me. I felt like it didn’t drag on too long but wasn’t too short. We got just enough of Izzy and Nik’s history. The secret relationship portion was the perfect length. Everything felt natural. I love the way Grace Reilly writes family dynamics and how relatable & real they are. With that, she handles them delicately and with such a careful, graceful hand and with the issues in this book that was really needed and done perfectly. I loved seeing the development of Nik and Cooper’s friendship, especially seeing them be true friends and seeing Cooper show up for Nik.

I loved reading this book. I loved this series. I’m so sad to say bye to the characters, but I’m very excited to see what Grace Reilly is going to give us next. Whatever it is, it’s already on my must buy list.

Thank you IMMENSELY to NetGalley and Grace Reilly and everyone included for my receiving of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️

This is the 4th book in the Beyond the Play series by Grace Reilly. It's not necessary to read all or even in order, but just keep in mind that characters from previous books do appear in the succeeding ones.

Wicked Serve tells the story of Isabelle and Nikolai who met and had a summer fling in New York while Isabelle was interning for Nikolai's mother's company. It is clear early on that there is a strong connection between them. What more but Nikolai is also the rival of her brother - they play for different hockey teams and have had previous altercations.

What I truly appreciated about this book is the amount of respect and support that Isabelle had for each other. Despite both dealing with their own traumas and insecurities, they never failed to show up for one another.

If you love sports romance and you're looking for a fun, quick summer read, this book is for you.

I love hockey romances and this one was good! However, this one was a little too much for me. I wish there wasn’t as much sexual content at the beginning and more time to fall in love with the characters or perhaps more substance about them. I wanted to love this one so much!

This book was fantastic. The relationship without any toxicity and them supporting each others dreams and making sure they were happy. Plus always love a hockey player!!!

Grace has become an auto read author for me and this book did not let me down. I love to see healthy relationships portrayed and Grace always does them so well. I loved diving back into this universe to learn more about Nikolai and Izzy. The best way I can explain them as a couple would be fun. They seem to have so much fun and bring out the best in each other. I loved Nikolai so much. He was sweet and spicy at the same time. He’s so thoughtful but that mouth? Okkaayyyy. On another note, the way Nikolai and Izzy were able to communicate and dive deep into their traumas and insecurities so so lovely to see. They truly make each other stronger and we love to see it!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC


This book was so cute. I loved all the support and encouragement from both of the main characters.I enjoyed their interactions and just how you can feel their love.

My only problem I had was the short chapters but then the book was so long. Felt at times it was dragging to make it longer.

To be honest I’m regretting not reading the others in the series but will definitely start!

3.5 stars rounded up.

Isabelle had a summer fling with her brother's hockey arch nemesis, Nikolai. After he ghosted her when they went back to their respective colleges, Isabelle tried her best to forget him. Until Nik ended up having to transfer to McKee, where Isabelle goes. They have a secret romance behind her brother's back and start to have deeper feelings for each other.

I've loved all of Grace Reilly's books so far and Wicked Serve was no exception! Nikolai and Izzy had such a precious and respectful relationship. Izzy helps Nik deal with his childhood trauma in such a tender way, while he supports her own struggle with self-worth (in very extravagant ways, I might add). This book is definitely not 100% grounded in reality but no book where both protagonists are wealthy children of sports celebrities is going to make complete sense. You do have to just go along with some of the story line and pretend 20 year olds are actually this emotionally mature. Overall, it's a fun read but also has some depth with Nikolai's story.

☀️ ”If she’s sunshine, i’m the guy who hopes it never starts raining”☀️

3.5 ★
this book had its flaws but all in all, it was a cute fluffy read and i enjoyed it!!

💌 plot 💌
this story follows nikolai and Isabelle, who have just been in a summer fling. they know they can’t be anything more because nikolai is her brother’s rival and he would freak out. but is that really gonna stop them?? obviously not.

🌧️ flaws 🌧️
this book should not have been 400 pages i’ll be so real. like not bc i think that’s too many pages, my favourite sports romance series windy city are all about that long. but it just didn’t feel necessary whatsoever. It felt like the author had made a mission to get this to 400 pages but for no actual apparent reason so she just filled the book with random unnecessary scenes. I still really liked it but I found myself growing bored and skimming a lot unfortunately.

🩷 what I loved 🩷
what I did enjoy though was the lack of stubbornness and misunderstandings. usually with any forbidden romance, there’s a lot of “we shouldn’t do this” or ”this was a mistake”and i do enjoy it sometimes, the angst, and this did have a few of those scenes but not to the point where you wanna punch the characters in the face.

I really loved seeing Bex and James from book 1. they’re married now with a baby and everything and ugh it made my heart so full <333 they’re forever my favs !! (and the only other couple’s book I actually read HAHA

🌸 overall 🌸
this book was super cute and lighthearted, and the spice was good, so if you’re in the mood for an easy cute read, maybe pick this one up!! I absolutely adore Nikolai and Isabelle.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review !!

Nikolai and Izzy have great chemistry. They give off an enemies to lovers vibe since Nik is her brother's number one hockey rival. The two of them have great banter, sweet moments, making for a really fun read. I was worried this would be a cookie cutter hockey romance that is taking over the romance book sphere, but it was different than what I was expecting, and in a great way. I am tempted to read other books from Grace Reilly because of this one!