Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Avon Voyager publishing for the advanced copy of this book.
Having read the previous Callahan family books prior to this, I was excited to read Izzie's story.
I also love sports romance, with hockey being my favorite. This book did not disappoint. We get plenty of the other siblings and their significant others throughout the book and I loved the cameos

Both Izzie and Nicolai have depth to their stories and I particularly liked the author's take on panic attacks. I was happy she showcased anxiety in her MMC. So many books focus more on the mental aspects of the female, it was nice to see a male depict the daily struggle of overcome past demons and trauma.

There was a lot going on with this book and a lot of family dynamics thrown in the mix. Izzie in particular was a college student, wedding planner, volleyball player, and volunteer. Sometimes I felt the story lost its path, but would course correct later on. The book was a little long and became a little bit repetitive towards the last quarter. However, I love Grace's writing style. She can write a steamy scene like no other and I always find her books to be entertaining. If you read the previous books in the series, you don't want to miss this one.

I am a big fan of Grace Reilly's books and the Beyond the Play series, so when I got the chance to ARC read for this book I couldn't pass it up. This was so stinking cute! I absolutely loved it as well as Izzy and Nikolai's relationship. I laughed, teared up and blushed throughout the entire book. This is probably my second fave in the series. If you are looking for a really fun sports romance book, this is definetly a great one to read. Plus it has the brother's rival trope which is just a cherry on top.

Grace Reilly popped off with this. Nik and Izzy were so cute together. I love how we got to see a continuation of previous main characters’ stories. This gave comfy cozy vibes and the spicy was spicin.

Steamy right off the bat- ok Nickolai! I love the support and banter between Izzy and Nic. Hands down my favorite from Grace Reily.

This book fell flat for me. There were some enjoyable parts, for sure, but they were overshadowed by some character flaws and plot holes. I would have loved to have seen more of Nic and Izzy's romance from the summer and the development of their relationship instead of references to their "summer together" and how it marked them - without any real evidence of their time together. I had mixed feelings regarding Isabelle and her tendency to run hot/cold. It felt a bit repetitive after awhile and I just wanted her to make up her mind and stick with her decision. I felt like this story had potential and I could appreciate the representation of different elements (trauma, anxiety, panic attacks, etc) but all in all, I felt like the most detailed scenes were the steamy ones - while some of the "real issues" were glossed over. I would have liked to to have seen as much time and emphasis placed on the heart of the story and the characters' development as the shower scenes and locker room hijinks. Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars! I thought this was a really cute story. The MMC was just so sweet and supportive of FMC and just loved her really well. I just wish the author would have focused more on the buildup of their relationship over the summer so I could have gotten to know how and why they fell in love. Also there is a point when steam overtakes the plot and I think she crossed that line which I know some people enjoy but that just wasn’t for me.

I loved Izzy's and Nikolai's story.

Izzy and Nikolai had a summer fling, but both of their feelings ran deeper then that. They go their own ways and don't expect to see eachother.

Nikolai gets kicked out of his school and ends up attending Izzys school and becomes part of the hockey team there. Izzys brother is captain of the team and doesn't like Nik from playing against him when he was at his previous school.

Izzy is full of life, and wants to please everyone, she feels like a failure as all her brothers have been accomplished their dreams.

Nik has come from a troubled background and he suffers from panick attacks, believing he will turn Into his father.

I love the way Izzys family welcome Nik into their family once Izzys brother becomes friends with him. This happens at around 50% of the book and I did think well what else is there to see.

Grace continues to write about Niks Trauma and how he needs to find himself and deal with the demons his fighting, Nik really grew through this book, and It was great to see, as young men think they shouldn't express their feelings, it mens their not manly. It's OK to get help. Whilst Nik was working on himself, Izzy waited for him. When they see eachother for the first time in months, it was beautiful and I got choked.

I always have such a rough time writing reviews for books that I find absolutely amazing. This book was truly touching and a splash of angst and heartfelt emotions. It just felt so realistic and such a beautiful love story.

*Brothers rival turned teammate
*secret summer romance
*hockey and volleyball
*found family
*he’s Russian!
*and spicy! Don’t let that cute cover full you!

This book also touches on a bit heavier, topics like childhood trauma, child abuse, and the effects that it can take on your mental health as well as future relationships.
This book takes a journey on anxiety, panic attacks, and an overworked mental health load,

But there is such a beautiful romance in this story. 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.”

This is an epic journey of love. I wish I can read this all over again for the first time.

I can’t believe I was provided the opportunity to read this ARC!!! What a great way the close out the Callahan sibling’s stories. My immediate reaction is that this is my favorite of the four. I want to start from the beginning and experience the love from this family all over again.

Volleyball is a love of mine and this is the first volleyball romance I’ve read so I may be a bit biased. Was this a little long winded, yes, but not in a way where it detracted from the story. Although I do have to say I am a sucker for a sports romance where the sport is actually played on page.

Isabelle and Nikolai were so freaking perfect! There chemistry was off the charts from start to finish. The spice was pretty darn spicy and i think this is the spiciest of the bunch. Their banter was everything! I actually enjoyed the fact that they said they shouldn’t be together, when in reality then never even really tried not to be. Also the moments where they realized they loved each other… beautifully done.

There individual struggles were not lost in translation and were developed and resolved smoothly. Also their dog, yes please. Though I’m low key upset that she wasn't given a fruit name! There are some difficult topic discussed, so make sure to read the content warnings.

TROPES:
✧ found family
✧ secret relationship
✧ hockey player x voleyball player
✧ brother’s rival and now teammate

i just can’t believe this series is over and done. one of the best family ever, i envy the callahan’s but in the good way !!! and the sabrina’s mentions??? i love it in here !

i thought we would see more of their summer together and how they started having a fling but it happens ! what i didn’t get was how izzy forgave him so fast and got back together in september, it was quick but one thing that i hated was how izzy kept pressuring nikolai into talking when he didn’t even mention about what she was avoiding.

from the beginning of the series i thought isabelle’s book would be my favorite and now i need to think about which book is my top one because this isn’t grace’s best work so far. hopefully her plotting and writing get better with future projects !!! i believe in it. that’s my rating for this one because i didn’t appreciate izzy’s attitude (as mentioned) but also the sex scenes were excessive and it was making the read a boring one

what i LOVED in this one is the bromance. nik and cooper bromance !!!! I NEED IT AND THEY DIDNT DISAPPOINT ME !!!!

i’m glad that nik and isabelle are doing well and that they’re living their dreams <3 they went through too much and it’s a relief to see they’re doing good ! tbh seeing the whole callahan family is a relief and such a happy ending that they deserve :,)

thank you netgalley and avon & harper voyager team for this arc !!!!

This book just wasn’t it for me.

While this book was enjoyable at times, I felt like it was too long. There were many scenes I felt didn’t need to be included because they didn’t advance the plot. I found myself confused as well when there were time jumps or just an internal monologue from a a character about things that had happened that the reader had missed. If this book was shorter with more concise scenes it would have been better.

I also think this book could have benefited from showing us the summer the hooked up. Even some flashbacks or to have the book start off there and then jump to where we are now. That would have been better since I know the characters have chemistry, but it is too instant for me.

I had mixed feelings with Isabelle. In the beginning she was hot and cold with Nik. I get he didn’t leave on the best of terms, but she would forgive him and then run away. It was a bit weird.

Nik was a good character. He is working through some things that he is afraid to tell Izzy about. I could relate to his character in many ways.

*an ARC was received from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I really did enjoy this book. I will say the only complaint that I have is that there were periods where it seemed to drag on. That being said, I think that the overall story line was good.

I loved the relationship between Nik and Isabelle! Their relationship was so pure and honest even though they started out hiding it from others. It was so refreshing to read about. a couple that wasn't toxic. Grace Reilly's writing flows so well, it is easy to slip into her stories and feel fully immersed in the world she has created. I did feel as though there was some potential lost for this couple, by starting in the middle of their relationship. I wish we could have gotten more about the start of their relationship. While I enjoyed this book, it did feel as though it was longer than it needed to be. I appreciated the commitment to sports romance, but did feel as though the sporting events were a bit overdone and could have been cut back some.

Tropes:
Sports romance (hockey/volleyball)
Brothers rival/younger sister
Secret dating
College romance

What I’ve enjoyed most is the process of Grace’s writing through her Beyond the Play Series. The fourth and final book in this series delivers. For fans of The Bergman Brothers series by Chloe Liese (and Ziggy and Sev’s story!), you’ll love this series and the final book.

I love this jumping right into Izzy asking for what she wants and using the power of the pause/leaving into the silence. A favorite sales tactic of mine, and I don’t use it enough outside of a negotiation with a client. Thanks for the reminder, Izzy (and Grace!).

Nik asking Izzy “Do you want advice, or do you just want me to listen?” was the moment I finally gave in and crushed on him. Love a good comfort or solutions approach when tackling a problem someone brings forward. Green flags all around.

GRACE! How could you not give us the after party following the laser tag hockey formal?! How did they sneak around the house with her brothers there?! WE NEED TO KNOW.

Hairbrush emoji. We need a hairbrush emoji.

This got me in the feels in the end. There is not a third act breakup, but a bit of a pause so that a character can focus on their mental health/being the best version of themselves without losing everything. A very mature decision to make and an emotional one at that.

Obviously, everyone gets a nice little HEA and that epilogue. Goodness.

Thank you Avon and NetGalley for this eARC!

This is the first book I read from the Beyond the Play series and I will definitely be going back to read all the other books that came before.
I loved everything about this book. The family dynamics, the secret romance, the chemistry, brother’s rival trope, the effect childhood trauma has on people as adults.
The Callahans boys seem to be know what they want and they go for it. They make success seem easy and it intimidates Izzy to no end.
Things I loved about Izzy:
Her kindness, her love for her family, her willingness to go after what she wants when it comes to volleyball, her fear that she won’t meet her parent’s expectations, the care, patience, and sparks between her and Nikolai.
What I loved about Nickolai:
His ability to realize he needs help with his panic attacks, his love for Izzy that knows no bounds, putting Izzy before his fear of what Cooper will do to him if he finds out they are more than friends.
There is a prologue and an epilogue which was nice for anyone who hasn’t read the series. With that said, this is wonderful as a standalone, you can always go back to read the first part of the series like I plan to do.
If you like love against all odds you will devour this book, I did!

Thank you to HarperCollins and netgalley, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I seriously loved this book. It was a bit slow in the beginning but quickly picked up pace.
One of my favorite parts of the book was that Nik needed to work through some trauma and actually did get the help he needed. The stigma about mental health and men not needing to seek help definitely could use more attention.

I found the characters all very fun and enjoyable to read about.

5 Stars Wicked Serve is the fourth and final book in Grace Reilly's Beyond the Play series and Izzy's story surpassed all my expectations.

After a secret summer fling with her brother Cooper's biggest hockey rival, Nikolai Abney-Volkov, Isabelle "Izzy" Callahan is shocked to see Nik on her college campus. Forced to McKee University, Nik can't resist the urge to rekindle his fling with Izzy, though the last thing he should be doing is messing around with the little sister of his former rival and new teammate. The two cannot deny the spark that kept their fling going all last summer and sneak around campus behind her brother's back. But there's more than just a secret relationship weighing down Izzy and Nik. The youngest and only daughter in the famous Callahan family of athletes, Izzy cannot fail or let down her family. She already knows that they don't hold her to as high a standard and have low expectations for her compared to her older brothers, so she has to win back her old volleyball position on the team to impress her family. Nik is harboring another secret--that this will be his last season of hockey before he forgoes his offer from the NHL to work for his grandfather to prove that he's not like his abusive, hockey-playing father.

When the author introduced Nik, I really thought that this tough Russian hockey player would be much more grumpy, but Nik is absolutely a cinnamon roll, especially for Izzy. Izzy and Nik were a wonderful representation of a relationship where the two are true partners, working to be the best versions of themselves, challenging and supporting one another, and loving each other unconditionally. At 448 pages, this book has so much plot and yet I still didn't want it to end! I'm seriously obsessed with Isabelle and Nikolai. They fought for their well-earned HEA and I loved it so much!

5 Stars Wicked Serve is the fourth and final book in Grace Reilly's Beyond the Play series and Izzy's story surpassed all my expectations.

After a secret summer fling with her brother Cooper's biggest hockey rival, Nikolai Abney-Volkov, Isabelle "Izzy" Callahan is shocked to see Nik on her college campus. Forced to McKee University, Nik can't resist the urge to rekindle his fling with Izzy, though the last thing he should be doing is messing around with the little sister of his former rival and new teammate. The two cannot deny the spark that kept their fling going all last summer and sneak around campus behind her brother's back. But there's more than just a secret relationship weighing down Izzy and Nik. The youngest and only daughter in the famous Callahan family of athletes, Izzy cannot fail or let down her family. She already knows that they don't hold her to as high a standard and have low expectations for her compared to her older brothers, so she has to win back her old volleyball position on the team to impress her family. Nik is harboring another secret--that this will be his last season of hockey before he forgoes his offer from the NHL to work for his grandfather to prove that he's not like his abusive, hockey-playing father.

When the author introduced Nik, I really thought that this tough Russian hockey player would be much more grumpy, but Nik is absolutely a cinnamon roll, especially for Izzy. Izzy and Nik were a wonderful representation of a relationship where the two are true partners, working to be the best versions of themselves, challenging and supporting one another, and loving each other unconditionally. At 448 pages, this book has so much plot and yet I still didn't want it to end! I'm seriously obsessed with Isabelle and Nikolai. They fought for their well-earned HEA and I loved it so much!

5/5 Stars 3/5 Spice

Tropes:
Hockey Romance
Secret Relationship
Brother’s Rival
Grumpy x Sunshine
He Falls First
Broken Boy

this book. honestly this whole series, but this book in particular is absolute gold. ✨ nikolai was so freaking good. i loved the depth of his character. i really felt like he had so much story & so much dimension in this book. i love a broken boy/tortured hero moment & nik was definitely giving this vibe + the can’t stay away vibes & that is just a recipe for a five star book to me. 😍 i adored finally getting izzy’s pov. i loved her as a side character for all our callahan boys but god she was just such an amazing main character. 🤩 i loved the way we got to see her struggle with having successful brothers & where she wanted to go with her life. she had such a wonderful coming of age story line to match the romance that i just loved. she truly is the sunshine ☀️ that nik calls her. 😍 i loved this book. it was so bittersweet to wrap up this series but this story was the perfect ending. i’m already ready for a series reread.

Stop everything! Izzy’s story is my favorite Beyond the Play book. No Question. Wicked Serve is everything you want from a college sports romance. We’ve got an expirationship turned secret relationship with a seriously hot hockey player. Then there’s the whole broody brother’s rival turned his teammate thing. And a whole lot of family drama-but not with the Callahans, because they’re basically perfect.

Pre reading Wicked Serve I was hesitant about Izzy’s book. Sometimes the final book in a series can feel like an obligation and with books 1-3 being so great, it was a lot for Wicked Serve to live up to. I love how each of these siblings are their own person going through their own struggles. On the outside, Izzy appears to be a spoiled college student. With a retired NFL dad, doting mother, one brother in the NFL, one pivoting from sports to cooking because he’s got too many talents, and another headed to the NHL post college, it would appear that Izzy’s life is easy. But don’t think this is your typical poor little rich girl story. Izzy’s got some serious grit. Her volleyball coach is really hard on her. And not in the way that coaches can be tough, but in the “what is your deal?” kind of way. It just seems like some people are determined to “teach her a lesson.” But what is there to teach a girl who works hard, loves her family, shows up for the team, and brings the sunshine with her wherever she goes? But being removed from her setter position doesn’t make Izzy quit. It makes her work harder. Adding in extra workouts, staying in rather than partying with the other girls on the team, etc. If Izzy wants something, she’s going to find a way to make it happen.

This book travels through every emotion. Izzy and Nick hooking up in the library? Hot. Nick’s dad? Made me cry. Cute moments in between? Kick your feet good. The epilogue? Also made me cry, but like, in a good way. These two are so freaking cute, I’d take a dozen more epilogues.

If you’ve made it this far in my review, I know you’re already planning on reading this book. How could you not? Go ahead, click download and don't just leave it on your TBR. To reward your good behavior here’s a list of my favorite micro tropes:
-He calls her a cute Russian nickname but doesn’t tell her what it means
-He has a mysterious face scar
-He holds onto a photo after he promised to delete it
-He took a deal that crushed his dreams but brought him closer to his dream girl
-He remembers little details and surprises Izzy with the most meaningful moments
-He stands up to her brothers and tells them they’re hurting her feelings
-No third act break up, but like an important pause
-He takes her seriously when it seems like no one else does
-They crash a wedding