Plot ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.75)
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

I absolutely loved this book. Nikolai (Nik) & Isabelle (Izzy) are the sweetest and cutest couple. They had me laughing, blushing, screeching, and at times I was doing all three. I loved that Nik & Izzy meet and have a summer fling knowing they both go to different schools and it won’t continue past summer, but then due to circumstances Nik ends up at her school and the chemistry is just too much to ignore. Tell me that doesn’t give you Grease vibes?

Nik truly was not what I was expecting when I started this book. I honestly thought he’d be more grumpy or act like douche especially after he gets kicked out of his school and has to transfer to a new school AND play on the rival hockey team. However he came across more like a cinnamon roll/golden retriever AND he wasn’t a douche to his new teammates. He was honest, sweet, caring, and truly showed up for Izzy in ways she didn’t know anyone would.

Izzy was such a fun and happy character, always bubbly and helping people out even if it meant not always showing up for herself. I loved that both her and Nik, for the most part actually talked to each other which means that stupid miscommunication trope really doesn’t rear its ugly head much in the book. Thank you Grace, we appreciate that. Don’t get me wrong both Izzy and Nik do deal with some pretty harsh trauma and while it causes issues it’s dealt with in a mature way.

I will say for characters that are supposed to be 19 & 21 they do come off as way more mature than a lot of 30 & 40 year olds I know 😂 But maybe that’s why I liked them so much, because they actually worked through their issues. This book is definitely about emotional, family, and friendship connections without all the added drama.

I've enjoyed all of the books in this companion series and this one was a nice way to round out the family story!

Was it overly dramatic and quite smutty? Yes. Did I fly through it in two days? Also yes! I always enjoy that there is more than just a romantic relationship struggle in this author's works. Whether that's difficult family dynamics, sports obligations, internal struggles etc. I also feel like the author wrote about a hard subject (parental/domestic abuse) with a good deal of sensitivity to the characters and the story.

3.5 stars rounded up

I really liked the chemistry between Izzy and Nikolai, and I loved that their "secret relationship" was only kept secret until midway through the book. There were some parts that felt overly juvenile but I did enjoy the overall romance and the cast of characters. The book also felt a touch too long for the story that it was telling. Note: this is not entirely a light romance, despite the juvenile feel, due to some darker topics. Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for this review copy!

This has been a series I've really enjoyed, and Wicked Serve was no exception! The story follows Nik and Izzy, who had a summer fling and did not expect to be around each other again. Now, Nik finds himself at Izzy's college, and playing hockey with her brother, who just so happens to be a long-time rival. While they know they should not be together, they cannot help the pull.

What I appreciated most about this book was that their "secret" relationship came out about halfway through the book rather than the end. The plot did not depend fully on Izzy's brother discovering their relationship, which I feel like typically happens with this trope. I will say that I felt as though the story could have been a little shorter; the book seemed longer than necessary. I would still recommend to anyone who likes hockey romances, or the brother's rival trope. Reilly does know how to write growth of the MC's, in particular the MMC's.

Cute but it seemed a little juvenile and the characters were a little over the top. The overall romance was fine, but the darker parts seemed too dark for the rest of the story. I felt like this blends in with other hockey romances.

Good cast of characters, loved the hockey details, and Nikolai and Izzy had good chemistry. Some of the details were shark-jumping over-the-top, and Izzy's thinking and behavior was often super juvenile, so that took away from the enjoyment a bit. But overall, good writing and fun story.

I haven't read any of the others in the series and didn't feel like I needed to to enjoy this one. There are some deeper topics addressed, so it's not just a light romance. I love a good hockey romance, so that drew me in, but it was just okay for me.

Thank you to Netgalley, Grace Reilly and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

🌟Hockey is his life, but Izzy is his sunshine in a gray world. A long time ago, Nicholai and his mother moved from Russia to America to get away from his father. Nicolai has never forgotten that New Year's Eve and what transpired, but he puts his heart and soul into hockey, and that is his one focus. He can forget the summer fling he had. After all, he's never going to see her again.

🌟Izzy is focused on her sophomore year at college. She wants to impress her coach, who seems to hate her, and she wants to forget the boy who couldn't even say goodbye to her over the summer. When Izzy goes to a party before classes begin to blow off steam, Low and behold, who do you think she sees, and why is he there?

🌟This book is everything I love in a spicy novel. It had angst, forbidden romance, her brother is the hockey team captain that hates Nicolai, and it had dark themes with childhood trauma.

🌟I read First Down, the first book in this interconnected series, and I loved it, so I freaked out when I got an arc. Unfortunately, my schedule didn't allow me to read and review it exactly near publication, but I still give this rave reviews and all the stars. Nicolai and Izzy are a staple in my mind now of the ultimate spicy couple.

This book had me absolutely hooked from the very first page. I loved the background of a whirlwind romance that the characters tried to disguise as a nonchalant summer fling. I do wish this aspect of the relationship was shown on page a bit more though the relationship was still developed enough with out it. The way Izzy and Nickoli saw each other was so heartwarming and well written. I love the idea of "to be known is to be loved" and the way the author used the use of their full names as a marker for how seen and known they were was so resonant. If Grace Reilly writes it I will read it and this was the perfect conclusion to the Beyond the Play series!

This author has made it into my go-to list to recommend to readers that are on a sports romance kick! (I mean I am too, so I get it). Banter was witty, there was some real believable chemistry between these two, and i had a wonderful time reading!

If you're in the mood for a fun, fluffy romance with a dash of depth, Wicked Serve is your next read!

While it's the fourth book in the series, it holds up well as a standalone, making it perfect for newcomers. This sports romance doesn’t shy away from tackling some serious topics—definitely check the TW before diving in.

Big thanks to Valentine PR for the ARC! Highly recommended for those embracing their sports romance era! 💖🏐 🏒

#BookReview #WickedServe #SportsRomance

"If she's sunshine, I'm the guy who hopes it never starts raining."

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

This was my first book by Grace Reilly and it did not disappoint!! I SCREAMED when I got the arc. I wasn't really expecting to be selected since I haven't read the previous books, so I was really happy when I was! This series has been on my tbr for soo long, and now it's my sign to finally read the rest🤭 I usually read series in order, but it's an exception this time😅 You can read it as a standalone tho, so it's not really a problem if you haven't read the previous books like me. But after reading this and seeing the characters from the previous books, it really makes me want to read their stories!

This book was an emotional rollercoaster. One minute I'm giggling and blushing, and the next there's a tear in my eyes. I loveee the chemistry between Nik and Isabelle. The tension when they try not to touch in front of other, and the sneaking around!!🔥 And also their growth towards the end was❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹 I just love them!

Even though I haven't read the rest of the series, this book seems like a great way end a series, and say goodbyes to the previous characters. Don't you just love when all the character are in the last book❤

What made me not give this 5 stars was that there were parts of the book that seems drawn out or unnecessary. I feel like this book shoudn't have been 400 pages. Not because that's too many, but because like I said, there were unnecessary scenes.

Overall, I still loved it. It was cutee and steamy, and I enjoyed it! Would recommend🙌

Read if you like:
🏐Sports romance (hockey × volleyball)
🏒Brother's rival to teammate
❤️‍🔥Secret relationship
🍦Summer fling
☀️Grumpy Sunshine
💋Sneaking around
💖Boy obsessed
🌸Family drama
❤️‍🩹Panic disorder rep
💐Foreign nickname

3.5⭐️

Cute. It had its cheesy parts and was a little boring at times, but I really liked that the MMC was Russian.

Overall, Wicked Serve was good, but nothing extraordinary. Reilly’s earlier books definitely had more substance, but I don’t regret reading this one. It was enjoyable—the writing was skillful and the characters were likable, so I’d probably even reread it some time in the future.

I am struggling with my review for this one. I absolutely loved the first book, with the second being a solid like, and the third one being "meh". The fourth installment unfortunately continued the pattern of the quality digressing in each book. I think part of my problem was that we did not get to see the build up of these two characters falling for each other. Instead, we got a very lackluster second chance romance that didn't really have any risks or repercussions to it. It was built up to be a brother's rival romance, but that aspect fell somewhat flat as well.

I did, however, really enjoy Izzy's storyline of where life was going to take her after college volleyball. It felt realistic when being a pro athlete isn't always an option for you.

I'm definitely in my sports romance era and this didn't disappoint. I was sucked in and flew through this book. I read it in one day and I loved it so much

This may be one of the swooniest books I’ve ever read. From literally page one this man is all in for his woman and he does not stop until the very last page.

I already loved this series, but this book cemented it for me. The couple is just such a great focal point and I love them so so much. I also loved seeing old characters again as it felt like saying hi to old friends.
This is one of the best college sports romantic I have ever read, and there was so many moments why was kicking my feet and giggling before reading the spiciest scenes. That’s my kind of combo.

I am such a fan of the series and I’m sad to see it finish. This book was a beautiful end to it

I love these sports romances from Grace!! She has a unique voice that blends effortless romance and storytelling that keeps me captivated throughout the whole book!

This is a second chance romance, the first time around, Nikolai and Isabelle were just a summer fling. When he shows up at her university to ply on the hockey team, they start their fling again… under cover because he is playing on the same team as her older brother.

There is so much drama, and the story is kind of slow in the first third of the book. But definitely picks up the pace, and the drama, in the last third of the book.

There’s a happy ending, where the drama all gets resolved.

It took me a really long time to finish this book. I almost did not finish it several times. I think that my main reason for not being as passionate about this story was that I didn’t really connect with the characters as much. I didn’t really think their main conflict of Nik being rivals with Izzy’s brother was that much of a reason for them to sneak around. I wanted there to be more at stake for both of them to really support them sneaking around. I also didn’t really like Izzy as much. I felt like her inner struggle wasn’t interesting as well. I think the story in general was pretty generic and didn’t stand out versus other novels.