This is my first Grace Reilly book and I was actually surprised! The book was great for the most part but there felt like a lot of unnecessary dialogue. I'm not going to lie, the book was pretty much 80% spicy scenes and 20% plot and did end up making it feel a little cringy. For the first 45-50-%, I really loved it but then it felt like it was dragging and could have been a lot shorter! I did love Nik and Isabelle's relationship as it seemed really healthy which you don't see often in books like this. Isabelle knew who she was and who she wanted to be and achieve from the beginning. The only thing that annoyed me about her was the fact she didn't stop mentioning how much she loved pink. Nik was so gentle and loving towards everyone but having him struggle with having anxiety and open up about it with Isa and Cooper was nice to see. He had a difficult family life and it was frustrating me that he never stood up for himself with them. The Russian vocab did sometimes make me a little confused. Overall, I liked the writing of the book and found it pretty good for the most part. There were some really cute moments that makes me want to pick up another Grace Reilly book for sure.

Hockey romance? Count me in! Wicked Serve is another solid option. I love the Callahan family and cannot wait to continue their story! Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to ARC read this book!

Well, I think this book could definitly be shorter but it was still a really good experience and probably my favorite in the series - it was so cute and I enjoyed every second of it.

The couple was really cute and I found myself quicking my feet everytime a cute scene happen!

This series is definitly getting better book to book and I can't wait to see what Grace will bring us next!

I really enjoyed this book! Did it need to be almost 450 pages….no but I still like it a lot. I loved that we got an enemies to lovers without any miscommunication or misunderstanding past the first few pages. We still got angsty moments but none of the BS where you sit there going is this person really about to graduate college or high school. I enjoyed Nik and Izzy a lot as a couple and individually. They’re so complementary and encouraging and loving and yes there is lots of spice! There is also an emphasis on mental health and that it’s ok to take a break/rest when something in your life is turning negative and leading you down a wrong path. It’s ok and encouraged to do therapy and get your life together. It is ok to go after your dreams and also to reevaluate if they are really your dreams. I also love show Cooper and Nik became best friends.

Overall I cannot wait to read more of this series and this author!!

I appreciated how health this relationship was, there wasn't anything toxic about. There was so much love a support of one another throughout it all.

Tropes:
College Sports
Brother's Rival
Sneaking Around
He Falls First and Hard

I do think this book was a bit bloated and could cut out some of it.

I love the Callahan family!

In this book, we follow the youngest Callahan sibling and only girl, Izzy. When this book starts, it's the beginning of the school year. Izzy is trying to get her spot back on the volleyball team and trying to forget Nikolai. The guy she spent all summer with. Who she had to keep a secret. Becuase he's her brother Coopers rival on the ice.

And also... he didn't exactly say goodbye. So, while she had a great summer with him, she was not bouncing with excitement to see him again. Because he's now going to school with her and playing on the same team as her brother.

How is Nikolai going to win back the person who he has to keep a secret from everyone? Her brother isn't happy he's here and he's got some big family problems.

I enjoyed this one a lot. Izzy and Nik were so sweet. They stood up for each other and supported each other... Izzy gave Nik the chance to be himself, not just a great hockey player. And Izzy needed some support, too.

I'm sad there's not another sibling, but maybe some second gen???

Wicked Serve is my first taste of Grace Reilly - and I can't 100% say it didn't disappoint. I didn't realize I was starting with the final book in the series (I will be reading the others after this one being so great)

First off. this book is spicyyyy baby! So if you're looking for a book to make you blush while also giving all of the feels - this is the book for you!
Nicolai had a traumas to deal with and overcome his fear of being like his father.

Isabella struggled with finding her place in her family. Together these two grew so much and helped each other which was beautiful. Their bond was so genuine and special!

OH MY GOD I AM OBSESSED!!!!

Nikolai and Isabelle had me in tears. Their relationship was one hell of a rollercoaster with minor miscommunication and stupidity playing factors in the conflicts but it was worth the ride to get to the ending.

✨Sports Rivals
✨Hidden Relationship
✨Obsessive MMC
✨Mental Health Representation
✨Brother's Biggest Rival
✨Teammate's Sister

I loved the mixed use of Russian and English, especially when using it to express emotions. I've seen some people say that it's cringy but as someone who is bilingual, I understand that sometimes one language isn't enough to express emotions fully and using another language for terms of endearment is so heartwarming. It's a comfort thing that some people can't understand when they've only ever known one language.

In books, readers are always wanting that "perfect world" but I think the faults that the characters have (such as Isabelle pushing Nik to talk about his family, and Nik refusing he needs help, in my opinion) are realistic faults that makes this book so much more relatable.

Rarely do books leave such an impression that I need time to process everything that I have read but I will be rereading Wicked Serve again, knowing that my heart will break before it can heal again 😭

Another classic hockey romance and another hit for me! I already love a good "forbidden" love story, so I knew from the synopsis that this was going to be good. When I tell you I could NOT put this down, I am so serious. I flew through this book in two sittings and now am left wanting more of this cute couple! Five stars, duh!

I love a good hockey romance. "Wicked Serve", however, didn't quite hit the mark for me. Some of this is the college setting, which is rarely my favorite. But some of this is because the book just feels way too long. Much of the conflicts within the story wrap up fairly early on and/or just don't end up being conflicts at all. There was a fair amount of spice, which I won't complain about, but FMC Izzy still comes across as fairly young. And there was just so much that could have been resolved by a few conversations.

I think this book could, and probably is, be the bee's knees for another reader. And while I didn't dislike it, that reader isn't me. 3 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

I didn’t originally realize it was part of a series, but the book worked well as a stand alone as well. The characters were well developed and I didn’t feel like I was missing a ton by not reading the previous books. This story was a fun athletic rom com read. It was so well done I would consider going back to read the other books in the series.

I love hockey romances and this one didn’t disappoint, The characters are well-developed, and I appreciated the strong connection between the leads, despite the risks they face. it had a little bit of everything humor, spice, tension.

A flawless read in the college sports rom com books. I love a good book with the point of view from both main characters. The added bonus of the female main characters brother being the hockey captain was chefs kiss. Grace Reillys books always hit the spot of sexual content but also great substantive drama.

This book is lighthearted and enjoyable - although it did feel a bit long in parts. It does capture the charm of a forbidden summer fling. I enjoyed meeting the characters and seeing previous characters from this author pop up in this book. It's a cute and easy read with just the right amount of romance and spice.

Grace Reilly Does not disappoint in getting a swoony and spicy romcom performance. This was a great light and quick read with lovable characters. It definitely fell on the young side of romance as the characters are in college, My preference being a little bit more complex characters as I am or more mature reader, but overall, I think this is a great beach read and I’m excited to read more from the series.

Ahh! After reading the first three books in the Beyond the play series I was so excited to receive an ARC of this book. I loved the first three stories and was eager to read Izzy’s. While I loved their relationship and love for each other, I did feel one of the main conflicts in the book was resolved too quickly making another conflict feel slightly dragged out. Nonetheless, I’m glad I finished the book and wrapped up the Callahan family series.

Wicked Serve was a cute and fun read. There were moments that were really touching, some funny and some heartfelt. It was a great story.

I had not read the other books in the series so starting with the last book I know I missed some connections to the previous stories. After enjoying this book I went back and read book 1 as well. I really liked how the Callahan siblings related to each other.

Nothing beats a good hockey romance. This was a great one! I loved the dual point of views. It was well written and a fun read.

An incredible fourth book to Grace Reilly's Beyond the Play series. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Izzy's story play out after her brothers and I highly recommend this!

I love a good hockey romance and was excited to get into this book. It started off strong, but quickly lost interest in it. This book could’ve been cut in half and I probably would’ve enjoyed it better as it was filled with so much filler content. And by halfway through the book all the conflict of the beginning, like the casualness of the relationship and Nik being Izzy’s brother’s rival was resolved. It was also filled with a lot of smut and while I don’t mind smut in a book, I was expecting so much in this book and it just felt like a way to fill pages and have the characters avoid communicating. I feel like Nik and Izzy also could’ve worked on their communication a bit. This book could’ve been so much better if it ended a like halfway through.

Overall, this wasn’t the hockey romance for me and don’t really recommend unless you don’t mind filler.