This book was absolutely adorable. What started out as a fling turned into more. I loved this storyline more than anyone could have imagined. Nikolai and Izzy face many struggles, both as a couple and individually. But the way they were always there for one another was beautiful. The ending of this book had me tearing up. Nikolai and Izzy will forever hold a special place in my heart. I highly recommend this book if you love a forbidden/secret romance, hockey, strong family ties, and are looking for a swoon worthy book boyfriend.

I AM A SUCKER FOR HOCKEY ROMANCE! Which, weird, because I couldn't care less about the actual sport. This book was amazing and genuinely had me captured through out the entire thing. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a good hockey romcom.

I really enjoyed this book! I’m a big hockey fan and always looking for new to me authors that write hockey romance! This is apparently in the middle of a series but I didn’t know that when I signed up for it. I saw There were interconnected standalones so I didn’t worry about reading the others first! It so super well written and it flowed nicely throughout the whole book. I’ll definitely read more by this author.

Thank you so much NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of this book for review.

Very cute, if not a bit on the fluffier side of romance. I just don’t think it needed to be this long!!

This was so good. I love a second chance romance. I am SO GLAD this didn’t really have a third act breakup. And I love that while this was a cute, easy to read, spicyyyy romance, it also covered deeper topics. Trauma, abuse, panic attacks, etc.- and the author handled covering these topics so well

My favorite genre right now is probably sports romance, so of course this one was great for me! It had a few parts that i was iffy on, but I think I just wasn't personally the audience it was trying to reach with those parts. it was a cute and fun read.

I have been in my sports romance era, so I was super excited to read this.

Overall, I found it to be good, but not great. I have read a few other books recently with similar tropes, and I think they were just executed better. I felt like the last part of the book dragged,which was such a bummer compared to the first part.

I do think if you like Reilly's writing, you will still like this book. It just wasn't my favorite.

Thank you Net Galley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really wanted to love this book. I have loved Grace Reiley’s previous books, but this one sadly did not hit for me. This story felt different than Reiley’s other books. I just couldn’t connect to these characters.

I have loved the whole series but this one has to be my absolute fave! I loved the relationship between Nikolai and Isabelle it was so cute. Under that gruff exterior is a man with a huge heart who will do anything to make Izzy happy and the spice? I was not expecting the level of spice in this Grace really brought it to the table! This is secret relationship, ice hockey, brothers teammate, grumpy/sunshine and has all the feels. This is a must read for me!

This is the first book that I have read by this author. I found the writing style easy to read and I liked the characters.

Before you read make sure you check the trigger warnings because it deals with some topics that are intense

This book has a lot of tropes that I love such as Collage sport, brothers rival and secret relationship and so much more that I enjoy.

The main thing I didn’t like about this book it felt like the story could have been ended at the 50% mark of this book. The author could have dragged out the secret romance longer and made other aspects from the first bit longer because the second half of the book dragged because I felt like the author was creating drama, miscommunication and other things to make the book longer and I didn’t enjoy that. But this is just my thoughts. Also I felt like the romance was rushed.

I wish we got more information about how they met and got to know each other because this would have made it feel less rushed and I also would like to know.

I also felt like the author used spice as more of a filler of the story. I don’t like spice 🌶️ written as a filler which made it hard for me to read. There was also a lot of spice, i didn’t think that this book needed that much spice. But also I don’t particularly enjoy spice. So again it’s my own personal opinion.

This is an epic journey of love, and I wish I could read it for the first time all over again.I often struggle to write reviews for books that I find absolutely amazing, but this one truly touched me. It blends angst with heartfelt emotions, creating a story that feels incredibly realistic and showcases a beautiful love story.

- Brothers turned rivals turned teammates
- Secret summer romance
- Hockey and volleyball
- Found family
- He’s Russian!
- And spicy! Don’t let that cute cover fool you!

This book also addresses heavier topics, such as childhood trauma, child abuse, and their effects on mental health and future relationships. It explores anxiety, panic attacks, and the burden of mental health struggles.

Yet, amidst these challenges, there is a beautiful romance woven throughout the story. The plot is exquisite, and the characters are fantastic. I loved that both protagonists excel in their respective sports and work together to find their self-worth, both individually and as a couple. Nikolai is definitely going to live rent-free in my mind for a long time. He is an absolute gem of a book boyfriend—a Russian hockey player who whispers sweet and sexy Russian phrases in your ear. He was truly 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, andI highly recommend this story to everyone!

Wicked Serve is the last book in the Beyond the Play series by Grace Reilly,

Nikolai and Izzy's story was so so good!!

They were both dealing with their own issues but I love that they were there for each other. The mental health rep in this book had me feeling all the feels. I think it just added to their character development.

I also loved that Izzy loved everything pink lol kinda made her chracter more relatable to me.

Overall, this was a great hockey romance book and I am so excited to read more from Grace.

It took me a little longer than expected to finish Wicked Serve (life, right?), but wow, it was worth it! This book was such a cute, light read, with just the right amount of spice. If you’re in the mood for something sweet and easy, this one’s for you! I instantly loved Nikolai and Isabelle.

The story follows their summer fling—Nikolai is Isabelle’s brother’s rival, so you know that’s a recipe for drama. But, of course, that’s not going to stop them. Isabelle, or Izzy, is such a selfless character, always putting others first, sometimes to her own detriment. Nikolai, or Nik, is the perfect match for her, helping her realize her worth and prioritize her own happiness. I loved how the book handled Nik’s rough past and childhood trauma—it wasn’t romanticized, and the emotional depth had me tearing up at times. The way Nik rebuilds his relationship with his mom and grows as a character is honestly incredible.

Reilly nails the mix of sports rivalry and romance here. The chemistry between Nik and Izzy? On fire. There are heartfelt moments, humor, and some real heat throughout. Plus, I appreciated how the author handled consent—it was clear, respectful, and a breath of fresh air.

This is the final book in the Beyond The Play series, but it works perfectly as a standalone. Even though I haven’t read the first three, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. That said, I’ve already bought the rest of the series! If you love sports romance, I would definitely recommend this book!

Thank you so much Grace, Hachette Australia and Netgalley for this arc🫶

This was my first Grace Reily book and truly enjoyed the story line and the writing. The storyline between Izzy and Nik didn't feel rushed at all (except I will admit the last chapter felt a bit rushed at the end). I felt like I got to know each character very well as individuals and as a couple which was very nice because we were also able to learn more about how their childhood was, adult college life and a little bit of their after college life.

At some points I did start to think maybe this relationship between Izzy and Nik won't actually work out maybe it's just a college fling especially after Nik left without saying much to Izzy - I started to think this was it maybe he's telling her he will be back but he was just saying it to avoid freaking her out. I was thrilled to see that he actually truly did love her and their relationship ended up working out at the end.

I was glad to see that although Nik was hurt in so many ways by his father and even though at some points he was going to let who his father is/was define him he was able to build up the courage to admit that he needed help and actually get the help that he needed to better himself as a person not just for himself in the moment but for his future as well. Nik truly sounded like the ideal guy to be with which made sense why Izzy fell so hard for him. It was also nice to see that Izzy ended up getting the best of all worlds! She got the wedding planning, the volleyball, her family and the perfect guy as well. Even though she was always more secure of herself Nik really did bring out the best in her.

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

Wicked Serve follows the story of Isabelle and Nikolai, a pair who had a short-lived summer fling while she was working as an intern for his mother. After the summer ended, they thought they wouldn’t meet again. However, when Nikolai transferred to Izzy’s university, they faced each other once more and realized that the feelings they had pretended didn’t exist had not disappeared.
Isabelle Callahan is the youngest child in a family of overachievers. As the daughter of a former NFL star, the sister of another rising star, a future NHL player, and a talented chef, she has spent her entire life trying to prove she is worthy of being one of them. She is the most generous, supportive, and kind-hearted person in the world—so generous that I couldn’t help but love her. Her development throughout the chapters is noticeable, and I loved following her as she grew more confident in herself and discovered what she truly loves.
Nikolai Abney-Volkov is a dedicated hockey player on a mission to make his supposed last season the most memorable one possible. As the son of a former NHL and KHL player who left him with too much trauma, he is a kind, smart, and determined guy whose passion is in constant conflict with his deeper fears. He’s also been obsessed with Isabelle ever since he first saw her. His story is sad but satisfying to read, especially as he begins to talk about and deal with his past trauma. I also loved how he prioritized taking care of himself and his mental health to be a good man for Isabelle. His growth was evident and effective, making his journey a pleasure to read.
Izzy and Nik’s relationship began as cutesy and cliché as it could be during the summer. When they met again afterward, they realized that what they had promised to keep casual was never really casual at all. Their relationship developed beautifully, and their romance truly began to bloom once they decided to give in to the attraction they felt. They are so good and lovely together, always understanding and supporting each other, no matter what. I especially appreciate that there were no major miscommunication issues or distrust between them, and the angsty scenes were top-tier.
Wicked Serve was my first book by Grace Reilly, and I loved it! I suppose if I’d read the previous book in the series, I would’ve loved it even more, but still, this was a super cute and lighthearted read that I’d definitely recommend for sports romance lovers! Although there wasn’t really a need for it to be this long, I liked it too much to complain.
Thanks to Valentine PR and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

The character development was outstanding! I thoroughly enjoyed this read. One thing that particularly stood out to me compared to other hockey romances was the uniqueness of each character.

This was a quick and fun read. You get what you expect from this author. Fun, sexy, and sometimes cheesy. Overall this was entertaining and enjoyable.

Isabelle and Nikolai meet during a summer break
& hit it off right away. But when summer comes to
an end, so does the fling. Because nothing can
happen since Nik is Izzy's brothers biggest rival,
Right? 😈🤭

𝘐𝘧 𝘴𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘶𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴
𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣, 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄’𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙮𝙥𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙣.

I loved these too so much. The secret, sneaking around.
The ultimate swooniness from Nik. The spiceeee. But
most of all I love how open and honest they were. ZERO
miscommunication here. 🙌🏻 You could tell that through
everything, they genuinely care for each other and THAT
was everything.

This was a great conclusion to the series. I'm sad to see
it go, but I know that I will be back to visit them all again
soon. 🥹🤍

Cute book, but not super memorable. I wish there was a little more development in the characters. Felt like the spice was the main focus and not the relationship between the two main characters.

This is a college hockey romance not to be missed! It follows Izzy, and her brothers biggest rival Nikolai, While Izzy and Nik and a little secret past, they definitely bring the friends with benefits to the table. And excellent read that will have you swooning over these two!