Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ✨/5 (3.5 stars)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes: Brother’s rival, secret relationship, sports (volleyball & hockey)

Wicked Serve brought in all the elements of a Grace Reilly book - sports, significant character development, and spice. Izzy and Nikolai have a secret friends with benefits relationship over the summer, and that should’ve been the end of it. That all changes when Nikolai is expelled from school and his grandfather gets him into McKee University for senior year.

I did appreciate that they did not maintain their secret/friends with benefits relationship for long in the book. Isabelle and Nikolai were able to have a straightforward conversation about what they wanted going forward, but only after he tries to end it and she ends up in the hospital with a concussion sooo. But they were able to clear the air with her brother fairly quickly.

The remaining story/conflicts in the book revolved around uncertainty about the future. Izzy is becoming disinterested in volleyball and isn’t sure what she wants to do with her life. Meanwhile, Nikolai knows he wants to play hockey, but is unwillingly being set up to take over the family business. Woven into these struggles are Izzy’s feelings of insecurity and Nikolai’s past trauma (TW - domestic abuse).

Unfortunately, the story does become very long and drawn out for me. There is no way a college sophomore should know what they want to do in the future or be able to plan her brother’s extravagant wedding. Also there’s no way Nikolai should’ve been expected to take over a multimillion dollar business after college. But the overall resolution was so worth it!

(P.S. This did create a spicy book ick for me and I do not appreciate the numerous uses of slick)

Thank you to the Valentine PR and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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

🥹This was really cute. I already loved Izzy from the other books but Nikolai was better than I ever thought he’d be. That man was a goner for Izzy from day one and I’m here for that kind of devotion. They were perfect together. They both were so supportive of one another and also pushed back a little when they felt it was in the other’s best interest.
I also just want to say that I loved Breakaway, Cooper’s book. I loved Cooper in that book but this book made me love him so much more. What a guy! I just love him. He was throwing down nothing but green flags.
There were so many cute pop culture callouts and I personally loved it! I really loved the Russian aspects entwined a little in the books too. It was different and interesting. Omg and the moment Nick has with Izzy’s dad near the end! 🥹 so cute.

If you read and loved the previous books in this series then you will def need to check this one out. I loved Izzy and Nik’s journey to happily ever after. 🤍

A cute light hearted romance that gets you in all the feels. A little bit of spice +volleyball/hockey= the best romance combination around.

Very cute book, I enjoy the Callahan siblings and their significant others. Nik and Izzy’s story is about overcoming the odds and self acceptance

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 2.7✰

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹”If she’s sunshine, I’m the guy who hopes it never starts raining” ⋆𐙚₊˚⊹

The plot had a lot of potential but somehow it fell flat, the book was way too long… I think it could work better if it was at least a 100 pages shorter.

I liked how the relationship between Nikolai and Isabelle was healthy, how they cared and supported each other and how there was little to no miscommunication between them!!🙌🏻 I cheered for that

There were some part enjoyable and cute but I feel that they were shadowed by some unnecessary scene and all the smut. It was little cringe too but tolerable.

Didn’t liked Izzy at all🫢 she was very immature and would make a big deal out of something simple. I Hated HATEDDD how she forced Nikolai to tell her what was happening in his life, yeah they were dating and maybe she wanted to help but eventually I guess he will come around on his own terms and tell her whenever he feels ready

My problem is that the author was dragging the story. By 40% of the book mostly everything was solved, after that I found it hard to be interested in whatever was happening and started skimming through it. I wished the author showed more about their summer fling.

I’m surprised I didn’t dnfed the book.

💌tropes

ᡣ𐭩 secret relationship
ᡣ𐭩 brother’s “rival”
ᡣ𐭩 he’s a hockey player
ᡣ𐭩 she’s a volleyball player
ᡣ𐭩 mental health rep
ᡣ𐭩 boy obsessed
ᡣ𐭩 sport romance

thank you netgalley and the publisher for the arc

First of all I loved this book. I read the summary thinking I was going to just enjoy it but I LOVE IT.

The conflict, the characters, the emotions, the angst, the way the characters made it through! (and the smut! Chef kiss)

First let me talk about Isabelle

I know there are a lot of negative perceptions around soft women. Jessica Day for example there are a lot of people who see her as ditzy and dumb.

Softness isn’t weakness and I loved that Isabelle was that way, I love that Isabelle likes the color pink, and is still a badass at sports, is the baby of the family, has stuffed animals (okay I thought that was weird) but still. Isabelle was still a strong character and she deserves Nikolai ’s softness.

It was literally her softness that allowed them to fit together because that’s what he needed. And Isabelle needed someone who was focused and cared about her.

Now let me talk about Nikolai

THIS MAN RIGHT HERE DESERVES EVERYTHING. THIS POOR BB!!! Been through so much and is still going through it. Trauma SUCKS.


Wicked Serve was tense and suspenseful and at the same time a warm and fuzzy ride. I would definitely read the content warnings before reading because it can be dark at times depending on your comfort level. Yet I will say the tension in the book really escalated it to a top tier book in my opinion. I think fluff books are great and there’s always a need for them but this book really moved me and I think that’s what a five star is supposed to do.

Wow! What a book! It was jam packed with so much! Between Hockey + Volleyball, a hidden relationship, a LOT of spice, mental health issues and a troubling family and spice, did I mention that?

I enjoyed stepping back into this world! I love all of the Callaghan siblings! I’m sad the series is over! They’re so much fun to be around.

Nik and Izzy had so much to overcome and navigate and I enjoyed watching everything unfold!!

I can’t wait for everyone else to jump back into this world and enjoy another great book by Grace Reilly!

This was very difficult for me to get through. The story didn’t make sense, they were in college and the spice was so unrealistic. I had a hard time even wanting to finish it.

Nikolai, a committed hockey player, is determined to create an unforgettable final season. However, his transfer to McKee University for his senior year puts his team position at risk, especially with Isabelle's older brother as the team captain – the same girl he spent the summer with discreetly. Rekindling their bond could jeopardize his team standing and bring to light his troubled history, complicating any possibility of a genuine relationship. Despite the obstacles, meeting Isabelle again rekindles his intense feelings. On the other hand, Izzy's sophomore year ambitions include reclaiming her former volleyball role and moving on from Nikolai. Nevertheless, his reappearance in her life makes it challenging for her to maintain her distance. This novel weaves together a mix of anguish and heartfelt emotions, capturing a genuine and beautiful love story.

4.25⭐️

🏒Sportsmance (Volleyball and Hockey)
🏐Brother’s Rival turned Teammate
🏒Summer Fling to Secret Relationship
🏐Boy Obsessed
🏒Found Family
🏐Mental Health and Panic Attacks Rep

It’s been a while since I’ve read the first 2 books in this series (last year) and I DNFd book 3 in June, so I might not be remembering this author’s writing style accurately. But this book felt sweeter, more…sugary sweet. At first it was hard to connect with because of that and I have been in a more intense and darker reading mood. I also would have preferred this book’s prologue start at the game Nik and Cooper have their fight in book 2 from Nik’s POV, then begin at Isabelle and Nik’s first summer meeting. I would have loved to see their relationship progress from there to including where the book ended up. I feel it would have been a better use of the book length. BUT…with all that, I ended loving this book!

Nik has a playboy-bad boy reputation…but he admits it’s a little blown out of proportion. And seeing him with Isabelle and at his new school makes me swoon for him. He is a caretaker and protector! But he also breaks my heart with what he actually hides. He feels he is darkness and unworthy of Isabelle’s sunshine. I love Izzy’s bubbly personality and I hate how she feels lacking compared to her brothers. Isabelle and Nik are so sweet together, they accept and encourage and stand up for each other, and take care of the other. This book had A LOT of spice! Not quite as heated as books 1 and 2 but still hot! I love the found family Nik finds! Isabelle and Nik really come into their own by the end of the book, and I am happy how it all played out. I couldn’t get enough of the previous books’ couples either, this book really wraps up this family’s story. 😊

"Wicked Serve" by Grace Reilly is a thrilling blend of sports, romance, and emotional depth that kept me hooked from start to finish. With a perfect mix of hockey and volleyball action, a swoon-worthy romance, and powerful depictions of mental health, this book delivers a satisfying and engaging read.

The chemistry between Nik and Izzy was electric, with Nik's Russian-speaking skills being a definite bonus. The sensitive and authentic portrayal of mental health struggles, particularly Nik’s journey to cope with his past trauma, was beautifully done and added depth to his character. Watching Izzy come into her own and find her passion and career was both inspiring and heartwarming.

What I loved:
1. Hockey + Volleyball 🏐 (I played volleyball in high school so this was nostalgic for me)
2. Nik's Russian ❤️‍🔥
3. Mental Health Rep ❤️‍🩹

However, I did feel that the book was a bit long, and some moments could have been trimmed down to keep the pace tighter. But even with that, I thoroughly enjoyed my reading experience and found myself invested in Nik and Izzy's journey.

"Wicked Serve" is a must-read for fans of new adult sports romance, offering a perfect mix of swoons, spice, and emotional moments. If you love sports, heartfelt romance, and characters who fight through their struggles, this book is for you!

**Thank you Valentine PR and Grace Reilly for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.**

I'm DNFing this one at about 25%. I didn't realize this was part of a series when I signed up to receive an ARC, and though it could probably be read as a standalone, I think reading the previous books would have made me like the FMC more. She came off as whiney to me, and it was really just grating on my nerves. Now if I would have seen her struggles with the abandonment from her ex and living up to her parents expectations throughout the first three books in the series, I think I might have stuck this book out. Or if there would have been more background on those issues for her in this book. I didn't hate the writing, and the spice was already spicing, so there's a good chance I'll be going back and reading the other books in the series and will eventually come back around to this one.

Please ignore the 1 star rating below. I don't think this is a 1 star book. I don't feel justified giving it any rating based on my review, but I have to choose a star rating before this review and be submitted.

Wicked Serve is the 4th and final book in Grace’s Beyond the Play series and follows Isabelle and Nikolai.

This book touches on some heavy topics, so please check the content warnings before reading. Grace handles these topics with care, grade, kindness, and compassion.

The story and character development in this book is top notch. Watching Izzy and Nik’s journey was a master class in showing rather than telling. When a book plays like a movie in my mind, I’m a happy reader.

This book has the perfect balance of a well-developed plot and spice. Watching these characters navigate through childhood trauma and feeling like they’re not enough was special, and the mental health rep was so well done. I can’t wait to see what Grace gives us next.

Oof this was a spicy one! If you love spicy, hockey romances then look no further because this is the book for you! The chemistry between the two characters was incredibly strong and I liked the progression of the romance. I also loved the way the secret romance was handled in this story and the mental health representation.

Both main characters are dealing with there own issues when it comes to their families and self-worth, and it was incredible to see the two of them overcome these challenges with one another.

The main reason this book was five stars for me was that it kind of dragged on a bit at the end. This book is over 400 pages and I definitely think a good chunk at the end could've been condensed without jeopardizing the storyline.

Read if you like:
- Hockey romances
- Secret Relationships
- Brother's Rival
- Mental Health Rep
- All the spice!!

Truly, this was such a beautifully written book. Nik and Izzy had such a strong development throughout the book. They went from secret friends with benefits to a strong beautiful couple. Nik’s childhood trauma and relationship with his parents had a great ARC. I kept waiting for that show to drop. I loved that Nik took the time to work on himself before he could give his all to Izzy. They both deserved that.

Wicked Serve is the final book in the Beyond the Play series which makes this a bit bittersweet. I have been with this series from the beginning and loved each story. I am so happy we got Izzy's book and that it was not just a fantastic story itself but a nice conclusion to the series.

I have been looking forward to Izzy's book since we really saw her in Breakaway. She seemed like a wild child and I anticipated seeing who Reilly would match her with. I was pleasantly surprised that her match was Nikolai. Her brother's rival? I knew this was gonna be filled with drama and spice.

I was blown away by how heartfelt this was. It has the romcom aspects and spicy parts, but the heartfelt moments are what truly got me. Nikolai is so much more than he initially seems. His backstory is heartbreaking. I thought Reilly did a wonderful job representing the effects of child abuse and mental health. Nikolai was such a marshmallow. I really loved his character. Izzy was great too. I loved her spunk and heart of gold.

Nikolai and Izzy were a incredible couple. Not only did they have high heat chemistry between them but they also connected on an emotional level which got me invested in their relationship. They were a perfect pairing.

This book has the classic Reilly spice! Phew!! Don't let the cover fool you otherwise.

Would recommend this awesome book to everyone who loves sports romance, spicy romance, and romcoms with heart.

Thank you grace for the e-arc
4.8 stars

Another dazzling hit by one of my fave authors.
Telling the story between a volleyball player and a
hockey player.
The author fully showcasted the emotions and attractions between the two. It was a fun read in conclusion. It's so easy to connect with the characters and put myself in their shoes.
Izzy, the FMC, is the most loveable character I've ever met. Her love for vibrate colours and koalas make it impossible not to fall in love with her.
As for Niki, the author correctly protrayed the aftermath of domestic violence though in my opinion, the path to healing can be eleborated to give us a better understanding of the character.

I've loved every Beyond the Play book I've read and I'm in love with the characters, but Isabelle & Nikolai stole my heart in a special way, and I think Grace Reilly gave this series the ending it deserved. Also, Wicked Serve has a really good plot, heartbreaking, funny and very sweet, I LOVED Izzy & Nik as individual characters, as a couple and the way Cooper & Sebastian are present and important to both main characters.

Isabelle is the youngest Callahan, a sweet & kind girl who loves pink, plays volleyball and had the best summer with her brother's rival: Nikolai. I loved Isabelle, I think she's my favorite girl in this series and, although that broke my heart, I liked that she's much more complex than she seemed in the previous books: constantly comparing her achievements and sports talent with the ones of her brothers, believing that she's not enough in various aspects of her life and trying to convince herself that she's not in love with Nik, but despite her insecurities and doubts, Izzy is a girl who knows what she wants and who fights to get it. I loved that Isabelle showed her abilities & talent over and over again, especially to her coach, a character that I didn't like at all, I was also very happy reading Sebastian supporting her unconditionally and being the voice of reason alongside Penny when necessary, also, all those moments with the Callahan family melted my heart.

Nikolai is a hockey player who seems to suddenly lose everything, he's misunderstood by his family, carries a lot of guilt due to his past and is being stripped, little by little, of his identity and roots. His life has not been easy and it seems that everything gets worse as the book progresses, but, despite the fact that I suffered a lot by his side, I think that Grace developed his story, traumas and process very well, that is why I managed to empathize a lot with him, get angry with the people around him, including his mother, and enjoy a lot more of his moments in McKee. Something I did not expect was that Cooper would be so present in Nikolai's personal plot, perhaps because these two belonged to rival teams and now they are teammates, but what the author did with them was unexpectedly perfect.

Isabelle & Nikolai shared a summer together in New York while she was interning for his mom, and even though they both agreed that their romance would end when they both returned to their respective universities, life put Nikolai in McKee for his senior year and this pair falls back into one of the most tender and fun secret relationships I've ever read. I think their story was beautiful, even though we only have mentions of their summer together, the story works very well because Nik & Izzy are very easy characters to love, to empathize with, and who have a very strong connection that made me fall in love a little more with each of their interactions.

🏐Isabelle: 5/5
🏒Nikolai: 5/5
🏐Plot: 5/5
🏒Love story: 5/5
🏐Secondary characters: 4.5/5
🏒Universe: 5/5
🌶️: 2/5

He amado todos los libros de Beyond the Play que he leído y estoy enamorada de los personajes, pero Isabelle & Nikolai me robaron el corazón de una manera especial, y creo que Grace Reilly le dio a esta serie el final que merecía. Además, Wicked Serve tiene una trama muy buena, desgarradora, divertida y muy tierna, AMÉ a Izzy & Nik como personajes individuales, como pareja y manera en la que Cooper & Sebastian están presentes y son importantes para ambos personajes principales.

Isabelle es la menor de los Callahan, una chica dulce & amable que ama el color rosa, juega voleibol y pasó el mejor verano junto al rival de su hermano: Nikolai. Isabelle me encantó, creo que es mi chica favorita en esta serie y, aunque me rompió el corazón, me gustó que sea mucho más compleja de lo que parecía en los libros anteriores: comparando constantemente sus logros y talento deportivo con el de sus hermanos, creyendo que no es suficiente en diversos aspectos de su vida y tratando de convencerse de que no esta enamorada de Nik, pero a pesar de sus inseguridades y dudas, Izzy es una chica que sabe lo que quiere y que lucha para conseguirlo. Me encantó que Isabelle demostrara una y otra vez sus capacidades & talento, especialmente a su entrenadora, un personaje que no me gustó nada, también fui muy feliz leyendo a Sebastian apoyándola incondicionalmente y siendo la voz de la razón junto a Penny cuando fue necesario, además, todos esos momentos con la familia Callahan me derritieron el corazón.

Nikolai es un jugador de hockey que parece perderlo todo de repente, es incomprendido por su familia, carga con una gran culpa debido a su pasado y está siendo despojado, poco a poco, de su identidad y sus raíces, su vida no ha sido fácil y pareciera que todo se pone peor mientras avanza el libro, pero, a pesar de que sufrí mucho a su lado, creo que Grace desarrolló la historia, traumas y proceso de este personaje muy bien, por eso es que logré empatizar mucho con él, enojarme con las personas a su alrededor, incluida su mamá, y disfrutar muchísimo más de sus momentos en McKee. Algo que no esperaba fue que Cooper estuviera tan presente en la trama personal de Nikolai, tal vez porque estos dos pertenecían a equipos rivales y ahora son compañeros, pero lo que la autora hizo con ellos fue inesperadamente perfecto.

Isabelle & Nikolai compartieron un verano juntos en Nueva York mientras ella hacía una pasantía para su mamá, y a pesar de que ambos habían acordado que su romance terminaría cuando ambos volvieran a sus respectivas universidades, la vida puso a Nikolai en McKee para su último año y este par cae de nuevo en una de las relaciones secretas más tiernas y divertidas que he leído. Creo que su historia fue hermosa, aún cuando solo tenemos menciones a su verano juntos, la historia funciona muy bien porque Nik & Izzy son personajes muy fáciles de querer, de empatizar con ellos y que tienen una conexión muy fuerte que me hizo enamorarme un poco más con cada una de sus interacciones.

🏐Isabelle: 5/5
🏒Nikolai: 5/5
🏐Trama: 5/5
🏒Historia de amor: 5/5
🏐Personajes secundarios: 4.5/5
🏒Universo: 5/5
🌶️: 2/5

Isabelle is the youngest Callahan sibling, and the only girl to boot. If that's not enough, her dad used to play in the NFL, her oldest brother currently does, Cooper is destined for the NFL, and Sebastian is on the road to being a top notch chef. Striving for perfection on her volleyball team, she is stressed. Enter, Nikolai - her hockey playing hook up from over the summer. And surprise! He now attends her university, playing on her brother's team. The sneaking around is fun, and they're both just trying to blow off steam... Right? But as they start to become friends, and trust each other more, feelings develop. Nik has a secret, and serious issues with his dad to work past. Isabelle needs to prove to herself that she's worth knowing and loving amongst her family of "greats." Can they be who they need to be for each other, too?

💭 This is the fourth in the Beyond the Play series, and is an interconnected stand alone. I easily dove into the story without having read the others! But now I want to go back 🥰. It was fun to see the already developed relationships there. Nik and Isabelle started as a fling, but when situations pushed them back together they couldn't stay away. The sneaking around was fun, and made for a spiiiiicy beginning to this book! I was a little skeptical at first that it would outshine the plot, but it started to even out as they developed their relationship. I liked both character's ambitions and drive; they had individual goals they were aiming for and that took center stage at times. Nik had trauma to work through, and I thought it was realistic the way he was hesitant to get help at first. Isabelle did seem immature at times (but I had to remind myself they're college students). Definitely recommend this to anyone who likes a steamy sports romance!

This book was only okay for me! I had a difficult time getting into it and that’s why it took so long for the review to come. It was okay!