From what I read so far, I’m liking it. I need to be in my hockey era (so another month and a half lol) to fully appreciate the book

“It’s impossible for me not to notice you,” he says. “You walk into a room and I know it’s you, instantly, solnishko. You couldn’t hide from me if you tried.”
—
Rating: 5 ✨
Smut: 🌶️🌶️
—
Am i surprised that Grace Reilly wrote another masterpiece? Absolutely not.

I was really out here thinking no one would beat Cooper as my ultimate bookish boyfriend. But then.. in walks Nikolai😩

The way I adored this character.. I can’t even begin to describe it
He was so soft for Isabelle and he fell first & hard for her so you know I was already in love within the first 20% of this read.
But then his character had so much depth and so many layers to him that I couldn’t help but fall hard for him too, just like Isabelle did😩♥️

The reason for this easy 5 star rating? Grace Reilly writes sports romances that are centred around so much more than “just” sports.
Wicked Serve centres around a summer fling turned forever relationship and the road to getting that forever together 🥹
We got male mental health rep which I’m a sucker for & which was SO well done, sneaking around, boy obsessed, a russian pet name, wholesome character cameos and the perfect epilogue.

I loved seeing where the other couples from previous books wound up and how they all accepted Nikolai into the fold. The bromance between Nikolai & Cooper was also something that I didn’t know I so desperately needed? I loved it.

I also loved how the “flashbacks” of Nik and Izzy’s summer fling were handled. I typically like when we have a long build up of past events but the description of their summer together was so well done that I was instantly rooting for them to wind up together.

I’m so sad to be saying goodbye to these characters, especially Nik & Cooper because this series really has a special place in my heart.
If you haven’t read the Beyond the Play series yet, this is your sign that it’s time, ESPECIALLY so you can read Wicked Serve.

If you love:
🏐 Volleyball playing FMC x Hockey playing MMC
🏐 He falls first and harder
🏐 Traumatic past
🏐 Dual POV
🏐 They push each other to reach their goals

Then this one is PERFECT for you🫶

Thank you x 1 million to Grace Reilly & Valentine PR for trusting me with this arc, definitely one of the best things to happen to me this year

This book is easily my favorite book of this series, which is saying something because each book was so good! I loved the tropes in each book, but brother’s rival turned teammate and I wanted it immediately. Unlike most other rivals to lovers, this book turned out so differently because everyone stepped up and took Nik in like their own family, and with his history that was everything.

Nik and Izzy have such good chemistry, the spice is good in this book, especially as it ranges as these two get comfortable with each other. But also I love how they push each other, they make sure the other feels supported and helps them make all the best decisions even if it isn’t the best for their relationship in the short term.

This book is the perfect balance of emotional, hot, funny, and heartwarming that will have you hooked from start to finish. I was constantly wanting to read the next chapter and couldn’t stop until I was finished!

I had a really hard time getting into and finishing this story.

Overall, I felt like this book was too long and struggled with pacing. There were lots of points in the story that seemed to drag, didn't drive the plot forward, and left the book feeling very repetitive. In addition to this, the book would wrap up problems the characters were facing super quickly. This felt really abrupt and jarring since I didn't have time to connect with the character or see them work through something. I would have appreciated more focus on these tension points and moments of growth over the many filler pages.

I also wish we could have either read about Nik/Izzy's summer fling more or have them get together later on in the book. They started seeing each other (however casually) very early on in the book and I would have appreciated more time where they started to grow a bit more independently since we didn't have a ton of insight into what was driving them together.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC ◡̈

I had moderately high expectations for this book, and for the most part, it delivered! Wicked Serve was a fun, brother's teammate/rival college romance with heart, heat and depth. It was the first book in a while that drew me in and I haven't been o invested in a couple for a long time. I really appreciated the male vulnerability shown by Nik (without spoilers, do look at the TWs at the beginning) and how his vulnerability was written. I also liked the various friendships. I think it could've been cut a bit shorter and some spicy scenes weren't as necessary. Overall, though, this book was highly engaging, and I recommend it to all fans of sports romance.

Thank you to Valetnine's PR and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by the author, and it won’t be my last. I felt the book was very fast paced and kept me engaged the whole time. I do wish that I had read the prior books but feel like it didn’t take away from the story not reading the prior 3. This book kept me very engaged, however I did feel like it was a tad long and could have been a bit shorter.

I loved the continuation of ‘just for the summer’ the second chance if you will. I love how ultimately Nik and Cooper did become besties instead of rivals. The close knit family vibes were very well done. I was really excited about the volleyball aspect as a volleyball girlie myself but also kind of expected more of it? I did have a smidge of a hard time connecting with Isabelle but she did grow on me with how she was there for Nik. Nicks character growth throughout this book was really well done!

Wicked Serve is the fourth college romance book in the Beyond the Play series. Izzy has spent the summer interning with a wedding planner and loved every minute of it, especially her free time when she was hooking up with her boss’ son. Even though it was good while it lasted, nothing with Nikolai was meant to last for the summer, but when Nikolai gets kicked off his hockey team for taking the blame for a friend their paths cross again. With both Nikolai and Izzy at the same school there is no way to avoid the attraction between them. Will they be able to keep a relationship going or will their baggage get in the way?

I haven’t read any of the other books in this series, but do think this can be read as a standalone. I had really high hopes for this book but something fell a little flat for me. I did really enjoyed Nicolai and Izzy together and thought their story was a good read. I am a fan of sports romances and this hit me from both sides with Izzy’s volleyball and Nicolai’s hockey. It was an enjoyable romance, but something was missing for me. The writing and storyline were good too, I just couldn’t get pulled into this book in the same way that I expected to. I am intrigued by this series and could definitely see my self checking out the rest of it. This was a good sports romance read that’s worth picking up.

This was my first read from this author, and I kinda wish I had read the prior 3. The plot of this one was a second chance story, with very little relationship drama.

Nikolai and Isabelle connect again, after their summer fling, but Nik is struggling mentally. Understandable, based on his Grandfather's directive. Isabelle is supportive (but also a bit pushy, in her need to figure him out). Their relationship is definitely steamy, but the D/s scenes didn’t really feel like they fit this couple. My read of this seemed to take longer than my normal speed, and I felt like I needed something to make the pages flip quicker. It was an okay read, and I feel like reading this book and series in order would have given me the best experience.

I received my complimentary ARC from Netgalley, and I voluntarily leave my review.

This was absolutely fantastic. I adored the whole dynamic between Izzy and her family, I love how close they all are. I loved the way the mental health representation was dealt with and the way Nikolai grew. The writing was great and it was such a great read!

ARC Review: This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 and it did not disappoint! It felt so good to be back with the Callahan Fam! Being with these characters is like a warm hug. They’re familiar and comfortable and I wish I could live in their world. Izzy and Nik’s relationship is so adorable but I also love the serious themes that are represented throughout the book, including mental health. This book hit close to home for me because I related to Nik and his strained parental relationships more than I thought I would and it was nice to have some of my complicated feelings represented and validated in the story. If I had to pick one thing that I could change about the story, it would be that I wish we could’ve seen more before the prologue of the book, like when Nik and Izzy first met. Even still, I loved getting to watch them fall in love and Nik is now one of my favorite book boyfriends ever.

read if you like:
🏒sports romcoms
👩‍❤️‍👨 hookup-to-relationship
📚 fans of Elle Kennedy or Hannah Grace books

summary:
I needed a break from thrillers and murders so I picked up my second favorite genre - a sports romcom. WICKED SERVE is about Nikolai, a hockey player and Isabelle, a volleyball player, who have a summer fling, only to find themselves unexpectedly reunited at McKee University in the fall when Nikolai is forced to transfer. The catch? Isabelle’s brother and Nikolai are arch rivals on the ice. Juggling school, their families’ expectations and their separate lives, they have to determine whether they can and want to have a relationship with each other before they leave college and enter their adult lives.

This book is your classic “forbidden love” story. While I hoped for a little more chase and struggle for them to get together, the majority of the story is them hiding their relationship from their friends, given the tension between Nik and Isabelle’s brother. The two play together on the hockey team though and start to get along, so the tension didn’t feel totally believable. I did love both characters though, and was especially interested in their families and how they shaped who Nik and Isabelle were. Nik’s Russian heritage was also a different spin than most books, which was fun. There wasn’t much conflict during the book though, which made it feel a little slow. I would have liked more time with their friends or even just a little more back and forth to keep things exciting! Also, there were a few logistical issues — like how someone could go from NYC to Australia for a weekend. I guess everything is possible.

Overall though the story is cute and a quick read! If you love a good sports romance, check this out when it releases on August 13! Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC.

Wow 🤩 I can’t believe how much I loved this book.

This book is part of an interconnected standalone series and it’s the fourth book in the series, Each book is about one of the Callahan siblings who are part of an elite family of athletes. The first 3 books are based on the brothers and this last book is on the younger sister Isabelle. I’ve only read the second book of the series ‘Breakaway’ which I absolutely adored and will definitely be re-reading soon. But going into this you don’t feel as though you’re missing anything if you weren’t to have any prior knowledge of the brothers and their partners.

This book starts off with the FMC- Isabelle and the MMC- Nikolai, during the summer where they have a casual fling. And swiftly picks up back at the start of the new academic year. A situation arises and as a result Nikolai has to move colleges and ends up at the same college Isabelle attends. They both haven’t spoken since the summer as they agreed it was a casual fling. But they just can’t seem to stay away from each other so maybe it wasn’t as casual as they thought? 👀 It makes it even more trickier as Nikolai was from a rival hockey team and does not get on with Isabelle’s brother and he has specifically been warned off her.

I ate this book up right from the beginning. I just loved the plot, the characters, the tension and all the sweet moments between them. Both Isabelle and Nikolai were great. Like her nickname, Isabelle is sunshine personified but she has a lot that she struggles with and it was great to see her develop throughout the book. Same with Nikolai, you can see he’s just such a good guy but doesn’t have the best rep but he works on it and does his best to be what Isabelle deserves.

This is definitely a 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫 for me and would highly recommend for others to read as well if you love sports romances. Make sure to check trigger warnings beforehand as some heavy topics are mentioned in the book.

P.S I loved the epilogue and I’m so happy they all got such great endings 😭💖

I was hooked the moment I read the first page. The writing was flawless and what stands out the most to me is that this book centers itself on the personal growth of Nik and Izzy. The chemistry and romance of the story is also a predominant plot point, but it’s not the only focus on the story and it’s the reason why this book is more than just a romance story. Though the characters are college age, they are not immature young adults. Their struggles resonate with any person at any age which makes it easy as the reader to connect and root for any successes in their lives.

I loved their chemistry together. Usually I don’t tend to connect when two characters spend a short amount of time together and the story picks up a short time after, but their connection is undeniable and very evident from the first pages.

This is the kind of book that has it all and more. It was enjoyable and fun, yet endearing and heartbreaking. It was everything I wanted and lived up to all the wonderful reviews surrounding it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC

I read this book in less than 24 hours and loved every minute of it!

This book is the fourth in the Beyond the Play series featuring the four Callahan siblings. I have been waiting for this one - the story of Isabelle and Nikolai - to be released for what feels like months. Something about Grace Reilly's writing just captures my attention and whisks me away to the world that she has built around the Callahans.

Isabelle and Nikolai's story just tugged on my heartstrings from the beginning - a summer forbidden fling but due to unforeseen circumstances he ends up at her college on the hockey team with his rival, her brother. Neither can hide their attraction or their feelings for each other but both are struggling with so much that they haven't let their families know about. Both characters (and really all of the characters) feel so real that it's hard to not read the whole book in one sitting.

Thank you to NetGalley, Grace Reilly, and Avon& Harper Voyager for a copy of this ARC!!!!

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Nikolai and Isabel have a summer together never planning for more than that. But Nikolai gets kicked off his hockey team and has a chance to finish his last year at Isabel’s school.

He is her brother’s biggest Hockey rival and the bad blood has kept her from telling the truth about their relationship.

Nik is so sweet and soft with Isabel and she is sweet and caring. Nikolai is fearful of becoming like his dad. Isabel is afraid of being the family failure. Will they realize they are 2 parts that make each other whole?


This is a super sweet romance and a nice continuation of the series.


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#readers #romance #romancereader
#bookstagram #readersofinstagram #books #romancebooks #booksta #romance #bookworm #booklover #lovetoread #sweatromance
#contemporaryromance #dualpov #lightheartedromance

Absolutely amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Nikolai was once the rival for Izzy's school hockey team. But when a situation causes him to get kicked out and became teammates with the once rival team. He's leaving his school hockey team as Team Captain but is now joining this team as a member of the team, yet he has such Captain abilities in him that he's trying his hardest not to piss off the team captain who happens to be the rival he bumps heads with a couple of times on the ice. Nikolai and Izzy were once a fling, but Nikolai up and left here and then he returns and explains to her the situation of him being kicked out his school. But only one thing, they both must avoid each other, but how is that possible when they are so connected to each other?
I love Nikolai for Izzy. Despite the circumstances and them having to be sneaky 🤭 that did not stop them one bit.

This romance novel seamlessly blends the worlds of hockey and volleyball, captivating me with its warmth and intensity from the very beginning. The author’s skillful portrayal of the budding relationship between the two main characters drew me in immediately. The chemistry between them was palpable, and the way their bond developed over time was both thrilling and heartwarming.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the novel was the slightly forbidden nature of their romance. Despite this, it never felt annoying or overdone. Instead, it added an exciting layer of complexity and depth to their interactions. The challenges they faced made their moments together even more precious and meaningful. I was particularly impressed by how the author maintained this delicate balance, keeping the tension just right without ever tipping into melodrama.

The characters themselves were wonderfully fleshed out, each with their own passions and vulnerabilities. The way the author intertwined their personal growth with their romantic journey was masterful. I loved watching them support each other through their respective sports careers, facing both triumphs and setbacks together. Their relationship felt authentic and deeply emotional, making it easy to root for their happy ending.

This novel offers a well-crafted romance set against the unique backdrop of hockey and volleyball. I loved every bit of this story and found myself thinking about the characters long after I finished the last page. It’s a heartwarming, captivating read that left a lasting impression.

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: HEA
POV: dual 1st person POV
spice: sev eral open-door spicy scenes
TWs: alcoholism, anger management, anxiety, cheating, child abuse (recounted), death of a parent (recounted), domestic abuse (recounted), eating disorder, manipulation, panic attacks (on page, descriptive from both POVs), school expulsion
Kinky Content: 69, anal, anal play, dirty talk, light Dom/sub dynamics, fingering, hair pulling, masturbation, mirror sex, oral, praise, shower sex, spanking
standalone: book 4 of Beyond the Play series
final thoughts: this was such a great book! Lots of angst, pining, spice, and swoony moments. There were great grand gesture moments while the couple were “together” and not just for an apology which isn’t something you see often, and I loved it.
The character growth was great for both MCs, and I loved seeing them grow from a secret summer fling to “we have to pretend to not know each other” to “there’s no way we can hide this anymore”.
This can definitely be read as a standalone but I would be interested in reading about more of the characters in this world since the story was action packed, but easy to follow.

read this book if you love
😬 angst
🫡 big MMC
👦 brother’s rival
🏫 college setting
🥵 dirty talk
😳 forbidden lovers
🎁 grand gestures
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 great side characters
🤫 hidden secrets
🩹 hurt/comfort
🛏️ “it’s just a fling”
👕 jersey scene
💞 mutual pining
🥰 nicknames
💤 nightmare comfort
🔀 opposites attract
🙏 praise
🤐 secret relationship
🏒 sports romance (hockey)
🏐 sports romance (volleyball)
😠 “who did this to you?”
🌍 world building

The way that I dropped everything as soon as I saw that I got approved for this ARC was crazy. But I have no regrets.

This book follows Isabelle (Izzy) Callahan, who is the younger sister of a family full of athletes. She has big shoes to fill and feels a lot of pressure to do her best due to her family. Nikolai is a hockey star, and is the rival of Izzy's older brother, Cooper. During the summer, Izzy and Nikolai had a secret fling, which ended when the summer was over, due to the two going to different colleges and the ongoing rivalry between Nikolai and Cooper.

However, things change when Nikolai has to transfer to McKee, the college where Izzy and her brothers go to school. From here, Nikolai and Izzy reconnect and attempt to navigate a possible rekindling of their relationship, while also dealing with their families, their pasts, and their futures.

What I liked:
- This was a book that was very easy to follow along with. It is the fourth book in a series of four, but all of the books can be read as standalones, including this one. Like other books in similar series where they are interconnected standalones, they take place in the same world, overlapping characters/storylines, and you may be missing some of the stories of the non-main characters if you have not read the rest of the books in the series. Due to this, and also because I have so much love for this series, I would recommend that you read the rest of the books in the series if you are interested in reading the series, but it is not 100% necessary, so don't let it discourage you from reading this book.
- There was so much fluffiness in this book. Izzy and Nikolai were such a lovely couple. It was nice to read about a couple who knew how to be mature and communicate and know what they needed to do to be in the best relationship that they could be in. Considering both of the main characters were college students, they were way more mature than so many books with main characters that are in their late 20s or 30s. It was very refreshing.
- The 3rd act "breakup". Now don't get me wrong. Some 3rd act breakups are completely stupid and could be avoided with a bit of maturity and communication and have me thinking "Are we not adults? Why are we acting like children". HOWEVER, I appreciated this one so much because it was done so maturely and so well. I had so much respect for Nikolai for what he realized he needed to do to work on himself to be the best that he can me.
- The other couples from the previous books made quite a few cameos and I am here for it. I like the fact that even though the other books are over, and their couples are no longer the main couples for the next books, the reader can still see how the relationships are doing and how they have progressed. Such as being engaged and expecting children.


What I did not like:
- I did feel like the story got dragged out for quire a bit. At a couple of points I found myself thinking that the story was getting repetative and some scenes were not necessary and did not need to be added. It did not take away from the story or add to the story in any way, so I did not particularly find myself drawn to or remembering these types of scenes. I.e. the ratio of spice to plot was a bit off.
- While I think that some scenes were unnecessary for the story, I do wish there was more details written about other things. For example, I loved the story line with Izzy and her wedding planning and I wish we had gotten more of that so we could better understand how she could differentiate herself from her athletic family by doing something that she loves and makes her happy, that is not sports related.
- I wish Nikolai was able to tell his family what he felt and what he wanted instead of just brushing it off and dealing with what they did to him and forced him to do. That was so frustrating because you could see him being mature with Izzy, but not with his family. The entire book was spent with Nikolai's dad being portrayed as this big, bad, mean man who beat and almost killed his mom. And this affects Nikolai's mental health significantly. However, I feel like this was let go and essentially forgiven pretty quickly after a conversation.

I have yet to read anything by Grace Reilly, but I love volleyball and have yet to read a book with that involved. Until Wicked Serve, Isabelle and Nickolai were absolutely adorable. Isabelle falls for her brother’s hockey rival when she works for Nik’s mom for a summer internship. Nik ends up transferring to the same college Isabelle and her brother attend and they try to hide their attraction for eachother. No matter what happened they were always there for each other. A one time summer fling turned into more and I fell head over heels for it. I don’t think there was anything that I didn’t like, I genuinely really enjoyed this book! I loved how fierce Isabelle is and especially as the FMC she was amazing. Nick for the MMC was also great cause of the mental health rep. Men struggle too. I cannot say enough great things about this book 10/10 recommend!