I really enjoyed this book! It had so many layers- it was cute and fun but it also tackled some difficult topics. The difficult topics were done well and I liked the mental health representation. This book was spicy and I liked the characters development of the main characters throughout the book. Izzy and Nikolai were great main characters and I could really feel their connection. The side characters are all great and I love the found family aspect in this book. I recommend reading this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC of this book. I voluntarily read it and gave an honest review.

"Wicked Serve" will be out on 13 Aug 2024.
This is the fourth book by Grace Reilly, the serie is called "Beyond the play". The theme of course is "Romance sport", i can't get enought of them.
I'm obsessed.
I applied for this book because I'm going through, my sports romances's phase, the theme is all there, even the
spicy level is a 4 out of 5, but
I found the story a little too much long, i couldn't wait to finish it, and not in a good way.
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books, and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wicked Serve can be read as a stand-alone or as the fourth book in the series. This is the first book I’ve read by Grace Reilly and I definitely recommend for fans of Hannah Grace. This fits neatly into the new adult sports romance niche and while enjoyable, I do think I may be a little older than the intended demographic.

I appreciated that there were serious moments intertwined with the romance and coming of age experiences; however, I feel 100 pages could have been cut and the story would have stayed the same.

I enjoyed the first book in this series and thought a hockey/volleyball romance was going to be great. This was not it for me. I had to think for awhile to figure out what seemed off with this book and it’s that you never actually hear the start of their romance! They have a summer fling and then he switches to her college. However, they already both really like each other and know each other and were in a temporary relationship before the reader is ever introduced! It left the rest of the romance feeling uninspired and disconnected. Also, the spice was SPICY! This was way too much for me (and also highly unrealistic as described) and really didn’t add anything to the romance or the chemistry. The storyline and plot were fine, but nothing that special. I appreciated the incorporation of healing from past trauma, but the rich-boy routine and spoiled FMC that kept happening really just took away from the attempts of going deeper with the characters. This could’ve used 100+ pages cut out with a better focus and more backstory to make it a story worth reading. 3⭐️, 4🌶

Cute read. It was heavy on character development which is somewhat rare for books like this, but it was nicely unexpected! Definitely added more substance to the book. I liked the characters and story but it was still just an okay read in my opinion.
3/5 ⭐️
3.5/5 🌶️

I really enjoyed this story - I thought that the characters were well-developed and I found myself falling in love with Nik and Izzy as they fell in love. The spice was good and I liked that they were both strong people in their own right.

Nik and Izzy's story delivered on what we expect from a Grace Reilly book: emotional connection, character growth, and spice! You can feel their connection from the first few pages and can't help but root for them to work it all out. I really loved Nik's character and his arc with his family as he navigates his hockey career and relationship with Izzy.

I didn't connect to Izzy's character like I thought I would. She felt superficial and stereotypical at times, I feel like more depth could've been added to her characterization like it was added to Nik's. A lot of scenes with her felt choppy and unnatural, but I slowly grew to understand her character by the end of the book. It just didn't read as easily to me as Nik's did.

A lighter, less angsty read for a new adult, sports romance.

There is a lot that I enjoyed about Wicked Serve. Nik and Isabelle, as a couple, were really wonderful. Their low level angst made the story flow and I was rooting for them from start to finish.

Now, I know there had to be something that would wrinkle up the story and that came from outside forces, mainly Nik's family and the pressure Izzy puts on herself for volleyball.

Nik is basically the best boyfriend when it comes to Izzy, but when it comes to dealing with his own family, he buries his head in the sand. He was so great with encouragement and stepping up when Isabelle needed him, he just didn't have the self-esteem to do so for himself, which was sad. Izzy in turn is also there everytime Nik needs him, but she doesn't have the courage to face some of her own demons. These two are very much peas in the same pod, but it also makes them a perfect fit for each other.

The book probably could have been shorter if these two could have faced their own issues sooner, but overall, this book isn't bad for a low angst summer read. 4.5 stars overall.

Thank you NetGalley, Avon Books, and Harper Voyager for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!

This is one of the best from this series Grace Reilly has done it, the way she writes about her characters keeps you intrigued about who they are and the story line is always moving!

This is my first read from Grace Reilly which means this is also my first read in the Beyond the Play Series. Reading the previous books would likely help the reader learn more about the family, each couple's specific story, as well as their dynamics, but you can certainly read it on its own!

This was a cute and entertaining read for me. Definitely has spice. This is a read for anyone who is a fan of:

- College sports (Hockey & Volleyball)
- Hidden relationship
- Brother’s Rival

Right off the bat, we learn of Isabelle and Nikolai's relationship as a fling during the summer. At the end of summer, the two think they will never have to see one another again, but of course, fate finds its way and after being expelled and dropped as hockey captain Nikolai finds himself walking the same campus grounds as Isabelle

Both of our main characters have their own struggles and insecurities. Nik with his past and his father, while Izzy deals with family/self pressure and expectations. I do feel for our FMC, comparing her life to her brothers, that is something I can relate to and understand the pressure she felt. I think they were cute for one another, especially since Nik totally fell hard for Izzy and she was his sunshine.

Couple things I wish I saw more of were more details about Izzy and Nik's summer. I think that would have helped showcase more of their relationship from the earlier stages instead of the middle. I also wish there was more rivalry between Nik and Cooper, that would have made the sneaking around/hidden relationship more of a reason. (If there is some kind of mention in Cooper's story, then that's on me for not reading it).

The book was entertaining while also having some mental health representation, but I do think it was a little longer than it should have been. I was shocked when I saw it was 74 chapters, though they are super short. Overall, it was an enjoyable, easy read. If you have read the series and/or a fan of the tropes above, then this is a read for you! Wicked Serve releases on August 13th

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books, and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved this book! I loved how protective Nik was over Isabelle. You can see how much they love each other. It was definitely an interesting read and it was nice to read a book where both main characters play sports.

First and foremost-- I have not read the other books in this series. I thought this was a standalone; however, while reading, it was pretty obvious to me that there likely were other books.

The other books being Isabella's brothers' love stories seems a bit far-fetched. I'm not sure I'd go back to read those. The tight knit family is cute in one sense, but they really do spend an inordinate amount of time together, getting along like best friends, and loving each other's significant others. The PDA and open discussions of sex- while very modern -also are not for me. I wouldn't want to see my siblings making out and lap sitting with their SOs, so reading about it just isn't necessary.

This was a pretty run of the mill YA/College romance. The actual college moments of attending class or completing homework/assignments was an after thought to the romance. I missed getting to see the beginning of Izzy and Nik's relationship the previous summer, and her "sneaking around" while living in a house with her brothers also seems a bit off. (Three siblings and significant others willingly sharing a college house? That's... a lot... I didn't realize that multiple siblings even liked to attend the same college at the same time, let alone live with each other an extra few years while there.) It also didn't seem like Izzy and Nik were hiding their togetherness given how often they were in public together; seems like many other people would've seen them together.

There is spice, but the wording of some of it made me cringe. !! PSA: Can we please stop using the word "seed"?! !!

After all that... I feel like it was a relatively quick read. The pacing kept me going. The individual characters were likeable, but I think I'd appreciate them more as friends than siblings/sibling adjacent. The decision to make all the characters rich was necessary for the elaborate gestures throughout the story.

Overall: 3 stars (I liked it)

**Thank you to NetGalley & Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for the free ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

This book is well written and has very good moments of humor, spice, etc. I did enjoy what I could make it through. Overall it dragged. It was just too much for one singular book, and every time I thought it was coming to an end I'd glance down to find I still had a large chunk of the book to go. Way too long compared to the norm of sports romances.

Wicked Serve was a sweet sports romance. Nikolai is so strong but so vulnerable. Isabelle is outgoing but also insecure. Together they help each other tackle the things in life that are roadblocks for them. There were so many moments when I just wanted to hug Nikolai and tell him it would all be okay. He’s very lovable. Isabelle has a lot of hurdles in front of her but she finds her way and discovers who she is realizes she is capable of anything she wants to tackle, I loved the camaraderie between Nikolai and Isabelle’s very protective brothers. And I loved when Isabelle found her voice. Wicked Serve is a story about growth, love, and healing.

I appreciate how this book covered some pretty difficult topics. The characters each had their own struggles that were worked out throughout the book, both with each other and with professionals (i.e. therapists). I really liked the parts that focused on Isabelle and her family. It made me want to read the other books (oops for starting with book 4).

Now for some things I didn’t love:
- For a college sports romance, we got a whole lot of sports and romance, but almost no college. This isn’t the biggest deal, but it felt weird that as students, the main characters seemed like they never had classes. They were also incredibly privileged so it just didn’t feel like a college romance (the Australia trip was just insane).
- I think this book could’ve been shorter. It took me awhile to read it as I just wasn’t connecting to the characters and story as much as I thought I would have.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Grace Reilly is a new author for me and will now be a constant. It's a great sports romance with undeniable chemistry. Isabelle (FMC) and Nikolai (MMC) fall in love and their dynamic is so great! It's full of passion, banter, emotion, and humor, keeping this an absolute page-turner!

Read if you like:
- Brothers rival
- He falls first
- No third-act breakup
- Grumpy x sunshine
- Found family

This book was so much fun! Wicked Serve is a steamy sports romance that hits all the right the spots. It's funny, sexy, and emotional. I flew through this story! Nikolai's whole life is hockey and he's desperate to make it to the NHL. He won't let anyone or anything derail his plan until he crashes back into Izzy's life. Izzy was ready to back into volleyball and focus on school and is not prepared for Nikolai to come back into her life. They can't deny their feelings and fall deeper but things get complicated. They will have to decide to figure out how to make things works.

sadly this wasn;t for me. it's repetitive to other YA/NA sports romances and I just found myself bored reading nothing special.

Hockey X volleyball
- Family drama
- Obsessed boy
- Boy falls first
- Brother's rival-turned-teammate
- Secret relationship
- Dual pov

Wicked Serve by Grace Reilly
Beyond the Play - Book #4

I am so sad this series is over.
This was a fresh take on the summer fling turns into a secret relationship trope. I really enjoyed that it was not the toxic portrayal that usually happens. I wont share more to not give it away, but it was a nice surprise.

My favorite part was the progression of Nikolai's personal growth. He has some heavy trauma that he grapples with but he is actually aware of it.
You get a lot of the previous characters as well - but it can definitely be read as a standalone.

Pick this one up if you enjoy:
◾ Sports romance - hockey x volleyball
◾ Brother's rival turned teammate
◾ Secret summer romance
◾ Mental health rep
◾ Found Family

"You’re everything to me, Isabelle. You’re stubborn warmth and wild summertime. You’re sunshine."

Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Spice & Blush-o-Meter: Scarlet - NSFW - Full body flushing, new undies please!
[4+ descriptive sex scenes including harsh, descriptive language. Soft kink exploration, dirty talk, and all the o’s]

3.5 stars – Wicked Serve is Book 4 in the Beyond the Play series from Grace Reilly. I have to confess that I haven’t read the other books in this series. This book is about our FMC, Isabelle Callahan (volleyball player) and the MMC Nikolai Abney-Volkov (hockey player). Their story is cute and the last of the Callahan siblings. We see both college students mature quite a bit during their relationship. In fact, sometimes they seem much older than 19-20 years old.

I really enjoyed their stories, but the book did have some challenges. It was too long. The main characters were a couple in the first third of the book and then we watched them each deal with their own personal baggage. Secondly, the story seemed to start partway into their relationship. Izzy had spent last summer working for Nik’s mother, and they began being a thing then, yet we don’t read about that summer at all in this book.

Also, please note that this book has a few triggers like childhood trauma, physical and verbal abuse, anxiety, panic attacks and alcoholism and eating disorders.

A big Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read and review an ARC. Now, I’m off to read the other books in this series.