Great hockey book, love the story and the development.
Enjoy the couple a lot . This was fun and fresh. Definitely recommend

What started off as a summer fling ends up being much more in this novel!

I’m not one for “second chance” romance which to me this falls into that category (this is a ME problem so the rating is a reflection of my own personal flaws) However this was a solid read.

Their story was probably even better if you’ve read the books that came before this one - I had not. If you’re in the mood for a quick little spicy romance, this will probably fit the bill!

Nikolai and Izzy start out as a summer fling, and at the end of the summer they went their separate ways to the schools they would go to. Nikolai got kicked out of the school he was going to and his grandfather helped get him into McKee University, which is the school Izzy is attending. They reconnect and start sneaking around because they don't want Izzy's older brother who is also the captain of the hockey team, Nikolai, is on. The sneaking around was fun at first, but it became harder, and they decided if they were going to continue, it would be as boyfriend and girlfriend, and they would face the consequences of sneaking around. Once that was out in the open, they started to grow, learn, and become the person they are supposed to be at this stage of their lives.
They also faced who they were, and what they needed to do, in order to reach the goals they each had set. It wasn't easy, and they had to face up to many things, but they were there for each other, and helped each other make it through what they were going through. It wasn't easy, as they had setbacks, lessons to learn, they had to look at what happens and figure out how to get to where they need to be.
I enjoyed the book, with the fun they had with each other, the fun and spontaneous things they did together, and the growth they found along the way, I received an ARC from Avon through NetGalley.

I’ve loved this series and the final installment lived up to the rest! I enjoyed reuniting with characters from past books and seeing the sole Callahan sister get her HEA.

Tropes: secret relationship
TW: mentions of parental abuse

The tropes of romance included in this book are my favourite ones thus it definitely left me happy and satisfied with the read. Plus, the writing 🤌 as usual i absolutely love this author's creation hehe 💗
The characters were charming and beautifully penned down which made my reading experience more wonderful.

While I really enjoyed this typical college romance story, it also had very mature and coming of age topics and themes. It was fun to watch both of the main characters grow individually along with coming together as a couple. Sometimes romance stories have very immature characters with very little communication. This story was the opposite of that and I was pleasantly surprised. Perfect vacation or beach read!

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the ARC!

I was so excited to read this, because as a volleyball mom, finally there was a book about the sport. The book was your typically forbidden romance story and I think the same outcome could have been achieved with 100 less pages. Overall the characters were developed and likable. This was my first Reilly book and I am interested in going back and ready the others in the series.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Izzy and Nik start as a summer fling only -- especially because Izzy's brother is Nik's hockey rival. After a few turn of events, only a summer fling doesn't seem that likely.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked how Reilly has created a whole universe in this series. Both Izzy and Nik dealt with some tough topics and emotions in this book, which Reilly handled well. Plus, it was quite the spicy read! I definitely want to go back and read the rest of the books in the series.

I requested this on a whim (I saw other works by the author on Booktok) and this hit. I am not always a huge fan of hockey romance. But the FMC, Izzy, was a fully fleshed out character and I thought she was fresh. So much more than a 2D caricature. I will now immediately be reading Grace Reilly's back list

*2.5 stars rounded up*

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a sucker for a hockey romance, and this one sounded promising. Nikolai is a promising young NHL prospect expelled from his college after taking the fall for a drug incident. Izzy is the youngest in a family full of athletes and has always struggled with feeling good enough and making her own way in the world. They have a fling over the summer and call it quits there - but then Nikolai is transferred to Izzy's school. Lots of trauma, lots of room for character growth.

However....

At times, these two just read as privileged, hard to relate to rich kids. Nikolai's background was also delved into far more than Izzy's, making her character fall flat.

Also.

There's a lot of spice but... At times (a lot of times, really) the language used is so cringey it took me out of it. It's 2024. It's not hard to find out how readers feel about certain terms, it's a huge topic of conversation online.

I truly loved this book more than I thought I would! I’m always a sucker for a sports romance and this was so no exception! I do think that the book was too long in some areas a s contained scenes that did not contribute to the plot that would be my only negative comment

"Wicked Serve" by Grace Reilly delivers a delightful blend of romance and sports, featuring compelling characters and steamy moments. Izzy and Nikolai's chemistry leaps off the page as they navigate their complicated relationship and personal growth. The mix of hockey and volleyball adds a unique twist, while the emotional depth and family dynamics enrich the story. Overall, it's a captivating read that balances spice and heart, making it a must-read for fans of the genre.

i wish i loved this, but it just wasn't anything super special :(
the characters were fine, but it was at times acted a little to mature for their age. this was also much spicier than expected, don't be fooled by the cover and description! something about this just didn't work for me though. it just felt like it dragged onnnn and past the 50% mark i was so tempted to dnf this one. based on the other reviews though it might have just been a me thing!

Sweet, swoonworthy, and super steamy!! Grace Reilly is a new autobuy author for this reader!

What you need to know:
- hockey YES
- volleyball BRUTAL
- issues with parents EVERYWHERE
- flawed characters growing into themselves and closer ONE HUNDO P

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC of Wicked Serve by Grace Reilly. This book marks the final chapter in the Callahan family's story, and it certainly delivers a memorable conclusion. Fans of the Beyond the Play series will not be disappointed as they experience Izzy's journey to love and the redemption arc of Nik, a side character from Breakaway. This book blends elements of forbidden romance, personal growth, and emotional healing, making it a compelling and quick read.

It has been about a year since I read the first two books of this series, but I read book 3 right before I started Wicked Serve and I think Wicked Serve is my #2 favorite of the series.

Rankings:
1. First Down
2. Wicked Serve
3. Breakaway
4. Stealing Home

Absolutely loved Wicked Serve! What a great follow up to Breakaway. Maybe we will se Sebastian’s book next??

The plot was just beautiful. The characters are fantastic. I loved that both characters had their own sport that they excelled in and had to find their self-worth one and together. Nikolai honestly is going to live rent free in my head for a long time. He is an absolute gem of a book boyfriend. A Russian hockey player that whispers, sweet and sexy Russian words in your ear. He was absolutely 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.”

We finally get to see Izzy's story and finish out the Beyond the Play series.

It is a cute easy romance read with a balance of smut and plot.

In this we get to see how fiercely Nik falls in love with Izzy and we get to see some cameos from our favorite original characters as their family grows. Definitely worth adding to the TBR for a summer/fall read.

Just finished "Wicked Serve" by Grace Reilly and while I loved the forbidden love aspect, the storyline was a bit hard to follow with its abrupt jumps. I wish there was more depth in Nikolai's conflict with his father and Izzy's family drama—it felt a bit lackluster. Overall, it was an interesting read, but I wanted a bit more from the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC.

Special thanks to NetGalley for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for a review.

To start, I LOVE hockey romances! The fact that our other main character, Izzy, played volleyball really sealed the deal for me. Two of my favorite sports in one book, sign me up.

The beginning of the book was giving Grease in my opinion. Izzy and Nik’s secret summer fling with very clear tension when they saw each other again. This book was very sweet and I loved the mental health representation. Seeing Nik prioritize his mental health was so important. And the support that Izzy provided melted my heart🥹 I loved getting to see Izzy’s protective side especially toward her loved ones.

This book had so much potential but I wish there was more in their story. It fell flat for me, I wanted it to be more developed. I wish we got a better look at their relationship during the summer rather than when they met again. They were kinda immature but they’re also college kids so take that as you will. Other than that, I did enjoy the story. It was a bit long, there were definitely areas that could have been cut.