When looking back at the notes I made while reading this book, the one thing that stood out to me was “CHEESE alert”. This book was horribly cheesy and the writing fully supported that. This reminded me of books that I read in the quiet corner of my room on Wattpad without my parents knowing. Grace Reilly, I am so sorry.

If you even just read the synopsis, it screams high-school cheesiness, even though they aren’t in high school. Something about this book just really disinterested me. I didn’t like the way it was written and it really just had, “but daaaaaad” vibes.

I don’t have much more to say about it than that. I didn’t get far because I didn’t like the writing so I can’t really say if it gets better or not, but I didn’t feel like continuing something that wasn’t interesting to me.

This one just wasn’t for me. I had a hard time connecting with the FMC. She seemed really immature to me and I could not get on board. The spice and MMC were great though!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

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

Grace Reilly's Wicked Serve is the concluding book in her Beyond the Play series. This is the author's first novel that I've read, and it can be read as a standalone.

The story follows Isabelle "Izzy" and Nikolai "Nik". Izzy is from a family of professional athletes. She is trying to find her footing and decide what she wants to accomplish. Nikolai is his team's broody hockey standout and a rival to her brother Cooper. What was supposed to be a summer fling turns into something more when, due to an incident at school, Nik must transfer to Izzy's school and becomes teammates with Izzy's brother. They realize they can't stay away from one other and try to keep their relationship hidden.

I loved the blossoming relationship between Izzy and Nik. Their chemistry and angst were undeniable. Grace did an excellent job of setting the tempo and engaging the reader's emotions. I thought the characters were well-developed.

Overall, I enjoyed this read. I will definitely return to read all the other books in this series.

What to Expect:
🏐 Sports Romance
🫂 Close Proximity
💞 Grumpy/Sunshine
❤️‍🔥 He Falls First
🤫 Secret Romance
🏒 Teammate’s Sister
🏠 Found Family
👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨 Dual POV

Wicked Serve was a perfect ending to the Beyond the Play series. I really enjoyed Isabelle and Nik’s story. As a reader I loved seeing the growth in the Callahan family our the course of the series. I will be recommending this series to fans of Elle Kennedy and sports romance readers. Can’t wait to see what Grace Reilly writes next.

This is my favorite grace reilly book to date. If you’re looking for a fun sports romance this is definitely it!

I love me a sports romance. Instead of just the MMC as the hockey player athlete, this book focuses on two athletes, as the FMC is also a volleyball player.

If you’re looking for a solid spicy sports romance, this could be your pick! What started as a summer fling, turns into a second chance love story with a brother’s arch nemesis and a little sister.

For some reason, however, this one is just missing that *wow* spark to it. I’m not sure why. It has everything a sports romance usually has, it was just missing a little something to keep me captivated and awe-inspired to want to keep reading.

You really can’t go wrong with this book, but if you want something with a little bit more depth and life-changing quotes, I think maybe look elsewhere.

This book had a lot of potential, but ultimately, it didn’t fully deliver. While the plot had the makings of a compelling romance, the length felt excessive. Trimming at least 100 pages would have likely made it a more engaging read, as much of the narrative dragged after the 40% mark. It often felt like the author was padding the story with unnecessary scenes, which left me skimming through portions that didn’t add much to the overall plot.

That said, there were several enjoyable aspects. The relationship between Nikolai and Isabelle stood out as refreshingly healthy, with little miscommunication or toxic behavior. I loved the mutual support they offered each other, which is rare in romance novels where misunderstandings tend to drive the conflict. Their sweet, domestic moments were heartwarming, and the family and friendship dynamics added depth to the story. I especially enjoyed the cameo from Bex and James, who were delightful to see again.

However, Isabelle's immaturity and her insistence on pushing Nikolai to open up before he was ready detracted from the story. Her constant need to intervene felt overbearing at times, and her character wasn't particularly likable. On top of that, Nikolai’s inability to stand up for himself, especially when it came to his family, was frustrating. Isa often had to step in, which weakened his character arc.

There were also some cringy moments, particularly with the repetitive mention of Isabelle's love for the color pink, which became tiresome. Additionally, the balance of the book leaned heavily toward smut, which sometimes overshadowed the emotional depth and plot development.

Overall, the book was entertaining in parts, especially with its positive portrayal of a healthy relationship, but the pacing, excessive length, and lack of meaningful conflict left me feeling underwhelmed. A solid 3.5-star read for those who enjoy a light, steamy romance without too much angst.

This is my first Grace Reilly book and it won’t be my last!
This is a cute easy read. Nic and Isabelle are both star athletes at their schools. Isabella plays volleyball and Nic is her brother's rival in hockey. Then Nic transfers to Isabelle’s school. They have a secret relationship. You get all of the drama and feels in this one.
Thank you to the author and publisher for my advanced copy for my honest review.

Grace Reilly's Wicked Serve is a thrilling blend of sports rivalry, sizzling chemistry, and emotional depth. The story centers around Isabelle, a determined volleyball player, and Nikolai, a brooding hockey star. Their paths collide in a fiery clash of personalities that gradually evolves into a passionate romance. The smut is SMUTTING in this book.

Reilly masterfully captures the intensity of both sports, offering readers a front-row seat to the adrenaline-pumping action. The characters are well-developed, with Isabelle's fierce drive and Nikolai's complex emotional journey making them both relatable and captivating. As someone who played volleyball growing up, I felt seen finally reading a book with a volleyball player!

Beyond the athleticism, the novel delves into deeper themes of trauma, mental health, and the power of human connection. The author handles these sensitive topics with care and authenticity, adding layers of complexity to the story. I appreciate seeing the perspective of trauma on a MMC instead of a female, I feel in books its usually the female.

While the romance is undeniably hot (seriously, was not expecting this level of smut, but I loved it!), it's the characters' growth and their supportive relationship that truly shines. Wicked Serve is more than just a sports romance; it's a story about overcoming challenges, finding love, and building a strong foundation for the future.

Fans of sports romance will undoubtedly be captivated by this story, but even those who aren't typically drawn to the genre will find themselves cheering for Isabelle and Nikolai.

Trigger warning: The book contains themes of trauma and mental health.

Nik and Isabelle’s story was a cute romance that puts the reader through a rollercoaster of emotions from their relationship to Nik’s family relationships and more. Nikki loves hockey and it’s his dream to go pro, but when it came to him transferring and his relationship with Isabelle things get a little rocky especially where his grandfather is concerned. The sparks between Nik and Isabelle are always there and they form such a bond that you know they are meant for each other they just have obstacles that they need to jump in order to get there, but Nik gets too far in his head at times and is willing to risk his happiness for the sake of others at times. I loved how Nik handled his own anxieties and traumas knowing that it was things he needed to work on so he could be his best self for Isabelle and to me that was truly beautiful. I also love how Isabelle knew exactly what Nik needed when it came to his life and family and wasn’t afraid to push things to get him where he needed to be. Overall, this was a cute and emotional story that I throughly enjoyed.

I really enjoyed the Beyond the Play series and was so excited to read "Wicked Serve" . It was a fun read full of romance, humor and did not disappoint. You won't be disappointed with this read!

I really enjoyed Isabelle and Nik's story. I loved how Isabelle's family accepted Nik so easily, even her brother Cooper that told him to stay away from his sister. Great story!

Every single one of Grace’s books have had me swooning! Such great chemistry and banter. I had been looking forward to Izzy’s book since reading First Down and this did not disappoint!!!

** spoiler alert ** Would definitely recommend. 4 stars. I didn't read the three before it yet but I did go and buy them and plan to now. I believe they can be read as standalones but they are definitely interconnected. I really enjoyed Nik and Isabelle's story. He overcame alot and so did his mother. They are strong characters. Isabelle has to deal with her own issues as well and figure out what she wants to do. I love the tattoo part and the family bond. In my head i kept saying "blocking his number" and "change your number"

Summary
Izzy is just coming off an amazing event-planning internship in NYC this summer, and a secret fling with Nik, who happens to be her brother's biggest hockey rival. She expects to never see him again since they are headed back to their respective colleges. Just as the school year is set to begin, he transfers to McKee, where she and her brother attend, and she does not expect it to be so hard to stay away from him. The two decide to continue their fling behind closed doors, but things will get complicated when the feelings turn from friends-with-benefits to seeing a future together.

Why did I pick up this book?
I read the other 3 books in the series earlier this year and was excited for Izzy's story. Once I read the third book, I saw the fourth was coming out and requested an Advanced Copy, in exchange for an honest review.

What did I enjoy about it?
Both characters were on a journey of self-prioritization, and I identify with that on a personal level. Many times in my life, I have followed through with something due to external pressures, or have put others before myself, so I was glad to see they both were able to set that aside and take care of themselves. My positive comments do not extend much beyond this one.

What did I not enjoy about it?
Unfortunately, I felt like Reilly ran out of ideas but had already committed to this fourth book, so she had to put something together. It's marketed as a secret relationship because Nik is worried her brother will ice him out on the team, and because they are alleged rivals. However, they had a lot of very public moments together and the secretiveness ended fairly early in the book. I also felt the "rivals" was a really weak plot point – the two guys had one heated exchange, during a game, once. The tropes were just flimsy and I was bored for most of the book. If I didn't owe the review, I likely would have abandoned the book.

Absolutely loved this book. Favourite of the series for me.

The growth of Nikolai was beautiful to read, and for once made the 3rd act break/pause natural so that I really didn't mind it. He is definitely a new addition to my book boyfriend list.
Izzy is a great FMC, she is fierce yet sensitive. Was great to get to know her more. I love the relationship she has with her brothers and their partners.

I'm really sad that the Callahan family is finished and we are moving away from them.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fun, cute sports romance. Just the right amount of drama and angst and lots of spice.

Wicked Serve is my first Grace Reilly read but definitely won’t be my last! Izzy and Nick’s story is fun and flirty but their connection is so deep. It can absolutely be read standalone.

I would give this a 3.5 star rating. It is an easy cute read and I enjoyed it. It was book 4 in a series and to be fair I have not read any of the others. It was being offered as an ARC at a time that I wanted to read a hockey romance so I grabbed it. I do think I'll go back and read some of the books about the siblings.

This one is a NA sports (hockey) romance (brother's rival/friend). It focuses on the sister Isabelle and Nikolai (who is Isabelle's brother's rival).

I enjoyed it. The couple had really great banter and I honestly enjoyed the progression of their relationship. This was not a love at first sight. However, I do think while the story had a lot of potential, it also was kind of distracting with some of the side plots. At its heart, it was really just a romance between two athletes. The fact that he was her brother's rival/then teammate really didn't come into play much and I don't really feel like it needed to be a part of the story to make it interesting.

I also kind of wished that the drama in both of our main characters lives was "less" and focused on maybe one of the story lines as opposed to as many as was thrown at us. Instead of focusing on story lines with his mom, dad and grandpa- I kind of wish his dad's was just background and the focus was more on the grandpa who was the more present day issue. And for her, I think her family dynamics was realistic and I think it would have been interesting to have focused on that more and not have resolved it in one quick conversation. I think her drama with the volleyball team was important too- but I think there could have been less focus on the coach who wasn't really part of the story anyway. Lastly, I will say, the third act drama was- while understandable- I think I really wanted more emotion on her side. She was just VERY giving and understanding- whereas, I think his actions were actually kind of awful. Making her wait with no contact or understanding of what is going on. He just lived his life and she sat and waited? That part irked me. Even if what he was doing was in good faith and not just him having his cake and eating it too- I was disappointed that he got to just come back and all was put aside and they just resumed life. And her family wasn't upset either? I think that was my biggest issue with the story and it kind of sucked that it came at the end.

Overall this story was cute. I think it was kind of long and some of that is because I think there were too many story lines/issues that could have been edited down. I was definitely a disappointed with the third act "breakup" and resolution. But I liked the characters and I liked the building of their relationship. I will probably give at least one of the siblings books a try.

I really enjoyed this book and my heart broke for nik and how his toxic father treated him. I can’t imagine how that would mess with a child’s mental health. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the other shoe to drop. I didn’t care for his mother. As a mother myself I felt she was just selfish and didn’t help her child the way he was desperately needing. The spice was 🤌🤌🤌 I honestly was not expecting that! I loved the relationship Cooper and Nik formed after a rocky start. I was so happy when Nik decided to follow his dream and his mother finally, FINALLY stood up for him to his manipulative grandfather. It was nice to read a book where the MMC was the one with the real struggles and not a damsel in distress. I can appreciate him accepting he needed therapy and working on himself so he could be the man Isabelle deserved while not ending the relationship with her, even if it was hard on them both. The only thing I didn’t care for was him changing his last name to Callahan. He was already using his mother’s maiden name, why change it…again? I’m also very traditional in that sense, so the man changing his last name gives me the ick. Over all it was a great book! Thank you for the eARC!