4.5⭐️
Wicked Serve is the fourth book of the Beyond the Play series of interconnected standalones. This was my first book by this author and I will for sure be going back and reading the other books in this series! Both Nikolai and Izzy are such lovable characters. Nikolai is going to live rent free in my head for a long time! The way he whispered sweet and sometimes not so sweet things to Izzy…whew! He is definitely swoon worthy! The only complaint I have was I felt the book was too long. I found that it dragged a little towards the end. It is still a great story that I would definitely recommend.

If you can I would recommend the audiobook! Faith Clark and Oscar Reyes both did an amazing job of bringing these characters to life. And to hear the Russian accent of Nikolai was fire!

3.75 stars

So I really enjoyed a lot about this book even though the final rating may not reflect that. First the good. Nik and Izzy's relationship, I loved it. Nik's mental health rep was so good. The way they were able to navigate their relationship and remain open and somewhat honest with each other was refreshing. The Callahan family dynamic was also so good to see. How they welcomed Nik into the fold seamlessly and helped Izzy feel like she doesn't need to be the best to be loved by them and part of the family. The way they both navigate their past traumas and insecurities both together and apart was a nice change of pace. What I wasn't a fan of was really just one thing...it was too long. There were so many spots that just drug on where nothing new was presented to the story. Nothing was revealed. Nothing happened and therefore, it wasn't needed.

I did add 1/4 star for the sole fact that Nik is drafted to the SJ Sharks and until the epilogue plays for them. The Sharks are my heart and favorite team. Normally they're made fun of and written as a joke, but the fact that Reilly chose real teams in the book and didn't write them as having the not so good years we've been having the last like 5 ish years made me happy. Very happy. So yay for extra stars for that!

Faith Clark and Oscar Reyes did a wonderful job narrating this book, but the mixing of the audio seemed to be wonky at times. Like maybe pickups needed to be recorded and the narrators weren't available (sounded like different voices sometimes) or they were recorded in a different place so the levels/volume were different. I don't know, but it happened about 6 times that I can remember and it kind of took me out of the story since I thought for a second there was a new character or something. It was jarring, but it only happened for a sentence or two (if that) before it went back to "normal."

Thank you, Netgalley and Spotify Audiobooks for the ALC.

The Queen of the Callahan’s is the focus in this book. I would suggest reading all of the others to pick up on the background characters and development. I was waiting on Izzy’s story as I loved her sassy independent attitude in the other books.

Izzy is on the volleyball team and trying to prove she deserves a spot because of talent, not just her name. Nikolai is a hockey player on Izzy’s brother (Cooper’s) rival team. He is going through a suspension from college his senior year after a drug incident hits his team and he takes the fall for them. Guess where he ends up? Yep- McKee University, the rival school and where Izzy plays. There’s a huge family drama going on with Nikolai and his father back in Russia, which makes it difficult for him to accept the deal that he will return home to work for his grandfather if he helps get him in college with hockey for his senior year.

These two had a hook up previously but drifted apart, even though Izzy reads his loving texts every time she opens her phone. Nikolai fell for her immediately but didn’t think he would see her again, so when he finds out he’s going to her college- he commits to staying away and messing up his chance on this new team.

I had to slow down from my normal speed because of the accent of Nikolai, but they did a great job transitioning and showing off their different voices. I love when the narrators show emotion and not just read. I also like how when reading texts, it’s dual narration.

He loves her sound and she loves how he calls her Isabel. Their attempt at staying separate is more challenging than expected. What happens when Cooper finds out who Izzy is involved with? What will Nikolai do when his year is up and he’s supposed to return to Russia? Will they be able to hold off their feelings for a future destined to work against them?

Thanks to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Out 8/13/24!

Nikolai and Izzy’s relationship started as a summer fling but the connection they shared was potent and deep. He is now been transferred to her college to play in her big brother’s hockey team. They try to stay away from each other but they can’t help been together even if they need to keep in hidden but her family’s sake. The deeper their relationship is the better they know each other and care more deeply. Have they a future together with everything in their past, present and future against them? The audiobook with Faith Clark and Oscar Reyes is a good one. Both of them do an ama job with the Russian accent.

E-arc provided by Netgally

This was a really great conclusion, I loved all of the couples in this series and these 2 might just be my favorite. It was sweet and I'm glad that they had them work on their own issues individually. Overall very sweet romance and right on the cusp of being too long

Many thanks to Spotify Audiobooks, @netgalley and the author for an advanced listening copy of the final book of the Beyond the Play series! Below is my honest review.

Back at McKee University for her sophomore year, Izzy is focused on her volleyball team and putting her summer fling with Nikolai behind her. It could never be more because Nikolai happens to be her brother’s hockey rival. But things change, and Nikolai joins Cooper & Izzy at McKee University. Their connection is undeniable, and Izzy & Nikolai continue their no-strings-attached fling but keep it a secret from her brothers and his teammates. As their relationship grows more serious, Izzy shares her insecurities, and Nik reveals past traumas that still haunt him. But can they grow enough to be together for real?

The Callahan family has been such a fun series with relationships that have evolved over the course of the books. Both throughout the story and in the epilogue, we get to check in on everyone from the previous books. This book is long, with Izzy and Nik having much to unpack. I loved how Nik found his family in the Callahans, how Izzy found her voice, and how Reilly highlighted the importance of therapy and honesty. As I’ve thought throughout the series, these are the most sophisticated college students ever. They read more like late 20s-early 30s, but I’m going to chalk it up to the lifestyle they’ve lived. If my dad were a famous NFL player and I grew up with all the privileges that holds, maybe I’d also have craved a crisp white wine after a long day when I was nineteen. Who cares - the series is fun. Two important notes - (1) I don’t think this is a stand-alone; you need to read the other books first, and (2) If you enjoy books on the lower side of the spice spectrum, this is not the book or series for you. The previous books were VERY spicy, and this one is EVEN more so.

Faith Clark (Breakaway) and Oscar Reyes (Change of Hart) narrate the audiobook duet. Reyes deserves extra accolades for his outstanding Russian accent throughout the book.

This is the final book in the Beyond the play series and I was really looking forward to Izzy’s story. I listen to the audiobook and I just wasn’t a fan of the narration. When both of the narrator’s did the Russian accent it sounded a bit fake and pulled me from the story. I also just didn’t connect to Izzy and Nicolai like I did the rest of the family. So while I loved the ties in to how everyone else was doing this story just lacked for me compared to the rest. I also thought there was a bit too much spice. While I appreciate a good spicy scene as much as the next person, because this was not a slow burn, it happened a lot!

3 stars
3 spice

This is the first book I have read by Grace. And while Wicked Serve is the 4th book in this series, it can be read as a standalone. I didn't feel lost with the characters and anything that was mentioned in the earlier interconnected books, it was stated in this one with a nice recap by the characters (when needed).

This book is spicy and had multiple on-page scenes. :fans self: it was hot.

I enjoyed both the hockey and the volleyball aspects of the book. The book had a good view on mental health and childhood trauma. Supportive friends and family.

Nikolai and Izzy had some great chemistry.

Both the narrators: Faith Clark and Oscar Reyes, nailed the different voices, especially with Nikolai's Russian accent. Their voices really brought these characters to life and I could really feel all the emotions while listening.

Izzy’s book 🥹
I’m so sad this series is over, but I’m so glad we got to catch up with everyone else too!

📖 Wicked Serve by Grace Reilly
🏐🏒 college sports romance
📱🎧 read on kindle + audio (arc/alc)

⭐️ rating: 5/5
🌶️ rating: 3.5/5

📚 book 4 • Beyond the Play series
While this can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend the whole series. We see quite a bit of the previous characters (Izzy’s brothers + their girlfriends). That was a part of what I loved about it too.

💭 overall thoughts:
After a summer fling where they don’t expect to see one another again, Izzy & Nik find themselves studying at the same college. Nik was previously her brother’s rival, and now his teammate.

Their undeniable chemistry makes it impossible for them to stay apart, even though Izzy’s intention was to focus on volleyball, and Nik is terrified of having a relationship.

I loved that both Izzy & Nik were athletes, I think it gave them a better understanding of each other. I think Izzy’s brothers were the perfect level of protective over her 🙃 I’m kind of biased since I already love them from the previous books 😅

There were some heavy topics in this one (related to Nik’s childhood), and I think Grace handled them really well. I liked to see how Izzy handled everything, and how she grew as the story went on.

🎙️ audiobook thoughts:
(narrated by Faith Clark & Oscar Reyes)
I don’t think I’ve heard either narrator before, but I think they both did a great job at capturing the characters & telling their story. I was impressed by Oscar Reyes’ switching between Russian and American accents.

read if you love:
☀️ summer fling turned to secret relationship
🏒 brother’s rival to college hockey teammate
(after being expelled by his previous college)
🏐 volleyball player girly girl (pink is her fav color 🎀)
👰‍♀️ wedding planner aspirations
🫶🏻 family (Izzy is the youngest sibling) + found family
❤️‍🩹 broken boy and sunshine girl
🧠 mental health rep (panic attacks)
💞 dual 1st person pov 

*please make sure to check triggers, Nik’s backstory is heavy

Thank you to Grace Reilly, Valentine PR, Avon Books & Spotify Audiobooks for advanced copies. All opinions are my own.

This is a sweet sports romance. I have not read or listened to a book by Grace Reilly before and now I am definitely excited to read or listen to more books by this author. The author did a great job of writing a sweet romance that does have a third act break up that is actually well done. I really enjoyed this book. Thank you netgalley and spotify audio for access to the audiobook. I will say it did take me a bit longer than usual to get used to the narrators for this audiobook, but it was still a very enjoyable listen. I have read lots of sports romances and most of them were hockey romances but this one being a hockey and volleyball romance was very fun! Nick and Isabelle's story was so cute and sweet. I loved how supportive they were with each others' dreams! I also loved that they recognized how they wanted to grow individually to be a healthy supportive partner for the other. This book just seemed so realistic to a real life relationship and was so refreshing to read. I would definitely recommend this book and I can't wait to read the other books in this series! Once again thank you Netgalley.

3 stars.

"Wicked Serve" by Grace Reilly feels like an excuse to have a book that's 85% spice. I love spicy scenes just as much as the next romance reader, but this book has *too much of it* (something I didn't think was possible!) and not enough interesting plot or emotional connection between the two main characters. It's basically this formula: Isabelle and Nik do the deed, they part for a few days, then they sneak around and do the deed, then they take a few days away from each other, then they do the deed, Isabelle argues with someone in her family, she and Nik do the deed, rinse, lather, repeat until the book ends. It felt like the thrill of them sneaking around was greater than any emotional affection or love between them. I didn't believe they loved each other by the story's end, but I darn well knew that they loved doing the nasty with each other...that much is painfully obvious! I am positive this book will make all of the booktok girlies go wild and swoony. I am sure I am in the minority on my feelings for this one, but it didn't grab me like I hoped it would. The pining is there only because of the forbidden romance aspect of the story, but other than that, I felt no spark between Isabelle and Nik. The writing is not bad, it just feels like it was written with booktok/social media in mind. It checks all the boxes: overloaded spice, hockey romance, k1nky, cutesy cartoon cover. I would have preferred less $mut and more connection. The book as a whole feels a little too long to me. Certain parts feel repetitive, and other parts feel like they drag on a bit too much. Some of it is obviously page filler. All of this being said, I did not have a terrible time reading this one. I do like and appreciate the examination of the mental health aspects of the story. It's fine, but I likely won't remember reading it in a few months. I know this is billed as a standalone book, but I wish I had gone back and read the other entries in this series. This family and the characters in it clearly have an established rapport that would be better served having read all of the books before "Wicked Serve." Finally, I didn't really love the audiobook narration, unfortunately. I have loved Oscar Reyes' narration in other books, but I think his attempt at a Russian accent diminishes the emotion he is able to put forth as a voice actor. Faith Clark is fine. I love the dual narration, though!

Thank you to NetGalley, Grace Reilly, and Spotify Audiobooks for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Nik and Izzy were so sweet! I liked when they were hiding their relationship, but it was so much better when they came clean. This book reminded me why Cooper is my favorite Callaghan. He was so sweet when everything came out! I love how much Nik supports Izzy. He is so wonderful! This book was fabulous, especially in audio. Faith Clark and Oscar Reyes did such a fantastic job performing this audio!

3⭐️ 3🌶️ 4🎧
- MF
- Collegiate Sports
- Secret Relationship
- Brother’s Rival

If you like collegiate sports romance then think this you’ll really enjoy this book. I unfortunately don’t, usually finding the characters annoyingly immature. I keep reading them hoping I’ll find one that I like and that’s my fault.

This book had some delicious tension in the beginning of the book. Izzy and Nikolai had to keep their summer fling a secret since he is her older brother’s hockey rival. Their intense attraction was apparent from the start.

But I was frustrated by Izzy. She has lived a charmed life and seemed unable to imagine that Nikolai’s life wasn’t as idyllic. It really bothered me that she expected him to share his childhood trauma when she wanted, regardless of how he was feeling.

I liked Nikolai a lot. But also wanted to shake him. He needed to stop bricking up his emotions when it came to his family.

Ultimately they were both annoyingly young (my first clue should have been that they weren’t even born when Legally Blonde came out!) which makes sense for the genre. So I fully accept that it is my fault for picking this up.

I enjoyed the narration. Faith Clark did a wonderful job. I loved the variety of voices she had for the large number of female characters. I did enjoy Oscar Reyes as Nikolai but felt he lost his accent at times. Sometimes he sounded Russian, sometimes he sounded Scottish, and sometimes there was a third accent that I couldn’t place but was different from the other two. His performance as all the other male characters was great though.

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

I was SOOOOO excited for this book, because I adored James and Bex and even Cooper and Penny. But Seb and Mia's book didn't do it for me, and unfortunately, neither did this book. I still believe Seb deserved better than Mia, and Izzy deserved more than this book. The series started so highly; I hate that it's ended this way.
I'll start with this was way too long (like 150 pages too long), and the pacing was off. The random time jumps certainly didn't help. The main plot ended before the 50% mark, but several subplots were drawn out needlessly long. There was so much nonsense and filler than I considered skim reading parts, and I NEVER do that. Also - something else I never complain about - there were too many sex scenes. The spicy scenes didn't add anything to the book. They didn't further the plot, and the pair's connection didn't get deeper. I feel like the couple were only together to have sex. That's lust, not love. Also, side note, a twenty year old who's only had sex with threeish guys and has never gotten off with one before her now partner is NOT going to spontaneously orgasm from crawling to him across the bed. The face I made when I read that part would have become an instant meme, because wtf.
I wanted to root for Izzy and Nik, but I just couldn't. We don't get to see half of their relationship; we just get random mentions of stuff they did together over the summer. That's also confusing, because we're told all they did was "fall in to bed together" over and over again, yet they apparently also did a ton of date-like activities? But we don't get to see their connection building - like we did with Bex/James and Penny/Cooper. They were also already "together" like 30 pages in, so there was no angst or build-up. Izzy also appeared somewhat obsessed throughout the book, in a very immature way. It wasn't a good look on her. Her overall personality was very immature, and I just couldn't connect with her. Even though I adored her in previous books.
The author has marketed this as Izzy's book, and the title suggests a lot of volleyball, but we definitely see Nik play hockey more than we get Izzy playing her sport. That's a bit misleading.
I did like the family scenes in the book. That's the best thing about this entire series - the family dynamics and how they are all there for one another. The parent's unwavering support of the kids. It's heartwarming.
My favorite parts of this book were the koala experience and the epilogue. Koalas are adorable! And getting to see James and Bex's family grow along with Cooper and Penny's child was the best way to end the book. I wish it had been from Bex's POV, but I understand why it wasn't.

Overall, the book was okay. It wasn't the ending I had hoped for for this series.
3/5 stars.

Nikolai and Isabelle are perfect if you love college athletes (hockey and volleyball), a summer fling they cannot let go of and he is her brother’s hockey rival. So if you’re looking for some post Olympic sports romance, this one fits the bill!

I have not read the others in this series and all of the other characters are in this one in a way that allows me to understand their connection without spoiling their books!

I loved how the story picks up after their summer together and you instantly seeing them still thinking about the other. They face adversity in the form of her brother and Nikolai’s family drama but they handle themselves with the grace and maturity that is often not represented in books.

Both narrators do so well relaying their characters emotions and feelings through all the emotions: happy, sad, upset, disappointed.

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.

Cute Hockey, brothers rival, romance.

Izzy and Nikolia spend one secret summer together. When the summer ends he leaves without a word. Izzy is crushed but is determined to pick herself up and move on.

Nikolia doesn't want his relationship with Izzy to end but he knows that he is all wrong for her. When he gets kicked off his hockey team and enrolls at McKee University with Izzy sparks will fly. He will have to balance his place on the team with Izzy's brother and his secret relationship with her.

This audiobook was narrated by Faith Clark and Oscar Reyes. The pace was good and I was able to determine when characters changed. Some of the female narrator's side characters sounded strange, especially Izzy's father. Overall was a good listen but I did speed it up some to speed past the Izzy chapters.

I liked the book; I thought the relationship between Nikolia and Izzy was cute. I thought the author did a good job writing about the effects of childhood abuse. I was also excited to see that there was actual hockey in the book.

Thank you NetGalley and Spotify audiobooks for this title. This is my very honest review.

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.

Faith Clark & Oscar Reyes were phenomenal narrators. I could not picture anyone else narrating Izzy & Nikolai. Truly wonderful.

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

I received an ALC of this book, and the narration was so good! The narrators, Faith Clark and Oscar Reyes, did a phenomenal job portraying Nik + Isabelle. Their delivery was EVERYTHING. 10/10 for the narration!

This book is easily my favorite in the series.
The maturity and communication between the main characters was refreshing. Their relationship was endearing. I really appreciated the way Nikolai’s childhood trauma was handled in the end. I loved seeing a male lead that could admit he needed help and actively sought self improvement. We love healthy coping mechanisms 👏🏼

The epilogue was such a solid ending to this series. I loved finding out how each couples lives played out.

My one complaint is that I do wish we could’ve gotten a little more from Nik + Isabelle’s summer together. I felt like the book began before I even started it.

Tropes:
🥅 Brother’s Rival
💘 Broody x Bubbly
🩵 He Falls First
✨ Found Family
🤫 Secret Relationship
🏒 Hockey Player MMC
🏐 Volleyball Player FMC