I hate to say this but this is the truth and the truth is what I'm here for - this book is so much better than the previous book by Grace Rielly that I have read. I really enjoyed this book. There was so much that I loved. There was emotion, communication challenges, past history issues as well as all the tropes I need in my life. Also- two sports for the price of one! A great story about 2 people fighting to love.

- Brother's enemy
- Secret relationship
- Found family
- He falls first
- Wasn't allowed to eat dessert??
- 4th in a series but can be read as a standalone
-TW - childhood abuse

Big thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Australia & New Zealand and Grace Rielly for an early release copy of this book. This is my honest review.

My heart broke for Nik a hundred times 😭 that man… to be going through all of this and yet be so perfect for Isabelle? Damn.

I didn’t think brother’s rival is the right way to describe the book because even if it did play a little role in the story, it’s pretty minor. There is so much more about both Nik and Isabelle, their connexion, their struggles, and how they help each other constantly. I did felt like a bit of the drama was too much and they could have just talked and solved so much of it easily 😂 but overall it was a really cute story

A great way to end the series and I enjoyed every moment. Nik and Izzy were great to follow and gave me all the feels. I really enjoyed this one and am so glad I read the start of the series first.

At the start of “Wicked Serve” it is the end of summer, ending a fling between Isabelle Callahan and Nikolai Abney-Volkov in the city. When Nik has to transfer to McKee (were Izzy goes), they have a second chance to be together .. albeit in secret since he is her brother’s hockey rival turned teammate.

It was a pity we didn’t get to learn more about their summer fling. I would have loved reading some more flashbacks about how these soul mates met in city. Instead of finding them already having big feelings for each other at the start of the book without a detailed origin story.

☀🌧 If she’s sunshine, I’m the guy who hopes it never starts raining. But deep down, I worry that I’m the typhoon. ☀🌧

Where Nik and Izzy appear to be opposites at first (she’s the pink sunshine to his grumpy rainy cloud), they are both very supportive of the people they love and super encouraging about each other’s passions.
There relationship is filled with sweet moments and swoony gestures, but also moments of recognition and care when it involves internal struggles. Plus she quickly becomes his safe zone whenever the demons of his childhood trauma show up.

☀🌧 … but yellow feels like the colour of her soul. ☀🌧

So this book could be read as a standalone, but I am really glad I read the previous 3 books in the series first. It made me fall in love with the Callahan family and root for Izzy’s HEA.
Talking about the Callahan fam … they are once again so supportive and accept Nik as future-family right away. The bonds of friendship are strong and the love runs deep. So it was a joy to discover that Izzy is planning Bex & James’ wedding, and to see Cooper going from overprotective brother to becoming friends with his old rival.

I never thought Cooper & Penny would become my second favourite couple of the series. But between the bubbly persona of pink loving Isabelle and Nikolai’s russian nickname for her, they quickly became my favourite 💜🤍

Read if you like:
~ college sports romance (volleyball & hockey)
~ brother’s rival
~ boy obsessed
~ found family & soul mates
~ opposites attract
~ cute nicknames

Thank you to Headline Eternal and NetGalley for the chance to read a free advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
This is not a slow burn romance in anyway with the Nik and Isabelle already having had a connection prior to the book starting and then a happy accident leading them to be in each others worlds again. This allowed for the book to instead focus on how Nik and Isabelle each grew in themselves and their relationships with their families and how they supported eachother through this. Their clear support and love for eachother through the highs and lows makes you feel like this will be a relationship that will stand the test of time rather than ending after college. I recommend this book, series and author to any romance readers.

LOVE LOVE LOVED THIS SERIES!!!! This book was a perfect end to such a great series. It tackles some very heavy topics while still keeping the high quality romance writing we've come to know and expect from Grace Reilly. This has been one of my favourite sports romance series I have ever read and I will continue to recommend to everyone I know!

I wish I had loved the whole book as much as I did the first half. Up until 55%, I was ready to give more than 4 stars. It was cute, hot, I liked the fact that we started the book with the main characters already having history, which gave it a refreshing feel and allowed the author to move to spicy scenes a lot faster. While not everyone will like the fact that it had so many sex scenes, this is exactly what I was in the mood to read, so I was thoroughly invested and had trouble putting it down.

But from the 55% mark, and more especially from the point when the characters became an official couple, I started to feel like this was very repetitive and all the angst did me in because that was not what I had signed up for. The book could have been much shorter without all that unnecessary drama about Nik’s family.

I’m honestly becoming so tired of the tragic backstories turning into excessive angst and the “I don’t deserve her” trope. Especially when it’s paired with a “I’m responsible for everyone and need to take care of everyone” mindset (and it specifically annoys me because it’s ALWAYS a way to give flaws to the love interest while not giving him real flaws), or a scene threatening the evil ex-boyfriend whose sole purpose is to be evil.
Once I get annoyed by these things, I find myself being irked by a lot of things that I would have forgiven otherwise.

On a positive note, I hadn’t read the previous books in the series but I didn’t feel like I had missed a lot because the author did a good job of catching us up without it being too much.
Rating this book is not easy because I would have given 4 stars or more to the first half, and honestly less than 2 stars to the second half, in which I skimmed a lot of the angsty parts. 3 stars it is, then.

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

5/5⭐️
I genuinely can’t tell you how much I adored everything about this book! I’ve loved this whole series, and this was just the perfect conclusion to a perfect series. Perfect for those who love:
✔️ Brother’s Rival (Turned Teammate)
✔️ College Sports Romance (Hockey x Volleyball)
✔️ Grumpy/Sunshine
✔️ Secret Relationship
✔️ Found Family

I’ve been dying to read this book since I read the rest of the Beyond the Play series back in February, and it was absolutely worth the wait! This series is what made me realize I could actually like sports romances, I seriously can not hype this series enough. Every single book in the series was a 5⭐️ read, and this was the perfect conclusion! I could seriously yap about this book forever, I absolutely adored everything about it!

Premise: Wicked Serve is the fourth and final book in the interconnected standalone series, Beyond the Play. It follows Isabelle Callahan, the youngest Callahan with 3 older brothers, and Nikolai Abney-Volkov, her brother Cooper’s biggest hockey rival and the guy she’s trying desperately to get over now that their summer fling’s ended. But when he’s forced to transfer to her college for his senior year, they just can’t manage to stay away from each other. Nik’s trying to make the most of his last hockey season and Isabelle’s trying to win her old volleyball position, but their secret rendezvous that are bordering on more are putting it all at risk.

Tropes: College Sports Romance, Hockey x Volleyball Players, Brother’s Rival (Turned Teammate), Grumpy/Sunshine, FWB to Lovers, Secret Relationship, Found Family, He Falls First, Mental Health Rep (Panic Disorder), Tortured Hero
CW: domestic abuse (past reference), alcoholism, disordered eating, panic disorder, cheating (past reference)

I thought it would be impossible for Grace to ever write a guy I’d like more than Sebastian Callahan from the book before (Stealing Home), but Nik is everything to me and is officially one of my new favorite book boyfriends. First off, he’s Russian?! Like lived there for 10 years, speaks it fluently, and has a slight accent kind of Russian. Now that’s not something I thought I’d like, but when he’s calling her a nickname and whispering sweet nothings to her in his language, so swoony! And the mental health rep with his with his panic disorder from his childhood trauma? I loved the way she would help him with it as best she could, but I loved even more him seeking actual professional help and this book showing the importance of that and that your partner can and should only do so much.

And a moment of appreciation for the Callahan family! I’ve loved seeing in every book the way that family completely takes in the sibling’s partner, but seeing them with Nik was just too precious and heartwarming. The friendship that develops between Nik and Cooper and the interactions he has with Izzy’s other brothers and with her dad! It’s just too cute, favorite found family ever.

As far as the spice, I would say it’s slightly less spicy than the last one, but it’s still definitely plentiful with the open door scenes. Not only are there like 6-8 scenes (depending on how far they have to get for you to consider it a spicy scene), but they are not vanilla. Which shouldn’t be a big surprise if you’ve read the rest of the series, it’s a similar level of kink to the rest. There’s definitely a light D/s dynamic going on and *all* the praise.

Rating: 5/5⭐️
Spice: 4/5🔥

I loved this so much, and I think is was the perfect ending to the Beyond the Play series. Nikolai and Izzy were perfect together and I really enjoyed reading their story so much. I do think this could have been shorter, but other than that is was perfect!

wicked serve 🌸🩷🌺

love this series & love this family !
so grateful to have received this arc 🌟

“my sunshine girl” 🥹🥹

ice hockey mmc x volleyball ball fmc
brothers rival
sneaking around
mental health rep - panic attacks

this was so cute !!! i loved them both so much, just such an enjoyable read with the perfect mix of vulnerable moments. so sweet how Nik shows Izzy how important her own happiness is. i loved how supportive they were of each other, no miscommunication & no third act breakup!

"If I'm sunshine to him, then he's the earth beneath my feet, the grass between my toes, grounding me like nothing else."

Wicked Serve is the fourth book in Grace Reilly's Beyond the play series. The book focuses on the sports of hockey and volleyball. I love long romance books so the length was perfect for me.

This is the fourth book in a series and I haven’t read any of the others, that being said I had no trouble knowing what was going on. The characters are written so well , that this can even be read as a stand alone, and I think that is a true testament to how good this book is.

I knew 20% in that this book was going to be a high star rating book for me.

The writing is smooth and the perfect amount of description is given. Never was I left wondering why something was happening, this author does a fantastic job of filling us in on the why’s, which I think is something other authors tend to overlook. As authors they obviously know their characters and stories inside out, and sometimes forget that we are reading it for the first time, so I so appreciate a good back story, reiteration and detailed character breakdowns.

Nik was an extremely complex character, dealing with a lot of childhood trauma that weighed very heavily on his day to day life. I think Grace wrote him so well. He was troubled but also so full of love for one particular girl ❤️ the amount of self work he was willing to put in for their relationship is truly boyfriend goals x1000.

Izzy also deals with her own challenges, but most of all she handles Nik with such care and compassion and I think thats what I liked most about her.

These two are honestly book couple royalty to me and they will officially go down in my top 10!

The spicy scenes in this book are delicious 🤤 and written so well, like the level of yummy detail is truly phenomenal.

At about the 60% mark I felt that the book could have been wrapped up then, but reading the full book, I now do not agree with my previous thoughts and the remaining 40% was definitely necessary 😂

It wrapped everything up beautifully and I can now leave this book knowing that everyone lived HEA!!

I enjoyed each book in this series, but Nik and Izzy have blown it out the park.

I fell in love with them from the beginning, how no matter what, neither could stay away from the other. The support and encouragement they gave each other just made them stronger from the first page and watching Nik own his feelings and his anxieties was beautiful to read and experience through this book.

They both had their own problems while trying to navigate their busy schedules and hiding their relationship from everyone (mainly cooper). But you could see how much they grounded each other and how their problems would dissolve slightly when they were together.

Izzy was such a strong character, she loved so hard and so much about her friends, her family, her degree and volleyball, you could tell that she was exactly what Nik needed and they couldn’t be better matched. She is forever wanting people to follow their dreams, including Nik playing hockey professionally and owning his panic attacks.

Nik has been my favourite MMC throughout this series, the male mental health representation was so powerful and well written. He didn’t always have it easy, he has trauma from his childhood that he has never addressed, but watching him slowly open up and trust Izzy the further into the book we get was so sweet and had me swooning. I had endless respect for him taking a step away to work on his mental health and his anxiety, so he could be his best self going forward and into his future that he wants to share with Izzy.

In my opinion, some of the chapters in this book were unnecessarily long, causing parts of the book to drag. But despite this, it didn’t make it any less enjoyable to read and was definitely my favourite in the series.

The found family this series has was fully present in this book and how despite past issues, Cooper and Nik shared when playing for separate teams, they were able to put it behind them. All of the relationships and friendships shown were the perfect conclusion to this series.

This is the 4th book in the series and is about the youngest Callahan child: Izzy. Over her summer internship she has a fling with Nik. Nik is het brother’s rival on the ice so it has to be kept a secret. When Nik gets transferred to her school and is placed in her brother’s hockey team, they start seeing each other again in secret. It quickly seems te get more serious but there are obstacles they have to face together and by themselves.

Izzy is a very relatable character. She is the youngest of four and the only girl which makes her want to prove herself. Especially when her brothers excel at their sports and she has a lot of doubts about who she is and wants to be.
Nik is a complex character with a massive childhood trauma that needs to be sorted out but it gives a clear reason why he does what he does. The romance between these two is adorable and they balance each other out so well!

This is my first read of the series. They are interconnected and can be read separately. I enjoyed the read but for me, there was too much smut to start with. I like te get eased into it a bit more. I felt as if the first 3/4th was a lot of smut with not much going on and then the character growth (which was an amazing aspect and I would’ve loved the writer had slowed it down a little) happens in the last 1/4th. It felt a little of balance but I think it depends on with which intention/mood you start the book.

It’s an easy summer read kind of book and you’ll fly through the pages. I would totally recommend this read when you have a soft spot for spicy sports romances.

Last but not least, I want to thank the author Grace Reilly, the publisher Headline Eternal and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book.

Nik was top tier tortured, brooding book boyfriend material, and it was refreshing to have an MMC with such a prominent focus on their mental health. Isobel was sweet too, very patient and understanding meaning there wasn't much relationship angst throughout.

In Wicked Serve we follow Isobel and Nikolai after a whirlwind summer romance. The pair think they won't see each other again, but can't stop thinking about the summer they spent together. Nik quickly realises that a) he will be seeing Izzy a lot sooner than expected due to a school transfer, and b) there is no way he's going to be able to keep the distance he promised himself he would keep.

I do feel as though the pacing of the book could have been better, and the book itself could have been much shorter. By about 50%, it seemed as though our couple were happy and, while there were other aspects of the story that needed to be wrapped up, I don't feel as though it warranted half the book.

I did enjoy this though, and lovers of sports romance will enjoy this book.

Tropes:

-Established Relationship
-Brothers Rival
-Non-toxic relationship
-Open Door
-Secret Relationship
-He falls harder
-Tortured soul MMC
-Family bonds

Thankyou to netgalley, Grace Reilly and Headline for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Please check the tws before reading.

Phwoar, Wicked Serve really brings the heat. From reading the blurb, this book really has everything you’d expect from a sporty romance: competition and two characters completely magnetised together in a hidden romance, but Grace Reilly really gives it her all with the tension between Izzy and Nik. Yes, this means 5/5 on the spicy scale (and we aren’t complaining!)! 🌶️

But the story between Izzy and Nik in Wicked Serve is beautiful. Izzy, the Elle Woods/Blair Waldorf, sunshiny girly-girl and Nikolai the hot, sporty “alphahole” type. Yes they are insanely attracted to each other, but they also have their own their own personal stories that develop their character. Nik has abuse trauma, suffering from panic attacks, while Izzy is consumed by comparing herself to her talented siblings.

Both of the main characters come from wealthy backgrounds so there are cute moments of glamour and extravagance mixed in too. I love how close Izzy is to her family, offering positive moments of love and support. All her siblings seem to be paired up so it makes for a really cosy family, but this story also contains rough family expectations getting in the way. Together Nik and Izzy offer each other support and build each other up, fighting each others corners against others trying to dictate their future.

*arc: wicked serve (beyond the play book 4) by grace reilly

🌟 4.5/5
🌶️ 4/5

genre: new adult romance
POV: dual
TWs: domestic abuse, abusive parent, childhood trauma, panic attacks

Tropes:
✨ sports romance (college - hockey and volleyball)
✨ secret hookups/relationship
✨ summer fling
✨ brother’s teammate/rival
✨ second chance
✨ grumpy x sunshine

The final book in the beyond the play series! I was so excited to get Izzy’s story as the only girl in the Callahan clan.

Oh boy was this book full of emotions and heavy topics. Nikolai had a tough childhood, leaving him with a scar down the side of his face as a constant reminder of his father. He battles throughout the book with not wanting to turn out like his hockey playing father with a short fuse.

Izzy is from a loving family, but never feels like she’s enough compared to her brothers. With volleyball not really having potential as a career option, she spends her summer interning for Nikolai’s mum as a wedding planner.

The summer fling must end but when Nik is expelled and transfers to Izzy’s college, it turns into a secret relationship as her brother is his teammate.

What I loved about this book is a lot of it was filled with them being together and working through tough conversations. They pushed each other to face things and have the hard conversations. The last 20% of the book was so emotional, my tears were blurring the page 🥲

But it wouldn’t be a Grace Reilly story without a nice sprinkling of spice 😮‍💨 some very hot scenes in this! “Crawl to me” 🥵

The epilogue was a beautiful send off to this found family 🥰

Thank you to netgalley and Headline Eternal for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wicked Serve started strong for me. I loved that it got straight into the story and the connection was already developed. But then, that is all we got. A whole lot of sneaking around and this was the only part of the plot.

The book was way too long as it felt like a whole lot of dialogue and not enough of a plot going on. I think looking back now, we would have been better off reading about their meet cute as it would have developed the plot further.

I DNF’d at 44% as I felt like I was just reading the same thing over and over again. I didn’t find myself reaching for it.

Another fabulous instalment from Grace Reilly.

These books are such easy comforting reads and the characters are always so well rounded.

I really enjoyed seeing a less commonly represented sport and the timing was perfect with the Olympics showing during my read!

Thank you so much for the chance to read this ARC

Am I the only one who never starts a series from the beginning? Or is that just me? I always spot these cute covers and then realize they’re part of a series. But even though I didn’t read the first books, I didn’t feel like I missed anything. It actually made me curious about the other books!

This was a cute and funny story following Isabelle and Nikolai. I enjoyed how they were introduced and how the story picked up from where the prologue left off.

I had a great time reading this book. Isabelle is very determined and wants to excel in everything she does, while Nikolai has a lot of problems and trauma to work through.

I loved how there was minimal miscommunication between them. They talked about everything and tried their best to respect each other’s decisions. However, I felt that sometimes Isabelle was a bit pushy with Nikolai, always urging him to share things he clearly wasn’t ready to discuss. If the roles were reversed, she would probably have been upset.

I also think the book could have been a little shorter. Since they were together for most of the story, we mainly saw them being a cute couple, which was nice, but I needed a bit more drama.

Overall, this was a fluffy read. I enjoyed the family moments and how Nikolai and Cooper went from enemies to besties, giving Nikolai someone other than Isabelle who had his back.

Thank you, Valentine PR and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this ARC.