A few weeks ago, I was at the library to return some books. I’ve been going there a lot more lately, and it’s been nice, even if I don’t always finish the books I check out. That particular time, though, I saw two paperback copies of Check & Mate in the YA section. I’d seen the book all over #bookstagram, and even a few of my internet friends had read it.
So, without much thought, I did a quick check to make sure it wasn’t spicy (since the author is known to write adult romances that get spicy). When I saw that it was a fade-to-black romance, I decided to check it out.
I ended up binging the book in two days. That was how good and addictive it was. I couldn’t stop laughing, giggling, and kicking my feet at the romantic leads as they continued to fall more and more in love with each other.
Long story short, I loved it.
The Review
I really really liked this book. I don’t know what Ali put into it, but it was ADDICTIVE in a way that I haven’t seen in a long time. It left me wanting more, like a follow-up story, a spinoff, bonus chapters, or even just deleted scenes. I genuinely believe that I would read anything else in this universe if the author ever writes anything else (I mean, within reason).
I’m in love with this book, and I would say it deserves the hype.
Content Warnings
Alcohol, car accident (referenced), cursing, death of a parent (referenced), infidelity (mentioned), LGBT characters (the protagonist is bisexual or pansexual; her best friend dates a girl), misogyny, panic attacks/disorders, sexism, and sexual content (sex/sexual content is discussed frequently by the characters; there are two sexual scenes. One is fade to black and the other is interrupted).
What I Loved
The development of Nolan and Mallory’s relationship. It felt a little fast in the beginning, but then I realized it was an intrigued-at-first-sight, not love-at-first-sight. I imagine knowing that beforehand would’ve saved me some worry about how fast things were moving. Anyway, I really enjoyed their relationship. It was a great introduction to the rivals-to-lovers trope (if you like that), and I really liked that their relationship was based on more than just physical intimacy.
The way it makes chess accessible. I went into this with a very limited understanding of chess. Like, I knew how the pieces moved and that was pretty much it. So, I was really happy that this book explains chess in a way that didn’t make me feel stupid or like I had to go look up a bunch of things to follow the story.
The witty banter. This will always be a huge selling point for me. If your character banter and sass each other, I’m in. Nolan, Mallory, Koch, and Oz are so sassy, and I, for one, loved it.
What I Didn’t Love
The LGBT themes. It wasn’t necessary and the story would have worked exactly the same way without it.
The protagonist casually having sex with people. I know that this is part of her coping mechanism and her character development, but I would have appreciate some consequences for this decision (or at least a little less description of her sexual encounters).
The inconsistency of Mallory’s sisters. They’re supposed to be 12 and 14, but they felt a lot younger to me. Their immaturity could be normal for that age range, but I thought it made them feel wayyy younger than that.
The ending. I adore this book, but the ending was a little abrupt. I wanted more. I wanted to see the rest of it all unfold. But, alas, Ali decided that we would have to suffer without it (for reasons I genuinely don’t understand).
Favorite Quotes
“Because when I’m with you, Mallory, everything is different. When I’m with you, I want to play more than I want to win.”
“This entire tournament could have been an email.”
“I’ve got you, Mallory. Nothing bad is going to happen. You can let yourself want this, because you already have it. You have me.”
Listen to my Check & Mate playlist
My Rating
About the Book
In this clever and swoonworthy YA debut from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis, life’s moving pieces bring rival chess players together in a match for the heart.
Mallory Greenleaf is done with chess. Every move counts nowadays; after the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory’s focus is on her mom, her sisters, and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and inadvertently wipes the board with notorious “Kingkiller” Nolan Sawyer: current world champion and reigning Bad Boy of chess.
Nolan’s loss to an unknown rook-ie shocks everyone. What’s even more confusing? His desire to cross pawns again. What kind of gambit is Nolan playing? The smart move would be to walk away. Resign. Game over. But Mallory’s victory opens the door to sorely needed cash-prizes and despite everything, she can’t help feeling drawn to the enigmatic strategist….
As she rockets up the ranks, Mallory struggles to keep her family safely separated from the game that wrecked it in the first place. And as her love for the sport she so desperately wanted to hate begins to rekindle, Mallory quickly realizes that the games aren’t only on the board, the spotlight is brighter than she imagined, and the competition can be fierce (-ly attractive. And intelligent…and infuriating…)
About the Author
Ali Hazelwood is originally from Italy, lived in Japan and Germany, and eventually moved to the US to pursue a Ph.D. in Neuroscience. She recently became a professor, which absolutely terrifies her. When she’s not at work you can find her binge-watching shows with her three feline overlords (and her slightly less feline husband), running, or eating candy.
She is represented by the amazing Thao Le of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.
Let’s Talk!
Have you read Check & Mate? Do you play chess? I started playing on Chess.com, and it’s been really fun. Let’s talk all things chess and rivals-to-lovers in the comments below!
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[…] Review: I really really liked this book. I don’t know what Ali put into it, but it was ADDICTIVE in a way that I haven’t seen in a long time. It left me wanting more, like a follow-up story, a spinoff, bonus chapters, or even just deleted scenes. I genuinely believe that I would read anything else in this universe if the author ever writes anything else (I mean, within reason). If you want to read my full review, check out my post right here. […]
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