Check & Mate

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Author(s)

Ali Hazelwood

Publisher

G. P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Genre(s)

Age Range

14+

Release Date

November 07, 2023

ISBN

978-0593619919

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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…)

Editor review

1 review

Not just a romance book

December 31, 2023

Overall rating

5.0

Plot

5.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

Ali Hazelwood is one of those authors who has captured my heart. I love her writing filled with witty banter and female protagonists who are smart and strong. I jumped at the chance to review Check & Mate which is Hazelwood's debut novel in the YA genre and it did not disappoint.

With the title Check & Mate, it is no surprise that the story uses chess as a captivating background, but the real draw is Mallory and her relationships with her family, Nolan Sawyer, and herself.

Mallory Greenleaf isn't your typical chess prodigy training for the world championship. She is haunted by the loss of her father and swears off chess to avoid the painful memories. It is only when her best friend Easton needs a player for a charity chess tournament that Mallory agrees to play. In a surprising upset Mallory beats Nolan Swayer the world champion of chess who has a reputation for being the bad boy of chess.

Just like that the trajectory of Mallory's life is changed. She is recruited back into the chess world where she struggles with letting herself fall back in love with the game.

While the budding romance between Mallory and Nolan Sawyer is intriguing, the real heart of the story lies in Mallory's journey of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Mallory's struggles to balance family responsibility, ambition, and personal desire resonate deeply, making her a character you root for. The relationship between Mallory and her younger sisters feels strained as Mallory steps into the parent role to make up for the loss of their father and help their ailing mother. There is a pivotal moment in the book where the family fights and that vulnerability is the start of Mallory being able to heal.

Mallory isn't the only character you grow to love. Nolan Sawyer has his own charm and won me over just by seeing how much he admired Mallory and wanted to see her succeed even if that meant he would lose. Bonus points to Nolan for how sweet he was towards Mallory's sisters.

For fans of Ali Hazelwood, you will be thrilled to know that Check & Mate has all the things you love about her writing just targeted towards a YA audience. And for those reading Ali Hazelwood for the first time prepare to fall in love!