Review Detail

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!