I really enjoyed Hazelwood's YA debut, Check and Mate. It was fun to get a glimpse of the competitive chess world through the eyes of Mallory and Nolan. My heart broke for Mallory as her home situation was so tough and it was wonderful to see her grow and change. I liked the relationship between her and Nolan as it developed, especially when they were infuriated with one another.

I have never read an Ali Halzelwood book before Check and Mate, and after reading this, I feel like I’d give any of her books a try. I laughed out loud several times; I adored Nolan, he is such a beautiful character. Mallory had a great character journey. I love seeing characters grow, learn, and better themselves. I don’t know anything about chess; and while reading this I never felt lost. I love that the main character is bisexual; it’s an important part of Mallory and it doesn’t get erased just because the love story in this book is hetero-presenting.

SIgh. I like this book as a grown up, but I think it is wildly inappropriate to market it as a YA. A 19/20 year old is considered an adult, and this has no business being in the YA category. I would be so uncomfortable with a 13 year old reading this. If we are going to market books for the age range of 19-20, make it a new genre, and get it out of YA. Parents have enough things to worry about without needing to think about their 13 year olds reading smut. That said, as a grown woman, I thoroughly enjoyed it--just not for pre-pubescent kids.

Ali Hazelwood never ceases to amaze me. She made me care for chess when I have no clue on what's going on.
Check and Mate was so refreshingly cute! It had me giggling and laughing! Such a great read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so sweet! I loved Mallory and Nolan! They were such an adorable couple and I wanted to shake Mallory throughout the book to make her realize it. I loved the male falling first trope and how it was done in this book along with the rivalry between Mallory and Nolan through their chess playing. The way chess was used in the narrative was so wonderful. Ali Hazelwood writes such wonderful and smart female leads and I love that about her books.

Best known for her adult romances, such as The Love Hypothesis and Love, Theoretically, Check & Mate is Ali Hazelwood’s first foray into YA literature. Lovers of her previous stories will also enjoy this new novel by Hazelwood as it follows a very similar vibe, albeit this time, she’s venturing outside the realms of STEM and into the world of competitive chess.

Whilst not focused on the sciences, similar to Hazelwood’s other works, Check & Mate still has a very strong focus on a woman battling her way through a male dominated field. Mallory’s first experience with professional chess at a young age sheltered her from the ugliness, her second foray into the professional chess scene opened her eyes to, at times, extreme misogyny. She has to come to terms with this discovery, and figure out her own method of handling it with some unexpected allies along the way.

When it comes to the characters, Mallory, the main character can be on the annoying side. For most of the book she seems to have a bit of a ‘world on her shoulders’ complex, combined with crippling guilt over something that is constantly alluded to, but not fully revealed until towards the end. As a result, she frequently goes around in circles feeling frustrated and angry, followed by guilty and remorseful without any progression until towards the end. Nolan, however, is a great example of a perfect (sadly, fictional) man. At times he comes off as a bit dick-ish, a lot of the times those instances are misconstrued. As the story progresses and Mallory gets to know him and his history and motivations better, you’ll find yourself falling in love with Nolan.

I found Mal’s family to be a bit vexing in a similar way to Mal being vexing, but their quick-witted banter mellowed them out somewhat. Some of the other side characters continued the quick banter that Hazelwood excels at, and are quite endearing, making you wish for more scenes with them.

As for spice in this book, smut lovers will be sadly disappointed as this is the main element missing when comparing it to Hazelwood’s previous books, making it appropriate for younger audiences. There are certainly numerous references to it though, and steamy scenes could easily be inserted in places, however ultimately this is definitely a closed-door romance.

The main pain point I found was the constant pop culture references. With one or two BookTok, Zendaya, or Harry Styles references are fine, this was taken to the next level. It ended up being distracting and will very likely lead to the book being very dated very quickly.

Check & Mate was incredibly easy to read and it’s one of those books that make you forget you’re reading. As predictable as the storyline may be to some, it was very compelling with smooth pacing, constantly making you want to know what happens next through a couple of tricks Hazelwood had up her sleeves to keep it interesting.

Lovers of the Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit, the book of the same name, or simply of the enemies-to-lovers trope will enjoy this new rom-com by the master of the genre, Ali Hazelwood.

SHE HAD ME SWOONING OVER CHESS TERMINOLOGY, OKAY??! Ali Hazelwood is just a wizard when it comes to writing rom-coms that get their hooks in you from the beginning and doesn't let you go until you've turned the final page. With a pitch perfect rivals to lovers dynamic between a strong-willed heroine and a hero that is down bad for her from the minute they meet, this might just be a contender for a new favorite book from the author.

Mallory was such an interesting main character. You're telling me she's both a chess whiz AND a car mechanic, who is prone to holding the weight of the world on her shoulders to care for her mother and sisters? Color me intrigued. One of my favorite parts of her development throughout the story was in regard to her relationship with her family. She places so much responsibility and blame on herself, which affects the dynamic between her and her family, specifically her sister Sabrina, and I loved watching those relationships heal and become stronger.

I love so much about Ali Hazelwood's books, but if there's one thing that she truly excels at, it's writing a hero that is completely gone for the main character from the moment they meet, and Nolan is just another entry into the pantheon of wonderful Ali Hazelwood book boyfriends. He was so charming throughout the whole book, and even when he wasn't physically present in a scene, his care and feelings for Mallory could be felt. There really are no words to describe how much I loved him and his relationship with Mallory.

Supporting characters in a romance book have the potential to add so much to a story, and this book is no different. Oz in particular shone for me, from taciturn manner to the way that he takes no BS, particularly in the third act (the way he called out Mallory might just have been one of my favorite scenes in the whole book), he is bound to be a fast favorite for readers. (Also anyone who found Mallory's sisters a little bit infuriating have never had sisters)

Overall this was a delightful rivals to lovers YA rom-com, and I can only hope that Ali Hazelwood writes more within this genre in the future because she truly shines in this debut.

Chess led to the destruction of her family, and despite her talent, Mallory quit years ago. Now she’s a recent high school graduate, but instead of going to college, she is doing everything she can to support her family after her father’s death and her mother’s illness. When she agrees to play one last chess tournament, she never imagines it will lead to a high-paying fellowship. She shocks everyone by beating the reigning world champion, Nolan, and now all eyes are on her.

Ugh. Ali Hazelwood can do no wrong. I adored this YA debut!. The chemistry between Mallory and Nolan was incredible, I loved the girl power vibes and how incredibly smart and talented and dedicated Mallory was, and even though I know nothing about chess, this book had me captivated from start to finish. I will say this book has a bit of spice and felt a little more New Adult than YA, and I was here for it. There is so much to love about this book and it left me with all the good feels.

Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Aww thank you Netgalley for this one!

I go into everything blind and I do not know how to play chess but I absolutely ADORED this book!

I really liked it and I like Ali Hazelwood, it was just wicked cute.

This has hands down been my favorite Ali Hazelwood book. I stayed up until 2am trying to finish it one night because there was no good stopping places. The chapters flow into each other flawlessly.

Mal is an 18 year old who has been dealt a difficult hand. There's some underlying issues with her dad, her mom has a chronic illness and this means Mal is the breadwinner of her family. She's trying to balance life playing mom and sister to her younger sisters. She gave up chess years ago because chess is what turned her world upside down.

Sawyer is the #1 chess player in the world. He's known to have a temper, avoiding interviews, having a bad attitude and trending on tiktok because he's HOT!

When these two go head to head in a tournament the world of chess will forever be changed.

What's not to love about a new Ali Hazelwood book? Check & Mate has her classic humor and romance, plus tons of chess content that kept me engaged despite the fact that I haven't played any chess since elementary school. I laughed, I had fun, I was delighted. What else can you ask for?

Mallory Greenleaf walked away from chess when she was 14 and has since been forced to put her family's needs ahead of anything for herself. But when she finds herself at a random chess tournament as a favor to a friend, she remembers how much she loved the game. And slowly, not in small part thanks to the alluring and notorious Nolan Sawyer, she finds herself pulled back into the chess world.

This book is marketed as young adult, but really, it's more of a new adult situation. The main characters are 18 and 20, and while all the action is closed-door, it's a little spicier than your classic YA romance. I didn't have any issues with that (except that reading characters that young makes me feel ancient), but it feels worth flagging. I enjoyed that Mallory is open and celebratory of her bisexuality and that the romance felt fun and organic.

Check & Mate is also hilarious. I wasn't sure how Hazelwood's chaotic humor would translate to younger characters, but it turns out it works great. Mallory's sisters are stars, simultaneously emotionally honest and hilarious. Mallory and Nolan are great too, although their angsting got a little frustrating at times. The main conflict rested on miscommunication (of course), which isn't my favorite trope, but overall, I found the story satisfying and delightful.

Basically, a fun time, just as I expected.

4.5/5

Loved this one SO much!

I loved the fight against sexism in a very male dominate “sport”.

I loved Mallory. I saw myself in her in ways and I could definitely relate to her feelings on somethings. My heart broke for her and her family. I loved that she gets a second chance at something she loves. She’s just amazing.

Nolan is wow. I loved that he just adored Mallory. He falls first obviously and in the most beautiful way. His support and just everything. I loved him.

They had such a great connection. I couldn’t get enough of their interactions. I couldn’t get enough of this book! I loved that Ali used real statistics, which blew my mind. I loved the empowerment you feel too. It was such an amazing YA romance. Highly recommend.

Ali Hazelwood has done it again! This is her funniest book to date.

If you enjoyed Netflix's The Queen's Gambit but wanted less trauma, more romance, and more comedy, then this is the book for you! While it has been heavily marketed as young adult, I would consider the content to lean more toward new adult. The FMC is 18 and the MMC is 20, there is a lotttt of cursing, and there's a lot of talk about sex. While these topics have their place in young adult, the maturity level of the content would have me labeling this as new adult.

The storyline is so fun and contains many tropes we all know and love without feeling cliche. He falls first and "living a double life" are the main two. This book contains all the things I love about reading Ali's works (squeal-inducing lines from the MMC and physical affection that makes you swoon) but there was a lightness and fun to it that was new. Ali's books are always fun, but this felt different in a way that is hard to explain. I guess you'll just have to read it for yourself to find out what I mean. ;)

This was almost a perfect book! My one caveat was the relationship between the FMC and her best friend. The best friend was written out almost immediately and then brought back at the last second for a "reconciliation." The reason they were estranged wasn't believable to me and I really liked the best friend in the beginning, so I didn't like how she was written out so the FMC didn't have a sounding board while she was making decisions for a majority of the book. However, that was a small issue since the romance was SO CUTE.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Nobody, and I mean NOBODY does “he falls first” like Ali Hazelwood. This was such a cute book and I feel so fortunate I was able to read it early!

Not knowing anything about chess, but knowing Ms. Hazelwood is a romance writing goddess, I jumped into this book blindly. I loved how she sprinkled in pop culture references so it felt like you actually knew the characters and were involved in the story yourself.

Mallory Greenleaf has given up on chess, the game that she once loved but took everything from her. When her best friend wrangles her into participating in a charity tournament four years after she last played, Mallory reluctantly agrees and ends up winning, beating the number one player in the world, who also happens to be chess' Gen Z heartthrob, Nolan Sawyer. Mallory attracts the attention of a chess club, who offers her a paid fellowship which would change the lives of her, her chronically ill mother, and the two younger sisters she's stepped up to take care of. Mallory swears that things will be different this time, that chess will only be work and not become her whole life, but as she keeps winning and her ranking climbs, things start to feel a little too real.

Much to my own surprise, I really enjoyed this! This book definitely skewed more new-adult than YA for me (H is 20 and h is 18) but I have to say, I think this is Ali Hazelwood's best book (of the ones I have read, which are her debut and those three terrible novellas) Folks, we didn't hear ONCE about how thin and slight the heroine was or how HUGE AND HULKING the hero was, and that's progress, baby! All jokes aside, this story was so sweet and I loved watching the dynamic between Mallory and Nolan. The side characters were top tier as well. I'm so glad Mallory woke tf up to her life and the fact that people supported her and wanted her to be happy.

TW: Death of a parent, mention of DUI, mention of cheating, mention of mental illness/dementia/institutionalization

Very cute, and made me almost interested in chess. Definitely the Alo Hazelwood standard of writing/storytelling, but I enjoyed this one more than love on the brain. The MC had me rolling my eyes a dozen times, but the LI makes up for it (as per usual). Felt more NA than YA, but I’ll let you decide.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for providing me with an ARC!

GOD THIS BOOK IS PERFECT. PROBABLY MY FAVORITE OF THE YEAR GIVEN THEN IVE READ IT FOUR TIMES THIS YEAR ALREADY. READING THIS BOOK IS NOT ENOUGH I NEED TO INJECT IT INTO MY VEINS AND LIVE INSIDE IT. my sweet babies. my actual children. mal is everything to me. nolan is a goddamn dream. this book is so sickeningly sweet it makes my teeth hurt and ali hazelwood is my hero. its so good. she’s so good. they’re so good. miss hazelwood put LITERAL CRACK IN THIS BOOK. ITS LACED WITH SOMETHING CONSUMINGLY ADDICTIVE. i am addicted to them and i never want this feeling to end.

Is this my new favorite Ali Hazelwood book?? It sure as hell might be! I’m sad it’s over, I miss this story already!!

Thank you Penguin Teen for giving me this complimentary audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Gosh that gave me the thrill of Queen’s Gambit in a YA love story format and I could not be happier with how it all came together!

Mallory has a lot of responsibility resting on her 18-year-old shoulders. With her dad gone and her mother in chronic arthritic pain she’s a breadwinner for the family as well as the schedule keeper for her sisters. She’s putting off college to help provide for her family. When she’s begged by a friend to complete a chess team for a fundraising tournament she reluctantly goes…and falls back in with the sport she dominated competitively for 9 years until she quit suddenly. She’s suddenly offered the job of a lifetime: being played to play chess, only she can’t let herself love it like she did before.

While parts of Mallory’s character felt like a tad of a stretch for an 18-year-old (swiping through tinder for cut and dry hook ups without feelings? I dont know sounds like a much older character to shop tinder for hook ups, might just be me) I looooooved the chess content and I happily endured her cluelessness with Nolan’s interest in her so the love in the story could come out in the best I’d-burn-down-the-world-for-you declarations. Those parts were truly magical, they me the feels and ultimately left me with a smile on my face as the end was read, hence 5 stars.

In the captivating world of this YA Romance, the narrative unfolds as a symphony of emotions, with the protagonist making sacrificial moves in the delicate dance of love. The tale artfully navigates the mysteries surrounding a talented heroine who withdrew from the chessboard, drawing readers into a landscape where genuine affection becomes the driving force for revival.

As the protagonist discovers the depths of his feelings, the story weaves a tapestry of passion, despair, and resilience. Against the backdrop of chess strategy, the characters come alive with vulnerability, inviting readers to share in their struggles and triumphs. The exploration of human connection is richly nuanced, revealing the transformative power of selfless love.

In a society often marked by insensitivity and selfishness, this narrative stands as a testament to the enduring beauty of genuine care. This YA Romance beautifully celebrates the complexities of relationships, offering a poignant reminder that, even in the face of despair, love has the strength to orchestrate profound positive change.

I love this author's adult romances, so I was really excited for her to bring her same recipe for success to a YA romance (with less steam, of course).

Sadly Check & Mate was just okay for me. There was very little romance in this book at all, which is a shame, because Ali Hazelwood usually does romance so well.

This was a good read, but not up to par to my expectations.