OMG! Another hit from Ali Hazelwood!!! I had a feeling that her writing style would translate really well in a YA romance, and I was so happy to be right. Ali knocked this out of the park. It was such a unique plot, and even though I don't play chess, the game components were so exciting! Everything was explained well enough to work even for a non-chess playing reader. The romance development was so so sweet, it felt authentic to the story, and the timeline was very realistic. Nolan was such a sweetheart. I loved his character so much, his hidden pining, all his belief and adoration for Mallory as both a person and a player. It was just perfect. There was a lot of talk about sex which had this feeling more NA than YA for me, so some readers may want to have a heads up on that! This is perfect for fans of Lynn Painter and Ali's adult STEM romances. 5 shiny stars!

Mallory Greenleaf is finished with chess. She has more to worry about than staring at chess plays all day. Her mother is sick and unable to work, she has two little sisters that always need something, and she is working non-stop in order to provide for her family. If it weren't for her friend, Easton, asking her to play in a charity tournament that is. At this tournament, she may be rusty after years of not playing, but she ends up beating the #1 chess player in the wold, Nolan Sawyer.

Nolan, who is not beat often is immediately entranced by Mallory. He wants to play against her again because there is something about her he can't shake. By winning, Mallory opens a new door into the chess world. She is given the opportunity to do a fellowship where she will get paid to play chess and it is no small amount. She can't pass up the offer and needs cash, but she knows that playing chess again could open up some old wounds.

Mallory climbs the ranks quickly and starts to fall back in love with the game. She has difficulty balancing her secret to keep chess hidden from her family, the press that is always lurking around each match, and the broody #1 chess player in the world that she is slowly starting to develop feelings for.

This adorable, enemies to lovers YA romance will leave you wanting more! Huge thank you to Net Galley and Ali Hazlewood for the ARC!!

After chess shattered her family, Mallory abandoned the game. But she reluctantly enters a charity tournament and defeats the world champion, bad boy Nolan. He demands a rematch, and she's lured in by the cash prizes. As she rises in the ranks, will she and Nolan find more in common than the game?

I love Ali Hazelwood! This book immediately immersed me in the plot. I enjoyed these characters and the story.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I really....REALLY wanted to love this.

I was SO excited to get my hands on an Ali Hazelwood book. I have loved most of her other work and so this seemed like a sure thing.

Unfortunately, it didn't work for me at all. I was mostly bored, and then annoyed, and then I put it down and walked away for a bit to see if maybe I just wasn't in the mood for it. I've tried a couple times now and it's just not working for me. I think it might be (gulp) too young for me. I'm just not connecting with the characters or the storyline at all.

That said, I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to read and review. I'm so sad that this one wound up not being my cuppa.

This novel is about 18 year old Mallory, who was a talented child chess player, but gave up playing four years ago for complicated reasons. With a sick mother, a father not in the picture, and two younger siblings, she has also given up going to college to work and take care of her family. But when a friend drags her to chess fundraiser - and she unexpectedly beats the number one chess player in the world (who happens to be a very good looking 20 year old guy named Nolan), she attracts attention and finds herself getting sucked back in to the world of chess.

This book was so darn cute and entertaining, I read it one day! This is nominally Ali Hazelwood's young adult debut, after writing three STEM-centered romances for adults. Other than the fact that the main character is 18, it doesn't feel particularly YA though - it feels just like her other books, but less steamy, and replace the science with chess. (Though note that there definitely still is talk of sex and some fade out sex scenes.) There's a very slow burn sort of frenemies to lovers story which I loved, but it is also just as much about Mallory learning about who she is and what she wants out of life after being forced to grow up too early to take care of her family. Lots of great side characters too. And I know nothing about chess except the basics of how to move the pieces, so you definitely don't need to be a chess lover to love this book.

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Penguin Group Putnam for the gifted arc, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

Ali Hazelwood has done it again! If you were intrigued by Queen’s Gambit but also love romance novels, this is the perfect combination. I love how Ali Hazelwood takes STEM & other intelligent things & the importance of women in those fields brings them together with wonderful romances. They are a salute to the badass trailblazers in those fields & I love every minute of it

Check & Mate is inspiring, uplifting & and empowering reminder for anyone that has been told they aren’t good enough for whatever reason to believe in themselves & give it a go.

Check & Mate is perfect for fans of
♟️ Chess/Sports Romance
♟️ New Adult Romance (fade to black)
♟️Forced Proximity
♟️He Falls First

This is such an intriguing foray into the world of chess. I love reading books where I can simultaneously learn something I don’t know enough about & get to witness a love story along the way. I was captivated by these chess matches as much as when I glued to my TV for NFL Sunday. This novel had a quick paced that kept my brain zeroed in on this story & it was an entertaining sports romance.

Both leads are such fascinating & enthralling characters. I was in awe of their confidence, their intelligence & their sparking chemistry. Their humor together was unmatched. Nolan is such an easy guy to fall for. This was such an engrossing movie that just played in my head as I read.

I have enjoyed every Ali Hazelwood book I’ve read. This one is going on my favorite list thanks to this magic. What a successful dive into the world of YA/NA! I cannot wait to read whatever she writes next!

For any romance fans, I highly recommend checking out Check & Mate now!

I will post to my socials soon & I will add links for that & Amazon as soon as they are live!

I've reluctantly become an Ali Hazelwood Girlie ^tm and I'm not going back. This was my second Ali book and her voice is so strong and consistent across her books that I find myself getting lost in the Ali-verse and just going along for the ride. I will admit this felt less like a romance and more like a contemporary and honestly I'm not too mad about it? Mal annoyed me a little at times but I can't pretend like I wasn't annoying and totally put together at 18, least of all with all her responsibilities. Sawyer is so gone for Mal and I am so here for an obsessed man. Am I going to start following chess? no. But I am deeply invested now so there's that. I knew in the first few pages that I would enjoy this book and between the swoony moments and the laugh out loud jokes, I absolutely did.

Thank you Penguin Teen for my advanced eARC!

okay I admit it, I wasn’t super into this one when I started - mallory was way too in her own head to actually see the world around her and that annoyed me to no end. however, I was so happy to be proven wrong the more and more I read 🥹🥹

to be honest, it was really the side characters that drew me in. mallory’s younger sisters were equal parts hysterical and adorable, defne (mallory’s mentor) was a badass woman who takes no shizz from sexist men, and nolan’s squad of seconds were exactly what you would expect from the coolest chess players around.

while mallory grew on me more and more, nolan was every bit the golden retriever I was hoping for 🥹🥹 we got enemies to lovers, he falls first, grumpy sunshine, and so much cuteness!!

and mallory definitely did come around, especially after a few stern talking tos to realize she didn’t need to have the world on her shoulder all the time 🤡 I just really can’t believe I went from feeling “eh” about this book to absolutely loving it at the end!! I cannot recommend sticking this one out, especially if you’re a YA romance fan and was as obsessed with queen’s gambit as I was!

thank you to berkley and netgalley for the advanced copies in exchange for an honest review!

rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: champagne brut

Saying Mallory Greenleaf's relationship with chess is complicated would be an understatement. She loved the thrill of examining the board and anticipating her opponents moves far enough in advance to beat them, but the sport led to the destruction of her family four years ago and now she's sworn to never play again. Besides, she has enough to worry about - looking after her two younger sisters, caring for her mother when she's sick, working a dead-end job at a garage to provide for her family, and worrying about whether her best friend will forget about her when she heads to college and Mallory... doesn't. But when she's roped into playing at a charity tournament by said best friend, she maybe accidentally inadvertently... wipes the floor with reigning world champion Nolan Sawyer. Soon, Mallory is swept back into the chess world, when a fellowship to train and compete in tournaments lands in her lap, and she slowly starts to regain some of that joy from playing the game as a kid. There is maybe also some interest in the enigmatic world champion, who, for some reason, gives her butterflies and tries to find any excuse to play against her again. But the sport brings up painful memories, and as Mallory climbs the ranks of the leaderboard it becomes almost impossible keep her love for the game she used to hate a secret.

After the last few weeks I've had, I knew I needed to pick up something cute and fluffy yet still engaging, and Check & Mate delivered on all fronts. To start, I've never been one who followed the world of chess, or really understood much about the game itself, but Hazelwood makes the story approachable for readers of all levels of chess knowledge, and while she does take some creative liberties, and cuts some matches short in order to move the plot forward, it still felt incredibly well researched. The book also touches on sexism within the league, and how many of the male players underestimate Mallory's skill simply because she is a woman - it was great to see that sexism challenged by both Mallory herself and other players that want to see the future of chess become a more welcoming place. I love how protective Mallory is of her family, and how those sibling and parent dynamics felt authentic and heartwarming while still allowing for some sister drama to take place. Both Nolan and Mallory had been playing chess at a young age, thanks to the influence of family members, and while both encounter tragedy they work through their own grief and move forward in different ways - Mallory blames chess, and herself, for the destruction of her family and vows to never play again, and Nolan learns everything there is about the game, stands tall, and becomes the top ranked player in the world. Speaking of Nolan, I knew immediately after his on-page introduction he was a character I was going to love. His passion, his knowledge and dedication to chess, and his determination to prove everyone who still sees him as the little boy with a temper wrong are so evident throughout the book. Another aspect I appreciated was depicting the fear of losing a close friendship at the end of high school - even the strongest platonic relationships can fizzle in the transition period after high school, and it's important to remember that relationships of any kind take work, and if you want the other person to remain in your life you need to fight for it [though I will add that if they'd made it clear they do not wish to partake in the relationship any longer, you need to respect their boundary]. One important note to consider is that this book includes a lot of pop culture references. These are pretty common in YA contemporaries, and they do not bother me much, but I know that other readers can have strong opinions against them, and so if that's not your thing I would recommend sitting this one out.

As there can sometimes be discourse surrounding the topic of sex in young adult novels, I just want to highlight how I think Ali Hazelwood handled it extremely well in Check & Mate. It's clear from the beginning that Mallory is sexually active, and has partners of varying genders. When asked, she explains how she sometimes feels comfort in the physically closeness to another person, and usually doesn't feel a very strong emotional connection to the people she sleeps with. This isn't something she's ever ashamed of. Conversely, we learn that Nolan has never had sex before. He's someone who would much rather play a chess match against a reigned grand master than spend the night getting laid. I'm not sure he's ever kissed anyone either (it may be discussed as well, I'm just blanking on the conversation right now). He's never felt any desire to engage in this kind of activity, until he met Mallory. But that isn't something that he's ashamed of either. While I think it's incredibly important to include discussions about sexual activity in young adult books, as I know many teens are engaging in it, I also think it's equally as important to showcase teens who don't quite feel ready yet, or know they don't experience attraction the same way as their peers. I love that in almost every Hazelwood book, she includes characters who experience sexual, romantic, and/or emotional attraction in different ways, and it's always without judgement.

In conclusion, I think I'm just drawn to the type of books Ali Hazelwood writes. Her signature humor, her grumpy misunderstood heroes, her strong-willed heroines, her friendship dynamics, and her well-rounded romances just make me swoon every time. I know her books aren't for everyone, but consider me a fan, and I can't wait to see both what readers think of Check & Mate and what's in store for Hazelwood's future books. *Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers / Penguin Teen for the e-copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

💕BOOK REVIEW💕

Check & Mate - Ali Hazelwood
Rating: 5/5 ⭐️

“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.”

I love YA. I love Ali Hazelwood. I’m a chess nerd. Could the stars seriously align any more for how perfect this book is for me?!

Nolan and Mallory are one of my favorite book couples! Caring, strong Mallory who is avoiding her grief by working hard to provide for her mom and sisters. And grumpy, famous Nolan who is secretly a total softie.

This story was everything I want in YA! I hope Ali writes more YA books, for sure.

Recommend if you like:
- YA romance
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- ALL the chess
- Pop culture references
- Coming of age

Mallory Greenleaf has put chess behind her and is taking care of her mother and sisters. She agrees to a chess tournament for her best friend where she beats the current world champion, “Kingkiller” Nolan Sawyer. She starts to move up the ranks while keeping this from her family while using the money she earns from winning to pay the bills. Mallory and Nolan continue to cross paths and while they are competitive there is an attraction there:)

This is Ali Hazelwoods YA debut and it was a fun, easy read. It does read young with lots of pop culture references and language. Maybe I’m just old lol. It was a little light on the romance but I did love Nolan and the interactions they had. I was rooting for Mallory but she is a little frustrating and I was annoyed/sad that her family let her take care of them and pay the mortgage at age 18. I don’t know anything about chess but was engaged in the story and wasn’t lost during the chess games. I thought it was very cute overall and a sweet read.

Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for an arc for review!

I always love a good book by Ali! This one didn't disappoint. I felt myself drawn to the characters and wanting to learn chess! Loved it!

4.75 stars.... Thanks to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for this E-ARC.....I loved this book.. I loved everything about it. I loved the relationship btw Mallory and Nolan. I loved Mallory and all her faults and thoughts and anguish. I loved her sisters (Darcy was my Fav). I stayed up late to finish this, and I may or may not have gone back to reread the Epilogue this morning ;). This was such a well done YA and I may or not have requested it because my son has started playing chess :)

First this cover is just so adorable. Second I will read anything this author writes. The book was so very cute. I loved Nolan so much. I relate to Mallory so much. She is the protective mother to her family forgetting that she is also a daughter and sister. This book made me wish I knew how to play Chess. The romance was sweet. Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Did I think I would enjoy a book about chess! Nope! Did I end up totally loving this one? Yup!

Hazelwood’s first young adult novel was so much more than a book about chess competitors falling in love. There was complexities to both of the main characters with their families playing a main role in both of their lives. I did think it read more new adult than young adult, but that’s just my opinion.

I liked how raw and atypical Mallory was as a female main character. She had flaws, but worked hard to support her family at a young age. Nolan was such a great character that I fell in love with him immediately. The way he supported Mallory, his competitor in the tournament, and helped her move up in the rankings was so heartwarming. He was hard not to love!

Hazelwood writes her characters so well, and the banter between Mallory and Nolan throughout Check & Mate made me think of Olive and Adam in The Love Hypothesis. There were sparks between them even if one of the characters couldn’t see that from the start. The supporting cast of characters were so much fun in this one, and I loved Mallory’s sisters and her trainer.

As I mentioned above, I was a little nervous with this book being about chess, but Hazelwood made it fun even if you don’t understand the game. I loved the comparisons between chess and being in a relationship. It was clever how the two worked so well together.

Karissa Vacker did a great job narrating this audiobook. She brought not only the characters, but the game of chess to life!

If you’re looking for a witty young adult novel full of competition, humor, some tension, and romance then I highly recommend this one is to you! Thank you Penguin Teen and PRH Audio for advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.

I really loved the premise and vibes of this book. I would love to read more stories that take place in the world of Chess!

I thought the characters were really compelling and I enjoyed the little bit of romance. I could have done without the plethora of tiktok references.

The thing that confused me about this was the genre. It says it's YA and the romance was fade to black, but all the characters were over 18. I think I might have enjoyed this more if it was labeled New Adult and written that way. The maturity level felt way more like highschool but I had to keep reminding myself the characters were all adults.

This felt just like her adult books however, the steamier scenes were fade to black. If you loved the Queen's Gambit you're going to love this story. It reminded me a lot of the grit of the series mixed in with family, love and lots of life lessons. Mal, her sisters and her Mom are struggling to make ends meet. Mal shoulders a lot of the burden and doesnt see how it could get better. However, when she finally gets to play chess again, all the pieces start falling into place. Delving into the world of professional chess, it's a personal journey for Mal to figure out how what she wants.

I think that Check & Mate should not be
marketed as YA because personally it doesn’t feel like a YA novel. I thought the aspect of chess and how the author described it was fun! The characters were likeable but the plot and story just fell a bit flat for me. I would recommend this, because i can see people loving the love interest!

5 FAT STARS! ALI HAS DONE IT AGAIN! CHESS, STEM, NEW ADULT ENEMIES TO LOVERS PERFECTION WITH FAMILY DRAMA, COMING-OF-AGE VIBES, AND ALL THE CUTENESS!! OBSESSED!

I absolutely adored this new YA book from Ali! Her ability to write incredibly smart, independent women remains unmatched and I hope she never stops. If you know nothing about chess (like myself)
Check & Mate is incredibly easy to understand!

This book has easily claimed a spot as one of my favorite YA books! I loved learning about Mallory's family dynamic, her fallout with chess, her reintroduction, and her life outside of the sport. I found Nolan to be such a refreshing character! He's quiet, confident, kind, and SO supportive. Together, Mallory and Nolan have the most perfect rivalry. I'm quite literally obsessed with them. I hope more YA books are in Ali’s future!