Ali Hazelwood’s books are so addicting okay 😭 she writes it, I buy it, end of story. I love how forward Nolan was with how into Mal he is, meanwhile Mal is like 😦 no wayyy. I grew a little frustrated with Mal at times as she is SO stubborn, but I understand how integral it is to the plot, and coming to the realizations that she does. I loved the Queen’s Gambit, so I thought this would be like that, but honestly it held it’s own in my opinion. The QB was serious, and this, while some serious undertones with how she had to care for her family and all, was definitely more humorous, especially with all the pop culture references— which that’s another thing. Take it as you will. I know that bothers some people, but I don’t really mind it.
Anyways, if you’re a fan of Ali already, then you’ll love this book. If you’re not, you still might. It’s different than her other STEM books.

I read this book as a NetGalley arc, so thanks NetGalley and Putnam Books.

I was very excited to receive an advance reader's copy of Ali Hazelwood's latest work, "Check & Mate." I loved her previous novel, "The Love Hypothesis" and I couldn't believe my luck in having the opportunity to read one of her books ahead of its official release. "Check & Mate" was a significant departure for Ali Hazelwood, as it was her first young adult fiction novel. The transition from her prior works to a young adult audience was readily apparent. Hazelwood transported her readers into a world filled with teenage experiences, emotions, and dilemmas. One of the notable aspects of "Check & Mate" that I thoroughly enjoyed was the incorporation of chess as a central theme. It added a unique dimension to the story.. The strategic intricacies of the game intertwined beautifully with the characters' personal struggles and growth, elevating the narrative to a whole new level. Ali Hazelwood has been cemented as a must read author for me. Thank you to Penguin Group and NetGalley for the opportunity.

I personally have never read any Ali Hazelwood books until Check & Mate. I rated it 3.5 out of 5 stars because it was a page-turner and a quick read, but the romance fell flat for me. I didn’t understand the initial attraction between the main love interests in the beginning and wasn’t invested in their relationship until maybe midway through. What I really enjoyed though was reading about chess and about Mallory coming to terms with her family situation. She holds a lot of guilt and responsibility on her shoulders. I enjoyed discovering the root of the problem and seeing the growth as the story progressed. Not gonna lie though, Mallory is very stubborn as someone very independent and used to handling everything on her own; therefore, she will be annoying to some people.

<b>"Chess is a bad idea."
"Why?"
"Look where it got me."
"It got you here. To me." </b>

Mallory & Nolan. She’s an auto mechanic and a math whiz. A previous chess player. He’s the Kingkiller: the number one chess player in the world. Golden (bad) boy of chess. The Queen’s Gambit but make it upper young adult. Ali’s readers will be swooning over this one!

♟️THINGS AND STUFF♟️
-loathe to love
-dragon age
-sister dynamics
-emotional support snickers bar
-oh, no! your ill! (reverse hurt comfort)
-women in chess
-forced proximity
-he falls first
-tic tac toe
-#IsThisAKissingBook: fade to black. upper ya/new adult.

thank you penguin teen for the free book!

Ali Hazelwood is back smashing the gender norms but instead of science it’s chess!! I did not think chess would be this fascinating but I am so glad I was wrong. This page turner will keep you guessing. I love the dual HEA that our FMC gets (not saying anything else so I don’t spoil it)

Check & Mate is a charming and cute YA rom com set in the world of Chess.

Mallory Greenleaf thought she was done with chess. She left the game but agreed to play in a charity tournament and won!!!! She not only won, but she also wiped the board with the current world champion, Nolan Sawyer a.k.a. "Kingkiller." Everyone is shocked including Nolan. Winning opens many doors for Mallory, she could use cash prizes plus and her love for the sport is rekindled. Nolan's love of the game has been rekindled as well. Mallory is a challenge that he is willing to take.

It is all about the journey with romance books for me and I enjoyed the journey Mallory and Nolan went on. Both characters are likeable, and I was rooting for them. I appreciated their love of chess. They are set up to be rivals but they champion each other, which is a nice touch.

I found this book to be well written, cute, and entertaining. I am not a chess player or a chess fan, but I am a fan of this book. What is a nice plus is that you don't have to play or know anything about the game to enjoy this book. It is about the players, their interactions, their banter, their backstories, and their journeys.

Well written, charming, cute and gripping! I look forward to reading more of Ali Hazelwood's books!

Thank you Penguin Group and Netgalley for a copy of this e-arc.

Let me start by applauding Ali Hazelwood for the ability to write such different books. This is more young-adult than her other releases and maybe that's why I didn't love it as much as her others. I also had a hard time getting into the chess aspect of the book. I know nothing about chess, so some parts of the book were complex for me to understand what was happening. Despite this, it was a cute romance story that reminded me of The Queen's Gambit. I do wish there were fewer references to pop culture/TikTok language. Nolan, however, was a perfect MC and super swoony.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes lighter and younger writing.

I laughed. I cried. Then I immediately went to buy a physical copy of this book because I needed a reread. I LOVED this. First off, a casually bisexual FMC?? I wish I had this book when I was a teenager. The banter between Mallory and her sisters was painfully accurate.

This covered a lot of coming of age topics and feelings, but it didn't make me feel too much (in a good way). Mallory isn't perfect, at times understandably immature and her relationship has some teenage feeling drama but it makes sense in the context and as a grown up I could still feel for her and be along for the ride. This leaned way more New Adult for me rather than YA and I love that for me. Sex is a topic that is covered and it does occur, but it's all closed door. You still get tension between characters though and every action on page has a purpose.

I just loved the exploration of all the in between life stuff that happens at 18. I've read other YA that made me feel kind of icky nostalgia but this really stands alone in its own world and I think that is due to the unique nature of playing/working in chess. Mallory and Nolan were thrown into some "adult" feeling environments so it didn't feel too unrelatable as reading high school settings (of course everyone has their own preferences at any reading age!).

I just loved these two. Also, I loved Mallory so much I didn't even realize until like 30% that the romance hadn't really started yet, all the stuff before really is that interesting and engaging. The side characters were so vivid (and at times laugh out loud hilarious). I'd like this to be adapted to the screen ASAP please and thank youu.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for this ARC! I really wasn't sure how I'd feel about an Ali YA but I should not have been scared.

As someone who liked The Love Hypothesis and adored Love, Theoretically, I was curious what a YA Ali Hazelwood novel would look like. And I’m happy to report that I loved Check & Mate! Ali Hazelwood’s playful dialogue and light-hearted storytelling fits the YA genre so well. Chess, from my personal perspective, is a long and arduous game but Check & Mate made the politics and interactions around chess matches compelling. I hope Ali continues writing YA since I really enjoyed reading this book!

Thank you so much to Penguin Teen for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Just when I think I'm out, Ali Hazelwood pulls me back in.

After loving The Love Hypothesis I felt kind of in a rut with Hazelwood's books, but imagine my surprise when her new YA (more like NA) book provides me with the couple I didn't know I wanted. I think Mallory might be my favorite Hazelwood main character. She's loyal and smart and tenacious and fabulous and I want to be best friends with her. I loved her journey in this book, thinking she has to take care of everyone around her and pushing people away (always thinking about that next chess move). Using chess as the vehicle for her to come into her own was so smart.

I really don't know enough about chess to gauge whether much of this is realistic or not but even with my lack of knowledge, Hazelwood makes the chess world incredibly fascinating and powerful and I appreciated her author's note about how sexist and gendered the sport is.

Nolan is a somewhat typical Hazelwood man but the way he gets soft for Mallory, the way he is challenged by her (the way they challenge each other) this is my favorite type of romance. He never held her back, never infantilized her or ever thought her less than. I love them.

I adored this book. I heartily recommend this to anyone who loves Hazelwood but also who loves a good rivals romance that's MORE than that - it's about finding yourself and being confident in your gifts and also letting in that cute stoic boy whose chess game turns you on.

Thank you so much to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“Chess is a bad idea.”
“Why?”
“Look where it got me.”
“It got you here. To me.”

Thank you, @netgalley, for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. :)
Mallory Greenfield despises chess even though she played it until she was 13. Five years later, she works as a mechanic to support her family. The only reason she came back to playing chess is because her best friend forced her to join this charity tournament. She didn’t only win, BUT she also beat the number one player in the whole world, the notorious “Kingkiller” Nolan Sawyer.

After this encounter, she got an internship opportunity at a chess club. At first, she wanted to decline because she didn’t want to play chess anymore. But she needed the money to support her family, so she took it. She believed she could think of this internship as a job and would only stay for a year. However, as she keeps joining different tournaments, she rockets up the ranks. Because of this, she started to have a hard time keeping this internship a secret from her family.

I became invested in the book even though I knew nothing about chess. I loved how this book was more character development-focused. Yes, I enjoyed reading Mallory and Nolan’s moments together, but I liked how Mallory could want something once for herself. I admire the connection between Nolan and Mallory; their chemistry is evident. It made me smile and giddy! I also appreciated how Ali Hazelwood talks about the sexism issue that persists in today’s generation and how it affects women’s self-esteem, which can lead them not to take space within society.

Mallory walked away from chess four years ago and never looked back. A eighteen, struggling to keep her family afloat, she gets yanked back into the fold by a fellowship that offers her more money than she ever imagined making. But chess is just a job, she tells herself, not her whole life the way it is for current world champion Nolan Sawyer or any of the rude, sexist men she plays against. If she finds herself increasingly enjoying and being drawn into this world, well, she’s just going to ignore that.

This book is fun, plain and simple. Hazelwood’s humor is in top form here, making all the characters vivid and real. Mal’s little sisters are chaos in human form, and there’s a particular scene involving them and Nolan that is completely hilarious. This is clearly a He Falls First storyline. Serious boy falls for quirky, skittish girl, which I’ve come to expect from Hazelwood, but it worked really well. Even if I wanted to shake Mal by the shoulders and force her to see what was right in front of her, in both chess and her relationship with Nolan. And even if you know nothing about chess (like me!), the chess scenes will still hold your attention.

My main issue has nothing to do with the story itself, but calling it YA. It just doesn’t feel like it. It’s not really open door, so I suppose we can’t call it NA, but it also doesn’t read like a typical YA novel. It’s so similar tonally to Hazelwood’s other books that it almost felt like an adult rom-com was written and then aged down to fit the YA designation and need for younger characters. And that’s a criticism that’s not even really a criticism? I liked the book, full stop. I’m just not sure the characters fit on the YA shelf.

Ali Hazelwood’s new book is different from her other books. This book takes place in the world of chess, chess competitions, and chess tournaments. Check & Mate is classified as a Young Adult book for ages 14 and up. With some of the content in this book, I would up the age to 16 or 18.

I don’t play chess, and I don’t know much about the game. This did not impact my enjoyment of this book.

Mallory Greenleaf was a chess player when she was younger urged on by her father. She has put chess playing behind her because of the painful memories of her father tied to the game. Her friend convinces her to participate in a charity chess tournament. After defeating the #1 chess player in the world, the chess bug returns to her. The money she can earn from participating in competitions will help her family. She feels responsible for supporting her mother and two sisters. Mallory wasn’t counting on developing feelings for the #1 chess player, Nolan Sawyer.

Ali Hazelwood knows how to write a developing relationship between two people. Mallory and Nolan’s love story is sweet. Nolan helps Mallory realize she is living her life the way she plays chess, carefully planning her actions ahead of time.

“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.”

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group for the ARC of this sweet chess romance.

I really enjoyed the chemistry and plot behind this one! All the chess matches were fun, and I think it tackled sexism within chess in a way that made sense and furthered the plot. It was very sweet, and I think if you enjoy Hazelwood's other romances, chess, or rivals to lovers, this one is a good bet.

Mallory Greenleaf has turned her back on chess. After the sport caused the downfall of her family four years ago, she's prioritized her mother, her sisters, and her dead-end job to make ends meet. However, she reluctantly agrees to participate in one last charity chess tournament and unexpectedly defeats the notorious "Kingkiller," Nolan Sawyer, the reigning world champion and the chess world's bad boy.

Nolan's surprising loss to an unknown player stuns everyone, but what's even more puzzling is his desire for a rematch. Mallory is unsure of Nolan's motives, and walking away from the game would be the sensible move. Yet, Mallory's victory opens doors to much-needed cash prizes, and despite her initial resistance, she can't help but feel drawn to the enigmatic chess strategist.

As Mallory swiftly rises through the ranks, she grapples with the challenge of keeping her family separated from the sport that brought them so much pain. Her once-loathed love for chess rekindles, and she discovers that the games are not limited to the chessboard, the spotlight is brighter than expected, and the competition is fierce.

Mallory emerges as a compelling female protagonist with her determination, compassion, intelligence, and wit. Her insecurities are relatable, and her character growth and ability to admit her flaws add depth to the narrative. Nolan is portrayed as a sweet character, and although the romance between Mallory and Nolan is enjoyable, you wish there were more moments between them. Nolan's character, tall and broody, falls in love first and understands Mallory better than anyone. He exhibits qualities of care, protectiveness, vulnerability, and maturity.

This young adult romance delivers all the elements that make an Ali Hazelwood book enjoyable, such as humour, banter, pop culture references, chemistry, and strong, intelligent female characters. The only reason for not giving this book a five-star rating is due to some of Mallory's actions and her family dynamic, which occasionally posed challenges.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Libro.fm for my gifted arc and audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

This was so different from Ali’s normal romance books. I loved that this was YA and about chess! It was a lot of fun reading this one and following Mallory’s journey. The audiobook was amazing and easy to listen to! I didn’t want it to end and wanted more of their relationship!! Even if you don’t like chess I still highly recommend this one! It is easy to read and a lot of fun!

6 very enthusiastic stars!

Can a YA novel about chess that's closed door still be spicy, engrossing, and EPIC to a reader of ANY age? It can when Ali Hazelwood is writing it!

Eighteen year-old Mallory Greenleaf has left her dreams behind to care for what's left of her family. But one day, fate takes her to where she least wants to be: in front of a chess board. And, even more shocking, she defeats the #1 chess player in the world! Twenty year-old Nolan Sawyer has been champion since he was a child. There's nothing left to surprise him, until his world is turned on its axis by Mallory. Soon Mallory is thrown, against her will, into the world of chess. She and Nolan are drawn to each other. What happens when they finally play against one another again? And is love a game they can play, and win?

I CANNOT BELIEVE how much I loved this book! I've never played chess in my life, and yet I was completely sucked into that world. Hazelwood wows, as usual, with carefully curated backstories of her protagonists. Nolan and Mallory both FEEL real. They both struggle with guilt and longing. The slowburn was EVERYTHING. And, despite the fact that this was closed-door, Hazelwood does SO MUCH with her writing, many passages still felt white-hot.

She tension she always creates between the characters was ratcheted up by the tension also created in exciting games of chess. The chess tournaments left me breathless, waiting to see what would happen. These characters' internal struggles were as riveting as the games going on in the setting. There were bits of wisdom I found myself highlighting to ruminate over later. Hazelwood's observations about life and relationships are, as always, unparalleled. I was captivated by the hero. He was complex but knowable, real and beautiful. I really rooted for Mallory and Nolan to make it work.

If Ali Hazelwood wasn't already an auto-buy author for me before, she would be now!

Trigger warnings: cheating, dementia, death of a father (off page), MC gets attacked/cut with a knife

I'd like to thank PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, G.P. Putnam's Group for Young Readers, and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood is an adorable read! Mallory Greenleaf left the chess world at 14 for a number of reasons and wants nothing to do with it—and then she is forced by her best friend to join a charity team tournament. Next thing she knows she is once again embedded in a world she so desperately wants to avoid…and going toe to toe with a player she’s done everything to avoid. As she begins to play again, she finds herself doing everything she can to not fall back in love with both chess and her opponent. But chess seems to be in her blood—can she really push it out of her life forever?

I loved the dynamic between Mallory and Nolan. They have an adorable group of friends surrounding them and I loved the dynamic of their group. I don’t know much about chess but I enjoyed the topic. If you like Ali Hazelwood, you’ll enjoy this young adult read!

Check & Mate is and isn’t what I was expecting it to be. It had the typical Ali Hazelwood formula (that I eat up every time and will continue to eat up): clueless girl meets boy who she thinks she hates but he’s actually been in love with her since day one. The tone, however, is not at all what I was expecting. It still had fun moments, but overall the tone was not as light as her previous novels, and I didn't mind.

This is Ali Hazelwood’s first YA book, but in my opinion it skews more towards New Adult. It’s not graphic or anything like that, but it does deal with more mature content than a lot of contemporary YA novels. Think more like the content of John Green’s YA books with slightly older characters.

I really liked the story and found everything about the chess world (however true) really interesting. I am not a chess player nor do I know anything about chess, so I cannot attest to the accuracy. Mallory and Nolan made this a really great romance novel.

Let me tell you: Nolan was the best, and he was, by far, the best part of this book. He was down so bad for Mallory and I loved that he was so supportive of her. However, my biggest gripe with this book is Nolan was not in it that much. He’s the love interest in a romance novel, and we barely saw him until about 65% through, and then we had another huge gap without him being there. Until over halfway through Mallory literally runs away from him every time she sees him (I cringed). I also found Mallory’s sister Sabrina infuriating (!!!).

I really recommend you read this if you have enjoyed Ali Hazelwood's other books, but I would give this a try even if you didn't.

I AM GAGGED. Ex-chess player Mallory has sworn off her favorite past time and she's also given up college to take care of her younger sisters and her chronically ill mother. Her best friend drags her to a local chess competition, without her consent, mind you and she ends up playing against *GASP* a really really tall, brooding, hunk of a dude named Nolan (of course, it's Ali Hazelwood).

I buddy read this on audio with my bestie, Roni, on our road trip IN ONE DAY and when I tell you we were CACKLING, LAUGHING, and SCREAMING the whole way through, I am not kidding. We had to roll the windows down a number of times cause we literally were going deaf screaming in the car.

To be quite honest, this book has much older characters than the typical YA romance and there is a hint of spice - theres a lot of steam and tension. I loved these characters. We saw a lot of them outside of each other and together as well. We learned who they were outside of the romance. Together, they were a complete mess and it was SO FUN TO READ ABOUT.

I had so much fun reading this book, and then re-reading bits of it through the eARC. While this book is now a core memory, I do have some issues - I think it ended far too abruptly and wtf was with the best friend situation?

But seriously, "I resign, you win," lives rent free in my mind.

Thank you to Penguin RandomHouse Audio and Penguin Teen for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.