I had somehow not read any of this author’s adult books but, for some reason, started with her most recent and YA book. And, I’m not sad about it. Then, I went and read the other three length adult novels immediately after. So it all worked out!

Ok. Back to Check & Mate…do I know anything about chess? Absolutely not-but that did not stop me from enjoying this book so much more than I expected.

Mallory is done with chess. Or at least that’s what she’s telling herself and everyone else. But, somehow finds herself playing in a charity event against the bad boy of chess, Nolan. And beating him. Which then opens the door to continuing to play and rekindling her love for the sport. The guilt and stress and passion of both loving and hating something that is a part of you was very much in play here.

This book is wonderfully nerdy, the romance is so cute and I ended up loving the characters so much and being fully invested in them and their chess games, er matches, whatever.

So glad this was my first Ali Hazelwood and in my top two of the books I’ve read of hers overall. (It also doesn’t hurt I’ve had the best group of bookstagrammers reading along the way with me)

Thank you to NetGalley for the gifted earc!

Mallory is done with chess and hasn't played for years when she ends up helping out her friend Easton and participates in a charity chess event. She unexpectedly wins against current world chess champion Nolan, shocking everyone that an unknown player could defeat the champion. Though she's determined to forget about it and keep avoiding chess, she's offered a Fellowship that would allow her to study and play chess and possibly earn money to help her struggling family. Mallory enters competitions and does really well drawing the attention of the chess world and also the continued attention of Nolan. She tries to keep chess and Nolan at a distance, but she remembers how much she loves chess and she's finding that Nolan is different than she thought. Overall, a fun read with a great dynamic between Mallory and Nolan, as well as with their friends and family. The focus on Mallory's journey through chess was interesting, especially with the insight into the professional chess world and the discrimination against women in the sport. A lot of humor and banter throughout, though it does touch on some heavier family topics.

This was such a fun and cute read! It had all the things I love about Ali Hazelwood's writing - witty banter, fun secondary characters, and wonderful chemistry between our leads. Yes, there was still the usual Ali 'he's so massive and she's so smol', but I felt like it worked better in this book since it's YA/NA and there aren't any open door sex scenes. I actually really liked and appreciated how sex and sexuality were addressed and handled in the book.

Nolan was such a softie inside and he was just so gone for Mallory. The little (and big) ways he showed he cared were so sweet and I loved how supportive he was. I actually felt like there should have been more grovel from Mallory after what she said, but I can understand why she would be upset. The epilogue was so perfectly sweet and I loved the glimpse into the future. It was also really interesting to learn more about the world of chess and the rigors of the sport. I had no idea so much training went into it!

I think Mallory and her relationship with her mother and sisters was what kept me from completely loving this one. I didn't fully understand why Mallory felt so guilty/the need to take on so much responsibility for the household. It bothered me how they all treated Mallory/allowed it to happen, and yet were mad that she assumed that mothering role. Though it was resolved at the end, it still left me with an unsettled feeling.

I read the ebook and listened to the audiobook of Check & Mate, and Karissa Vacker was amazing! I absolutely loved her narration! She's so talented and voices various characters distinctly with ease. I'm always happy to listen to titles that she narrates.

Audiobook Review
Overall 4.5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 4 stars

CW: death of parent (past), parental infidelity, sexism, misogyny, parent with rheumatoid arthritis, grief, financial insecurity, violent incident with family member (who had an illness that affected their cognitive function)

*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*

Thank you Netgalley & Penguin for the opportunity to read an e-ARC of this book.

Check & Mate is Ali Hazelwood’s YA debut and it was absolutely phenomenal. I found myself thinking about this book even when I wasn’t reading it.

Our FMC Mallory is fierce, protective, stubborn, and tough. She has decided to leave the game of chess in her past, but finds herself playing one last tournament – and takes down the current world champion. Enter: Nolan, the “Kingkiller” and hottie of the professional chess world.

As Mallory navigates providing for her family, the emotions of two opinionated younger sisters, and her own experiences & emotions, she finds herself falling in love with the game of chess once again.

Along with Mallory and Nolan (who we LOVE), this book introduces us to several side-characters that help make this book such an incredible read. These secondary characters add humour and sass, and are exceptionally well-written.

Check & Mate releases Nov 7 2023, and you don’t want to miss this one.

TW: cheating, loss of a parent, alcoholism

Wow wow wow.
I don’t think there was a time that I wasn’t smiling and kicking my feet while reading this. I think YA was a nice switch up for Miss Hazelwood and also focusing on something other that STEM. The chess element was new and fresh and surprisingly intriguing throughly the entire book. I WISHHHHH that there was a bit more in the end though which is why I couldn’t give it 5 stars! I NEEDED to see (read) them play and I NEEDED and epilogue in their perspective. But Nolan Sawyer… what a man what a man what a man what a mighty good man. He truly slayed everytime he was on the page. And I never thought I’d like a little trust fund baby in a book but all of our brooding billionaires gotta start somewhere right ? Mallory’s character development was also something that was enjoyable and very well paced too. I think this book is the one that actually pushed me into being an all hazelwood stan😗
Live Laugh Love Nolan Sawyer 💕😋🤪✨😙

Gosh how I love Ali Hazelwood’s writing. I kept this one on my kindle like a precious treasure, I told myself: "wait until you have a bad day and need a cheer up" cause Ali Hazelwood’s books are that safe for me, they can completely turn around my mood in the best of ways. The bad day came and boom, I felt better thanks to this beautiful, swoony, funny and sweet story.

Nolan was just the best honestly. I always fall so hard for men written by Ali Hazelwood. She always makes them so perfect. He had some Darcy’s vibes in his very taciturn way of stating things as if they just are and I loved it so much, it makes me swoon instantly. I definitely felt a need to protect him cause he just is that precious. Mal was a strong character and I could understand where she was coming from, but she still broke my heart a little. She’s forgiven though, such great character’s arc, I mean, you can’t stay mad. It’s the: "I know how wrong I was" that makes it all okay for me. Own your mistakes and fight for what you want! And she sure did.

The story was really nice, it was easy to get into it and I loved all the chess parallels in there, the very special way of thinking of our characters as if everything is a chess game and they are calculating their next move. That is something I love about Ali, no matter the subject (which I usually am not good at: science, chess, etc) she makes it the whole book’s vibe but in a way you can still understand and relate to. Really love that. Loved the family aspect of this one, how broken they were without acknowledging it, they really needed a Nolan to shake them up! It all came down together perfectly and it was all very satisfying. I really liked the last chapter for some reason, the way it was done it just worked so well!

Last small thing, I’m not sure about how the YA rating works but it certainly was more mature than other YA books. Mostly because of the way the characters sometimes spoke and also, there was no on page sex but it was still spicy in a way (I was happy about that, don’t get me wrong eheh). But hey, I’m no judge and I’m certainly not complaining cause to me this book was PERFECT!

Thanks so so much to the publisher for the ARC. Forever grateful! All opinions are my own.

Ali Hazelwood writing a YA Queen Gambit’s love story of my dreams??? I was obsessed reading Check & Mate. I think a lot of readers who love chess, will appreciate the knowledge and story behind it. Mallory and Nolan were everything.

I think what I loved about the build up of it all, is that Nolan is a child prodigy, number one chess player in the world, until he stumbles upon playing against Mallory in a charity match, and loses to her when they first met. She quit chess a few years back. But why??? She runs away from him, as he says, she always seems to do. But a man who literally is obsessed with her, beyond chess, and the idea of her…was 🥲🥲🥲 the momentum this story starts with!!! The plot!

I think the way Mallory was as a female main character, is pretty standard Ali Hazelwood: wanting to please everyone and be the caretaker. She’s a mirror ball girl. She’s big sister energy. And she has a lot of growth to do throughout the story. She’s also going through grief and her mom has an autoimmune disease. It factors down to, choosing her own path for herself. Also the “oh you like me, why, I have no idea! You can’t like me!” that seems to be in all her stories 😂 is a thing. But for ME, this all makes sense here and is perfect for a YA story. She’s 18! She also stands up for herself and says what she means.

Nolan was perfect, no notes. I loved how honest he was to his character and to others and there’s just something about a man who “I hate everyone but you” is in a neurodivergent way. He’s highly intelligent but so aware of his emotions and feelings. I literally fall down to this man’s feet akjjxjajxiakksks ugh. I loved him. His quiet love forever!!! Also his one-liners and this quote during an interview about Mallory: “every last thing” — TOOK ME OUT, BYE. Everything about him.

This book is pretty much with the times and gen z moments, etc. But just enjoy the ride and story! I’m not nitpicky. YA romance always does something to my heart that uplifts me and that’s why I read this when I did, to feel that way again. Fear not, it’s not quite close door and there are such romantic moments. Thanks, Ali!!! Your books are crack to me.

I love Ali Hazelwood's writing style. It's cute. It's fun. While parts were a bit predictable it worked so well and the story was fabulous. The MCs were great and there were so many good side characters

Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Young Reader's Group & G.P. Putnam's Books for Young Reader's for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ali Hazelwood’s debut young adult novel Check & Mate was charming, witty, and surprisingly emotional.

Mallory Greenleaf (18) is under pressure, a lot of which is self-imposed pressure, to keep her family afloat. She was left guilt-ridden and lost after her father’s betrayal. Mallory has given up on all of her aspirations, from college to playing chess, and she especially has zero time or tolerance for feelings/relationships.

Nolan Sawyer (20) is the number one ranked chess player in the world; he is rich, handsome, and is seemingly on top of the world, but he too, is a bit lost until he meets Mallory.

Mallory and Nolan meet by chance at a charity chess tournament where Mallory shocks the world, and herself, by besting the number one ranked Nolan. Nolan is enthralled and Mallory is horrified; she had sworn off chess and feelings - Nolan is a threat to both.

Suddenly Mallory is thrust back into the world of chess and into close proximity to the enigmatic Nolan Sawyer. She is definitely attracted, but she does not have time for any distractions. Reluctantly a friendship starts to blossom, and Mallory begins to wonder if he may be worth the risk.

Check & Mate was a sweet, slow-burn young adult romance that featured a smart and witty female protagonist and a sweet male lead. I loved Mallory’s character growth, her family dynamics, the sex positive messaging within the story, and the lovely ending. Ali Hazelwood's writing continues to improve and impress , and I am excited to read more YA from her in the future.

With the two romantic leads being 18 and 20, I’d say this is more in the vein of new adult than young adult.

If you’re a fan of Hazelwood’s adult romcoms, you’ll enjoy this, too. Where her adult novels have focused on women in STEM, here we have a heroine who is fantastic at chess.

As someone who has always enjoyed chess (even though I’m not good at it), I loved being able to see the grand world of chess competitions. Reading this just made me feel smarter, which is always fun.

I loved Mallory as a main character. Bless her heart she’s trying so hard to be happy and to make her family’s lives easier. It was a joy to read her story.

This is the first book I've read by this author and it will not be the last! I loved everything about this YA novel and couldn't wait to get back to it every evening.

The voice was authentic young adult--Mallory's point of view immediately connected me and pulled me in, making me love her more with each page. Her family is composed of strong, intelligent, independent women and I cheered for them as they faced much drama.

I enjoyed Mallory and Nolan as enemies to lovers characters; their chemistry is amazing and very swoon-worthy. Their banter and sarcasm is some of the best I've ever encountered.

I laughed out loud so often while reading, but I also felt more emotions--anger, frustration, disappointment, and despair--as I journeyed with these three dimensional characters as they tried to figure out their own emotions and desires for their lives.

I will be recommending this book to everyone who reads young adult, rom coms, friendship stories, and readers who seek deeper themed stories with lots of humor.

Check & Mate was just plain delightful. It's definitely a romance novel, and one where you can root for the romantic pairing the whole way through. It's also a coming-of-age story for Mallory, and I found myself cheering her on the whole of the novel. She had a lot to contend with--her relationship with her family, who she is with or without chess, her best friend moving away to college while she is left behind--all things that can make a young person feel lost. I liked that Mallory was messy, but in a way that you wanted her to succeed.

I really like Ali Hazelwood, and I think this is a really strong showing from her.

This was so fricken good and i absolutely LOVED all of the characters.

The challenges Mallory faces after graduating high school is so similar to so many young adults and i really love how Ali Hazelwood wrote about her struggles.

And I just adore Nolan Sawyer.

This was such a great read, I highly recommend. (I will also say I don’t rly feel like it was YA, more of a new adult? The pop culture references were a little cringey but I was able to look past it)

If you like Ali Hazelwood's writing style and want to find yourself considering learning to play chess, this is the book for you. While this does have a tiny bit of romance in it, this book truly focuses more on Mallory learning to put her insecurities to rest and allow herself to be close to those she loves. It also does a great job at spotlighting gender stereotypes and the impact it has on women, specifically in areas such as chess.

Let's talk about our other MMC - Nolan is the perfect counterpart for Mallory, and the way he calmly and consistently shows up for her makes him the perfect book boyfriend. His steadiness and blunt approach eventually leads to Mallory finally taking a deeper look at her life and how she ended up where she was.

I really enjoyed this book, but do not think it will be for everyone as it does heavily focus on chess (I mean a lot of chess), guilt that stems from unresolved grief, and a girl learning to love herself while hiding behind supporting her family. In the end, Ali Hazelwood is always going to be an auto-read author for me because her books are so much more than a love story.

That prologue?!? I never thought I would jump on board for a book about chess so fast, but it’s Ali Hazelwood, I should never have doubted her.

Any preconceived skepticism about her young adult book not living up to her others was quickly squandered. It never felt immature or cringe-worthy (at least to me, getting to that later). It felt age appropriate for the 18 year old character and the story was not hindered because of it (again, in my opinion). However, we could get into the discussion about what kind of content should be present in young adult books, and I personally do not think this book needed to be classified as young adult. Not only because Mallory is 18 and Nolan is 20, but also because there was adult-like content. Swearing, talk of sex, lead up to sex, but then a fade to black scene (which I hate but respect in a YA setting, please don’t make me read minors having sex).

A lot of people cannot stand pop culture references in books and there are A LOT in this one. However…..I kind of loved it? I thought it was fun and realistic for an 18 year old and especially her 14 and 12 year old sisters. It felt relevant but funny and I did not experience the ick that most people do. I enjoyed it.
This was a completely contemporary story, no fantasy whatsoever, so it made it relatable and fun.

So I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. I was vibing and loving every cute moment and then was completely blind sided by the twist and cringing at how brutal the hurtful words in the argument were. Ouch. I did not think Mallory was capable of such cutting words and lashing out like, but I do understand it. I understand both sides which makes it hurt that much more but also is a testament to good writing.

The entire book, I knew there was going to be an eventual conversation with her family and I knew it would make me cry. Mallory goes above and beyond for her family because of some ideal she’s twisted in her head that the actions of her father were her fault because she exposed them. We all know she is wrong and just have to wait for this eventual conversation. And I was right. I cried.

Let me just take a moment for this quote:

“I am familiar with your Red Cross nurse tendencies and with your habit of shouldering the universe, Atlas-style.”

This 15 year old, man lmao

The family make up after the fight, everyone admitting their feelings and realizing things about each other was so damn healing. Tears. “I appreciate what you’ve done for us, but now it’s time to focus on what you want.”

And this quote right here!!!

“Life is too long to be afraid.”
“Too short, you mean.”
“No. Years spent carrying grudges, talking yourself out of things that might make you happy? They go slowly.”

I don’t even need input on that one. I don’t think I have ever heard this perspective.

How did I get this far without talking about the romance??? Honestly, this book was more than just romance, the family aspect really hit home for me. And as I mentioned, the chess story was seriously so interesting. Who knew? Maybe I should dig up my old board…

BUT, back to the romance, I loved it. It had the typical Ali Hazelwood feel and structure, which, I enjoy every time. I do not find that her romances get old; I think she writes in settings that no one else does, about really smart women, their very really struggles being smart women in a male dominated world, and makes these settings seem more relatable while also being educational. I will read all of her women in STEM romcoms as long as she decides to write them, and to see her apply the same writing to a chess story was a fun expansion to that.

~Thank you to Penguin Group, Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for this digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Nolan and Mallory are just fantastic!!! The chemistry was so good and that ending!!!! Also one of my favorite epilogues!!! Ali Hazelwood is amazing!!!

4.5⭐️

This was an adorable romance set against the backdrop of the chess world. Although marketed as YA, I’d argue that this falls more under the “new adult” genre. I love how Hazelwood decided to confront stereotype-threat using chess, as I was a huge fan of the Queen’s Gambit. This book also had a good balance between swoony romance and emotional substance, which I prefer in my romance reads.

One of my absolute top reads of this year! The new installment from Ali Hazelwood lives up to her fame and even more so, cements her as a top writer! Hazelwood has become an auto-buy author for me and I am grateful to have the opportunity to read the ARC for Check & Mate! The story follows Mallory and Nolan living up in the chess world of masters! In this intricate story, we explore Mallory’s life and pressure of sustaining her family as the eldest daughter. As much as she tries to not get back involved into chess, it becomes a financial opportunity to provide to her family, and Nolan is right next to her as the #1 Chess master to beat! Although this novel is categorized as YA, I will say that it did not read as YA! It was fun, entertaining, thrilling even! The banter between Mal and Nolan was hilarious and had me giggling the entire time! I know there will be a comparison between Check & Mate and The Queen’s Gambit but having read both, all they have in common is chess! Check & Mate stands alone as its own novel, with its own achievements and I’m sure will capture the hearts of many more! Also, Ali makes chess so accessible in C&M that it helps you digest really well the moves and plays and pieces, without getting lost and inciting a curiosity for the sport and its politics! This book is a must-read and one of my top reads this year!!! Well done, Ali!

Check & Mate - a book review.
“The pieces tell me a story. They draw pictures and ask me to color them in.”

First off, thank you to Netgalley for the ARC ebook version of this new read by Ali Hazelwood. It’s her first foray into the YA romance genre and I love all her adult romance STEMinist novels. I was interested to see how her writing and storytelling would relate to YA audiences. Here’s my thoughts on this read, which will be published in early November 2023.

“Guilt and responsibility are heavy burdens, Mallory. But they’re also something we can hide behind, and now you can’t do that anymore.”

Evaluation
I’m used to Ali Hazelwood’s writing style and have always enjoyed how she writes the inner voices of her female MCs. I didn’t get quite as much humor in Mallory’s inner voice compared to other books' MCs. Mallory was forced to grow up fast and care for everyone but herself in this coming of age romance. I was obviously wanting the two MCs to get together and someone to take care of Mal for a change. I appreciated the attention on females in a male dominant sport and how readers were able to see it affect Mal’s self-confidence. I found myself frustrated at Mal’s avoidance of her own triggers and traumas, wanting her to work through them so she could live a happier life doing what she actually loves. I liked reading about Mal & Nolan’s relationship and easy understanding of each other. Because this was a YA book, I think I was more frustrated by the emotional immaturity of the characters and disappointed by the mild spice level. Once you’re used to adult romance stories, I think it’s hard to go back to YA sometimes. Overall, it was a cute romance with characters dealing with their own issues and finding their way in life and with each other that gave us an interesting look into the competitive world of professional/semi-professional chess.

“He just nods once, like every single one of my victories is expected and his faith in me is as solid as a boulder.”

My 5 Star Rating in the YA Romance Genre: **** (4/5)

Recommendation
This book would be great for anyone that enjoys a YA romance with strong female MCs, mild spice level, nerdy characters, and coming of age stories. Other themes that may appeal to readers include male dominated fields, death of a parent, and mental health.

“I know they needed me. But I never quite understood how much I needed them before this year.”

I love Ali Hazelwood and Check & Mate did not disappoint! While it was chess-heavy, and I know nothing about chess, I really enjoyed this book and the characters. It was super cute, and I flew through this book. I would highly recommend!