An adorable book for fans of The Queens Gambit. It felt at the start that too much was being tossed around and explained to layout the background but after a few chapters it settled in and I couldn't put it down! A great YA read!

I definitely loved this author's other books/work! But sadly this one fell a bit short for me. Perhaps if I was a bigger chess person or like the romance of YA books (i enjoy spice since ACOTAR & Neon Gods broke me) Thanks NetGalley for this ARC! I def love this author I just feel like this is def for a niche audience if that makes sense! 3.0/5 stars.

Ali Hazelwood is usually a hit for me and her first foray into YA is no different! It had been a minute since I had read a YA book but it’s a genre that I absolutely adored and this book reminded me of it. One of the things I really love about Ali’s books is how much I learn about different communities that I would normally know nothing about. I had no idea how much money was in competitive chess!

I loved how honest and to the point Nolan is when talking to Mallory and that he wasn’t afraid to call her on her BS. He just wanted what was best for her, even though it took her a lot longer to figure that out. There were definitely times where I wanted to shake Mallory and tell her that she could make her life easier if she was just honest with herself and the people around her and get out of her own way and then I’d remind myself that she’s 18 and we’re all kind of like that at 18.

I was happy to see the friendship with Easton was worked out, when you and your best friends go separate paths after high school it can be hard, and communication can breakdown. I’m glad that story was rounded out and not just left as a footnote.

I was a little nervous that with this being a YA book I’d find the story a little juvenile, but I didn’t. I think Ali’s normal readers will enjoy this new book just as much as they do her adult stories. It may not be as explicit as her adult stories but with the characters being 18-20, it feels more like a new adult closed door romance rather then a traditional YA.

I really enjoyed Mallory and Nolan’s story and would have loved a few more chapters of them living their lives in the epilogue!

Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group and Ali Hazelwood for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A must if you love the game of chess!
This was a beautifully written story of a girl who gave up playing the game she loved because of something that happened in her life only to discover it again a few years later and fall even more in love with it then. I loved following Mallory's journey. The fact that she was so strong, independent and caring and gave up so much to help take care of her sisters and mother made her into such an admirable character. Seeing her resdiscover her love for chess was entertaining. The way she jumped the ranks of chess players so quickly seemed a little unbelievable, but since I know nothing about the chess world I assumed it was totally possible.
Nolan Sawyer was such an interesting character, being so focused on the game that he didn't have time for anything else, especially not dating until Mallory beat him at chess that is. That was such a cute love story, watching him fall in love with the only girl that ever caught his attention.
It was funny and sweet, gave you a glimpse into real life struggles like making money and paying bills and also took you into a world where young adults are so focused on their careers or passions that everything else; social media, sex, going out, take a backseat, which is refreshing in this day and age. I learned so much about chess by reading this book and I gotta admit it made me want to start playing!

Wow! 5 stars!
This is my first Ali Hazelwood book and the hype is real. I absolutely loved the main characters and the side characters. It was great getting a taste of the world of professional chess without getting extremely technical.
This book is about Mallory, a girl who grew up with a professional chess player father and loved playing chess as a kid. At a certain point in her life, she gives up the game but a few years later is convinced to play in a small tournament for her best friend. This introduces her back into the world of chess and she’s extremely talented.
The story follows Mallory’s conflicted feelings about chess, her emotions ties to her family and responsibility and her fear of losing her best friend who goes away to college.
While this is a romance, there is so much more character development and plot that takes place. The relationship building outside of the main couple is fantastically does (Oz and Mallory is my favorite). I am a casual chess player and I feel like knowing the basics helped my enjoyment when reading this book but isn’t necessary.
This is a YA book so there isn’t detailed spice. I feel like this makes it easy for me to recommend this book to a wider variety of book lovers in my life.

Ali Hazelwood writes it, and I one-click pre-order it, read-it-on-release-day, and buy-a-copy-for-all-my-gal-pals. Ali’s debut into YA/NA is fabulous and a phenomenal read for both Gen Z and (apparently ancient?) millennials like me.

I love the pacing of the plot and that the romance merges in at a later point, really allowing you to feel the depth of Mallory as an individual and connect with her. She’s bold and brave but she’s still an 18-year old girl with normal fears and insecurities. The best part of Mallory is she’s mature for her age, in a painful had-to-grow-up-too-fast sort of way that makes her so relatable to all age groups reading.

Perhaps the most beautiful part of the book is less the relationship between Mallory and Nolan, and more the relationships between her and her best friend, her sisters, and her mother. The dynamic is so emotional, full of ups and downs and coming back together; the support and love and steadfastness of female bonds. The heartwarming reminder that sometimes we need to put ourselves first, be vulnerable, and ask for what we want is well-timed with a punch to the gut and a trigger to your tear ducts.

Some more incredible highlights:
* Mallory is terrifically bi and I love how normalized it is
* Chess! Who knew it was so high stakes?!
* Her sisters think she’s geriatric, so as an older millennial, I’m basically ancient??
* An emotional support sandwich!
* The imbalance of women in the sport of chess and what we can learn from it
* Women supporting women, and the pressure to not let them down

Thanks to Penguin Group and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review this title. I am so honored to have had early access to this title and look forward to purchasing a hard copy for my shelf.

Was this book amazing? Yes! Is Ali Hazelwood a national treasure that must be protected at all costs? 100%! Loved this YA debut from one of my favorite authors. I screeched with delight to be able to read this ARC and can’t wait to get my hands on the actual book when it comes out in Nov. I loved the story between Mallory and Nolan and how Ali proved that while a YA book that doesn’t mean the characters can’t have depth and complex lives at such a young age. The story flowed in such a dynamic and interesting way I couldn’t put it down!

The relationship between Mallory and Nolan was so cute. They’re rivals but they really care about each other. I knew nothing about chess before reading this book, but it was still very enjoyable. A very fun and unique romance.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group (Penguin Teen) for the arc of this book.

Another super cute romance by Ali Hazelwood!

I loved the chess aspect, it felt well researched and was a setting that isn’t very common so it was nice to have something new.

As it’s YA/NA, the characters felt much younger which I was happy about as they acted and responded how 18-20 year olds would.

Mallory was the chaotic main character being swallowed by her life and I loved how people told her straight what her flaws were and the growth she had throughout. Nolan was super sweet and I loved the relationship he built with her family but I was left feeling like I wanted a little bit more out of him. A little more personality to get attached to besides a few tender lines that I still squealed for.

I also could not stand Sabrina - I didn’t end up caring what her reasoning was for being a snot she had irritated me too much already by then. A lot of people harp on the pop culture references which I don’t mind until ‘AF’ is used in a sentence but that’s personal preference.

Overall, I’m still super happy Ali is branching into younger stories as well because I thought she handled topics like sexuality and intimacy really well in a young adult setting. And of course always vouching for women in men saturated professions and sports. Our feminist queen.

As Ali Hazelwood’s debut young adult novel, it was so well done! I found myself wanting to keep reading especially when it was not possible for me to be reading (like at work). This was a quick, cute and fun read!

Honestly, I wasn’t hooked until Nolan and Mallory met (which you don’t have to wait long for). After their initial meet, I anticipated their scenes together and I was excited to see what happened between the two of them. I feel like Nolan must now be added to my fictional boyfriend list! I found myself rooting for Mallory and wanting better for her than she thought she deserved. And sometimes I found myself mad at her sisters for her (Darcy was actually kinda adorable but Sabrina irked me). There was character growth, not just with Mal but her sisters as well, which I feel was important for Mal's growth.

I loved that there were things I didn’t predict and I definitely said out loud, “PLOT TWIST” when we learned new things relevant to the plot of the story.
The steam in this is the perfect amount for a young adult book. This book does mention sex a bit so be prepared for that (just not in an explicit way). Definitely cleaner than Ali’s adult books!

I would definitely recommend this to YA or Ali Hazelwood fans!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Eighteen year old Mallory Greenleaf stopped playing chess years ago, after it tore her family apart. Now, she spends her days struggling to help her ailing mother support her younger sisters. When a friend convinces her to play in a charity chess tournament, Mallory manages to defeat world champion Nolan Sawyer, aka Kingkiller. Though Mallory had no intention to keep playing, Nolan is eager for a rematch, not to mention her family could really use the cash prizes. As she climbs the ranks and rediscovers her passion for the game, her rivalry with Nolan slowly becomes something more.

This book delivered a refreshingly different set-up from previous books in the Aliverse. Having just graduated from high school, Mallory is eighteen and struggling with her choice to stay home to support her family instead of going to college like her friends. Mallory's platonic relationships were kept in the forefront moreso than the romance and she was a well developed character with a strong coming-of-age story arc. I loved her relationships with her sisters! More on brand, the chess world is ridiculously sexist and Mallory must deal with a number of sexist jerks who don't believe she belongs there.

Though the romance felt more like a subplot at times, the tension and interactions between Mallory and Nolan were perfection. I adored Nolan from the beginning and his respect for Mallory had me swooning. The romance didn't overly rely on tropes and flipped the script in several ways. I picked up on the foreshadowing of certain story elements but it didn't feel super predictable.

This is solidly in the YA genre; no smut here, just fade to black. Mallory is Gen Z and the text is riddled with pop culture references, but the latter is nothing new (and, personally, I'm not complaining about the Timothée Chalamet references). Still, from my perspective as a millennial reader, it's lots of fun and perfect for fans of The Queen's Gambit. In the Aliverse, I rank this second to The Love Hypothesis--it was really good and different! More of this please!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital ARC.

I'm already a huge Ali Hazelwood fan and this book just solidified it even more! I absolutely loved this! Though, I admit l, I was a little intimidated about the fact it was set the chess world. I haven't a clue about chess nor had any interest in it but that didn't keep me from enjoying this! I loved Nolan and Mallory, even though, Mallory sometimes left me annoyed with some of her choices! But my absolute favorite, was Mallory's sisters, especially Darcy. Some of their antics (partially the dinner scene) had me laughing out loud. It was a fun, fluffy read and contained everything that I love about Ali Hazelwood.

I think this was an excellent YA novel. Nolan was by far my favorite character, and I absolutely loved Mallory’s character development. Dialogue could be a little too banter-y and awkward at times but I had to remember these were older teens and not adults.

SWOON!!!!!

This was exactly what I needed - loved it!!! (strong 4 stars)

I'm a HUGE fan of the show Queen Gambit - I must have watched it 5 times already. So, when I heard Ali Hazelwood was writing a chess related novel I couldn't keep my excitement contained.

I ended up devouring Check & Mate!!!

It was everything I hoped for, didn't disappoint one second, and makes me excited for more YA/NA coming from this author.

Although, for me this book felt more like a NA novel than YA, which doesn't make much difference in this instance, but thought I should mention it. I loved the characters, their journeys, and the overall plot. Loved the focus on chess, and feel because it wasn't just chess, chess, chess all the time most people who love this genre will enjoy it a LOT.

A modern rom com love story mixed with a classic game. Filled with Hazelwood’s usual sarcastic wit and banter. Enjoyed!
Thank you NetGalley and Ali Hazelwood for the opportunity to read this arc!

Wow. Ali Hazelwood. Sticks to herself but in a breakaway fashion for YA. This book was cute. A lot a chess. A lot of chess. I mean I do t understand chess but a lot of it was wow. Mallory's backstory broke me. As a child of a cheating parent, it's hard. She took on so much responsibility. It should not have fallen to her. But it did. She shouldered what no child should have to. It made me hate her mom a little bit. You are the parent. I understand chronic illness but no. It's not your 15 year old child's job to provide for you. Nope nope nope. Anyway I digress. Mallory. She shouldered so much.

There was a little toooooo much YA for me. Lots of fart talk mixed with sex talk. A lot of teenage havent come into myself. Which is all fine. But I'm in my 30s and a mother of 4 so that's hard for me to relate/escape to the mind of an 18 year old. Because I wanted Mallory to succeed. I wanted her to be a TEENAGER. A COLLEGE STUDENT. I WANTED HER MOM TO FIGHT FOR HER.

Still it's Ali Hazelwood gold :)

This is my first Ali Hazelwood novel and I'm grateful I received an arc for her first YA debut! I've been a bit hesitant to try her other books but was really excited to read this one because young adult romance is my jam.

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this novel about chess prodigy Mallory, who quits chess in her early teens, yet decides to return to the game to make some extra cash for her family (and consequently falls in love with the sexy, bad boy, reigning chess World Champion, ofc).

Faves:
- the romance... it was like rivals to lovers but they also weren't exactly rivals and more like friends with rivalrous tension??!?? OMG it was good
- you know when the guy falls first... YEAH. THAT. I LOVE THAT.
- the chess setting... Ali wrote in her author's note that the chess realism wasn't perfect and I honestly don't care about the specifics because overall, the setting of chess tournaments was super fun and unique! It added layers to both the romantic tension but also the sideplots. If you care about the accuracy of chess specifics, maybe it's not for you.
- the relationship Mallory had with her sisters!! I love a complex sister dynamic

Not so Faves:
- the writing was rifled with pop culture references: too much Riverdale; a lot of Tiktok; I gasped at the mention of Adam Driver (that was brave); I'm SO conflicted on the Nolan x Percy Jackson fan fiction mention (lmao???); VSCO is so 2019 and just proof that pop culture ages a book; ETC...
- Mallory's narration irked me at times, and I don't think that's a fault of character development (young adult characters are meant to be immature and I don't mind that) but rather a consequence of silly writing style (which I think is characterized a lot by the ludicrous pop culture references).

Well despite everything, I did very much enjoy this. LOL.

THIS BOOK WAS DIVINE!

I am forever grateful to Penguin Group, NetGalley, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am usually not a young adult fan mostly because there is almost always a miscommunication trope (duh, young adults miscommunicate all the time), but this book was *chef's kiss*. As a fan of Ali Hazelwood's other books, this was honestly my favorite of the bunch.

I adored this book to a point that I started to read more slowly at the end so I could drag out the completion. Nolan was, by far, my favorite character - his story arc was perfect and I felt all of things he felt even though we came at this from Mallory's perspective.

Also... also... also - the EPILOGUE! So good. I don't want to spoil anything but I have never seen an epilogue done this way and it was the perfect ending.

The only thing I could potentially dock points for were the constant self-martyrdom from Mallory. I had to keep reminding myself that this was a young adult book and young adults are, well, dramatic about things. Granted, what she went through as a child was actually traumatic, but she also went about dealing with it the incorrect way and I sorta wish this was resolved better (like going to therapy or something).

If you like:
- Slow burn romance
- Queer main characters
- nonconforming gender roles
- great dialogue and banter
- chess (or how chess can actually be really sexy and the tension was INCREDIBLE)

Cannot say enough good things about this book.

4/5 stars!

Ali Hazelwood has easily become one of my favorite romance authors, and this book is no exception. After binge watching the Queen's Gambit over quarantine, I became a little obsessed with chess, so reading a romance novel about chess from one of my favorite authors was a must.. The chemistry between the two lovers was believable and might be one of my favorite couples that she's ever written. This is the perfect summer read!

In general, I love that Ali Hazelwood writes about powerful women in STEM, and female protagonists that go beyond the typical gender stereotypes

A smart and cute rom com perfect for fans of Netflix queens gambit. There are fade to black scenes so great for ya readers. There are strong family, romance, and friendship themes throughout the book.