Check & Mate
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Ali Hazelwood

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Atria Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Mallory Greenleaf is done with chess. Every move counts nowadays; after the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory's focus is on her mom, her sisters, and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and inadvertently wipes the board with notorious "Kingkiller" Nolan Sawyer: current world champion and reigning Bad Boy of chess.

Nolan's loss to an unknown rook-ie shocks everyone. What's even more confusing? His desire to cross pawns again. What kind of gambit is Nolan playing? The smart move would be to walk away. Resign. Game over. But Mallory's victory opens the door to sorely needed cash-prizes and despite everything, she can't help feeling drawn to the enigmatic strategist....

As she rockets up the ranks, Mallory struggles to keep her family safely separated from the game that wrecked it in the first place. And as her love for the sport she so desperately wanted to hate begins to rekindle, Mallory quickly realizes that the games aren't only on the board, the spotlight is brighter than she imagined, and the competition can be fierce (-ly attractive. And intelligent...and infuriating...)

My Thoughts: I love Ali Hazelwood’s books and this is her debut novel into the Young Adult genre and it carries everything we have come to expect from Hazelwood, a brilliant masterpiece. Mallory walked away from chess four years ago, even though she was a chess prodigy, to support her family. Mallory’s best friend convinces her to play in a tournament for fun and Mallory faces off with the current world chess champion, a prodigy in his own right, Nolan Sawyer, who has earned a bit of a reputation as an angry, top of his game player. In their face off, Mallory wins, a rookie beats the Kingkiller of Chess. When Mallory won against the best of the chess, it opened a sponsorship for her to play chess for money, however, she is reluctant to play as chess is what destroyed her family. She decides to play in secret, keeping chess and her family separate, but as she rises through the chess ranks, will the two worlds collide? Playing chess again also puts her in Nolan’s realm, making the attraction just as much of a game as chess itself. This follows the tropes of enemies to lovers, chess, and game rivals. ♟️

The story has a dual narration by Mallory and Nolan, in their respective perspectives. Mallory is fiercely independent, highly intelligent, wants to take care of her family, and will speak her mind. Nolan is blunt, spoke his mind, and has a tough exterior, but once you really get to know him, he is sweet, charming, and compassionate. The characters were well developed with depth, witty banter, chemistry, and intriguing. The supporting characters really elevate the story to another level, even the whiny entitled sister Sabrina. The characters are realistic and authentic, you could really relate to them. The author’s writing style was complex, swoony, humorous, and brilliant. This young adult romance packs a lot in. There are chess references throughout the story and the author does a fantastic job at describing some of the chess terminology so those who do not know anything about it can understand for the purposes of diving into this novel. The author’s representation of MS and mental health was done with grace.

This was Hazelwood’s debut Young Adult Romance novel and I felt it was a brilliant debut. It was heartwarming, sweet, swoon-perfect, and endearing. It was a lighthearted read the combined the world of chess and two young people trying to navigate their way through it. If you liked any of Hazelwood’s previous works, you will love this one. Hazelwood is known for spicy scenes, however, she does tone it back in this YA book making it audience appropriate. Hazelwood does a fantastic job at addressing the pressures on women in a man-dominated field, such as chess. I highly recommend picking up today!

Ali Hazelwood is a must-read, and that includes her YA. This made me want to investigate the world of competitive chess, and I was rooting for Mallory the entire time!

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood was my first read by this author and gives us Mallory and Nolan, rival chess players and possibly more? When Mallory steps in to play a chess tournament, no one saw her winning. Now the game she thought she’d never play is back in her life as is Nolan. While dealing with her family and trying to keep them moving forward, Mallory is finding herself. We get a lot of her at the beginning before we get the romance between her and Nolan. Nolan on the other hand was not upset as more intrigued by Mallory. I love their journey. It was emotional, touching and fun to read.

Happy reading!

Oh, I loved this! Ali Hazelwood is one of my favorite authors and she did not disappoint with this one. I’m hoping she writes more YA books in the future because this might’ve been my favorite from her so far.

What’s better than having someone fall in love with you after you beat them at chess? This was so cute and I adore Mal and Nolan.

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

This was my first Ali Hazelwood book but it will not be my last. I loved the romance centered around two teens interested in the game of chess. They were both smart teens exploring their emotions and families in a way that felt very realistic.

Nolan was so dreamy and sweet.

I liked that we saw so much of Mal's family dynamics and wish we had gotten the same with Nolan.

Overall such a cute, fun romance.

I really wanted to love this one, as I am drawn to Hazelwood’s adult novels, but sadly this missed the mark for me. I found myself bored throughout much of the book, and think maybe just the YA aspect is part of the problem. I had higher expectations, but frankly just need to stick to non-YA books moving forward. I will continue to devour her adult books per usual in the future.

4.50⭐️

I can always trust Ali Hazelwood to deliver with a swoony romance with an engaging plot and loveable characters 🩷

I love Ali Hazelwood and all of her books so I was eagerly anticipating her YA debut ever since it was announced.
And I absolutely adored Check & Mate, devoured it within a couple of hours!

I’m going to try making a list of all the things I loved:-
- Nolan Sawyer. Loved him so, so much!! Especially the fact that he was so in love with Mallory from that very first meeting!! I have always been a fan of ‘he falls first’ so of course I love Nolan but he was also just all around adorable and so uncomplicated. Loved his personality too, so charming!
- Mallory’s sisters Darcy and Sabrina. Well, I didn’t like Sabrina all that much in the beginning because she sounded like a total brat but then she grew on me and logically speaking, she’s just a kid. I really enjoyed their interactions and humour!
- Easton, Defne, Oz, Emil and Tanu. I always love a good supportive group of friends!
- Nolan and Mallory’s chemistry: Gosh, it was electrifying! I was living for every one of their interactions which is also why I flew through the book! It was everything!!!
- Both Nolan and Mallory were dealing with some serious issues, I liked how Mallory’s story was made intriguing to the reader by slowly disclosing little pieces of information, it made the story all the more interesting.
- I had learned to play (really bad) chess when I was a kid so mostly, I knew nothing about it but Ali Hazelwood still managed to make it interesting for me. I was fully invested in all the chess scenes as well so that’s definitely something I absolutely loved about this book.


Things I hated:-
- Malte Koch. He was so ridiculous, he made my blood boil. I was so happy with the ending he got.


Only reducing 0.5⭐️ because I just felt that it was shorter than what I wanted. I wanted more of Nolan- Mallory romance, more of their friendship, more of their moments together. I also felt that the last chapter before the epilogue was kind of rushed.
Also most definitely wanted to see more of Emil and Tanu AND their friendship/ scenes with Nolan and Mallory.

But overall, it was definitely one of my favourites of the year! I had a really good time reading it and would definitely reread plus recommend to everyone!



A huge thank you to Penguin Group for sending me an e-arc for reviewing!

3/5⭐️

In Check & Mate, Ali Hazelwood continued to do her Ali Hazelwood thing but this time in a YA debut with a slight step away from her usual STEM settings in the world of professional chess.

I loved this book but also really didn’t like it at times which is making it hard to review so I will break it down in terms of pros and cons.

Pros: The romance was adorable. The plot was good. It felt empowering (like most of Ali’s books do). I actually want to learn how to play chess even though I am way to stupid and easily distracted for chess but this book makes it seem so COOL. Also, queer characters ftw.

Cons: This book follows the Hazelwood blueprint we’ve read time and time again yet keep coming back for. Girl meets rival boy. She thinks rival boy hates her for being rival. Rival boy obviously loves her immediately for her brain and beauty, and everyone can tell but girl. Girl ruins everything by being blind and unobservant. Rival boy forgives her because he’s SO OBVIOUSLY IN LOVE WITH HER. The end. It’s getting predictable and slightly annoying (#miscommunicationtropehater). Also, I found many of the characters in this book just very unlikeable?? Including the main character and her immediate friends and family?? Not productive to a good book.

Anyways, if you liked Ali Hazelwood’s other works, you’ll like this one as well and maybe even develop a new hobby? We’ll see in a week.

Ali Hazelwood is an auto-buy author for me, so I was excited to read her YA book, Check Mate. I always look forward to reading her Women in STEM books, and while I loved this story about Mallory and Nolan, I do take issue with calling this a Young Adult read. While I realize that young adults (aged 14-18) talk about sex and have sex, I feel that this book should be marketed as a New Adult, as Mallory is 18 and Nolan is 20. This book could also be marketed as
'closed door" because *** SPOILER ALERT *** Nolan loses his virginity <albeit closed door / fade to black>. After I got over the fact that I feel like this book is mis-categorized, I really did enjoy the story, and witty dialogue between Mallory and her sisters (Darcy and Sabrina) as well as with her colleagues in the chess world. #CheckMate #NetGalley

Ali Hazelwood is a master of STEM romance and her latest, Check & Mate, is no different. With her first foray into YA, Hazelwood has created characters that you want to root for and that you want to see good things happen for. I adored this book, the romance was just right and, since it was YA far tamer than her usual fair. But, the book was so well written that I didn't find myself missing the steam that Hazelwood is known for.

Check & Mate is an enjoyable read that combines humor, romance, and the strategy of chess to make an entertaining romance. I liked the main characters and was glad they didn’t fall into normal tropes; they were more dimensional than that. But the plot of the book as a whole was pretty tropey though all of the chess stuff made it more unique. A solid YA debut from Hazelwood.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy of this title.

This is my new Ali Hazelwood book. While I loved all of her previous books, this is the best I have read. I loved the excitement of the chess (even though I know nothing about chess), as well as the family and friend relationships and issues. The romance was interesting, too. I loved seeing a make character who not so sex-driven.

Thank you netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for allowing me to read Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood. This was such a fun and cute read, I enjoyed every single moment of this book

Ali Hazelwood has a gift.

This story was funny, heartwarming, frustrating, and romantic all rolled up into a book about chess?

I haven’t played chess in a VERY long time, and I played BRIEFLY. After this book, the first thing I did was look up chess sets on Amazon.

This story also spoke to my ‘oldest sibling’ heart since I can relate to being the ‘second mom’ in my household who helps with responsibilities.

Mallory was such a hard worker who felt the need to step up after the loss of her dad. Taking care of an ill mom, and two teen sisters all whole being a teen yourself is such a burden. She felt the need to become the primary bread winner in their house and put her dream of college to the side. When her best friend convinces her to attend a chess match, her world is turned upside down when she beats one of the top chess players in the world.

This was such a great upper YA novel with complicated family dynamics, complex friendships, and heartwarming moments that keep you hooked from the first chapter. The romance was done in such a perfect way, our characters were soulmates. I still remember reading the final chapter and going “nooo I want more!” It ended too soon and that how you know a book is phenomenal. I truly didn’t want it to end.

I've never had a miss by Ali Hazelwood and this is no different. I didn't know what to expect since this has a different age focus as a YA romance, but it was super cute! Same vibes with grumpy sunshine.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me access this book!

First, I am not a chess person. I once babysat a kid who thoroughly trounced me enough times (despite trying to coach me through it) that I knew I don’t enjoy it. HOWEVER, this was really cute and a fun way to introduce someone (who doesn’t really like chess) to chess! The main character was often frustrating, but also relatable. I did wish we had some of Nolan’s perspective but he really was one of the best book boyfriends I’ve read in a long time.

Maybe next time Ali Hazelwood will write a romance with a tennis player so I finally learn the rules of tennis.

Check & Mate is Ali Hazelwood’s first Young Adult romance book and this fun rom-com
did not disappoint. This was such a cute story, and I loved Mallory and Nolan individually and as a couple. The pop culture references were fun, and I enjoyed learning more about chess. Hazelwood balanced the lightness of the plot with some serious topics such as sexism in the workplace, family dynamics when a parent figure is sick, and gaining confidence as characters come of age. This is a great Young Adult debut with a cute rivals to lovers romance and a fun sports theme


Thank you to NetGallery and to Penguin Publishing for giving me a copy of the book.

Mallory has put the game of chess in her rear view as she works to support her mom and sisters after a series of unfortunate events with her father. When an opportunity comes along to play chess, Mallory decides to take it…but only to help her family, not because she loves the game. Enter Nolan Sawyer, the “it” guy in the chess world. Will Mallory find her love for the game once again? And maybe love with Nolan too?

I love Hazelwood’s books. Maybe it’s the inner nerd in me, but something about unexpected female main characters finding love in seemingly nerdy ways just does it for me! Not to mention I was the chess champion of the 6th grade, so this one just hits different! 💪🏽 ♟️

Thank you to the publisher for an e-ARC via NetGalley to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I picked this one up because I needed something to read and I’ve been in a weird mood all around lately. I was hopeful that a YA romcom type of book would keep me interested while I struggled through reading it for a few days. Instead I DEVOURED this book! I didn’t want to put it down at all. I loved it so much, and I was laughing so much at the sibling banter.
Mallory was such a complex character, and I have mixed feelings about her. Overall I really liked her, but she did annoy me a bit. I think the author wrote the character really well.
I really liked Nolan. He was quiet and intriguing, and I liked that he and Mallory balanced each other. They saw things the same way in regards to chess, and I liked the chemistry between them.
I really liked the sex positivity in this story, and I died laughing when Mallory’s younger sisters were talking to Nolan about Mallory’s sex life.
This book was an easy and entertaining read, and i’d highly recommend it.

"Check and Mate" by Ali Hazelwood is a delightful addition to the author's impressive body of work, showcasing her exceptional talent for crafting captivating romances. As a devoted fan of Hazelwood's writing, I found myself once again enchanted by her ability to breathe life into characters and make their relationships feel authentic and compelling. The novel seamlessly straddles the line between young adult and new adult, offering a nuanced and mature perspective on love and self-discovery. Hazelwood's prose is both engaging and emotive, creating a world where readers can effortlessly immerse themselves in the intricacies of the characters' lives. For those seeking a heartfelt and well-executed romance within the realm of contemporary fiction, "Check and Mate" is a must-read that solidifies Ali Hazelwood's reputation as a master storyteller in the genre.