This was my first Ali Hazelwood book, and I definitely want to check out more of her writing after this! I really enjoyed the dynamic between Mallory and Nolan. I thought they were very sweet together, and I love how patient Nolan was with her feelings. I thought their banter was a lot of fun, and I loved watching them learn to trust one another. I also really liked learning more about Mallory and why she had such a distaste for chess. Nolan was definitely my favourite of the two, I thought he was a sweet little cinnamon roll and I want him to have all the happiness in the world. I wouldn't be mad if we got another story featuring these two. The dynamic between her family was also a big part of this book, and my heart broke for their situation. I liked how Mallory began to open up more to her family about the guilt she was carrying and how it was affecting her. I thought the look into the gender stereotypes in the chess community was also really well done, and could be applied to a lot of other male dominated areas in the world as well.

A resounding 4.25/5

I was nervous going into this book because I had seen mixed reviews. It seemed like people either really loved the book or thought it was slow and dragged on. I have really enjoyed all of Hazelwood's books, so I knew I had to give it a shot, and I am so glad that I did.

Enemies to lovers is a trope that I will always read and love. Mallory and Noah's chemistry throughout the book was off the chart, and it was a slow burn. I also really enjoyed their connection because of their relationships with their fathers. It was a common thread, along with chess, that made them perfect for each other.

This was a fun book, and I really appreciated the opportunity to read it! I will recommend this book.

Ali Hazelwood is a genius. I was nervous about her YA debut but I should not have been. It was fun, tense, exciting and I learned something.

Chess wizard Mallory Greenleaf has been out of the game for a minute but she returns for a charity tournament and is sucked into the world again and into the orbit of Nolan Sawyer the world number one. They have great chemistry and tension- and I rooted for them the whole book. Both of them had to overcome family challenges to grow and they really are so great.

I would love to see some of the other characters get their own stories in the future. I have lots of questions about the friends and the coaches that I’d love to see explored.

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood is a cute and quirky read. While we've grown to know this author has a certain writing style, this was definitely geared more toward the teen/young adult making it read differently then her typical books. However, it was still very enjoyable and I loved the story of Mallory and Nolan. I also liked the chess aspect and it was easy to understand for someone who knows nothing about chess. I would definitely recommend this book to people who like a fast-paced romance book filled with comical and dynamic characters. This author will always be an automatic read for me!

This was a DNF for me, I just couldn't get into the characters and storyline even though it sounded like a lot of fun!

I feel like this is definitely one of my favorite Ali Hazelwood books because of their characters and their development.

The tension that these two had throughout the book was truly so, so good. Rivals to lovers (enemies to lovers) is one of my favorite tropes for this reason!

I also love the LGBTQ+ representation in this book! I'm all for this and when it's written the right way (like in this book), it's truly amazing to capture their feelings and their struggles.
Most definitely would recommend this YA!

I was a little skeptical of Ali switching to a YA book, but it looks like she can do it all. I know little of chess, but found it entertaining anyways. Though predictable, it's exactly what I want in a YA novel.

♟️Book Review:
Title: Check & Mate
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/3 stars

Now, first off, I have pretty much zero knowledge about chess, so although I love this author, I was afraid I wouldn't like this book. But I really enjoyed it! I was pleasantly surprised! It is a cute YA book!

Mallory Greenleaf was one of the top chess players as a tween, but those days are long gone. She now focuses on taking care of her mother and her younger sisters. Until one day, she begrudgingly decides to play in a charity tournament. Just one last game, right?! Wrong! She ends up beating the current world champion, Nolan Sawyer. When Mallory receives a much needed cash prize, she realizes she might need to pull the chessboard back out. But there's a reason why she stepped out years ago, and it's a secret she doesn't want to share with anyone!

This book has drama, humor, tension, deceit, and love, and it was an enjoyable read!

Published: November 7th, 2023

Thank you, @netgalley and @penguinteen, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was so darn cute & I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to read it! Ali Hazelwood truly is the 🐐 and I will never l hesitate to pick up one of books again!

♟️ Chess Champions
⚔️ Rivals to Lovers
💖 Swoon Worthy
🫶 Family
❤️‍🩹 Healing
🏆 Competition

Thank you so much G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the gifted copy!

As an Ali Hazelwood superfan, I am absolutely enchanted by her latest novel, "Check & Mate." Hazelwood once again proves her mastery of contemporary STEM romance, blending wit, charm, and emotional depth into a story that captivates from the very first page.

The chemistry between the protagonists is nothing short of electric, and their journey from strangers to lovers is beautifully crafted and deeply relatable. Hazelwood excels at creating characters that feel real and multidimensional, making it easy to root for their happiness.

The plot is engaging, filled with delightful twists and heartfelt moments that keep you hooked. Hazelwood's writing is sharp and immersive, perfectly balancing humor with heartfelt emotion. The themes of personal growth and self-discovery add an extra layer of depth, making the story resonate long after the last page is turned.

"Check & Mate" is a brilliant addition to Hazelwood's body of work and a must-read for any romance lover. It's a gem that will delight her fans and undoubtedly win over new readers.

Super entertaining, plus chess drama! ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

It’s been four years since Mallory gave up playing chess competitively. When an opportunity arises, to earn much needed money to support her family, she is drawn back into the conflicting sport.

This is one of those books that really skirts the line on what is considered YA. The flow of Check & Mate isn’t quite as smooth as some of the author’s other books. I was invested in Mallory’s story and her personal growth but the romance side plot is lacking. It seems just thrown in superfluously.

I have read all of Ali Hazelwood’s books up to this point. This is the author’s first YA book. While this one wasn’t a great fit for me, I would be interested in reading more YA from her in the future.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ali Hazelwood is one of those auto buy authors for me. I haven't picked up a book by her that I haven't absolutely loved. Check & Mate is no exception. I loved that I am highly entertained by her writing, but at the end of it, I really do want to become a chess player as well. She makes learning new things I usually have no interest in so entertaining and lovely.

While this adorable novel is marketed as YA, I feel like Hazelwood just wrote her usual spicy romance novel, made the characters teenagers, and cut the explicit sex scenes. There’s still a lot of foul language and some mild spice (kissing and groping), but my main issue was how the characters do not act like teens. They’re adults aged at 18 and 20. I might recommend this to seniors because it is a great book!! I ate it up. Loved every minute and the chess was so interesting. The MMC was amazing as always. But I would not hand it to my 9th and 10th graders. Too mature.

I read this one back in 2023 and really enjoyed it! Ali Hazelwood's writing is always humorous and witty, and her foray into the YA genre was no exception. While reading, I found myself wishing that I played chess, which is truly a testament to how immersive and fun the story was. Heavier topics were interspersed, and while I thought they were age appropriate, I found myself struggling to offer Mallory's mother grace. The trauma had a profound effect on the entire family, and I wish there had been more focus on the resolution itself. With many pop culture references and a swoon worthy romance, CHECK & MATE is an easy recommendation for a fun YA romance. Many thanks to Penguin Teen for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!

Seeing Ali Hazelwood write a YA book was intriguing to me because the way she rights adult rom coms is STEAMY!

This YA rom-com was written so tastefully and still made me swoon for the connection our FMC and MMC created. Enemies to lovers done for young readers is so relatable because let’s face it, when we are teens we feel like everyone is the enemy. Especially when a completion is involved.

Who knew the world of chess could be so romantic? Ali Hazlewood makes a stunning YA debut with this heartfelt romance.

I’ve always really enjoyed Ali Hazelwood’s books, but this one fell flat for me. I’ll start with the positives. The professional chess environment was unique and fascinating! It’s definitely not a setting I’ve put any thought in to! Competitive chess players blow my mind. The patience required is astronomical! I enjoyed a few of the friends Mallory makes along the way as well.

Now for the parts that kept me from thoroughly enjoying this story.

I’m not buying that these monster sisters of Mallory’s are even one iota loveable. They’re spoiled brats and trying to explain them as anything else was off-putting to me. I’m not sure if we’re supposed to find their “sister drama” to be endearing or normal or what, but it didn’t work for me. Add on top of that, the mother is suffering greatly from chronic pain and in turn essentially doesn’t exist in their household. I didn’t find the chronic pain storyline enough to excuse her complete lack of parenting, and indifference at the CLEAR struggle her oldest daughter is dealing with. She regularly turns a blind eye at the teen sister’s abuse of Mallory. There’s a hug-it-out moment at the end where the sister claims she’s not ungrateful, simply angry at being treated like a child, but that doesn’t line up with the aggressively hateful dialog throughout the book. Unfortunately, these sisters are a large part of the story and I hated every minute of it.

The love interest, Sawyer is easy-going and straight forward and so easy to like, despite his borderline creepy fixation on Mallory. We might have benefited from his POV, but as it stands, he comes on a bit strong, all while lacking much actual personality.

This book was more cobbled together than most of this author’s works. The all-up-in-your-business, no-boundaries bestie who completely disappears? The daddy drama that isn’t adequately explained for most of the book? It just didn’t feel like a fully formed concept.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC to review.

Very cute and fun and a little nerdy! This is my first Ali Hazelwood book and it will not be my last! So fun!