Thank you NetGalley for the ARC opportunity!

This was good and i enjoyed it. You could feel the connection of the 2 main characters right away. My biggest issue was the fact that they both obviously needed therapy. Especially Jamie. He had really been through alot and kinda left to deal with it alone from all ends. And for Scarlett, everyone let her only focus on chess but no one had the hard talks with her about her attitude and faux independence issues.

✨Book Review: Bold Moves✨
Author: Emma Barry

Scarlett is a bad-ass female Grandmaster whose memoir is about to be turned into a miniseries. The only problem? The person behind the miniseries is her childhood ex, Jaime.

You’ll already know how much I love chess, so when I saw this had a chess theme I knew I had to request it. It absolutely DID NOT DISAPPOINT. I actually requested and received both an eARC and eALC from NetGalley so I was happy when I managed to get both of them so I could go back and forth between the two, and so I could enjoy the story on my commute.

I really loved this book. The story felt so real and the chemistry between the characters practically jumped off the page. You get to watch their chemistry and connection grow throughout the beginning of the story as they go from (now) strangers back to friends. They each have their own hang-ups and you can see the way they begin to change as the story progresses. She’s a lone wolf used to doing everything herself and not letting people in (until she does). He is so used to taking care of everyone that he sometimes doesn’t know when to step back (until he does).

This is perfect for fans of:
♟️Chess
♟️Second chance romance
♟️Childhood friends to lovers
♟️Friends to strangers to lovers
♟️Dual POV
♟️Amazing side characters
♟️Strong female main character

I also absolutely loved listening to the audio. Most mornings I didn’t mind getting stuck in a little extra traffic in order to listen for longer. I’m always a sucker for dual narration.

Bold Moves is out now through KU or in paperback or audio.

A very special thank you to NetGalley Montlake, Brilliance Audio, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bold Moves by Emma Barry

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

Even though I personally don’t play chess, I am always so excited to read books about the game. I find the sport fascinating, and the structure surrounding it intriguing. I honestly was hoping for a little more of the chess world in Bold Moves, but it felt like we just kind of danced around it the entire time. Not to say it was bad, but I just wanted more!

Scarlett Arbuthnot is one of only a handful of female chess grandmasters on the planet, and she scratched and clawed her way to get there. Now, she’s written a memoir detailing her experience with the misogyny and sexism in the chess world, a memoir she is quite protective of. She won’t trust just any old filmmaker to adapt it either, but when Jaime Croft, her high school sweetheart, shows up in the lobby of her building with high hopes and a blank check, Scarlett decides to take him up on the offer … but only if she can co-write and co-produce the show right alongside him. However, Jaime has stipulations, too. He wants to write the show in Musgrove, Virginia, their hometown and where they fell in love as kids. But unbeknownst to Jaime, Scarlett has carried around a secret for the last 17 years that will shake his foundation to the core.

I was really enjoying this book in the beginning. It had promise and kept me hooked to see what was going to happen next. The tension and chemistry was there and strong. Then, it started to get a little repetitive. It felt like Jaime and Scarlett were just a pendulum swinging back and forth, taking turns hurting each other. I hate a third act breakup, but that would have required them to work out their issues and even be together in any sort of meaningful way in the first place, which they never were. It felt very superficial and lust-fueled, even though you could definitely tell they were in love with each other the whole time.

I really wanted more chess in this. I wanted to see Scarlett take on the misogyny in a game, not just read about it. We don’t get that until the very end. I think it would have added so much more depth and dynamic to her character that was lacking. She comes off very egotistical and arrogant and not as intelligent as I imagined her to be. I get why she painted herself that way, but did she have to act that way with Jaime, too?

My one pretty strong ick was the accents of the audiobook narrators. I am from Appalachia myself, but hearing a southern accent in a book just absolutely grates on me for some reason. I am 100% aware of the fact that I sound exactly like they do in real life, but it’s just not something I want to hear in audiobook narration. I think this is just a personal preference of mine, though, and I do appreciate that the narrators tried to stay true to the region and show a different side to it, one where accents don’t define your success or intelligence, which is something I will always champion.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. It would be great for fans of The Queen’s Gambit or Ali Hazelwood’s Check & Mate.

Thank you to NetGalley, Emma Barry, and Montlake for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated are my own.

With second chances being my bread and butter, I couldn't wait to see what Emma Barry was going to bring us in Bold Moves. The whole promise of a fierce grandmaster FMC teaming up with the love of her past to adapt her memoir to a tv show. I really loved the first half of the book and just seeing everything unwind between them. Naturally, there's no doubt that something is still simmering between them, but there's definitely something that needed to be said.

They have a lot to work through individually and together as well. And I did struggle with Scarlett's character a little because at time it just came off as my way or the highway. I totally understand that because of her upbringing, but it brought in this new element that I haven't quite read about. However, it's something she recognizes and wants to work on in the future.

With Jaime's hang-ups, while I understood his decisions, it really brought in the angst a bit.

I feel like this book won't work for everyone because you're getting a dynamic that you don't always see in romance. For me, it was fresh and it had me looking at both sides very deeply. There was more push and pull than I would have liked, but overall, I really enjoyed this one!

The narration was solid by Savannah Peachwood and Jeremy York. I have enjoyed Jeremy's work in the past, but this was a first time listener for Savannah. They did a great job with Scarlett and Jaime, so I'll definitely be looking out for them in upcoming work!

Publishes tomorrow!

“It’s better to start from nothing than to start from crap.”

Jamie and Scarlett ended things years ago: She wrote a memoir about her chess career, he’s adapting it for TV…what could go wrong? If you like an enemies to lovers, women in STEM, second chance, forced proximity, steamy romance, this is for you! I enjoyed the story, writing style and the narration! Love all the comparisons of chess to life!

Thank you Brilliance Publishing for an ARC.

A sweet and witty story about childhood friends who have tragic end to their relationship only to reconnect as adults. Scarlett is a grand master of chess and Jamie is a critically acclaimed producer. When she published a memoir Jamie knows that only he can do it justice on screen. The catch? They haven’t spoken in a decade and they parted on bad terms.

I generally enjoyed this book. It was spicy and witty and the chess aspect added a unique backdrop. I did find Scarlett extremely annoying as an FMC, however. While her life circumstances were extremely difficult, her lack of respect and care for other people was hard to swallow. Overall a cute read and I would recommend.

🎧Song Pairing: Checkmate - Jena Rose

💭What I thought would happen:

I am not certain if this is like a Queen’s Gambit sort of read or like 2 chess players find love (it’s neither)

📖What actually happens:

♟️Female chess master
💜Second chance romance x 2
🫶🏼Workplace/partnership romance
🩷Small town romance
😱Family drama

🗯Thoughts/sassy musings:

LOVE the cov! It’s colourful-scrumdiddly-umptious😂

I was down for the dual POV and narration. However, this may be small but tell me it was a man narrating and producing without telling me - he completely butchered saying La Perla which hello so cringe! (Small petty annoyance. I won’t change)

I am so not your girl for second chance romance, that being said the reason these kids couldn’t get their sh!t together did make sense.

I know NOTHING about CHESS! I played a few attempts with a bf who made me feel like an idiot and I never bothered to continue. There is a LOT of chess terminology…and it dragged hard but I get that it was the point of the book. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Overall, a-okkkkk

⚠️dealing and incarceration of substance distribution

Some exes should remain an ex.

Most of the book was about Scarlett and Jamie’s intense back-and-forth relationship. At first, it was a bit emotional and dramatic but then as the story continues, I felt disconnected to them. I wish there were more scenes from their past or deeper moments that showed real feelings, not just obsession or attraction.

For you love chess, you might like this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Brillance Publishing for the Arc!

I absolutely adored the FMC, Scarlett. She’s a chess grandmaster who came from humble beginnings and built her success on her own terms. She’s confident in who she is and fiercely independent—something I really admired about her—even if it means she sometimes keeps people at arm’s length.

Scarlett and Jaime reconnect when he approaches her about adapting her memoir into a TV series, and from the start, it’s clear there’s still something between them. I loved watching their dynamic unfold as they not only rekindled their relationship but also worked through some of the hard history and decisions that drove them apart in the first place. Their journey felt honest and earned, and I really appreciated how they grew—not just as a couple, but individually too.

The audiobook was also fantastic. Savannah Peachwood and Jeremy York were so well cast and really brought Scarlett and Jaime to life. Their voices captured the characters' personalities and emotional depth so well—I was completely drawn in.

Having loved The Queen's Gambit, I was delighted to see another chess book available - this time with a romance-forward plot. I loved Scarlett and Jamie and will certainly recommend this book.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

The Queen’s Kiss was one of the most devastating forms of checkmate. It was when you landed your queen squarely in front of your opponent’s king, but they couldn’t take it— because if they did, then their king would immediately be taken by another piece of yours. It was an absolute power play, and Scarlett adored delivering it.

Bold Moves is a sizzling second chance romance between high-school sweethearts, who meet again 17 years later. Though Scarlett, the main female character, is not the one you could call a sweetheart, quite the opposite, it is really hard to like her at the beginning of the story, it took some time to warm to her. Meanwhile, Jamie, the main male character, at first glance appears to be a perfect book-boyfriend, especially his older version, thanks God (or rather, the author) for the flaws and little insecurities that made him absolutely yummy. Loved the way the topics of the chess world as well as having imprisoned relatives were blended into the story. The audiobook narrators did a decent job, but I felt as if they toned it down a little bit, since while reading the story seemed more emotional and intense.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

I really wanted to love Bold Moves—I’m a sucker for second-chance romance because I enjoy the built-in history and depth that comes with it. The foundation was there, but the execution didn’t quite land for me. The writing leaned heavily on telling rather than showing, often spelling out the characters’ emotions instead of letting them unfold naturally through action or dialogue.

The repeated teasing of Scarlett’s “big secret” also wore thin. I correctly guessed it early on, and the constant build-up without new layers being added felt like unnecessary repetition. That said, the story itself was sweet and heartfelt at its core—it just needed a bit more nuance and polish to really shine.

I received this as an advanced reader audiobook copy.

I really wanted to like this. This is second chance romance.

There are three things I need to make a second chance romance work really well:

1. A real reason the two people broke up, that isn’t due to them being crap people.
2. Real growth leading them back to each other.
3. An abiding love and faithfulness, meaning there were no other folks they pursued while they were broken up.

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Sadly, this book was annoying and the 2nd chance didn't work for me.

1. They were kids and she left to pursue her dreams. His dad was arrested and he stayed behind. It made sense that they broke up.
2. They didn't grow up well. Scarlett doesn't seem to have grown beyond her traumatic childhood. She's stuck and her emotional constipation is a disease she needs to work through. Jaime "looks" like he's all mature and well put together but he also has some major issues. He is so busy being the perfect son/brother/friend. He's not REAL and when Scarlett shares something with him, he freaks out and doesn't know how to process it. He doesn't accept any blame for how their relationship went bad the first time. He's the good one and she's a "feral cat" (his description of her in his own mind). He lusts after her, but doesn't understand her.
3. They both sleep with other people during their time apart. Blech.

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I ended up speeding through the audiobook around 50-60% to try to make it through... but it really wasn't worth it.

They have a fight and don't really see each other for 9 MONTHS!!!!

I gave up and DNF'd around 60% because this book was SO EXHAUSTING.

Emma Barry should be a huge name in romance! Her books have great characters, original premises, and really focus in on the relationship dynamics. i had a great time with this one, and I thought the chess theme worked really well. I didn't rate it five stars only because it didn't move me deeply the way I need a five-star book to, but I still think this is a great romance!

I tried to push through even if I desperately wanted to stop listening to it.
I was thrilled by the premise, but I noticed that authors who write 2nd chance romance tend to do the same thing over and over again. The chemistry that they had when they were together is nonexistent, all we see is them saying how badly they want to sleep with each others again.
And while this is a very accurate situation, we need, as readers, to know how much they loved each other beyond their physical attraction. Otherwise we don't believe in the romance, we don't ruth for them.
The other things (that I'll just briefly mentioned) is that I felt like it was a mix between [book:Beach Read|52867387] and [book:The Queen's Gambit|62022] with no particular depth.
The slutshaming that scarlet experienced from her Jaime is unsufurable, you can't convince me otherwise, it is slutshaming.

Thank you net galley for the copy

Sometimes a girl desperately needs a little romance and that's how I felt with this book it was like I was needing these characters and this plot without even knowing it. Whenever I read romance I always become so enchanted with the world and the characters andnthe backstories and realness that in other genres sometimes is more of a idea then a true part of the story but in romance you re a lot get to know and build your characters and these ones I just loved. I loved the chess conversations ( yes she's a chess girly) I loved that we had a strong bad ass woman in a male dominated arena and making it her own as well as coming from hard times and having to fight to get what she wanted. I respected her and hurt for her and her inability at times to make friends or see past the walls she built for herself to keep her safe. I loved Jamie and his heart and strength and honesty with who he was and what he wanted. They balanced one another so well. Thw second chance romance trope also was done so well I felt this had real stakes because of there past snd the secrets at its core. I loved the side characters and found so much heart emotion and also humor in these pages. I also loved seeing the writing and filming of a show it was amazing seeing these 2 very different but both successfull people having following there dreams despite many shortcomings and somehow also finding one another again because of it. I loved the ending and can not wait to read more from this author I'm all in on anything they right next. What can I say this author stole my queen and I am happily checkmated

Thank you NetGalley and Emma Barry for the chance to listen to this ALC!

I enjoyed this short, quick read. The main characters had growth and their story was easy to follow. I’ve never played Chess, so I found the game and how its strategies were used in the characters life interesting. It was a fun, angsty, second chance, romance. I give it 3.75 stars and 🌶️(open door but, not erotic).

Savannah Peachwood and Jeremy York did a great job narrating. They kept me engaged, and their voices fit the characters and their emotions really well.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

This was a fun second chance romance about chess.. more accurately about females playing chess and I love that so much and the fact that everything is so wholesome

Lately, I’ve been into stories about second chances, and this one really got to me. The way the characters felt their emotions was so real; you could feel their pain and hope. It was easy to connect with them because their struggles felt genuine.

They had a complicated past that affected how they interacted. Watching them try to move forward was interesting. They didn’t have all the answers, but they kept pushing through, which made everything feel real. They weren’t perfect, but they weren’t giving up either.

The chess world made a nice setting. It added to the story and made their dynamic more intense. The strategy and focus of the game matched the way they had to handle their emotions and choices.

The way they dealt with everything felt natural. They struggled, made mistakes, and kept going. Seeing them figure things out made the story feel real.