Check & Mate

This book is definitely something that keeps you entertained on very long plane ride. It is pretty predictable (as most romance is) but this is one of the few that I actually finished. The main character is relatable to me in many ways and that definitely helped. Loved the ending and didn’t feel like it was rushed or like they ended it too soon.

Like most else that Ali writes, this one has become a quick favorite. The story is heart warming and wholesome. And the non-traditional gender characteristics in Nolan and Mallory fighting against the sexism that follows their industry are refreshing and telling and part of the many things that make you fall in love with these characters. This is a story I keep coming back to and keep needing to reread.

I did not want to stop reading it but at the same time i didnt want to finish it!!

Ali’s writing is so beautiful and during parts of the romantic sides made her writing even took my breath away! Her knowledge of the chess world is also incredible! Read this book in one day!

This book was absolutely well written and I loved it. I physically could not put it down to stop reading. Definitely something everyone should read, I’m pretty much a chess player at this point.

Pretty derivative- I’ve already seen The Queen’s Gambit, why do I need this? Tried to stick with it after her first novel, but I’m bored of this author’s same-characters-different-setting routine.

disappointed. i thought this was going to be a cutie little romance book, but it just felt boring and slow. the last 30% of it was good, but the whole book just didn’t hit the way i expected it to. i don’t really think i like ali hazelwood’s writing style, this was my first book by her. also: should this book really be classified as YA…?

I think it’s a good book. Probably meant for a certain group of romance readers. It was sweet and a good story but I just didn’t really consider it one of those reads that have you kicking your feet and putting the book down on a good scene to run around squealing. The main character isn’t as well written to me, she’s so confused and complicated but I kind of see all of that being processed and worked through all in one chapter and not throughout the book. So that kind of felt rushed. I believe it would have been more captivating if throughout the book we saw little pieces of healing and how different sections of her life changing played into that healing. Such as chess,Nolan, her family and friendship with Easton. There could have been a really cool flow with that. But instead it all really happened because of a huge fight and her moms consoling, which I’m not against but I find it really typical. Every romance book has that big fight and the girl comes to her senses….. not really anything new.for the male lead I just wasn’t impressed. Honestly there was only one chapter where I really felt like Nolan was present. He was pretty bland in simpler words. I’ve read books with simple main leads and I think simple main leads are hard to write in a book but there are ways to execute them beautifully and it wasn’t in my opinion. But what I did like about this book was the brilliance behind the characters, the friendships and the family relationship Mallory has.

this book literally had me giggling and kicking my feet. i have been known to put down a book because of annoying plots or frustrating main characters, but i could not stop reading! loved this book, even if the chess made no sense to me :) also, nolan and mal are SO CUTE it makes me physically ill

I read this in one setting and truly have no words. I wish this book was longer so I could experience more of the characters. The romance and tension and connection between them is unreal. I wish that there was more. I wish I could read more of their dialogue and just dive into them. Wow. Incredible like always.