Check & Mate

With “Check and Mate” Ali Hazelwood steps into the world of YA Romance and delivers as usual excellent work. Mallory Greenleaf played chess on a really high level when she was younger, but she abruptly stopped after major changes in her personal life. Several years later her best friend persuades her to play a chess tournament for a good cause. Mallory thinks that she has forgotten everything about chess and is like everyone else extremly surprised when she beats the No. 1 world champion. Mallory`s famliy situation isn`t easy and she is in a position where she needs to earn money more than anything else. When an opportunity to earn money while playing chess presents itself to Mallory. She is in a personal dilemma. Mallory really needs the money but she also doesn`t want to play chess. I really liked Check and Mate by Ali Hazelwood, i never played chess but Ali Hawzelwood made me want to learn it immedialely. She manages to combine the lightness of an YA novel with emotional topics like past trauma, family expectations and growing apart from people you love. I really enjoyed reading” Check and Mate” and i definitely could identify with Mallory, i cried with her in the tough parts of the book. The banter between Mallory and the love interest was amazing and i wish i could have read more about them. I definitely recommend “Check and Mate” by Ali Hazelwood, the book has everything you could ask for in an YA Romance. #rivalstolovers #chess #independentwoman

I just love this woman. The way she writes just pulls you in and i see myself looking forward to every book she creates. Also I never knew how interesting chess can be but know I'm hooked. Simply amazing <3

I don´t know anything about chess but I would read an Ali Hazelwood book about any topic and this one surely did not disappoint. I love the characters, the banter and chemistry between them makes this such an easy read.

When you think of chess, I'm sure most people will have the following words pop up in their heads: boring, long, old people, nerds... For me it was the same. But this book makes all of those thoughts crumble to pieces. The MMC might be nerdy, but he's the best looking nerd out there. He's tall, grumpy, and uninterested in anything that isn't chess. Until she comes along. Their love for each other blossoms out of their love for chess, and intense rivalry. If you love grumpy x grumpy, rivals to lovers, and family secrets, then you will love this book!

A funny and smart YA-Novel by Ali Hazlewood. Sometimes the humor seemed a bit forced, but there were also moments were I could laugh. The topic was very interesting and I wanted to learn more and more about chess and the tournaments that the players took part in.