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Young Adult•Romance•Contemporary
Check & Mate
“She swore she was finished with the board.
The board disagreed.”
Video Book Review
Video Book Summary
About the Book
Mallory Greenleaf quit chess, and she had good reasons. A charity tournament, one careless afternoon and a win against the reigning world champion drag her straight back into a game she associates with the worst year of her life. Check & Mate is Ali Hazelwood’s first novel for younger readers: a rivals-to-lovers romance built on a genuinely well-drawn sport, and on a girl working out how much of her family she is allowed to put down.
What Makes It Special
Rivals to Lovers, Done Right
Slow-building tension that pays off properly.
Chess That Works
The matches are tense even if you have never played.
A Great Found Family
Sisters, friends and mentors who all feel real.
Fast, Funny Narration
Mallory’s voice carries the whole book.
Book Availability
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Book Summary
A game she walked away from.
One match she was not supposed to win.
A rival who will not let her leave again.
Check & Mate is a bright, funny rivals-to-lovers romance about talent, family obligation, and the difficulty of wanting something for yourself.
Read MoreBook Review By Books Paradise
Hazelwood’s move into young adult loses none of the banter and gains a real ache underneath it. Mallory’s guilt about her family is the engine here, and the romance is better for it.
OVERALL RATING4.4 / 5
What We Loved
A wonderful lead voice
Genuine tension over the board
A satisfying, earned romance
What Could Be Better
Predictable beats in the middle
Some side characters underused
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“A book is a dream that you hold in your hand.”
– Neil Gaiman