Reviews

I am not over exaggerating or lying when I say I would light myself on fire for Nolan and Mal.

This is my second favorite Ali Hazelwood book. I root for all of her couples to end up together, but in this book it was more than that. I wanted Nolan’s and Mal to end up happy even if it wasn’t together. And that is such a crazy thing to say considering I read romance because I love the happy endings where couples are happy together! But Hazelwood made me care about each character so much that I was rooting for their success.

Something about the dynamic between the two also spoke to me. It was so obvious that Nolan was in love with Mal and I ADORE a “he fell first” plot. I felt like Nolan saw Mal in a way not many others did and she really needed that.

ALSO! Before this book I never gave chess a passing thought. Now? I’ve thought about it every day since I finished Check & Mate. Hazelwood made chess sexy and that is also a reason this book stands out as a favorite.

Thank you to Edelweiss for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

randollk's review against another edition

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4.0

I have been trying to figure out how to accurately rate this book! I had to give myself a breather after I finished it before I rated it because I absolutely FLEW through this book and I didn't want that to sway my opinion on my rating/ review. I just couldn't put it down and when a book can captivate me that much it's so special! I just really adored these characters and their sweet, sweet hearts. I love a story line that involves some sort of sport/ competition, and check & mate had that too!! I think like all Ali Hazelwood' books, she really immerses you in the world she is writing in, even if you don't understand anything about it (me with chess and science lol). However, I hesitate giving this book a complete 5 stars because comparatively, I do think some of her other books are better! I could also tell this book was made for young adults, which is totally cool, just not quite my style + a little cringe at times! 4.5 stars from me!