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sinoclock's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It was a fun read. The characters were consistent and I could appreciate that, even if I didn't totally relate to some of their decisions. I think Hazelwood gets some flack for having common themes in her writing but this one definitely stands apart to me (and not just for the lack of explicit scenes). Overall really enjoyed it even tho she admits she kinda made some stuff up chess-wise lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, and Death of parent
Moderate: Chronic illness, Sexual content, Grief, and Infidelity
Minor: Alcoholism, Car accident, and Dementia
melissaslibraryy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This is my third Ali Hazelwood novel and she did her lil thing with this one im ngl đ Iâm obsessed with Nolan and how smitten he was with Mallory after she outsmarted him and won their chess game. Also the fact that she is bi and has a supportive family is just đĽšđŤś bc we rarely get to see rom-coms where the mcâs in a heterosexual relationship have different sexualities other than being straight, so this was refreshing. I do agree with some people opinions that this shouldâve been marketed as a new adult instead of YA bc even if it wasnât incredibly descriptive, the spicy scene in the book was hardly fade to black either. I will definitely continue to read books by this author bc I enjoy her writing and how each book sheds a positive light on feminism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Abandonment, Car accident, Dementia, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Sexual content
sundayfever's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Classism, Chronic illness, and Infidelity
Minor: Dementia, Car accident, and Alcoholism
withlivjones's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I LOVED the chess storyline, it was so exciting and definitely my favourite part of the book. The romance was cute but rather sappy and cringe at times. Definitely an enjoyable and easy read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Chronic illness, and Infidelity
Minor: Car accident
bookedandbusy's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book was SO fun and so cute. I absolutely loved Mallory and Nolan and their relationship! This one had so many good moments and the banter was gold.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Death of parent, Alcohol, Mental illness, Grief, Infidelity, Dementia, Sexual content, and Sexism
bookameme's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Ali Hazelwood is brilliant, witty, and emotionally compelling.
Thoughts:đĄ
I loved this book! Ali Hazelwood is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Sheâs brilliant, witty, and emotionally compelling.
This story got me in all my feels, yes there were funny and steamy moments but there was so much more to it. The family relationships broke my heart as much as they made me laugh. Then thereâs the friendships, the new ones, the old ones, and the ones that mentored, they made the story spectacular.
The plot addressed some pretty deep topics between the sexism in sports, chess specifically, and the way a parent's bad behavior can have long reaching effects into the lives of their children. Between everything happening in the story it almost feels sacrilege to call this book a romcom because as steamy and titillating as it was, it feels like the romance was only a fraction of what this story was about.
The audio was well edited with a steady volume and pace for really easy listening, but the narrator was fantastic! She delivered the best kind of performance with all the right inflections and enthusiasm. I enjoyed her work almost as much as I loved this story.
Oh, and letâs not forget the representation in this book. As someone thatâs ace but loves romance novels, I found it exciting to see an ace character represented amongst everyone else.
Fun Bits:
âď¸ Emotionally Impactful Siloques
âď¸ Chess Talk! Talk nerdy to me baby!
âď¸ Meaningful Family and Friendships
âď¸ Girl Crushing on Mallory, ngl
âď¸ Nolan Was Hot!
âď¸ Extremely Talented Narrator
âď¸ Positive Diverse Representation
â¨Noteâ¨This is a standalone
Full Content Warning:â ď¸
Mentions of death and cheating, not the MCs, tackles misogyny and there is some sexual harassment from some asshats
Stats:đ
YA, but we get a fair amount of steam
Characters: đđđđđ
Audio: đ§đ§đ§đ§đ§
Narrator: đď¸đď¸đď¸đď¸đď¸
YA Rom Com: Competitive Chess (sports romance), Coming of Age, Grief and Forgiveness, Older Siblings as a Parent, Rivals to Loversđ
First Person, Present Tense, Single POV
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Grief, Misogyny, Alcohol, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Cursing
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Car accident and Sexual content
chemeducator's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Chronic illness, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity and Grief
cassiealexandra's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
4.25
I had fun with this âYAâ romantic comedy from Ali Hazelwood. Iâve enjoyed several of her adult novels but heard from several people with the same level of on-page romance preferences as I have say this had become their favorite. I wish I could say the same. On the positive end the book still made me laugh, was full of pop-culture references, and still had Hazelwoodâs signature nerdy feminist storyline. The focus on the gender gap in competitive and professional chess was really interesting, even if the author does admit to quite a bit of poetic license. I also really liked the family dynamics in this one with Malloryâs (FMC) interactions with her sisters, Darcy and Sabrina and with her mom.
On the negative side, I have begun to find all of Hazelwoodâs male characters to be very similar, tall, brooding, appearing as a grumpy rival or enemy at first and then becoming something else. Nolan took on this same persona. His attraction and interest in Mallory was also a little instantaneous for me even if it took many chapters for it to be expressed. Itâs clear that Mallory works hard and also has an aptitude for chess, but there was a slight âinstant expertâ trope here that I didnât love. Mallory was also very casual about her sex life, and the level of innuendo and discussion surrounding it would make me personally recommend this for an 18+ audience. Finally, the resolutions/conversations Mallory needed with her family and her best friend came far later in the book than I would have liked, making the ending feel a little anticlimactic to me.
The bottom line: This was cute and kind of a whirlwind. I enjoyed it, but I am perhaps just outside of the stage of life to fully appreciate it. It felt very âyoungâ (as YA would) but had content that felt mismatched to me.
â NOTES â
Genres: YA romantic comedy, but Iâd rate this 18+
POV: first-person, singular
Content: character with chronic illness, infidelity, past loss of loved ones
Romance: innuendo, casual mentions of past âhook-ups,â one fade-to-black scene (chapter 21)
â MY RATING CONSIDERATIONS â
(all out of 5)
Pace: 5
Enjoyment: 4
Craft: 4
My Gut Feeling: 4
Total Stars: 4.25
On the negative side, I have begun to find all of Hazelwoodâs male characters to be very similar, tall, brooding, appearing as a grumpy rival or enemy at first and then becoming something else. Nolan took on this same persona. His attraction and interest in Mallory was also a little instantaneous for me even if it took many chapters for it to be expressed. Itâs clear that Mallory works hard and also has an aptitude for chess, but there was a slight âinstant expertâ trope here that I didnât love. Mallory was also very casual about her sex life, and the level of innuendo and discussion surrounding it would make me personally recommend this for an 18+ audience. Finally, the resolutions/conversations Mallory needed with her family and her best friend came far later in the book than I would have liked, making the ending feel a little anticlimactic to me.
The bottom line: This was cute and kind of a whirlwind. I enjoyed it, but I am perhaps just outside of the stage of life to fully appreciate it. It felt very âyoungâ (as YA would) but had content that felt mismatched to me.
â NOTES â
Genres: YA romantic comedy, but Iâd rate this 18+
POV: first-person, singular
Content: character with chronic illness, infidelity, past loss of loved ones
Romance: innuendo, casual mentions of past âhook-ups,â one fade-to-black scene (chapter 21)
â MY RATING CONSIDERATIONS â
(all out of 5)
Pace: 5
Enjoyment: 4
Craft: 4
My Gut Feeling: 4
Total Stars: 4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism and Sexual content
Minor: Grief
breedawnwriter's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Idk what Ali put in this book, but it was ADDICTIVE. I want more. I need a follow up story. I need the bonus chapters and deleted scenes.
Iâm in love with this book, and it 100% deserves the hype.
Iâm in love with this book, and it 100% deserves the hype.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Cursing, Misogyny, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Car accident, Alcohol, and Death of parent
The protagonist is bisexual/pansexual, her best friend dates a girl; sex/sexual content is discussed frequently by the characters; and there are two sexual scenes (one is fade to black and the other is interrupted).witcheep's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is a sweet YA story of love, where a shared passion for chess brings two very different people together through various hesitations and obstacles. Hazelwood writes the emotions into her story well, and the reader can't help but live through them with the characters.
The main take seems to be similar as in Hazelwood's adult romance books: one must come to terms with themselves before they can effectively communicate with others, and good communication is key for all sorts of healthy and loving relationships. This is a great message to convey in a YA book, since the target audience is in a life stage when they are generally figuring out who they are or who they want to be. As secondary themes to the plot, Hazelwood brings up important themes of sexism and gendered bias or inequality as something to rectify, and also shows how publicity can be both cruel and aspire to bring out a change for the better.
Same in Finnish / sama suomeksi:
Tässä suloisessa YA-rakkaustarinassa jaettu intohimo shakkia kohtaan tuo yhteen kaksi hyvin erilaista ihmistä epärÜinnin ja vaikeuksien kautta. Hazelwood kirjoittaa tarinaansa taitavasti tunteita, eikä lukija voi välttyä kokemasta niitä kirjan henkilÜiden kanssa.
Pääsanoma vaikuttaa samankaltaiselta kuin Hazelwoodin aikuisille suunnatuissa rakkauskirjoissa: täytyy olla sinut itsensä kanssa ennen kuin voi kommunikoida muiden kanssa tehokkaasti, ja hyvä kommunikaatio on avainasemassa kaikenlaisissa terveissä ja rakastavissa ihmissuhteissa. Tämä on erinomainen sanoma YA-kirjan välitettäväksi, sillä kohdeyleisÜ on elämäntilanteessa, jossa selvitetään, keitä ollaan tai keitä halutaan olla. Juonessa esiintyyviä toissijaisia, mutta tärkeitä teemoja ovat seksismi sekä sukupuolittunut vääristymä tai epätasa-arvo epäkohtina. Hazelwood osoittaa myÜs, kuinka julkisuus voi olla sekä julmaa että pyrkiä saamaan aikaan muutosta parempaan.
Review written 18.3.2024 (I listened to the audiobook as a Finnish translation).
The main take seems to be similar as in Hazelwood's adult romance books: one must come to terms with themselves before they can effectively communicate with others, and good communication is key for all sorts of healthy and loving relationships. This is a great message to convey in a YA book, since the target audience is in a life stage when they are generally figuring out who they are or who they want to be. As secondary themes to the plot, Hazelwood brings up important themes of sexism and gendered bias or inequality as something to rectify, and also shows how publicity can be both cruel and aspire to bring out a change for the better.
Same in Finnish / sama suomeksi:
Tässä suloisessa YA-rakkaustarinassa jaettu intohimo shakkia kohtaan tuo yhteen kaksi hyvin erilaista ihmistä epärÜinnin ja vaikeuksien kautta. Hazelwood kirjoittaa tarinaansa taitavasti tunteita, eikä lukija voi välttyä kokemasta niitä kirjan henkilÜiden kanssa.
Pääsanoma vaikuttaa samankaltaiselta kuin Hazelwoodin aikuisille suunnatuissa rakkauskirjoissa: täytyy olla sinut itsensä kanssa ennen kuin voi kommunikoida muiden kanssa tehokkaasti, ja hyvä kommunikaatio on avainasemassa kaikenlaisissa terveissä ja rakastavissa ihmissuhteissa. Tämä on erinomainen sanoma YA-kirjan välitettäväksi, sillä kohdeyleisÜ on elämäntilanteessa, jossa selvitetään, keitä ollaan tai keitä halutaan olla. Juonessa esiintyyviä toissijaisia, mutta tärkeitä teemoja ovat seksismi sekä sukupuolittunut vääristymä tai epätasa-arvo epäkohtina. Hazelwood osoittaa myÜs, kuinka julkisuus voi olla sekä julmaa että pyrkiä saamaan aikaan muutosta parempaan.
Review written 18.3.2024 (I listened to the audiobook as a Finnish translation).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Chronic illness
Minor: Car accident, Dementia, Infidelity, Death of parent, and Sexual content