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A review by cassiealexandra
Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
funny
lighthearted
4.25
I had fun with this “YA” romantic comedy from Ali Hazelwood. I’ve 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 Hazelwood’s 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 Mallory’s (FMC) interactions with her sisters, Darcy and Sabrina and with her mom.
On the negative side, I have begun to find all of Hazelwood’s 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. It’s clear that Mallory works hard and also has an aptitude for chess, but there was a slight “instant expert” trope here that I didn’t 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 “young” (as YA would) but had content that felt mismatched to me.
— NOTES —
Genres: YA romantic comedy, but I’d rate this 18+
POV: first-person, singular
Content: character with chronic illness, infidelity, past loss of loved ones
Romance: innuendo, casual mentions of past “hook-ups,” one fade-to-black scene (chapter 21)
— MY RATING CONSIDERATIONS —
(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 Hazelwood’s 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. It’s clear that Mallory works hard and also has an aptitude for chess, but there was a slight “instant expert” trope here that I didn’t 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 “young” (as YA would) but had content that felt mismatched to me.
— NOTES —
Genres: YA romantic comedy, but I’d rate this 18+
POV: first-person, singular
Content: character with chronic illness, infidelity, past loss of loved ones
Romance: innuendo, casual mentions of past “hook-ups,” one fade-to-black scene (chapter 21)
— MY RATING CONSIDERATIONS —
(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