A review by gracescanlon
Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

Did not finish book. Stopped at 17%.
I liked the Love Hypothesis; it was cute. Olive was an idiot, but at least she had some likable qualities.

Mallory, however, is wholly unlikeable — self-righteous, stubborn, and short-sighted.

There were multiple plot holes that I couldn’t get past, though I only read 17% of this book.

1. How on earth is dear old dad not paying child support/alimony???? Two of his three kids are still minors!!!!! Hello??? Is he dead???

2. Mallory’s lack of big-picture thinking about her job and the chess fellowship she was offered completely negated any and all believability of her having any actual skill at chess. You’re telling me she can strategize multiple hypothetical moves/outcomes in multiple turns ahead of time, but she can’t see that the year-long, SALARIED fellowship can not only lead to tournament wins with huge payouts, but also make her name and intelligence public, leading to more and better (and higher-paid) jobs in the future??? Come on. There’s literally no way that’s the same character.

Mallory was insufferable. I also didn’t like what seemed to me like the vilification of Easton, who honestly rocked. Mallory’s mom is in a terrible situation — as a woman with a chronic condition/physical disability, I so get it — but something about her absence (physical and emotional) didn’t sit right with me at all.