Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

Nov 3

🎧 Ok this was adorable. Marketed as YA but I'd say it's more NA/ upper YA. Not for a 13 year old, in my opinion! My family got sick and I truly could not peel my one year old off of me, so we did a lot of snuggling while I binged this book. I read it via audio and would recommend this format! It was an easy read, and at times I found myself feeling giddy. A cute Queen’s Gambit remix. It definitely won't be for everyone!

Mallory is done with chess until one day she decides to help out a friend with a charity event. She finds herself playing chess against none other than Nolan Sawyer- the current world champion and “bad boy of chess”.

Be sure to read the author's note on this! I will say this book has its fair share of pop culture references which I know that bothers some people but it makes sense in a YA contemporary romance for me. I love how uplifting YA romance is 🤍

I will say I’m disappointed with this being marketed as YA. This book reads more like NA or an adult closed door romance. Mature themes throughout and I wouldn't feel comfortable recommending it to a 13, 14, 15 year old. The scenes are closed door but intimacy is implied.

Thank you @prhaudio for the advanced listening copy!

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