Book review - Check & Mate

[Viviana Kingston]

Title: Check & Mate
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Genre: Chess romance
Rating: 5/5
Page count: (ebook)
Category: Traditional publishing, standalone
Age rating: 13+
Warnings: mild swearing, closed door romance
Synopsis:
Mallory has sworn off playing chess, especially since it destroyed her family 4 years ago, but when she agrees to play one last charity match, she ends up doing the unthinkable - she beats the notorious ‘Kingkiller’ Nolan Sawyer (the world champion!). In desperate need for cash, Mallory enters the world of chess once more, and finds herself rekindling the long lost love she had for the sport. As she climbs the ranks, she finds herself surrounded by new friends, twisted games and a weird ally - the rival she’s supposed to hate.

Comments + opinion:
I was kicking my feet and giggling at this book! As a chess player and enthusiast, I’ve never felt more represented in my life. It’s just nerds and geeks galore and I love it. The plot is ridiculous and so outrageous, it was super enjoyable because something like that could never happen in real life. The interactions between all the characters just did something to me, I found myself laughing and smiling because of how cute everything was. And let’s not forget the main character - Mallory. Mallory has this weird narrative, it’s engaging, especially when she blindsides herself, which is often.