I'll admit, I'm late to the Ali Hazelwood game. I had heard of her work, but didn't pick up one of her novels until she was a keynote speaker at a festival I attended in the summer. I started with the Love Hypothesis, and immediately found a new favorite author. I have devoured everything she's written since, and will continue to so do happily. Check & Mate is her first 'young adult' novel, after a series of adult works featuring women in stem and grumpy sunshine boulder-sized love interests. With chess as the catalyst for a forced proximity, enemies to lovers scenario, it kept with Hazelwood's quirk main characters and broody love interests, battling it out over gambits and kings. Mallory is a relatable character for the most part - blaming herself over her family falling apart, however, felt a little forced, however. Her sisters are perfectly executed with their teen angst, snark and humor. However, her mother's character again falls short, putting far too much responsibility on an eighteen year old. I can't imagine too many parents allowing their child to bypass college to run their household in their stead. In my opinion, of course. The love interest of Nolan is another of Hazelwood's extra large characters, both physically and with their special brand of snark. Charming, in an awkward, 'smart kid' kind of way, it's easy to fall for his sweet moments. His immediate draw to Mallory is a little odd, almost bordering on obsession without any actual interaction beyond an initial meeting over a chess board where they exchanged less than a dozen words. Overall, it was an enjoyable read that emphasizes the narrative of always following your dreams, fighting for what (and who) you want, and finding your place in the world. I'd definitely recommend it for those who love a grumpy-sunshine romance.
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