The editorial case for Check & Mate
What we liked
Mallory's family responsibility, return to competition, and rivalry with Nolan give attraction a shared language of preparation, risk, and public expectation.
What did not work for us
Miscommunication stretches, chess brilliance is sometimes asserted rather than shown, and secondary problems align neatly around the romance.
Where it tested our patience
Mallory repeatedly avoids explaining why she left chess after the emotional reason is clear enough to require conversation.
Does the ending reward the effort?
Yes. The romantic and competitive resolutions allow Mallory to choose chess on new terms rather than treating love as her only prize.
Best fit: YA romance readers wanting chess, gifted rivals, family pressure, banter, and low-spice emotional payoff.
Reading Check & Mate closely
Ali Hazelwood’s Check & Mate pits a retired chess prodigy against the sport’s reigning champion in a sharp, slow burn romance full of strategy, ambition, and sparks.
Mallory anchors the novel with a voice that is clever, grounded, and deeply protective of her family. Her perspective balances humor with realism, especially when she navigates side hustles, carpool chaos, and the pressure of public attention. Nolan Sawyer contrasts her warmth with a cool exterior that hides a generous, complicated partner. Their chemistry thrives on snappy banter that slowly softens into collaboration, making every rematch feel like a flirtatious rematch of minds.
Chess strategy underpins the love story without overwhelming it. Hazelwood explains openings, sacrifices, and psychological gambits in approachable language so non-players can follow the stakes. The board becomes a stage for conversations about ambition, self-worth, and trust, transforming a cerebral sport into a deeply emotional arena. By the final chapters, the romance delivers both heartwarming intimacy and a satisfying professional payoff, cementing Check & Mate as a standout rivals-to-lovers read.
Three useful comparisons
Love on the Brain
Love on the Brain is adult STEM romance with more explicit attraction and workplace conspiracy.
Best for: Adult romance readers wanting enemies-to-lovers energy, neuroscience, NASA, workplace sexism, banter, and explicit chemistry.
Deep End
Deep End is adult college romance with athletics, kink, and heavier emotional material.
Best for: Adult romance readers wanting college athletics, STEM pressure, explicit kink, consent, and high-achieving protagonists.
Divine Rivals
Divine Rivals offers gentler fantasy war, letters, and richer lyrical atmosphere.
Best for: Readers wanting gentle enemies-to-lovers tension, magical correspondence, grief, war, and lyrical YA romantasy.