Check & Mate

Blurb

Mallory Greenleaf is done with chess. Every move counts nowadays; after the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory's focus is on her mom, her sisters, and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and inadvertently wipes the board with notorious "Kingkiller" Nolan Sawyer: current world champion and reigning Bad Boy of chess.

Nolan's loss to an unknown rook-ie shocks everyone. What's even more confusing? His desire to cross pawns again. What kind of gambit is Nolan playing? The smart move would be to walk away. Resign. Game over. But Mallory's victory opens the door to sorely needed cash-prizes and despite everything, she can't help feeling drawn to the enigmatic strategist....

As she rockets up the ranks, Mallory struggles to keep her family safely separated from the game that wrecked it in the first place. And as her love for the sport she so desperately wanted to hate begins to rekindle, Mallory quickly realizes that the games aren't only on the board, the spotlight is brighter than she imagined, and the competition can be fierce (-ly attractive. And intelligent...and infuriating...)

Tropes

YA ROMANCE  / CONTEMPORARY  / SLOW-BURN / CHICK-LIT / ROM-COM / RIVALS TO LOVERS 

My Review 

I recently delved into Ali's latest creation, "Check & Mate," hoping for the usual quirky charm that defines her books. While her stories typically whisk me away with delightful characters and light-hearted plots, this one left me feeling checkmated.

Initially, I was captivated by Mal's endearing attempts to support her family. She seemed lovely and selfless, the familial bond was heartwarming, even though Sabrina grated on my nerves. However, as the story took a sharp turn into the realm of chess, it wasn't as delightful and funny as I anticipated. As someone unfamiliar with the game, I found myself skimming through paragraphs that seemed irrelevant to the overall plot. The chess overtook everything else, including character development, friendship and romance. 

The romantic aspect, supposedly a key element, fell flat. Nolan, the designated love interest (the man had such potential) was disappointingly overshadowed by Mal's rants. What started as a slow-burn romance felt more like a slow crawl, leaving me yearning for depth beyond the chessboard. Mal's transformation from a likable character to a whiny and self-destructive brat became a frustrating descent, making it challenging to root for her. Honestly? I grew to hate her. As Oz elegantly put it out there: “Boo-hoo (…). Cry me the fucking Nile.”

The conclusion, absurd and unsatisfying as it was, couldn't come soon enough. By then, I found myself relieved that the ordeal with Malory had ended. The imbalance between chess discussions and the lacking exploration of friendships and romance left me craving the quirky YA rom-com I had initially hoped for.

Another significant let down was the heavy reliance on current celebrities, fanfiction, and excessive pop-culture references. Instead of adding charm, it felt like an overindulgence, detracting from the essence of the story. What promised to be a whimsical escape turned into a mishmash of teenage hissy fits, chess discussions, and pop-culture overload.

In the end, "Check & Mate" missed the mark, failing to deliver the delightful escape Ali's books are known for. 

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