Books › Check & Mate
Check & Mate
368 pages
A crackling, banter-filled romance that captures the electric tension of a high-stakes game and the terrifying thrill of falling in love.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like watching a high-speed chess match where every move is laced with electric, unspoken tension. It is a brisk, banter-heavy delight that balances the heavy, relatable burdens of financial stress and family duty with the giddy, stomach-flipping sensation of first love. The narrative voice is wry and self-deprecating, pulling you into the mind of a fiercely protective heroine who is terrified of her own ambition. As the story unfolds, the mood shifts from guarded and anxious to intensely swoony and triumphant. It is a cozy yet propulsive experience, perfect for anyone who loves watching a hyper-competent but emotionally messy protagonist slowly realize that letting her guard down might be the most brilliant move of all.
- Mood
- electric
- swoony
- hopeful
- cozy
- Tone
- wry
- playful
- earnest
- self-deprecating
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- reclaiming lost passion · burden of family responsibility · first love · healing from grief · competitive drive
- The writing
- Snappy and dialogue-driven, the prose crackles with sharp internal monologue, relatable humor, and effortless banter.
- The arc
- The protagonist moves from a place of guarded, self-imposed exile and heavy familial burden to a triumphant rediscovery of her own passion and a willingness to let love in.
- Who it's for
- Readers who devour rivals-to-lovers romances featuring hyper-competent but emotionally messy heroines and soft, supportive love interests.
Content notes
- financial stress
- chronic illness of a parent
- grief
- absent parent
About the book
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... )
Description from Open Library.
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