This review is a little hard for me to write not because the book was bad - it was a very cute ya romance with chess and pop culture references sprinkled throughout - but because it was just fine. I don't have anything really good or bad to say about it. Mallory is only eighteen but has taken on a bunch of responsibility to keep her family afloat and is basically Cinderella without the evil stepmother or stepsisters.
After her bff convinces Mallory to play in a chess tournament for charity, Mallory comes face to face with Nolan Sawyer, current world chess champion. And then she beats him setting off a chain events that draws Mallory back into the world of chess and into a weird love-hate relationship with Nolan.
Mallory is smart and feisty and doesn't want help from anyone and is the younger version of every female mc Hazelwood has ever written. Nolan is quiet and brooding and way more into Mallory from the beginning which is also basically the same as all of Hazelwood's male mcs. They're a cute couple and all the side characters from Mallory's sisters, to her chess mentor, to Nolan's friends all add to the story. Hazelwood slowly reveals Mallory's tragic backstory and the eventual HEA feels deserved.
But I don't feel super connected to the characters, I don't need or want to know more once the story ended. This is a fun, fast read and I would recommend to existing fans of Hazelwood's work but for readers who are just starting I'd recommend one of science romance novels instead.
I was provided a free copy of this book through NetGalley. What a great YA debut! Ali Hazelwood has become a favorite so I was very excited to read this.
