❥ Thank you for the free audiobook, PRH Audio.
Synopsis
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.
Thoughts
I enjoyed this story since I had never read a book with a chess theme before. Hazelwood’s research adds depth to this young adult contemporary romance. It is evident that she spent some time studying the many facts of chess, as well as various social and medical issues. I loved our strong FMC Mallory, who not only forged ahead in a male-dominated game, but also took care of her family. I appreciated Mallory’s journey of self-discovery and personal growth.
This is a good book to pick up if you are looking for a young adult contemporary romance that is a bit different. Mallory and Nolan are a cute couple, and both have some family drama that make them interesting and relatable. I enjoyed visiting their chess-centric world for a bit!
Edition
This beautiful edition comes from Afterlight by Illuimicrate.
❥ Listening to this via audio was a great experience. Narrator Karissa Vacker did a wonderful job!