A bit disappointed in Ali Hazelwood’s first YA romance. While I absolutely loved the main characters Mallory and Nolan as well as their assorted sidekicks, the plot did not live up to my expectations. The plot had some weak spots and moved along at an uneven pace. The family’s financial situation which was the springboard for Mallory reentering chess felt like a forced plot point as did Mallory’s total abandonment of furthering her education. While I liked the branching out from STEM to chess I found myself recalling The Queen’s Gambit*. I realize this is an unfair comparison but it is one my mind leapt to all the same. Along these these lines, I find it highly unlikely that after growing up with a highly ranked chess player as a father that Mallory did not realize the financial opportunity of professional chess (* or that despite her abandonment of the game that she wouldn’t have been drawn to read the book or watch the show). Still a good read