This rom-com following a girl who accidentally enters the world of competitive chess might be my favorite relationship Ali Hazelwood has written! I loved the connection between the main couple, Mallory and Noah, and I think the book did a nice job showing how their connection deepend throughout the story. I also thought the conflict between them felt genuine and resolved in a realistic way, which made me want to root for the relationship even more. The characters were likeable and I found the chess competitions to be really compelling to read about.
The one part of the book I was not a huge fan of was Mallory's relationship with her family. In contrast with Mallory and Nolan's interactions, Mallory and her family's interactions felt cartoony to me, and I found myself wanting to skip through any scenes with them. Luckily, the family is such a small part of the book that it didn't matter too much, but I think that is what keeps me from rating the book any higher. Overall, I would give this book 4.5 stars, and I would recommend this to anyone who has enjoyed Ali Hazelwood in the past or is looking for a cute rom-com read!
The one part of the book I was not a huge fan of was Mallory's relationship with her family. In contrast with Mallory and Nolan's interactions, Mallory and her family's interactions felt cartoony to me, and I found myself wanting to skip through any scenes with them. Luckily, the family is such a small part of the book that it didn't matter too much, but I think that is what keeps me from rating the book any higher. Overall, I would give this book 4.5 stars, and I would recommend this to anyone who has enjoyed Ali Hazelwood in the past or is looking for a cute rom-com read!