Isn't It Romantic? - The Young Adult Edition

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Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons BFYR on November 7, 2023
Age/Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

In this clever and swoonworthy YA debut from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis, life's moving pieces bring rival chess players together in a match for the heart.

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...)

To the tune of the it's corn song: For me... I really like Ali Hazelwood books.

In her YA debut, Ali Hazelwood steps away from the world of STEM and into the world of competitive chess. Mallory has a complicated past with chess but life works in mysterious ways and she finds herself falling deeper into the world of chess (and Nolan 😍).

One thing I love about Ali Hazelwood's romances is the wonderfully in denial female leads. Mallory, a sweet, avoidantly attached girl, is convinced she has to do everything herself and can't let anyone in - she really puts the whole world on her shoulders even though no one asks her to. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Mallory break out of her shell, learn to be vulnerable, and honor her own wants and needs throughout the story.

As someone who has never played a game of chess, I thought the chess elements of the book were super interesting while not too overwhelming of the romantic plotline (though I absolutely cannot vouch for the accuracy of the depiction). The way Mallory thinks things through, becoming obsessed with the strategy and playing better, and the way she bonds with Nolan and other characters felt very organic, and it was fun to follow along on that journey.

As much as I think a lot of people love Ali Hazelwood's books for the spice, this fade-to-black YA romance sparked all the same warm and fuzzy feelings for me as her other books. The romance was sweet and heartfelt, with deeply emotional notes throughout. I absolutely loved Check & Mate and (obviously) look forward to Ali Hazelwood's next book!

I had no idea what "It's Corn Song" was. This is what I found. I need the young people out there to verify this. 

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Betting on You by Lynn Painter
Published by Simon & Schuster BFYR on November 28, 2023
Age/Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

When seventeen-year-old Bailey starts a new job at a hotel waterpark, she is less than thrilled to see an old acquaintance is one of her coworkers. Bailey met Charlie a year ago on the long flight to Omaha, where she moved after her parents’ divorce. Charlie’s cynicism didn’t mix well with Bailey’s carefully well-behaved temperament, and his endless commentary was the irritating cherry on top of an already emotionally fraught trip.

Now, Bailey and Charlie are still polar opposites, but instead of everything about him rubbing Bailey the wrong way, she starts to look forward to hanging out and gossiping about the waterpark guests and their coworkers—particularly two who keep flirting with each other. Bailey and Charlie make a bet on whether or not the cozy pair will actually get together. Charlie insists that members of the opposite sex can’t just be friends, and Bailey is determined to prove him wrong.

Bailey and Charlie keep close track of the romantic progress of others while Charlie works to deflect the growing feelings he’s developed for Bailey. Terrified to lose her if his crush becomes known, what doesn’t help his agenda is Bailey and Charlie “fake dating” in order to disrupt the annoying pleasantries between Bailey’s mom and her mom’s new boyfriend. Soon, what Charlie was hoping to avoid becomes a reality as Bailey starts to see him as not only a friend she can rely on in the midst of family drama—but someone who makes her hands shake and heart race. But Charlie has a secret—a secret that involves Bailey and another bet Charlie may have made. Can the two make a real go of things…or has Charlie’s secret doomed them before they could start?

It's no secret that I am a Lynn Painter fan. She writes romance that never fail to make me feel something. She also doesn't shy away from tropes and always does a great job utilizing them in the best ways.

Betting on You had a fun premise which alluded to two great films. First, there were shades of When Harry Met Sally. While making the trip from Alaska to Nebraska, Charlie and Bailey crossed paths. Though they had the shared experience as children of divorce, they did not share any warm feelings towards each other. Fast forward three years, and their paths cross again. Bailey and Charlie are now woking together. This time around, a friendship takes root as Charlie and Bailey embark on a fake relationship in order to put a "Parent Trap" type plan in motion to cause a wedge between Bailey's mother and her boyfriend.

Fun little plot which was fairly low drama, exactly how I like it. And, I have to say, I was a fan of this coupling. I felt that Bailey was her true self when she was with Charlie. She was able to express herself, honestly, and she really shined in his presence. Charlie was the best version of himself when he was with Bailey, too. She softened his edges and forced him to drop his protective armor. Then we were able to see that sweet boy with the tender heart.

I know this book was called Betting on You, and the synopsis mentions said bets, but I really didn't care about them. I cared about Bailey and Charlie, and I wanted them to find happiness and find some peace with their family situations. I was frustrated as I waited for them to be honest with each other, but at least there were some over the top antics, sweet and tender moments, and lots of top notch banter to ease my pain as I waited.

This was a hit for me, overall, tough I did wish we heard more from Charlie throughout the story because he had a lot of baggage to unpack. Still, I was extremely pleased with Bailey's personal journey. In the end, this was classic Painter for me. It was fun and witty with a touch of drama, a sweet romance, and characters who were easy to root for.

*ARCS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER

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