MoodReads - Romance Book Discovery
The Stacks
DiscoverMy ShelvesReading Stats
Sign upLog in
MoodReads - Romantasy Book Discovery

because goodreads doesn't
have a spice filter

Discover

  • Discover Page
  • Reading Stacks
  • Tropes
  • Moods
  • Creatures
  • Spicy Books

Get MoodReads

  • so what is it.
  • iOS App
  • Browser Extension
  • MoodReads Premium
  • Gift a Subscription
  • For Creators
  • Share MoodReads

Go Deeper

  • FAQ
  • Roadmap
  • Request a Feature
  • vs Goodreads
  • vs StoryGraph
  • Who Built This?

The Serious Stuff

  • Values
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Support

get emails when something big happens. no spam, just news.

© 2026 MoodReads. Built by a romantasy reader for romantasy readers.

rattle the stars, bitches.

Cover of Check and Mate

Check and Mate

by Ali Hazelwood

💕🚪closed door
4.7 on MoodReads (3 ratings)3.9 on Goodreads (359,035)

Rate this book

sign in to add to shelves, track reading status, and see your stats

find similar →
ReportSpoiler settings

Ending

reveal ending

Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

You'll root for Mallory's comeback and swoon over a romance built on mutual respect and intellectual sparks.

Synopsis

Compétition intense, secrets et tension irrésistible : une romance addictive, sexy et drôle par l'autrice de The Love Hypothesis. Mallory Greenleaf ne veut plus jamais jouer aux échecs. Cette passion a détruit sa famille. La jeune femme se consacre désormais à son job de mécanicienne pour subvenir aux besoins de sa mère et de ses sœurs. Jusqu'au jour où elle accepte à contrecoeur un dernier tournoi. Face à elle, Nolan Sawyer, le Régicide, champion du monde en titre et bad boy prodige des échecs. Les coups s'enchaînent entre Mallory et ce rival mystérieux, exaspérant – et très attirant. La partie prend alors un tour... inattendu.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

Ali Hazelwood does STEM romance better than almost anyone, and Check and Mate proves it translates to chess just as well as physics labs—Mallory is a former prodigy who quit the game to hold her family together, and Nolan Sawyer is the world champion who will not let her disappear. The banter is sharp, the tension is slow and satisfying, and the book has something real to say about women being erased from competitive spaces. YA in category but reads older.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

3.94 ★ (359k)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

400 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2023

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Young Adult

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

M/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

First Person

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Medium Burn

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

reveal ending

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

Yes

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

Single Narrator (unspecified)

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Clothilde Matta

Narrator Count

Single

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
rivals competingcompetition romanceopposites attractslow burnforced proximityfirst lovefamous/non-famousthe one that got away
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

wittyheartwarmingplayfulromanticintenseemotionalupliftinghopefulangstydramatic

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

wittybanter-heavyconversationalearnest

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

medium

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

moderate

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

low

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

page turnerslow start explosive finish

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

reluctant chosen onesurvivorsnarky/sarcastic

MMC ArchetypeWho is he? The male main character's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend.

golden retrieverrival / competitorsecretly soft

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

rivals to loversbanterintellectual connectionslow burncompetitors to lovershe falls first

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
Spice Level 1

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

fade to black

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

None

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

None
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (7)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
death of loved onegriefpovertyanxietyparental abandonmentsexismchronic illness
Browse books by content warning →

World & Setting

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

contemporary

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

competition / gamesbig city / metropolis

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

humans only

RepresentationIdentity representation in the book. LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, body type, age and more.

feminist themesSTEM representationworking classmental health rep

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

growth-focusedromantic fulfillmentpure joy

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

anytime

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

bedtimevacationsummer eveninglazy Sunday

this page is just the start

  • import your Goodreads or StoryGraph TBR. we tag every book with spice, tropes, CWs, mood, all of it
  • tell us a vibe (“enemies to lovers fae, high spice”) and BookMatch finds the book
  • 4,000+ romantasy books searchable by 45 fields
  • book clubs, reading challenges, and a community of readers who get it
free account

Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.💕🚪closed door
PagesHow long the commitment is.400
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2023
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.3.94 ★ (359k)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending
Similar picks →

My Notes

Loading...

Short Takes

quick 280-character reactions for this book. drop a thought, rate the vibe, keep scrolling.

Sign in to share your take.

Loading...

Book Chat

live reactions, hot takes, screaming into the void about Check and Mate

Similar Books

Cover of Put a Ring On It

Put a Ring On It

Black Dog Bay, #3

Beth Kendrick

💕🚪·third person
marriage of conveniencewake up married / Vegas weddingopposites attract
Cover of The Sun Is Also a StarKU

The Sun Is Also a Star

Nicola Yoon

💕🚪·dual POV
right person wrong timefirst loveopposites attract
Cover of To All the Boys I've Loved Before

To All the Boys I've Loved Before

To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1

Jenny Han

🌶️🌶️·first person
fake datingfirst lovesecret relationship
Cover of Shatter Me

Shatter Me

Shatter Me, #1

Tahereh Mafi

🌶️🌶️·first person·✓
forbidden loveslow burnlove triangle
Cover of The Apothecary Diaries

The Apothecary Diaries

Natsu Hyuuga

💕🚪·multi-POV
slow burnforced proximityenemies to lovers
Cover of Love on the Brain

Love on the Brain

Ali Hazelwood

🌶️🌶️🌶️·first person
forced proximityenemies to loversslow burn
Cover of The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue

Mackenzi Lee

💕🚪·first person
friends to loversforbidden loveroad trip romance
Cover of Capturing the Devil

Capturing the Devil

Stalking Jack the Ripper, #4

Kerri Maniscalco

💕🚪·first person·✓
forced proximityslow burnhurt/comfort