Oh would you look at that, another new instalment of my ‘best of’ series. I never expected to be talking about sports-related books, but here we are. I’ve actually really been enjoying sports romances recently and I’ve bought quite a few in the last month so I’ll (hopefully) have a lot of books to talk about in this series.
Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
It feels a little strange to be introducing a series about sports romances with a book about chess, but it is technically a sport.
I adored this book and its characters. We have a bisexual main character that doesn’t get questioned about her sexuality, everyone just accepts her as is. Her younger sisters in particular are very funny about it. It’s so refreshing for a character to say they’re bisexual and not have anyone say ‘are you really?’ or ‘you can’t be bisexual if you’re dating a man’. Hats off to you Ali Hazelwood.
I went into Check & Mate knowing next to nothing about chess and not having an interest in it at all, however, I found the matches so exciting. I can’t say whether or not the techniques and playstyles were 100% accurate but you can tell a lot of research was done for this book.
The romance was swoonworthy. Nolan was almost pathetic with how infatuated he was with Mallory and their constant bickering was great. I love slightly mean but flirty banter. Also the ANGST. My god, it was ridiculous. Which I know is not for everyone, but remember, this is a YA novel, so angst is pretty guaranteed.
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—especially Mallory. 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 hotter than she imagined, and the competition can be fierce(-ly attractive. And intelligent…and infuriating…)
Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Weirdly, I haven’t talked about this book since I reviewed it back in 2023. I think as it wasn’t my favourite Taylor Jenkins Reid book I keep forgetting it exists. Which is ridiculous as it’s the last book of hers that I’ve read.
I also wouldn’t say this is the best sports romance book I’ve ever read, but I really wanted to start a post series for the genre and I haven’t actually read that many yet. However, I do think if you’re really into will-they-won’t-they romances that go heavy on the sports content, this book is perfect for you.
Annoyingly, in my review I didn’t comment on the romance side of Carrie Soto is Back, which is unusual for me, so I can’t remember a whole lot about it. However, I do remember the characters having great chemistry and the practice sessions get a little steamy.
Synopsis: Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular.
By the time Carrie retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Slam titles. And if you ask her, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father as her coach.
But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning, British player named Nicki Chan.
At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked the ‘Battle-Axe’ anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.
In spite of it all: Carrie Soto is back, for one epic final season. In this riveting and unforgettable novel, Taylor Jenkins Reid tells a story about the cost of greatness and a legendary athlete attempting a comeback.
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