Mallory Greenleaf has every reason to hate chess; the game once tore her family apart. Now, she’s focused on her mom, her sisters, and a dead-end job to keep them afloat.

But when she reluctantly agrees to one last tournament, she shocks the world by defeating the reigning world champion and «bad boy» of chess, Nolan Sawyer.

Nolan is enigmatic, brilliant, and surprisingly interested in playing Mallory again.

As Mallory enters the professional circuit to win much-needed prize money, she must navigate the pressures of fame, family secrets, and a fierce attraction to the one person she’s supposed to beat.