Aurora Andresen Klevstuen

“Then, since you have never even been part of a super-tournament, what makes you qualified to be here today? Why you and not someone else?” I swallow. “I just . . .” Nothing. I got lucky. It’s a mistake. I’m not good enough and— “Man”—Nolan snorts into the mic—“she literally won the qualifying tournament to be here. Keep up, will you?”
― Ali Hazelwood, Check & Mate

“Way to make me feel excluded, bitches.” “Darcy,” we all say at once, all in the same disapproving tone. “What?” She shrugs from the door. “I thought we now just sprinkled the word generously in conversation. For seasoning.”
― Ali Hazelwood, Check & Mate

“He’s so handsome. Stupidly, unjustly handsome. I want to look at his stupidly, unjustly handsome face for . . . for as long as I possibly can. Could be a minute. Hopefully, it’ll be seventy years. “Are you okay?”
― Ali Hazelwood, Love on the Brain

“Did you guys break up?” she asks. “What’d he do?” “He . . . lied to me.” “Ah, yes. Lying. Something you’d never stoop to.”
― Ali Hazelwood, Check & Mate