Checkmate on Valentine’s: a Christian Romance About Competitive Hearts, Quiet Prayers, and Choosing Love on Purpose

Love is the only game where winning requires surrender.February has settled over Maple Haven like powdered sugar—pretty, cold, and full of expectations. But for Ellie Hart, the season of romance is nothing more than a reminder of a rigged game she has no intention of playing again.After a brutal breakup left her questioning her judgment, Ellie is determined to protect her heart behind a fortress of cynicism and competence. Her solution? Volunteering to run the church singles ministry’s first-ever “Anti-Valentine’s Game Night.” Her rules are simple: No roses. No couple trivia. Just snacks, strategy, and a bracket designed to prove she is perfectly fine.Enter Noah Bennett.A newly relocated physical therapist with an easy grin and a steady faith, Noah possesses an irritatingly calm attitude about losing—until Ellie starts winning everything. He wasn’t looking for a rematch with romance, especially after a past loss taught him that wanting something deeply is an invitation to pain. But Ellie’s sharp wit and hidden vulnerability draw him in, challenging his resolve to play it safe.As their competitive banter escalates from a friendly rivalry to a town-wide tournament fundraiser, the stakes get dangerously high. What starts as a distraction becomes a collision of two guarded hearts. Ellie’s spiritual rule is strict: don’t hope, don’t risk, and don’t pray for things you can’t control. Meanwhile, Noah is forced to decide if he is willing to open his hands to a future he can’t predict.The real contest, they soon discover, isn’t happening at the game table. It is taking place in the quiet spaces where pride masquerades as protection, where forgiveness feels unfair, and where faith asks the hardest question of all: Do you trust God with the outcome?If Ellie can’t surrender her need to win, she may lose the kind of love she has prayed for her whole life. And if Noah can’t stop guarding his own heart, he might miss the chance God is placing right in front of him.Checkmate on Valentine’s is a heartwarming Christian romance about competitive hearts, quiet prayers, and choosing love on purpose. Perfect for fans of small-town settings, enemies-to-more banter, and stories where faith and feelings collide.