THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN. PARTNERS IN CRIME is certainly my new favorite Alisha Rai book!

Packed with action, twists, and a fast-paced plot that made this impossible to put down, this book was incredible. I loved the characters, I loved the romance, etc etc. Alisha Rai has always been a plot-heavy romance writer, so I think this really worked with what she’s best at. I am not usually a fan of second chance romance, but Mira and Naveen sold it for me. I need a spin-off book STAT. I cannot emphasize enough how much fun this was. A million stars for me!!!

3.5/5

i have extremely mixed feelings about this book. "partners in crime" is about mira and naveen, two exes who, right after an awkward reunion, get kidnapped together and must run around Vegas dealing with the remnants of mira's past life.

so much of this book was so fun! i enjoyed the glamorized crime (i know, i know, okay, but at least they aren't actual criminals/mobsters) and the flirting was SO fun in these contexts. it was fast paced and enjoyable...until i reached about the 90% mark. inexplicably, i got so incredibly bored with this book and couldn't rev myself up to finish it. i ended up skimming the last five percent almost two months later, but it still didn't feel like the rest of the novel. i felt like the sex and the ultimate relationship just... weren't that satisfying?? it wasn't enjoyable to read about and just felt like i was eavesdropping on a not particularly juicy brunch debrief involving a bunch of people i didn't know. alas, not every book can hit that perfect ending! i did enjoy the journey though :)

I love romantic suspense so I was really excited to read this one. Typically my version of “suspense” leans a bit darker, but it’s great when I can find it in a romcom.

After surviving the chaos of her childhood and dysfunctional family, Mira wants nothing more than a calm, boring, stable life with a calm, boring, stable partner. She enlists an Indian matchmaker to help find her dream guy and hits the jackpot when she’s matched with MMC Naveen. Despite their compatibility, Mira succumbs to a moment of self-sabotage and dumps him.

Months later, after the death of her favorite aunt, Mira is contacted by a law office to settle her aunt’s estate. Fate, meet your second-chance because guess who the estate lawyer is? Naveen. (Obviously.) Before the MCs have time to process the awkward reunion, they are kidnapped at gunpoint and dragged into the dark, messy world Mira worked so hard to put behind her. The story follows their harrowing journey filled with action, suspense, and mystery. As they try to survive the high-stakes shenanigans, the MCs learn to support and trust each other, raising the stakes even higher.

This was such a cool blend of romance and mystery with a solid plotline. I’m not a big fan of second-chance romance, but this one really worked for me. The hijinks helped smooth out the angst of the MMC’s reunion, which I appreciated.

I loved the MCs’ both individually and as a couple. They both had their own brand of crazy family baggage that shaped their need for security and stability, but they worked through their stuff separately while supporting each other. I liked that they were true partners – neither of them was a damsel who needed saving. They worked together as partners to survive, which in my mind…if you can survive a kidnapping, taking on life together seems like a forgone conclusion.

Romantic suspense is my bread and butter so I didn’t really have high expectations for the mystery/suspense elements in a romcom. I’m woman enough to admit I was wrong to underestimate the author, because she served up some serious twists and turns. The plot and romance were so well-executed and I loved every minute of it!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of "Partners in Crime", written by author Alisha Rai. This novel told the story of Mira, 35, who works as an accountant. She uses a dating app in order to match with Indian American singles in the hopes of settling down. Naveen is an English professor.

When Mira learns that her aunt has passed away and that she is the one expected to take care of putting her affairs in order, They end up going to Vegas and Mira once again has to experience the dysfunction that happens in her family, all while hoping that it doesn't scare Naveen off.

Overall, I rated this novel 4/5 stars!

So, I'm getting to this review late due to the Harper Collins Union strike.
To this books credit, it was a one sitting book. It was fast paced and engaged me all the way through.
With that said, sadly this one was a little too over the top for my personal tastes. The romantic suspense vibe was a little too campy for me, and the second chance romance side of it didn't give me enough. Granted, if I were watching this as a movie, I think I would truly enjoy my time with it.
But, I don't usually look for a new movie in my books. So, this one lands in the middle with a rating of a 3 for me. Again, not the worst thing, but not a new fav, which is sad. I adore Rai's writing. Just didn't get enough from this one.

2.5 rounded up...Sorry, but I just didn't find this all that intriguing or exciting. It's a second chance at love story, and the plot sounded like it would make for a funny action comedy, so I couldn't wait to read it. The romance did nothing for me and I didn't care about the characters, therefore I didn't enjoy the book overall. It just didn't feel right, didn't it? That's strange, considering Alisha normally crafts convincing romantic chemistry in her novels. And there's no regret, either, despite the fact that this was a second opportunity at a love that ended badly. In any case, as soon as the conversation turned to Bitcoin, I completely lost interest. I was anticipating a lighthearted romantic comedy, but instead I found myself reading a suspenseful thriller with a ludicrous amount of tacked-on romance. I won't complain about the exciting moments because they were enjoyable, but everything else was so ludicrous that I couldn't help but laugh out loud. I'm not sure I'm supposed to be enjoying this because it reminds me of things we never quite moved on from.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC for an honest review.

Partners in Crime is a fun and engaging read that will appeal to fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy. Alisha Rai has crafted a hilarious and heartwarming story that will leave readers feeling satisfied and rooting for Mira and Naveen's happily ever after.

this was a fun little read, i didn't love it like i would have wanted to but i did like it, i think i wanted a bit more from it, i"m not exactly sure what that would be but it needs some more umph

This was a cute, lighthearted romance-lots of fun, with a lot of suspense thrown in (which really surprised me).

Okay, Okay. I see you Alisha Rai!
Partners in Crime is a delightful read that will keep you on the edge of your seat turning page after page as you follow Mira and Naveen's story. What starts as a cutesy romance novel is quickly thrust into a scavenger hunt in order to save Mira's sister from a kidnapper. Working together, Mira and Naveen encounter a wild cast of characters. They rely on each other, help each other heal from past wounds and spend a night in a motel with only one-bed situation. {winky face}

Read if you enjoy:
~ A second chance at romance
~ Escape rooms and brain twisters
~ A peek into the seedy side of Vegas
~ Mystery and suspense
~ A chance at healing old wounds to move forward with a bright future
~ Spice
~ Happily Ever Afters

As this title is published by Avon, an imprint of HarperCollins, I will be withholding my review of the title in support of the HarperCollins Union strike. I look forward to reviewing this title once HarperCollins has met the union at the bargaining table and agreed to a fair contract.

cw: toxic parents, Parkinson's disease, kidnapping, gun shot, past alcoholism, rehab, and fatphobia

Mira is looking to settle down, but finding someone is harder than it seems. She turns to a matchmaker specializing in Indian American singles. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be working for Mira as yet another failed relationship has come from it, a big thing since this matchmaker is usually much more accurate than this.

When a trip to Las Vegas to settle affairs turns into a dash to escape kidnappers, evade thieves and consorting with hackers, Mira discovers that maybe the person she thought wouldn't be good for her was the right one all along.

The summary sounded like this would be a wild journey that and that's what I was hoping for. I was so please not to be disappointed. It sucked me in quickly and never let me go.

The whole plot is so insane and wild. It starts off seeming like it could be a normal romcom and then the reader is thrown into this fast-paced world that doesn't let up. Mira and Naveen's adventures in Vegas were thrilling. I was eager to keep reading and figure out how they were going to get out of this pinch they were in.

Now, while I had a good time with it and thought there was some suspense to it, there did seem to be a lack of urgency throughout it as it really seemed to float between moving the plot along and making sure that Mira and Naveen's relationship was moving forward.

Their relationship was nice. I loved the second chance aspect of it. Their adventures gave them both a chance to learn more about one another and talk about some of the things that didn't work. It was nice to see them bond more and really band together to make sure hey didn't find themselves in more trouble.

This was a fun ride. It's an easy book to sit back and relax with. A fun ride that would be a wonderful palette cleanser between books or even a nice way to mix up your romance list.

This is such a fun read, I loved it! Mira Chaudhary is an accountant who lives a quiet life, perfect after her childhood with her father, a con man. When her beloved aunt dies, Mira goes to the lawyer and finds Naveen Desai, a man she was set up with by an Indian matchmaker. You can see the sparks flying off the page!

Mira’s inheritance is a key, and she’s pretty sure she knows what it opens. She and Naveen take off for Las Vegas, chased by the bad guys, to her father’s storage unit. They need to retrieve an item from the storage unit without getting killed, and figure out their relationship at the same time.

This book is very entertaining and I highly recommend it, 5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

I received an advance reader's copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for a review. Unfortunately, I didn't get it read until <em>after</em> the publication date and actually read my library's print version, but I eventually got it read, and that's what matters, right?

I've read Alisha Rai before and liked her characters and their development, so I looked forward to this one. I didn't really read the synopsis before I started reading, which was actually kind of fun, because a lot of things took me by surprise, like the kidnapping and subsequent adventure. I don't know what I expected (maybe something more along the lines of Rai's Modern Love series), but this was such a fun romp - it's the perfect rom/com/action/adventure, and I was soooo along for the ride.

I tried reading Partners in Crime and really struggled to get into it. I read up until the kidnapping scene, which was only about 10% in, and it was so absurd and out of place I had to DNF it. There were also many typos, which I understand in ARCs, but these made it challenging to follow the story (e.g. inconsistent character names).

Second chance romances are my absolute favorite. This book went in a completely different direction than I thought it would. I absolutely loved the suspense, thrill, and romance combined within the plot. I've always been a huge fan of Alisha Rai's books so there was no shock I'd love this one! I loved the Indian representation, including the matchmaker theme. I couldn't get enough of the adventure part with the two main characters. Highly recommend if you love that Mr. and Mrs. Smith vibe mixed with second chance romance!

This was action packed and thrilling! A little over the top at points but I loved the suspense.
I enjoyed how the romance took a back seat to the action in this one but it's still present. And so cute.
This is a cozy suspense because literally these villain characters aren't even that scary but the thrills of the chase and mystery surrounding this damn father dude were just crazy good.

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy!

The National Treasure, Heist lover in me enjoyed this so much. Mira and Naveen are exes who end up kidnapped together in a case of bad timing. Unbeknownst to them, this might just be the thing that brings them together.

Mira and Naveen were so fun and I thoroughly enjoyed their story. This was the type of read that sucks you in and makes you want to do nothing else but pay attention. If you’re looking for something exciting and sweet, this one is definitely for you!

This book was okay! It was my first book by Rai, and I will say that I did enjoy the uniqueness of this romcom plot. I’ve never read one where they’re running for their lives, but Rai did a good job of still taking that non-romcom plot and making it fit here.

Overview:
second chance romance
dual-pov
🪄Indian Matchmaking plot
Romance turned action-adventure as they are forced together in a plot to escape kidnappers and art-thieves from our MCs mysterious past
My Thoughts:
I went into this blind and was not expecting the action-packed plot with criminal intrigue! I really enjoyed the dynamic between Mira and Naveen. I love seeing them be forced to work together, constantly bickering and feeling so many conflicting emotions. It was fun to red about the matchmaking aspect and I liked how that detail was interwoven with the discussions of grief. The romance was. easy to read and I wanted to keep reading to find out all the reveals with the other plots! This book gave me the rush that watching a really fun action movie does. The actual romance part of the story was not my favorite but I enjoyed it overall! I would give it 3.5/5 stars!