This book was an eARC and the opinion is my own. I loved this book, the plot was get and there were twist that drew my interest immediately.

Partners in Crime is a romantic suspense novel that has a second chance romance and takes place in Las Vegas. This romance novel explores a jewelry heist, family drama. strained relationships, and troubled pasts. This was a fun and suspenseful story! I loved that it was action-packed and the story kept my interest throughout. I didn’t see the twists coming which was a pleasant surprise. The only part I didn’t like was how a couple of things at the end were resolved so quickly when there was resentment or tension about it for years - I found that part to be odd. As for the audio, I thought the male narrator chosen was perfect. The female narrator was okay, but I found her voice to be a bit too whiny at times. This was a 3.5 for me, but I rounded up to 4 stars on GoodReads. I’d recommend picking Partners in Crime if you’re looking for a combo of mystery, suspense, and romance!

Not at all what I was expecting, but in a good way! The blurb made this sound like it was going to focus more on the matchmaking side of things, and it also minimizes the relationship that this former couple had in the past. I am not a fan of second chance romances, so I likely wouldn't have picked this up had I known that Naveen and Mira actually dated for six months before our heroine ran scared three years ago. I'm also not sure that I would've picked it up if I'd realized that it was SO suspense-focused. But you know what? I would've missed out on a very solid read. The action starts up right away, so this is a fast-paced, high stakes read. I loved the concept of two people who hid the messy sides of themselves while dating, who are unable to shy away from those issues when they're forced to work together. Quite literally to save their lives, lol. As they discover the things they each hid away during their relationship, these two realize that they might just be perfect for each other after all.

The story follows Mira, a woman who is looking for a partner in love and life. She's been using an elite matchmaking service for over three years, and still hasn't found the right guy. Mira pushed away the one guy who seemed like he might've been (too good of) a fit, and her love life has been lackluster ever since. So when Mira discovers that Naveen is the attorney handling her late aunt's estate, it's a shock to see her former flame. And when they're kidnapped... well, it certainly shakes things up. Confronted with the man she let get away AND the messy, criminal family that she hid from him, Mira has no choice but to show Naveen the reasons why she thought they'd never work. But as the two reconnect and spend time together under unexpected circumstances, Mira realizes that Naveen has his own issues... and he isn't shying away from hers.

Told in third person with dual perspectives, there's a lot about this that SHOULDN'T have worked for me, but the fast pace made it difficult to dwell on any one issue for long. I also kinda loved that I'd never read a second chance romance that played out quite like this one - where both characters held back when they were together, but are forced to lay it all out in the open now. It's the messy parts of Naveen and Mira that make them perfect for each other, and they couldn't fall all the way in love until those parts of themselves were exposed. That element was really interesting to me, and I did enjoy the suspense. Yeah, there was a lot more suspense than anticipated (probably too much), but I liked that Naveen and Mira built back up their relationship in such a raw way. I think that if you enjoyed the movie The Lost City, then chances are that you'll like this too. There are definitely some components that I could pick apart as things that bugged me, but I had a lot of fun just sitting back and enjoying the ride. It was a solid 4-star read for me the whole way through.

Another good read from Rai - expecting a romance, I'm afraid the thriller aspects of the story probably didn't concern me as much as they might have if I didn't know it would be a HEA. But still, fun and interesting.

Partners in Crime by Alisha Rai is the romantic suspense winner of the fall! A second chance romance set in Las Vegas brings all the action of jewelry heist, family drama, troubled pasts, and relationships in trouble. it was action packed and kept my attention the whole time. I want more! Highly recommend!

This book was so fun! It was also such a fresh take on the second chance romance trope. Mira and Daveen had been set up by a matchmaker years ago and dated for six months before Mira abruptly broke things off. When Mira has to stop by a law office not knowing it’s where Naveen works the story really begins immediately with both of them being taken hostage! This leads to unknowns being revealed about Mira and Naveen’s family and past, thus bringing them closer together. Several friendships and familial relationships are also repaired along the way. I truly adored reading this book and would definitely recommend to romance lovers out there! Especially ones that like a little adventure!

5 stars

⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I feel like labeling Partners in Crime was a big mistake - it starts off with a fun and unexpected re-meet cute, but quickly takes a turn into action comedy that comes out of nowhere.

Mira Chaudhary and Naveen Desai used to date and were getting pretty serious until she walked away one morning and broke things off via text. Over the past couple years, they haven’t had any contact until Mira’s aunt passes away and Naveen is the lawyer handling her affairs. To say they’re not excited to see each other is kind of an understatement. But after their meeting, both Mira and Naveen are kidnapped and pulled back into the less than legal world Mira’s father existed in and that she escaped.

There’s a lot of action, twists and turns while they’re running from their kidnappers and very little time for them to actually get to know each other again. Naveen sees a whole new side of Mira he never saw before and learns that she lied to him the whole time they were together but somehow he still is alright with everything she’s doing? The action and adventure was fun to read, but I didn’t feel the romance between these two, even once they got together again - there wasn’t any chemistry between them at all.

I really disliked the two twists at the end of the story - this was crazy to begin with and things just totally went off the rails to wrap things up. The reveals were insane and the quick wrap up of things with Mira and Naveen was confusing and felt like it was grasping for straws to make everything work out.

I am terrible at remembering what books are about. I see an author I like with an untitled, unreleased book and just add it to my Goodreads TBR shelf. But it kind of works out because I am always surprised at where the plot goes and that's how I felt with this especially with where this story went. You get jilted exes who are brought together by coincidence when Mira's aunt dies. Naveen is the one to read the will. And then suddenly they find themselves kidnapped. It was a wild ride from start to finish. I really liked their chemistry and the strong family involvement interwoven into the story. Nothing was perfect, there was a lot of rough edges and I think it really worked for this story!

Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and Netgalley for this advanced copy!

This book was a ride! I generally love Rai's books, but none of them have felt as fast-paced as this one. Mira is dumped by her last match from the matchmaker when she gets a call that her Aunts lawyer needs to see her to discuss the Aunt's will. The lawyer is (naturally) a former match, the one she almost cared too much for. After their meeting (and some sparks flying), they are kidnapped and so starts this wild ride.

I loved Mira and Naveen and their growth as characters through the book, as well as through this second chance story. I also loved how both of them had been working on themselves to get to good places, which just happen of course to be the place where they can be together.

But really, let's talk hijinks and kidnapping. This book was all over the place with this story but in the best way. Chapters moved well and even though Mira and Naveen end up all over Vegas trying to solve the mystery and save themselves, the pace felt great and I appreciated the down moments and the ramp-up of action when needed. I also appreciated how steamy this got, but at all the right moments.

Overall, I loved Mira and Naveen together, I loved the dual POV and this was just fun. Rai is always a hit and this book is no exception.

Amira Patel is going to be fired by her matchmaker. It's inevitable. However, that's the least of her worries. After her most recent unsuccessful match, Amira finds herself reconnecting with Naveen, her first match, when he is the lawyer responsible for executing her recently deceased Aunt's will. Things only get worse when Amira and Patel are kidnapped and tasked with finding a diamond necklace stolen by Amira's estranged, and also dead, father. Thankfully both Naveen and Amira have some tricks up their sleeves and some contacts who are equally capable, to help them out along the way.

Partners in Crime is a heist romance that will have readers racing to the end to figure out what happens. The puzzle of the diamond necklace is well-executed and engaging. The relationship between Amira and Naveen and their relationships with other characters in the novel are well developed and show real growth. There is a lot to love in this novel!

“Be honest and be yourself” is the dating advice given back when I was single. Partners in Crime is a rom-com that explores lying to your love and what happens when your lies implode.

Amira Patel is unlucky in love. Or unlovable. She’s not sure which it is but she does know that being dumped in a five-star restaurant and left to pay the expensive bill was not what she had planned for the day. When she gets a call asking that she deal with some paperwork relating to her aunt’s estate, she decides to drive to Nevada to handle it rather than having the stuff mailed to her in California. It’s a short trip and maybe coping with something much sadder will help her forget breaking up with a guy she didn’t love (but had hoped to marry anyway).

Naveen Desai is unlucky in love. He’s met two perfect women and both times, has been with them just long enough to start thinking of marriage right before they broke up with him. He’s now devoting himself to his scaled-back career, working hard to keep his Parkinson afflicted grandfather’s law firm viable while also taking care of his gramps.

When Naveen waltzes into the firm’s conference room to meet the heir of a late client’s estate, he is stunned to discover that the Amira he had once been in love with is the Mira Chaudhary listed in the will. After a brief, awkward conversation about the past, they agree to keep things professional and get through the paperwork quickly. They succeed and that should be the end of this unfortunate encounter but of course, it’s not. Minutes later they meet in the parking lot and Naveen discovers just why Mira had needed an alias.

Her father had been the worst sort of con artist, and Mira had wanted nothing to do with him or his business. She has built an honest, respectable life for herself far away from any of her family. The only person she remained in contact with was her aunt, someone who had also distanced herself from Mira’s father’s shady shenanigans. So when the thugs in the garage approach Mira demanding the return of a valuable necklace, she sincerely has no idea what they are talking about. Naveen walks in at just the wrong moment, tries to save her, and winds up tied up alongside her instead. Neither of them really knows what is happening or why but they do know one thing; they’d best work together if they plan to survive the night.

This is a classic caper romance, where our hero and heroine spend their time racing around trying to find clues as to where the jewelry is, team up with some interesting friends as they do so, and naturally fall (back) in love along the way.
I’m not going to say a lot about the plot except that it is meant to be campy and fun, not serious and gritty. It’s made as believable as one of these stories can be by the fact that Mira was raised by her father and had been working with him/for him since her pre-teens. She can pick locks, undo zip-tie handcuffs, play a mean game of poker, and shoot bad guys without breaking a sweat. This isn’t, however, the life she wants for herself. Mira worked hard in school, graduated college with an accounting degree, and very much wants the classic home with a white picket fence, husband, kids, and loving extended family that was missing from her childhood. She’s been working with a matchmaker to make that dream a reality but hasn’t succeeded and can’t figure out why. Spending this time with Naveen helps Mira realize that her inability to share her past with anyone has kept her from enjoying the present and building a future. I really liked that Mira has such ordinary dreams in spite of being such an extraordinary person and that the author writes her in such a way that I found her desires authentic, understandable, and relatable.

Naveen gave love a try twice and struck out both times. Since then, he has slowly built a better life for himself. Going to rehab for his drinking problem and quitting his demanding, high-powered job to work at his grandfather’s community law practice has helped him move to a better place both emotionally and physically. He is probably more ready for love and commitment now than he was in the past but he is wary of it. Spending this time with Mira helps him to realize why - he still loves her! It also helps him to understand why a couple with their scorching chemistry and deep emotional commitment didn’t work out - Mira hadn’t shared a key part of herself with him and her fear of someday having to do that was probably more behind their breakup than anything else. Once again, the author does a great job of creating a likable, engaging character whose genuineness serves as a great contrast to the exciting but unrealistic story she’s telling. This part of the book is near perfection - Naveen and Mira feel like people who could walk off the pages of the book and be right at home in the real world.

Their romance lacks some of the scorching sexuality that I associate with this writer, but that’s due more to plot constraints than a lack of chemistry. There is plenty of heat between Mira and Naveen once they meet again but that is understandably on the backburner until they deal with the big issue of the stolen diamonds. The HEA buildup works fantastically with this slow simmer - Mira and Naveen always had loads of sparks between them but something was missing from their emotional connection (or so we are told). Now that last piece falls into place to give them a wonderful, sincere romance.

The secondary characters are written rather two-dimensionally but that works because the focus is on the leads. Mira’s family, friends, and honorary uncles are (with a few notable exceptions) likable, interesting people who fit smoothly into the plot. The convenience of both their existence and roles in the narrative might have been a bit too opportune to feel anything like reality but that’s okay - this tale is meant to be fun and escapist.

My one real quibble with the story is the sheer, relentless unbelievability of it. For example, some big (huge, gigantic) issues are introduced with Mira’s family at the end. The kind of thing that shakes the foundation of what you believed about your life and forces you to re-examine your entire childhood. We don’t really get to watch Mira deal with the aftermath of that, which hammers home the almost saccharine nature of the text. But again, that’s a quibble.

Partners in Crime is pretty near everything that a rom-com should be - a lighthearted, occasionally silly, sometimes funny story with a delightful, heartwarming romance at its center. I thoroughly enjoyed it and think fans looking for a breezy, sweet contemporary will as well.

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What I love about Alisha Rai is that she is constantly challenging herself as a storyteller and Partners in Crime is a culmination of her combining all the lanes she’s written in within the romance genre and the result is a wonderfully entertaining tale of second chance love, an inheritance that brings a host of trouble and danger, reconciliations and a glimpse into South Asian culture.

Mira is a heroine with curves and Naveen has middle-aged aches and pains! I loved this representation of normal bodied main characters! Both of them have not been successful with their matchmaker though they both want the stability and comfort of marriage. Shout out for the early part of the book being set in Artesia and Mira lives in Alhambra, neighborhoods in Los Angeles!

I can’t say much more about the plot without spoilers, but I can tell you that it’s a slow burn until about 76% into the story and then Rai delivers the heat that she is highly skilled in writing.

I loved the pacing of the book, the story was non-stop engaging, and I have so many questions for the author about bobby pins, zip ties, and Naveen’s mother’s ability to identify precious stones virtually!

There are great relationships, the dialogue feels real and serves the story and characters, and the characters work through personal issues while going through some pretty high-stress scenarios.

This book was an absolute joy to read and I loved the epilogue, which was like the best icing on a delicious cake.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Thank you @avonbooks and @netgalley for the #gifted eARC of PARTNERS IN CRIME!

Oh my gosh this book was a wild ride but in the absolute best way! The description of Indian Matchmaker meets Date Night is spot on.

PARTNERS IN CRIME opens with Mira Chaudhary being called to an attorney’s office to discuss her late aunt’s estate and will. To Mira’s surprise, her aunt’s attorney is none other than Mira’s ex-boyfriend Naveen. At the end of their awkward meeting, Mira and Naveen wind up kidnapped by some crooks who are convinced that Mira’s deceased criminal father left a fortune for her and their crime boss badly wants it.

Chaos ensues and Mira and Naveen are on the run for their lives as they scramble to figure out what’s going on and if there is a fortune after all. And while they’re working together… sparks fly and Naveen and Mira start wondering if there could be a second chance at love for them.

I love second-chance romances especially when the MCs are very adult about why they broke up and address their prior issues. Naveen and Mira slowly peel back their armors to each other and reveal why their relationship fell apart to begin with and how they could build off their past mistakes and misunderstandings. The level of empathy and care they show each other was major relationship goals.

This was a quick and action-packed book that’s full of romance and swoony moments as well as emotional conversations and reckonings.

PARTNERS IN CRIME is out October 18, 2022!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4788858860?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1
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I love Alisha Rai's books, and Partners in Crime is such a fun, caper-y book filled with danger! and romance! Naveen and Mira, who were previously matched by a matchmaker until Mira snuck out and broke up with Naveen seemingly out of nowhere several years earlier, find themselves in a perilous situation that arises after an unexpected reunion. There is so much drama in this book, but also authentic connection and a well thought out plot. Plenty of steam, too, because Alisha Rai knows how to write that well.

Mira Chaudhary has spend her adult years running and hiding from her past. When her aunt passes away, she regrets not spending more time with the one solid influence in her life. At the reading of her will, Mira runs into her ex, attorney Naveen Desai, who follows her out of his office in hopes of finding out why she left him. However, in the parking garage, the pair is kidnapped and soon find themselves in a dangerous adventure in Las Vegas.

Partners in Crime is an entertaining story that I liked, but didn’t love. It is more of a buddy adventure/campy heist story than a contemporary romance. The pair goes from one outrageous situation to the next, surviving by luck and instinct. They have a past, and we find out that they were very compatible, but Mira ran. They fall in sync with one another pretty easily, and that allows them to grow close and share the skeletons lurking in their closets. I love how they reconnect - also how Mira reconnects with her childhood friend, and even with her “uncles.” It’s a great journey of self-discovery, more so for Mira than Naveen, but both uncover things about themselves. With that said, I felt like the pair were more best buddies than partners falling in love.

Partners in Crime is a good, fun story, but I wanted more of their romance - not just rehashing the old times and living in fear from moment to moment. The few “romantic” scenes are passionate, but I didn’t feel a deep connection.

My Rating: B-

This book was really mismarketed, especially for people going in based on what Alisha Rai typically writes. It sounded like a fun second chance romance with some shenanigans on the side. It’s more romantic suspense, which is very hit-or-miss for me. I felt NOTHING for the leads and didn’t think they had chemistry. At 50%, so much stuff had happened, yet I was questioning why I was reading this, since I was not invested.

Accountant Mira is very buttoned up. After her latest match-made dating disaster, she runs into previous boyfriend Naveen. As lawyer for her recently deceased aunt's estate, Naveen is there to probate her will. But when Mira gets kidnapped in the parking garage and Naveen tries to help her, they both end up on the run from an angry mobster. Will they reconnect on this adventure together and survive their past secrets and the menacing people after them? Of course, they will, this is a rom com.
Not many rom coms are adventure stories. This one was laugh out loud nonsense but also kind of fun. Ridiculous things happen and it is crazy and unrealistic, but I did enjoy the intersection of a crime caper and a romance. I liked the characters and their depth and independence. This is not literary fiction, but it reminded me of the Tina Fey/Steve Carrell movie Date Night or older Christina Lauren novels like The Unhoneymooners. I gave it 3.75 stars for its entertainment value.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

What a marvelous adventure Alisha Rai took me on!
I have seen others compare this book to the movie Date Nate and it is so true. I would also say this reminded me a lot of the movie The Lovebirds too. So many crazy shenanigans happen to this couple. I didn't know what to expect next which kept me turning the pages.
I thought the couple had great chemistry too. There are a lot of unresolved feelings between these two ex-lovers and being caught in this adventure together forces them to confront them. I enjoyed their romance.
I would recommend this for readers who like second chance romance, adventure romance, action-packed, and family drama/secrets.

I love Alisha Rai books and this one was just as good as her other books. I really enjoyed the back and forth between Mira and Naveen and I loved the Vegas setting.

This was a cute romance/caper book. I always love Alisha Rai's writing and I'm a sucker for a second chance romance. I definitely didn't see some of the twists coming which is always a nice surprise. I kind of wanted a prequel all about the female main character's life with her grifter dad because those poker games sounded intense and I think would make for a great book. I feel like this was a bit more caper than romance but I still had a great time reading it and that's all that matters.