This is my first novel by Sara Desai and I’m unsure if the style of this book is her norm but OMG Simi was sooo funny! Her inner commentary about her life and those of the people around her were laugh out loud hilarious. This novel was not at all what I was expecting. Needless to say, I loved Simi. She was a complete wild card and I really didn’t know what she was going to say next. Her crew that she pulled together for the heist were all definitely outside the spectrum of normal that it made for some really fun reading.

I didn’t really know what to think of Jack. Simi was a pretty luscious lady and she not only had her eye on Jack, but also the detective charged with solving the museum robbery and I wasn’t really sure who she was going to settle down with, they were both kind of sweet. For me, there were some problems with a Simi- Jack pairing as he seemed to always have his own agenda and for a girl who was always left on her own I wanted a lot better for her. However, he sure was charming and their scenes were a lot of fun.

The side characters in this novel were a large part of what made it so successful. Rose, her over lusty landlord was a hoot and I loved the secondary love story between Chloe and Gage. There was a lot going on in this novel but these characters didn’t make it hard to keep reading. What fun! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

When Simi’s best friend is accused of stealing a valuable necklace, she decides to mastermind a heist for during a wedding to exonerate her bestie. Jack is charming and mysterious, and he offers to help Simi find the missing necklace. is is a well written story which is easy and sweet read, with humor, witty banter, romance, secrets, and love, which leads to an entertaining, unpredictable, heartwarming, and steamy addictive page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

To Have and To Heist by Sara Desai is an one of its’ kind, humor-riddled, heist -filled romcom sure to keep you on your toes & steal your heart. It’s outrageous & outlandish but if you just go along for the ride, you will have an oh so fun time! Because this story involves a heist, there’s quite a bit of action & adventure, which also happens to include the most interesting & unique group of misfits (for lack of a better word) & creates the best kind of found family vibes, love & community. I am staunchly on team misfit & I felt a deep affection for this crew.

The quick witted banter was just spectacular, top notch & honestly, music to my ADHD brain. I loved that there was so much going on & how much activity was compacted into this 416 page book. This story gives you joy, friendship, a boat chase, Dexter adjacent packing lists, sizzling chemistry, journeys of growth, an eighty year old friend with the vibes of Blanche from Golden Girls & of course, enough twists to keep your pages turning. I hope at least one of those things has to have caught your interest because this is marvelously fun book that’s also written extremely well.

If anyone one is looking for a read with a mission of pure entertainment, found family, action-filled adventure & heart-robbing romance, don’t let To Have & To Heist getaway. 😊

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the gifted arc, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

I will be posting to my social media & Amazon tomorrow & I will add links once I do.

What an adorable giggle-fest! This is my first Sara Desai book, and I already have purchased three more because I need more Desai giggles. Simi is hilarious, chatters when stressed, and comes up with some of the funniest things to say. Her ride-or-die best friend is being accused of stealing a priceless necklace. During this heist, Simi meets her mystery man in the bushes after trying to help her bestie escape from the scene with a hodge podge of materials she got from her father's tailoring shop. Yes, it's that wacky--but it works! When you meet this cast of characters who shouldn't be able to do all they do, they do it well. It's comedy gold and heartwarming at the same time. The romance between Simi and Jack is sweet and spicy, but it was a slow burn, much to Simi's dismay. There is so much positive to say--but let's get to the point. Do you want a fun, spicy read to leave you smiling for days? Grab this book and enjoy all the antics involving meddling parents and aunties, 3D-printed jewelry, apples, wedding planners, bad guys, delicious Indian cuisine, and elephants!

To Have and to Heis is a masterful piece of work that excels in character banter, leaving readers in fits of laughter. This action-packed and uproariously funny adventure is brimming with witty exchanges that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

this book was truly just so much fun, I don't really usually read books about heists but this was such a delight. i loved simi's character so much and I related so much to her and her struggle with feeling alone and abandoned and having no passion. her growth was so much fun to see. i also liked jack's character too, the romance was a bit different and fast paced than what I was used to but they were still so cute. i loved chloe and anil and rose and the whole found family in this book. if you enjoy comedy, found family, action and a cute romance with alot of spice you'll definitely enjoy this book.
Thank you to Berkley, Valentine PR, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: violence, abusive relationship (physical and emotional, past, non-MC), gun violence, parental neglect (past)

This was such a fun book. What happens when an entirely normal person gets involved in a heist sheme to help her best friend. Simi, a bit chaos, but always the good girl, was neglected by her family. But she finds herself wanting to break out of that mold. Bringing together a group of other misfits, all stuck in a rut for a variety of reasons, and all with their own set of skills. This book will just have you laughing as things never seem to go right on the heist despite Simi's plans.

But the real standouts for me were Gage and Chloe. A mom trying to get out of from under her abusive ex, with a priest kink, and the gruff enforcer who is willing to kill anyone who hurts her (and conveniently an ex priest). Anytime they were on page I was screaming and if there are other books and this becomes a series i demand their story next because I could not love them more they were scene stealers and I need them.

Just a fun adventure/heist book with a dash of romance.

Steam: 1.5

This is a fun read, about the theft of a valuable necklace and its recovery. It’s a fast paced caper romance/mystery that I enjoyed, despite some improbable situations.

Simi meets Jack in a dark garden after a valuable diamond necklace is stolen from a museum. He tells her he’s not a jewel thief, he’s the guy who recovers pilfered items and returns them to their rightful owners. Unfortunately, Simi’s best friend is accused of he theft, and Simi is involved as well. She decides she needs to clear their names and get the reward.

She gets a “crew” of misfits together, and they’re off to some wild adventures in Simi’s quest for justice, and don’t forget the reward money.

Simi and Jack have serious chemistry, but he’s secretive and she’s wary of his job and his friends. Can they somehow find a way to be together? I recommend this escapist read, 4 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.

Did not finish- didn't work for me at all. Made it about 25% before giving up. I absolutely hated the main characters and storyline wasn't for me.

Thank you to the publisher, author and netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book early.

I loved the prior books this author wrote and was excited for this one. However it fell flat for me. I made it 10 chapters and that was pushing myself to keep reading. It's a DNF for me.

Part romantic suspense and part heist/wedding planner vibes, this book is absolutely HILARIOUS.

The suspense and heist is definitely the main part of this story, with a bit of romance thrown in. There are several background characters who make up the crew for the heist and each of them brings their own hilarity to the story. Our main girl Simi is relatable, awkward, chaotic, and fiercely devoted to her bestie, which is the entire reason why she agrees to put together the heist in the first place.

As much as I loved Jack, our MMC, I felt like we were robbed a bit in terms of him. This story is told entirely from Simi’s POV, with only the prologue and epilogue having Jack’s POV. That led to a lot of questions for me about Jack when for a lot of moments in the book he was just…absent.

That being said, I LOVED what we did get from Jack’s character. A mysterious man who rides a motorcycle, is obsessed with plants and can pick a lock/safe? His chemistry/banter with Simi was also super fun. I loved their meet cute!

To Have and to Heist is definitely not your average romcon. It is pure chaos in the best way. There's a heist, sure, but there's also an elephant, a sex-positive octogenarian, and a mafia wedding. I'm still not sure what I read, but it was sure fun.

Read if you like:
-found family
-romantic suspense
-misfit crew
-ride or die besties
-family antics

Thank you Valentine Pr & NetGalley for this arc for an honest review!

Loved the concept of this, it was so entertaining and I was hooked for the entire book. It was fun, charming, and i adored it.

This book was wild from beginning to end. Simi was lusting hard for the first part of the book, almost every other thought was about some guy 😂 I was glad when she finally got with one but was disappointed that it wasn't more descriptive (that's just my person opinion and not a critique) I had no idea what was going to happen next because anything was possible. It kept me entertained just enough to keep reading but I almost DNF-ed it several times and just skimmed the last 12% or so. What really kept annoying me was the endless lists people came reciting and the lengthy way people talked. I really enjoyed the characters though, the crew was such a mix of personalities but they worked well together. The book ended in a way to suggest a follow up.

SO MUCH FUN! A Bit cozy mystery mixed with crazy antics in an action-packed rom com!

After Simi’s best friend is accused of stealing a multimillion dollar diamond necklace, the only way to clear her friend's name is to organize a jewelry heist at the wedding of the season.

This book was pretty different from a lot of what I typically read! I enjoyed Sara Desai’s The Marriage Game series and was eager to read more by her! I loved the mix of adventure, humor and romance. The chaos was unbelievable (in a good way), the romance was swoon worthy and the humor was top notch!

If you want to explore a little outside your reading comfort zone, this is definitely worth the try!

𝔹𝕝𝕦𝕣𝕓: 𝕥𝕠 𝕖𝕩𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕓𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕖 𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟 𝕞𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕓𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕒 𝕛𝕖𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕣𝕪 𝕙𝕖𝕚𝕤𝕥 𝕕𝕦𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕖𝕕𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕠𝕟 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕙𝕚𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕚𝕠𝕦𝕤 𝕣𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕔 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕕𝕪!

🖤rom-com
🖤found family
🖤mystery
🖤he falls first

𝕄𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤: I really enjoyed this book! It was a great mix of cozy mystery and romantic comedy. I loved all the characters and the ban of misfits Desai brings together. The story was so fun to read and this is easily a book you can devour in one sitting. The MFC Simi is fun, brave and relatable. She loves her best friend Chloe fiercely and I enjoyed the bond the two of them shared. I am rating it 4.5/5 stars because I like my romances a touch more spicy and would have liked to see a bit more between the main romantic interests. I’d give this 🌶️/5 for spice. This was such a fun summer read and I’m looking forward to reading more from Desai!

To Have and to Heist by Sara Desai is an absolutely hilarious and captivating read that deserves five stars. Simi Chopra's streak of bad luck takes a thrilling turn when the charming and mysterious Jack offers to help her recover a stolen diamond necklace. The chemistry between the characters is organically portrayed and adds an extra layer of intrigue to their heist adventure.

Desai's skill in creating lovable characters shines through in this book. Simi is a relatable protagonist, and Jack's charisma adds excitement to the story. As Simi assembles a ragtag crew for the heist, they must navigate a high-society wedding, a bride with secrets, and a detective with a slow-burn smile. The twists and turns keep readers engaged until the very end.

With its blend of humor, romance, and thrilling moments, To Have and to Heist is a delightful escape into a world of laughter and excitement. Desai's writing style is entertaining and engaging, making this book a must-read for fans of romantic comedies and heist stories alike. Prepare to be swept away by this comedic gem that will steal your heart from the first page to the last.

This was so good??! It's my first Sara Desai book, and I was blown away by the narration, I wanna read all her books now. Seriously, the sarcasm and humor and general grit were so good to read.

I loved the found family in this one, it's so wholesome! And they get a good amount of page time too.

Also ahh the heist 😭 it's a very Slow-burn heist with multiple stages and extensive planning and failures that lead to more planning, and it was so fun to read.

The romance was so good 🥲 I need more of them. Speaking of, I think there miiiiight be a chance for book 2 in this series? Sara Desai, please 🥲

TWs - person framed for high-profile robbery, physically and emotionally abusive ex husband, gun violence, general violence, kidnapping, loneliness as a kid, death of grandparent, alcoholic parent

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

I am glad that so many people loved this book.....because, I didn't. I found Simi to be a bit hypocritical. She was getting so mad at Chloe and basically doing the exact same thing. Simi drove me crazy through most of the book. I did like some of the side characters though. Sadly, I didn't feel any feels when it came to Jack and Simi either. This book just wasn't for me. I wish it was because I liked the concept of the book.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the ebook in exchange for my review.

I had absolutely no idea what to expect from this novel, but I am so delighted that I had the opportunity to read it. Although technically categorized as a romance, it is much more of a throwback to an old-school comedy “caper” novel. I was laughing from the first page of this outrageously funny book.

Simi and Chloe are ride-or-die best friends. When Chloe is accused of stealing a multi-million-dollar necklace from a museum (she didn’t), Simi brings together a motley crew of strangers to steal it back from the thieves and clear Chloe’s name, picking up the reward money. The gang includes an octogenarian actress, a suit-selling pseudo-gigolo with a heart of gold, an Uber driver with a questionable past, the MMA-aspiring nerd Simi’s parents tried to force her into an arranged marriage with, a French chef, a former priest turned muscle and the mysterious hired recovery artist Jack.

Is it a crazy, over-the-top plot? Yes. Did I enjoy every minute? Absolutely. As the story unfolds, you become as attached to these characters as they do to each other. Along the way, there are even more madcap characters, adventures, an ice sculpture, an elephant, multiple crimes, and much more. If you are looking for a swoony romance, this isn’t it. But, if you are looking for a riotously good time, this book is 100% a must-read.

Thanks to Valentine PR, NetGalley, Berkley Press, and Sara Desai for the opportunity to read this hilarious book which will be published on July 18, 2023.

A romp of a book! Simi's life is a mess, her friend Chloe's isn't much better but then Simi meets Jack and they're off. This is all about making friends, building relationships, and, well, a heist. Simi finds herself leading a crew of mismatched individuals who she otherwise would not work with. And then there's her family (love her aunties). This is silly in spots and it will remind you of the Oceans movies, but it's also fun. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Light reading for a summer day.