Partners in Crime

Alisha Rai

Blurb:

Indian Matchmaking meets Date Night in this fun, romantic adventure in which a match-made couple about to be engaged gets caught up in a caper that puts their future—and lives—in danger.

At thirty-five, with a stable job as an accountant, Mira Chaudhary wants nothing more than to find a boring man to spend the rest of her life with. Having had enough excitement in her younger days and desperately trying to escape her dysfunctional past, she turns to a matching app specializing in Indian American singles to help her find someone to settle down with.

Enter Naveen Desai. An English professor with an uneventful, normal, and—dare she say it, boring—life, Naveen is perfect.

But just when things are going well, Mira receives news that her aunt has died. Suddenly a trip to Las Vegas to settle her aunt’s affairs turns into a mad dash to escape kidnappers, evade art thieves, and consorting with hackers who can decipher just what it was Mira’s aunt was involved with. Mira just hopes that Naveen isn’t chased away by the very same life of “excitement” that she’s been trying to get away from. But maybe, over the course of one wild night, Mira and Naveen will find the love connection that neither expected.

Themes: Contemporary

Rating: 3.25 stars

Heat Rating:

Review:

WARNING... THIS BLURB IS INCORRECT!

Alisha Rai has long been one of my favorite erotica authors, but when she began writing more mainstream contemporary romance, I decided I would give those a try as well. While I can say they have for the most part been enjoyable I haven’t loved them nearly as much sadly. Unlike when that blurb states, Mira and Naveen are not strangers, not by a long shot. Mira has recently changed her name and begun a brand-new life, and it’s time for her to settle down according to her timeline. So, in an attempt to find a nice Indian boy to begin a courtship with she puts herself out there. But instead of meeting someone new, she is thrown together with the former lover she left behind, Naveen, who she left heartbroken when she moved on. Before they can decide if they are going to move on or move forward, Mira’s past comes back to haunt them both in a big way leading to hilarious and outlandish adventures racing through Las Vegas and with Naveen in tow, Mira must work to keep them both safe. The more time they are together though, the more Mira and Naveen come to realize their old connection might still be there. While by far not my favorite Rai novel it was fun and enjoyable. Like Mira's backstory and seeing her find her comfort in her own skin finally. Naveen was truly interesting character and I loved seeing him admit he never stopped loving Mira. the blurb was so misleading I was confused for a while but once I got into the story, I moved passed it. All in all, it was a fun, amusing, and fast paced story of two former lovers going on an adventure and finding their loves again together. I will continue giving Rai’s working a try for sure and hoping for more.

*eARC provided by publisher (via NetGalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was provided.