Partners in crime: a novel

The universe has a really twisted sense of humor. That is the only conclusion Amira "Mira" Patel can come up with after meeting the attorney probating her late aunt's will. Why? Because he is none other than Naveen Desi, the same man Mira's matchmaker set her up with and whom Mira dated and brutally dumped via what became known as Text-Gate. Mira's hopes for a quick one-and-done meeting with Naveen evaporate when the two discover that her aunt's bequest, not to mention Mira's late father's shady business dealings, have entangled them both in something very dangerous and quite possibly deadly as they race through Las Vegas, dodging criminals and seeking truth. Rai's (First Comes Love, 2021) multitude of fans will come for the delightfully cinematic, over-the-top in the best possible way plot and then stay for the author's trademark witty banter, red-hot sexual chemistry, and endlessly engaging characters.

Rai (First Comes Like) continues her hot streak with this delightful action-packed rom-com/caper mash-up full of jewel heists, sizzling hot sex scenes, and high-stakes backroom poker games. Mira Patel ran from her family's less-than-legal life in Las Vegas when she was 18. Now she's settled down in California and hires a matchmaker to find love--but she screens out anyone she thinks might reject her for not coming from a "good family," among them lawyer Naveen Desai. When Mira's aunt Rhea dies and leaves her a mysterious note and the key to a storage locker, she learns that her estranged father stole a $10 million necklace from the crime lord Cobra. Complicating things even further, the lawyer handling Rhea's estate is none other than Naveen, and when Cobra's henchmen come after Mira, he winds up kidnapped right alongside her. Now they must work together to escape. Escape-room-loving, emotionally intelligent Naveen makes a delightful hero, and Mira's progression from mild-mannered accountant to card-counting James Bond--style badass is by turns hilarious and thrilling. This is a must-read for romance lovers. Agent: Amy Moore-Benson, Meridian Artists. (Oct.)

Mira Patel is 35 and attractive and has a steady career as an accountant. Born as Mira Chaudhary, she's also the daughter of a con man and thief. Lawyer Naveen Desai's investigator tracked down Mira Chaudhary to distribute her aunt's assets, and he's confused when Mira Patel, who dumped him via text, is the woman who shows up to collect. He doesn't want her sudden reappearance to mess up his ordered life, which is exactly what happens when he and Mira are abducted, taken to Las Vegas, and interrogated about a necklace that Mira's father stole. As Naveen and Mira race through the underbelly of Sin City, trying desperately to outwit the criminals chasing them, they uncover secrets about each other as well as Mira's family. Will these secrets draw them closer? Or will the forced proximity and knife edge of danger destroy any chance at love? VERDICT Rai's (First Comes Like) latest is a delightful departure from her "Modern Romance" series. Naveen and Mira have immediate, sizzling chemistry and fun banter, and the plot is full of intriguing twists and turns. Readers won't be able to put this one down.--Heather Miller Cover

A staid accountant is swept into a night of adventure after a mysterious inheritance. Mira Patel grew up in a family of low-level Las Vegas grifters. Desperate to leave that part of her life behind, she moved to Los Angeles at 18 and has been on a straight and narrow path ever since. Now 35, Mira is unlucky in love even though she's a client of the most exclusive Indian matchmaker in the city. After learning of her aunt Rhea's sudden death, Mira is shocked to discover that her aunt's lawyer is Naveen Desai, the ex-boyfriend she unceremoniously dumped a few years earlier. Naveen has moved on since Mira, leaving his big corporate job behind to help keep his grandfather's small law firm afloat. As part of the will, Mira receives a cryptic note and a familiar key. As she leaves his office, Mira and Naveen are kidnapped at gunpoint and transported to Las Vegas. The bad guys think Mira knows the location of a priceless diamond necklace her father stole. When Naveen and Mira escape and follow the clues from her aunt's will, they unlock an epic one-night adventure. Naveen has always been bitter about how Mira left him, but as the night goes on, he learns why she was afraid of their intense chemistry. Meanwhile, Mira learns that hiding her real self is preventing her from finding a true partner. Naveen and Mira's perfunctory romance takes a back seat to their search for the necklace. They eventually drift back into a relationship, but it feels underdeveloped compared to the high-energy escapades that drive the rest of the story. The second-chance romance is overshadowed by a hearty dose of action and adventure. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

The universe has a really twisted sense of humor. That is the only conclusion Amira "Mira" Patel can come up with after meeting the attorney probating her late aunt's will. Why? Because he is none other than Naveen Desi, the same man Mira's matchmaker set her up with and whom Mira dated and brutally dumped via what became known as Text-Gate. Mira's hopes for a quick one-and-done meeting with Naveen evaporate when the two discover that her aunt's bequest, not to mention Mira's late father's shady business dealings, have entangled them both in something very dangerous and quite possibly deadly as they race through Las Vegas, dodging criminals and seeking truth. Rai's (First Comes Love, 2021) multitude of fans will come for the delightfully cinematic, over-the-top in the best possible way plot and then stay for the author's trademark witty banter, red-hot sexual chemistry, and endlessly engaging characters. Copyright 2022 Booklist Reviews.

Mira Patel is 35 and attractive and has a steady career as an accountant. Born as Mira Chaudhary, she's also the daughter of a con man and thief. Lawyer Naveen Desai's investigator tracked down Mira Chaudhary to distribute her aunt's assets, and he's confused when Mira Patel, who dumped him via text, is the woman who shows up to collect. He doesn't want her sudden reappearance to mess up his ordered life, which is exactly what happens when he and Mira are abducted, taken to Las Vegas, and interrogated about a necklace that Mira's father stole. As Naveen and Mira race through the underbelly of Sin City, trying desperately to outwit the criminals chasing them, they uncover secrets about each other as well as Mira's family. Will these secrets draw them closer? Or will the forced proximity and knife edge of danger destroy any chance at love? VERDICT Rai's (First Comes Like) latest is a delightful departure from her "Modern Romance" series. Naveen and Mira have immediate, sizzling chemistry and fun banter, and the plot is full of intriguing twists and turns. Readers won't be able to put this one down.—Heather Miller Cover

Rai (First Comes Like) continues her hot streak with this delightful action-packed rom-com/caper mash-up full of jewel heists, sizzling hot sex scenes, and high-stakes backroom poker games. Mira Patel ran from her family's less-than-legal life in Las Vegas when she was 18. Now she's settled down in California and hires a matchmaker to find love—but she screens out anyone she thinks might reject her for not coming from a "good family," among them lawyer Naveen Desai. When Mira's aunt Rhea dies and leaves her a mysterious note and the key to a storage locker, she learns that her estranged father stole a $10 million necklace from the crime lord Cobra. Complicating things even further, the lawyer handling Rhea's estate is none other than Naveen, and when Cobra's henchmen come after Mira, he winds up kidnapped right alongside her. Now they must work together to escape. Escape-room-loving, emotionally intelligent Naveen makes a delightful hero, and Mira's progression from mild-mannered accountant to card-counting James Bond–style badass is by turns hilarious and thrilling. This is a must-read for romance lovers. Agent: Amy Moore-Benson, Meridian Artists. (Oct.)