We don’t often do cover reveals at SBTB, but when we got a load of the cover for Alisha Rai’s October release, Partners in Crime ( A | BN | K | AB ), we knew we had to share. Before we get into the cover, here’s a description:
Indian Matchmaking meets Date Night in this fun, romantic adventure by Alisha Rai — “One of the very brightest romance writers working right now.” (Entertainment Weekly)
Mira Patel’s got a solid accounting career, good friends, and a whole lot of distance between her and her dysfunctional family. All that’s missing is a stable romantic relationship. Armed with a spreadsheet and professional help, she sets out to find her partner in only legal activities, but much to her matchmaker’s dismay, no one is quite right.
Including Naveen Desai, the very first match she unceremoniously rejected.
Lately Naveen’s been too focused on keeping his sick grandfather’s law firm afloat to think about love, and he’s stunned when Mira walks back into his life to settle her aunt’s affairs. He’s determined to keep things professional…though it’s impossible not to be intrigued by all of the secrets piling up around Mira.
If getting back together with an ex is a bad idea, getting kidnapped with one is even worse.
Suddenly, Naveen and Mira find themselves in a mad dash through Las Vegas to escape jewel thieves, evade crime bosses, and follow the clues to untangle the mess her family left behind. As her past comes back to haunt her, Mira despairs of ever finding someone who might understand her…but maybe, over the course of one wild night, she’ll find that he’s right by her side.
Now buckle up for the cover!
The artist is Chloe Friedlein!
Here were our thoughts when we saw it:
Elyse: Oh. My. God.
Amanda: RIGHT?! So gorgeous.
Sarah: It’s out? She showed me and I nearly fell off my chair
Kiki: This is one of those covers that sells you on a book without even knowing what it’s about.
Sneezy: AAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!
I love just everything about this cover!!!!!
EllenM: Now THIS is how you do an illustrated cover everybody!!!
Susan: I love that she’s driving.
And the rumpled suit look is ALWAYS stylish.
What do y’all think?
Ahhhhhhh, new Alisha Rai! Gimme, gimme, gimme!!!
(And yes, I love the cover. And yes, I’m pouting that I have to wait until October.)
WOW WOW WOW what a cover!!! I love the color scheme, and I appreciate that this is an illustrated cover where the leads look a little more like adult humans and a little less like cartoon children. (That’s tricky, I can understand why not all illustrated covers get this right.)
Love Alisha Rai, so this is going on the preorder list.
I don’t know that I’ve ever said this before about an illustrated cover, but this cover makes me want to read the book. One of the reasons I’m opposed to illustrated covers in general is that they tend to simultaneously desexualize and cutesify the characters they portray—but this cover does neither of those things: these are obviously attractive adults who, regardless of the status of their physical relationship in the story, have a zing of connection between them. The thigh reveal, high heels, undone tie, and unbuttoned shirt all contribute to the overall feel of glamorous people doing sexy things in Vegas. Countdown to October begins….
100% agree with @DiscoDollyDeb. 🙂 I haven’t pre-ordered because I’m cheap like that, but def putting this on my wishlist so I won’t forget about it.
So gorgeous. I could eat those colors with a spoon. It’s an entire movie trailer in one book cover.
It’s a lovely cover (but am I the only one concerned about that white dress being on the pavement?)
Fabulous!!!
Looking forward to this one!
I don’t normally read contemporaries, and I gotta say, that cover? That cover makes me want to read this one.
I’m really digging this trend in illustrated covers on romance novels lately. It seems like it improves chances of characters actually looking like they’re described in the text, especially if they’re plus sized or a person of color. And it seems like it opens up a lot more possibilities for how the characters are interacting on the cover!
Plus, as someone coming over from SF/F, where I’m used to a lot more of the covers being drawn/painted, this helps me feel like the covers are more familiar. <3