If you’re looking for a read that’s uproariously funny, filled with suspense, and breathtaking romance, this book is the one for you. From the first page I loved Simi, she felt very authentic to me, full of personality and contradiction in a way that made me root for her even when I was cringing at her awkwardness. While she was unpredictable, I could relate to her in the way that she needed to be around people, and desperately wanted to be loved on her own terms.
Male lead Jack Danger annoyed me with his hot and cold attitude, though his aura of mystery made him a little more bearable. On the other hand, I loved Detective Garcia and thought he was miles more charismatic and charming than the ever-absent, Jack. I thought the love triangle between Simi and the two felt a little forced, especially since it seemed obvious who Simi was going to end up with.
Simi’s relationship with her best friend Chloe was the real star of the book, layered and deep with lots of shared laughs, jealousy, and true platonic soulmates. It reminded me of my best friends, and the struggle that comes with growing up and pairing off and how that leads relationships to evolve over time.
This is the first book with a brown main character that I’ve read where culture isn’t the main focus of the book and that was something I appreciated because it made Simi’s brown identity feel less othered, it was just something normal about her rather than something different to be focused on.
Overall, I loved Sarah Desai’s band of merry misfits coming together to pull off a crazy heist and follow their dreams.
Four out of five stars!
Paging Kait 