To Have and to Heist

One

There are people who need people, and then there are introverts.

You don't get to choose that particular personality trait when you're born. You're either the kid who spends recess running around the playground looking for friends, or you're the little angel who sits quietly in the reading corner with a book, lost in another world.

I'm definitely one of the people who need people. Leave me alone for more than a few hours and I'll be speed-dialing my way through my contact list or skulking around the local coffee shop looking for familiar faces. I'm the person who will ask if the chair is free at your table if you look like you need a friend, or chat with you in the grocery line and tell you that you're lucky you've picked this till because Charlotte scans things so fast, a few items always get missed and you might go home with a free can of beans.

I've always admired people who are content with their own company. My bestie Chloe can go an entire weekend without talking to another human being if her daughter is away at a sports game or sleeping over with friends. Actually, that's not entirely true. I don't think we've gone more than a few hours without communicating in some form ever since we met on the school playground in fourth grade. Even in the blackest moments of her favorite romance books, when all is lost and it seems like the couple will never find their happily-ever-after, Chloe will always be there for me.

I don't know what I would have done if she hadn't answered my call the day I, Simi Chopra, almost killed a man.

"Oh my God! Chloe!" I held a mirror over the mouth of the naked octogenarian on the floor to see if he was breathing. People who need people are adept at multitasking, even if it involves getting emotional support from your bestie while trying to revive one of your landlady's many "gentleman callers." Not that I begrudged eighty-year-old Rose her extracurricular activities. She'd kindly rented me her basement suite

Sara Desai has been a lawyer, radio DJ, marathon runner, historian, bouncer, and librarian. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband, kids, and an assortment of forest creatures who think they are pets. Sara writes sexy romantic comedy and contemporary romance with a multicultural twist. When not laughing at her own jokes, Sara can be found eating nachos.

"Desai is masterful at character banter and will have readers laughing out loud." Sharon C. Cooper, USA Today bestselling author of In It to Win It

"Dripping with banter, this action-packed and hilarious romp will keep you at the edge of your seat. Simi and Jack s sizzling chemistry leaps off the page, and their hard won HEA feels so satisfying. But what really shines is the amazing, talented ensemble of misfits working together to pull off a daring jewel heist while simultaneously planning a wedding. You don t want to miss this brilliantly crafted heist story!" Farah Heron, author of Jana Goes Wild and Accidentally Engaged

A wickedly fun and wildly engaging romp, led by a strong female protagonist whom readers can't help but root for through all her schemes and hijinks. Kyla Zhao, author of The Fraud Squad

"A jewel heist, an engaging heroine, a wedding, the pitch-perfect banter, and a mysterious guy - To Have and to Heist has it all! Grab this engaging and funny mix of a caper and a romance and get ready to be charmed." HelenKay Dimon, author of Moorewood Family Rules

"The next time someone asks for a rip-roaring action rom-com, I'm pointing (read: shoving) them to Sara Desai's To Have and to Heist. Desai strikes the perfect balance of high-stakes plot and relatable main characters. The zany and irreverent crew are peak millennial chaos and I am so here for it! The crew's skillsets are particularly interesting, especially our action man's endearing love of horticulture. From the very first page I was swept away faster than a getaway driver. With breakneck pacing, antics that don't let up, and a spunky heroine that just won't quit, Desai's To Have and to Heist will easily steal away your afternoon." Lillie Vale, author of The Decoy Girlfriend and The Shaadi Set-Up

Sara Desai s voice pulls you in from the first page in this fun caper with sizzling chemistry.