Michele Albert, Tough Enough

Tough Enough

Michele Albert

Pocket, Apr 2007, $6.99

ISBN: 1416531394

As an agent of Avalon, Will Tiernay knows you can't pick your assignments, but this one he wonders if he should claim a conflict of interest. His superior at the privately owned and funded agency that recovers stolen art has tasked Will to go undercover to learn who at Haddington Reproduction plans to switch the authentic priceless Eudoxia Reliquary collection with apparent realistic fakes. His fears is that Mia Dolan, the only woman he ever loved, is one of the bad guys.

Will and Mia realize from the first moment of their second time around, the attraction remains stratospheric. As they explore their feelings, he worries foremost that she might be a thief and if not that she will never forgive him for his deception as she will wonder if he used her to get at the con artist(s). As they fall in love again, both have their doubts, but first they must deal with the issue of a clever felon whose replacement plan is foolproof as the fakes look so much like the real that most people would fall for switch.

The art theft is the prime story line of a terrific romantic mystery although the second chance at love augments the dilemma facing the hero. The action-packed story line never slows down while leaving a few dangling threads for more Avalon thrillers. However, the reason this is worth reading by sub-genre fans is the doubt whether Mia is a crook hiding in plain sight of love, an unsuspecting dupe, or something else as Michele Albert leaves ONE WAY OUT for her lead couple.

Harriet Klausner