Hello, and welcome back! The very pretty, springlike days we had earlier in the week are gone now, and it looks like some spring rain is on its way, as the sky outside my office window is gray and dark. Good thing I've already got the bread machine going with a yummy new recipe today, and soup ingredients waiting in the refrigerator for later. Not to mention the stack of review books still waiting here on my desk.



This time out, I have the Michele Albert's Her Last Chance (Pocket) (received from publisher), the next in her 'Avalon' series, and a long, long time since her last. Avalon agent Claudia Cruz is on the hunt for an art thief in Philadelphia, and is crossing paths with sexy FBI agent Vincent DeLuca again, something that both aggravates him and arouses him. Vincent is on the hunt for the same art thief, and it really galls him that Claudia's boss works in the grey areas outside the law to get the job done, when Vincent is doing all he can within the law to catch art thieves, so if he can shut Claudia down, he will. But the attraction he feels for the pretty ex-cop might get in his way as much as it will get in her way. Eventually, they're going to have to partner up to figure out exactly what's going on up and down the east coast so they can stop the thieves, and then things will get really interesting, and possibly a lot more dangerous, and not just because of the thieves but because of tangled emotions. This one was on my March shopping list, so when it arrived, I was excited. Except I didn't find Claudia very likable. Vincent is terrific, determined to do the right thing, as well as stepping in to provide protection when it's necessary, and willing to risk his heart. Claudia, however, takes a lot longer to get to know, and by then, for me, it was too late. The suspense in this one is good, though if you've been reading the series, you might want to go back and read the first books for a refresher, and if you haven't read the previous books yet, you might be a little lost with some references to ongoing plot points. This one left me a bit disappointed, I'm afraid. It's earned only three of Cupid's five arrows.

Until next time, happy reading!