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Avalon operative Claudia Cruz and the darkly intense FBI agent Vincent DeLuca clash in a battle of wills while chasing down the same art thief. Determined to apprehend the elusive criminal before Claudia does, Vince can’t help but admire her smarts and ruthlessness. For Claudia, the undeniable spark between them starts out as a fun game, and she flirts with Vince just to push his buttons. But then the dangerously handsome agent begins to steal her heart...and she soon finds herself in bed with the aggravating man. Suddenly the thief turns the tables on his hunters and they must rely on one another to stay alive—and in the process, discover what’s most important to them.

368 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

2 people are currently reading
57 people want to read

About the author

Michele Albert

12 books20 followers
Michelle Jerott was born on 17 January 1961 in Wisconsin, USA. Her very first romances she ever read, way back in high school, were Kathleen E. Woodiwiss's "The Flame and the Flower" and "The Wolf and the Dove" (published by Avon in the mid-70s). She said: "I fell in love with Heather and Brandon, Wulfgar and Aislinn--and have been hooked on romances ever since. I like nothing better than to curl up with a good book and a hot cup of coffee, and romances will always be my books of choice. Unlike some authors, I didn't come out of the womb wanting to write books. In fact, from about the age of 14, I wanted to be an archaeologist."

Michelle graduated with a classical Archaeology degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and even attended a summer program at University of London's Institute of Archaeology. She remembered: "My first dig, in high school, was a Mississippian Indian site not far from Terre Haute, Indiana, and my last was a Roman fort outside Newcastle in Great Britain. There, standing up to my knees in mud and swinging a pick ax, I decided that maybe archaeology wasn't my calling in life, after all. A career fast track was fine and dandy, but I wanted to take the scenic route through my own life instead. So, I had a baby and eventually went to work in a research lab, which allowed me time to write. When I sat down to write my first story, I had no doubt it would be a romance. As a kid, I was disappointed that girl oriented stories rarely had the same sort of fun, excitement or dangerous adventures as the boy oriented stories. Consequently, I re-wrote a lot of those books in my head. As I grew older, I discovered the books I liked to read (and write) were those in which the heroine has all sorts of fun and excitement... and yes, even adventures, dangerous or otherwise. On July 31, 1997, after three years of writing and shopping my manuscripts around, I sold my first book to Avon. A couple days later, I won the Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart Award for that same book, an award given to manuscripts written by unpublished writers. All in all, 1997 was an exciting year! Becoming a published writer has been a long-time goal, and I'm so excited to have this chance to make my dream come true. More importantly, I hope to share with you, through my characters and their stories, a little magic, a little fun, and a whole lot of romance!"

She signed her firts four books with her real name, Michelle Jerott, and later she used the pen name Michele Albert to continued a Series that started with "Absolute Trouble", her debut novel. Her novels: "Her Bodyguard" and "Getting Her Man" were both nominated for Best Mainstream Novel by Romantic Times and "Off Limits" appeared on the Waldenbook's National Bestseller List.

Married with a father of theee, Michelle lived with her husband, her son, his three children, and two lazy cats in a small town outside Madison, Wisconsin. She passed away on 5 July 2021 in her native Wisconsin.

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5 stars
6 (9%)
4 stars
29 (45%)
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23 (35%)
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Profile Image for Robin.
1,985 reviews98 followers
October 1, 2016
For the last few months, FBI Agent Vincent DeLuca has been investigating a string of art thefts. The thieves leave no clues. They use different methods of entry. The sculptures and paintings are never seen again. Vince's case is getting cold and he doesn't need Claudia Cruz getting in his way. Claudia works for Avalon Investigations, an organization of mercenaries who recover stolen art. Claudia sees Vincent as competition. She also sees him as the hot guy she is crazy about. When Vincent and Claudia decide to put their differences aside and work together to solve the case, things heat up between them.

This is the seventh book in the Avalon Investigations series. The series has been very uneven. I thought this was one of the better books. The characters were fun and the investigation moved fast. The only downfall is the author set this book up as a continuation of the series. We learned a lot about the boss at Avalon, and also about Rainert Von Lahr who has slipped out of Avalon's clutches several times. Unfortunately, there are no more books in this series, so we'll never know if they catch him. My rating: 4 Stars.
Profile Image for ♥ Vonda M. Reid ♥.
115 reviews25 followers
May 13, 2013
Overall Rating: 4.45 // Action: 3.5 / Emotion: 3.5 / Romance: 4.0 / Sensuous: 3.75 / Suspense: 4.0 // Laughter: 0 / Tears: 1

Her Last Chance: 4.45:
There is something about the way that Michele Albert writes, that appeals to the reader in me. Therefore, it is not surprising that I would readily recommend Her Last Chance as an enjoyable, intriguing, sensual book to read.

Hero: 3.5:
Vincent DeLuca: It was easy to like this handsome, arrogant, incorruptible, dedicated FBI Agent. Vincent came from a big Italian family background that made him feel like the sexy man next door, who was so obsessive about everyone following the rules, that he developed an intense dislike of Avalon and its mercenaries.

Heroine: 3.5:
Claudia Cruz: Albert did such a great job of developing Claudia's personality and background that she enabled even an old prude to come to accept Claudia in her differentness. Claudia's bold, blunt use of "sex fu" took a bit of getting used to, but once you accepted her blatant use of sex appeal in her mannerisms, dress and dialogue, she was a likeable heroine who experienced the same insecurities about herself and her man as any other woman (be they frumpy or svelte).

Story Line: 4.0:
This story had a police procedural feeling to it as Vincent and Claudia began their respective investigations into a rash of art and antiquities thefts in numerous small galleries in the area. Albert kept readers wondering who was behind these thefts as Vincent and Claudia tried to out-maneuver each other until they finally decided to work together. Additionally, Albert really drew readers into the idea of this book being part of a series as she further developed the reason Ben Sheridan had Will Tiernay investigating a cold case that played a huge role regarding the background of Avalon Investigations.

Action: 3.5:
Although not filled with exciting 'wild, wild west' kind of action and adventure, this story moved along at a strong steady pace as Vincent and Claudia search for the person(s) who were robbing small galleries. It was particularly entertaining because Vincent and Claudia also tried to put obstacles in the other's path as they pursued their own investigation.

Emotion: 3.5:
Albert excels at developing characters that work their way into your heart. Although there was not a great depth to the emotional connection one felt with Vincent and Claudia, the engagement was, nevertheless, constantly present.

Romance: 4.0:
If Albert excelled at one thing in this book, it was revealing the sexual chemistry and heat that flowed between Claudia and Vincent. Even though Vincent and Claudia fought like cats and dogs when they first meet at the Alliance Gallery crime scene four months ago, the attraction was mutual and instant, even though both of them tried to ignore it's pull.

Sensuous: 3.75:
Since Claudia was such a sexual creature, it stands to reason that when she finally decides to hook up with Vincent their lovemaking would be hot and spicy and have that special sizzle that means the author has written an outstanding love scene. During the entire book Claudia was as unashamedly aware and desirous of Vincent as he was of her.

Suspense: 4.0:
Albert did not entertain readers with the kind of nail-biting suspense one usually finds in a Romantic Suspense novel, but she did keep readers glued to the pages to see what was going to happen next.

Secondary Characters: 4.5:
Albert did an excellent job of continuing to develop the personalities of secondary characters that were introduced in previous books of this series. Cannot help but want to know so much more about Ben Sheridan, Ellie, Shaunda, Russ Noble, and other members of the Avalon Investigations firm as well as wondering what is going to happen with Rainert von Lahr and Vanessa Sharpton.

See Wolf Bear Does Books for a more in-depth, detailed review of Her Last Chance.
1,427 reviews25 followers
December 2, 2017
This book had an intriguing premise: FBI Agent Vincent DeLuca is working on a series of hard to solve art thefts and Claudia Cruz, an independent investigator for a group called Avalon, is working on the same thing. As the two trip all over each other solving the case, they fall in love and voila! HEA ending.

That's what should have happened but it didn't really work that way . The first hundred pages aren't really devoted to crime solving but lust thought coupled with snarling insults at each other as well as the occasional game of one-upmanship. That became tedious about ten pages in. The writing was clunky and some of the characters were more caricature like than those pictures you can buy at carnivals. This was a thoroughly hard slog for me and the only good things I can say about it is that it got slightly more interesting towards the end, when they concentrated on the crime solving and that it is now off my TBR and on the way to the UBS. Goodbye and good riddance.

Profile Image for LaurLa.
171 reviews94 followers
June 12, 2023
I didn't like this book as much as the previous. I never really connected to the MCs, though once they decided to give in to theire chemistry, I began to feel more connected. Maybe that's a really good author trick. I didn't much like either of them as they kept swiping at each other but as they got closer and started opening up to each other, they started opening up to the reader as well.

As with the previous books, the immediate suspense story was good and was tied up nice and neat in a bow along with the HEA for the MCs. However, each book has progressively upped the mystery factor of Avalon, giving a bit more info in each but also creating even more questions.

The disappointing thing with this book is it really amped up the questions and desire to know everything but it appears that the author has abandoned the series. It's been 5 years since she's written this one and nothing on her website indicates anything else forthcoming, so we're left with lots of dangling questions. We find out who the mysterious girl is whose death Will Tierney is tasked to find about, but not how all of it connects to the other disappearances or to von Lahr. Needless to say I was a little peeved when the book ended and these questions weren't answered and I knew no new books were on the horizon.
Profile Image for Jill.
142 reviews5 followers
April 8, 2010
I received this book from Pocket Books as part of the Pocket Books Blog Tour. It is the second book in a series. I had not read the first one and that did not hinder my enjoyment of this one in any way.

Both Claudia and Vincent were very strong characters who are both working on finding the thieves responsible for stealing artwork from galleries and stores. Vincent is a member of the FBI's art crime unit and Claudia works for a private company. While they seem to hate each other at first they find that by working together they are able to put together the pieces more efficiently, and of course it gives them a chance to explore the attraction they feel for one another!

The mystery elements of this book were well done and the thieves responsible for the crimes slowly become more clear. As they investigate further they find out motives they hadn't even imagined. In the background of this story are also other members of Avalon. I think the one couple were probably the focus of book 1 of the Avalon series and I have an idea who will be featured in the second one but I guess I will have to wait and see.

I was unfamiliar with Michele Albert prior to reading this book but I am glad that I have discovered her work. My TBR list just keeps on growing!
1,428 reviews48 followers
March 23, 2010
From my blog:

The premise of Her Last Chance by Michele Albert is an intriguing one and well worth reading, however, I could not get past all of the sexual innuendos, tension, swaying of hips, and steamy romance to truly enjoy the plot of this novel. Albert's two main characters are Vincent DeLuca; an FBI agent in the Art Squad unit is of course the stereotypical, "tall, dark and handsome" and Claudia, a former police detective who now works for Sheridan, a rich financier of a group referred to as Avalon, a group of mercenaries who specialize in recovering stolen art. Claudia is described as not only highly intelligent but also very seductive and gorgeous, words associated with describing her often contain the words "breasts and hips". When Vincent does not want to arrest Claudia, he wants to engage in coitus with her. The relationship between Vincent and Claudia is fairly straightforward and predictable. Obviously, this was not a novel for me, however, that is because I do not enjoy steamy romances. The plot is a good one and well planned out and I believe readers who enjoy steamy romances filled with action, mystery and intrigue may indeed enjoy reading Her Last Chance.
Profile Image for Cheryl.
6,594 reviews239 followers
March 19, 2010
Former Dallas police officer Claudia Cruz has gained a bad rap. She shot and killed an unarmed rapist. Claudia is now part of an elite organization known as Avalon. It is composed of skilled individuals including mercenaries whose mission is to recover stolen artwork.

FBI agent Vincent DeLuca is teamed up with Claudia. Vincent doesn’t trust Claudia. In fact he even has her locked up. If Vincent wants to play games…Two can play. Claudia has a few tricks up her sleeves. Things quickly heat up between Claudia and Vincent.

Her Last Chance is book two in the Avalon series. It can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone novel. The zinging banter between Claudia and Vincent was good four play leading up to some really hot sex scenes. I thought that the romance involving Claudia and Vincent was balanced out really nicely with the rest of the story. Because there was such good dynamics with Claudia and Vincent and the story line was appealing, it made reading this book a breeze. Make this your chance to try Her Last Chance by Michele Albert.
Profile Image for Wendy Hines.
1,322 reviews266 followers
June 25, 2013
Book four in the Avalon Series, Her Last Chance can be read alone. Or at least, I think so since I didn't read the first book.

Claudia Cruz used to be a Dallas police officer, until she shot and killed a rapist. Wanting a career change, she takes a position with Avalon, an elite organization of mercenaries who recover stolen art.

Vincent DeLuca works for the FBI, but also with an organization that recovers stolen art. When he and Claudia end up working the same case, Vincent is determined that the FBI won't be thwarted by the Avalon team.

Claudia doesn't mind using her wiles to get what she wants, but Vincent gives as good as he gets. The heat sizzles between the two, and they soon find themselves closer than they ever thought. Are they willing to put their hearts on the line?

Her Last Chance is a romantic mystery with great characters and dialogue. There are some laugh-out-loud moments as well as some hot and sizzling interludes. Hot! Hot! Hot! Michele Albert pens a passionate and suspenseful tale that romance lovers are sure to enjoy.
Profile Image for Tina.
792 reviews1 follower
September 14, 2011
It's no secret that I love Michele Albert and this book is just another reason why. Reading one of her books is like Christmas morning, birthdays and a surprise party all rolled into 350 some pages of awesome-sauce! Yet, as much as I loved this book, I still struggled in rating it. On the storyline of this book alone, and not factoring the series aspect, I'd wholeheartedly give it 5/5.

But, the loose strings of the series aspect were put in and just left to dangle in the breeze. It's like the proverbial giant, pink polka-dotted elephant in the middle of the living room. Knowing there probably won't be an end to the series, and ending a book on a cliffhanger for said series with unfinished business is not okay for me. It's more like a giant 'screw you' in blinking neon letters to the fans. So I will give it a 4.5/5 stars and cross my fingers that someday there will be a final book in the series.
Profile Image for Kendra.
633 reviews6 followers
July 29, 2011
Good chemistry between the hero and heroine, which makes the book. It took me a bit to think back and remember when plotlines from previous books were mentioned, but really wasn't too confusing. I liked how the couple talked with each other and didn't hide in their insecurities. Each took the extra step in the relationship, because it was important to them. I could enjoy seeing more of Claudia with her family. It's a good thing the thefts weren't what kept me reading. If it had been up to that part of the story, I probably wouldn't have finished. Ugh. Did not like the whole set up with the thieves and the explanation. It just didn't work for me, so I'm glad the characters were interesting and kept me satisfied. B- rating.
Profile Image for Bridget.
574 reviews140 followers
March 23, 2010
Claudia says goodbye to the police station and hello to Avalon. This career move has Claudia tracking down missing artwork. Vincent, who is an FBI agent, is in a constant race with Claudia to find the pieces first.

As their relationship grows from hate to something a little more alarming, attraction, they are both overwhelmed with the feelings taking shape. Will love conquer all or will their need to win overcome the love they share?

I enjoyed the tension and chemistry between Claudia and Vincent. Some parts were a bit corny but overall this is a great romance story.
Profile Image for Monica.
Author 100 books1,079 followers
August 29, 2010
First off, the sensuality of this book is top notch super steamy stuff. It is just pretty dang hot. The characters easy sparks and banter make this book all the more hot. The characters are well defined and developed. The plot flowed at a nice pace everything works perfectly well together. This book is pretty much perfect. I gave it a four out of a five just because the story line isn't really my type of thing, since it is myself giving the ratings. I liked it, you should definitely check it out!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews

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