Tough Enough is the latest in Michele Albert’s series about the Avalon organization – a group of private operatives who specialize in finding lost and stolen art and artifacts. This series features a love story in each book, and a continuing story arc that involves the search for an elusive art thief and a mystery from the past that has implications for the existence of Avalon and its head, Ben Sheridan.

Businessman Mal Toller has donated his collection of Byzantine Art to the Met. The collection is almost priceless and one piece, a reliquary, is especially fine. Toller commissioned Haddington Reproductions, a firm that specializes in making duplicates of famous art, to replicate some of the pieces so that he can display them at his home. Toller’s commission normally would not arouse suspicions, but Ben Sheridan has heard rumors that a lot of Byzantine art will soon be on the market and he fears that someone who works for Haddington may try to sell the originals and give the Met the copies. Sheridan sends Will Tierney, posing as a journalist, to investigate Haddington Reproductions and see if there is any truth to the rumors.

Three people work for Haddington Reproductions: Vanessa Sharpton; Mia Dolan; and Hugh Haddington. Mia and Will were lovers back in college and shared an intense romance. As soon as they see each other, it’s very clear that the attraction is still there and hot as ever. Before very long Will and Mia are passionate lovers. He does not tell her the truth about who he is and what he is trying to find out, but eventually the truth does come out and that puts Mia in danger.

I enjoyed this book – it was not a run of the mill romantic suspense tale. Mia and Will are smart and likable characters and their occupations add a layer of interest to the story. The actual mystery isn’t all that mysterious since we find out who is behind the attempted switch fairly early on, but there’s still plenty of excitement and suspense to the story. The love scenes are luscious and I savored them – it was a treat to read well written love scenes.

Tough Enough leaves plenty of loose ends dangling and I know that some of them will be picked up in the next book in the series. Michelle Albert has an interesting series going here, and I was intrigued enough to make plans to follow it from here on.