Rating: 
Summary: Great characters with great chemistry...(4 1/2 stars)
Review: "Off Limits"...what a fun, fast read! Emma has just crawled through a rough patch in life and has moved to start fresh. This move includes a new position as detective with the New Orleans Police Department. Once settled in, she is linked up with Bobby Halloran. Bobby is a bad boy detective with a rep for charming the ladies. Watching these two was so much fun. There was such an attraction between them...not just as man and woman, but as friends as well. They made a great team as well as a great couple. This book was tightly written and had a great pace. I loved it. "Off Limits" was fun, entertaining and very sexy. I would definitely recommmend it...A Keeper.
Rating: 
Summary: Hmmm, I hate to be a stick in the mud,
Review: but someone has got to do it. Basically, what I'm saying is that I can't give this a rave review as everyone else has. If you're looking for a great romance novel--this is not it. It's basically a cop drama with some sex scenes thrown in--which, by the way, I must say Ms. Albert writes very well.The story had such potential but it never went anywhere as far as their relationship was concerned. As for the drama unfolding regarding the theft of some highly precious japanese art--that was written in detail from beginning to end. I also had a problem with the descriptions of the main characters. At first, she wrote of clothing as if they were in the 80's--(a swing coat? I wore one in 1984). Then I start reading about cell phones and how they stake out a retro 80's club so I know it's setting is closer to today. Minor stuff, but it matters. Having said all of the above, the hero was great and I would have loved to see more enfold with the 2 of them. Unfortunately, Ms Albert felt the need to introduce us to the entire police force and an array of criminals and their personal problems. I also felt that the heroine was a little too angry and then all of a sudden...bam!...she comes around to a softer side. I did finish the book which says a lot, but it's definitely not a keeper for me.
Rating:
Summary: Hmmm, I hate to be a stick in the mud,
Review: but someone has got to do it. Basically, what I'm saying is that I can't give this a rave review as everyone else has. If you're looking for a great romance novel--this is not it. It's basically a cop drama with some sex scenes thrown in--which, by the way, I must say Ms. Albert writes very well. The story had such potential but it never went anywhere as far as their relationship was concerned. As for the drama unfolding regarding the theft of some highly precious japanese art--that was written in detail from beginning to end. I also had a problem with the descriptions of the main characters. At first, she wrote of clothing as if they were in the 80's--(a swing coat? I wore one in 1984). Then I start reading about cell phones and how they stake out a retro 80's club so I know it's setting is closer to today. Minor stuff, but it matters. Having said all of the above, the hero was great and I would have loved to see more enfold with the 2 of them. Unfortunately, Ms Albert felt the need to introduce us to the entire police force and an array of criminals and their personal problems. I also felt that the heroine was a little too angry and then all of a sudden...bam!...she comes around to a softer side. I did finish the book which says a lot, but it's definitely not a keeper for me.
Rating:
Summary: Sexy, police drama
Review: Detective Emma Frey just transferred to the New Orleans Police Department from Los Angeles. Emma is a good, by the books cop did her duty by testifying against dirty cops in LA. She was shunned by her fellow officiers, received death threats and even had her engagement fall apart because of it. Now she's hoping for a fresh start. It doesn't take long for Bobby Halloran's bad boy, womanizer reputation to reach Emma and she determines that she needs to stay away from him especially when she hears there's a pool in the department on how long it will take Bobby to get Emma into bed. Bobby Halloran has been on the New Orleans police force for about seventeen years and knows the ropes. He's beginning to get burned out and has lately been pushing the limits on what's ethical. The last thing he wants is anything to do with the new by the books, ice queen, Emma. As her first assignment in N. O., Emma is given a case where an apartment was burglarized and vandalized. When the beat cop who answered the call turned his back, the victim disappears. The victim is sister to a man who shot Bobby and Bobby also had an affair with the woman so he assigned to help Emma with the case, to both their dismay. As they work together, the two start to thaw toward each other until there's steam coming off the pages of the book. Emma realizes Bobby is close to losing it and is determined to help him any way she can.
Rating:
Summary: Sexy, police drama
Review: Detective Emma Frey just transferred to the New Orleans Police Department from Los Angeles. Emma is a good, by the books cop did her duty by testifying against dirty cops in LA. She was shunned by her fellow officiers, received death threats and even had her engagement fall apart because of it. Now she's hoping for a fresh start. It doesn't take long for Bobby Halloran's bad boy, womanizer reputation to reach Emma and she determines that she needs to stay away from him especially when she hears there's a pool in the department on how long it will take Bobby to get Emma into bed. Bobby Halloran has been on the New Orleans police force for about seventeen years and knows the ropes. He's beginning to get burned out and has lately been pushing the limits on what's ethical. The last thing he wants is anything to do with the new by the books, ice queen, Emma. As her first assignment in N. O., Emma is given a case where an apartment was burglarized and vandalized. When the beat cop who answered the call turned his back, the victim disappears. The victim is sister to a man who shot Bobby and Bobby also had an affair with the woman so he assigned to help Emma with the case, to both their dismay. As they work together, the two start to thaw toward each other until there's steam coming off the pages of the book. Emma realizes Bobby is close to losing it and is determined to help him any way she can.
Rating: 
Summary: Very Good Story!!....Silly Cover
Review: Emma Frey and Bobby Halloran are police detectives in the city of New Orleans. Emma had just been on the job for a week when she was teamed up with Bobby to solve a robbery case. The case turns out to be more than a simple robbery when dead bodies start showing up. This book was on my "to be read" pile for a few months before I finally got around to reading it. From here on out, Michele Albert's books get placed on the top of the pile. I was very impressed with her style of writing. Especially Emma's character. She is intelligent, sexy and a strong character that takes the lead when necessary. Bobby is smart, sexy, gentle, caring and not afraid to admit that he is burnt out and needs some help. I got more than I expected from this book. A well-written and very real police story, great characters, sexy love scenes. What more could you ask for. Maybe a better cover?
Rating:
Summary: Very Good Story!!....Silly Cover
Review: Emma Frey and Bobby Halloran are police detectives in the city of New Orleans. Emma had just been on the job for a week when she was teamed up with Bobby to solve a robbery case. The case turns out to be more than a simple robbery when dead bodies start showing up. This book was on my "to be read" pile for a few months before I finally got around to reading it. From here on out, Michele Albert's books get placed on the top of the pile. I was very impressed with her style of writing. Especially Emma's character. She is intelligent, sexy and a strong character that takes the lead when necessary. Bobby is smart, sexy, gentle, caring and not afraid to admit that he is burnt out and needs some help. I got more than I expected from this book. A well-written and very real police story, great characters, sexy love scenes. What more could you ask for. Maybe a better cover?
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: First of all, I think Avon's decision makers ought to be slapped silly for the cover of this book. I had never read Ms. Albert's work and thought I was gettting something along the lines of a Rachel Gibson book. Not even close! Lucky for me, I loved the book. I could tell that Bobby came from previous stories but this book stands on it's own merits. Well done. I didn't see the almost-end coming. I like that Emma is such a strong person and that she did a hard thing in turning in some bad cops back in LA. And that she weathered the consequences with grace. Even tho that happened before this book begins, we are told how this has affected her and we see how that helps her to help Bobby, who has his own demons. I was surprised to find myself liking Chloe. I hope she gets her own story one of these days. And, even tho he had a small part, I would like to see a story about the intriguing Gary Giacomo, beat cop. So, my advice is to totally ignore the stupid cover and the just as stupid back summary. Read this book for pleasure. Not for laughs.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: First of all, I think Avon's decision makers ought to be slapped silly for the cover of this book. I had never read Ms. Albert's work and thought I was gettting something along the lines of a Rachel Gibson book. Not even close! Lucky for me, I loved the book. I could tell that Bobby came from previous stories but this book stands on it's own merits. Well done. I didn't see the almost-end coming. I like that Emma is such a strong person and that she did a hard thing in turning in some bad cops back in LA. And that she weathered the consequences with grace. Even tho that happened before this book begins, we are told how this has affected her and we see how that helps her to help Bobby, who has his own demons. I was surprised to find myself liking Chloe. I hope she gets her own story one of these days. And, even tho he had a small part, I would like to see a story about the intriguing Gary Giacomo, beat cop. So, my advice is to totally ignore the stupid cover and the just as stupid back summary. Read this book for pleasure. Not for laughs.
Rating:
Summary: Contemporary with Depth
Review: I read a lot of light-hearted contemporaries, and I enjoy them a great deal. It's nice to have a little laughter and light in life. But rare is the contemporary that gives me both humor and depth. "Off Limits" is one of those rareties. From the cover, "Off Limits" sounds like a typical "clash of the styles" romance. But Albert gives her characters great depth. Emma initially comes off as cold. Nothing new in a romance there. But Albert gives her a reason to be uptight, and allows her to thaw a bit without totally rewriting the character. Bobby seems like a typical light-hearted clown of a contemporary hero, ready to "lighten up" our heroine. But instead he's a deeply troubled man, fighting demons inside himself. Emma and Bobby end up tightly integrated as characters, and their relationship has a lot of believability and depth. Albert also does a good job of developing the "mystery" within the plot. The mystery doesn't serve as a device to develop the relationship between the two, except as a case they're investigating as partners. I always appreciate it when a "romance" author manages to integrate the plot tightly into the romance without making it a device. Not only that, but this book has some great secondary characters, most notably Chloe (who also appears in an earlier book). It would have been easy to draw her as more of a caricature, but she's given a great deal of depth as well. I appreciated that Emma is portrayed as an everyday person, fighting self-esteem issues. And I also appreciated that Chloe and Bobby, both very good-looking characters, took pragmatic views towards their own looks. Bobby is good-looking, but that hasn't helped him find someone to truly love him. I appreciated the detail in his development as a character. Still, the book has some light-hearted moments. It's definitely not a serious romance, although it's more serious than a lot of contemporary romances with similar covers. Honestly, I don't really enjoy "weepie" romances all that much. This wasn't one of those! My only disappointment is that Albert does leave us one unresolved plot line, and it bothered me. Whether it's the result of cuts or just a plot line left hanging, I wish something had happened with it. All in all, this was a smooth read, one I truly enjoyed reading. I enjoyed my time with the characters a great deal, and look forward to reading Chloe's story in the future (hopefully!). Recommended.
| 
