Customer Reviews

Getting Her Man

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Somewhere along the line I read that Michelle Albert likes to write romances where the girls get to have all the fun. And I would say she definitely achieves that goal in this book. Before I go any further, let me also say that if you can get your hands on a copy of "Absolute Trouble" (written as Michelle Jerott), read this too. It was great to catch up with some of those characters in this book.

Jack and Diane's story has it all - chemistry that sizzles right from the start, my favorite New Orleans locale, interesting and refreshing story line that hasn't been used over and over again - and what makes that so good is the author's background in archaeology. Will Diana get her man? Oh yeah...from the moment Diana walks in to Jack's office, the game begins, and doesn't let up until the end. Can't wait to see what she has in store for Detective Halloran!

Michele Albert also writes under the name of Michelle Jerott. I have read two of Jerott's novels, both more dramas than humorous and both have been five star ratings in my mind. Since Getting Her Man is so different from her two previous novels she has written, I am guessing that her contemporary humor romances may be written as Michele Albert.

This is a difficult book for me to review because I do not believe "my tastes" in a book should negatively impact my rating of a book - if that type of book is tremendously entertaining to others. This humorous romance is formula writing found in many contemporary romances today. The hero is absolutely heart stopping. That is no different from most romance writing. The heroine, however, in this humorous formula, is usually cheeky and brazen and insists on being in charge of the romance. She is often willful to the point of being dangerous with her life and the life of others. She is so obsessed with being as strong or stronger than the hero (even in physically challenging situations such as losing a life). Scenes are written of her discussing her possible romance with her girlfriends again and again. I find these scenes boring and a waste of pages. NOW, that is only my opinion. My personal preferences have lowered this review from 4 stars to 3 stars. In all other ways that don't involve the heroine's highly aggressive personality, this book is easily a 4 star rating. So, if you enjoy the type of heroine that I have just described, please increase this rating to a 4 star rating for your purposes.

Archaeologist Jack Austin is a cool guy in every way and has been named by People Magazine as one of the most eligible bachelors of the year. The magazine contains a full-page picture of him and needless to say - women are drooling all over him. He is very handsome, teaches at Tulane University, and heads up archaeology expeditions to a Mayan site that he discovered some years before. He is a strong character and gives into the heroine without losing any of his masculine appeal. He is an underdog fighting a battle for antiquities that is hidden from the public's eye.

Diana Belmaine is a beautiful, wisecracking private investigator hired to find a stolen Egyptian artifact. She aggressively hits the trail looking for the thief and immediately discovers that this theft has similarities to other recent thefts. She decides that Jack Austin is her primary suspect for several reasons but primarily because most of the other thefts - she has not been hired to solve - involve Mayan artifacts. And Jack is totally committed to protecting and preserving these artifacts. So she hits Jack hard again and again with her suspicions and although she makes Jack wary, he finds himself strongly drawn to Diana. He handles her interrogations with humor and throws more than a few sexual innuendos at her - totally throwing off her sense of balance in her very professional investigation.

Usually, the possibility that one of the leads may be a thief, keeps me from reading a book. It is just a tough scenario to work around. But Albert writes this theft mystery with great finesse and gives the book a better than average mystery in the process.

Once we get to know Jack and Diana, we enjoy their great repartee with its fantastic humor. I would read a scene more than once because I would laugh just as much each time I read the scene. It is through this humor that I finally developed a real liking for the heroine. The sensual scenes are few - one rates a solid 4.0 and the others are probably a 3.5 out of 5.0 (see More About Me for rating guidelines).

The book moves a little too slowly once you reach the middle. I put it down for a few days during this time. But once I picked it back up, the pace accelerated. The closer I came to the end of the book, the more I appreciated Diana as she became more loving and understanding.

This is not a book I will keep to read again. The hero, Jack Austin, had tremendous possibilities with his character. But he was continually overshadowed by Diana as she not only insisted on solving the mystery, but also on knowing all of Jack's secrets although many of those secrets were really none of her business as far as her investigation was concerned. If the heroine could have been just a little tamer and kinder, this book would have been rated higher in my eyes.

P.I Diana Belmaine is hired to find a lost Egyptian Eighteenth Dynasty artifact..And her investigation brought her to Dr. Jack Austin, sexy archeologist who also made it to the People's "America's Most Eligible Bachelor" list. Diana knows he's guilty and determined to find evidence for it. However, she couldn't also denied the hot sparks between them

For those of you who don't know, Michele Albert is formely known as Michelle Jerott. I always love her books and this one is no exception. It's one fast-paced sexy book and hey, when things set in New Orleans, what can go wrong? *LOL* I'm very much looking forward to Bobby's own story in October 2003.

This book pushed all my buttons! Great Locale (N'awlins is one of my favorite places)! Well developed Characters (gotta love a hero with smarts)! Snappy Dialogue! Sizzling chemistry between Jack and Diane! And last, but not least, interesting subject matter - Mayan and Egyptian antiquities. What's not to like? This book was just a great escape from beginning to end. Can't wait for Detective Halloran's story.

Michele Albert (also published under Michelle Jerott) is wonderful--and did a fabulous job with this one! I read it as soon as I got my hands on it and didn't stop until I was done!

It was a great story with some great characters and some great lines. (I'm already imagining books with Diana's friends from college!) And a plus--we get to catch up with Julien, Dulcie, and Bobby from _Absolute_Trouble_!

I loved it and think that pretty much anyone who enjoys a good romance will too! (Also, check out Michele's backlist as Michelle Jerott for some other great reads!)

The absolute best combination: interesting and fun characters, mystery plot (but not too heavy), snappy dialog, and hot, hot love scenes. I've read A LOT in this genre and I definitely recommend this book and writer as being up there with the best: Sandra Brown, Jennifer Crusie, Linda Howard, etc. I highly recommend this book, especially if you liked, e.g., "Welcome to Temptation."

Michele Albert, formerly known as Michele Jerrot writes romance of sheer escapism like her previous bestseller Her Bodyguard. This time round is no different except that Getting Her Man sees her associated with a theme she is most familiar with - archaelogy.

With a nifty grip on her subject, Ms. Albert deftly intertwines the theft of priceless artefacts and steers the story somewhat resembling The Thomas Crown Affair with an intelligent private investigator Diana Belmaine hunting for the bold kleptomaniac except that things get a whole lot complicated when the prime suspect is the devastatingly gorgeous bachelor Dr. Jack Austin in this cat-and-mouse game. Diana is hired by rich socialite Carmichael to recover his stolen Egyptian collection of the pharoah Tutankhamen regime and Jack is coincidentally an archaeologist sponsored by him.

Since it is a romance, it is predictible that Jack ends up stealing Diana's heart but what is unexpected is Ms. Albert's evocative characterization that provides them dimension and engages us to dig in deeper for the mystery and their wondrous chemistry. Ms. Albert weaves the intense seduction through smoldering dialogues and passion; wraps us in unfettered romance and warmth when both of the betrayed souls seeks comfort in one another. It is rollicking fun with the dynamic duo exchanging catty barbs and outwitting one another, leaving us convinced that these two are really committed and totally in love.

And not many romances can accomplish that with an emotional sincerity that is exclusively found in the honorable and passionate Jack as well as the pragmatic Diana. This read is classic escapist fun at its best which also succeeds in being sexy, smart and sassy. So while Diana is getting her man, both of them are bent on stealing our hearts as well.

Diana Belmaine is a Private Investigator. Recently a case has fallen into her lap involving some very pricey artifacts that have gone missing. Her first suspect? The oh so sexy Jack Austin. Good Lord...Drool much? The man was hot. Thick wavy dark hair, a strong active bod, and a sharp mind to go along with it. Truly, I was in love with the man. The idea for the book was an interesting one, but it took me too long to read. It was way too easy to put down. If I had to put my finger on what bothered me, Id have to say that it was Diana. She wasnt awful, but she definitely rubbed me the wrong way for some reason. Still, it was an entertaining read and the epilogue was one of the best that I have ever read. This is my second read by Michele Albert. I can safely say that it wont be my last.

I very much enjoyed this book. Other reviewers have explained the story line; I won't rehash. I highly recommend this book if you like your stories fast paced, sexy, fun and funny.

It's "Indiana Jones" meets "Robin Hood" with a dash of "To Catch a Thief" as a private investigator is hired to recover a priceless Egyptian artifact, and her number one suspect is a dashing archeology professor who specialized in Mayan culture at a local college. While Diana tries to get her man, she has to keep from falling for Jack's overabundant charms, as there is more to him than meets the eye.

A sassy heroine, plus a sexy archeologist, plenty of romantic tension, a great plot, the sultry locale of New Orleans, and some really great writing and you have a winning romantic comedy. This is the first novel I have read by Michele Albert; it won't be the last.