This was a DNF for me. I didn't find the writing or the story line interesting at all. My biggest issue was Ethan who was a misogynist pig who despite the authors best attempts couldn't be attractive even if he looked like Brad Pitt.

Here are some examples:

"You don't look very much like a constable."
"And exactly what do you expect a constable to look like?" She sounded annoyed, sliding her hand to her hip. Ethan had never been a man to bite his tongue, "perhaps a bit less lush."

and...

'He eyed her carefully. Scotland Yard was putting their soft side on with this one.'

and...

'Had the Arts and Antiquities Unit lost its credibility with a woman on the team?'

and...

'Ethan's Father had always insisted he never work with a woman. They were catty. And emotional.

and...

'Ethan found there were occasions when he hadn't a choice whom he was assigned to work alongside. This could prove a challenge. Mostly because he enjoyed women, in any position but that of holding authority over him.'

Doesn't he just make you swoon!!!! The sexism wasn't just an issue with Ethan. This gem (from her boss) was in the first few pages, 'wouldn't she be happier in dispatch or even - and this was always delivered with a wink - bringing him coffee and answering phones.'

Yeeeeehh nooooo. This one is not for me.

My review was published at All About Romance on 9/10/2017. https://allaboutromance.com/book-review/the-forger-by-michele-hauf/

I could not get into this story. Found it confusing from the start and it did not bet better

I gave up on this book after about a chapter. I loved the premise, and I liked that the author included a deaf character who was presented matter of factly, but I really hated the way that Ethan objectified and ogled Olivia right from the start. Ugh. I couldn't bring myself to continue to have Olivia have a 'happily ever after' with Ethan. As far as I'm concerned, she stayed on her own and is better for it.

Fast-paced, suspenseful and a bit of mystery - I really enjoyed this book! Ethan and Olivia were great characters!

The Forger is the second book in the Elite Crime Unit series by Michele Hauf. So it's basically about ex criminals getting a second chance at imprisonment, I mean in life 😂 by becoming the good guys. The Forger starts of with an Art crime and the investigation is headed by Olivia Lawson whose own unit is being downsized and her boss is being difficult (he basically thinks she can't do the job). It doesn't really help that a valuable painting explodes while she's on the scene. Ethan is from Interpol, from the Elite Crimes Unit specifically, very hush hush and stuff. And yes he happens to be keeping a very big secret from Olivia. Which for the readers, we already know since well he is from ECU. But The Forger is all kinds of wonderful. It's funny, it hs a lot of plot twists not necessarily related to the crime and it just a page turner. Ethan and Olivia have sizzling chemistry that they don't really deny but you know obvious stuff really puts a damper on their developing sexy romance, one of which is they are involve in an active investigation. But it doesn't really stop them from having a bit of afternoon delight! Olivia as a character seems a bit straight while Ethan initially the fun loving one. But as the story progresses, readers will simply adore Olivia's live for the moment attitude and Ethan starts becoming the one with depths and secrets. If you like those old fashioned detective series and movies like The Avengers, The Forger is definitely a must read!

This was a DNF for me. I really, really tried to push on through with this book, but by the time I reached 37%, I just couldn’t. I found myself doing anything I could, even laundry and dishes, just to put off picking up my Kindle. I haven’t ever read this author before, and I probably won’t read anything else from her. I’m sure she suits a lot of readers, she just wasn’t a good fit for me.

I found myself disliking both main characters, and the dialogue was choppy and unbelievable. It didn’t flow smoothly, and I found myself starting to highlight the portions that I didn’t like…which is never a good sign. Olivia Lawson is a constable at Scotland Yard and Ethan Maxwell is an art forger working at Interpol. They meet when Lisa touches a painting that is booby-trapped and Ethan saves her from being hurt by tackling her in the gallery. She’s actually pretty bitchy about him saving her from injury too.

“And who are you, again? I’m the lead investigation officer here, and I don’t appreciate anyone rushing in and shoving me to the floor–”

Well, that’s the thanks you get for saving someone from injury. And, Ethan replies so (insert sarcastic voice here) smoothly;

“You mustn’t get yourself worked up. It seems I’ve arrived just in time.”

He might as well have called himself Superman and patted her on the head.

Everyone in the book then blamed Olivia for the painting being blown up, she was even demoted and Ethan given charge of the case because she’s the one who touched the painting. I really don’t think people are so stupid to blame a person for an accident that couldn’t be helped. Someone was going to touch the painting, and since she was the agent in charge, it was more than likely going to be her. Then she and Ethan discover another painting in the museum which is a forgery, and they don’t even bother to inform anyone that it is a fake…they just blithely go off to have tea.

The character of Olivia bounces so quickly between ’I want to be taken seriously, and I need this promotion to detective constable’ to acting so unprofessional that it’s almost embarrassing. She never behaves consistently, wanting to be thought of as businesslike, and in the next sentence behaving in a totally unbusinesslike manner.

“…she had an opportunity to prove that she was a valuable asset to the department. And no matter how she looked or dressed, she did not belong on the beat writing up traffic violations. Could the men at Scotland Yard be any more condescending? When Mr. Maxwell had said he’d expected her to be less ‘lush’, she hadn’t known how to take that. More male judgement? She couldn’t help that she had an ample figure and liked to dress to show off her curves..”

I didn’t like the copious amounts of chauvinistic behavior credited to every man in the book. Yes…there is chauvinistic behavior that goes on in the workplace and the world, but this antagonistic behavior was given to every man in the book…even Ethan. Maybe pick one man to act like this…and, at least don’t make it the hero too. The following is an actual thought that Ethan had when he met Olivia.

“Scotland Yard was putting on their soft side with this one. Could that be the reason he’d been called to the vandalism last week at the Wexler gallery? Had the Arts and Antiquities Unit lost its credibility with a woman on the team? Ethan’s father had always insisted that he never work with a woman. They were catty. And emotional. And yet he tended to ignore such advice. Often it was to his detriment. Though his profession had changed since receiving such biased advice – and his father had been quite the womanizer – Ethan found there were occasions when he hadn’t a choice to whom he was assigned to work alongside. This could prove a challenge. Mostly because he enjoyed women. In any position but that of holding authority over him.”

Arrrggghhhh!!!! And I’m supposed to like this guy, fall a little bit in love with this guy. I don’t think so, and I should have stopped reading at this point. At one point, while they are diligently supposed to be investigating these crimes, Ethan says they need to go to one of the crime scenes. Olivia responds with this:

“I can’t. I have a party to attend. I have to go home and get ready”

Maybe if she wanted to be taken seriously at her job and get a promotion she could change her priorities just a bit. I’m done…I could keep quoting and getting irritated, but it’s not worth it. This was just not my cup of tea.

This is the second book in the series but can easily be read as a standalone.I liked Ethan and Olivia they were great characters and really good together this was a good read held my interest all the way through.Looking forward to reading more.

This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

Olivia Lawson, works for the Arts and Antiquities unit at Scotland Yard and is called in on a case where a priceless painting is not only defaced but booby trapped as well.

Ethan Maxwell, works for Interpol in the Elite Crimes Unit. As a condition of his employment and avoiding prison time, he is not allowed to divulge his history to others.... even those who interest him on more than just a professional level...

With a mysterious person who is working at a greater game than just defacing museum paintings, and an attraction to each other that won't be good for either of them, Olivia and Ethan must work together before the forger gets the best of them...

I really wish I could have enjoyed this book, as I loved the first book in the series 'The Thief'. With this book the storyline moved slowly, I did not like ALL the chauvinism and the attraction between Olivia and Ethan was just not interesting to me. I will not at all take this author off of my reading list, because while the story was not one I liked, the author has shown talent that can not be denied.  

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.

art forger turned investigator for the elite crimes unit at interpol, ethan maxwell still skirts the edge of the law. he hasn't touched a brush or easel since his arrest and recruitment to the e.c.u., but he has knowledge of crimes that haven't been shared or revealed.

when a vandalist/forger targets his father's forgeries, ethan is partnered with olivia lawson of the art & antiquities unit of scotland yard. she's in line for promotion to detective constable and needs a win in this case, though given her rocky reputation in the art world combined with a lack of funds for her department at scotland yard, things aren't looking too good.

in the forger, ethan must strike a tough balance. he cannot admit the truth of his past to olivia, because he risks death or incarceration, but the more they investigate the more apparent it is that he is being targeted. and there are some secrets he just can't keep from olivia. especially given their chemistry.

not only are they great partners on the job, they are also incredible in the bedroom. ethan has never had the chance to be close to someone like this, and he chafes at the constraints his job and his agreement with the e.c.u. put him under. he also knows that it's possible he could lose olivia by confessing everything. he's an art forger, and olivia knows all too well the kind of damage this particular kind of crime can cause. can they overcome those fundamental differences? is the attraction and reality of how perfectly they complement each other enough to leave the past in the past?

this is a romance with a happy ending, with a decent suspense-mystery thrown into the mix. the stakes aren't quite as high in the forger as they are in the thief, but the leads are charming and play off each other well.

The Forger by Michele Hauf reminded me of White Collar with a HEA. While there are some similarities to White Collar, there are enough differences to keep you interested in the storyline. The book takes place in London focusing on a new specialize crime force called The Elite Crimes Unit. Ethan Maxwell is considered a specialist in art crimes and forgeries. He is asked to work with Olivia Lawson, a member of the art and antiquities section of Scotland Yard. Olivia’s boss does not hold out much hope for her skills and wants her to get his coffee and do loads of paperwork. She knows she has a lot to prove and to be paired with the hot and mysterious Ethan Maxwell is just another hurdle. Ethan thinks Olivia is lush and is totally enamored with her. BUT and yes there are buts…. Truth and trust and confidences do not make a perfect pair when both hold back…

The Forger by Michele Hauf is the second book in a series about the Elite Crimes Unit. I did not read the first one and didn’t even know about the book until after I finished. I found the book sufficiently intriguing that I will read others in this series.

The Forger by Michele Hauf is the second book in the Elite Crimes series but can easily be read as a standalone.

The fast paced plot as Olivia and Ethan tried to track down the mystery bomber who vandalizes works of art was an intriguing premise for the book. Ms. Hauf's descriptive writing allowed me to understand more about paintings and their history so that I had to actually looks some of them up on the internet. As far as the romance between Olivia and Ethan, I have to question that a true love match could have developed in their short time together. I felt like it was more of a "lust match" rather than a solid love relationship. All in all an entertaining read with enough twists to keep a reader guessing.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Lyrical Press via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own. My rating is 3.5 stars.

I have read a previous book in this series by the author and while it was slow paced I found the story interesting,

This story is extremely slow and unfortunately I could not get engaged and had to eventually abandon the story mid way.

I was ready to jump back into Melissa Hauf's Elite Crime Unit in The Forger. I enjoyed the first book but really loved the character development in the second installment. I felt that Olivia and Ethan had amazing chemistry and I got lost in the story. I could not get enough! It was action packed and swoony. The perfect combination!!

When Art Investigator, Olivia Lawson is suddenly tackled by dark-haired stranger Ethan Maxwell, her life is thrown into a whirlwind. A barely reformed art forger, he's got the expertise to lead Olivia through a dangerous manhunt. But what happens when things start to get personal for Ethan - in terms of the villain they are searching for and his growing developing feelings for Olivia?

All in all I really enjoyed this story and will continue reading this series. I would like to thank Kensington and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. Bravo! 4 stars! ~Ratula

Second on the Elite Crimes Unit series the author has once again written an enthralling and sophisticated story rife with mystery and intrigue.

What fascinated me the most about this story was the amount of real information about art work it contained, which I enjoyed. The imagery created about each piece enabled me to feel as if I was present, seeing the work of art first hand. Though not as fast paced as the first book, it was entertaining nonetheless.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and Netgally. I voluntarily providing my honest review.

*Thanks to NetGalley for a digital copy of this book!*

This is the second in this series. I did read the first book also. This review will be similar, because the books were very alike to me. I like this concept : heists, art crime, so I enjoyed the book in that aspect.
Olivia is an art crimes detective. Ethan is a reformed art forger, released from jail to work for the Elite Crimes Unit, on art crimes. I liked the fact that Olivia was not described as the "ideal" image of a woman, but at the same time, too much emphasis was put on her body and looks. Her insecurity and need for approval was too much at times.
The level of control that the Elite Crimes Unit has over their reformed recruits is way over-the-top. Being let out of jail is great, but having a 24/7 tracker implanted under your skin, and being set up in a really crappy apartment, for like 10 more years? Way too much.
But it was a quick read, and I will wait to read the next installment in the series, so it was entertaining!

This is an entertaining heist romance. For some reason, it reminds me of the movie, Intolerable Cruelty, with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Clooney.

His father was a master forger who believed that forgery actually honors the classics. She lost her job after spending $10 million on a forged painting and now she’s an investigator for Scotland Yard. They are polar opposites, now joined together to find a criminal and neither of them see their HEA coming.

If you’re looking for a fun read, you just found it.

I received an ARC of this book, from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

a truly interesting romance with a good plot. Enjoyed

liked the book