There aren't many acceptable professions for a young woman of Greek and British descent in Constantinople, circa 1815, but headstrong Mari Sinclair has her art to keep her occupied as well as the unwilling spying she does for the British government. Everything she does is to further the cause she inherited from her mother - to ensure Greek freedom. Mari's drawings give the British the information they need to prepare attacks and insertions into key Ottoman fortresses, but now someone is trying to kill her to stop the flow of information. Can she keep sight of her loyalties when faced with the ultimate temptation...love?

Major Bennett Prestwood is a man under orders to protect his country's valuable undercover mole; little does he expect that this assignment will challenge him and change him beyond his wildest dreams. He is by turns hoodwinked, infuriated and aroused by the exploits of the deliciously provocative Miss Sinclair. Mari is nothing he wants and, as he soon comes to realize, everything he needs. They soon find themselves embroiled in an extreme game of political maneuvering that may cost them their very lives. Is Bennett willing to give up his honor for passion?

A Secret in Her Kiss is a passionate, fast-paced and intriguing story about two unlikely people finding love in the most unexpected of circumstances. Bennett and Mari couldn't be more different; they certainly prove the old adage that opposites attract. I found myself empathizing with Mari's struggles with her father's substance abuse issues and his neglect. In Mari, the author created a character who didn't accept pity, but instead used her unpleasant experiences to become stronger for having experienced them. Bennett is a man's man for sure, with his Adonis good looks and rigid sense of honor. Character growth here was amazing from start to finish, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book from cover to cover. Kudos to Anna Randol on her debut novel, and I am pleased as punch to award her Five Angels and a Recommended Read! Delightful!

Reviewed by: Michelle B.