A Secret in Her Kiss

Starred review from December 19, 2011
Randol’s masterful debut visits 1815 Constantinople, where a soldier finds love with a spirited spy. Maj. Bennett Prestwood is eager to return to England after surviving the battle of Waterloo, but instead he’s ordered to travel to Constantinople to protect secret agent Mari Sinclair, daughter of an opium-addicted British archeologist and a Greek freedom fighter. Her artistic sketches hide depictions of military forts, and she hopes her efforts will help the Greeks gain independence from the Turks. Bennett is completely surprised by his physical yearning for Mari as well as his reluctant admiration for her fierce independence and unwavering loyalty. As their attraction sizzles and evolves into a deeper love, their relationship becomes fraught with misunderstandings and allegations of betrayal. Randol takes the Regency reader to a unique locale—without ever descending into racial stereotype—and spins a tale replete with mystery, espionage, and memorable romance. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.