ONE KISS MORE – Mandy Baxter
US Marshals , Book 2
Zebra books
ISBN: 978-1-4201-3481-0
March 2015
Romantic Suspense

Seattle, Washington – Present Day

For Special Agent Landon McCabe, socialite Emma Ruiz has been a thorn in his side since he helped put her father away in prison. Now her father has been mysteriously taken from prison, and Landon is the agent assigned to question Emma about his disappearance. The moment Landon walks into her apartment in Seattle, tension ratchets upward inside him. Something about Emma has him on edge, though he's not sure why. She's beautiful, spoiled and smart—and may be hiding the whereabouts of her father. But when he learns there are some unsavory characters after Emma, it becomes clear that her life is in danger and Landon is going to be the one glued to her side…no matter what it takes.

The first time Emma came into contact with Landon six years ago she was attracted to him despite his being an adversary in arresting and helping to convict her father for a crime he didn't commit. Of course, proving he's innocent is hard to do, so Emma devised a plan to force the real culprits to back off by siphoning funds from a bank account they had for purchase of some “dirty” bombs. They want the money back, and they retaliated by kidnapping her father. They're putting pressure on Emma and she finally admits to Landon what she did after an attempt on her life. Now they are pretending to be lovers—including sharing a hotel room so the bad guys won't question his presence—and the desire that has been building up between them bursts into full fledged passion. Even if Emma and Landon make it out of this alive, is there any chance they can make a relationship work?

There's plenty of tension—both of the dangerous kind and the sexual kind—in ONE KISS MORE by Mandy Baxter. Landon is the dedicated U.S. Marshals agent who has spent the last few years never forgetting Emma. But she's trouble with a big T and one he plans to avoid, though his body has different ideas every time he's around her. Landon suspects something is not right about the mysterious disappearance of Emma's father from the prison where he was held. Some digging into her affairs reveals she has transferred some funds to an offshore account, so does this mean she's about to skip the country? Interviewing Emma makes him even more curious, and he presses her for the truth. Now that he knows, can Landon help Emma get her father back alive and prove that the man is innocent?

Emma's society darling persona is just an act. Deep down is a woman who is smart and almost embarrassed by her spoiled act routine, but she has to appear to be nonchalant, despite the fact that she's scared over what is going to happen to her father. Landon is a big pain in the rear as he and the other agents dog her every move. She doesn't realize until too late that she's in way over her head. It's Landon to the rescue, and the desire that simmers there comes boiling to the surface. But will giving in to the passion end with her losing her heart to a man who has made it clear he's not into permanency? Not to mention that he sent her father to prison unjustly?

ONE KISS MORE is a thoroughly enjoyable tale as the author knows how to bring the sexual chemistry to a high level without actually just putting sex in. Emma and Landon want each other—but it's going to be the right time before they actually give in to the passion. It doesn't take long in ONE KISS MORE for readers to realize that Emma is less of a party girl and more of a geek. Landon has his hang-ups, but he's a man bent on protecting Emma. Slowly and surely they fall in love, but will it be for keeps? A suspenseful tale that heats up slowly and happily for readers, grab this gem and make it a part of your next reading adventure.

Patti Fischer