Books like State Secrets by Linda Lael Miller

Holly Llewellyn’s quiet life as a bestselling cookbook author is upended when her brother disappears with his young son, leaving her to answer a frantic plea for money. Just as she wrestles with her family’s turmoil, a cousin’s meteoric rise to the U.S. presidential race thrusts her into the spotlight of national security. Secret Service agent David Goddard is assigned to observe Holly, adhering strictly to protocol to uncover any potential threat. As he engages her in casual conversations to gauge her loyalties, an undeniable attraction grows between them. Their professional relationship soon evolves into a passionate romance, challenging both their personal boundaries and the mission they must navigate. With political stakes soaring and a fugitive looming, Holly and David must balance love, duty, and the hidden dangers that threaten to unravel everything everyone holds dear.

First publish date: 1985