Nick Marshall's day goes from bad to worse when he's taken hostage by a group of criminally inclined Santas. A SAS soldier on medical leave, he's still recovering from injury and feeling more than a little useless, damn it.

Holly Maxwell is the police negotiator who's battling not only the criminals, but those in the police force who still remember the criminal activities of her father. Called to negotiate a Christmas hostage situation, she'll do whatever she can to get all those captives home to their families, including the very helpful and very intriguing soldier inside.

Only, this is not your normal hostage situation...