Friday, September 26, 2014

"Stone of Thieves" by Diane J. Reed

GUEST POST and GIVEAWAY
Stone of Thieves
(Robbin' Hearts Book 2)
by Diane J. Reed


Stone of Thieves is the second book in Diane J. Reed's Robbin' Hearts series. Also available: Robin in the Hood. Coming soon: Sherwood's End.


Stone of Thieves is currently on tour with YA Bound Book Tours. The tour stops here today for a guest post by the author and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.


Description
The Stone of Thieves ... for centuries its magnetic draw has twisted the hearts of ambitious men and women with the promise of power, passion, and intrigue until it fell into the hands of unlikely thieves Robin and her boyfriend Creek. But can they steal their destiny away from the curse that pursues this magnificent ruby heart?
As the stone begins to spread its sorcery, Robin races to find her long-lost mother in Italy in the hopes of discovering the truth about her unique gypsy heritage and the ruby heart that is rumored to steal souls. Yet when the desire for this stone by powerful members of her family threatens their very lives, Creek decides to take matters into his own hands to protect Robin, his greatest treasure of all ...
Note: Stone of Thieves is a sensual, stand-alone new adult novel and the sequel to Robin in the Hood in the Robbin’ Hearts series. Due to mature themes, readership is advised for ages 17+.

Featured Review
If I could give Stone of Thieves 100 stars I would. I absolutely love this book and I cannot wait to read the other books in this series!
Robin and Creek head to Italy to search for her mother and find answers to her gypsy heritage. What they find is a curse that has haunted her family for generations. Their love is put to the ultimate test and Robin has to become the woman she is meant to be. There is so much more to this story, but I don't want to spoil any of it for you. Trust me this book is brilliant!
One of my favorite quotes from the book is from Creek to Robin. It melted my heart and I instantly fell head over heels for him. "Forever for me began the very moment I set eyes on you. I protect what I love, Robin." I get chills every time I read it and can picture his beautiful blue eyes full of intensity and passion. Creek is hotness personified.
This book has everything that I love most in a book. It has mystery, danger, magic, ROMANCE, passion and so much more. The concept is fresh and unique. It pulled me in from the very first page and I couldn't put it down. I give my highest recommendation for this book. Love, love, love it!! Please note that it has a few mature situations.

Robbin' Hearts Series Video


Series Information
The Robbin' Hearts Series:
A magical & seductive journey that follows teen heroine Robin McArthur as she reinvents her life & learns what it means to truly love
Rich-girl Robin McArthur never dreamed her family would go broke - or that she'd need to start robbing banks to provide for those she loves and wants to protect. Along the way, she falls for Creek, her bad-boy partner in crime who teaches her far more than she ever dreamed about matters of the heart. But can love heal the cracks in Robin's soul after she learns the truth about her family's dark secrets? Once Robin becomes an outlaw with Creek, it's impossible to hide from reality anymore, and their lives transform into a sensual and magical adventure as they uncover the mysteries of what it means to discover your true identity - and to fall in love ...
Robin in the Hood: Book 1 (young adult)
Stone of Thieves: Book 2 (new adult)
Sherwood's End: Book 3 (new adult - coming fall 2014)

Guest Post by the Author
Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves



There's a romance to the road. One of my favorite novels as a teen & to this day is On the Road by Jack Kerouac, where Sal Paradise & Dean Moriarty criss-cross through America, embracing adventure & experiencing the exultant & sometimes healing effects of the "heroic present"—a state of soul that bonafide gypsies know all too well. The heroic present is a quality of life spent cherishing the here & now—the sacredness & beauty of this very moment—for despite our many well-laid plans, it's all we can ever truly possess. This "wanderer's" worldview has always resonated with me, and in fact, is echoed profoundly in my magical new adult romances in the Robbin' Hearts Series, where I write about this simple truth: "There's a little magic & outlaw in all of us—especially when it comes to finding true love…"
And quite honestly, I believe it's true.
I think in the back of our minds, each of us knows that we're walking upon this earth for only a short while. We're sojourners, lucky to take in the astounding beauty & grace of this life, so often amazed that we get to experience it at all. We carry the rucksacks of our hopes & dreams over our shoulders, never knowing what day we will die or whether those cherished dreams will come true. All we know is that right now, it's so wondrous—and even magical—that sometimes we have to pause & inhale a deep breath to take it all in.



We're thieves, whether we want to admit it or not—even those of us who work nine-to-five jobs & pay our fair share of taxes. We steal every awe-inspiring moment we can, knowing we only get so many of them. It's what gives meaning to our short stay on this planet—the fact that we can gaze at the clouds, feel the earth beneath our feet, tousle a beautiful child's hair & register his or her smile. Somewhere, in the mystical annals of the cosmos, these moments are stored in that same energy that brings more warm winds & glorious sunsets, more ice-laden winters of such crystalline beauty that it breaks our hearts into a million pieces & leaves us craving for more.



And yeah, I realize that perhaps my heart is more restless than most, because like so many of us whose ancestors immigrated to the United States, I come from a long line of wanderers. My husband likes to jest that "The Reeds never died where they were born." It's a fact—for a centuries, the Reeds were always pressing forward & exploring, searching for new places to taste this life & live out loud. Country to country, coast to coast is how we liked it—no borders or boundaries to hem us in. Is that why one of my first jobs as an adult was riding a mustang horse from Mexico to Canada and back, spending my nights in a gypsy wagon? Or I lived in a tiny attic for many years to work with the homeless & mentally ill in San Francisco? I decorated it with bohemian scarves & a colorful chandelier, loving the way the light struck the flea-market crystals to send vibrant hues swirling like a kaleidoscope through my nook. At night I gazed at the stars from my attic window & was convinced that I owned the whole world.



And I did. Because if I could appreciate it & tuck it into my heart, in a way, the world truly was mine. Perhaps this is what Jesus meant all those years ago when he said "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." We can't actually possess anything; we can only appreciate it for a while. For this reason, the homeless individuals I case managed on the street weren't simply my "wards"—they were my friends. I understood them & they understood me in a unique way that no one else does. We often sat together & marveled at the crazy mixed-up beauty of the world, sharing a smoke & chatting about these myriad enchantments that are so fleeting, yet make our hearts feel whole if we take time to notice them. I remember every conversation—every word—we exchanged, because the harshness & fierce transitoriness of their lives had etched their souls as fine as diamonds. They had a poetic & hypersensitivity to beauty & joy, because tomorrow was never guaranteed. It was a worldview I could relate to, quite frankly, because I was nearly as poor as they were, yet doggedly determined not to let that steal the beauty of life from me.



So blame it on my gypsy soul. But even though I'm more comfortable with my living situation now, I'll never forget the wisdom of the many gypsies, tramps & thieves I've known on my journey. Life is as fleeting as the warm light of a candle. They know this & so do I. If I could offer any encouragement to you today, it's to dare to wander & fall in love with life. Dare to really feel it—all of the good, the bad, and the in between. And like my characters in the Robbin' Hearts Series, dare to celebrate life whenever you can with song, dance & wonderful stories that remind you of just how big your soul has really grown. Because no matter what kind of house we have or dreams we pursue, there's a little magic & outlaw in all of us…



About the Author
Diane J. Reed has a Ph.D. in English and a lifelong passion for books - both popular, forgotten and literary - as long as they touch her soul and make her want to tuck them under her pillow at night to remember them in her dreams. She writes novels that are infused with enchantment, where characters dare to break through boundaries and believe in true love. She also has a soft spot for artisans and outlaws of the heart, those who burn brightly to live each day as a gift - because it is!

Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card.

Links