Summary from Goodreads
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 . .
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+.
Buy Links
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Book One:
Release Date: 10/01/12
300 pages
Summary from Goodreads
“Is it any wonder I became a bank
robber?”
But she never dreamed she’d fall in love…
Wealthy high school student Robin McArthur
thinks she has it all figured out when it comes to bilking her wealthy dad for
guilt money as a substitute for his genuine affection. Until one day he suffers
a stroke, and she learns the brutal truth:
They’re broke.
Her stepmom has skipped the country.
And everyone from bankers to bookies has lined
up in her dad's hospital room to collect on the millions he's racked up in
debt.
Panicked and desperate, Robin figures she has
two choices. Either surrender to the pestering caseworker and live in a skanky
foster home, or take a chance and sneak her dad out of the hospital to make a
run for it. Little does she know that stealing a car and hitting the road means
that before the day is through, she will rob her first bank.
Now an outlaw, Robin finds a backwoods trailer
park to hide her dad from authorities. There, she encounters Creek, a local bad
boy who also commits crimes to provide for their motley neighbors. Realizing
she could use Creek’s help, Robin proposes an ingenious plan—they should team
up to rob banks together. But when their partnership leads to a romance that
turns Robin’s world upside down, she soon begins to discover that people are
more precious than pocketbooks, and real love means opening your heart to the
kinds of treasures money can’t buy…
First
Glimpse
Excerpt from Robin
in the Hood by Diane J. Reed
In my young adult romance Robin in the Hood, 15-year-old Robin
McArthur finds out her formerly rich family has gone broke, so she runs away
from her boarding school and devises a plan to rob banks to provide for her
loved ones. When she walks up to a rural savings & loan for her very first
hit, she suddenly spies the boy of her dreams.
Here’s what happens:
As I scurried up the sidewalk, I had this
strange, haunting feeling . . .
Like I was being watched.
I froze in place for a second, mere steps
from the bank door.
There it was again . . .
That odd sensation that someone’s eyes
were on my back.
Could the bank have hired security to
watch over the building?
I swiftly scanned the roof and did a
little spin to check the street on either side.
Give me a break, I thought, this is
Podunkville! It’s not like they’re gonna have snipers in the bushes.
Sucking up my courage, I pointed my
finger beneath my school cardigan like a concealed weapon and prepared to head
inside. My heart started to do backflips, and I felt like any second it was
going to spring from my chest.
“You can do this,” I barked under my
breath, “you’ve got to! Just walk in there like you own the place, head to the
nearest teller, and make your demand.”
Aside from the full-blown terror that
popped and sizzled through my brain, another sound began to filter into my
ears.
Laughter.
I slid my hand to my chest, just to check
if it was me. After all, people do weird things in a panic, but I soon
discovered that I wasn’t the source of the sound.
Glancing up, I spotted a shadow.
Straight ahead, beside a large sycamore
tree. And it moved.
I squinted and inched to the left,
peering into a particularly dark patch beside the wide tree trunk.
And that’s when I saw him.
Or I guess I should say, he chose to reveal himself.
A tall guy, maybe a year or two older
than me, in a black t-shirt and torn, faded jeans. His tangled, sun-bleached
hair looked like it had never seen scissors, yet it framed his tan skin and
piercing blue eyes like a rugged surfer’s. To my surprise, he flashed a
half-smile, making the jagged scar across his cheek press into a dark, thin line,
like a dagger. For a second, I wondered if it was a warning—
“You gotta be kidding me,” he shook his
head, folding his tattooed arms. “You honestly think you can take on this
place?”
He leaned his tall frame against the
tree, appearing amused. Instantly, I could tell from his ripped clothes, sinewy
body, and nearly feral gaze that he was pretty much everything my boarding school had been paid so handsomely to keep
out of my reach.
Beautiful.
Deadly.
And well
within kissing distance—
Without warning, his intense eyes locked
on mine as if we were the only two people who’d ever mattered on planet earth.
And all at once, I felt a weight dislodge
and explode into a gazillion pieces inside my chest.
This is my heart—
This is my heart on CRACK.
I hyperventilated for a moment, fully
acknowledging that I am the most undersexed teen this side of Mississippi.
Get a grip, I snapped at myself. Focus!
Okay, so I know most girls like me are
diamond-wise and boy-foolish. So surely the only reason the hottest thing in
the known universe is standing in front of me right now is because . . .
Well, um, because . . .
He wants to rob the same
bank.
“Dammit!”
The guy laughed like I’d said that out
loud.
“Shit!”
Yep, I’m pretty sure he heard that one,
too.
I shuffled my feet, heaving a big sigh.
All right Mr. Rugged & Beautiful, I
thought, folding my arms across my supremely-dorky school sweater. Think you
can psyche me out? Well I’ve just completed a year and a half in mean-girl
lockdown, where they make you check in your soul at the door in exchange for
verbal switchblades, so don’t even think I’m gonna cave any time soon.
No fear.
I lifted my chin and gave him my iciest
stare.
“First one inside hits the jackpot!” I
said, darting into the bank’s front door before he could blink.
Diane
J. Reed is the author of Robin in the
Hood & Stone of Thieves in
the Robbin’ Hearts Series, which can be purchased at Amazon. Her author website.
Buy Links:
About the Author
Diane J. Reed
has a Ph.D. in English and a lifelong passion for books—both popular, forgotten
& literary—as long as they touch her soul & 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
& outlaws of the heart, those who burn brightly to live each day as a
gift—because it is! She loves to hear from readers, so feel free to visit Diane
J. Reed's website at www.banditsranch.com or message her here to share the whispers of
your spirit.
Author Links:
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