FIRST KISS

To quote author, Stephanie Landsem,

Without a doubt, a first kiss is the most romantic moment in a love story, whether in a book or real life.

But what if the first kiss isn’t on the lips?

What if that first kiss is on the cheek?

Not so romantic?

Not so fast.

A kiss on the cheek can be a great moment in any romance because it is more of a question mark than an exclamation point. What does it mean? Where will it lead? In a book, question marks make us turn the pages faster and stay up all night reading. In real life, they leave us lying awake all night, wondering.

In The Thief, my heroine Nissa receives a kiss on the cheek from an unlikely hero, and it happens during a pivotal moment in history.

Longinus is a Roman centurion haunted by death and failure. Desperate to escape the accursed Judean province, he accepts a wager. If he can catch the thieves harassing the marketplace before Passover, he’ll earn a transfer away from the trouble-making Jews.
Nissa is a Jewish woman with a sharp tongue and no hope of marriage. Only with the help of Mouse, the best thief in Jerusalem, can she keep her blind brother, Cedron, fed and a roof over their heads.
When a controversial teacher miraculously heals Cedron, Longinus longs to learn more about the mysterious healer. Instead, his journey leads him to Nissa, whose secret will determine the course of both their futures.
Unexpectedly caught up in the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus, they wonder who this teacher is who heals others but does nothing to save himself. Is the mercy he offers in his teachings real, or just another false promise? Can Nissa and Longinus overcome their pasts to find a future free of their shackles?
The Thief is an evocative story of two people trapped in their circumstances and the life-changing power of forgiveness and love.
Thanks for sharing, Stephanie. I am reading The Thief right now and enjoying it immensely.