Stealing Kathryn

By Jacquelyn Frank

Book Overview

New York Times bestselling author Jacquelyn Frank invites you to explore a strange and sensuous world of darkest desire ruled by an extraordinary being who is about to meet his earthly match. . . Sandman. Angus. Morpheus. He is known by many names, except his true one, Adrian. When he departs his world, it is to enter the sacred space of sleep, and he is not there to sow sweet dreams. Adrian's mission is to reap the dark energy of nightmares, work that has twisted his soul as well as his once-handsome face. Now, he lives only to await the day darkness finally overcomes him. . .and to collect exquisite reminders of what he's lost. . . But there is one treasure that stands apart. Having risked everything to obtain her, Adrian soon realizes his mistake. For Kathryn has a wholly unexpected power over him, not only for what she represents, but for what for she is: a soul with desires as strong as his own, tempered by compassion that could save Adrian from his self-made hell--or condemn them both. . . Praise for the Novels of Jacquelyn Frank "A lush narrative sure to please readers who have longed for new gothic and darkly romantic tales." -- Booklist on Gideon "Frank's Nightwalker series depicts an engrossing alternate world, drawn in prose that is lush and lyrical." --Linda Howard

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1420109847
• ISBN13: 9781420109849
• Release Date: May 2010
• Publisher: Zebra
• Length: 380 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.1" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

What the low rating?

Wow, I am surprised by the low rating. I thought the charactor development was very good and the idea that the energy gathered by the Guardians shapes each of them to refect teh type of energy that they harvest. Also, if you had questions about Beneath, read the first book. I was pleased that the same background facts were not gone over again and ruin the flow of the story. I thought it was a great book, and I would recommend it to any paranormal romance reader, especially those who enjoy Frank's other books.

Reworking Beauty and the Beast for a VERY Mature Audience

I will gripe on Stealing Kathryn and state that if you have not read Hunting Julian, you really need to before reading the second book in the series. There are a lot of concepts that are just plain out there/weird to deal with and are not explained very well at all in the second book. Also, this is a series about not just a completely different culture, but a completely different reality from Earth even thought its world and Earth are connected dimensions. Completely different Ethics and Morality from an Earth standpoint. This society essentially survives by "harvesting" emotions from other cultures -- Earth's in particular. They are Psychic Vampires. They even "feed" from mated pairs in their own society -- their legendary Kindra/soul mate relationship -- which I take it by book two of the series is going to be the theme for each book, that of each character finding his/her soul mate. I am seeing that the potential HEA for the series could be positive in that if enough harvester/gatherer characters -- which Julian and Adrian are -- find their soul mates, the resultant energy surplus would make their current predatory gatherer roles obsolete. A "win-win" from the point of view of us hapless Earthlings having our emotions siphoned off and transferred to this other dimension! I loved Jacquelyn Frank's first series and the related Shadowdweller series. This new Gatherers series is a completely different direction. I enjoyed reading the two books, I get where Adrian had more than a personality change but also a complete physical change because of his particular Gatherer task to harvest nightmares. I found the heroine not so enjoyable as the heroine in the first book in this series, let alone her heroines in her first two series. Also, it seems like the heroine gives in too easily to the whole concept of: "Totally different reality and you're stuck here you can't go back but Hey! Your life essentially sucked back on Earth and your dad was lying to you/using you!" Perhaps part of the problem other readers have with this book is down to their dislike of the heroine.

I don't know what book some of you were reading

I cannot pick my favorite part of the book because I loved it all. There was not a moment throughout the whole book that I wanted to put it down. I loved this book better than some of the other ones. Asia in Hunting Julian was getting on my nerves halfway through the book. I read this book in two days. And that is amazing because I was moving. I had a hard time reading the prolo but then after the first chapter I was hooked. I had a feeling what was going to happen so I had to keep reading until it happened. I love the new spin on the old beauty and the beast story. I have read other books were the protagonist is mean and cranky and then he meets a woman who changes his outlook and therefore his personality. This stuff does not happen in real life but neither do vampires and werewolves exist in real life so we shouldn't be looking for real life in a fantasy book. I cannot wait for the next book in the series so I can check up on those two. I also want to know what happens to some of the secondary charaters.

Really liked this book!

I really love the premise of this "Beauty and the Beast" style story and found it very hard to put the book down. I was a little disappointed that this book seemed to veer off the story setting from "Hunting Julian" so much and it seemed like the tone of the book was completely different. Still, I really enjoy Jacquelyn Frank's books and couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. So if you are looking to continue on with the series and you like the fairy tale stories than you may really like this book too.

terrific dark romantic fantasy

Adrian serves as a middle man who steals dark energy from the nightmares people suffer and delivers if to his masters. However he has paid a high price for his servitude as the once handsome hunk has been converted into a beast due to the dark forces he absorbs. Known through history as Sandman, Morpheus and other aliases, Adrian visits Kathryn intent on doing his job, but finds he needs much more from her. Obsessed with owning her, he abducts her to add to his bounty inside his castle. Shocking him, Kathryn is repulsed by the creature that kidnapped her. Shocking her, she is actually attracted to the fiend although she abhors being his prisoner. Still with his sister explaining who he is, she begins to see the diminishing flicker of light that still glimmers inside his heart and plans to make it shine with love. Stealing Kathryn is a terrific dark romantic fantasy starring a fascinating villain and the female who redeems his soul. Although Adrian is an intriguing energy collector, Kathryn's seeming flightiness makes the tale as she falls in love, but her doubts about her beloved's redemption lead her bouncing back and forth between flight (from him) and fight (for him). Jacquelyn Frank's second Gatherers' novel (see Hunting Julian) is a wonderful character driven tale. Harriet Klausner