Helen A. Rosburg The Dream Thief

The Dream Thief

Helen A. Rosburg

Medallion, Dec 2005, $6.99

ISBN: 1932815201

In Venice, young beautiful women are dying; three bodies found in a boat and two in the garden of their family estate. There is not a mark on them and the authorities are baffled to the cause of death. Pina, an aristocrat with a pure and innocent soul, is not troubled by these deaths because she was not close to any of the victims. That changes when the cousin she grew up with dies in a similar manner. Her fianc e Antonio, who she doesn't want to marry, persuades her mother to keep Pina locked in the villa

When they walk to church, Pina sees a handsome man who looks ill. He visits her in her dreams, sucking out the essence of her soul. When Pina's mother sees that she is wasting away like the other women who died, she heeds the advice of a wise man and gets her out of Venice to their summerhouse. Pina's mother tells the witch nearby what happened and she believes dark magic is involved. The man follows Pina and intends to draw out her soul so he can live but the witch stops him and makes him realize Pina is not like the others. She genuinely loves him and he remembers who he was before he became THE DREAM THIEF. Antonio is following the women intending to harm them because Pina's mother broke the betrothal but he is topped by a force more resolved than his purpose. Pina hopes she can cure THE DREAM THIEF and give him back his life.

THE DREAM THIEF is a creatively original paranormal romance that demonstrates love is more powerful than evil. Antonio is a sadistic, debauched, sadist who hides his true colors to everyone but Pina who sees his true essence. Pina's mother finally puts her daughter first after a year of mourning her husband's death helps Pina fight THE DREAM THIEF. Helen A. Rosburg is not only a talented and uniquely original storyteller but creates characters that the audience intuitively understands.

Harriet Klausner