Wild At Heart - Patricia Gaffney

I don't know where I originally heard about Wild at Heart by Patricia Gaffney, but I'm so glad I did. It's one of those stories that's going to stay with me a long, long time.

Here's the blurb:

They called him "the lost man." He was beautiful, wild. Raised by wolves, without speech, without civilization. And when he was captured and locked in a room to be studied by scientists, he was treated more like an animal than a human being.

Only Sydney, daughter of a renowned anthropologist, saw beyond the wildness to the man. Something in his fierce loneliness called to her, imploring her to help him -- to save him. Fascinated, drawn by compassion and then desire, Sydney used gentleness to tame him, patience to educate him, kindness to make him her friend. And he would need a friend, for the world was not nearly so understanding, and his new life was still haunted by the mysterious tragedy of his past.

But now he wanted more from her than friendship. He wanted all of her -- her love, her heart, and her soul.

The amazing heart of this book is the hero - who becomes known as Michael. We see the world through his eyes, and it's a stunning shift of perspective, because he's at once innocent, and yet has an incredible clarity in the way he sees things.

The growth of Michael and Sydney's relationship runs concurrently with Michael learning to live in a world that is at first, utterly foreign to him. It's a romance that leaves me lost for words, it's so beautiful.

If you haven't read this, track down a copy (I think it might be out of print), and clear a few hours, because you won't want to put it down. Absolutely recommended.

While Googling the cover, I found a much more detailed review of this book over at Racy Romance Reviews, so follow the link if you'd like to read more.