Last but not least, I felt that the author managed to keep her characters within the stricter social mores of the era, which is something that many historical romance authors tend to overlook. I had never read any stories that incorporated a World's Fair, so this was quite fascinating, driving me to do a bit of research on my own. Gaffney's descriptions of the exhibits and attractions at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Most enjoyable of all to me though, were Ms.

She also depicted in detail the often inhumane conditions in which zoo animals were kept in the late 1800s.

The heroine's father is an anthropologist, and the experiments he tries with Michael as well as some of the terminology in general seemed scientifically sound. Patricia Gaffney certainly appears to have done her homework, giving the reader authentic historical and scientific tidbits throughout the novel. However, for the romance genre, it is definitely an unusual tale. Wild at Heart is a beautiful and unique book, perhaps not to literature in general, since it's overarching plot of a 'lost man' being found in the wilderness apparently unable to speak is reminiscent of stories such as Tarzan or The Jungle Book. Instead, she suggests that he move into the main house where the family can teach him all the things he needs to know to live in polite society, but it quickly becomes apparent to Sydney that he is far more civilized than most human beings could ever hope to be. When he finally trusts Sydney enough to speak to her and tell her his name, she knows that they cannot continue to treat him like a lab animal. She reluctantly agrees to help her father with his experiments and in doing so, becomes more and more attracted to this gentle man. In her heart, she knows that he isn't the 'wild man' that they think he is. Sydney immediately sees something in his eyes, and his manner with Sam and the family dog, that no one else seems to recognize.

One day, Sydney and her little brother, Sam, chance to meet the man when he is on one of his outings. The man is essentially kept under lock and key in the guest house of the family's estate and only allowed out for a short walk with his handler each day. Sydney Darrow's father, a renowned anthropologist, has been studying a 'wild man' who was found in the Canadian wilderness apparently without speech.

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Wild at Heart by Patricia Gaffney