"The good stuff just keeps on coming!"

After years of abuse and cruelty, Ceylon of Marksheath concocts a potion that removes a large birthmark from her face. Suddenly, those same boys grown to men that had tortured her for years are trying to court her. When the queen hears of her potion, she sends for Ceylon so that she can hopefully help the queen's sisters.

Uric of Shardsvale is Queen Callion's berserker. He goes at his queen's command to find the woman who can improve the looks of the royal sisters to improve their chances at marriage. Upon meeting Ceylon, he believes he has found a woman who is capable of handling his mother, known far and wide as the Ogress.

Ceylon reluctantly accompanies Uric at the Queen's command, more to avoid rape by the sons of her employer than for fear of the Queen's displeasure should she disobey. As she and Uric are forced by circumstances to interact more and more intimately, their attraction grows until she agrees to wed Uric, ogress for a mother or not. However, evil people with evil intentions do their best to keep them apart and destroy their relationship.

While I personally prefer Ms. Dawn's books written about the Darklands, I found THE WOMAN INSIDE a nice change of pace. And I am certainly interested in finding out what happens with Roland and Lady Riverdell, and hope that sequel is not too far in the future. As with everything else I have read by Ms. Dawn, the good stuff just keeps on coming.

Reviewed by Tressa Harvey
Courtesy Sensual Romance
Posted June 8, 2003

Summary

When Uric's queen sends him on a quest to bring back a healer rumored to be a witch, he can't resist taking the beauty home. But Ceylon is unknowingly riding straight into an intrigue that will rock her nation.