"Man or beast? Either way, she wants him..."

Roni Andrews has loved Taber since she was a little girl. Now a woman grown, she longs to act on the desires he brings out in her. She can tell that he wants her as much as she wants him. So why does he dump her in a letter after he agreed to act on their mutual passions? Fifteen months later, Roni is still asking herself that question when the story comes out. Taber is a Breed, a man with feline DNA. And he marked her as his mate those fifteen months ago.

Taber was devastated when Roni sent him a note saying she wanted no part of him. He's done as she asked, avoiding all contact with her in the interim. But when her life is endangered by her exposure to the media as a mate to a Breed, Taber knows the time for avoidance is over. She is his mate, whether she wants to be or not. There will be no denying the hunger that has seethed for over a year. Taber will be the only man for Roni.

As bitter as the emotions that divide them, the need driving them together is even stronger. The mating frenzy is going to happen, regardless of their feelings on the matter. It's been too long coming. With danger their constant companion, Taber and Roni explore their mutual cravings. Will the menace strike from without, from the Genetics Council? Or is the threat one from within, a foe disguised as a friend? Will Roni and Taber discover the truth of what drove them apart in the first place? And when will Taber tell Roni the truth about his hidden feline characteristics?

THE MAN WITHIN is another great entry in the Feline Breeds series. You definitely want to read the first story in the series, TEMPTING THE BEAST, to get a better understanding of the multiple forces at work. Ms. Leigh has penned a complexly woven tale, which leaves the reader with even more questions. Luckily, there are several more stories to be told in this intriguing series. Better get a cold drink while reading -- this one is red-hot!

Sensuality: Rated E-rotic by the publisher. Explicit sex, spanking; sexually explicit scenes: 7.

Reviewed by Denise Powers
Courtesy Sensual Romance Reviews
Posted December 14, 2003

Summary

He had protected her as a child, filled all her teenaged fantasies, and as a woman, he stole her heart. Only to break it.

Now, fifteen months later, the news has released. The man she loves is one of the genetically altered Feline Breeds who have shocked the world with their presence. He's also her mate. The mark on her neck attests to that. The fire that rages in her heart and in her body further proves it. But he hadn't wanted her then; does he really want her now?

Deceit and treachery, born in the past, now haunt the present as Taber and Roni fight to make sense of a sudden bonding. The mating of heart, body and soul as the man and the beast within merge; both battling the forces raging against the union and dominance over the woman he claimed.