A Sensual, Powerful, And Thought Provoking Tarzan Retelling
Eden Matthews stumbled upon the discovery of a life time while photographing wildlife deep in the heart of Africa… which led him to grow up in the wild.
But Eden soon learns she can take man from the wild, but she can’t take the wild out of the man…
When her savage savior soon shows her just want he wants of her…her sensual surrender, she finds she can’t resist him teaching her how to love…in the wild.
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*Audiobook Review*
Emma Castle re-tells the story of Tarzan & Jane in the form of Thorne & Eden, although it reminds us of the story, we all know, Thorne & Eden have their own charming love story.
This story was just so graceful, heartfelt, and emotional that I have difficulties finding the right words. I truly fell in love. The scenes were beautifully written, in a way that I thought I was right there with the characters.
It felt like watching a movie. I could imagine every scene, feel the magic of the jungle, the grace of the animals & every interaction so vividly. The story pulled on my heartstrings but was also very gripping and humorous at times. I was interested, engaged, fascinated, and felt satisfied at the end.
I appreciated that this was not all fiction and that there was an element of truth to this story, which gets you thinking. My big soft heart wept a few times as I have much love and respect for any living being and it still breaks my heart how these beautiful intelligent animals, as well as their habitats, are being treated, still to this day.
I listened to the audiobook and loved the performances of Lucy Rivers and Shane East. They did such an amazing job telling the story and capturing every emotion, accent, and imitations of the characters. Whereas Shane has this gentle deep voice that pulls you in every time, Lucy drew me in with her elegant soft voice and enchanting performance. I got lost in their performances as they both had me engaged and charmed from the first minute.
One more thing to mention is the book cover. It´s gorgeous! I treated myself to the hardcopy and the details and graphics are stunning. What is also special about the cover is that it has this velvet-like feel, which is different. All in all, 5 stars for me!
I was quite taken with this retelling. It was extremely good. I loved the characters and the plot kind of held me on the edge of my seat. I know I said it earlier but I truly enjoyed it. Always looking forward to reading more from this author.
I devoured this book in less than a day. Emma Castle took a “fairytale” so to speak and turned it into a magical book of loss, love, and adventure. I was honestly wishing I was Eden in the jungle with Thorne. Emma made the story seem real and also like it could happen at any time. I was kinda leery on reading this because it’s usually not my kind of read. But wow, I am so glad I did. Wonderful job Emma Castle on your retelling of Tarzan!
LOVE IN THE WILD: A TARZAN RETELLING by Emma Castle is a well-written retelling of the Tarzan story. It has everything—gorillas, a steamy jungle, a damsel-in-distress, and sexy, half-naked jungle man except his name is Thorne Haywood. Emma Castle has created a different twist of the Tarzan legend by putting the story in the jungle of Uganda, adding a bit of jungle’s mystical undertones, drama, and sultry heat between Thorne and Eden Matthews, a courageous photojournalist who survived a brutal massacre. She soon learns she can take man from the wild, but she cannot take the wild out of the man, and she is unable to resist him teaching her how to love in the wild. LOVE IN THE WILD: A TARZAN RETELLING is a not just jungle tale about survival, wildlife conservation, and greed, but also a love story about Thorne finding love and justice. It is quite a jungle adventure.
Very well written and nice version on the Tarzan legend
There was for me so much to enjoy in this retelling of classic. There was love/romance. There was a man and a woman. The man/beast saves the woman, but there was so much more. There was a history, a myth, a calling. There was a little something extra. Thorne and Eden had something special right from the start. For me their love story was secondary to the forces living and a live in the forest/jungle. There were some good characters, historical facts, regional facts, tribal facts and myths/legends. There was something alluring in the jungle and the way that Emma chose to tell the story.
Shane and Lucy sold me on being right there as each event took place. The way their voices added mystery, intrigue, sensuality, authenticity with accents. All this with the way that Emma weaved modern day with the tell that is ingrained in many heads and hearts.
I rated this as original because it was a take on Tarzan and Jane for Thorne and Eden. It was sensual. Interesting in how he wanted he from the very beginning and how he communicated it to her although he was not brought up around humans. Good all around with messages of how greed is ruining the beauty of Africa.
I really enjoyed this book. Nice remake of an old classic. Any chance of a sequel?
Love In The Wild by Emma Castle is a modern Tarzan retelling that I listened to on audio narrated by Shane East and Lucy Rivers.
This is the first book of Emma’s that I have read and it definitely won’t be my last. I liked the relationship that bloomed between Eden and Torne. They had an instant connection from the moment Thorne had saved Eden. I really enjoyed that the story gave multiple points of view throughout the book. It really helped bring the story to life.
Shane and Lucy did an amazing job on the narration. They both really know how to bring a story to life. I can’t wait to listen to more of their work in the future.
What an imaginative, emotional and exciting modern-day retelling!
Emma Castle’s Love in the Wild is a modern day Tarzan tale, with Thorne as Tarzan and Eden as Jane. But at the same time, Thorne and Jane a thoroughly original and enjoyable couple.
Emma’s book is not only action-packed, but also emotional and heart-felt. Thorne was orphaned in the wild as a child, and has had limited interaction with other humans. He has a deep connection to the animals, the jungle, the land, the spirit of the nature. Eden is a strong, determined and resilient woman, who wants to bring Thorne happiness.
The writing was wonderful. Emma really created a vivid setting, an engrossing tale, and an emotional bond between the characters. Thorne and Eden’s connection was really well-expressed and so evident in all of their interactions.
The audio of this book, narrated by Shane East and Lucy Rivers, was a real treat to listen to. They both do an amazing job expressing the emotions, the wonder, the love, the fear – all of the feelings of the story.
This was really such a immersive, enjoyable story.
Wow! This story was incredible! I love retellings of stories and this Tarzan retelling was mystical, emotional & full of action. It captivated me from the start. This story is the same as the Tarzan story you know, but it takes place in modern times. Thorn and Eden meet after he saves her from being killed by treasure hunters. The jungle is full of coveted gold and diamonds from an ancient civilization. The mystic magic of the jungle is what makes Thorn a powerful protector of it.
The narration of this book was phenomenal! Lucy Rivers and Shane East did an amazing job bringing Eden and Thorn to life. Lucy’s soft voice was wonderful to bring Eden’s compassion, fierceness, and love to life. Let’s not forget her Thorn voice, it definitely matched the character. Shane’s portrayal of Thorn was fantastic. The cadence of his voice gave life to Thorn’s protectiveness, compassion, and soul. The narration pulled you in and drew a picture in your head of the whole story. Shane and Lucy were the ideal Thorn & Eden.
Thorn and Eden were the perfect match. They had chemistry from the start and you knew their connection was intense. Some parts of the book were funny, like when Eden was teaching Thorn about relationships and dating. Thorn claimed Eden as his mate as soon as he saw her and she was like no, thats not how that works. There were beautiful sweet moments between Thorn and his gorilla mother or his elephant friend that made my heart swell. Emma Castle’s take of this story is thought provoking and brings to the forefront how nature needs to be preserved and that the greed of man is a powerful destroyer of life. If you love retellings , you will enjoy this one.
This review is for the audiobook version.
I have had a crush on Tarzan since I watched the old movies starring Johnny Weissmuller. He was considered a hunk back in the day. This author has brought a modern spin to the tale I fell in love with. The only thing that I missed from the old series was that there’s no Cheeta but here it was more than made up for by having the gorillas – think of the Disney version.
We get to see what Eden had to endure on her first trip into the wild. Ms. Rivers helped to bring our author’s characters to life. She had a way of changing the tone of her voice when needed so that we know a male is speaking. I’m a little biased when it comes to Mr. East. I’ve listened to his work before and have never had a bad listen and that still holds true here. Looking forward to listening to more of their work.
Our voice actors brought the scenes that Ms. Castle has created to life. They help to bring us into the story as if we are on the edge watching everything happen in real time. I liked how conservation is mentioned here several times – it’s something I believe in. This story also has suspense and romance that supports the action adventure. Now that I’ve listened to the story, I don’t know if I could read it without playing the audio version at the same time. I can certainly see listening to this book more than once. Will also plan on checking out more of the author’s work.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars because Thorne!!
No secret here but I am not one for fairytale retellings because in my experience they are usually underwhelming and leave me annoyed. Emma Castle was able to take a story that we have all heard dozens of times and create her own masterpiece in Love in the Wild.
Thorne is our Tarzan, and he is everything you expect!! A Warrior, strong, handsome and fiercely protective of those he holds dear but over the past 20 years or more that has only been the animals in the jungle of Uganda. When Thorne rescues the lovely Eden from people who want her dead, he soon realizes that she is what he has been longing for longer than even he knows. As Thorne shows Eden the jungle and home, he knows he falls for her but starts to realize that their closeness is going to come to abrupt end. If he can’t leave the only home, he knows in the jungle how can he expect Eden to leave her home in the human world?
Eden is in Africa for work, writing a piece and taking photographs of Gorilla’s for a story that can hopefully preserve these beautiful creature’s home. While on a guided tour with many others she is taken at gunpoint by thieves only wanting to get what is deep within the jungle, but they can’t leave witnesses. As Eden witnesses everyone but her being murdered she knows she is next but what comes next is something she could never expect. A jungle man rescues her, taking her away to safety in his treehouse but there is something about this animalistic man that calls to her. Eden knows that she is falling for all that Thorne is, but she knows that she can’t stay in the jungle because that is just a fantasy for girls.
As Thorne and Eden part ways neither can fathom how they can survive without the other. When they are reunited again after only a few days apart they both know fighting for this thing that they have is not going to be easy, but it could be the biggest decision either one of them has ever made. Poachers, thieves, murder and one seriously hot jungle man come together for the best fairytale retelling I have ever read. A story that we all love told in such a new and interesting way that if Emma Castle were to write another fairytale retelling it would be a one click for me.
I heard about this Tarzan retelling in a booktube video rec and decided to give it a try. I found the audio on Scribd and it is pretty good. It is told in a dual POV, Thorne and Eden. The 2 narrators did a wide range of characters with different accents rather well.
The cover is really beautiful. The story of nice and the suspenseful scenes are really well done. Other than this, I was not really invested in the characters. Maybe it was the fact that I knew the story well or the fact that it is an insta-love story where the virgin guy is just really great in bed from the start… and the too many sex scenes read all the same. Some things didn’t feel realistic to me and the romance was too sweet. I would have liked a more evil and layered bad guy.
I loved everything about this book. Thorn and Eden were fantastic characters with a beautiful romance. I loved the inclusion of the importance of protecting the jungle and the animals of Africa.
I absolutely loved this book! It captivated me from the very beginning with Thorne’s family. I really liked that he was able to communicate with the animals and how much he cared for them all because they were his family as much as his true parents were. Eden was such a wonderful character and I loved how the relationship between them developed. She was very aware of how new things were to him and didn’t let him push too much to make sure he really wanted what he did. Emma really knocked it out of the park with this one.
Lucy Rivers and Shane East really did an amazing job with Eden and Thorne, bringing so much emotion, humor and more to their performances. They were the perfect voice actors that were chosen to bring Emma’s story to life.
Wow this is one powerful story! It’s a sensual and romantic retelling of the Tarzan legend, but also a tribute to the extraordinary country of Uganda. “Love in the Wild” paints a sumptuous and intimate picture of the jungle and it’s inhabitants, one that I will not forget! Emma Castle weaves a beautiful tale of loss, family, greed, trust and love. From Thorne and Eden to Keza, Bwanbale and Cameron the characters and creatures are so rich and genuine, representing the magic ebb of life both past, present and future. My deepest thanks go out to Emma Castle for providing me the opportunity to read this celebration of life!
I enjoyed this one. I just had a few issues that were minor, especially when it came to repetitive pov’s of the H/h first meeting. It felt like a rewind to me that just didn’t fit with the flow of the story, because it was only for that one time. Emma did a great job with imagery of the things that happened in Uganda, Africa. I actually felt the emotion Thorne’s mother expressed to him as well. The ending is bittersweet. I look forward to reading Labyrinth retelling next!
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This is the story of the heart of a man who longed for his mate!
This is not the action packed, vine swinging, male yelling story I thought it would be! Oh, there was ALL of that and gorillas and bad guys too, BUT to me -it is more a beautiful, tender love story. The story of Thorne (Thorne Haywood, rightful Earl of Somerset) and Eden (Matthews). When Thorne rescues Eden, he desires her to be his mate, to have her build a life and family with him. He is patient, gentle and considerate with her but insistent she is his! Eden is not so sure, but she is very attracted to Thorne and eventually is open to a life with him. And, what a life it is!!!
The story also tells of Thorne’s parents and the plane crash; his gorilla family; his human friend in the jungle; his relatives at Somerset; the bad guys that he fights; and an extremely sweet HEA!
I loved this book! It’s the kind I’ll read again. I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book and this is my honest review.
I enjoyed this one a lot it’s basically a contemporary retelling of the Tarzan legend that was suspenseful and thrilling with a big dash of mysticism running right through it.
Eden Matthews a photographer for National Park Magazine is deep in the national forest in Uganda with a tour group to take photos of mountain gorillas in there natural habitat.
After a run-in with some hired treasure hunters shes the only one left alive saved from death by a mysterious wild man.
Thorne has grown up in the jungle adopted and then raised by gorillas after the murder of his parents he only has very early memories of life before the jungle.
When he meets Eden, Thorne is instantly drawn to her and she to him and as they grow closer and give in to there mutual attraction a deep unbreakable bond is formed between the two of them.
So there really was so much here to like, I really appreciated how all the animals are portrayed and just how their intelligence is showcased to the max, this did bring them to life on the page so vividly
I also loved the suspense and the mystery and I thought Thorne was just so bloody adorable in his wide-eyes confusion but at the same time, he was still all-male.
I’m not altogether sure about all the mysticism stuff that was my least favourite bit of this but it was an interesting and intriguing addition.
My favourite part of this was definitely the first half when we were in the jungle itself.
But there was also plenty going on throughout that captured my attention and kept me invested.
Overall this was a very worthwhile experience, it was well written and managed to keep my interest easily with its colourful narrative.
Yes, it was slightly far-fetched at times especially in regards to all the mystic goings-on but I still really enjoyed myself.
If your partial to your fairy-tale retellings and like your romance sweet and heartwarming this one is for you and is one that I do recommend.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Love In The Wild.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
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