Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan stories are some of the most iconic works in adventure fiction. They’ve left a mighty impact on literature and inspired countless adaptations and re-imaginings. The story of a man raised in the jungle who is at one with nature and who falls for a “civilized” woman named Jane changed the face of the genre.
It’s not hard to see why those tropes—the wild man with primal urges, adventures off the grid, getting closer to nature and abandoning decorum in favor of pure animal instinct—would appeal to romance lovers.
Here are eight romance novels that will appeal to those “me Tarzan, you Jane” desires you may have!
Midnight Rainbow
Priscilla Jane Hamilton Greer is the last person who should be in the jungle. She's a wealthy socialite who's used to being pampered. Now, she's being held hostage in Costa Rica.
It falls upon Grant Sullivan, a burned-out former secret service agent, to save her. Jane, as she calls herself, is like nothing Grant expected. When she finally agrees to accept his help, they must escape violent gangs, the dangers of the jungle, and their own off-the-charts sexual chemistry. If they make it out of this alive, Grant plans to take Jane for himself.
Saved by Doctor Dreamy
Dr. Juliette Allen seeks adventure and independence, so a trip to Costa Rica seems like the perfect way to do it. Sadly, now that she's there, she has to deal with Damien Caldwell, her arrogant and impossibly gorgeous new boss.
Damien can't understand why gorgeous, fiery Juliette would hide herself away in the jungle. When tragedy strikes, he finds himself on an unexpected mission: to look after Juliette, to help her open her heart, and to let her love for the first time in years.
Jungle Heat
1888. On a mission deep in the jungle, Oxford anthropologist James Litchfield is ill-suited for life in the wild. He's certainly not prepared for the discovery he makes when he comes face-to-face with a local legend: a wild man who wanders with mountain gorillas and lives as one of their own.
James calls the man Michael and is determined to learn everything about him. Michael, too, is curious about this strangely dressed man who incites a strong passion within him. As their relationship deepens, the other members of James' expedition discover Michael and want to exploit him in their quest for fame. James wants to protect the man with whom he's fallen in love, even if it means escaping his own life to embrace this wild new one.
Barbarian Mine
The ice planet has offered a strange second chance at life for a group of human women who crash landed on its surface. The blue-skinned barbarian aliens who inhabit the land are enamored with them and desire them for mates.
Harlow enjoys her new life away from Earth. She didn't expect, however, to wake up one day and see Rukh, a gorgeous barbarian, waiting for her. He's wild, utterly uncivilized, and seldom speaks to anyone, let alone the humans. But now, he's drawn to claim Harlow as his own. If this relationship is to happen, Harlow will have to teach Rukh everything: how to talk, how to kiss, and how to love.
Rowe
Kate and her best friends are going on a big kayaking trip. It's 1973 and the idea of a trip into the wild seems like the perfect way to enjoy the summer in-between semesters. As they’re waddling through the waters in their kayaks, they approach the infamous Headless Canyon, and things quickly fall apart from there.
Separated from her friends, Kate is rescued by a giant man from a mythic lost tribe. Rowe can't understand what this beautiful woman is saying but he knows that his passion for her must be satisfied…
The Wild Man
Everlee has heard the stories about the Wild Man, a near-primal figure who has lived off the grid since he was a child. As a journalist, she can't help but be drawn to the story, even if it goes against all reason for her to travel into the woods and investigate it. What she finds is a savage, more animal and man, and he has Everlee in his sights.
Orphaned at the age of five, Fey raised himself and has lived his entire life without any semblance of civilization or rules. When a woman entrenches on his territory, she becomes his. Those are his rules, and now he wants nothing more than to claim her for his own in every single way.
Transcendence
Elizabeth is a thoroughly modern woman who just wants to live a normal life and maybe find someone nice to settle down with. Life, however, has very different plans for her, and through an inexplicable turn of events, she's found herself flung back in time to the prehistoric age. Before she can figure out what's happened, she finds herself dragged away—literally—by a caveman.
Ehd is strong and intelligent but craves a mate. When he lays eyes on Elizabeth, he knows that she's the one, even though she's curiously dressed and speaks in a language he can't understand. Elizabeth wants to go back to her own time and avoid whatever this caveman has planned for her, but with only each other for company as the harsh winter envelopes the land, perhaps they can find some common ground that transcends time.
Love in the Wild
Eden Matthews was on an expedition in the heart of Africa, photographing the stunning wildlife unique to the region. What she didn't expect was to make the discovery of a lifetime when a gorgeous man living off the land among a family of gorillas swung into her life.
When he saves her life, she's compelled to learn everything she can about this man. How did he get here? How was he raised among animals, and how has he survived it all? Her primal savior, however, just wants her, completely and unconditionally. Is Eden ready to give up her normal life for the wild?
Featured Photo: Nahil Naseer / Unsplash
