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Law Of The Jungle
"Shouldn't we be there by now? "Roarke's reply to her question was cryptic. "That all depends on where you think we're going," he said.
Joanna knew then that she should never have come. Wealthy socialites were being kidnapped every day.... But the realization had come too late.
She knew nothing of this darkly handsome stranger--nothing except his name. But as Roarke directed the helicopter deeper and deeper into the Amazon jungle, Joanna feared what-she soon might know of him.
Joanna knew then that she should never have come. Wealthy socialites were being kidnapped every day.... But the realization had come too late.
She knew nothing of this darkly handsome stranger--nothing except his name. But as Roarke directed the helicopter deeper and deeper into the Amazon jungle, Joanna feared what-she soon might know of him.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 8, 2014
Roarke has been sent to acquire Joanna because someone is concerned over her party like lifestyle and they want to “save” her from herself.
Old school HP. Roarke claimed it wasn’t kidnapping, but what else would it be called if the other party didn’t agree to go wherever they were being taken to? Of course, Roarke knows all about Joanna because she is in the gossip columns and that is the gospel truth! Then he acts as though a chauffeur having to take her home at 3am is a terrible imposition. Isn’t that what they are paid to do? The place he takes her to is quite safe, only it’s really not! Roarke seems to believe that she should trust him – she really shouldn’t as he had no plans of taking her home and he lies to get her to get out of the chopper as well.
Double standards abound in this book and it felt like Joanna went from a strong woman who was looking for something more to a wet rag in the end! Another character seemed to imply that if Joanna had thrown a fit about being kidnapped then she wasn’t being very polite. Even Roarke seemed surprised and put off that Joanna attempts to fight some – how dare she defend herself that’s not proper etiquette for a kidnapped victim! Very frustrating when that occurred and the story got worse as far as over the top old school is concerned – Joanna falls in love w/ Roarke by page 54!! I kid you not!! When the trouble comes to the hideaway because servants just up and disappeared, Roarke goes out looking and Joanna gets worried. Naturally when he comes back she snaps some as she was concerned. This sets him off and she later apologizes to him! Why did her mom lie to her? If the story says, I don’t remember. Honestly if it comes from one side, the one trying to make an impression, I wonder if it’s even true and why didn’t Joanna question her mom? She wants to clean the house for a great first impression for their guest that orchestrated her whole kidnapping too! Then relegated w/ how wonderful that individual is too however, we are to buy his reasons for the past? I’m sorry but really? There were so many instances of eye rolling in this story I thought mine would get stuck!
Old school HP. Roarke claimed it wasn’t kidnapping, but what else would it be called if the other party didn’t agree to go wherever they were being taken to? Of course, Roarke knows all about Joanna because she is in the gossip columns and that is the gospel truth! Then he acts as though a chauffeur having to take her home at 3am is a terrible imposition. Isn’t that what they are paid to do? The place he takes her to is quite safe, only it’s really not! Roarke seems to believe that she should trust him – she really shouldn’t as he had no plans of taking her home and he lies to get her to get out of the chopper as well.
Double standards abound in this book and it felt like Joanna went from a strong woman who was looking for something more to a wet rag in the end! Another character seemed to imply that if Joanna had thrown a fit about being kidnapped then she wasn’t being very polite. Even Roarke seemed surprised and put off that Joanna attempts to fight some – how dare she defend herself that’s not proper etiquette for a kidnapped victim! Very frustrating when that occurred and the story got worse as far as over the top old school is concerned – Joanna falls in love w/ Roarke by page 54!! I kid you not!! When the trouble comes to the hideaway because servants just up and disappeared, Roarke goes out looking and Joanna gets worried. Naturally when he comes back she snaps some as she was concerned. This sets him off and she later apologizes to him! Why did her mom lie to her? If the story says, I don’t remember. Honestly if it comes from one side, the one trying to make an impression, I wonder if it’s even true and why didn’t Joanna question her mom? She wants to clean the house for a great first impression for their guest that orchestrated her whole kidnapping too! Then relegated w/ how wonderful that individual is too however, we are to buy his reasons for the past? I’m sorry but really? There were so many instances of eye rolling in this story I thought mine would get stuck!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2025
1,5 ⭐
April 16, 2021
Shouldn't we be there by now? "
Roarke's reply to her question was cryptic. "That all depends on where you think we're going," he said.
Joanna knew then that she should never have come. Wealthy socialites were being kidnapped every day.... But the realization had come too late.
She knew nothing of this darkly handsome stranger--nothing except his name. But as Roarke directed the helicopter deeper and deeper into the Amazon jungle, Joanna feared what-she soon might know of him. (
Roarke's reply to her question was cryptic. "That all depends on where you think we're going," he said.
Joanna knew then that she should never have come. Wealthy socialites were being kidnapped every day.... But the realization had come too late.
She knew nothing of this darkly handsome stranger--nothing except his name. But as Roarke directed the helicopter deeper and deeper into the Amazon jungle, Joanna feared what-she soon might know of him. (
October 11, 2025
It started out so well. Heroine is a rich, snobby socialite. Hero kidnaps her from a party and takes her to a manor house in the middle of the Brazilian jungle. Heroine fights him tooth and nail. He won't tell her who wants her captive. And it's all quite frought and interesting.
Unfortunately, hero tells her that it is her father who wants to get to know her (heroine thought he was dead long ago) and all the true tension leaks out of the story. The rest of the H/h's interactions veer between bickering, having sex, almost having sex, and more bickering.
I lost track of how many times heroine slapped the hero and how many times he cut her down verbally. These two were toxic. But they match energies, so HEA?
Unfortunately, hero tells her that it is her father who wants to get to know her (heroine thought he was dead long ago) and all the true tension leaks out of the story. The rest of the H/h's interactions veer between bickering, having sex, almost having sex, and more bickering.
I lost track of how many times heroine slapped the hero and how many times he cut her down verbally. These two were toxic. But they match energies, so HEA?
August 29, 2023
Very badly dated, but then it is 40 years old.
Lots of the woman being silly, the man being cruel and everyone else shaking their heads at the silly little girl. (In fact even after they get together he calls her an idiot child - some endearment!).
Joanna decides she loves Roarke the day she meets him (that's not love, he kidnapped you, that's Stockholm Syndrome!), and then she hates him, then she loves him again. And she's quite violent towards him as well. It's alright if you like that sort of thing, but it would never be written today.
Lots of the woman being silly, the man being cruel and everyone else shaking their heads at the silly little girl. (In fact even after they get together he calls her an idiot child - some endearment!).
Joanna decides she loves Roarke the day she meets him (that's not love, he kidnapped you, that's Stockholm Syndrome!), and then she hates him, then she loves him again. And she's quite violent towards him as well. It's alright if you like that sort of thing, but it would never be written today.
February 1, 2024
What went wrong, Mary? The heroine was haughty until the vapid hero turned her into a dish cloth. The story line was silly, the characters had multiple personalities and the dialogue cringe-worthy.
No redeeming qualities at all, and so odd as I normally enjoy her books.
No redeeming qualities at all, and so odd as I normally enjoy her books.
February 16, 2026
DNF about a quarter through. The heroine of this tale is too stupid to live. Not only does she voluntarily walk right into a kidnapping (by helicopter no less) but it takes her less than 24 hours to “fall in love” with her captor, a man who likes to wear a black silk shirt open to the belly button, with tight black pants and black-thonged sandals. Sexy.
P.S. it all takes place at an English style mansion located in the middle of the Brazilian jungle, with a built-in aviary containing hundreds of exotic birds. Heroine has karate skills and when she isn’t falling in love with her captor, she surreptitiously takes off her stiletto sandals and tries to kick him in the throat barefoot. To quote Rachel Zoe: “I can’t.”
P.S. it all takes place at an English style mansion located in the middle of the Brazilian jungle, with a built-in aviary containing hundreds of exotic birds. Heroine has karate skills and when she isn’t falling in love with her captor, she surreptitiously takes off her stiletto sandals and tries to kick him in the throat barefoot. To quote Rachel Zoe: “I can’t.”
January 28, 2020
When I started reading these as a teen back in the day, Mary Wibberley was one of my favorite writers. In this one the old school behaviors, abduction, the H using kisses to shut the h up are all here bless them, but the H, Roarke (not that one!) typically for a Wibberley hero really isn't bad as alphas go. Roarke and Joanna are well suited and manage to communicate and even apologize when necessary rather than saving it till the last few pages so that's good.
However the bad is unacceptable and sadly common for Wibberley. Both MCs tend to go from calm to ragey really quickly whenever they're frustrated or frightened (another Wibberley thing) and during these blowups Joanna hits Roarke, at least 4 different times! Roarke doesn't retaliate, and at various times Wibberley makes clear that he is much bigger and stronger, but that's not the point, it's still domestic violence and just totally wrong and off-putting in an otherwise fun 80's style HP.
However the bad is unacceptable and sadly common for Wibberley. Both MCs tend to go from calm to ragey really quickly whenever they're frustrated or frightened (another Wibberley thing) and during these blowups Joanna hits Roarke, at least 4 different times! Roarke doesn't retaliate, and at various times Wibberley makes clear that he is much bigger and stronger, but that's not the point, it's still domestic violence and just totally wrong and off-putting in an otherwise fun 80's style HP.
June 19, 2026
The dynamic in this one echoed the one in The Fountainhead.
It's the rare HQN that isn't melodramatic or childish. It's a very specific/odd kind of romance.
The premise is outlandish, but the situations that arise within that premise are very ordinary. The hero is to die for with a well-matched heroine. Both of them are very grounded, mature characters. They never broke character.
It's the rare HQN that isn't melodramatic or childish. It's a very specific/odd kind of romance.
The premise is outlandish, but the situations that arise within that premise are very ordinary. The hero is to die for with a well-matched heroine. Both of them are very grounded, mature characters. They never broke character.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews