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Escape to New Zealand #13
Just Say Christmas
There are all kinds of Christmases, and all kinds of families. The family you’re born into. The family you make. And the family you choose.Christmas means summer in New Zealand, and All Blacks wedding season, too. Plans made and plans changed, because no matter how well you plan, life happens. Especially if, say, you’re marrying your late husband’s brother, you’ve got a couple of kids in the mix, and everybody’s talked too much about all that already.And then there’s the rest of the family. A stepbrother who’s carried too big a secret for thirty years and needs to lay that burden down. Another whose romance with the maid of honor went south, for reasons neither of them quite understand. A sister who wants her teenage romance to stick, and the man who wants to make that happen.From the beaches of New Zealand’s Far North to the shadow of the Southern Alps, Christmas brings family tensions and family bonds, secrets revealed, and promises kept, including the most important promise a person can to be there. You will enjoy this book even more if you’ve read JUST SAY (HELL) NO and JUST COME OVER. (Escape to New Zealand books 11 and 12.)
412 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 20, 2019
378 people are currently reading
190 people want to read
About the author
Rosalind James
56 books1,213 followersRosalind James writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense published both by Montlake Romance and independently. Her stories are set in New Zealand, Idaho, California, New York . . . really, anyplace that seems cool. (Research trips, especially those involving lots of rugby, are a bonus.) Her books are available in ebook, paperback, and audio formats. Rosalind is a former marketing executive who spent several years in Australia and New Zealand, where she fell in love with the people, the landscape, and the culture of both countries. She attributes her rapid success to the fact that "Lots of people would like to escape to New Zealand! I know I did!"
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
December 6, 2019
I hope this isn't the last book in the series, because this was a mess and did no one any favors.
Yeah. I am ticked. I told my friend about this book while reading it in Honduras. He's gay and he said he still doesn't get why books and even movies still dance away from showing gay men in love. We still seem okay with women, and that's usually because of the whole male gaze and most of them imagining themselves with the women. I think she shortchanged the two characters in this one (Hayden and Luke) and it just made their "romance" look beyond ridiculous when we didn't see it, but hear about it vaguely, and then love happened (over a freaking two day period I think).
The other romances didn't do well either. We have Nyree's friend Victoria with her other brother Kane and their romance. And then James dumps in other couples over the previous series (we get Zora and Rhys again and then Nyree and Marko again (seriously why?) and then Kevin and Chloe. We also get appearances by Koti, Kate, Finn, Jenna, and just freaking mostly everyone. This should have either have been Victoria and Kane's book with Nyree's wedding as a backdrop or better yet Hayden and Luke's book.
I think that ultimately this one was a wrap up for the series and was too rushed. Too many characters, too much jumping around, and too many plots to get invested in to get pushed out on to move on to the next one. I couldn't even get emotional about Nyree and Marko's updates and wedding.
James also needs to decide what's she's going to do about Nyree's mother and stepfather, he's terrible and apparently homophobic but it's brushed aside and I was left wondering what the heck was going on. Rhys mono-longing about things got old. I don't care what he thinks about Luke and Hayden.
The writing didn't work as I said or the flow because we jumped around too much and were given at times life changing news every five seconds. I think James was modeling this on her book, where she showed updates to her characters in one book, that one worked a lot better than this one though.
The ending was a miss with me. Probably because you have some characters doing 180 on things, and then the big bad secret that Rhys was keeping was just found out in like 5 seconds. And I swear every five minutes some big hard man was crying which I guess I was supposed to be all how can a hard and tough man cry. Lord. I miss Cat Cat. That's all I got.
Yeah. I am ticked. I told my friend about this book while reading it in Honduras. He's gay and he said he still doesn't get why books and even movies still dance away from showing gay men in love. We still seem okay with women, and that's usually because of the whole male gaze and most of them imagining themselves with the women. I think she shortchanged the two characters in this one (Hayden and Luke) and it just made their "romance" look beyond ridiculous when we didn't see it, but hear about it vaguely, and then love happened (over a freaking two day period I think).
The other romances didn't do well either. We have Nyree's friend Victoria with her other brother Kane and their romance. And then James dumps in other couples over the previous series (we get Zora and Rhys again and then Nyree and Marko again (seriously why?) and then Kevin and Chloe. We also get appearances by Koti, Kate, Finn, Jenna, and just freaking mostly everyone. This should have either have been Victoria and Kane's book with Nyree's wedding as a backdrop or better yet Hayden and Luke's book.
I think that ultimately this one was a wrap up for the series and was too rushed. Too many characters, too much jumping around, and too many plots to get invested in to get pushed out on to move on to the next one. I couldn't even get emotional about Nyree and Marko's updates and wedding.
James also needs to decide what's she's going to do about Nyree's mother and stepfather, he's terrible and apparently homophobic but it's brushed aside and I was left wondering what the heck was going on. Rhys mono-longing about things got old. I don't care what he thinks about Luke and Hayden.
The writing didn't work as I said or the flow because we jumped around too much and were given at times life changing news every five seconds. I think James was modeling this on her book, where she showed updates to her characters in one book, that one worked a lot better than this one though.
The ending was a miss with me. Probably because you have some characters doing 180 on things, and then the big bad secret that Rhys was keeping was just found out in like 5 seconds. And I swear every five minutes some big hard man was crying which I guess I was supposed to be all how can a hard and tough man cry. Lord. I miss Cat Cat. That's all I got.
March 22, 2022
An enjoyable book, although this one is not really recommended as a standalone read. The suggestion from the author is to read the previous two books before reading this one, which I did. I think it would be a little confusing otherwise.
The book pops in to visit/revisit several characters from previous books, and doesn't really just follow one romance. Not normally my fav style of book, and the ensemble cast was a little too much at times. But I've read quite a few books from the series, so I had a fair idea who most of them were, and overall I enjoyed following the next steps in these characters' journeys.
So, it was a nice story that tied up a few loose ends. Plenty of hot New Zealand rugby players. I like that the characters aren't all too perfect - they're only human like the rest of us. The ending scene was done well.
The book pops in to visit/revisit several characters from previous books, and doesn't really just follow one romance. Not normally my fav style of book, and the ensemble cast was a little too much at times. But I've read quite a few books from the series, so I had a fair idea who most of them were, and overall I enjoyed following the next steps in these characters' journeys.
So, it was a nice story that tied up a few loose ends. Plenty of hot New Zealand rugby players. I like that the characters aren't all too perfect - they're only human like the rest of us. The ending scene was done well.
November 26, 2019
5 Star Review of Just Say Christmas (Escape to New Zealand #13) by Rosalind James
I know when I pick up a Rosalind James story that I am going to be drawn right into the story that she weaves and Just Say Christmas is another great addition to the Escape To New Zealand series.
From start to finish I was fully invested in the story lines. There was so much going on that I simply could not put this one down. It is certainly a bit of an emotional roller coaster of a read and tears were shed.
Just Say Christmas is a story of love and family, not all blood related, families that come in all shapes and sizes and that is what is so wonderful about this series. It was wonderful to see some familiar characters and although there are several story lines within this book, I had no trouble following them all.
Well written with strong characters that I found I could easily relate too. Ms. James brings New Zealand to life for me and I appreciate it.
I know when I pick up a Rosalind James story that I am going to be drawn right into the story that she weaves and Just Say Christmas is another great addition to the Escape To New Zealand series.
From start to finish I was fully invested in the story lines. There was so much going on that I simply could not put this one down. It is certainly a bit of an emotional roller coaster of a read and tears were shed.
Just Say Christmas is a story of love and family, not all blood related, families that come in all shapes and sizes and that is what is so wonderful about this series. It was wonderful to see some familiar characters and although there are several story lines within this book, I had no trouble following them all.
Well written with strong characters that I found I could easily relate too. Ms. James brings New Zealand to life for me and I appreciate it.
November 27, 2019
I don't know where to start with this.
So it's on the lead up to Christmas. Nyree and Marko are getting married imminently, well if Nyree can finish painting Rhys and Zora's daughter's bedroom mural. Various of Rhys' former team-mates and Zora's family members are helping, including her stepbrother Kane Armstrong.
This is an ensemble pieces where we see or at least hear about so many characters from the previous books. It also contains two romances, babies, a wedding, family feuds, a joint hen and stag weekend with intimate massage and just a whole load of exuberance. I even think you could read this as a standalone provided you were willing to accept that there are back stories for each and every character.
Rosalind James said she found this book easy to write and I think it shows, there is so much fun and love and family and Christmas and joy shining through every page, I totally devoured it.
So it's on the lead up to Christmas. Nyree and Marko are getting married imminently, well if Nyree can finish painting Rhys and Zora's daughter's bedroom mural. Various of Rhys' former team-mates and Zora's family members are helping, including her stepbrother Kane Armstrong.
This is an ensemble pieces where we see or at least hear about so many characters from the previous books. It also contains two romances, babies, a wedding, family feuds, a joint hen and stag weekend with intimate massage and just a whole load of exuberance. I even think you could read this as a standalone provided you were willing to accept that there are back stories for each and every character.
Rosalind James said she found this book easy to write and I think it shows, there is so much fun and love and family and Christmas and joy shining through every page, I totally devoured it.
November 26, 2019
Just Say Christmas: 3.5 stars
Let me start by saying that I really love Rosalind James, and I'm fairly positive that I've read all of her books and enjoyed every single one of them. They weren't all winners for me, but even the couple that didn't hit my fave list were still books that I enjoyed reading.
Just Say Christmas falls in that second category for me. I did end up enjoying the book by the end, but the first 25 to 30% it was such a struggle trying to get into the story. It was hard to come back from that.
I understand the concept behind this story, and it was a gigantic undertaking. It's kind of a reunion story, bringing us back to lots of characters from past books and letting us readers know how they're doing now, tying up loose ends, and at the same time showing some new characters too and new relationships. I get it. But for me, at least in the beginning, it was just too much, too busy, too confusing. too many people to sort out and keep straight. (And I've read all the books!) It honestly really took me till nearly the 30% mark into the story to really start getting into it. By the end of the story, I'd laughed, I'd teared up, I'd sworn at some of the characters, and wanted to hug others. I was in love.
This book, IMO, is not a stand alone. I'm afraid someone coming in with no previous knowledge of this series will have a hard time. I think even going back two books in the series might not be enough of a background to all of the wonderful, complicated lives and relationships of characters we (those of us who've been here before) have all come to love. So if you've never ever read a RJ book before, don't start with this one, go back at least a few (or to the beginning if you want—it's a wild ride) and jump right in.
I would give Just Say Christmas 3.5 stars. Mainly because even though I did end up enjoying it, it just took me too long to get hooked. I will say this, (I say the same thing in almost every review of one of RJ's books) that she has a magic touch for writing the most wonderful secondary characters. They really fill out the background of the main characters lives, and make you want to know more about them. I'll be looking forward to the next story, whatever it may be.
Let me start by saying that I really love Rosalind James, and I'm fairly positive that I've read all of her books and enjoyed every single one of them. They weren't all winners for me, but even the couple that didn't hit my fave list were still books that I enjoyed reading.
Just Say Christmas falls in that second category for me. I did end up enjoying the book by the end, but the first 25 to 30% it was such a struggle trying to get into the story. It was hard to come back from that.
I understand the concept behind this story, and it was a gigantic undertaking. It's kind of a reunion story, bringing us back to lots of characters from past books and letting us readers know how they're doing now, tying up loose ends, and at the same time showing some new characters too and new relationships. I get it. But for me, at least in the beginning, it was just too much, too busy, too confusing. too many people to sort out and keep straight. (And I've read all the books!) It honestly really took me till nearly the 30% mark into the story to really start getting into it. By the end of the story, I'd laughed, I'd teared up, I'd sworn at some of the characters, and wanted to hug others. I was in love.
This book, IMO, is not a stand alone. I'm afraid someone coming in with no previous knowledge of this series will have a hard time. I think even going back two books in the series might not be enough of a background to all of the wonderful, complicated lives and relationships of characters we (those of us who've been here before) have all come to love. So if you've never ever read a RJ book before, don't start with this one, go back at least a few (or to the beginning if you want—it's a wild ride) and jump right in.
I would give Just Say Christmas 3.5 stars. Mainly because even though I did end up enjoying it, it just took me too long to get hooked. I will say this, (I say the same thing in almost every review of one of RJ's books) that she has a magic touch for writing the most wonderful secondary characters. They really fill out the background of the main characters lives, and make you want to know more about them. I'll be looking forward to the next story, whatever it may be.
November 24, 2019
A present from Ms. James: Escape to your favorite reading nook and dive into this book
This book! It's a christmas present from Ms. James to her readers!
If you're like me and have followed Ms. James from the beginning, you'll absolutely love this book. Do you ever read a book and wonder where the characters are 3 years after you've read the book? This one answers that question ... and introduces you to new characters that you'll love! Never fear! If you're new to Ms. James, you're in for a treat ... and her writing is so good that you'll easily be able to read this one!
This book takes the reader through New Zealand.... the warmer north island and southern alps. It's got lots of hot rugby players, their realistic "girl next door with a plus and a sizzle" partners, children, parents, and true blue friend. the NZ ruby / guy creed is woven throughout and the wonderful charm of this terrific country comes through on every page.
The book weaves through the days before the wedding of Nyree and Marko, picks upon Rhys and Zora as they are weaving their family together, and pulls in Koti, Finn, Kevin, and Tom. We meet Luke, Victoria, and Kane all while getting to know Hayden on a better level.
The whole book moves the story along from different character's perspectives ... all with multiple layers of family variations, delightful children looking for the love of parents, with love wrapped around the story and characters like the brightest red ribbon on the presents under the tree.
I received an ARC .... but I loved this book so much that I purchased it for my library. The author is right ... you will enjoy this book even more if you’ve read JUST SAY (HELL) NO and JUST COME OVER. (Escape to New Zealand books 11 and 12.) ... none of which is a bad thing! If you haven't read any of Ms. James' book, start with this one ... and then be prepared to go on a book binge and download all of the Escape books. You'll be super happy you did.
This book! It's a christmas present from Ms. James to her readers!
If you're like me and have followed Ms. James from the beginning, you'll absolutely love this book. Do you ever read a book and wonder where the characters are 3 years after you've read the book? This one answers that question ... and introduces you to new characters that you'll love! Never fear! If you're new to Ms. James, you're in for a treat ... and her writing is so good that you'll easily be able to read this one!
This book takes the reader through New Zealand.... the warmer north island and southern alps. It's got lots of hot rugby players, their realistic "girl next door with a plus and a sizzle" partners, children, parents, and true blue friend. the NZ ruby / guy creed is woven throughout and the wonderful charm of this terrific country comes through on every page.
The book weaves through the days before the wedding of Nyree and Marko, picks upon Rhys and Zora as they are weaving their family together, and pulls in Koti, Finn, Kevin, and Tom. We meet Luke, Victoria, and Kane all while getting to know Hayden on a better level.
The whole book moves the story along from different character's perspectives ... all with multiple layers of family variations, delightful children looking for the love of parents, with love wrapped around the story and characters like the brightest red ribbon on the presents under the tree.
I received an ARC .... but I loved this book so much that I purchased it for my library. The author is right ... you will enjoy this book even more if you’ve read JUST SAY (HELL) NO and JUST COME OVER. (Escape to New Zealand books 11 and 12.) ... none of which is a bad thing! If you haven't read any of Ms. James' book, start with this one ... and then be prepared to go on a book binge and download all of the Escape books. You'll be super happy you did.
November 26, 2019
This book is so full of emotion. So full of family, friends, love, and support.
I imagine you could read this book as a standalone, but I would not recommend it as the first Rosalind James book you read. I think you may find it a bit confusing as there are so many couples involved, and so many back stories as well. You ultimately get the backstory, but you do have to read further into the book before it is laid out. This makes it 4.5 stars for me. You get to revisit so many couples from previous books.
If you haven't read JUST SAY (HELL) NO and JUST COME OVER (Escape to New Zealand books 11 and 12), reading those books first will make this one much more enjoyable, and much less confusing.
The characters have great chemistry. Both the women and men are strong, loving, faithful, loyal, family oriented, and sexy.
One thing that I love about these characters is that even when they are described as not being overly attractive physically, their characters and personalities are so well written that the physical aspect takes a back seat. Koti and Nic are always described as being pretty, but all the guys and their ladies are special.
There were a couple of pleasantly surprising twists which made me want a couple of characters to get their own books. The kids, Isaiah and Casey, were engaging and funny. It was interesting the way Rhys and Zora handled their situation. Marko's reaction to his grandmother pulled at your heartstrings. You couldn't help but feel for Luke. Kane and Victoria's issue is just what I thought. I was glad to see how things worked out for Luke. I was also really happy for Hayden.
I won't go any further other then to say there were happy, sad, anxious, angry, steamy, and sensual moments through the entire book.
Once again, I will say that there was a LOT to this book, but it left me with a smile on my face, and looking forward to the next NZ book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed the Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
I imagine you could read this book as a standalone, but I would not recommend it as the first Rosalind James book you read. I think you may find it a bit confusing as there are so many couples involved, and so many back stories as well. You ultimately get the backstory, but you do have to read further into the book before it is laid out. This makes it 4.5 stars for me. You get to revisit so many couples from previous books.
If you haven't read JUST SAY (HELL) NO and JUST COME OVER (Escape to New Zealand books 11 and 12), reading those books first will make this one much more enjoyable, and much less confusing.
The characters have great chemistry. Both the women and men are strong, loving, faithful, loyal, family oriented, and sexy.
One thing that I love about these characters is that even when they are described as not being overly attractive physically, their characters and personalities are so well written that the physical aspect takes a back seat. Koti and Nic are always described as being pretty, but all the guys and their ladies are special.
There were a couple of pleasantly surprising twists which made me want a couple of characters to get their own books. The kids, Isaiah and Casey, were engaging and funny. It was interesting the way Rhys and Zora handled their situation. Marko's reaction to his grandmother pulled at your heartstrings. You couldn't help but feel for Luke. Kane and Victoria's issue is just what I thought. I was glad to see how things worked out for Luke. I was also really happy for Hayden.
I won't go any further other then to say there were happy, sad, anxious, angry, steamy, and sensual moments through the entire book.
Once again, I will say that there was a LOT to this book, but it left me with a smile on my face, and looking forward to the next NZ book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed the Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
November 23, 2019
This story is seriously good, the characters are so real! A wedding is coming up, but the bride is very busy trying to finish a commission, painting murals in Casey’s and Isaiah’s bedrooms, because they are very special Christmas presents for the children after an intense year. Nyree has been so absorbed in her work she has been forgetting to eat, and drink, and Marko is getting concerned about his bride. He sorts out a practical solution though, that is what he is good at, and they have the grand reveal of the rooms just a few days before the wedding. Then they get some news that turns their wedding plans upside-down, they have just a couple of days to change just about everything. Everyone rallies round and it is still a beautiful occasion, albeit with some strong family tensions ... and haven’t we all been to a wedding like that?
Some of their friends are also having issues in their lives, and they have to find the time to talk them through with their partners or friends, difficult for these rugby players who find it hard to talk about their emotions. For Rhys and Zora there is a difficult problem to deal with involving their children, they need to be told the truth, something Rhys and Zora had hoped would never be necessary. If Rosalind were never to write anything else she should be especially proud of the way she wrote that scene, it is perfect, and most readers will shed a few tears!
One of my favourite characters in this story is Tania, Zora’s mother. She is only in the story for a short time, but she has a pivotal role, and you realise how hard her life has been with a domineering husband.
This is a powerful story from beginning to end, and I didn’t want it to end! It is very emotional, I certainly shed a few tears, both happy and sad, laughed out loud a bit too! You cannot ask for more than that!
Some of their friends are also having issues in their lives, and they have to find the time to talk them through with their partners or friends, difficult for these rugby players who find it hard to talk about their emotions. For Rhys and Zora there is a difficult problem to deal with involving their children, they need to be told the truth, something Rhys and Zora had hoped would never be necessary. If Rosalind were never to write anything else she should be especially proud of the way she wrote that scene, it is perfect, and most readers will shed a few tears!
One of my favourite characters in this story is Tania, Zora’s mother. She is only in the story for a short time, but she has a pivotal role, and you realise how hard her life has been with a domineering husband.
This is a powerful story from beginning to end, and I didn’t want it to end! It is very emotional, I certainly shed a few tears, both happy and sad, laughed out loud a bit too! You cannot ask for more than that!
July 29, 2021
If you have not read any the few books previous to this one you will be confused by all the characters who show up again in this book. I have read them all and I still lost track some times. There were many! Basically this book catches you up on the stories of a number of couples and celebrates the weddings around Christmas. No spoilers though. It felt a bit like one of those compilation books turned out for Christmas book demands but it didn't have a lot of substance. It was almost too saccharine. There were some good stories too and it had the same warm feeling and wonderful location of New Zealand. And I applaud Rosalind for including a gay male couple in a tasteful and not very graphic way. The other couple did have steamy sex scenes. There were cute kids and babies and bunnies and celebrations so it did capture the Christmas spirit despite being set in a summer Christmas down under. The narration in Audible was good, even for the deep rugby player voices but they did all sound alike
November 24, 2019
Having read all of Rosalind James series of books about New Zealand rugby books, this was such a fun return visit to find out how some of the couples in her previous books are doing. Although I’ve read all the books and enjoyed them all tremendously, it was a bit difficult to remember the backstories for some of these couples and I must confess that I went online to remind myself who some of these characters were. But I still enjoyed dropping in to see how the couples were doing as they come together for a wedding of one couple and we see some of the other characters coping with their new lives. I enjoy the multi-POV narration to see how each character was feeling about his or her partner and new life.
There are secrets that characters must decide whether to reveal or not. That leads to some emotional moments that will touch the reader. In the end, these are all good people who love their partners and just want to do what’s best for their families.
There are secrets that characters must decide whether to reveal or not. That leads to some emotional moments that will touch the reader. In the end, these are all good people who love their partners and just want to do what’s best for their families.
November 24, 2019
First of all, a warning: this is not a stand alone book. Reading the preceding novels in the series is essential to getting the most enjoyment out of this story.
Just Say Christmas is a multi-pov story about what HEA is really made of, every day little joys and triumphs. It is told by different characters throughout the story though it never feel choppy. I really enjoyed catching up with these characters whom I came to know and love in previous books.
My favorite thing about Ms. James' storytelling is that she weaves real emotion and everyday life into her narrative. These are people we could meet at the gym and become friends with, they feel that alive.
I recommend this book for anybody who loves finding out 'what happens next' after the HEA ending of the story. And if you haven't read the previous books in the series, go and do it! You won't be sorry.
Just Say Christmas is a multi-pov story about what HEA is really made of, every day little joys and triumphs. It is told by different characters throughout the story though it never feel choppy. I really enjoyed catching up with these characters whom I came to know and love in previous books.
My favorite thing about Ms. James' storytelling is that she weaves real emotion and everyday life into her narrative. These are people we could meet at the gym and become friends with, they feel that alive.
I recommend this book for anybody who loves finding out 'what happens next' after the HEA ending of the story. And if you haven't read the previous books in the series, go and do it! You won't be sorry.
November 23, 2019
Your Heart will be Overflowing
What do expect from Christmas stories? Love? Happy feelings? Goodness? Well Rosalind James gives you all that in abundance.
This book brings you back to the magical place that is New Zealand and lets you visit some of your favorite friends. You go through some happy times, some stressful moments and some absolute glorious joy. But then it is Christmas after all.
If you want a book that makes you feel good and puts you in that wonderful Christmas spirit, this is the book for you. If you want a book that just makes your heart feel good any times of year, this is the one. A definite must read. Absolutely loved it.
What do expect from Christmas stories? Love? Happy feelings? Goodness? Well Rosalind James gives you all that in abundance.
This book brings you back to the magical place that is New Zealand and lets you visit some of your favorite friends. You go through some happy times, some stressful moments and some absolute glorious joy. But then it is Christmas after all.
If you want a book that makes you feel good and puts you in that wonderful Christmas spirit, this is the book for you. If you want a book that just makes your heart feel good any times of year, this is the one. A definite must read. Absolutely loved it.
November 24, 2019
Having read all of The Escape To New Zealand series, I could hardly wait for Just Say Christmas, and the chance to catch up with all of the couples who found love previously. Rosalind James, has written not just a love story, but a look into the lives, and loves of so many different couples, that I feel like I was apart of it all. Through the love, laughter, and the tears, there is sweet steamy romance, with family, blood and love, pulling together to help each other. If you haven't read The Escape To New Zealand series, I have to say, you are missing out. A full five stars!!!
November 22, 2019
Rosalind James brings all the feels
As usual, Rosalind James and her New Zealand crew squeeze your heart and wring out all of the emotions. I love these books and I love every character. And I love getting to revisit characters and see a little bit further into their lives. I cried happy, sad, mad, emotional tears more times than I expected. I love the combination of fierce and tender that runs through the men and women and the pure innocent wisdom of children. I also have developed a huge crush on New Zealand!! As always, the book left me feeling a glow and still wanting more. Never stop Ms. James!!
As usual, Rosalind James and her New Zealand crew squeeze your heart and wring out all of the emotions. I love these books and I love every character. And I love getting to revisit characters and see a little bit further into their lives. I cried happy, sad, mad, emotional tears more times than I expected. I love the combination of fierce and tender that runs through the men and women and the pure innocent wisdom of children. I also have developed a huge crush on New Zealand!! As always, the book left me feeling a glow and still wanting more. Never stop Ms. James!!
November 25, 2019
It very much met expectations! With the context of previous books it was especially rich. Can't get enough of these amazing stories, and continue to be astounded by how well she conveys the New Zealand/rugby idioms considering that she is not a native - very rarely slips up, and only on tiny nuances.
November 21, 2019
Just Say Christmas is wholesome, full of love bursting at the seams, and just the right amount of sexy. Reunite with some of our favorite characters from the Escape to New Zealand as we learn even more about love, what it means to be family (in all sorts of ways) and experience some wonderful new memories being made. Rosalind always does a great job of creating relationships between characters that are deep and realistic, and this is no exception. She masterfully weaves everyone's stories together. I read this book in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down!
December 8, 2021
picked it up because I needed Christmas themed book set in a warm setting for a readathon
huge mistakes.. as this is not meant to be read as standalone
huge mistakes.. as this is not meant to be read as standalone
November 22, 2019
I love this series so much, and this is another wonderful entry. I love that it continues the story of some important secondary characters. I really cared about those characters, so I was thrilled to see them again. I loved every page!
November 23, 2019
I'm blown away.
This series just keeps getting better and better. You get invested in the lives of characters and can't help but root for all of them. I can't wait to see what else is in store. Best series ever. Keep them coming
This series just keeps getting better and better. You get invested in the lives of characters and can't help but root for all of them. I can't wait to see what else is in store. Best series ever. Keep them coming
November 24, 2019
Merry Christmas to me!
What a lovely treat! Thank you Rosalind James for your beautiful book. So uplifting. I wish you and your family well and peace.
What a lovely treat! Thank you Rosalind James for your beautiful book. So uplifting. I wish you and your family well and peace.
November 22, 2019
The Best!
What a wonderful holiday gift Ms. James gave us. Such lovely characters, such beautiful words, such magical stories. The best book I have read in a long time
What a wonderful holiday gift Ms. James gave us. Such lovely characters, such beautiful words, such magical stories. The best book I have read in a long time
June 17, 2025
one of my favorites
This may be my favorite of the series. It relies on the earlier books for the back stories, but there are so many wonderful moments in this book. Brought me to tears a couple times and that spa scene! Not sure if it was supposed to be funny but you could feel the tension building and Marco’s panic trying to get through it. I could not stop laughing. Beautiful characters. Lovely stories.
This may be my favorite of the series. It relies on the earlier books for the back stories, but there are so many wonderful moments in this book. Brought me to tears a couple times and that spa scene! Not sure if it was supposed to be funny but you could feel the tension building and Marco’s panic trying to get through it. I could not stop laughing. Beautiful characters. Lovely stories.
December 7, 2019
Choppy but good
I just want to start with i love Rosalind James books and I have given every one of them a 5. This one however was different because there was a lot to keep up with. It was very choppy because it bounced from couple to couple and had so many story lines. I had a hard time at first keeping up and getting invested in all these stories. I eventually did but it took a while. In all her previous books it drew me in right at the start. This ended up being a very good book despite the confusing start. Good read.
I just want to start with i love Rosalind James books and I have given every one of them a 5. This one however was different because there was a lot to keep up with. It was very choppy because it bounced from couple to couple and had so many story lines. I had a hard time at first keeping up and getting invested in all these stories. I eventually did but it took a while. In all her previous books it drew me in right at the start. This ended up being a very good book despite the confusing start. Good read.
March 19, 2020
This story features a number of storylines within the central plot of the book. One part is more of an extended epilogue, and the other parts are continuing stories that are building up to something new. Let me preface by saying that I love, love, LOVE Rosalind James' books, and have read them all (*at least twice or three times each) and this is difficult to say, but was not my favorite book. I'll tell you why. Although all the story lines are interesting, and have such a range of emotions, I found it hard to follow until about the halfway point. There is just so much going on and I started and stopped too many times to count (that's on me - I'm in a pretty turbulent time of my life right now) and I had too many distractions to be able to focus on all the characters, the plots, subplots, and different elements. There are some amazing characters who get their HEA though - and I LOVED the cabin scene with the bachelor/bachelorette party! Hilarious -and emotionally moving -both. ALSO sizzling HOT!! Some of the side stories are fun and give you a glimpse of potential future stories.
No cliff-hangers but this would be a difficult read if you have not read at least books 11-12 before reading this story.. though I highly recommend going back and reading the beginning of the series of books, and some of the other series too.
Rosalind James is a wonderfully diverse, articulate American writer and has spent a considerable amount of time in New Zealand and Aussie-land. She shares her amazing experiences with the New Zealand culture (and imaginative, creative story-telling) with us and we are lucky indeed to enjoy the results of her work. Nicely done!
No cliff-hangers but this would be a difficult read if you have not read at least books 11-12 before reading this story.. though I highly recommend going back and reading the beginning of the series of books, and some of the other series too.
Rosalind James is a wonderfully diverse, articulate American writer and has spent a considerable amount of time in New Zealand and Aussie-land. She shares her amazing experiences with the New Zealand culture (and imaginative, creative story-telling) with us and we are lucky indeed to enjoy the results of her work. Nicely done!
December 1, 2019
Review written: November 30, 2019
Star Rating: ★★★★★
Heat Rating: ☀☀☀☼☼
Just Say Christmas is the latest in Rosalind James’ Escape to New Zealand series. I’ve loved this series from the very beginning and while I do have my favorites, this book hit every sweet spot I have. I “aaaawed”; I cried; I laughed; I sighed. James has this way of taking really hard life experiences and making them everyman or everywoman experiences.
Watching Tom and Ella struggle with their own issues and deal with the larger issues that Ella has (no spoilers here) was probably one of the sweetest storylines in the book. This is a pairing I have loved from the first time they came together. Watching Tom struggle with his fears and his desires and understanding he can’t act on them just really hit me. Ella struggling with her decision from a previous book, dealing with emotional pain while understanding she did the right thing was equally as emotional. Watching them both deal with how to have a relationship was amazing. Frankly, I can’t wait for their book because I know it’s coming sometime.
Watching Marko struggle with Amona’s health was probably the storyline that broke me open the most. Amona is one of my favorite characters ever by James and it was hard to see Marko, his family, and Nyree dealing with the fact that she is old and won’t live forever. And I want her to live forever. She’s just one of those characters.
Rhys and Zora’s story also hit me hard. The difficulties they both went through in their own book and how that all played out was hard enough. But watching Rhys and Casey struggle toward each other as well as Zora’s and Isaiah’s issues with it all also hit me. Seeing Christmas and the myriad rituals through Casey’s eyes reminded me of how much emphasis children place on simple ritual and consistency. The storyline also reminded me of how important a strong foundation is for children; knowing their place in the world and not having that shaken up.
Perhaps the most currently relevant storyline in this book is Hayden and Luke’s. I’ve loved Hayden with Zora since he first came on the scene. He’s had a really tough road and that’s largely due to his family. Luke just hadn’t jumped off the page for me before (I’m wondering if I remember seeing him before?). But together, they really pack a punch. As an in-the-closet rugby player, Luke’s road has been particularly hard and his fears about coming out are strong, real, and deeply relatable. With Hayden out and proud, and Luke trying to stop living a lie, they are not at the same place in their lives. But sometimes, all it takes is a little love and a show of support to make things easier. And his rugby family wraps their arms around Luke, holding him up in the face of disapproval.
While those were my favorite storylines in this multi-plot book, the others were all equally emotional and sweet. This is one of those intersection books where multiple couples from recent books all come together. More importantly, it is a book about love: familial (because that is always important in a James book) but also multi-generational, spousal, brother and sister, teammates. At a time of year (Christmas) when it all intersects more strongly as family and friends come together, James really did bring it all.
I can’t say enough about how much I loved this book and how much I am looking forward to new books in this series, even if they need to spin off. I’ll keep reading them as long as James writes them because, in the end, love and sacrifice, strength and tenderness, and family underpin each and every book.
This review is ©November 2019 by Monique N. and has been crossposted to Amazon.
Star Rating: ★★★★★
Heat Rating: ☀☀☀☼☼
Just Say Christmas is the latest in Rosalind James’ Escape to New Zealand series. I’ve loved this series from the very beginning and while I do have my favorites, this book hit every sweet spot I have. I “aaaawed”; I cried; I laughed; I sighed. James has this way of taking really hard life experiences and making them everyman or everywoman experiences.
Watching Tom and Ella struggle with their own issues and deal with the larger issues that Ella has (no spoilers here) was probably one of the sweetest storylines in the book. This is a pairing I have loved from the first time they came together. Watching Tom struggle with his fears and his desires and understanding he can’t act on them just really hit me. Ella struggling with her decision from a previous book, dealing with emotional pain while understanding she did the right thing was equally as emotional. Watching them both deal with how to have a relationship was amazing. Frankly, I can’t wait for their book because I know it’s coming sometime.
Watching Marko struggle with Amona’s health was probably the storyline that broke me open the most. Amona is one of my favorite characters ever by James and it was hard to see Marko, his family, and Nyree dealing with the fact that she is old and won’t live forever. And I want her to live forever. She’s just one of those characters.
Rhys and Zora’s story also hit me hard. The difficulties they both went through in their own book and how that all played out was hard enough. But watching Rhys and Casey struggle toward each other as well as Zora’s and Isaiah’s issues with it all also hit me. Seeing Christmas and the myriad rituals through Casey’s eyes reminded me of how much emphasis children place on simple ritual and consistency. The storyline also reminded me of how important a strong foundation is for children; knowing their place in the world and not having that shaken up.
Perhaps the most currently relevant storyline in this book is Hayden and Luke’s. I’ve loved Hayden with Zora since he first came on the scene. He’s had a really tough road and that’s largely due to his family. Luke just hadn’t jumped off the page for me before (I’m wondering if I remember seeing him before?). But together, they really pack a punch. As an in-the-closet rugby player, Luke’s road has been particularly hard and his fears about coming out are strong, real, and deeply relatable. With Hayden out and proud, and Luke trying to stop living a lie, they are not at the same place in their lives. But sometimes, all it takes is a little love and a show of support to make things easier. And his rugby family wraps their arms around Luke, holding him up in the face of disapproval.
While those were my favorite storylines in this multi-plot book, the others were all equally emotional and sweet. This is one of those intersection books where multiple couples from recent books all come together. More importantly, it is a book about love: familial (because that is always important in a James book) but also multi-generational, spousal, brother and sister, teammates. At a time of year (Christmas) when it all intersects more strongly as family and friends come together, James really did bring it all.
I can’t say enough about how much I loved this book and how much I am looking forward to new books in this series, even if they need to spin off. I’ll keep reading them as long as James writes them because, in the end, love and sacrifice, strength and tenderness, and family underpin each and every book.
This review is ©November 2019 by Monique N. and has been crossposted to Amazon.
December 17, 2019
Welcome back to the wonderful New Zealand, to the All Blacks and their amazing, strong and kind women, and their families and whanau. Rosalind James has created a lovely blend of reminiscing and new stories, of familiar friends as well as some new faces we meet along the way. It is the lead-up to Nyree and Marko’s wedding, December which also means Christmas in the Summer time. We have interwoven stories of Zora and Rhys and Nyree and Marko where their journey continues and we discover the recent events and ongoings in their lives. I just love Isaiah, his little quirks and interesting facts make this story that little bit more fun and special!
We have the introduction of Kane and Victoria, a romance in the making, the surprise, but not unwelcome addition of Luke and Hayden’s story as well as revisiting, and loving, Ella and Tom again. Kevin and Chloe made me smile as I just enjoy them and all they are so much! Added together, Ms James has created a collaboration of love stories that mesh together incredibly well, with Rosalind’s lovely prose just capturing the reader. I laughed, smiled and shed a wee tear or two while reading this latest instalment of her Escape to New Zealand series, it is certainly a book that makes you feel the characters raw emotions.
While this is not my favourite in the series, it is unique in the fact it brings past characters back in the limelight and is told by various POV. It is lovely to be surrounded by love and romance in all it’s forms and celebrate a Kiwi Christmas with our favourite All Blacks and their loved ones. A 5 star review from me, and a wonderful addition to this beloved series. I would recommend not reading this as a standalone, to get the full enjoyment this story brings, I recommend reading this as a continuation of the series. I will definitely read again!
We have the introduction of Kane and Victoria, a romance in the making, the surprise, but not unwelcome addition of Luke and Hayden’s story as well as revisiting, and loving, Ella and Tom again. Kevin and Chloe made me smile as I just enjoy them and all they are so much! Added together, Ms James has created a collaboration of love stories that mesh together incredibly well, with Rosalind’s lovely prose just capturing the reader. I laughed, smiled and shed a wee tear or two while reading this latest instalment of her Escape to New Zealand series, it is certainly a book that makes you feel the characters raw emotions.
While this is not my favourite in the series, it is unique in the fact it brings past characters back in the limelight and is told by various POV. It is lovely to be surrounded by love and romance in all it’s forms and celebrate a Kiwi Christmas with our favourite All Blacks and their loved ones. A 5 star review from me, and a wonderful addition to this beloved series. I would recommend not reading this as a standalone, to get the full enjoyment this story brings, I recommend reading this as a continuation of the series. I will definitely read again!
December 10, 2019
A must read for fans of Rosalind James’s Escape from New Zealand Series
This book really is a wonderful labor of love by Rosalind James to her characters and readers. While fun and a true holiday treat to revisit favorite characters, my favorite aspect of this book is the further development of Rhys and Zora’s story from Just Come Over, as well as further developments from secondary characters from that book. If you are like me and was curious about how some aspects of their story would play out in the near future, this book is a wonderful read. I won’t give away too much here, because it is better to just read how it develops. There are some other secondary characters, Kane Armstrong and Victoria Gibson that get their own romance and that is fun too and I enjoyed the development of other characters’ stories.
I enjoyed how the narration was told from the POV of many characters, and the rotation of POV was very natural and easy to follow.
Just Say Christmas definitely is not a stand-alone book. There are simply too many characters and back stories in this one (and I am a person that usually isn’t finicky about book reading order). You really don’t need to have read all of the Escape from New Zealand books though to enjoy this one. Ideally, it is best to have read Just Say (Hell) No and Just Come Over (there are characters from other books in the series, including my favorite Koti James, but you can follow the story fine without reading the other books). It would be worth reading, however, if you have read either of those books.
This book really is a wonderful labor of love by Rosalind James to her characters and readers. While fun and a true holiday treat to revisit favorite characters, my favorite aspect of this book is the further development of Rhys and Zora’s story from Just Come Over, as well as further developments from secondary characters from that book. If you are like me and was curious about how some aspects of their story would play out in the near future, this book is a wonderful read. I won’t give away too much here, because it is better to just read how it develops. There are some other secondary characters, Kane Armstrong and Victoria Gibson that get their own romance and that is fun too and I enjoyed the development of other characters’ stories.
I enjoyed how the narration was told from the POV of many characters, and the rotation of POV was very natural and easy to follow.
Just Say Christmas definitely is not a stand-alone book. There are simply too many characters and back stories in this one (and I am a person that usually isn’t finicky about book reading order). You really don’t need to have read all of the Escape from New Zealand books though to enjoy this one. Ideally, it is best to have read Just Say (Hell) No and Just Come Over (there are characters from other books in the series, including my favorite Koti James, but you can follow the story fine without reading the other books). It would be worth reading, however, if you have read either of those books.
December 13, 2019
The latest book in Rosalind Jame's "Escape to New Zealand" series, featuring the members of the New Zealand rugby league. I have read all the books in the series. They are generally fun and fairly steamy. Most of the past books focus on ONE couple-- featuring a rugby player and the tortuous path to finding his "perfect match" (in love, not rugby). There are, of course, side characters-- some who've been featured in previous books and others who will be featured in later books. THIS book, however, really doesn't have a MAIN couple. If I had to pick one, I would say that Nyree and Marko are the main couple, as the story centers primarily around their wedding. But it also follows the romances of Tom and Ella, Zora and Rhys, Kane and Victoria, and Tom and Hayden (a homosexual couple). Some of these couples have been featured in previous books-- others have been ancillary characters in previous books.
I have read all the previous books and still found it IMPOSSIBLE to keep all the characters straight. There were just too many and the storyline flipped back-and-forth between characters too rapidly. "Now wait -- which one is his cousin?", "How are those two related?", "Whose father was the overbearing coach?"....
It was nice to catch up with previous characters and see how their stories continue, but I would DEFINITELY NOT recommend this book to someone who has not read all the previous ones. And even if you HAVE, it may be a mental exercise to keep all the characters straight! I will await Ms. James NEXT book and hope she goes back to a simpler story-line!
I have read all the previous books and still found it IMPOSSIBLE to keep all the characters straight. There were just too many and the storyline flipped back-and-forth between characters too rapidly. "Now wait -- which one is his cousin?", "How are those two related?", "Whose father was the overbearing coach?"....
It was nice to catch up with previous characters and see how their stories continue, but I would DEFINITELY NOT recommend this book to someone who has not read all the previous ones. And even if you HAVE, it may be a mental exercise to keep all the characters straight! I will await Ms. James NEXT book and hope she goes back to a simpler story-line!
August 10, 2024
very well done
Given that Just Say Christmas ties up a lot of loose threads for various couple’s stories in several of the Escape to New Zealand series, I assumed this was to be the end of the series. However, the author’s notes indicates that there will be a book 14 in the main series. I’m not sorry about that as I have found most of the books in this series to be good reads, some better than others. This one was stellar.
I won’t spoil anything to say that Ms. James really cut to the meat of the matter in two stories that had the aforementioned loose threads. My heart was deeply touched by the resolution to Luke’s and Hayden’s story as well as that of Rhys and Zora and their two children, Casey and Isaiah. While I felt that the children may have been portrayed a little precociously given the depth of the conflict facing them, the writing of their climatic scene was beautifully and sensitively done. Lastly, kudos to Ms. James for taking the large number of characters found in this book and helping the reader keep their stories straight. She does a lot world building through these novels and there are a ton of characters. It was nice to revisit some of them. Overall, well done.
Given that Just Say Christmas ties up a lot of loose threads for various couple’s stories in several of the Escape to New Zealand series, I assumed this was to be the end of the series. However, the author’s notes indicates that there will be a book 14 in the main series. I’m not sorry about that as I have found most of the books in this series to be good reads, some better than others. This one was stellar.
I won’t spoil anything to say that Ms. James really cut to the meat of the matter in two stories that had the aforementioned loose threads. My heart was deeply touched by the resolution to Luke’s and Hayden’s story as well as that of Rhys and Zora and their two children, Casey and Isaiah. While I felt that the children may have been portrayed a little precociously given the depth of the conflict facing them, the writing of their climatic scene was beautifully and sensitively done. Lastly, kudos to Ms. James for taking the large number of characters found in this book and helping the reader keep their stories straight. She does a lot world building through these novels and there are a ton of characters. It was nice to revisit some of them. Overall, well done.
December 9, 2019
Just Say Christmas is the latest by author Rosalind James. Ms. James writes a beautiful story, filled with characters that feel like friends. They feel like real people, with real problems, and she does a fantastic job of making it feel like you get to know the guys behind Rugby sensation the All Blacks. This one is a compilation story with multiple narratives allowing us to catch up with past characters, and meet some new ones. Every single storyline filled my heart, made me cry, or just made me happy. The storyline between Luke and Hayden had me in tears. There seems to be a trend lately with many favorite authors coming out with same sex storylines. It only needs to be done if it feels real and not like some gimmick to show how inclusive you can be. Ms. James brought all the feels with this one.
This book is not a stand-alone. There are so many couples from previous books, that if you have not read their story, you will have a hard time following along with their updates. BUT, if you want to enjoy a good read filled with real emotions don’t miss this one. New Zealand tops my list of places I want to visit, mostly because of the detail James provides in her books.
This book is not a stand-alone. There are so many couples from previous books, that if you have not read their story, you will have a hard time following along with their updates. BUT, if you want to enjoy a good read filled with real emotions don’t miss this one. New Zealand tops my list of places I want to visit, mostly because of the detail James provides in her books.
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