Just Say Christmas

Escape to New Zealand, Book 13

By: Rosalind James

Narrated by: Emma Wilder

Length: 13 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

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 30 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. 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 make: to be there.

Note: You will enjoy this book even more if you’ve listened to Just Say (Hell) No and Just Come Over, books 11 and 12, respectively, in Escape to New Zealand series.

©2019 Rosalind James (P)2020 Rosalind James

I so love the Excape to New Zealand series

Emma Wilder does an amazing job with the characters and I seriously fall into the stories they are so well written. Rosalind James makes these characters come to life and you want to go to New Zealand to meet them in person. Thank you for such a wonderful series

Christmas, kids, and love

This is a story of Christmas, but it is so much more. Marko and Nyree, Rhys and Zora, Tom and Ella, kids everywhere, and so many of the characters we’ve all grown to love. New, expanded characters, too. So much love, a few tears, and so much happy. This story will leave you … satisfied.

The above is my original review from the book. Now I’ve listened to the audio version, and wow! Emma Wilder is wonderful as the narrator. She does voices like no other. I really enjoyed this one!

A whirlwind catch-up that delights!

Just Say Christmas is one of those books that gathers all the ribbons of prior stories and weaves them together into a triple-decker epilogue. There's another chapter for Marco and Nyree, Ella and Tom, Zora and Rhys (and Isiah and Cassidy) and a bit more to surprise you. You will want to have read some of the more recent Escape to NZ books to really enjoy this one. There's a lot of poignancy, new understanding and painting you wish you could actually see!
Enjoyable reading by Emma Wilder, too. I always enjoy a Rosalind James book!

must listen too

I just finished the 13 book and im sad there not more , loved all 13.5 book recommended .

Just Listen to this Book

Unabashedly sentimental, unapologetically romantic, absolutely sexy and totally “Happily Ever After,” Rosalind James’ Just Say Christmas (Escape to New Zealand: Book Thirteen) Is a sure-fire winner, especially to fans of the long running series. This entertaining novel warms the heart while exploring the many different definitions of family and the varied forms love can take. Rosalind James has a gift for writing easy flowing and engrossing books with underlying messages and memorable characters as this book clearly demonstrates. I have long been a fan of Ms James and this book will ensure that I will continue to be so for quite some time. 
I consider this book to be a not-quite-standalone novel. While it can be enjoyed without having previously read other books in the series, to be fully appreciated, I recommend that the reader at least read the two most recent Escape to New Zealand books. That said, I recommend any reader new to the series to go to the beginning, Just This Once, Escape to New Zealand, and then read all the books. This is a wonderful series and well worth listening to or reading in print. 
Emma Wilder’s narration of the book is sure and steady and adds an added depth to the written version. 
When originally released in print, this book was a Christmas present for fans of the series, bringing back many characters from recent books, a few from earlier books and then adding a few new couples, as well. It is an absolutely feel good and five star listen to anyone that is a fan of the series.
I was given a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated nor required to write a positive review.  The opinions stated are solely my own.

Awesome

Loved this book. Having passed and present characters was such a pleasure. Thank you for this one.

Emma Wilder and Rosalind James nailed it again!

Emma Wilder and Rosalind James do it again!

I loved the book and was very excited for the audiobook to be released.

Emma Wilder does an amazing job with her narration, just like her other audiobook collaborations with Rosalind James. She is very talented and has a gift for making Rosalind’s characters come to life.

If you love love and family, this is the book for you!
Some of our old favorites from other “Escapes” are back from previous books and we get to meet some new family members.

I truly recommend this book for a lighthearted listen.

Wonderful Epilogue for Escape to New Zealand Fans

For the record, I am an official Escape to New Zealand Fan, and I’ve devoured every Kindle and Audio version of the entire series. Like “Just Once More”, this book involves all of the characters from the previous books, especially the last two, Books 11 & 12. I would not recommend starting with this audiobook as an intro to this series, as it is a sort of extended epilogue for so many stories.
And is really is fun to re-visit beloved friends and couples, and families, but difficult to follow in parts. There are just so many characters and stories. The narration truly carried me through this audiobook because Emma Wilder is simply outstanding. I love the kids and this promoted me to go back to listen to “Just Come Over” (Book 12) to enjoy again.
Definitely better if you’re current with the series. Even if you’re a bit stale though, Rosalind James will make you laugh out loud, and tears will fill your eyes, and you’ll be sad when the book ends, wanting it to just keep going.
I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I was not compelled to write a positive review and these thoughts are mine alone.

Another Winner for Rosalind & Emma

This is another wonderful pairing of an amazing story and vocal talent. Emma Wilder brings to life Rosalind James' characters and what characters they are. While knowing the stories Just Come Over and Just Say Hell No is not mandatory before getting Just Say Christmas, it will add to your enjoyment of the story. This story is full of heartwarming moments of parental love, familiar love, young love, and what truly makes and defines a family as well as those steamy scenes that Rosalind does so well. In Just Say Christmas we get to follow Marko and Nyree and Rhys and Zora as well as several of the secondary characters who really needed their stories told. It is a must addition to any Escape to New Zealand collection.

an absolute present!

what a wonderful story filled with love, laughter, tears, & more love! couldn't get enough of Casey, Nana & all the other love stories, but the most endearing by far was Luke & Hayden. A love story for the ages.....love them & family support as Luke & Hayden faced this heroic challenge of being who they are in love.