Escape to New Zealand Boxed Set, Books 1-3

By: Rosalind James

Narrated by: Claire Bocking

Length: 27 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's Summary

Three best-selling sweet and steamy New Zealand rugby romances: Just This Once (Audie nominee in Romance, 2015), Just Good Friends, and Just for Now.

Book One - Just This Once

Everyone needs to be rescued sometimes. Everyone but Hannah Montgomery, that is. She just needs a vacation: three weeks in New Zealand to sort out her life, figure out what she wants, seems just right. Oh, and to relax. She should definitely put that on the agenda. She certainly isn't looking for a sexy fling with a professional rugby player, no matter how attractive he is. Hannah doesn't do casual. But maybe just this once....

Book Two - Just Good Friends

Some bets were made to be lost. Kate Lamonica can't believe she's made a bet to be "just friends" with playboy star Koti James. New Zealand had seemed like the perfect escape from the stalker who'd threatened first her peace of mind, and then her life. She certainly doesn't need any more trouble. Why on Earth has she agreed to spend time with a Maori rugby player who's far too handsome and charming for his own good, and knows it? But there's more than one game Koti's good at playing.

Book Three - Just for Now

There's no place like home. For teacher Jenna McKnight, nothing spells "heartbreak" like finding her husband with somebody else - in her bed. It's clearly time to reinvent herself. A new body, a new city, and a new job later, she's done just that. The beautiful Auckland villa isn't really her home, though. Finn Douglas and his kids aren't really her family, however much she wishes they were. And playing house can be a dangerous game.

©2012 Rosalind James (P)2015 Rosalind James

Loved this audiobook! Great series well done.

Any additional comments?

I am a fan of the series and read them then wanted to hear them. I am very, very glad I did. Listening added a dimension that I missed from just reading them. I think it was the Kiwi accents. I thought I had them, but listening took it kept me from having to create the voice in my head.Ms. James does a wonderful job of giving us a great story, romance and travel to a fabulous country-all in one book. Combine three books together and you truly have a great adventure! She wrote strong female characters, all with great back stories, sexy men and trips to scenic locations which are well described without being boring. I have read plenty of books were I end up skipping through the detailed descriptions. Not here, I felt like I was transported and it makes me want to journey to New Zealand to see the sights for myself- and maybe catch and All Black match in the process. The rugby angle is a great one. I didn’t know much about it and it opened my eyes to a sport which isn’t popular in the US. I found myself looking up the haka. Now, I am a fan and any tome that can do that is a winner in my book- excuse the pun.The women in the books are all different with different career goals and personalities. Some I liked more than others, not to the point of dislike, but I related better to some more than others. I loved their stories and how they coped with all that was thrown at them. I think the narrator, Claire Bocking, did an amazing job. Her voice changed in rhythm, pace and tone and volume at all the right moments. Her Kiwi accents were spot on. There are many characters in this series and I could clearly tell them apart. All female voices, American and New Zealand were distinct and pleasant to the ear. I found I could even tell the children apart which is hard to do with accents, different ages and genders. Most importantly with these books, she made the men sound like men. Big strong rugby playing men! Their voices matched their characters. Koti, book two, sounds like the handsome charmer he is and in the third book, Finn sounds like an older battle scarred player. Also, I want to mention that I thought she did a great job modulating for the quieter and sexier bedroom scenes. Although it is heated, they aren’t raunchy and she seems to walk that fine line with skill. I enjoyed listening to them without cringing. Definitely recommend these audiobooks!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my review, and was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here was my own.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Completely Drawn In!

No words for how much I loved this box set. My only question is what's next.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

The beginning of a great series!

Where does Escape to New Zealand Boxed Set, Books 1-3 rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I fell in love with the Escape to New Zealand Books quickly - and the first three are at the absolute top of my list, so having them all on audio book together is GREAT!

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love Kate and Koti - and hearing them interact instead of just reading them brings them even more to life

Which character – as performed by Claire Bocking – was your favorite?

Claire does a great job at voicing the children in book 3 - it really sounds like listening to adorable little children!

Any additional comments?

received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Great listen if you love a good romantic story!

What made the experience of listening to Escape to New Zealand Boxed Set, Books 1-3 the most enjoyable?

The stories are wonderfully narrated by Claire Bocking. You believe her, and follow her, even when she's doing the male voices.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Three books, but two were my favorite, main character from book one: Hannah Montgomery and from book three: Jenna McKnight. Both strong women knowing what they want from life.

Which character – as performed by Claire Bocking – was your favorite?

From book three: Finn Douglas, because he's a real diamond in the rough.

Who was the most memorable character of Escape to New Zealand Boxed Set, Books 1-3 and why?

The children and Finn Douglas in book three, they reached my heart.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Awesome!!!

I loved the first three books! They are so romantic and are such fun to listen to I can get into the story line and the characters and I find myself feeling like I'm listening to my best friend telling me about her love life. Such a great start
to the series and I can't wait to continue listening 😊

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

I really enjoyed this bundle of books

I found this book set escape to New Zealand to be well worth the money or credit, I enjoyed each individual plot and storyline in these books, this is the perfect book to get if you're going to be on the beach or on a vacation for a good amount of time were you want to enjoy reading a fun set of romances.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

enjoyable fare

I enjoyed the characters in book 3 the best. Book one was so so but the rave reviews motivated me to continue. Love the reader, fabulous job.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Best Yet!

Jenna is an exceptional character. Life has been pretty tough for her, Rer resilience helps her rebound to find true happieness.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

A true escape and must-read- I LOVE this series!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

If you are reading this, you have discovered one of my favorite authors of romance. Ms. James is a master story-teller and weaves wonderful imagery and the flavor of the local environment into her tales. She had me hooked from the very first Escape to New Zealand story I read. I am so impressed with the details she writes into the background, scenery, the characters, everything really.

What did you like best about this story?

The descriptions of the geography and the New Zealand, in general are meticulous and compelling. All the imagery of such a beautiful country, and the mannerisms and local cultural references of the locals were fascinating. The author includes a helpful glossary of New Zealand local lingo and unique cultural references to help the reader connect to the story and the characters more deeply.
She brings strong female characters to life, all with interesting backgrounds. She brings these alpha-sexy rugby men to a unique place with their vulnerability and sweetness (sometimes hard-headed stubbornness) and writes tender love stories, all with wonderful scenery and imagery.

What does Claire Bocking bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Claire lends not just a voice to the characters, she brings them to life for me. The emotions she portrays are realistic and believable. I have rarely experienced such an authentic view into a story through a reading than through Claire Bocking's interpretation of Rosalind's books. She's lovely to listen to- very soothing and enjoyable.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

YES, absolutely! I can't get enough of Escape to New Zealand, and have read everything Rosalind has written so far.

Any additional comments?

My full review: If you are reading this, you have discovered one of my favorite authors of romance. Ms. James is a master story-teller and weaves wonderful imagery and the flavor of the local environment into her tales. She had me hooked from the very first Escape to New Zealand story I read. I am so impressed with the details she writes into the background, scenery, the characters, everything really.
This book is part 1-3 of a series called Escape to New Zealand.
○ Book 1 - Just This Once - introduces us to Hannah and Drew. Hannah was an American on vacation in New Zealand, and she accidentally meets Drew on her first day out in the water and beach. He saved her from drowning and they fell in love. Then she goes home and Drew follows her back, and asks her to come home with him. Will Hannah make a life-changing decision to begin a new chapter in her life? Can she go out on a limb to make a gigantic leap of faith in her career and her life?
○ Book 2 - Just Good Friends - introduces Kate and Koti. Kate was American, feisty and smart, and a tiny statured woman against Koti, a huge, Maori rugby player, and one of the most handsome, charming, ladies men of the team. Kate and Koti make a bet that they can be "just friends" for six weeks without him coming onto her. Can she resist his charms? She was pretty vulnerable, having had an obsessive stalker and she still had a lot of fear and insecurity to overcome. She needed to learn to trust again and Koti's friendship was just the thing she needed.
○ Book 3 - Just For Now - introduces Jenna and Finn, who meet when Finn suddenly needs a nanny for his children and Jenna happens to meet one of the kids by chance. Finn thinks at first that she is a rugby groupie trying to get attention from him - but learns that she knows nothing about him and isn't interested in him that way. He hires her on the spot and quickly trust and friendship begin to form between the two. Can they resist the electrical sparks that fly between them?

Setting / foreground/background
The descriptions of the geography and the New Zealand, in general are meticulous and compelling. All the imagery of such a beautiful country, and the mannerisms and local cultural references of the locals were fascinating. The author includes a helpful glossary of New Zealand local lingo and unique cultural references to help the reader connect to the story and the characters more deeply.
She brings strong female characters to life, all with interesting backgrounds. She brings these alpha-sexy rugby men to a unique place with their vulnerability and sweetness (sometimes hard-headed stubbornness) and writes tender love stories, all with wonderful scenery and imagery.

I fell in love with the characters and the setting of the book immediately. The characters were absolutely genuinely heartwarming and lovely to read about, very realistically drawn and compelling the reader to cheer them on.Our Heroines are sweet, a bit naïve, but are strong, independent, yet vulnerable, memorable females.

Our Heroes are everything we love in a good hero: strong, manly, sexy, emotionally sensitive but not afraid to take a strong stand for their convictions. They are not the classically handsome guy, but ruggedly good-looking and charming, yet not bad on the eyes. They are leaders and well-respected by their teammates and families, as well as their kiwi sport fans all throughout NZ. I felt that the characters were strong and had complex emotions and back-stories that were interesting.

I received a free copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

What a GREAT deal!!

Any additional comments?

Three huge audio books for this price is amazing. I love this series and have read them all. But listening to them is a treat. It's fun going back to the beginning and seeing how the series started. It's also great being reintroduced to the characters. The narrator does a wonderful job of getting you into the characters. There is a common thread in the first three books. All the men play Rugby for the All Blacks and the women are all from America starting over or vacationing in the country. But that's where the common thread ends. Each of the stories is unique and has different complications. Each romance plays out in it's own way. And don't worry, they all have some heat :) The great thing about these books is that each one is better than the last. Drew and Hannah start off the series, followed by Kate and Koti and lastly is Finn and Jenna. Finn and Jenna's story is a favorite of mine. But I love Kate's personality. If you have previously read them, or are new to the series, these will not disappoint. They should come with a warning that they will make you want to visit New Zealand though :) I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my review and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Brains have been rucked

I've just listened to and enjoyed the three stories on this Escape series. Nice and simple romantic stories with regular plots. Well written and very well narrated. I like Rosalind James as an author no higher recommendation . Puts a bit of probability into what I've always suspected , AB players are great at their sport but lacking elsewhere. "Swing low " lol

Awful NZ accent

Where does Escape to New Zealand Boxed Set, Books 1-3 rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Average

What was one of the most memorable moments of Escape to New Zealand Boxed Set, Books 1-3?

-

Who might you have cast as narrator instead of Claire Bocking?

Anybody dreadful narration would have been ok if she hadn't used the accent, spoilt the book for me