Just Say (Hell) No

Escape to New Zealand, Book 11

By: Rosalind James

Narrated by: Emma Wilder

Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Even a hard man needs a soft side.

Marko Sendoa isn't a beach man. He's not an Auckland man. He's a hard man. Born Basque, raised in the heart of New Zealand's Southern Alps, and bred on hard work, discipline, and getting the job done. It's not easy for a rugby flanker to make it to age 32 at the top of his game, but he's done it. Next year is the Rugby World Cup, and he'll do whatever it takes to be on the field in the black jersey when the anthems are sung.

He doesn't need a kitten.

He doesn't need a pregnant cousin.

He definitely doesn't need a too-short, distractingly curvy, totally unimpressed Maori barista and part-time pet portraitist who fills his house and his life with too much color, too much chaos, and too many secrets.

He's getting them anyway.

©2018 Rosalind James (P)2018 Rosalind James

Loved another great New Zealand book

Purchase

I've read all of Rosalind James books that she's written then listened to them as they've become available on audiobooks. To say she's one of my favorite romance writers is a given. She puts so much everyday problems, issues & happiness into her storyline and characters that you can always relate and empathise. This is the 11th book in her Escape to New Zealand series & I loved it as much as the 1st.All of the books are definatley stand alone but it's fun to see the characters from book to book. Just Hell No deals with some sensitive issues and she handled it so well as always. And Emma Wilder did an amazing job with all her character voices. I love listening to her.As ever I wait to see if there will be a next book in the series

Laughter and Tears

The day you get a brand new Escape to New Zealand book is surely one of the best days of all. A story of second chances for many people in so many ways, this book made me laugh out loud and reach for the kleenex a couple of times.

Marko is on the comeback trail after a devastating injury, leaving his team on his South Island home to play for the Blues in Auckland. As if changing your entire life isn't enough turmoil, his teenage cousin shows up needing his help and he meets Nyree, who turns everything upside down for him.
This book has layers and important things to say about love, about family and about the ways we all need each other. Marko sees things about Nyree she could never see about herself and encourages her not to settle for second best because she deserves to have everything.

This author's books have always touched me deeply, but this book really shows an evolution of style that makes it similar to the stories in Robin Carr's Virgin River series, where real life issues are woven around the couple falling in love and they deal with them along with their growing romance...kind of like you would in the real world. And past characters appear, not just as "drive bys' like in many long running series, but as integral parts of the story...again, like real life. This book is exactly what I look for in the "perfect" book...it has everything I love to read and I'd say the only thing wrong with it is that it ended too soon.

Emma Wilder gets better with every book. So many feels.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and was not required to post a positive review. All opinions are my own.

One of James’ best

While I’ve enjoyed all the books in this series, I think this is one of the best. Great characters, plot, plot twists and sub plots. And the narrator, Emma Wilder, does a terrific jobs with all the different voices. I especially liked the way James handled the dilemma that Ella deals with. Very nuanced. Looking forward to the next book!

Well worth your listening time!

As I've come to expect, Rosalind has written another fantastic book. It is a great story with better characters. Marko is an impressive protagonist (definitely in my top 5 favorites). I really loved Nyree. And Ella. Oh, I adore her and want to bring her home with me. She has a beautiful heart and is so smart and spunky.

I love the story so much. Yet again the author had me in tears more than once. So realistic and descriptive that you can't help but be sucked in and enjoy every minute of it. It is a great book that you'll want to listen to over and over again!

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

Another wonderful book!

I have to confess when I read this book it wasn't one of my favorites or my brain was not cooperating as that happens frequently. But after listening to this story it quickly became clear to me it wasn't the story it was me!
Once again Ms. James has a wonderful cast of characters and a story that will keep you interested until the last page. The narrator Emma Wilder does an excellent job one more time. If you haven't tried this author I highly recommend any of her books because they are all different but similar.
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.

An Unexpected Delight

Wow. While I love Rosalind James, I was caught by surprise. This book had great depth and emotion, strong character development, and even managed to sneak in some wildly hot sexy times. The narration was stellar. If you need a comparison, it’s a rugby “Wall of Winnipeg”. Moving on to book twelve as soon as I finish this sentence!!

'Hell Yes' !!

Best of the entire series. 2 stories intertwined leading to a beautiful ending , just hope it's not the last we hear from Ella and Tom!

Books make you fall in love with New Zealand and Rugby

I had read books about Rugby and the All Blacks but I an now in love with the sport and the country. Want to plan my next vacation there. Followed the towns and travel on maps and now looking up videos on games. World Cup in Japan this year 2019 will be watching if Direct Tv carries them. Love stories are so good and the team is magical. Thank you so glad I found these books.

Romance and discovery amid real challenges

This may be one of my favorite Rosalind James books. The challenges of family obligations and professional demands meant that the romance developed for a couple trying to figure out how to manage family drama, self-care, creativity, and career goals. The internal reflections of the characters were also written and read in a style that was both approachable and immersive.

Ultimately this is a book that escapes a number of overworked problems in the romance genre—most especially the irritating portrayal of couples who are too young to (believably) have their emotional lives in order. Where romance novelists need to do better, Rosalind James has done better with this book. Further, the prose of this book, at least to the ear, told me that she had a more varied sentence structure than in some prior novels—that made for a better listen. Buy it now and listen.

Oh, yes, this is a good one.

What did you love best about Just Say (Hell) No?

I love how there was a good number of characters, all with distinctive personalities, including the hero and heroine and secondary characters. So many stories seem written in a people-vacuum, but James balances them well.

What did you like best about this story?

It feels like it could be real - accidental kitten adoption, pregnant teen, an artistic woman with an undisclosed personal history, a man with determination and rugby talent - in a way that you could relate to if you only lived on a bit higher plane of talent, good genes, self-disclipine, geographical fortune, luck and so forth. Ella, the pregnant teenage cousin, was really key to making this a very moving story. Nyree, the heroine, really comes into her own after a lifetime of not quite fitting in with her family and her profession. Marko just has to go along with the river of change that has caught him up and he copes and then thrives in it, but he doesn't really change. The inclusion of rugby players from prior books is a great element - you don't have to have read Just Not Mine and a few other of the Escape to NZ books, but this will be better if you have read the others. I really enjoyed the story and was sorry to get to the end!

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

You can't skim over bits when you're listening, so you hear the whole story! She gives good voices to the characters and keeps the story moving at a nice pace.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Oh, yes, but not telling. You have to read it yourself. You will probably need a tissue.

Any additional comments?

Cat was a very fun kitten!I bought the ebook, but I received a free copy of this audio 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.