Hemi & Reka's beginning

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Yet another home run for Rosalind James! I was thrilled to finally get to hear Hemi & Reka's story after 'meeting' them in several other books in this series. To me, they've always been the older, wiser, and more mature couple, and I loved their story of how they met and worked through the challenges that came up between them to became the couple that they are today. Without a doubt, I love them so much more now. Reka is a sweet, but strong-willed woman, and Hemi is a romantic man, while still being the rough and tough rugby player that he is on the field. Once again, the author's description of a rugby game is so great that I feel like I'm right there watching it. And I've never been to New Zealand (yet!) but her description is so amazingly thorough that I feel as if I could go there & feel like I'd been there before. The addition of all the fun Kiwi words makes it that much better and authentic. I was only sad because it was a relatively short book in comparison to the others in the series. But if you've read and loved any of the others, you won't want to miss this one!

Loved Claire's narration of this book. She is flawless with the accents & can go from one character's voice to another's like nobody's business!

Note: 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 opinions expressed here are my own.

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A Great Prequel!

This was a great listen. There is no need to have listened to or read any of the other Escape to New Zealand books before reading this as it takes place before the events of any of the others (although you can read any of the books in the series as a stand alone book). It is a satisfying novella and a complete story. Sometimes the novellas I find on Amazon can seem either like advertising for a series or just seem a bit too quick of a telling. This was satisfying as a novella and the story felt fully developed. Also, whether reading or listening, sometimes the novella length really hits the spot. One could easily listen to the complete tale during a day trip for instance.

Having read the other Escape to New Zealand Books, I was already familiar with Hemi and Reka who feature in many of the books. Reading about them in those books as secondary characters, Rosalind James really gives you a feel for the chemistry and love between the characters and I was excited to read about how they got together. Reading this novella felt like visiting old friends (including some other old friends from the books) and I thoroughly enjoyed that aspect alongside my overall enjoyment of the book.

One of the things I love about these books, is that the experience of reading them does feel like "Escaping to New Zealand" in a sense. This novella is no exception to that and I love how James naturally interweaves Maori culture and language, as well as New Zealand colloquialisms and describes everyday life in the country. She does an excellent job at describing rugby action, that is easy to follow and read even if you don't follow the sport, but yet is thrilling and gets at the heart of why sports mean so much to people.

Claire Bocking once again does a great job as reader for this book. I am pretty sure I would pick up just about any audiobook if it listed her as a reader, because she is always a sure bet. She is great with accents and reading for both the ladies and the fellas.

I received a free copy of this audiobook 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.

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New Zealand short story

I loved the narrator and the storyline. I felt as if I was in NZ, but it never felt like a travelogue. Nice start to a new series, it was interesting to have the hero be a rugby player...a sport I'm not familiar with. Rugby played a key element, but wasn't overwhelming.

My first read by this author, going to download the 2nd book, looking forward to learning more about these hot, hunky men and the women who take them. (Glad it's part of my Romance Package)!

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The Backstory We've Been Waiting For!

I’m not usually a fan of novellas (the longer the better for my preferences) but as a fan of the “Escape to New Zealand” series, this was just fine. Better than fine. =)

With this title, we (finally!) get the back-story of the ‘old married couple’ that have been the backbone of most of the EtNZ stories, Hemi and Reka. How they met, how they parted, how they almost didn’t get together the second time ... yeah, all that.

Hemi was a bit full of himself when he first met Reka, having just been chosen to play for the All Blacks. Reka was coming off a bad relationship and needed to feel attractive and wanted and ... well, made a bad decision, especially since Hemi never followed up, never stayed in touch. But a few months down the road, and maybe it wasn’t a bad decision, as Hemi is back and has decided that now he wants to be the kind of guy that ‘sticks.’ A good guy. A guy that wants an all-in kind of relationship. Well Reka has a bit more spine at this juncture and he’s just gonna have to prove a few things first. (Go, Reka!!)

I loved watching Hemi and Reka get to their ‘happily ever after,’ and you can see the people they have become in the later books, as well. I’m so glad we got to find how they started out.

Recommended? No doubt about it!

[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.]

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Loved it! I was a bummed out it was so short!

I loved the story. I was a litte sad that it was so short but will definitely be reading the rest of the series next!

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Just for You - Reka and Hemi

Just for You by Rosalind James

Reka and Hemi - one of my favorite couples in the Escape to New Zealand series by Rosalind James. Just for You is a prequel novella for the series, giving the backstory for an established and respected family. It is relatively short, at just over 4 hours.

Hemi is a star rugby player and Reka is his earthy and hard working love interest. They are both Maori. I won't go into the storyline, as you can read that online or listen to the story when you get this audible! I will tell you that this prequel explains quite a bit about rugby (important since the series revolves around the sport) and the Maori culture, and explains the lusty relationship of the main characters.

I've never been a fan of prequels, but Rosalind James made a believer out of me. This novella is wonderful in its own right and holds its own place in the series' order. I would have loved a book instead of novella, though. I definitely recommend this story. You will not be disappointed!

Claire Bocking does a wonderful job with the narration of this story. Her pronunciations are great, and her accents are terrifically believable. I really enjoy hearing her narrations. A super job all the way around.

I received a free copy of this audiobook 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.

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Fabulous prequel to the Escape to NZ series!

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Wow, this one had a LOT of passion! Claire did a stunning job narrating all the steamy scenes in this book, a great fit for what I had imagined Reka's voice to be. The story worked great as a sort of prequel to the rest of the series, giving us some more information on Reka and Hemi's back story and what they endured to get to their 'happily ever after.' I can never get enough of the Escape to New Zealand characters so I really enjoyed the extra details on their romance.

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.

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Quick listen and a great addition to the series!

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This is a quick story and a prequel to the Escape to New Zealand series. Reka and Hemi appear often in future books and they are a solid fixture in the rugby community. I enjoyed hearing how they met and fell in love. Ms James captures New Zealand, Rugby and romance all in just a few chapters! I felt there was a perfect balance between sight seeing, heat, and rugby. I am not a rugby follower and I thought this part was exciting! I do wish there had been a bit more of Hemi's and Reka's past. Is it a negative that I wanted more??

Claire Bocking is, again, wonderful. I enjoy her Kiwi accents. Her ability to go from male to female, adult to child, is uncanny. I would have recognized Reki's voice from previous books without her being identified. That is how precise and developed her characterizations are.
Again- I wanted more of this story!! It was almost too short.

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 are my own.

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Finally-Hemi and Reka's romance (short but sweet)

I've inhaled the entire series so far (waiting for #12 on AE) so it was great to listen to Hemi and Reka's story. They are pretty much the touchbase in all the other books. When Hema and Reka show up in a book, you know the current couple has the seal of approval. This book, while a lot shorter than the others, still packs a punch. Hemi had to work hard to win Reka and it was well worth it. A pleasure to listen to this one.

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A Promise Kept

What did you love best about Just for You (Escape to New Zealand)?

This book was filled with an abundance of New Zealand culture and very descriptive rugby. I really loved that Hemi and Reka finally have their own story. We've met them in the first "Escape" book and they have popped up throughout the others, it was delightful to finally hear their beginning.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Just for You (Escape to New Zealand)?

The sea rescue, it was moving and a very real life moment.

Have you listened to any of Claire Bocking’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I've listened to all of Claire's performances from the Escape series. Just For You, was filled with many Maori references, names, and history. Claire nailed it each time. She read the passages beautifully. She also captured Hemi and Reka's fierceness.

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

I nearly did, this is a short listen.

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I've said it before and I need to say it again. Ms. James and Claire Bocking are a perfect match! Claire does yet another wonderful performance. Claire yet again, was able to flow from one character to another seamlessly, she does a wonderful job with the children's voices, and those steamy scenes, she has those covered well too! I loved hearing Hemi and Reka's story. Hemi's not afraid to admit that he was little full of himself when things started picking up in his rugby career, but he's ready to make an honest commitment to Reka no matter how long it takes to prove himself to her. Reka is a beautiful strong woman who isn't going to let another man break her heart. She hesitates to trust Hemi again, but can't deny he's putting forth an honest effort especially when he shows up to spend time with her during a family outing to the beach.


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 opinions expressed here are my own.

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