Just My Luck

Escape to New Zealand, Book 5

By: Rosalind James

Narrated by: Claire Bocking

A little distraction can be a wonderful thing.

Nate Torrance has a job to do, and the biggest rugby boots in the world to fill. He can't afford to lose his focus, especially not to a brown-eyed Canadian who pushes all his buttons and looks much too good in a climbing harness.

Allison Villiers may not know what she wants to do with her life, but she's clear about one thing. She's not impressed by the new captain of the All Blacks, however big a deal he is to the rest of New Zealand. If only her unfortunate taste for adventure didn't keep leading her astray...

Note: This romance, like New Zealand, contains some steam. If that isn't your cuppa, you may want to visit some other country... er, audiobook.

©2013 Rosalind James (P)2014 Rosalind James

Other reviews are a little harsh

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

Although I wouldn't recommend this as the first book in the series to read, I would definitely recommend it to a friend who had already been reading the series.

What did you like best about this story?

I think that Rosalind was smart to combine these two love stories into one book. Neither one would have been strong enough to warrant a book in their own right without stretching the plot to silly means, but that is no reason to leave them never having been written (or reduced to 1.5 short story versions of the book). Also, being as they both are completely opposite types of relationships, they balance each other out well.

If you could take any character from Just My Luck out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Liam, because who wouldn't want a romantic night with him? :)

Any additional comments?

I almost skipped this book because of the reviews but I am glad that I didn't because I think the negative reviews are unfair. If anything, Nate and Ally simply make a more realistic love story than the others, and being as this is a romance book I would assume the realism is what other reviewers disliked. But that also makes it much more relatable (albeit bittersweet).

I don't think that Nate was a jerk, he just took his career seriously. It's naive to think that a young man taking on the role of captain of the almighty All Blacks wouldn't be extremely dedicated to the team and preoccupied by his commitment. I'm not saying that dating someone that absorbed by their passion/career doesn't suck, but it is something that has to be an expected obstacle if you choose to date someone in such a position. Ally struck me as foolish to see how important rugby teams are to the community and then be shocked by the great weight on Nate's shoulders as the new captain, particularly the amount of time he spent absorbed by it. In that sense, it was unfair that Ally was never called out by anyone for not being especially understanding of Nate's position and her willingness to get involved in someone taking on such a huge responsibility in his life.

Like story

Like story but I could do with less sex description.
I like the the New Zealand accents

It's your lucky day when you listen to this book!

I loved the book when I read it in print. After having listened, I love it that much more! Why? First, the story itself fits nicely in the series yet it's its own "entity"--there's no obvious "recipe" to Rosalind James' books in this series other than the ties because of the All Blacks and family/friendships. If you haven't read or listened to the other 4 books in the series, you might miss some details previously shared but I think that it would still be highly entertaining. Ally & Nate and Kristen & Liam get a story that is each their own and each relationship is unique to the characters. I'm drawn to Ally because she's strong and assertive and not the least bit apologetic for not being a girly-girl. She gives as good as she gets and yet her vulnerability is very real. Nate is, well, Nate. He's a strong man in a new leadership position open to public scrutiny which requires that he be mindful of how he conducts himself at all times and he struggles with how to handle his new job as well as relationships--and not just the romantic ones. Kristen is well written as well. (For those of you that have read or listened to "Just This Once"--I found Kristen to be highly immature and irritating. Not so in this book.) I appreciate the insight into why she is the way she is and does what she does. She's one of the "beautiful" people that doesn't see herself that way. Liam is real. He's screwed up in the past--didn't know how good he really had it until he (nearly) lost it all. This time, he realizes how good he does have it and works for it. I found myself empathizing with Ally, getting frustrated at Nate, and chuckling at the repartee between them. I also found myself cheering for Kristen, barracking for Liam (wouldn't want to "root" for him in NZ ;)) and having lots of "aww" moments with them.

Claire Bocking does yet another phenomenal job of narrating. She does a great Kiwi accent and seamlessly switches between different character voices, as well as the "narrating" bits. I love that, even though the it's just her narrating, the pitch/tone and speech patterns/cadence really gives each character their own voice and you can tell who's "talking". I'm not sure if I'd like the audiobooks as well if there was a different narrator--they'd have a lot to measure up against to even come close to Bocking's narration.

"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.”

BACK TO NEW ZEALAND ... AND 2 FOR THE PRICE OF 1

I just keep falling more and more head over heels for this “Escape to New Zealand” series. This time around we get two stories for the price of one. One (Kristen and Liam) is a fairy tale romance (oh, Liam!) ... and the other (Ally and Nate) is a gritty, true-to-life, love-never-runs-smoothly story.

Ally and Nate start off … well, it’s fairly funny. Even though he’s a superstar out on the rugby pitch, Nate is just downright graceless when it comes to women — or at least to Ally. You know the type. He’s never had to work for it before and Ally is singularly unimpressed with him. We also get a nod to the “Pride and Prejudice” storyline, which makes me smile. Our Wickham nemesis (Devon O’Neill) is a real scumbag. You’ll love to hate him.

But Nate’s primary focus is really on the footy, not a girlfriend, no matter how much Ally intrigues him. It has to be, as he is now the shiny, brand-new captain of the All Blacks (after Drew’s retirement.) Ally knows what she wants, but it doesn’t seem like Nate’s head is in the same place. Oh, Nate. Sometimes you have to lose something to really appreciate what you had. [Have tissues handy.]

The wonderful Claire Bocking is our narrator again. She just keeps getting better and better. And her reading adds so much to the story (already read on my Kindle.) Well done, Claire!

And … I still really, really want to see New Zealand with my own eyes … because this book series has pulled me in and beguiled me. That NZ Vacation Fund is growing! =)

Highly recommended and IMO well worth a credit!

PS. 2015 – It’s Rugby World Cup year. Should be good! Can the All Blacks do it 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]

Ah, Double Loved!!!

Would you listen to Just My Luck again? Why?

I would listen to all of Rosalind James books. They are a great read and Claire Bocking does an amazing job in capturing the emotions of each character.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite part in this book would have to be (without giving too much away) would be when Liam sings for Kirsten in the cafe.

Any additional comments?

This is the fifth book of the Escape to New Zealand and I loved everything about it. It brought old characters from the previous books into this book. This book follows the story of Ally and Kirsten(who is Hannah's sister from book 1) coming to NZ to start over. Ally meets Nate aka "Toro" (who is an All Black/Hurricanes captain) at a climbing gym where she works and he does not make an impression. Their story continues throughout the book with another love story with Kirsten and Liam who is also a rugby player and best friends with Nate.
Their story is my favorite because Kirsten is dealing with self-esteem/anxiety and Liam is there throughout helping her and being a friend until it grows to something more.
Ally and Nate's story in this books has its up and downs; Nate also has a more challenging job because he took over Drew's captaincy.

I would recommend all of Rosalind James books because there is just something about her stories that really have a hold and you end up rooting for the characters to make it when one of them messes up!

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.

Man Code Explained

Just My Luck: Escape to New Zealand, Book 5, continues in the same fashion as many of Rosalind James’ books with the rugby and New Zealand theme with romance interwoven. If you read any of her previous books, this may be one of the reasons you continue to read the Escape series. I know it is a big plus in my book. Book 5 does not rely on reading many, if any, of the previous Escape books. I would say that Just My Luck could act as a stand-alone if you are looking to give James a try. As far as the Audible version goes, Claire Bocking is dead on with her performances. After listening to her for several other Escape to New Zealand books, I would be willing to give any of her audio performances a go. She’s really that talented.

In Book 5, you are introduced to Nate and Ally, with a sub-story of Kristen and Liam. You get a taste of New Zealand outdoors with this pair and I found the accident prone Nate to be a bit refreshing as he had many romantic missteps in this romance. I have to say I really enjoyed Ally and Kristen's conversations on Man Code. Spot on and hilarious. This book presents a strong female lead, don't go looking for the submissive in Ally.

To give you a peak hole into James’ writing, she leads you along a path of realistic story line while adding humor and some New Zealand flavor (at least in the Escape series). I gravitate towards book that are more likely to be realistic so that willing suspension of disbelief is not stretched too far. If you like books that are not only impossible, but lack continuity and character development I suggest you move on and miss out on these books. If you are one who likes a quick wit with a zing of adventure and travel, give the Escape series a knock.

I depend on reviews to purchase books, like many of you. While I receive an ARC on occasion from several authors, my reviews are not automatic positive reviews. 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, for whatever that is worth.

Strong Outing in the Escape to New Zealand Series

Any additional comments?

"Just My Luck" is a strong outing in the Escape to New Zealand series and I enjoyed it very much and for many reasons. I loved the use of foreshadowing, which was very well done. While the book is spicy in parts, I liked that the characters weren't falling into bed and everlasting love over a period of a few days. I appreciated that the book had several underlying themes but that not all were used continuously. Among the themes was the value of not judging by appearances alone, the value of balance in one's life, being true to oneself and honesty. The book's storylines truly evolved and deepened while maintaining continuity. I highly recommend this book.

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 entirely my own.

Twofer!

Alhough I was distracted a lot at first by it's striking similarity to a very famous classical plot, eventually it veered off off into its own New Zealand story that was as good as the ones that preceded it. I wasn't sure how Ms.James was going to get two women's romantic lives taken care of, but she managed very well and I loved both storylines. And hats off to Claire Bocking for her narration that always makes me feel as if I were in New Zealand!

Wonderful characters with a subtle allusion to P and P

This may even be my favorite of the series. All the characters are so likable , even with their flaws. A very fun read (or listen). I've listened to it twice! Narration also wonderful More, please!

Great modern day romance, loved it!

This book is about two rugby players who fall in love with two friends. Liam and Kristen fall in love after both of them have had their disappointments in they're personal life as well as they're love life. Nate and Ally fall in love after some heartbreak, but nevertheless they meant to be together. This book is a true modern day romance, I recommend all of Rosalind's book, but Just my luck is my favorite.

" 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."