Just say Yes by Rosalind James

This is the first Rosalind James novel I've read and I was particularly drawn to it because it was set in New Zealand (a country I love and also write about) and I also have a passion for the ballet, so this seemed perfect, and although it forms part of her Escape to New Zealand series, I didn't have any issue reading it as a stand alone.

The story follows Chloe a single mother and retired professional ballet dancer who is about to be evicted from her home which has been purchased by Kevin, a hunky All Black. No surprises as to how the story ends, the only question is how they get there.

With all books in this genre, a lot of my rating goes to how well they surprise me on the journey of reaching the HEA (Happy Ever After) and there were only two scenes in this story that were unexpected or that I didn't predict. I would have liked more. I think Rosalind could easily weave more twists and angst into the narrative, or the side stories.

Having said that, Rosalind's style is excellent. Her characters are vibrant and real and you can easily picture her locations. Her choice of vocabulary and dialogue are very believable.

I particularly loved the scene on the beach where Chloe leaps and Kevin catches her ... that description had as much heat and passion as the juicy bedroom scenes.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. I rattled through it in a couple of days, it just needed to surprise me more in order to earn more stars.