Same Scene, Different Book—Is It Cheating?

My latest book, Her Perfect Man, was released last Friday. I was so excited to finally tell Kim Hansen's story. Kim appeared as a supporting character in the first two books of the "man" series. Anyone who read the second book, Take This Man, will realize upon reading the new book that two scenes from the second book are repeated in Kim's story.
I wasn't sure if I should do this. Readers might think I was cheating, making it easy on myself by including scenes that had already been written for another book. In fact, in my original version of Her Perfect Man, I didn't include the sub-sandwich smackdown scene. Kim was simply remembering it while she tried to coax her cat Groucho down from a tree. But when Kristan Higgins read the chapter (I was lucky enough to win a chapter critique from her at the New Jersey Romance Writer's Conference) she thought the beginning needed more "oomph" and that I should start with Kim whomping Adam with his ham and cheese hoagie. Well, when this lady tells you something, you listen. She's not a best-selling author for nothing!
So I wrote the scene, this time from Kim's point of view. Obviously, the events had to match up with those in the second book, but since it was through Kim's eyes, different aspects could be explored. We could see that in addition to being angry at Adam, Kim is hurt by his suggestion that they take a break. Her self esteem takes a real hit.
As she reels from Adam's rejection, the rest of her day goes downhill—she falls down the stairs, her cat runs up a tree and refuses to come down. But that same afternoon, Kim encounters Charlie Keller, the man who will change her life—if she'll let him.
Next Friday, I'll post Part II of this blog and talk about the other scene in "Her Perfect Man" that matches a scene in an earlier book.
To learn more about "Her Perfect Man" and Nona's other books, please visit www.nonaraines.com