Room Service

Do Not Disturb #6

by Jill Shalvis

Note to Maintenance: Check the air vents and temp regulator on elevator 2A. Guest seen coming off it looking dazed and flushed.

Note to Housekeeping: Refill the sensual massaging oils in the Haiku suite.

Farm-girl-turned-TV-producer Em Harris is in way over her head. Trying to bag chef Jacob Hill for her new culinary show is one thing. Staying at the sex-themed hotel Hush, where his restaurant is located, is quite another. Her goal there is to convince Jacob, known for looking and cooking like a dream, to sign a contract. But after a few days of being enveloped in Hush's sensual atmosphere, the only thing on Em's mind is discovering if Jacob tastes as delicious as he appears...

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Harlequin Blaze, Harlequin, Category Romance, Chick Lit

250 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 2006

About the author

New York Times and USA Today, and Amazon Top 100 bestselling author Jill Shalvis writes laugh-out-loud, swoon-filled contemporary romance and romantic comedies brimming with madcap adventures, shenanigans, and sexy times (just don’t tell her mom). She’s sold more than 20 million copies worldwide, and when she’s not writing, you can usually find her indulging in coffee, chocolate, or plotting her next happily ever after. She lives in a small mountain town near Lake Tahoe full of quirky characters (any resemblance to the ones in her books is mostly coincidental).

Look for Jill's bestselling, award-winning novels wherever books are sold. Visit http://www.jillshalvis.com for a complete book list and fun blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Connect with Jill:
https://www.tiktok.com/@jillshalvis
http://instagram.com/jillshalvis
http://facebook.com/JillShalvis

Reviews

[Lady Jayne *~*The Beach Bandida*~* · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 of 5 Stars - Also reviewed at: Lady Jayne's Reading Den

Jacob Hill Can Give Me Room Service Any Day ^_~

“To: Maintenance
From: Housekeeping
Check the air vents and temp regulator on elevator 2A. Guest seen coming out of it today looking dazed and flushed.”

I do so enjoy Jill Shalvis’ little “quotes” at the start of chapters. She had some cute and funny sayings in her Lucky Harbor series books, and in this one, she had these funny little hotel staff memos at the start of every few chapters or so.

Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t really read Harlequins, anymore, because I prefer the length of a novel to give relationships in a Romance sufficient time to grow and develop. But I really enjoyed this Harlequin Blaze by Jill Shalvis! I’m on a bit of a Jill Shalvis-a-thon, at the moment. ^_^

Emmaline “Em” Harris is an Ohio farm gal turned TV Producer. But the only three shows she’s produced have flopped and her boss has given her one last chance. He wants her to produce a cooking show. And he wants her to get the delicious Chef Jacob Hill and his pretty delectable food to be featured on the show.

Chef Jacob Hill is the Executive Chef at Amuse Bouche, the restaurant in the world-class New York hotel Hush… which is themed for …. *whispers* S-E-X. The rooms are equipped with all kinds of toys and tailored to suit the requests of its guests.

I really liked Em, the high principled, tough but sweet, determined woman who wants to succeed without hurting others.



And Jacob, the badass-looking Chef with cropped hair, a wicked smile, and a past he doesn’t talk about with anyone, was very sexy.





Oh, yeah, I've got my eye on you, Jacob Hill...You aren't getting away!

This was a sexy, easy, quick-read, with some believable angst, and a cute, romantic ending.

I have one complaint, though: Jill Shalvis, how could you tease me with just the mention of hot tub sex?! Hot tub sex always deserves a full scene. Always. Or maybe that’s just me and my love of water. ^_^

I leave you with a scene:

'He stroked a finger over her jaw. "You've got something I recognize and know well."

Her breath caught at the touch. "What's that?"

"Determination. Passion. Hunger to succeed."

She understood him, and loved the feeling. But he understood her, too. Was there anything more sexy than that, a man who really knew her? She found herself fighting a broad, stupid smile. "You, Jacob hill, are a very kind man."

He stared at her, then let loose with a laugh. "First you think I'm sweet, and now kind. Who are you looking at?"

"You."

"I'm not either of those things," he said with a slow shake of his head. "In fact, ask around." He shifted his weight on the bar stool, and suddenly his legs, long and hard were entangled, with hers.

Leaning in, he insinuated a muscled thigh between hers. His lips brushed against her ear as he spoke. "In fact, I'm probably the furthest thing from kind - and sweet - you'll ever meet."'

This book can also be found in the two-in-one Showcase of Room Service and Shadow Hawk :



Credits:
My Em - Cobie Smulders
My Jacob - James Guardino


DISCLAIMER: I do not hold the copyright to any of the images used in this review. They are posted to add visuals to the review and for fun. If any of these images are yours and you would like me to remove them, please let me know, and I will do so as soon as possible. If I can identify the copyright, I will do so.

[Lyndi W.]

I finished the prologue and decided to cut my losses. I saw this was number two on a "Favorite Blaze Novels" list. So, I figure a) I've enjoyed Jill Shalvis before, b) 30 some odd people say this is one of their top favorites, and c) I've DNF'd so many other books today, I might as well give it a shot!

No.

Since it's the prologue, I don't think anything I say here can be a spoiler. So, I'm just going to break it down for you.

Emma Harris is a small town farm-girl from Ohio... who moved to Hollywood to become a producer. Fine. I accept this as plausible.

She has tried, and failed, three times now to launch a TV show. The first one failed and the TV station got sued, but it wasn't her fault. The second show failed because all her employees were being immature - totally not her fault. The third one failed because her boss' niece is a drug addict and Emma felt this information wasn't important to anyone, least of all to the success of the show, but IT ISN'T HER FAULT!

She just needs complete and total control over the show in order to succeed! *insert eye rolling here*

But that's not the stupidest part of all this. No, the worst comes when you find out how much of a whining, simpering pushover Emma is! In the first sentence - the first freaking sentence in the whole book - the author claims that "Emma Harris was part Hollywood business shark, part Ohio farm girl, and though that might seem like an odd combination, it had always worked for her."



Emma Harris is in no way a shark of any sort. Unless it's a dead shark. Or a really friendly shark that lets the tiniest of fish slowly eat away at him while he blathers on and on to himself about how kind he's being by letting the fish eat him and assuring the fish that he won't tell anyone they're hurting him while they eat him alive. *insert head-desking here*

This woman would have been eaten alive in Hollywood. If she had somehow, without ever having done anything but drive a tractor in Ohio, been hired to produce a TV show, she'd have been fired and shunned from Hollywood after the first failure. You don't get to Hollywood on a Greyhound, get hired to your dream job, fuck it up and get the company sued, and then get a second shot at it. No way she'd get a third and fourth. That's just fucking ridiculous. If I'm having to suspend my disbelief that much before the first chapter begins, it makes me seriously doubt whether the author is running on all cylinders. *whispers and points to her head* Up there, you know?

Aside from the fact that a sex-themed hotel in New York City would never happen*, I just can't believe a woman like Emma Harris could actually exist. She is so hell-bent on not hurting anyone else, she's never going to succeed in Hollywood! I understand not wanting to hurt people, but telling the truth is not hurting somebody. Telling your boss that you cannot do this show because the star is too high is not hurting anyone. If anything, not telling is hurting the addict. Emma keeping her mouth shut only made it worse and allowed the star to have a public breakdown, hurt the TV station's reputation, and had to cancel a show. Telling your boss that the staff and crew are sabotaging each other and the show is not hurting them. It's forcing them to take responsibility for their actions. Emma says that because she didn't hire them, she couldn't control them. Bullshit! That's a pussy excuse if I've ever heard one. You can't make people obey you? Find the person that can! Don't just let them run all over you and then try to shirk off the responsibility. You didn't tell anyone that you were having problems with them, you just kept your mouth shut because you didn't want to hurt anyone, so of course it looks like it's your fault. It is.

If an author tells me, in the first sentence of a book, that the main character is a shark... then that character better be a lot fucking closer to Henry Rollins than Barney the Friendly Dinosaur.

I'm not going to add a rating to this, because I don't think it's fair (no matter how much I hated what I read) to give 1 star to a book that I read 3 pages of.

* Apparently child porn is now legal in New York, so... maybe I'll be eating those words some day.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really nice story I really enjoyed it. The thing that I love about this this author is the fact that the isn't a typical "romance" novel. Other books have that moment near the end where something occurs and one of the main characters realized that they were lied to or cheated on or deceived and then they have that moment where someone clears their mind and makes them see they misunderstood the situation. JS just doesn't do that and I find myself appreciating that a lot its almost like a relief. Anyyyywaayyy.

The book is about Em who is a tv producer with three failed attempts and is now on her last and final chance or she looses her job. She's now after a sexy playboy chef (jacob) who has abandonment and love issues and is a wham bam thank you mam type. When the sexy chef refuses the tv show she realizes that he's more than meets the eye. Definitely a good read . Highly Recommended .

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5* This was one fun book on many levels. Not necessarily believable, but then, I don't usually mind that when I read fiction, especially series books. The author (Shalvis, who I really enjoy) made me believe the H/h's emotions and the angst even when I knew they'd get their HEA. I almost rounded up to 4* but stopped short simply because some of the writing was a little over-the-top. I also didn't care for the two secondary romances~ too pat.

This book is definitely worth it. It's a fun, sexy (sometimes downright steamy) read.

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: Do Not Disturb

[Norma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute. I lked it. Not overly deep, but a fun, sexy contemporary. This was hotter than your average Shalvis romance, but not over the top.

The only thing that took away from this story was the side romances. I think they were supposed to add some angst, but then they seemed to have forgotten that and suddenly and big, bright bow was put on top and all was well. But since those side romances took little of my time, they did not deter me from enjoying this story.

[Rhiannon Talaga · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good book. I couldn't put it down once I picked it up and my heart was fluttering the whole time, it was so romantic and hot, very very hot actually. I really enjoyed this and I think I just may try another Jill Shalvis book. :)

[Maura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Em is a TV Producer whose job is on the line. She has to get Jacob Hill, chef at Hush's restaurant Amuse Bouche, to sign on to the cooking show her boss has lined up or she's done in the business. So, she and her friends, Liza and Eric, head to New York and stay at Hush to do just that. But the first time she meets Jacob she doesn't outline her proposal, he stuns her into speechlessness by kissing the daylights out of her. And the next time she sees him, the same thing happens. She can't believe how sexy he is, but more than that, she can't believe the connection that is between them. Likewise, Jacob is a little shocked at how intrigued he is with Em and how much he wants her, even knowing she's not his type and he's likely to hurt her. He's never stuck around for commitment and doesn't intend to now. So when he made it clear he wants nothing to do with her show, he should have walked away from her for good, but the attraction keeps pulling them together.

Once you get past the initial disbelief that Em still has a job and that she's being trusted again, this actually becomes a pretty enjoyable and angsty story. I absolutely loved Jacob as a character because he was sexy, rakish and charming, but also full of insecurities and vulnerabilities which he did his best to hide to protect himself. It is those vulnerabilities which had him pushing people away and avoiding love and commitment (though I couldn't help but notice his close friendships in light of that). Em was kind of adorable, but also kind of a masochist. She's goes into a sexual relationship with Jacob kinda believing she can change him, but also prepared for the worst (that she can't). The lust sort of blinds her to/makes her ignore the upcoming heartbreak. That was about the only place I had problems here...Em and her rose-colored glasses ignoring all of Jacob's attempts to be noble and avoid hurting her and she barrels right into the sex and tells him she's a big girl and can handle it. But then she ends up hurt and Jacob suffers for it too. But the lust was just too powerful to resist. And there is plenty of lust going on here. Jesus, but this was some kind of steamy hot. Luckily I had the fan going. In the end, Jacob had a lot of work to get past his hang ups and his efforts to make up for them were pretty good. And Em was really good at seeing beneath Jacob's protective coating. The ending was entirely satisfactory.

On a side note, I found it interesting that in such a relatively short book, the author also managed to seamlessly incorporate two side romances (not with much detail) that really helped to support and enhance the main story. Jacob's friends and their experience were a lesson to him on life and love, while Eric and Liza served the same purpose for Em. It was well done actually.

[Jo Reads Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic, hot read
5 stars

Em Harris is an LA TV producer who has been sent to New York's newest erotic hotel, Hush, to recruit their famous chef Jacob Hill for her new cooking show which will hopefully save her career. But Jacob doesn't want to be a star and now Em has a bigger problem than trying to convince him otherwise as she realises that Jacob tastes just as delicious as his divine food.

I really loved this book - and would go so far as to say it is one of the best Blaze books I've ever read.

The story is fast paced, keeps you turning the pages and the author never makes the plot predictable or goes for the easy option when she could have done. There were also enough background characters and secondary love stories to keep things interesting but they never over shadowed the main couple which is sometimes the case.

The characters are also excellently well written and are perfect for each other. Em is a farm girl at heart but she is never stereotypical and I liked that she was quiet but not shy. Jacob is absolutely delicious - a real bad boy - and watching him struggle with his feelings for Em and his panic at realising he was falling in love was just a joy.

And of course, being a Blaze novel there definitely has to be some sex and this book didn't disappoint on that score either. The pages sizzled with sexual tension and the sex scenes themselves were very hot and sexy. Perfect.

Overall, I can't praise this book highly enough. It's perfect for a fun, sexy read about characters that you can really enjoy and a story you can believe in. Definitely worth 5 stars.

[The Book Worm · Rating 3 out of 5]

My experience with early books from authors I currently read and love isn't really great, and Room Service is no exception. The story had a lot of potential but it fell flat in too may ways.
Jacob is a fairly likable character, though I would have preferred him to be less convinced he's God's gift to women. And I also would've liked to see him actually work, because he does little of that in the book.
Em is thoroughly inconsistent. I have no idea why she's branded as a country girl right at the beginning, because it doesn't seem all that relevant throughout the book. She doesn't need to be a country girl to be friendly and honest, so I don't see the importance of that detail. On the other hand, she acts like she's on a vacation with her best friends, with spa days and bar nights, and not working on the last chance to save her job and her career.
And as much as I liked Eric and Liza as secondary characters, I couldn't understand why they were included as Em's assistants because they don't do any work either - they're just either fighting, goading each other or trying to save their failed marriage.
So...everyone in the book acts in a totally unprofessional way and when you discount that from the plot you're just left with a lot of sex scenes and sex talk, and a happily ever after.
I'm rating it with three stars because I still think the story had potential and the plot had some originality. And because I really liked Jacob. This is a read-if-you-love-Jill-Shalvis-and-have-lots-of-time-on-your-hands. Otherwise, there are better alternatives out there.

[Suzanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have bunches of older Jill Shalvis books and I’m at least trying to read them but if they have the Lords name in vain or F-bombs I put them down.This one had the Lords name in vain. I’m extremely offended when I read this.

[Lisa Myers · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok....

A little disappointing in comparison to other books by this author.
I read a lot of hers i just didn't appreciate this story as much as I would have thought.

[Keriann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for Summer Romance Book Bingo for the prompt of Book by a favourite author
Read for Emojiathon for the prompt Read a smutty adult/new adult book

[Roberta Herondale · Rating 4 out of 5]

All'inizio ero un pò dubbiosa se leggere o no il libro,è difficile che mi piaccino questo genere di libri ma mia madre mi ha consigliato di leggerlo e dato che lei legge abbastanza raramente volevo dare un'opportunità al libro che a lei è piaciuto tanto.
Em Harris è una produttrice televisiva che per non essere licenziata ha solo un mese di tempo per riuscire a convincere un rinomato chef a partecipare al suo programma di cucina. Per farlo va all'Hush Hotel,un albergo molto famoso per l'atmosfera sensuale,in cui lavora Jacob Hill,mago dei fornelli e deciso a dimostrarle che la cucina non è l'unica stanza in cui ha del talento. Em cerca di convincere Jacob a partecipare al suo show ma lui non è interessato,è quel tipo di uomo che cerca di non attaccarsi ad un posto e rimanerci per tanto tempo perchè a lui piace cambiare,quando si stanca di una cosa se la lascia alle spalle senza rimorsi. Ovviamente tra i due protagonisti nasce una forte attrazione,da parte su Em fa la finta timida mentre Jacob la vorrebbe su tutte le superfici della sua camera,mettendo in chiaro già che non vuole una storia duratura. Però in fondo Jacob ha un cuore d'oro,ha solo avuto un passato difficile che l'ho condizionato tanto da fargli odiare la parola con la A...
Nel complesso mi è piaciuto,scritto in modo semplice e scorrevole,è un romanzo che si potrebbe finire benissimo in un giorno,come ho fatto io xD. Ben caratterizzati anche i personaggi,in cui ho amato i migliori amici di Erin,un pò pazzi ma molto simpatici. Di sicuro continuerò a seguire l'autrice per leggere altre su opere*-*


"Voleva che entrasse a far parte della sua vita. Voleva che fosse suo. Voleva che capisse che l’amore esiste e che può cambiare la vita di una persona in una frazione di secondo. Magari su un ascensore."

[LaFleurBleue · Rating 2 out of 5]

IMO, this book is typical of Harlequin Blaze, probably better than most in this category but still quite far from being a good book.
It often feels completely artificial to me when 2 people jump in the sack soon after meeting, have immediately the best sex ever and two days later spent alternating between resisting to the attraction and succombing to it, find themselves so deep in luv.
The characters were not realistic: the hero being a loner after living on his own on the street since he was 10 years old; the heroine is even worse: a spineless pushover who gets a 4th chance in Hollywood, while she does not have either connections or previous track record or even experience in the business, and obviously none of the competence required to succeed.
The overall rhythm of the story was rather good, the hot scenes relatively steamy and the physical attraction between the characters there. The author could nevertheless have made without the two secondary couples finding bliss, happiness and real love in the same three or four days period. I did not buy the HEA.
1.5 stars

[jR · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was super hot! It was like eating jalapenos on the spot while reading it. I love the combustible attraction between the protagonists. I love it that they can't resist each other. This book has all the elements of my perfect love story. A man who could not resist the woman no matter how he tries to deny it. Same also for the woman who could not resist the charms of the man. A woman who is somehow naive when it comes to the sexual department but once learned can be a superhot vixen. A man who believes himself tough, rough and hard, but in truth, he is a marshmallow. And I love marshmallows.

This book makes me want to have a chef for a night as I am curious to experience at first hand if chefs are truly palatable in bed. LOL. Oh, and I can order Chef Jacob Hill for room service?

Thumbs up!

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book. Em was believable. Jacob was gorgeous. The secondary characters had lives of their own that complimented the main romance. Jill Shalvis has a way of describing things that makes the reader know exactly what she meant. She's also very funny which makes her books hard to put down.

I gave this book 4 instead of 5 because the ending was a little too happily ever after. It was too easy and too fast. I'm thinking it was because of Harlequin's length requirements for their Blaze novels not because Jill Shalvis wrote it that way originally. Still the story got told and all the ends were tied up in a pretty little bow with chocolate and marshmallows. A warning to the dieters: This book will make you want to snack. If only it'd included recipes….

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is smokin' hot. I've reread it a thousand times and strangely it is hotter everytime I pick it up again. Jill has a way of making me fall in love with all of her characters even small possibly insignificant ones and this time was no exception.
Everytime I finish a Jill Shalvis book I wish that I hadn't not because the ending isn't good - because it's always good but because I miss these characters so desperately. Overall this book is pretty much literary candy. Delicious, sweet and you're left wanting more...and Jill - she always, always delivers.

[Marran · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say it´s Jill...she´s the best...But....it´s also a harlequine novel...they follow a certain..uh..way to be...but I don´t care it´s still Jill...It´s not as good as some of her other storys like lucky harbor and animal series but still pretty damn good.

I just read a book where the charachters didnt realize they where in love and it drove me crazy..The male charachter has the same problem in this one but its written so much better..I don´t get irritated while muttering schmucks under my breath...instead I feel the agony,the heartache and the love thats actually there...

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Em has to convincethe and sign the spectacular chef from the elusive Hush or lose her job.

Chef Jacob is not only great at working magic in the kitchen. But this playboy is the lay em leave them type. No setting down, no commitments, no love no strings type.

Toss in some, okay alot lot, of sexual chemistry, great food, friends and drama .

Borrowed from Hoopla.
Was a good romance read. I liked the characters Em and Jacob. Their relationship was realistic and lets face it not everyone deals with love the same way.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fun book and a very good read, one of Shalvis' older works that I found in a used book store and I'm glad I did. The characters are strong and authentic, and the relationships are full of the push-pull that is present in real life. I don't know if such a hotel as Hush exists anywhere, given over exclusively to erotic encounters, but it sure made a great background for this story. I really enjoyed it and Shalvis fans won't be disappointed, either.

[D.B. Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

The setting ... a high end Manhattan hotel that promises a sensual experience for its guests. Pretty much any sensual experience you're looking for. What Em Harris wants is Chef Jacob Hill for her new TV show, but he's not interested ... in the show, that is. He's very interested in Em. This was a lovely story, lots of intense sensuality. Shalvis gets a few things wrong when it comes to TV production, but that's something most readers won't notice, and it doesn't take away from the story.

[Marcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains one of my favorite Jill Shalvis heros. Jacob Hill is a big, tough chef who hides his soft and sensitive heart. Until Em Harris shows up at the hotel where he works and unknowingly worms her way in...and he can't resist her.

I read the paperback book when it came out and when I found it was an ebook I had to get it again.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is what I'm talking about! Hot, with plenty of tension and character building. Love it. I am so hard on erotica and romance (which is ironic, since I write the stuff) and most of what I've been reading lately has been very bleh. This was pretty awesome. I'll definitely be reading more Jill Shalvis books soon.

[Rochelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5+++ stars
In the beginning it was your typical Harlequin romance, but the end was very sweet.
I think more could have been done with Eric and Liza - either develop that line or stop mentioning so often.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

In true Blaze fashion, Ms. Shalvis has given us a quick, hot book with the requisite HEA. The couple in this book have chemistry and the supporting characters truly add to the story. If you like Blaze reads, pick this one up! Would I recommend this book? Yes.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

YUM!!!!

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice little diversion. I'd never read any of Jill Shalvis's books before, but I might have to check into reading more. The characters were likeable and it was just a fun sort of escape of a book.

[Jamie DeBree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and super-sexy read...loved it!

[Jeanette Grey · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A fairly typical contemporary, but with lovely writing and sparkling, likeable, unique characters. An enjoyable read.