Private Relations

Do Not Disturb #4

by Nancy Warren

"IN 200 WORDS DESCRIBE YOUR HOTTEST FANTASY..."

That's the sizzling premise behind the Fantasy Weekend Contest at the Hush Hotel in Manhattan. PR director Kit Prescott has outdone herself promoting a hotel catering to the senses--until she welcomes the first winner. Sexy, single Peter Garson has checked in to the Carnaby Suite--the same man who checked out prematurely from their wedding three years ago!

"OR YOUR BIGGEST MISTAKE..."

Peter will do anything to win Kit back, including penning all his fantasies and feelings on paper for her to see--and experience nightly in the confines of his king-size bed. His touch brings so many memories--good and bad--flooding back. But can he and Kit separate fantasy from reality once the weekend is over?

Genres: Harlequin Blaze, Romance, Harlequin, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

241 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 2005

About the author

Nancy Warren is the USA Today bestselling author of more than 100 novels.

She’s known for writing funny, sexy and suspenseful tales. She’s an avid hiker, animal lover, wine drinker and chocolate fiend. Favorite moments in her career include being featured on the front page of the New York Times, being the answer to a crossword puzzle clue in Canada’s National Post newspaper and being a finalist three times in the Rita awards. She has won the Reviewer’s Choice Award from Romantic Times magazine.

Get a free short story when you sign up for Nancy's newsletter at www.NancyWarrenAuthor.com or join Nancy in her private Facebook group to talk about books, knitting, pets & life.
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Reviews

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the hero Peter, he realizes he made a mistake and wants Kit back. However I really didn't like that Kit was given even an ounce of responsibility for Peter leaving her at the alter. There is no excuse for that. He was feeling overwhelmed because she was obsessed with planning the wedding. He was upset that she asked him to pick out boutonnieres for the groomsmen. That they didn't have as much sex as he wanted. Fine. But not one of those things are an excuse to leave somebody at the alter. He should have told her he wasn't ready. He didn't. I would have been a lot more forgiving if he agreed that none of those excuses are a reason but instead idiotic excuses and immaturity. Instead Kit's best friend Piper actually tries to get Kit to see this as reasons he did that, that Kit's drive for perfection can be overwhelming. So what? This wasn't new to any of them, they knew this about her. How about looking in the mirror and seeing a weak character who couldn't stand up to a steamroller and decided to cowardly get out of dodge?

It'd be nice if we saw Peter said the problem was he was spineless and allowed himself to be bullied in to something he didn't want and he learned from this.

To me this straddled the line of blaming the victim for the wrong. "Had you been X Y or Z I wouldn't have cheated on you or left you" Instead of "Had I been a stronger person I would have told you how I felt and slowed this whole thing down" Difference between blaming and taking responsibility. It's huge.

Kit could still have her moment of zen where she realized she was so wrapped up in her perfect wedding she was missing day to day life. However it wouldn't mean she bore any responsibility for his cowardly behavior.

This is a well written story but those scenes where Kit, Peter and Piper all try to assign Kit blame for Peter running turned me off and kept me from enjoying their HEA.

[Maura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kit Prescott is heading up a new Hush public relations event in which people write in their fantasies and compete for a dream weekend with a "host" to basically give them anything they want (within the law of course). Kit doesn't know that she's just chosen her ex as the winner, but Piper, the hotel owner does, since she's worked with the ex, Peter, to give him a chance to talk to Kit. 3 years earlier, Peter left Kit standing alone at the altar and left her broken hearted, something that has left Peter riddled with guilt ever since. When she comes face-to-face with him though, Kit is determined not to show how much she was hurt and Peter is intrigued by it. Not only that, but he suddenly realizes he's never fallen out of love with her. Now he has 2 days to show Kit that she can trust him again and try to earn a way back into her life. But Kit was drastically affected by that day and isn't going to make it easy for him.

I've always struggled with second chance romance because of the whole balance between past bitterness, present-day grovel and the lightness of hope for the future. This one, as a second chance romance, does pretty damn well with all of those. The bitterness is obviously there, but I like that Kit actually has the upper-hand in the situation and leaves Peter dumbfounded with her reaction. I loved that Peter ends up being the one to have to drag her feelings out of her and to do all the work to overcome it and that he isn't quite smug about his success in getting her back. There's nothing worse than a hero who comes back knowing he'll be able to do it instead of focusing on what he did and how he needs to fix it. So this worked in that respect. That being said, Peter's crime was pretty shitty, and I don't feel like there was enough apology there or prostration. I think he tried to hard to explain why he did it and he put a bit of those reasons on Kit herself (for being too gung-ho about the wedding when he wasn't sure he was ready). I didn't like that because no matter what Kit was doing wrong, he didn't bother to talk to her about it, he broke her heart instead. So I don't really believe that he loved her at the time, and this is especially reinforced by the fact that he wasn't celibate during their separation. He left her and moved on (but claims he always thought of her when he was with other women?) I did really appreciate the fact that Kit keeps Peter on the hook for most of the story- she doesn't really hold on to bitterness, but she's afraid to trust Peter and Peter accepts that as his due. I also REALLY appreciate that although they toy around with the whether it was all for the best, they don't agree that it was. Peter says he never should have left and if he'd stayed they would have been able to work things out. So at least they didn't go with that old cop out.

So as far as my experience with second chance romance, this had a lot of positive points and ends up being one of the better ones (the bad ones usually get 2 stars...though I toyed with a 3.5 on this one. I just didn't like how Kit ended up kinda getting blamed for her own heartbreak.) I also didn't care for the end so much - something felt lacking in the fact that Peter ends up planning the wedding. I liked that he gave her the opportunity for revenge, but it didn't let Peter show his ability to trust Kit or show Kit's growth in reining in her obsession for planning (or her ability to trust Peter to stick it out).

[Jo Reads Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, Sexy Blaze Romance
5 stars

Kit Prescott is PR director of the newly opened, erotic hotel Hush in Manhattan. To gain some publicity for the hotel they throw a Fantasy Weekend Contest - describe your hottest fantasy in 200 words.

Kit is delighted by the fantasies, and by her publicity for the hotel - until Peter Garson turns up to claim his prize, three years after he left Kit standing at the altar on their wedding day.

But Peter is ready for a challenge and he realises he has one weekend to make all his and Kit's fantasies come true and persuade her he now wants forever. If only he can get her to forgive him!

I really enjoyed this novel. It was fast, fun and had a really good storyline to go along with the hot sex scenes! Kit is a career driven woman but not someone you can't empathise with, while Peter is just delicious - determined, sexy and single - a perfect fantasy man. The pair work well together and you sense they are perfect for each other even when they haven't figured it out.

While there is some emotional depth to the story, it never drags on or gets too heavy, remaining a good light read all the way through. There is also a sweet secondary love story which adds a little extra.

If you like Blaze romances or are just a fan of a good, well-written love story then I'm sure you won't be disappointed with this book.

[Nikki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ouch. Not good. I like the plot, groom who jilted his bride desperate to get her back...wish it was sooner rather than the later he really waited. Everything else was pretty useless. So skip.

[Lenore Kosinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED it! Sexy, fun...emotional and complicated. Kit was not necessarily a peronsality I could really understand, but the basic emotions of being stood up at the altar were done well. I couldn't help but wonder how they were gonna get through all that and do it justice, but Nancy did a good job. I LOVED Peter...so adorable. And loved the side love story of Irene and her Prince....:)

[Aryeli]

Súper mala :( la terminé de leer porque quería ver qué pasaba al final.

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really my kind of book. I found it to be a rehash of so many other romance novels with a bit of kindliness added. But I gave it three stars, was just ok.

[Mary Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chintzy start, and almost tossed it, but ended up a fun read.