You did it! We figured this one out! It is a truth universally acknowledged (by me for certain) that the Bitchery pretty much knows everything, and really, it's true. Scroll down to see the solution for this HaBO - and many thanks!
This HaBO is from Frauke, who has been inspired by all the brilliant HaBO solving around here!
After witnessing another HABO solved, here goes my obsession of the last 15 years. I am afraid I don’t remember much details, but here it is:
I read it 1995ish, but maybe it’s older.
The Hero was an Englishman in China (or somewhere else in Asia). Maybe he was a trader?
The Heroine grew up in China (?), but one of her parents was English as well, so a major plot point was her not belonging anywhere.
I remember a scene where the Hero witnessed the Heroine doing some martial arts stuff.
Sexytimes in a hut or a shed (dusty, leaning against the wall).
And her being anxious about the size of her breasts (too big for Chinese tastes), but the Hero being… quite fond of them.
Please – it’s eating on my brain for the last 15 years – I need help!
It wasn’t rapetastic, so probably not before 1990.
Thanks to the Bitchery from Germany!
This sounds really, really tempting – I can understand why Frauke wants to find it. Do you recognize this book?
Mary Jo Putney’s China Bride featured a half-Chinese, half-Scots heroine growing up in Macao. A good portion of the story has them on the run, so they have sexy times in some out of the way places, like a prison cell and possibly a cave? Pub. Date is 2001 though.
I know I have read this one… I could have sworn it was by Marjorie M. Liu. It actually took place *in* China. Girl was daughter of a missionary and knew some obscure martial art she practiced that could lead one to Heaven. She was being chased by her former mistress, who wanted the secret of how to reach “heaven”. The girl achieved it with the Englishman but the secret had to be discovered individually, so the woman eventually finds it with her husband. Basically, you had to sacrifice everything to lovemaking with your lover, no ego, no needing to be on top or anything… just pure love.
Not Marjorie M. Liu. Not sure of the author, but I do remember the book. It was part of a trilogy.
Maybe Sherry Thomas’s the Hidden Blade/My Beautiful Enemy?
This is probably not the one you’re looking for, as it doesn’t have much in the way of overt sexy times, but I’ve had an old hard back of this for years and it has a similar plot and is dynomite
http://www.amazon.com/Moonrakers-Bride-Madeleine-Brent/dp/0285641697
@LadyRhian: That is surely one of Jade Lee’s “Way of the Tigress” books.
@Vasha Thanks! That was the name! I knew it was someone with an asian sounding name. I guess the plot isn’t as close as I thought it was, though. ::Hides head in shame.::
China Blossom by Margaret Moore?
The Marjorie Liu comment made me think of an Anne Maxwell story but I can’t remember which one and then, not historical. Is this HABO an historical?
Ha! You are great! It was Putney’s China Bride. Thank you soo much. (The book is still great!)