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 comes from Michelle, who is looking for an erotic contemporary romance:
I’m trying to find a book or two that I read awhile ago and can’t remember the title or author for the life of me!
It started with the heroine leaving work (I believe at a bar/club) during a snowstorm. The hero might work there or close by. They know each other and talk in the parking lot. Her car doesn’t work, so he gives her a ride. They can’t get to her place and go back to his large ranch and ride out the snowstorm. I believe they go snowmobiling later and meet up with his friend/brother. The story of his friend/brother and his wife is another book in the set, and is about them moving into the same apartment block and she stares at him through the window. The hero is a military veteran and amputee. Later, the heroine shaves her head as part of BDSM/domination.
Whoa, wasn’t expecting that last bit.
Until the head-shaving thing, I was thinking it might be Mari Carr, but now… nope. And of course, I have to read this now.
No idea about the book but I am down to read it.
She SHAVES HER HEAD as part of D/s session? No, just no.
Maybe the same person who wrote a BDSM I remember from a few years ago. This one was a series also brothers/friends, the one I remember the best is the cop, and he stops the heroine at a traffic stop. Either does naughty stuff there at the side of the road with cuffs and/or takes her back to his place, where one of the friends possibly joins them, for more than just cuffs.
Sorry I’ve read a few but don’t remember authors very well, and don’t remember any that involved shaving heads.
I remember reading a book with the bald head thing but it was so not my thing and I can’t find it on my kindle.
The book is Hitched by Ann Jacobs. The head shaving thing was really a bridge too far for me, but definitely made it memorable.
Funny how I was like, maybe I’ll check it out? right up to the bit about head shaving. I don’t know why, but that is so creepy to me.
I knew it was Ann Jacobs from the head shaving bit (she does this? Why?) But had no idea which one it could be as she is a DNF author for me (see head shaving, and every woman is a sub even the ones who present as dommes)
The head shaving is a deal breaker for me, too. But I am curious to know, even though it is none of my business, why Michelle wants to find this book.
Those books, Hitched, Roped and lassoed are about 75 pages each for $3 plus each!
Can’t believe it!
Ha, I was like oh, snowmobiles, it’s gotta be one of the Shannon Stacey books, but then…no, definitely not.
D/s stuff is not my jam, but head shaving seems pretty benign. I personally have a very lumpy skull, but it looks great on lots of people, grows out if you’re not one of them, and it doesn’t hurt or anything. What am I missing?
@kkw: I think for me, it’d depend on the context of the head-shaving. I really enjoy BDSM romances, but there are certain BDSM add-ons that hit my off buttons, like humiliation. So if the head-shaving was part of humiliation in the bedroom, I’d definitely pass.
Anyone know what the book @Olivia described could be? I’m always down for a little roadside rendezvous.
Lori Foster wrote one sorta like that, @Chels, title is something like “My House, My Rules.”
@kkw no judgement on the shaved head per se (I did this for years!) Buuuut it featured oddly frequently in Jacobs books with additional undercurrents that make me uncomfortable such as 24/7 D/s and All Women Are Subs that I don’t need in my fantasy life. Oh and some super unsafe piercing/sex scenes that made me cross my legs and think about inevitable infections. So I figured she was not an author for me.
Yeah, I’m with everyone else on the head-shaving thing. I was digging the description until that. This is evidently a squick for me, as I read a book recently where the hero forced the heroine to shave her pussy and was equally appalled. That kind of thing should always be a woman’s choice.
The book doesn’t sound like anything I’d be interested in, but hair does grow back. I’m also assuming the headshaving as part of bondage is actually consensual, since if she really didn’t want to do it, that’s what a safe word is for. If she’s forced beyond that, we’re past bondage and into kidnapping/assault.
@Chels
I’m wondering if it’s a Cheyenne McCray book. Of course I forgot to check my computer when I got home last night. It would’ve been one I got from Ellora’s Cave around 4+ years ago when I first started reading erotica, and downloaded PDFs. I’m thinking it might be one of the ones she published there but apparently changed all the names and expanded on when she went to a new publisher. (Which I didn’t realize until yesterday, so that might be why I thought it sounded like her’s but I couldn’t ever match it up.)
THREE BIG OLE GLORIOUS CHEERS FOR THE BITCHERY; LONG MAY WE CONTINUE TO KICK ASS!
One of the best things I like about this site is reflected in the comments here. Everyone’s first concern was for the fictional sub: was it consentual and were they okay with it? Then, it was either yeah, I would read/ do this or not for me, but fine for others. No real judging about consensual choices in the lifestyle, just the immediate concern for their care.
@ MirandaB I was thinking more about why the hair shaving thing is such a “no” for so many people, and I think for me it evokes the dehumanization, for example, of people in concentration camps having their heads shaved. Of course, there’s also the time honored hair=strength thing (c.f. Sampson), but for me it signals somebody is about to be treated like cattle. And since hair grows back slowly, it shows that whatever is going on, it’s going to last for months… It is very interesting what a difference enthusiastic consent or lack thereof makes in this scenario!
@K If I could hug a comment, yours would be the one I’d arm squeeze! I try to avoid broad generalized sweeping assumptions, but damn. It is so easy to say romance readers are some of the most accepting, least judgmental, most humane humans to ever human.
I know that’s probably not objectively accurate, but damn it feels true.
Ok, It’s solved.
But where is the HABO for today, Wed??? I love HABO and had gotten used to a Tues and a Wed HABO Someone took my lollipop!!
@Gloriamarie Riiight? The stars are crying and the planets are falling! HABO never fails to bring out a party.
Also, “Someone took my lollipop” is now my favorite OH THE PAIN saying, ever!
@Gloriamarie: We usually do two HaBOs on Tuesday (none on Wednesday!), but we cut down to one this week because we had a lot of posts go up. Once the RITA Reader Challenge starts, it’ll most likely get bumped down to one a week because of the influx of content.
@Jacqueline,Thank you.
Amanda, you break my heart. Give me back my lollipop bawawawa
Why is everyone horrified by head shaving? Like… seriously. It’s just hair. It grows back and going bald can be both beautiful and brave.
When a BDSM book is mentioned everyone assumes impact play and that’s all well and good but this (arguably much safer) former of play freaks everyone out? I don’t get it.
@Barbara: I think everyone here has done a good job explaining why this aspect of a romance may make them uncomfortable. None of us know the context in which the heroine decides to shave her head, but the concerns seem to generally be with consent or whether it has anything to do with aspects that are off-buttons for some readers.
Like K said earlier, for some readers, this is totally up their alley, but for others, myself included, it’s not what floats our boat! Both of which are a-okay!
I read this book, and like many here I did not like the head-shaving element. I would note in fairness to the author, however, that the woman then wears a wig–the shaven head is a private matter between her and her Dom.
Yeah, not my thing, but not a public humiliation.
@Christine: I can see what you mean by dehumanization. I’ve just known enough cancer patients/military/people who rock weird hairstyles that the concept didn’t squick me that much. More ‘Huh. What an odd demand’.
And of course, informed consent (not ‘I consent because I have so many issues that I’m actually damaged and you’re taking advantage of that’) is key. Without that, it’s time for the trusty wood chipper 🙂
@Barbara I’m with Amanda and The Squad on this; I think it’s more what the act of shaving the hair represents, rather than the shaved hair itself. Had the heroine decided to shave her head outside of the BDSM context (linking back to the whole dehumanization thing), it probably wouldn’t have felt as ick.
That said, I think it’s possible to respect and accept someone’s decision to do what they will with their hair regardless of the context, and still be OH HELL TO THE NO about it.
It’s like, I’m not gonna judge someone for liking pineapples on their pizza, but that doesn’t mean that I personally will ever approve of pineapples on my pizza.
Am I making sense; has my brain just decided to muddle the whole damn point, as per usual?
@MirandaB Yes, you put it exactly right–the difference between enthusiastic consent and manipulated consent. And I’m firmly in the pro-shaved head camp if it’s the person’s choice–my husband shaves his head and, well, I am quite a fan of that 🙂
I think that people can look fabulously gorgeous with a shaved head! With that said…I have waist-length hair. Re-growing it would take years and involve many awkward stages. I think it’s just my own vanity that makes me shudder.
Hi everyone, it’s Michelle, the one who requested the help! I’m glad this was posted, I sent it in a month ago and was worried it got lost.
The shaving/bald head isn’t my thing either, but I remembered that from the second book and figured it was distinct enough that someone might recognize it. The first book with the snowstorm and going to the ranch was really good, and only really tied into the second one for a short meeting near the end. The first couple didn’t do any head shaving and was really cute, so I was eager to read that one again.