This HaBO is from Beatriz, who wants to find this romance:
It must have been 20 years ago when I read it. Historical romance, possibly Regency era or before.
They were in a hot air balloon and he sat her on the edge of it while they were in the air (!!!) and used ropes from the balloon to secure her there while he undressed her and did alllll kinds of things to her. I only remember this scene from this book because it was so hot and heavy!
Someone knows this!
The only HR that comes to mind that has hot air ballooning at its center is Diana Quincy’s “Spy Fall” (The Rebellious Brides series) But it’s from 2016, and I don’t think I finished it. So if anyone has a copy, please check it out to see if there’s the bondage ‘n’ ballooning scene. I know there are more HRs with hot air balloons, but I’m not coming up with names/authors.
I read this book but the author isn’t coming to mind. I hope someone else knows bc I am curious now!
Based on this thread, this might be Princess of Thieves by Katherine O’Neal.
Is it Spy Fall by Diana Quincy? Published 2013. About a hot air balloonist who literally falls on the English Lord she’s spying on.
I found it on a GR list of best hot air balloon novels and it lead me to this fabulous SBTB review by Carrie S at https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/spy-fall-diana-quincy/
Here’s the quote that makes me think it could be a match.
“But the sex is just ridiculous. The first time Dunsmore and Marie do the deed it is in the air, in her balloon, which – OK they would actually die, but I’ll go with it, because that’s just the kind of book this is.”
Pretty sure it’s by Katherine O’Neal though I don’t know the title. Fair warning, it’s Old Skool, and I didn’t like it when I was reading Old Skool.
I’m with @Sarah – I’m pretty sure I read it (cause come on, as far as sex scenes go, it is unique!), but I’m also pretty sure I’ve never read Katherine O’Neal. Hoping someone remembers!
@Meg I know that I never read O’Neal. But I know that I read that book. I am with you.
The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley has a scene in a hot air balloon, but I don’t think it’s the one. It was published in 2013, I believe.
I seem to remember an erotic romance from the aughts that was either by Kate Pearce or Sharon Page that had a hot air balloon sex scene but I can’t remember the title. If it was Pearce it would have been from the Simply series I think. If it was Page I think it would have been the Silk trilogy.
Even if it’s not by either of these two I do definitely remember such a scene from that era. It was just so many reads ago…
Linda Lael Miller had an old school hot air balloon book – maybe Corbin’s Fancy. But it’s set in the US and I don’t remember any sex on the actual balloon.
Here’s what I came back to add to the logic-puzzle brew that is today’s HABO:
1) I’ve read all of the Kate Pearce “Simply” books and do not remember even one instance of whimsy/humor in the entire series. Everyone was So. Dead. Serious. about their sexual activities…
2)… but if it IS Katherine O’Neal (as opposed to Diana Quincy), the balloon sex may have been dead serious, too.
3) “Princess of Thieves” originally came out in 1993, so Beatriz’s memory of reading it 20 years ago works (it being 30 years old definitely qualifies it as later-era-Old-Skool). And according to one of the reviews I came across, there is a secondary plot featuring the affair between Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday.
4) If it was Sharon Page, I reckon one (or both) of the participants would have suddenly turned into a vampire during the balloon-boinking, a la Thea Devine (so that would be memorable…).
5) Really, the one thing of true value I can add is that the O’Neal e-book is $3.99 – so who’s going to take one for the team, HABO Bitches?
I might be conflating books but I feel like I read this in the 90s – set in France and also spies, maybe in the Napoleonic war?
I finally might know one. This sounds like Sharon Page’s Black Silk. They definitely have hot air balloon sex as part of a scavenger hunt.
It is not Spy Fall. I read that this afternoon. Yes to balloon sex but no to securing with ropes. They took off clothes and did it in the basket while being chased on the ground by whoever was going to pick them up when they landed.
It is definitely Katherine O’Neal’s Princess of Thieves. I got it and read the relevant parts. 😀
The funny part to me is that the MMC was acting crazy on the balloon while it was in the air, and she was so scared, so she thinks, oh, I’ll just give him a BJ to distract him and calm him down. But then it escalates. LOL, Old Skool.
When I saw this I thought “Where was the balloon pilot during this?” And now I HAVE TO KNOW.