Hot Air is the perfect title as a double entendre of both a hot air balloon crash that literally drops characters into each other’s lives … and the things damaged (and not very sympathetic) people say to each other, and themselves. Often very character-driven books don’t move at a fast pace but Hot Air does; it’s a little bit of a riff of on “Bob and Ted and Carol and Alice” (I think) with a cute 8 year old and a bright young too-capable assistant thrown in. All of these characters are yearning: for money, for love, for a baby, for a visit to Hogwarts, for success… or… are they?

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

This might sound mean, and I promise it's not meant that way!! Hear me out...

Marcy's reading makes me realize I do require more of a plot than I've been saying I do. I thought I was fine w no plot just vibes, but 2x now I've really enjoyed the beginning of one of her novels, continuing thru the 50% mark in hopes of a payoff, then there's no payoff and I'm grumpy about it as that's what kept me holding on for at least the last 35% and now I can't let go until the ends are tied (I don't wanna tie them myself, above my paygrade).

Again, not at all a knock on Marcy. It's a "me" problem.
And this is why I hate being forced to rate w numbers on NG & GR, it's not at all fair to the author. I either have to imply the book was essentially bad (vs just not for me), or have my account reflect an opinion that doesn't match how much I actually enjoyed it. For this reason I'm giving 5 stars on NG and not reviewing elsewhere.

The best word to describe Hot Air by Marcy Dermansky is "cringey." This short novel follows four entitled adults who meet under bizarre circumstances towards the end of the COVID pandemic. Several times I wanted to put the book down because of the sexual awkwardness but I made it to the end of the book. The book was thought provoking and disturbing, in just the right way. If you liked Entitled by Ruman Aman, this book is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Marcy Dermansky can be a hit-or-miss author for me (loved Very Nice, couldn't get into Hurricane Girl) and this is...another hit! The premise is insane (on a date, Joannie's childhood billionaire crush crash lands in a hot air balloon in the pool) but you have to appreciate when an author starts at an 11 and just keeps going from there. I can see from other reviews this is getting a lot of 1 stars or 5 stars, and that's precisely the type of book it is—you're going to be on board from the beginning, or totally turned off right away. People should read a preview to see which camp they fall in. I loved the experience of reading this " joyfully unhinged" book, as her own publisher calls it.

Joanne, a single mom, has not been on a date in seven years. So she is excited when Johnny, a single dad, invites her and her daughter over. Both Johnny and his son are sweet and, with his beautiful house (complete with a pool), she starts to imagine perhaps they could build a blended family. Then after a first kiss in Johnny’s backyard that is nothing special, a hot air balloon crashes into Johnny’s pool. It turns out the hot air balloon is improbably being piloted by Joannie’s first kiss, Jonathan, now a billionaire who was trying to impress his wife, Julia, for their anniversary.

Johnny invites Joannie, Jonathan, and Julia to sleep over. From there begins one of the most unlikely weekends of their lives, as Joannie, Jonathan, Julia, together and separately, explore what they want out of their lives, which have not turned out like any of them thought.

From an unlikely premise, the author insightfully and with nuance explores some of the most fundamental aspects of the adult experience as the main characters face midlife, including careers, children, and love. The author excels at depicting complicated emotions and the way characters often struggle to articulate even to themselves what they really want out of life.

Highly recommended.

I tried to get into this story but it just didn't hold my attention. I'm sure it's a wonderful novel but just not for me.

I'm not sure what I just read. Obviously, I am not the intended audience for this book. Despite being told from several different points of view, I never felt like I really knew any of the characters. I honestly don't understand what the point of the story was. It felt very unfocused and surface-level. Definitely not for me.

Jonathan. Julia. Joanie. Johnny. Jonathan and Julia are an unhappily married uber- wealthy couple. Their hot air balloon literally crashes into Johnny’s pool in the middle of his first date with Joanie, a single mom. Every single character is miserable, rude and easy to hate. This book is a weird glimpse into the sad lives of these 4 characters and those within their orbits (ex wives, children, assistants).

I appreciated the early copy from NetGalley but i do not recommend.

This is an odd story--I'm not exactly sure why the author wrote this BUT I could not put it down. You can easily read in one to two sittings. It's like watching a train wreck that you can't look away from. I wasn't even sure who I was rooting for-but it was a fun read for me.

Marcy Dermansky simply never fails me. Her writing is so simple and easy to digest but at the same time so relatable and well articulated. I am always blown away at how quickly I can read her books and how much I painfully relate to her absurd and sometimes unlikable characters. For any litfic lovers you’re gonna love this one.

Review posted to StoryGraph and Goodreads on 3/7/25. Review will be posted to Amazon on release day.
If you like messy rich people who are mildly self aware but ultimately decide to do whatever they want this book is for you. Joannie is on a first date at Johnny’s house when a hot air balloon crashes into his pool. Joannie is surprised when one of the inhabitant is the man she had her first kiss with at summer camp. Everything else that follows is rich people behaving badly while using their money and privilege to make the normies in the story feel bad because they think it helps them. If you’re looking for likable characters this isn’t the book for you. It’s a quick read perfect for the beach

This was so unhinged and fun. The story was told from the points of view of 5 main characters, which sounds like it would be a mess, but truly added so much to this wonderful chaos. It gives us a chance to really get to know everyone. Everyone was so messy and wild and I loved it. I thought this was so original, which I always love and appreciate. I’ll definitely be reading Dermansky’s backlist now!

A quick read with characters, who seem to be people you would know, making choices only some of us would dare to....

This book is a quirky, fast-paced adventure. I was immediately pulled into the storyline and unique cast of characters. Marcy’s writing is fast paced and engaging as always.

As a fan of Hurricane Girl, I eagerly awaited this story and looked forward to the unusual premise. The hot air ballon crash sets the scene for a deep exploration and unraveling of relationship dynamics. I highly recommend this novel and Marcy Dermansky’s writing in general.

Joannie and Johnny are on a first date, when a hot air balloon crashes into Johnny’s pool. Joannie realizes the man is same person she shared her first kiss with as a teen. Billionaire Jonathan and his wife Julia, are unhappily married, and Julia seems content to make her husband miserable in this moment. These adults, as well as Joannie’s young daughter, Lucy, end up on a bizarre several days together.

I was very quickly sucked into this “joyfully unhinged” story, as the blurb describes. The premise is weird, but I was so curious to find out what was going to happen. The chapters are short, jumping from character to character, and the story is fast-paced. For the most part, I found the characters unlikable and some of their choices are absolutely questionable, but not in a way that made me want to stop reading. Overall, this book surprised me and I found myself finishing this almost in one sitting.

Side note: I LOVE the cover.

↠ 3.75 stars, rounded up ⭐️

Was it weird and slightly unhinged? Yes.
Was every single character a train-wreck? Absolutely.
Did anything really happen in this book? No, not really.
But I couldn't put it down.

This was a quick and fast-paced read. I'm a little confused by the overall plot (was there one?), but I still enjoyed every second of this wild ride. I really don't know how to explain why either. So many random events happen throughout, but at the same time, nothing really happens. And every character was messy and unlikeable. Each character was insufferable at one point or another. But its the author's style of writing that keeps you wanting more. Oh, and it definitely gives White Lotus vibes.

Ultimately, I think this was a story about human flaws and motivations—and a lesson to appreciate what you have, because everyone has their own struggles.

Overall, this was a quick and entertaining read. Perfect for anyone looking for something unique.

Hot Air by Marcy Dermansky was a very offbeat and absurd read yet entertaining. The dark humor and effortless prose was a joy to read. Dermansky did a fantastic job of crafting a world where privilege, ambition and human connection collide in unexpected ways.

The story pulls you in right away with it’s quirky characters and chaotic encounters. Dermansky has a gift for making the outrageous feel entirely believable and the character’s journey is both entertaining and thought-provoking. The pacing of the book is fast with short, punch chapters and it keeps the story moving while allowing for moments of emotional depth.

This book was an absolute delight!

I'm sorry to say this was a DNF for me. I just found none of the characters very interesting and the whole plot unrealistic (from the moment the hot air balloon fell in the pool).

Now THIS is a singular book. I dare anyone to try to not finish this in one sitting. It will draw you in, make you go "huh" without ever being confusing, and you will be come enthralled with these messy, complicated people that make some wild decisions. Like everything Dermansky writes, I won't be able to stop thinking about this.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Marcy Dermansky and Knopf Publishers for gifting me an ARC of Hot Air. In exchange I offer my honest review.

Last year I read and LOVED Very Nice, by Marcy Dermansky, so I was very excited to receive an early advanced copy of her newest novel Hot Air. Straight up - it’s BANANA PANTS! Completely off the wall bonkers but sooooo entertaining. It’s a one sitting read, and one you won’t be able to put down.

Joanie, a divorcee is on her first date with a nice man named Johnny, when a billionaire and his wife crash land in a hot air balloon into Johnny’s pool. (Exactly… loony) And if that’s not bizarre enough, the billionaire recognizes Joanie as his one time crush from summer camp. Johnny, being the nice guy that he is, invites the billionaire and his wife to spend the night at his home, seeing that it’s late and their mode of transportation has sunk to the bottom of the pool. From this very strange beginning an even crazier story unfolds. At less than 220 pages this book is a wild ride and really delightful, however it felt unfinished and wayyy too nutty to be taken seriously. I loved Hot Air, but wished the author had spent more time crafting the story to make it feel fuller and more developed. Super fun but a bit too unbalanced.