Romance in the Air

6.0/10 · 953 ratings20201h 21mWeirdness 2/10Bingo card

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The premise

Eden gets a forced leave from her ad agency job. At her parents' cabin at Lake Tahoe, she meets her childhood friend. He's single and has a hot air balloon business in need of advertising.

How unusual is it?

Mostly classic comfort-watch, give or take a second-chance romance.

Who’s in it

You’ve seen this pairing before: Cindy Busby and Torrance Coombs have made 2 Hallmark movies together.

Behind the camera

Show

Directed by

Wait, what?

The quirks and curveballs that make this one a little weirder than your average Hallmark. No spoilers, promise.

  • The 'clean swap' breakup where the protagonist's boyfriend and best friend realize they like each other, conveniently resolving all guilt.
  • The hyper-specific marketing products: 'Blue Cosmos Sandals' and 'MinFloral Air Freshener' (minerals + floral).
  • Riley's transition from a commercial jet pilot to a guy who can't figure out how to print a flyer.

Every trope, all in one place

Here’s everything this one has going on, from the setting to the way it wraps up. Tap any of the 30 to find more movies that do the same thing.

How it all plays out

Already seen it, or just can’t wait? Open this up for the whole story, ending included.

Full story (spoilers)
The film opens with Eden Clark, a high-powered marketing executive, failing to impress a client with a pitch for 'Blue Cosmos Sandals.' Her boss, Reese, notices she has lost her 'drive' and orders her to take a two-week vacation to recharge. Eden decides to visit her family’s summer cabin in Lake Tahoe, bringing along her supportive friend and neighbor, Kate. Upon arrival, they encounter Riley, Eden's childhood summer friend, who is fixing a sprinkler on the property. Riley reveals he quit his career as a commercial pilot to find peace in Tahoe, where he now operates 'Hot Air Tahoe,' a struggling hot air balloon tour business. As Eden and Riley spend time together, they revisit old haunts like Mr. Webber’s milkshake shop and their favorite hiking overlook, where they shared their first kiss as teenagers. Eden realizes that while Riley is a skilled pilot, his business is failing due to poor visibility and lack of marketing. She decides to spend her vacation helping him, creating flyers, social media campaigns, and an online booking system. Their professional collaboration rekindles their romantic spark, nearly leading to a kiss during a sunset boat ride. However, Eden is conflicted because she has a boyfriend, Michael, back in the city. Michael, a busy accountant, eventually surprises Eden by showing up in Tahoe. The encounter is awkward, as Michael meets Riley and realizes the deep connection between the two. Meanwhile, Eden’s boss emails her, offering her a chance to return to work for a major air freshener account, 'MinFloral.' Eden returns to the city to pitch the account but finds herself uninspired by the corporate grind. During the pitch, she accidentally includes a slide of a hot air balloon, realizing her heart is still in Tahoe. In a refreshing subversion of the 'jilted boyfriend' trope, Eden breaks up with Michael, only for him to confess that he has developed feelings for her friend Kate. Eden encourages the pairing and officially quits her job. She returns to Lake Tahoe and surprises Riley by booking a private tour under a pseudonym. The film concludes with Eden and Riley reuniting at the balloon launch site, with Eden deciding to stay in Tahoe to run her own marketing firm and pursue a relationship with Riley.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    Eden fails a marketing pitch for sandals and is forced by her boss to take a two-week 'recharging' vacation.

  2. Inciting Incident

    Eden arrives in Lake Tahoe and reconnects with Riley, her childhood friend who runs a struggling hot air balloon business.

  3. Midpoint

    Eden uses her marketing skills to revitalize Riley's business, leading to a surge in bookings and a rekindled romantic connection.

  4. Complication

    Eden's city boyfriend, Michael, arrives in Tahoe unexpectedly, forcing Eden to confront her feelings and her impending return to her corporate job.

  5. Climax

    Eden returns to the city to pitch an air freshener account but realizes she no longer wants her old life; she quits her job and breaks up with Michael.

  6. Resolution

    Eden returns to Tahoe, encourages a romance between Michael and Kate, and reunites with Riley to start a new life.

30 tropes in one movie

We counted 30 distinct Hallmark tropes packed into this one — a genuine greatest-hits reel.

How it stacks up

Where this one’s rating lands against every other rated Hallmark movie.

Rating 6.0 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 6.0567

Higher-rated than 15% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog Romance in the Air belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

Lines worth quoting

The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.

  • “Take care of your sole, and your soul will soar.”
    — Eden ClarkPitching a sandal advertisement to a difficult client.
  • “I don't think bribery is the way to go.”
    — RileyDiscussing whether to give away free t-shirts for reviews.
  • “I guess we were never really in love with each other. It was comfortable.”
    — Eden ClarkBreaking up with Michael.

Meet the characters

Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.

  • Eden Clark

    Lead

    Marketing Executive

    Hard-workingAnalyticalNostalgicCreative
  • Riley

    Love interest

    Hot Air Balloon Pilot

    Childhood friend and summer neighbor

    PeacefulHandyFormer PilotSincere
  • Kate

    Supporting

    Hair Stylist

    Best friend and neighbor

    ObservantDirectLoyal
  • Michael

    Supporting

    Accountant

    Boyfriend (later ex-boyfriend)

    StableWorkaholicSupportive
  • Mr. Webber

    Supporting

    Shop Owner

    Local mentor figure

    FriendlyMatchmakerTraditional

Questions people ask about Romance in the Air

Where can I watch Romance in the Air?

Romance in the Air is available via fuboTV, Philo, and Hallmark+ Amazon Channel. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is Romance in the Air?

Romance in the Air runs about 1 hour and 21 minutes, and was released in 2020.

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