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Season for Surrender (Seasons #2)

by Theresa Romain (Goodreads Author)

3.42 of 5 stars 3.42 · rating details · 255 ratings · 73 reviews

Honor Among Rogues

Alexander Edgeware, Lord Xavier, has quite a reputation—for daring, wagering, and wickedness in all its delightful forms. But the wager before him is hardly his preferred sport: Xavier must persuade a proper young lady to attend his famously naughty Christmas house party—and stay the full, ruinous two weeks. Worse, the lady is Louisa Oliver, a doe-eyed bo...more

Mass Market Paperback, 368 pages

Published October 2nd 2012 by Zebra

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Jan 22, 2013 Christopher added it

A spinster? And a rake who's in over his head? Count me in.

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 10, 2013 Rachna R rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved the leads in this book so much. and I hated the main antagonist in this so much, too. I'm basically surprised by how much I felt about this? the male lead in particular got to me - I usually dismiss dude angst, because they're frustrating and tiring and repetitive and nothing really comes of it, so all it does is give dudes a reason to brood for no reason - but Alex's problem was really relatable, in ways that struck me, and it was explored in a way and given consequences in a way I foun...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 23, 2012 RIF rated it 3 of 5 stars

2.5-3 stars. Good but not a re-read for me. The issues I had with this one were secondary to what I liked about it. First the positive. I like the setup: socially influencial hero wagers that he can convince an upright bluestocking to attend his notorious holiday house party. The crux is the wager is with his cousin, a compatriot in his general lifestyle of amusement and debauchery, and who is also a guest at the party. He knows said cousin will do his best to scare off the paragon of virtue and...more

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Dec 21, 2012 Julia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Julia by: Smart Bitches

Shelves: 2012, to-review, historical-romance

Well this was a pleasant surprise! I found this book because Smart Bitches were doing it as their book of the month thing for November, but I didn't get it in from the library until this month so darn.

What that means is though, I had a nice slightly Christmas-y romance to read in the lead up to the end of the world (12/21 dontcha know).

The Story
The story starts off with the Earl of Xavier reluctantly betting his cousin, Lockwood, that he can't keep a proper lady at his scandalous two week holid...more

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Dec 15, 2012 CoffeeTimeRomance andMore rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

Rating: 4 Cups

Alexander Edgeware, Lord Xavier, never walks away from a bet. Not even when it involves inviting a proper young lady to his notoriously scandalous holiday house party. The stakes are high, and Alex’s reputation is on the line. So why does he find himself so distracted by a woman who is not quite the proper bluestocking she first seemed to be?

Miss Louisa Oliver knows she is headed straight for spinsterhood. Not many gentlemen will look twice at a wallflower that would rather read th...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Aurian Booklover rated it 5 of 5 stars

In the first book, Louisa is engaged in a marriage of convenience with James. But James falls in love with her sister instead, and marries Julia. They all blame one of James’ friends to gossip about it, Lord Xavier. So when Lord Xavier invites Louisa to his Christmas house party, along with her aunt Lady Irving as a chaperone, she accepts. Out of curiosity, and because she is ready for something new. She can’t stay living with her sister and James and watch their happiness from the sidelines, th...more
In the first book, Louisa is engaged in a marriage of convenience with James. But James falls in love with her sister instead, and marries Julia. They all blame one of James’ friends to gossip about it, Lord Xavier. So when Lord Xavier invites Louisa to his Christmas house party, along with her aunt Lady Irving as a chaperone, she accepts. Out of curiosity, and because she is ready for something new. She can’t stay living with her sister and James and watch their happiness from the sidelines, they need time alone.
Lord Xavier only invited her, because of a wager with his cousin, the Marquess of Lockwood. It was wrong of him, to gamble on the reputation of a lady, but he could not just refuse him. Lord Xavier has a reputation to always win his wagers, and he will have to do his best to protect her reputation, now that Lord Lockwood is set on ruining it, in order to drive Louise home before the two weeks are gone, so he can win the wager. He is hellbent on beating his cousin. His cousin, who has everything, a title, wealth, looks, while Lockwood’s father almost ruined his part of the family. But of course he can always freeload on Xavier.

I loathed and distrusted Lockwood from the start, someone who only cares for himself and the next bottle. I was intrigued by Lord Xavier, as that first scene set the tone that there was more to him. And Louise totally captured my attention. She is a bluestocking; she loves old books, and knows quite a lot about them. She has just finished cataloguing her brother-in-law’s library, and one of the lures Lord Xavier uses, is his promise of free reign in his own considerable library. Which is currently organized by color. Not on subject, not on alphabet or author, but on color. Which is pretty ofcourse, but impossible to find something quickly.
And yes, she is attracted to Xavier, but when she overhears the two rakes talking about the wager, she will take full advantage of that fact. She now knows why Lockwood is behaving so badly towards her, trying to shock her or intimidate her into leaving the party early.

And Louisa had other reasons for coming to the party, she wanted some new experiences, she wanted to be kissed. And she does manage that.

But I have to admit, Alex, Lord Xavier, stole my heart. He is not the usual arrogant sure of himself hero. He has made himself into a caricature, always witty, always wearing a mask, calling them expressions by name and number. But inside, he wanted to be different, wanted to be liked for himself, and not for his entertainment value. He has a horrible reputation, but most of it is just gossip without truth. And now he is really interested in Louisa. She doesn’t react like other young ladies of the ton, she sees behind his masks to the real man inside, and he is not sure he likes that. Can he change? Does he really care for the opinion of the ton? He struggles with nearsightedness, and starts caring for his estate thanks to Louisa’s influence. So, I have high hopes of him that he will become a real Earl at last.

And the ending really did surprise me as well. I never expected Louisa to come back, and what happened next. It was fun, it was fresh, and it was just good. Neither of them sets out for marriage, they just start caring for each other, first as friends, and slowly and steadily as they learn to know each other, there is more. Of course both are careful, and don’t want to reveal what is in their hearts, but it is there nonetheless.

So, my first Theresa Romain book will certainly not be my last. I already ordered the first book in this series and will certainly keep my eyes open for more. I like Theresa’s writing style, this is not one of those books with sex in the first few chapters, only some seducing, and sex only after the proposal. I liked that. Lord Xavier is known for his wit, but he is not the only character who has a way with words. Then there are the secondary characters. I loathed Lockwood, enjoyed the scenes with Lady Irving, and like Xavier’s cousin Jane. I am looking forward of reading her story someday, she sure is ready for some action!

9 stars

Full review on my blog, www.boeklogboek.blogspot.com (less)

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Nov 20, 2012 Lynn Spencer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

I gave this a C+ on AAR, so 3.5 stars here. Here's what I had to say about it: Sometimes the hardest books to assess are the ones where the parts don't add up to a coherent whole. In Season for Surrender, the good parts of the book really were strong: Deep introspection that didn't devolve into psychobabble, characters who really do grow and change, and a sweet romance. However, the plotting dragged painfully at times, making the Regency house party setting feel like the most boring Christmas fe...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Cynthia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romancer, retro-romance, first-reads

2.5 stars;

Season for Surrender is a holiday themed historical romance where the scandalous Lord Xavier is hosting his annual Christmas house party. To make things more interesting, Xavier’s cousin Lord Lockwood proposes a wager: Xavier must invite and keep the proper Miss Louisa Oliver at the house for the full two weeks. Louisa, in turn is tired of her proper ways and accepts. To add to the mix, Lockwood is determine to win the wager by any means and well Xavier can’t have that can he now. With...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Kimberly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review featured on www.books-n-kisses.com

4.5 Stars - What a delightful story. I did not want to miss a word of it. The story was really enjoyable and the characters are written with such depth. I do think it was a bit too long (maybe 50 pages or so) and it took a bit too long for the characters to come together but the story leading up to it was so good that it makes up for it. There is something about Xavier that appeals to the reader. He is not an alpha male nor do we see the rake in him. What...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Jaclyn rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, net-galley, holiday, arc

Season for Surrender is a holiday historical romance set during the regency period. Lord Xavier is hosting his annual Christmas house party, which is well known as a scandalous affair. This year, Lord Xavier’s cousin, Lord Lockwood, decides that they should make the house party more interesting in the form of a wager. Both Xavier and Lockwood are well known for their wagers; however, this wager puts the reputation of one Miss. Louisa Oliver at risk. Xavier will only win if he can keep Miss. Oliv...more Season for Surrender is a holiday historical romance set during the regency period. Lord Xavier is hosting his annual Christmas house party, which is well known as a scandalous affair. This year, Lord Xavier’s cousin, Lord Lockwood, decides that they should make the house party more interesting in the form of a wager. Both Xavier and Lockwood are well known for their wagers; however, this wager puts the reputation of one Miss. Louisa Oliver at risk. Xavier will only win if he can keep Miss. Oliver at the house party for the full two weeks, naturally Lockwood is determined to scandalize Louisa into leaving early; thus, collecting his ten pounds. When Miss. Oliver arrives and Xavier determines that he must protect her from his cousin, all bets are off!

Overall, I thought Season for Surrender was okay. There was a lot to like in the novel, the main characters were engaging and I thought the baggage that both brought to the table was interesting enough to want to learn how the pair would surmount it to get their happily ever after. Louisa was a witty bluestocking and Xavier was an unhappy rake – yes, the characterizations were not original, but I enjoyed this romantic pairing. It was interesting that both characters were playing a role and that through the course of their interactions they gradually began to understand the real person beneath the act.

What I did not like about the novel was the pacing. I found that the novel dragged a little bit in the plot department. It seemed to take a long time for the characters to admit their attraction to one another, and even then I found the writing a bit choppy in the character’s admittance of their attraction.

While both the main characters were good, Louisa’s Aunt Estella. I LOVED this secondary character. Estella spoke her mind and her witty remarks brought a lot of amusement to the novel.

I ended up enjoying Season for Surrender but I think that there is room for improvement. I didn’t feel completely satisfied with the novel, but it was still a good holiday read.
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Sep 08, 2012 Kimberly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Season for Surrender
Theresa Romain
Kensington Publishing
October 2, 2012

Honor Among Rogues
Alexander Edgware, Lord Xavier, has quite a reputation--for daring, wagering, and wickedness in all its delightful forms. But the wager before him is hardly his preferred sport: Xavier must persuade a proper young lady to attend his famously naughty Christmas house party--and stay the full, ruinous two weeks. Worse, the lady is Louisa Oliver, a doe-eyed bookworm Xavier finds quite charming. Yet to refuse the

...more Season for Surrender
Theresa Romain
Kensington Publishing
October 2, 2012

Honor Among Rogues
Alexander Edgware, Lord Xavier, has quite a reputation--for daring, wagering, and wickedness in all its delightful forms. But the wager before him is hardly his preferred sport: Xavier must persuade a proper young lady to attend his famously naughty Christmas house party--and stay the full, ruinous two weeks. Worse, the lady is Louisa Oliver, a doe-eyed bookworm Xavier finds quite charming. Yet to refuse the challenge is impossible--he will simply have to appoint himself Miss Oliver's protector.
Mischief Among Misses
Louisa knows her chance for a husband has passed. But she has no desire to retire into spinsterhood without enjoying a few grand adventures first. When Lord Xavier's invitation arrives, Louisa is more intrigued than insulted. And once inside the rogues' gallery, she just may have a thing or two to teach her gentlemen friends about daring.

-Amazon

Short Review: I liked it.

Extended review: I really liked it. No, really. The only thing I didn't like was the petulant villain and duh, that's what you're supposed to feel about the villain. There were a couple of times I had to go back and read again because no way did that just happen only to find out that it did. The only suspension of disbelief I had was Xavier and Louisa being left alone for so long so often. I also wondered more than once why Xavier didn't pound his cousin Lockwood into itsy bitsy bits, but the book would have been over pretty quickly if he'd listened to me when I yelled out "hit him already." Seriously, I talked to a book. That doesn't happen often.

The characters (even the villain) were intelligent and believable. The verbal sparring was sharp. All the words meant what the author meant them to mean. It was a hardship to put it down and go back to work after lunch. I know, when isn't it a hardship to go back to work, but it was the book this time. It was a nice escape.

If you like Julia Quinn, you will love this book. I'm definitely going to look for more from this author! A+
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Jan 01, 2013 Allison rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: format-ebook, from-the-library, historical-romance, regency-romance, books-in-2013

I borrowed this as an ebook from my local library and the catalog didn't mention it was the second book in a series, so I'm sure I've probably missed some things by not reading the previous book first. After reading this, however, I don't feel especially inclined to seek it out.

I was first thrown off when what I expected to be a minor conflict (view spoiler) was resolved entirely offscreen, and then the conflict ap...more

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Oct 12, 2012 The Window Seat rated it 4 of 5 stars

As I’ve stated before on this website, whenever I read a book with a love triangle theme I always seem to find myself routing for the third party in the relationship. When I read Theresa Romain’s debut book last year I had more compassion for the character of Louisa Oliver than I did for either the hero or heroine. I wanted her to have the same chance for happiness and find a person who would care for her as she is rather than because she was convenient. With this year’s release Season for Surre...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 24, 2012 Blodeuedd Finland rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

Are you getting a sense of Deja vu? Well then you are correct cos I have already posted a review of this one on my blog. Rameau's review, but then Anachronist asked if I would write one too? And I thought about it and thought why not. It will be fun to compare.

I am glancing at Rameau's review while writing this ;)
I did think the smexing came to fast in this book, suddenly there it was and I was all lime wow, slow down people. Seems Rameu found a way of approving this while I am not too happy abo...more

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Oct 08, 2012 Annie the Destroyer *Leather Lust* rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: holidays, books-i-own, genre-historical-romance, author-theresa-romain, review-requests, read-in-2012

Posted on Under the Covers

Alexander Edgeware, Lord Xavier doesn’t like to turn down a bet, so when his cousin Lord Longwood wagers that he cannot get the prim and proper Lady Louisa Oliver to attend his famously naughty Christmas part and stay for the whole two weeks, Xavier makes it his next goal to prove that he can. As a man notorious for his wicked ways, Xavier uses his charm to get a rise out of Lady Louisa. So the question stands, does the bookish Lady Louisa stand a chance against the wic...more

4 likes · like · see review

Feb 04, 2013 Ashley F rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, historical-romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
This was yet another instance of me picking up a book and then realizing it was not the start of a series but rather the second book. I really despise that happening but I was already invested in the story so I figured why not? Apparently it was not necessary to read the first one but I still dislike not knowing exactly what happened. I had the biggest issue with "His Mistletoe Bride" because it was book four and I'd missed so much. Aw well, let's take a look at this one.

Alex, Lord Xavier, thro...more
This was yet another instance of me picking up a book and then realizing it was not the start of a series but rather the second book. I really despise that happening but I was already invested in the story so I figured why not? Apparently it was not necessary to read the first one but I still dislike not knowing exactly what happened. I had the biggest issue with "His Mistletoe Bride" because it was book four and I'd missed so much. Aw well, let's take a look at this one.

Alex, Lord Xavier, throws a houseparty every year around the holidays which tends to be ridiculously risque and unbecoming. Every year the stories come out with a hint of rumor and the invitations raise questions of reputation with those who receive one. This year Xavier and his friend Lockwood make a bet which changes the course of this year's party. Xavier must invite a woman of good-standing to attend his party and must remain for the full two weeks. Lockwood chooses Louisa Oliver to attend knowing Xavier and Louisa have had a bad history.

Louisa accepts the invitation due to Xavier allowing her access to his library which is rumored to be one of the finest in the country. So Louisa and her aunt head to the party and find a relatively toned down party. The problem is Louisa wanted some excitement. Louisa and Xavier begin to dance around each other but quickly realize they are each hiding behind a mask. Louisa sees Alex as he is and Alex begins to understand he is more than just Lord Xavier.

Of course, Lockwood is a dog.

I really enjoyed the story but got lost a little in the regency language. Since I've never read one before I had no idea what the Expressions were. Every other paragraph mentioned Alex making some sort of specific expression which was worn as a mask. There was Veiled Tolerance or some such nonsense. It was kind of annoying but I understood the point of it. It just caused a major distraction.

While this is not my favorite regency novel and I expect there are many others that are more interesting, I would still recommend it. It is a nice holiday story about an insecure hero is thought to be a rake (he reads Dante) and an intelligent woman who is trapped in a good reputation. Between the two of them they make an interesting combination.

3/5 Stars
Published by Kensington Zebra
October 2, 2012(less)

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Dec 10, 2012 Bebe Knight rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog, historical, novel, reading-until-i-fall-asleep, review, romance

Review by Bebe at Reading Until I Fall Asleep

When making my list of Holiday reads this month, I knew a historical had to be on there. I’m so glad I stumbled upon Season for Surrender, it was everything I could have hoped for in a historical Christmas themed book. The story begins with Lord Xavier and his cousin Lord Lockwood deciding to make a wager that Louisa, a “bluestocking” wallflower, wouldn’t be able to stay at Xavier’s house party for the full two weeks. Louisa, whose ex-fiancé left her...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Jeanne Murray rated it 4 of 5 stars

Unbeknownst to the world, Louisa Oliver, in a way reminiscent of the characters of Julia Quinn, is a witty and clever young lady bent on changing her circumstances, starting with some kisses. To appease his friend and keep up the appearance of wastrel, Xavier places a wager to get Louisa to a two-week house party. Of course, these ingredients make for a fast-paced novel with depth and complexity of characters that is very satisfying. Season for Surrender is my first Teresa Romaine novel, but I’m...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Bubbles rated it 5 of 5 stars

Witty and engaging, this book is the perfect joining of Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice and Oscar Wilde's "A Woman of No Importance."

Lord Xavier would stake his reputation on a wager. In fact, his entire reputation is build on wagers. So when his cousin proposes a wager on whether or not Xavier can keep a certain house guest at his party for the entirety of the season, he feels like he has no choice but to agree.

The guest in question is Louisa, a intelligent young woman who is no stranger to s...more Witty and engaging, this book is the perfect joining of Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice and Oscar Wilde's "A Woman of No Importance."

Lord Xavier would stake his reputation on a wager. In fact, his entire reputation is build on wagers. So when his cousin proposes a wager on whether or not Xavier can keep a certain house guest at his party for the entirety of the season, he feels like he has no choice but to agree.

The guest in question is Louisa, a intelligent young woman who is no stranger to scandal. The year before she was engaged, but her fiance fell in love with her step sister and ended up marrying her instead. So Lord Xavier's party is the perfect excuse for her to get out again. And at least she'll be supervised, so she shouldn't be able to get into too much trouble.

While Xavier is doing everything in his power to keep Louisa there, his cousin is doing everything possible to scandalize her and send her packing. Meanwhile, Louisa knows about the bet the entire time, so everything either of them does either angers her or amuses her, depending on which one it's coming from and her mood at the time.

Xavier gives her access to his library, where she comes across some family secrets, and the two bond through something I've haven't seen much in romance novels, their intelligence. They have conversations where they quote classical literature in the original language. It's amazing, and I love to see such intelligent characters grace the page. Theresa Romain really shines in her dialogue, especially between Xavier and Louisa.

There was only one issue I had with this particular book, and it was with the second sex scene. The first and third one were absolutely fine, but the second just felt off to me. It was like these two witty characters I had enjoyed reading about were suddenly replaced with cheap porn stars, and it was rather jarring for me. Note, I must again point out that this was only a problem with the second sex scene.

Overall, I found this book to be witty and engaging, perfect for reading in a bubble bath at the end of a long day. I fully intend to track down the first book now.(less)

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Nov 25, 2012 Readsalot81 rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historicals

I found this story to be pretty boring in all honesty. The book suffered greatly from a lack of pacing and the middle of the book meanders for quite some time. I, never at anytime, felt that the main characters had nothing but only the slightest of obstacles to overcome. For me, this lead to the feeling that the story lacked urgency and excitement. The pairing of the two main characters, the Earl of Xavier and Louisa Oliver, felt rather lackluster and comfortable. Kind of like an old shoe. The d...more

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Nov 30, 2012 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed reading of all the diverse characters in this novel. The author has done a lovely job of gathering together the various different personalities to be found in Regency Britain and placing them under one roof for a witty Christmas story.
Lord Xavier's annual Christmas party is notorious and the guests arrive expecting to be shocked as they have been in previous years, but none of them are prepared for the shock they do receive. Who expected the infamous rake to be a romantic at heart?
Obse...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Aliaa El-Nashar rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was actually very excited to get my hands onto this book, as I always am with a historical romance book involved. I am enamored with the old-fashioned dresses they wear on the covers, I loved this one so much because of it. I also enjoyed the title "Season for Surrender" as well as the synopsis!

Lord Xavier - known to almost no one as Alex- thrived to live a life of debauchery, betting and drinking. Or at least, that's the way he appeared to people, not that he wanted to do those things, but he...more I was actually very excited to get my hands onto this book, as I always am with a historical romance book involved. I am enamored with the old-fashioned dresses they wear on the covers, I loved this one so much because of it. I also enjoyed the title "Season for Surrender" as well as the synopsis!

Lord Xavier - known to almost no one as Alex- thrived to live a life of debauchery, betting and drinking. Or at least, that's the way he appeared to people, not that he wanted to do those things, but he was convinced he'd be worthless without his infamous reputation. His life takes a very strange turn at one of his usually less respectable parties. It all starts when his cousin bets him to convince a proper young lady to attend said party and keep her in it for two weeks. Louisa on the other hand is sick of living a sheltered and unsocial life, especially since she was living with her half-sister and her husband, who just happened to be Lousia's ex-fiancé. So, when she receives an invitation one of Lord Xavier's parties and her aunt agrees to accompany her, she rushes there with hopes she would manage to do something that is decidedly not her.

I laughed a lot due to the humor in this book, Alex was somewhat hilarious. Also, the way the relationship between Alex and Louisa grew was vastly entertaining.They were both great together, and the way they dealt with one another was nice. I like how they were different around one another more than they were around other people. Louisa, I had not expected her character to be so good. I am used to the heroine being whiney, annoying, and making false assumptions, as well as sometimes being weak and believing what she's told straight off. Louisa on the other hand, was very intelligent, understanding, outgoing and a bit fun, which is apparently different than she used to be- since she was seeking a change in character to find excitement. The most thing I enjoyed about Alex were his numbered 'expressions':

*Expression number one: Veiled Disdain
*Expression number two: Haughty Certainty
*Expression number three: Amused Tolerance
*Expression number four: Condescension
*Expression number five: Bemused Tolerance
(Expression Number six: Blatantly annoyed)

This book was awesome. No really. I hated some parts of it sure, others annoyed the hell out of me, but my opinion in general is that I loved this book. I had been excited to read it obviously because it was a historical romance, then as I started reading, I enjoyed the author's style immensely - yes she is now amongst my favourite Historical Romance authors. But I think what sealed the deal with this book for me was the use of Italian authors. I am an Italian major, and knowing what they're talking about and Alex's interest in Italian poetry and poets like Dante Alighieri and Francesco Petrarca was pretty cool. I actually had to study The Divine Comedy (La divina commedia) for Text Analysis Class so I know the three stages in the book of Inferno, Purgatory (purgatorio) and Paradise (paradiso).

Rating: 4/5(less)

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Feb 20, 2013 Gerry Bartlett rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-regency

This is the first Regency I've read in a while but I've always loved the genre and time period. Romain has a wonderful way of drawing characters. Her hero has a set of expressions, numbered, for each occasion. But he has become trapped in his facade and role playing. His growth as a character is fascinating. It is caused by the heroine, a woman who is on the verge of becoming a bookish spinster if she's not careful. She comes to Xavier's house party because of a bet, but stays to win his heart....more

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Dec 16, 2012 July rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, ebook, romance, romance-historical, did-not-finish

Review from Queen of Swords Book Reviews.

WHY I DNF:
* I felt that this novel could have taken place at any time of year. The Christmas element was very tangential to the story and could have been replaced with any other kind of event.
* I didn't feel the chemistry between the hero and heroine.
* The reader is repeatedly told that Lord Xavier is a scoundrel and a rake. Apparently, he likes to make weird bets with his cousin which doesn't really peg my Scoundrel-O-Meter. We are never really shown his...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Kira rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sexy-heroes, ridiculous-villians, ebooks

3.5 out of 5 Stars

Accepting a bet from his cousin, Alexander Edgware, Lord Xavier invites shy proper bluestocking, Louisa Oliver, to his annual scandalous two week Christmas house party. To win the bet, Louisa must stay the full two weeks and not run off horrified. However, Louisa may not be as shy as she appears. In fact, Alex may be the one surprised by his own guest.

This was a very cute sweet story with two likeable leads, interesting secondary characters, and witty dialogue. I loved the them...more 3.5 out of 5 Stars

Accepting a bet from his cousin, Alexander Edgware, Lord Xavier invites shy proper bluestocking, Louisa Oliver, to his annual scandalous two week Christmas house party. To win the bet, Louisa must stay the full two weeks and not run off horrified. However, Louisa may not be as shy as she appears. In fact, Alex may be the one surprised by his own guest.

This was a very cute sweet story with two likeable leads, interesting secondary characters, and witty dialogue. I loved the theme of people being not what they seem. Masks and personas can be suffocating and trap an individual into behavioral patterns, but it’s Alex’s and Louisa’s personas that bring these two outwardly different people together. Alex isn’t the notorious rake everyone thinks he is and Louisa is hardly a wilting flower. In fact, Louisa is the one who initiates seduction and leads their “encounters” and Alex is the one left reeling.

However, I never really bought Louisa as shy. She is a bit Mary Sue-ish in that she had no real faults. This is the second book in a series and the protagonists appear in the first book in the series. While it’s not necessary to read the first book, I did feel as if, having not read the first, I might have missed some character development. The plot of this book and the set up from the last book are a bit at odds and the resolution of a problem from the previous book was resolved too quickly. Also, the villain became more and more mustache-twirly and silly as the book progressed, but that’s more of a genre problem. I felt the villain had depth and could have been interesting, so I was disappointed the author went the ‘silly over-the-top’ route.

The house party was full of colorful characters and historical details about how Christmas was celebrated in Regency England. While the Christmas party was the backdrop, there was nothing overtly religious or sentimental about the book. Christmas is more of the setting, not the theme of the book.

Even though characters were a bit uneven, the real strength of the book lay in the emotional journey and developing relationship of the protagonists. Their relationship is witty, sweet, and poignant. Season for Surrender is a very enjoyable novel and I’ll be looking out for more by this author.
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Jan 31, 2013 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book had a lot of intriguing elements: some delightfully funny chapter headings; a wonderful library, complete with bookish mystery; a quiet bluestocking looking to shed her mouse-in-a-corner sensibilities for Christmas, as a gift to herself; a dissolute rake and man-about-town who's discovering he might be far more respectable and honorable than he thinks he is; an eminently practical grande dame of a chaperone; and a villain who turns out to be far nastier than anyone suspected.

It's prett...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, netgalley-arc

~* 3.5 Stars *~
'Tis the Season
Lord Xavier has never made a wager he hasn't won. This time, though, he's been goaded into a wager with stakes that could cause irreparable damage whether he wins or loses. He's been challenged to invite a proper young woman to his annual Christmas house party. Known for its debauchery and wicked revelry, it's definitely a scandalous place for a young miss. And not only does he have to get a lady to attend, she's got to stay through the duration.

Determined to best t...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Jean rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, romance, england

The rating is more 2.5. The characters were very interesting...execution of the story didn't quite work for me.
This was a relatively light story. Alex aka Xavier portrays an image due to a rather aberrant emotional need but he's not nearly as wild or amoral as his reputation makes him out to be. His internal dialogue is amusing. Louisa is neither missish nor overly bold. I liked her for the most part.

Aside from the characters, the story dragged at parts and the progression seemed contrived. The...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Dangermousie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: period-romance, romance

I think Romain(e) lettuce would be more exciting than this book. Hero makes a bet he can have a prim spinster heroine spend two weeks at his mildly non-prim Christmas house party for two weeks. Sounds as *yawn* exciting as you can imagine. Why I got this book, heaven only knows. I don't even celebrate Christmas, so I have no excuse. Hero and heroine would probably have lovely marriage in real life but to read about them is to wish for the excitement of paint peeling. Nobody is compelling in the...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Kimba (Caffeinated Book Reviewer) rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I saw the gorgeous cover I was immediately drawn to Season for Surrender. While not part of a series, this book tells the tale of Louisa Oliver a character from Romain’s first novel a Season of Temptation. I found the cast of character’s attending the Christmas House party of Alexander Edgeware, Lord Xavier to be absolutely delightful. I quickly consumed this and walked away feeling good.

The ton and the wager books at White’s say Alexander Edgeware, Lord Xavier is a rogue and rumors of his...more When I saw the gorgeous cover I was immediately drawn to Season for Surrender. While not part of a series, this book tells the tale of Louisa Oliver a character from Romain’s first novel a Season of Temptation. I found the cast of character’s attending the Christmas House party of Alexander Edgeware, Lord Xavier to be absolutely delightful. I quickly consumed this and walked away feeling good.

The ton and the wager books at White’s say Alexander Edgeware, Lord Xavier is a rogue and rumors of his escapades are the gossip of the ton. Alex does nothing to dissuade the tons opinion and in fact has a whole list of facial expressions he imposes on them. His cousin Lockwood makes a wager for 10 pounds that Alex cannot get a bluestocking to attend his Christmas House party and remain the full two weeks. He even goes so far as to name the woman, Lady Louisa Oliver. While Alex protests a woman’s reputation is worth more than a wager, he cannot help but accept. After all Lord Xavier never loses a bet. The tale that unfolds is filled with humor, sexual tension, a villain and an unexpected romance.

I must say Romain created characters I came to adore. Alex is a complete rogue (well at least that is what the ton has been led to believe). Getting to know the man behind the facial expressions was delightful. I found him to be completely swoon-worthy. Louisa Oliver is smarty, witty, quiet and looking for an adventure. I immediately connected with this little book lover. I loved that a library could make her swoon. She believes her season for a husband has passed but her feisty Aunt Estella has other ideas. I adored this melding, sharp tongue, opinionated woman. Other guests at the party were entertaining. I really liked Jane and hope she will get her own book. The villain was deliciously evil and created tension.

The pacing of the romance was off. It took too long for things to develop and kept this from achieving five cups of coffee. I loved the setting, and the steamy library scenes. The characters were all delightful and kept me reading, as I truly liked them. It was the getting them from point A to point B, and the constant hot and cold between Alex and Louisa that drove me batty. Just when I thought they had had a moment, they would have a setback. Perhaps it was intentional by the author to create tension, however this part of the plot frustrated me. When things finally began to progress..oh-la-la! I liked Romain’s writing style and her ability to bring her characters to life. I can just picture Alex's array of facial expressions and cannot help but giggle even as I write this. She provided wonderful detail and I developed a beautiful image of the house and its guests. The last quarter of the book was the strongest, and I loved the ending.

Despite issues I really enjoyed Alex and Louisa's story. I recommend Season for Surrender to fans of historical romance, laced with humor and lovable characters.

I want to thank Kensington books for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
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About Theresa Romain

Historical romance author Theresa Romain pursued an impractical education that allowed her to read everything she could get her hands on. She then worked for universities and libraries, where she got to read even more. Eventually she started writing, too. She lives with her family in the Midwest.

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It Takes Two to Tangle (The Matchmaker Trilogy, #1)

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“... Parrying, puckishness, and a touch of profanity.” — 1 person liked it

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