Though somewhat naive, Louise still knows that Xavier’s parties are known for their inappropriate guests and activities, and she wonders what kind of fun she will have.Īs it turns out, Xavier has tamed his usual guest list somewhat for Louisa’s benefit as he is determined to win his bet. When Xavier’s invitation arrives, she sees it as an opportunity to escape her old life for a bit, and so she travels to Clifton Hall with her aunt, the sharp-witted Lady Irving, as chaperone.

She has resigned herself to a life on the shelf, but she would like to have an adventure or two before fading off into spinsterhood. Louisa has already suffered the indignity of a broken engagement in Season for Temptation, the book preceding this one. If Louisa leaves before the party ends, Xavier loses the bet. The two wager ten pounds on whether Xavier can convince Louisa Oliver, a proper young bluestocking, to attend Xavier’s infamous Christmas house party. The book opens with his cousin Lockwood challenging him to a bet. Xavier enjoys a deliciously scandalous reputation, but one that entertains rather than risks heavy censure. He is good humored, witty, a rake, and a man who always wins his bets. However, the plotting dragged painfully at times, making the Regency house party setting feel like the most boring Christmas festival ever.Īlexander Edgeware, Lord Xavier, plays a well-defined role in Society. 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. Sometimes the hardest books to assess are the ones where the parts don’t add up to a coherent whole.

Season for surrender theresa romain