Season for Surrender: Giveaway and Chat Date!


Season for SurrenderFirst up: the Sizzling Book Club Chat for Season for Surrender by Theresa Romain will be Tuesday 27 November at 9:00pm ET. Theresa will join us at 10pm for Q&A – so mark your calendars!

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But wait, there's more! Kensington is so excited that this book is the November book club selection, they've agreed to host a giveaway for y'all. I have five print copies from Kensington plus five digital copies to give away. Yay! The 50% rebate is still on at AllRomance through 15 November, too.

Standard disclaimers apply. This contest is open to anyone internationally. Must be over 18 and wearing a bustle. Void where prohibited. Slippery when wet. Objects in  mirror may be closer than they appear. Close cover before striking. Beware the invisible dog.

Would you like to win a copy? Well, since Season for Surrender is all about a holiday house party – one that's two weeks long, holy smokes – let's talk holiday party! It's nearly time for all the end-of-year get togethers.

What's your best holiday party tip? What recipe do you always bring, if it's a potluck?

Share share – and I'll pick 10 winners at random. (Please let me know in your comment if you have a format preference.) Contest ends Friday, 16 November at 12:00 pm ET. I'll announce the winners Friday afternoon. 

I hope you have a chance to read this book. I really enjoyed the holiday historical house party setting, and the heroine particularly, and I hope you can join us for the chat on the 27th!

Comments are Closed

  1. Lynnemthomas says:

    I hang out with a lot of vegans and vegetarians, so I tend to bring a big pot of ratatouille, which I learned to make when I was an exchange student in France during college. 🙂

    Either that, or a chocolate-based dessert.

    (may I express a preference for e-book rather than paper if I get lucky enough to win?)

  2. Jamarleo says:

    I bring pecan filled dates.  They are nominally healthy, vegan, taste like pecan pie, and allows one to spend happy couple of hours listenening to an audiobook while stuffing their dates.  There has to be a double entendre there, but I’m too wracked with flu o think of one.

  3. I have an ancient Roman recipe that’s easy, fun, and tasty that I do all the time: 

    Take dates, put an almond (or, and seriously this works even though all of you are about to go “…..whut” a bit of ground black pepper) in where the pit was, fry them in honey, sprinkle a leeeeeetle bit of salt, and serve.  They can be hot or room-temp. 

    (when you fill them with the ground black pepper it feels like you’re loading tiny little grenades with black powder, which is AWESOME)

  4. Algae429 says:

    Hmmm…my favorite holiday tip?  Go to at least one area Christmas concert. It can be of school kids or look for a community band or something.  These are usually free, the performers appreciate the audience and live music is great for getting you in the Christmas mood. 

    As for potlucks…well…let’s just say I’m usually asked to bring chips.

  5. Jan says:

    Hmm… Jerusalem calling.  Chanukah, so latkes and sufganiot (not necessarily together).  I make my own latkes, but the sufganiot (donuts) get bought.  I limit myself to one on the first day and one on the last, otherwise I’d never be able to get close enough to the stove to make those latkes!

  6. Natalie says:

    I make toffee with chocolate and almonds on top. Got the recipe from mom and everyone loves it. It’s cheap and easy to make and if you wrap it in pretty paper or a tin, it makes a wonderful gift!!

  7. Karen D says:

    I have a lovely warm bacon cheese dip that I love to bring to parties. Did I mention it has bacon? It’s a great dip for bread, crackers or veggies. And here’s my holiday party tip: Drink enough to make yourself feel comfortable, but not enough to make others feel uncomfortable:)

    If I am so fortunate as to win, I would prefer an ecopy of the book—which sounds like a fun read.

  8. Suze in Palm Bay, FL says:

    I always bring drunken wieners to holiday parties. That is smoked cocktail franks cooked in a bourbon bbq sauce.  Seriously! Oddly enough, the turkey franks are the tastiest.

  9. Zulma says:

    My favorite dish to make for our family’s traditional Three Kings Day/La Befana celebration in Nueva York is Puerto Rican style flan!

    I would love a digital copy. Thanks!

  10. MissB2U says:

    Best holiday tip?  Keep it small, you’ll have more time to enjoy your guests.  Potluck items?  Desserts: Madelines, Kahalua brownies, chocolate mousse crown cake.  Savory: Hummus with veggies and pita to dip, smoked salmon with horseradish cream, crispy pork simmered for hours in orange juice and garlic then topped with avocado and tomatillo salsa.  I love to cook almost as much as I love reading romance!

  11. MissB2U says:

    Oh, if I win I’d like an ebook that works in Nook format.  Thanks!

  12. Jen C says:

    My go-to dish is always fruit salsa – I put in it whatever I can get that’s not too expensive. But since this season always makes me want to cook and bake I might make an apple pie. I have a simple recipe (for crust and filling) and I like to make festive cut-outs to decorate the cake. And since my husband and I brew our own beer, we almost always bring a keg of homebrew!

    If I win, I would like a nook version, please.

    Keep up the great work SBTB! I love your blog!

  13. SB Sarah says:

    I so want flan. Like inmediatamente.

  14. Corrie Lucas says:

    Holiday tip – stop stressing about the holidays! Too many of us worry so much that we don’t get to enjoy this time of year.

  15. Harper Gray says:

    My best holiday party tip is keep it casual and relaxed. There is too much else to stress about! Easier said than done…so perhaps a more specific tip would be to not host the party yourself, but help out liberally for whomever does. You participate, their stress is reduced. Win!

    I have……actually never been to a potluck. But I like to bring dessert, so I would probably experiment with a new pie (muahahaha) and bring the experiment’s recipe.

    Should I be lucky enough to win, I’d prefer a paper copy, please! Not with the times enough to own an ereader. 😛

  16. Fran Lewis says:

    If I have any tip for the holidays, it’s go with the flow. My family never makes plans and I have learned to let go and just see what’s happening that day. My go-to dish for a potluck is a spinach salad. You can make it quite quickly and put it together at the party. People usually are very happy that there is something green and not terribly sweet at the potluck and I rarely take any home.

  17. My favorite holiday recipe is my grandmother’s (and her grandmaw and her grandmaw’s) cornbread dressing. It takes three days to make, but it’s so good! I’d give you the recipe, but I’d have to kill you (muahahaha!). (I. Love. Ebooks!)

  18. Fran says:

    I always bring Rice Krispy Treats, dyed appropriately for the holiday.  Halloween, orange.  Christmas, green and red, ect. 

  19. Katie says:

    A cheese ball! You can use the leftovers from the cheese plate at your own holiday party. Throw approximately 1 pound of assorted cheeses in the food processor with a splash of white wine, a clove of garlic, a couple of tablespoons of butter, and some herbs, then form it into a ball using plastic wrap and, if you want, roll it in chopped, toasted nuts. Yum.

  20. Hmm…I’ve brought many things to holiday parties/potlucks over the years. Some have turned out better than others. 😉

    Some of my favorites:
    ~Pumpkin creme sandwhich cookies
    ~Whipped pumpkin pie (it’s a cross between a cheesecake texture and pumpkin pie)
    ~“Happy” Potatoes (my name for it, as usually they are known instead as “funeral potatoes”, and that’s just too depressing! lol)
    ~Pink Cheese (which is really a fruit salad, the cheese is cottage cheese, the pink refers to the color given by the flavored jello powder in it).

    Ecopy, please, for NOOK.

    Enjoy!
    TBQ

  21. Tammy L. says:

    I’m not sure I have any fun party tips..when I host, I like to invite a lot of different people from all walks of life and invite my guests to bring a friend, that way you are always meeting someone new! 

    When I attend I love bringing a crock pot of bbq chicken wings…yummy

    If I win, I do not have a format preference …thanks for the chance

  22. Ann M. says:

    We celebrate Chanukah in our household.  Favorite dessert is rugelach (which I only make at this time of year.)

    Rather e-book but would also accept paper.

  23. PhyllisLaatsch says:

    I’m a quiet-ish type. My favorite Xmas party is the one our neighborhood does for the kids. I only have one who’s little enough to get excited by Santa anymore, though.

    No, that’s not true. Our neighborhood cookie exchange is even better. (Last year, I took double chocolate cookies with a bit of spice, which aren’t exactly traditional Xmas cookies, but oh well). http://www.poorgirleatswell.co…

    Which is why my butt is big enough to look like I’m wearing a bustle.

  24. SB Sarah says:

    I might be begging for the rugelach recipe, please please please. No, I’m definitely begging. please!

  25. Teri C says:

    My best party tip would be make the dessert small. People love bit sized items!
    I potluck potato wedges because the kids love them. If the kids fill up on potatoes that means that adults can snatch up the food.

  26. Mik says:

    Here’s a delicious and easy appetizer I have brought to many a potluck.

    Take a package of cream cheese, some shredded chicken (I usually boil a couple of chicken breasts and shred with a fork), and a pakage of ranch dip mix. Mix it all up, and form into a ball or log. Refridgerate for at least a couple of hours for the flavors to mesh. Serve this “fancy” cheese ball with your favorite crackers!

  27. Faye says:

    The last two years I’ve made walnut-whiskey-white chocolate fudge as gifts, and it’s been a huge hit. It’s also great at parties, since the alcohol definitely does NOT cook out! It’s quite pretty, too, white and creamy with the golden brown walnuts on top.

  28. Nnthom266 says:

    Holiday party tip: wear loose pants and top (festive colors a plus!), bring a growler of my favorite beer, and a pan of brownies for the kids!  (either book format is fine, so long as the ebook works on my Kindle)

  29. Suz_Glo says:

    My best tip for surviving/enjoying a holiday party is to keep mingling. Don’t allow yourself to get trapped with one person or group. Move around and talk to everyone! (And I would be happy with a digital or paper copy of the book. Thanks!)

  30. Tof Eklund says:

    When throwing a party, play bartender. It’s my favorite way to mingle with everyone (can’t stay too long with any one person, got to get those drinks out…) and make sure that everyone has their drink of choice while keeping the tipsiness level somewhere in the realm of happy socialization.

    I like to plan a couple of original cocktails, as they make great conversation starters, and it’s important to have quality non-alcoholic drinks as well for those who do not imbibe.

    Here’s one: get fresh blackberries, Chambord, and bubby. Crush two blackberries each in the bottom of champagne flutes, add Chambord to the level of the crushed berries, then add the sparkling wine. The result is light, fruity, and looks pretty. I called it a Berry Crush when I did it, but you can probably come up a better name.

  31. My holiday tip is to drink with the people you love, and to stay sober with the people you merely tolerate. Alcohol-fueled rage parties never end well. Better to keep a clear head and grit your teeth than to get wasted and do irreparable damage to relationships.

    Oh, and my holiday recipe is pozole. I make it for my whole extended family every Christmas Eve. It’s delicious and warm and not too much work and, most importantly, easy to make in huge batches.

  32. Tarja says:

    Best tip for a party: bring your holiday/party spirit with you. It’s hard to enjoy a party when you’re in a bad mood.

    As for food, I’d bake a currant pie or a chocolate cake, since I like baking.

  33. Julieinduvall says:

    Best tip for a holiday party: DO NOT drink too much. It sounds great at the time, but you will find yourself (and your behavior) immortalized in photo and video. Permanently. Of course, I learned this tip after watching the drunken hijinks at DH’s annual office holiday party.

    Holiday party food: I’m bringing the Hershey Kisses thumbprint cookies my mom made every year from the time I was little. It’s not Christmas till I eat at least one.

  34. Amanda Pereira says:

    Oh yay contest! For the holidays! Also – yay for book about holiday parties during the holidays! (I always end up picking up holiday books sometime in July …)

    As for party tip – don’t take yourself seriously! No, really. This year my Bestie is having a tacky Xmas sweater party. Why? Because no one wants to be at a stuffed up shin dig, they want to point, laugh and find sweaters that light up – or better – sign jingle bells (my grade 9 homeroom teacher had one that did both … and had tinsel)

    As for what I am bringing … asides from more booze of course … I am queen of making things super easy but look like I am some sort of Martha or Nigella or whatever. Yes, I am self crowned. Anyways – wheel of brie or other soft creamy cheese. Cover with that Pilsbury crecent stuff – the dough you make the croissants out of. Bake at around 350 or so, for about 10 min or until a crust of gold forms. Top with whatever assortment of berry and or fruit concoction you like (this year will be fig, cranberry and just a touch of hot peppers). Serve with those yummy date crackers.

    Thanks for all the ideas guys! And Thanks SBTB for the contest! 🙂

  35. Readsalot81 says:

    My holiday tip? Don’t take those you love for granted.  Everyone gets busy around the holidays, but no one is too busy for a hug & a kiss 🙂

    Christmas Eve is one of my favorite days of the year. I get together with family I only see once a year.. and they’re all terrific people.  *G*

    Once in a great while, I’ll make savarina.. which is a Romanian dish. You soak the baked bread/cake in a rum infused juice.. (or substitute a flavor of your choice if you don’t like alcohol) then fill it with either a pastry or whipping cream.. top it with fresh fruit or shaved chocolate. YUMMY.

  36. Nancy says:

    I bring homemade eggnog. It’s super easy to make but so much better homemade. I first made it while I was living in France. I took it to a Christmas party and I had my French and British friends try it. The French liked it way more than the British, I think because of the raw egg disgusted my British friends.

    I’m fine with either an e-book or paper copy, if I should be so fortunate to win.

  37. Essie says:

    Holiday parties are the best, and my tip would be to stock up on as big a variety of Christmas music as possible (there’s only so many times you can hear Rudolph!) For a potluck I would probably bring my grandma’s Christmas butter cookies. They take ages to make, but they’re so much fun! A paper copy would be prefered, please 🙂

  38. The best holiday trip I can think of is that you should always do the cooking yourself.  Whenever we travel to someone’s house for Christmas (we always do Thanksgiving), we end up having the most disgusting food outside of a high school cafeteria.  When I was a kid, my mom would always bring a lasagna with us, but for some reason she stopped doing that about 10 years ago.

    Either paperback or digital is fine with me. 🙂

  39. katherinelynn_04 says:

    Holiday parties are the best! Usually at family gatherings I like to bring the dessert. It’s usually a flourless chocolate cake with raspberry coulee. I have a few family members who have gluten intolerance and it’s a very yummy GF dessert!

    Either version is a-okay with me!

  40. Tina says:

    The past couple of years, I’ve been making super-easy “truffles” as Christmas presents for a couple of friends.  Cream cheese, mixed with powder sugar.  Split in half and put chopped nuts of some kind in one (I like pecans) and none in the other.  Roll into small balls, dip in melted chocolate, set on wax paper.  Press a pecan to the ones with nuts.  Refrigerate.  Once completely cool, put in pretty paper candy cups.  Put several (or all, if you’re generous) into a pretty tin.  Voila!  Fairly inexpensive and delicious gift!  From what I understand, they rarely last a day before they are all gone. 

    (These are so versatile that you can dress them any number of ways, including flavors like maple, bourbon, honey or vanilla mixed into the cream cheese mixture or different types of chocolate for the coating.)

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