Theresa Romain: On the ninth day of Christmas ...

Twelve romance authors are celebrating the 12 days of Christmas here at HEA with cheer and gifts. We've already welcomed seven other authors (links to their posts are at the bottom of this one), and today, we're celebrating with Theresa Romain, whose Season for Surrender is out now. (Stick around until the end of the post to find out how you can win some special prizes from Theresa. There, you'll also find links to the 12 Days of Christmas posts that have already run.)

Theresa: I'm famous (or is that infamous?) in my family for liking classic movies. If it's in black and white, I'm ready to watch it.

So for my Christmas-movie pick, I'd like to share an oldie and goodie with you: Christmas in Connecticut. This film was released in 1945, right at the end of World War II. The plot revolves around a war hero, Jefferson Jones (Dennis Morgan), who returns home and is promised a traditional New England Christmas celebration, courtesy of domestic goddess Elizabeth Lane (Barbara Stanwyck).

But. Elizabeth isn't really a married earth-mother with a beautiful Connecticut farmhouse. She's a New York journalist who can't even flip a pancake. Oops!

However, Elizabeth is also as resourceful as all heck. With her job on the line, she borrows a picturesque farmhouse and a neighbor's baby, coaxes an admirer to pose as her husband, and asks her kitchen-genius friend to do the cooking. And off they all go for a Christmas house party that becomes steadily more tangled up. Guests and borrowed babies come and go, misunderstandings pile up, and — of course — Elizabeth and Jones fall in love.

Why do I like this movie so much? Well, first of all, it's nice to see a heroine having as much trouble in the kitchen as I do. But more than that, this is a movie about appearance vs. reality. Elizabeth has built her career on a fake image of domestic perfection. While her job is at stake, she's willing to go further and further with the charade. But when she meets Jones, she realizes she has sacrificed her personal life to this falsehood, too. And she's not OK with that; she wants to be known and loved for herself. Her real, not-perfect, could-somehow-burn-water self.

There are two messages in this movie that are lovely not only for the Christmas season, but for any time of year. First, happiness is far more likely to be found when a person is genuine rather than struggling for perfection. And second: Imperfection, whatever its form, is worthy of love.

This being a movie — and a Christmas movie at that — Elizabeth finds her way. By the end of the movie, she's been outed as a fraud and fired. But her newfound honesty means that she and Jones can find love together. And hey, a better job comes her way, too! Got to love those tidy endings.

That theme of appearance vs. reality also pops up in my new holiday historical romance, Season for Surrender. During a Regency house party, a rake (or is he?) matches wits with a bluestocking (or is she?).

I'll offer a signed print copy to one commenter on this post. Just let us know: In honor of Christmas in Connecticut, what's one household job you wish you were better at — or wish you never had to do at all?

Also, please be sure to stop by my blog, because there's a second part to this giveaway. Since this is day nine of our holiday event, I'm giving away a box of nine delicious chocolate truffles.

(All of the 12 Days of Christmas giveaways go through midnight ET Sunday, Nov. 25. Winners will be announced on Monday, Nov. 26.)

And be sure to keep coming back to HEA to catch posts and giveaways by your favorite authors. Up next: Samantha Hunter.