The audio version of this review can be found on Episode 58: A Bookchat about Daughter of Eden with Jill Eileen Smith & a Review of The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham.
THE BOOK
Will the magic of Christmas bring these two newlyweds closer together, or will the ghosts of the past lead them into a destructive discovery from which not even a Dickens’s Christmas can save them?
Mistletoe is beautiful and dangerous, much like the woman from Lord Frederick’s Percy’s past, so when he turns over a new leaf and arranges to marry for his estate, instead of his heart, he never expects the wrong bride to be the right choice. Gracelynn Ferguson never expected to take her elder sister’s place as a Christmas bride, but when she’s thrust into the choice, she will trust in her faithful novels and overactive imagination to help her not only win Frederick’s heart but also to solve the murder mystery of Havensbrook Hall before the ghosts from Frederick’s past ruin her fairytale future.
THE REVIEW
If there’s one thing Pepper Basham knows, it’s how to write a swoony romance mixed with a heavy dose of witty humor and in this book’s case, even a helping of mystery. Basham’s previous books have always consisted of standout characters a reader can’t resist rooting and falling for. In The Mistletoe Countess, Basham stays true to her loyal followers. We meet the brooding Frederick who is prepared for a dull life of loveless matrimony to save his estate, but then comes Grace bouncing in to inadvertently flip his life upside down. And when her sleuthing imagination takes hold of a real mystery at Havensbrook Hall, hijinks and humor mix splendidly with danger as they work to become a loving marital team and solve a murder.
Readers familiar with Basham will note her trademark steaminess, sweet but also on the very warm side. There are several mentions of what God is doing in a character’s life and the way it changes their thought processes and leads them to accept certain pasts and future realities. This is all presented in an organic way and flows seamlessly into the story. As always, Basham’s plots are solid, but her characters tend to steal the show to make her books truly memorable.
Although this book takes place over the Christmas season, it’s a book that would definitely be enjoyed year around.
THE AUTHOR
Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. Writing both historical and contemporary novels, she loves to incorporate her native Appalachian culture and/or her unabashed adoration of the UK into her stories. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the wife of a fantastic pastor, mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus. Her nineteenth novel, Authentically Izzy, debuts in November with Thomas Nelson. She loves connecting with readers and other authors through social media outlets like Facebook & Instagram.
Disclaimer: The publisher offered a complimentary copy of this book. The review was given freely, without payment. All views expressed are only the honest opinion of a member of the Historical Bookworm Review Team.
