So many reviewers have captured this novel so beautifully, I honestly wondered what I could possibly add to entice the potential reader! Probably not alot, but here's my thoughts for what they're worth.

What a witty, charming satirical novel with a dashing rogue of a hero—and a delightful, ingenuous heroine who lives her life vicariously through fiction and the gems she has gleaned through books. With a personality as bright as her lovely red locks, Grace touches every life she comes in contact with (think Pollyanna and Anne of Green Gables!) Just like Anne Shirley, our heroine has the gift of gab...especially without thinking first! lol And Lord Frederick. What an amazing kisser, er...rather an amazing kind earl, I meant to say. Ahem! Lord Astley aka Frederick is a wounded man...destined to live out his life in a loveless existence until he meets the exuberant, enchanting Grace.

Not totally a Christmas story, a fairytale, a Gothic mystery, nor an immensely steamy romance—all combine together to comprise one hilarious, captivating novel, destined to become a Yuletide classic!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own and I received no monetary compensation.*

“Oh, I devour books.” She tugged the novel against her chest. “It’s a disastrous habit for being productive, I’m afraid.” Humor lit the darkness of his eyes and made him a little less imposing .
“And is that the extent of your vices, Miss Grace?”
“I’m afraid, Lord Astley, my vices are too many to name, only one of which is a proclivity for disappearing from large crowds at the first availability."

I LOVE THIS BOOK. Yes, this is another one of those oh-wow-she-has-no-chill reviews. Buckle in, ladies! 😅 but in all actuality, I am breaking this review up into multiple posts so you'll be hearing more about this one from me near pub date. This review is going to highlight WHY you should pre-order this one and the next one will be more spoilery in nature 😘

🔥 MARITAL SPICE: Hotness abounds! This is marriage of convenience with a serious side of swoon. Too often premarital sex is glorified in books, but *very rarely* is sex between husband and wife written as something ______. This married couple is ALLLL about it and I was here for it. Nothing here is explicit in nature at all, but I still wouldn't recommend for young girls just bc yeah ya know, they don't get it 😅 but for Christian women, I found this sooo encouraging!

📚 BOOK LOVERS: The main characters are both readers and the literary references do. not. disappoint! Author name dropping, quotes, plot references to well known books...all perfectly placed. So well done!

🤣 THE HUMOR: Omg hilarious!!!!!! I seriously would be tearing up or on the edge of my seat, and then there would be the funniest one liner and I would be rolling! Perfect 👌
❤ THE DEPTH: I think this would be a great book club pick for a group of multi-generational women. There is a lot to discuss - marital growth, mother-in-law issues, moving to a new place, being yourself when people try to discourage your uniqueness,  family obligations. I think this book would have been great to have in my hands at 22 when I was newly married and very idiotic and selfish 😅 just being honest!

BRAVO, PEPPER. This is going on my favorites list! PLEASE GIVE US BLAKE'S STORYYYYYYYYY! I NEED TO KNOW HIS LIFEEEEEE!

Oh, my goodness! This is the most delightful book and I loved every minute of reading it.

From the beginning, Grace reminded me of Anne of Green Gables. Fredrick is not only a swoony hero, but he's also got a past he's not proud of and he doesn't think he'll measure up to his family name and all that comes with it.

Together Grace and Fredrick find that true love really does exist and dreams come true.

Ms. Basham has outdone herself with this book and currently, it is my favorite. I hope we see more of Grace and Fredrick.



Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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.

My review: Grace was a naïve young woman. Frederick was a man of the world needing a rich wife. When plans for Grace's sister to marry Frederick feel apart, she stepped in to be the bride. Grace looked at life through the books she has read. She tries to solve the mystery by thinking the way the sleuths in the books she's read would do. Overall this was an enjoyable book. The beginning was a little slow. But it was setting stage for how Grace ended up marrying Frederick. Once they got to England after the wedding the book moved along at a much faster pace. A good mystery and I enjoyed Grace's impulsive personality.

I would recommend this book to all who enjoy a lively mystery.

I was given this book by Barbour Publishing via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

This was a fun, lighthearted Christmas read. It would be the perfect book to curl up with during the holidays, as it has all the cozy vibes.

Now this was a marriage of convenience that was actually plausible. Different from the usual, ‘oh we’re trapped in a room together and now we must marry or we’ll be ruined forever!’ circumstance you usually see in this type of story. Kudos to Pepper Basham for being original!!

Grace is a fun heroine who I loved reading about. She reminds me of Karen Witemeyer's bubbly, sunshine-personified heroines and I am here for it. I enjoyed the humorous interactions between Grace and Frederick, and the side mystery was a nice touch.

This is nitpicking, I know, but I wasn’t a fan of the writing style (there were a lot of qualifiers and filler words that cluttered up the speech and seemed to be there for word count) and the dialogue seemed… contrived. Yes, I know it’s fiction and there has to be some suspension of believability. However, dialogue that uses words like 'twas' and throws in modernisms tends to throw me while I'm reading.

This is a marriage of convenience story. If that’s not your thing, you may want to skip this one. There is no explicit, on page anything, but I would not recommend to younger readers because of the interactions and many conversations about such things between the married couple. For Christian fiction, the amount of content felt a bit uncomfortable for this reader.

*I received a complimentary copy of The Mistletoe Countess through the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. A positive review is not required.*

The Mistletoe Countess is the perfect marriage of English history with wonderful romantic comedy! This is the first book I have read from Pepper Basham and it will not be the last. I simply did not want this book to end, and I had a hard time putting it down while reading it. The Mistletoe Countess kept my attention, is well written, and has perfectly rounded characters that are "real".

This is simply a perfect romantic story that grabbed my heart!

Thank you for my advanced ARC copy, it is much appreciated!

Gracelynn Ferguson was a wonderful sister who agrees to marry a count she does not know so that her sister will be free to marry the man she loves! Gracelynn is young and knows the count doesn't love her but feels she can always fall back on her love of books to sustain her! Gracelynn uses the knowledge she has gained from reading mysteries to help solve the mysterious things going on in the castle! I admired Gracelynn for wanting to make Lord Frederick Percy's life happier. I'm thankful I didn't have her mother-in-law! The story wasn't quite believable but it was a fun read! I received a complimentary e-book through NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

This book was hilarious, fun-filled, a bit spooky and romantic, all rolled up into one! Basham is a master at creating characters that are relatable and unabashedly themselves. I started this book in July and it was a perfect time to dream ahead about Christmas and lovely things.

Grace, the protagonist, is a bookworm like myself, which I LOVED! She's sassy, honest to a fault and ready to support her sister's upcoming marriage...until she finds herself falling for the man her sister is supposed to marry! Plot twists, ghost hunts and unexpected twists keep the reader's attention throughout this fun story.

Basham has a reputation for her kissing scenes, so if you're not ready for that, maybe hold off until you can! HA! Romantic, funny and engrossing, this is a book you will love to pass on to a friend just so you have someone to gush over it with!

I was an early reader, thanks to the publisher, but all opinions are my own. Don't miss this joyful read for the holidays--or any time!

This is a fun, light-hearted story that references just about every classical novel under the sun. I don't think I know anyone with Grace's extremely wide taste in books; I love to read, but some classics are more a chore than pleasure to get through, and I don't think Grace has a critical word for any of them. Grace is a lot like Anne of Green Gables, red hair and all, but even more entrenched in her imagination and the world of books. And while she doesn't float down the river like the Lady of Shallott, she does attempt swinging down a rope like Tarzan. Even from the meet-cute, she's clearly a much better match for Frederick than her sister, though the reasons grow deeper as the story goes on.

The first half of the book is more focused on the romance, and the second half delves deeper into the mystery of the attempts on Frederick's life. If you enjoy kissing books, there's a lot in this one. I'm not 100% convinced of Grace's sleuthing skills, or that even with her convolutedly clever mind she should be taking on murderers, but it all works out, and the story is entertaining all the way through.

Thank you Barbour and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

The writing is great. Characters are wonderful. But for a Christian story, Basham had the perfect opportunity to talk about Jesus and let it pass by only talking about the characters specifically. Also, many scenes (yes, between a husband and wife, but still) that classify as being steamy. Perfectly clean in language but otherwise uncomfortable comparable to other Christian Romances I've come to see in the genre.

This is a classic romance of the old style-very romantic, with vibrant, passionate characters who immerse themselves into their relationship both emotionally and physically. Everything takes place within the bonds of marriage and the propriety of Christian fiction. The plot takes a marriage of convenience and gives it an original, refreshing spin. The setting is almost fairy tale-like in its beauty. I couldn’t help but be pleasantly reminded of Downton Abbey, where a British earl marries for the enrichment of his estate and a wealthy American moves to England to claim a title. If that were not enough, halfway through the story, an entertaining mystery develops. This is not so much a Christmas story as a story that takes place at Christmastime, which makes it an enjoyable romantic read for any time of year!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this charming book. I have posted this review on Goodreads, Amazon, B&N and ChristianBooks.com.

You have to read this book! Let me count the reasons why:

1) It’s set at Christmastime but not a Hallmark movie. (I’m glad I didn’t wait to read this book just because it’s still September!)
2) The bubbly red-headed girl is too often the best friend but in this book she’s the heroine!
3) And what a heroine!
4) Grace is an avid reader and excels at bumbling through real life aided by her fictional life. I could not get enough of her and related to her exceedingly well. One of the most well-done heroines I’ve ever read. And she’s committed to seeing the hero in her husband!
5) Speaking of her husband, after first being affianced to her sister, Grace becomes his bride but the book nowhere near stops there. I for one was so grateful and glad to see the life after, including …
6) The mother-in-law plot line. Whoa.
7) Actually every character throughout also has their own thorough history. So well-crafted.
8) The plot had me on my toes and reading into the night!
9) The writing is wonderfully done.
10) I was pleasantly surprised the ending didn’t end with a pregnancy announcement but an entirely different promise of continued adventures for this couple.

I highly recommend this book. It is exactly everything I adore about this genre and just catapulted Pepper Basham to my must-read, auto-preorder list.

Also, pretty please, may we have Blake’s story next?!

It’s a bit hard to decide what to share without revealing spoilers, but I absolutely loved this book. When Lord Frederick chooses to marry an American for money to sustain his British estate neither he, nor his bride, could have imagined the gifts in store for them. I loved the characters and the gift of God that allowed all the things that went wrong, by selfish choices and diabolical plans, to create something more beautiful than they could have imagined.

I loved the hope and the commitment to joy that came through this sweet and challenging story. I would absolultely recommend this book.

I received a free digital galley of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

In This book we follow Grace and Frederick and their romance. I really liked This book, i liked the sweet clean romance. I liked the suspense in the book. But most of all I loved the Main characters in This book. The spunky grace, a kick Ass woman, but witha golden heart. Frederick the more quiet person, but a person you Will fall on love with. The grumpy butler and The quirky servant chefs kiss. I would highly recommend This book
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read This e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

Just finished reading The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham. This is the first book by this author that I’ve read, and I must say Basham has a perfectly lovely way with words. The Mistletoe Countess is a interwoven blend of Christmas, faith, mystery and suspense, and a splendid marriage of convenience story. Grace Ferguson burst off the page with explosive personality, bringing an adorable sense of humor to the book and the gray-scale Havensbrooke. Basham, the “Queen of Kisses,” lives up to her nickname in this book. However, they do encase the beauty of marriage God intended and the intimacy of married love. All the kisses, with the exception of one, I believe, occur after the couple’s wedding. If you are not a fan of on page kissing, this may not be the book for you. Otherwise, I highly recommend this lovely Christmas novel for any time of year, especially for lovers of regency romance, and readers of such authors as Joanna Politano and Abigail C Wilson.

Grace is a delightful character with a fanciful imagination. I love her enthusiasm and love of books. Frederick is desperately trying to overcome his past. The connection between the two characters is immediate. But Frederick is engaged to Grace's sister. Readers will enjoy reading to see the outcome of the relationship while trying to uncover the murder mystery.

This book is EASILY one of my absolute favorites from Pepper Basham. With a quirky-but-loveable heroine and a dashing hero in need of some sunshine, The Mistletoe Countess is bound to make any romance fan smile from ear to ear.

But, as can be expected from any Basham offering, this novel is so much more than a romance. There’s humor and mystery, but there’s a good dose of encouragement as well. Through her characters, Basham reminds us that God is never caught unaware by our circumstances. He knows exactly where we are and it is not a mistake or surprise to Him.

I laughed. I swooned. I blushed. I genuinely loved every second of this book and wish I could erase my memory so I could go back and experience it for the first time again. It’s simply a joy from beginning to end.

A slight content note: if you’re a more particular reader of Christian romance, please be aware that this is a novel about a fairly newlywed couple. And though everything happens behind closed doors, there are certain scenes that could be considered “spicy”. I thought everything was tastefully done, but I fully recognize that readers have different tolerance levels and different expectations when reading Christian fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the author. All expressed opinions belong to me.

Another winner by Pepper Basham. I thoroughly enjoyed this book that was part Regency, part romance and even part suspense. Plus there is definitely humor.

Gracelyn Ferguson is a gem of a main character. She is genuine and sweet and loyal to her family. Her willingness to sacrifice for family honor pays dividends. She may say what she thinks and find herself in dilemmas. But she has good intentions.

Frederick has not always gone down the right path. He feels like that has doomed his future. His responsibilities are weighing him down.

But that was before he met Grace. She adds so much unexpected joy and possibility to his life. Her attention to him and to the rest of the household is transformative. Her attempts at amateur sleuthing also add a fun element. I do hope that this book becomes a series.

I did read this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. I wanted to write this review.

I really enjoyed reading this story. It is well written and Grace is a delightful heroine who loves to read and is so fun loving! She may be my favorite heroine of 2021. Our hero, Lord Fredrick, is swoony and oh so British. Their chemistry is wonderful and I was rooting for them from page one. I enjoyed the humor woven throughout the story, and the great banter between Grace and Fredrick.

The story has great romance, mystery, and a lovely setting! It is a delightful read!

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.

#BookReview: THE MISTLETOE COUNTESS by Pepper Basham 4.5 stars

Pepper Basham knows how to write romance. The sweet gestures and romantic words make you giddy as you read. I like how Grace is different from your regular heiress. I enjoyed her unique character and I love her genuine and caring heart. Grace is a lover of books especially fiction which makes her so relatable. Her knowledge proved helpful too. Frederick and Grace have chemistry and they are definitely great sleuths too. I took pleasure in uncovering secrets with them and was wary too with all the life threatening suspense.

How they handled their faith was a joy to read. I prayed with them too. Grace’s endless energy was so engaging. Everyone she meets couldn’t help but be amused by her. I am glad that Frederick’s character developed and he became the man fit for Grace’s zest for life. I have truly enjoyed this book and it’s beautiful cover.

Thank you to the publisher for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.