Wednesday, June 1, 2022

CHRISTIAN FICTION REVIEW: The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham



ABOUT 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.

REVIEW

I know it isn't Christmas right now, but I loved this book so much I couldn't wait to review it!  The Mistletoe Countess provided a delightful and thoroughly engaging reading experience.  Not only was the plot compelling, but I absolutely fell in love with these characters.  They honestly felt like friends that I'd want to sit down and enjoy again and again.

When Gracelynn Ferguson steps in and marries an earl in her sister's place, she never expects to face a new home full of questions and the unhappiness of her new husband's past.  As Frederick and Grace's relationship develops and they become friends as well as spouses, Grace uses her unique collection of skills to help her husband find the healing and redemption he so desperately seeks.  With her sunny disposition and deep knowledge of fictional characters and plot lines, she works to help her husband discover what happened to the his brother, the former Earl of Astley.  Frederick's tender heart has been wounded by choices from the past, but Grace's openness and generousness of spirit helps him find the courage to face the past and work toward building the future.

Many of the interactions between the characters are wonderfully laugh inducing.  Grace is such a fun character, and quite amusing in the way she's always referring to fictional characters and what she has learned from her reading, especially the sleuthing information.  The growing relationship between Grace and Frederick is sweet and tender. The other characters provide greatly to the story as well, especially the servants reactions to Grace's often quite improper behavior.  Frederick's mother is a rather heartbreaking part of Frederick's past, but by the end, like Grace, I felt some empathy for her situation even though it's partly self-induced.  As a romance, there is plenty of kissing involved; intimate relations are shared between Grace and Frederick as husband and wife, but are kept off the page, although there are a couple of bedroom scenes where they are talking. 

As Christian fiction there is frequent mention of God and prayer and religious belief throughout the story, but it doesn't get preachy or bog down the story in any way. The contrast between Frederick's past mistakes and Grace's innocence highlights Frederick's efforts at redemption and restitution.  The murder mystery becomes a prominent part of the story as Grace and Frederick begin to settle in at Havensbrook Hall and prepare to celebrate Christmas.  The danger that stalks Grace and Frederick builds in tension until the denouement at the end where Grace and Frederick have a chance to show just how much they have come to care for each other.

The length of this review should make it clear that I truly loved this book and plan to enjoy reading it many times in the future.



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