The Mistletoe Countess

GIVEAWAY

BASHAM, PEPPER

MISTLETOE COUNTESS

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 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. 

Gracelyn 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 solve the murder mystery of Havensbrook Hall before the ghosts from Frederick's past ruin her fairy tale future.

My Review:

Seriously without words here. I'm so cafuzzlemummied my brain has shut down...circuits fried. Overheating toe curls will do that to a bibliophile's neuro-network. But I'll try to engage some residual cells to make it through some sort of a review.

Seriously...drum roll, please...I have never, ever done this before BUT the time has finally come that I can honestly say BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR!!!! And I never do top ten lists or best lists -- I love so many genres and so many writing styles and I'm pretty much the number one fan of whatever I'm reading at the moment, plus, I've never been able to rate books without feeling horribly guilty, like I'm cheating on my friends... 

Until now.

MISTLETOE COUNTESS IS MY TOP READ FOR 2021 (and I've read 270 books so far this year!) And I'm not sure I can even explain why without giving too much of the plot away so I can't gush the way I really want to in enthusiastic fangirling overdrive.

Love, love, love this heroine. I feel for Grace the way I do for the heroines of my childhood. Anne Shirley, Jo March, Lucy Pevensie, Sara Crewe...characters who shaped my world and became lifelong friends.  Grace has taken her place in this very special sisterhood, forever etched into my heart.

And this book --- I'm as drawn to it as I am to those childhood classics that literally defined me. It's the kind of story you want to hold tight and savor all the exquisite nuances that make up an unforgettable adventure. There's hope and laughter. Insightful wisdom. Deep, abiding faith. Joy -- so much joy -- even in the midst of trials. 

A plot brimming with mystery and romance. Even a bit of a Gothic vibe in places. And delightful bookish references! And as unexpected as it is familiar...hmmmm, what do I mean by that? Wellllllll, I can't tell you or I'd ruin your reading experience but once you've read it, let's talk! And talk. And talk! Because there is so much depth and heart and...

Heat...wheeewwwww....this is a kissing book so you definitely need a fainting couch, smelling salts, a fan and a spare because I swear a certain scene is what fried the motor in my fan (which has been working fine all summer, mind you!)

Which leads me to Frederick. Thud. That's all. Just. Thud. (insert swooning on fainting couch emoji here.)

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Pamela Klein and she did a brilliant job of breathing life into these characters. An excellent pairing of author and narrator. So much so that when I reached the -- gasp -- end and grew somewhat despondent and bereft, I started listening to it all over again. Yep. Back-to-back listening. I've never done that before! And I loved The Mistletoe Countess as much the second time around -- if not more.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook -- reader's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Mistletoe Countess, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday September 11 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!