"The Mistletoe Countess" by Pepper D Basham

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.

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.