Happy Debut Birthday, @authorkarenthornell!

Through some super lucky arrangement of the stars (or something), I first met Karen when I signed up very last minute for a writing workshop and we were assigned the same group. The chapter she submitted for that workshop was absolutely fantastic and I've been eagerly waiting for this day ever since.

Flat out, this book is funny, sweet, vulnerable, and touching to read.

Kate has an emotionally abusive brute of a father who's stomped the spirit out of her mother and is pretty dang close to doing the same to her as well. But between the pressure of his debts and his personal frustration that Kate's a "useless" girl, he decides to auction her off.

When James, Kate's childhood friend, and a newly-minted earl, hears about this outrageous scandal, he swoops in with the highest offer. Problem is, he disappeared from Kate's life years ago and she doesn't know he's an earl.

So what does he do?

Chicken out, for starters. Then grovel, for seconds. Except his groveling looks a lot like courting and flirtation, which Kate has *no* idea how to respond to.

Spoiler: She eventually figures it out. 😉

Go pick up this book today! Or snag the ebook. Either/both works! Just... go read it already. 🤍🐎🤍

Karen Thornell is a refreshing new author and I look forward to more books by her. I think her prose is very well written: the conversations and thoughts of the characters are natural and realistic. Dialogue can really bog down a story, unless the author is more skilled than the average.

I do think the story was too repetitive toward the end, although there was a purpose for it every time. I did get frustrated with the pace of the story. And I was frustrated that Kate and James could never get together when they needed to. When Kate was given yet another threatening note and didn't get a chance to see James for another day or two... in fact she never did have a chance to tell him about that final note, if I recall? This seemed like unnecessary frustration. I felt like the reader was being strung along without a good reason to do so, and the story would benefit from some editing.

I enjoyed the characters. I could feel Kate's fear, pain and loneliness. She truly was in a desperate situation, brought on by a despicable father. Kate was without a protector, so it was good to see Julia, James and James's friends rally to her side. Eventually even Kate's mother found some backbone. And because this is a gothic style novel, of course there must be a shadowy, evil villain lurking in the background.

Overall I'm very happy to see this new author on the horizon and I hope her star shines bright in the future. I expect there will be more stories, because Julia, Lucas and Henry are still unmarried, and it's obvious Henry is trying to drown his sorrows with alcohol, but we don't (yet) know why.

This was a cute friends to more story. I love how James made Kate feel loved and seen. Although James may have not gone about his proposal in the best of way, I loved that he cared enough about Kate to want to let her get to know him again and to develop a romantic love for him. I liked seeing their trust in each other grow until they could love each other and have a good marriage. If you like a good, clean Regency romance then this is the book for you.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

To Marry an Earl by Karen Thornell

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
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Story Notes

You know how you put off doing things you don't want to do, for one reason or another? That's me with writing my review on this book. Ugh, I don't like to write a critical review for an author I love!! Karen Thornell has two other books out with really wonderful characters and stories that I have loved reading but this one.....I just couldn't like as a whole. But before I get to what I didn't like, let me tell you what I did. First, I loved the plot. I'm always up for an arranged marriage book and this one through in friends to lovers too. And the slow build towards love was really good too so that was a definite mark in it's favor. Second, I really liked Henry. He was funny, sweet and his conversations were some of my favorite passages of the book. He challenged James well and made him be brave in love. Third, I liked the questions they would parry back at forth. That gave them a chance to know one another but not make things too awkward. And lastly, I liked the air of intrigue that flowed through the book until the end. It's what really saved the book in my opinion, besides the delightful Henry. Now to the dreaded part - what I didn't like. I really didn't like the constant distrust of Kate. I get that her life had not been lending itself to teaching her trust but surely she had enough brains to see who could be trusted by their actions. I'm never a fan of people who are so unwilling to trust, despite opposing evidence, so it makes it hard for me to feel a connection with them. Added to that, I didn't like James always keeping things from Kate. He knew she needed reasons to trust him and if he had simply talked to her, most of their tension wouldn't have been there. Truthfully, if they had both been a bit more giving and unselfish, looking out for the good of the other, I really think they could have done better in their relationship. I also REALLY didn't like Eleanor Cartwright and her inability to stand up to her husband. He was a bully, yes, but the moment someone faced him down, he retreated, so she could have saved herself and Kate a great deal of hurt and pain if she had been willing to be brave. She didn't need to be rude but steel wrapped in velvet is still very effective in ensuring one is not taken advantage of by others. Perhaps others will find more connection with the story and characters to be found here. They weren't bad characters, per se, but they were ones I didn't find much in common with. The writing of the book was still very well done and the pacing was very good too. I'm still recommending this book because I think others will find it better than I did and I really believe Karen writes very well. Hopefully her next book will draw me back into the love I had for her previous stories.

I received this temporary complimentary E-book from Covenant Communications via NetGalley and am voluntarily providing this review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

To Marry an Earl by Karen Thornell is a fun Regency romance. These characters are so endearing and easy to root for. Kate and James had a friendship in their youth, but now Kate is grown, and her father is basically selling her to the suitor that gives him the best deal. Kate is not privy to all that happened when she was younger between her family and James’s family, she only knows that he was there, and then he wasn’t. To her dismay, she is whisked to the home of her newly betrothed, who unbeknownst to her is her childhood friend, James.

I adore a noble male lead. Brooding heroes have their place for sure, but I think my favorite types are the ones that are open and sincere like James. At first I did think that he was going to keep his identity a secret for much too long, but happily that’s not the case at all. Kate’s predicament tugged at my heart, and I’m a sucker for a quality marriage of convenience plot. I enjoyed their re-acquaintance, and while there are many doubts, for the most part, it feels genuine, especially for Kate and her harsh upbringing. There is a bit of a mystery, but honestly, that part of the plot was pretty easily figured out. That wasn’t really an issue for me because there were much more compelling pieces for this reader – I was more concerned with Kate and James, as well as Kate’s development and hopes to find happiness in her new life.

This is Thornell’s debut, her first full-length story, and I quite enjoyed it. I’m glad I already have her Regency novella to read while waiting for what she writes next!

Thank you to the publisher for the Net Galley copy of this novel. A positive review was not required, and these are my honest thoughts and opinions.

To Marry an Earl is written by an author with great potential, but this story itself isn’t for me. I found Kate and James to be very boring people, and their backstory didn’t feel as important as it was made out to be. There were some parts I liked, such as James’ friends, but it was also difficult to keep track of the characters and their relation to the plot. Overall, I was intrigued by the premise but disappointed in the story. This one just wasn’t for me, but I do think Thornell has talent and will continue to grow as an author. Fans of sweet Regency romance should give this book a try. 2.5/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

this book was a wonderful wonderful read!

Kate and James are amazing characters, and their love story is everything real and raw and beautiful. Kate’s past and family circumstances conditioned her to think and feel a certain way about herself and about love in general, and through the complicated and messy process of falling in love and learning to trust again, she learns how truly amazing it can be. I thought the process of her growth throughout the story was absolutely beautiful!

And ah I love James! After being in love with Kate, his childhood friend, for years and being forced to abandon her without a word, he swoops back in to save her from an awful fate but doesn’t quite know how to tell her that. James has such a good heart, but he didn’t always go about things in the best way. Over the course of this story, he goes on his own journey of love and patience, and trust and the payoff at the end was oh so good!

I also loved the little mystery elements woven throughout the story. It heightened the stakes for the characters in a compelling way and had me needing to keep reading to find out what happened next! Did anyone see that ending coming? Because I didn’t!

Karen’s unique style lent itself very well to this genre and this story, and I absolutely cannot wait to see what she comes out with next! If you're a regency romance fan at all, definitely get your hands on a copy of To Marry an Earl!

Two childhood friends, Kate and James, separated by Kate's father are reunited in a somewhat unconventional way. And their reunion is completely unknown to Kate. She's at the country estate of her betrothed, whom she doesn't know who he is, and believes that James is attending the house party. They start to rekindle their friendship, all the while James knows he is Kate's betrothed and that she doesn't know that.

I really liked James's character a lot. I loved how he stepped up when he learned that Kate's father was auctioning her off to the highest bidder. He truly loves her but is so worried about what happened in their past that he doesn't dare tell her right away that he is her betrothed. Yikes! That's not going to turn out well. ;-) But I will say that I loved all the guests at the house party. Well, almost all of them. Some of them were just kinda mean and selfish. But the kinds house guests were pulled into James's deception but didn't approve and encouraged him every step of the way to tell Kate.

Kate was a sweet character. One who really had to learn to rely on herself for pretty much everything. Her father was very unkind and cruel. Her mother was just trying to survive emotionally and that meant that Kate wasn't given the love and care that she needed. Add to that a best friend who disappears and she realizes that she can't trust anyone.

With the knowledge of who James really was, I loved how that gave the reader a different perspective while reading of their rekindled friendship and budding romance. Of course this pulls at Kate because she realizes she still cares for James but she is not free to give her heart to him.

Never fear, all is revealed, and all is fixed. But of course it isn't done in a day. It takes time and building of trust and friendship. One of my favorite ways of James working to make amends was their carriage rides back to the manor after church services. *sigh* So many fun scenes. I laughed several times throughout and enjoyed my time reading this book.

Be warned, there is a bit of a mystery and trouble in store for these two characters. See if you can catch all the little hints. I figured it out right away, other readers said it was a big whodunnit surprise at the end of the book! Duh, duh, duhhhhh!!!

Content: Clean. Some mild moments of peril and a father who is angry and emotionally abusive.

I received a copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

The path to true love does not run smoothly for Katherine and James! Giving in to their fears makes for a rocky romance, with miscommunication and deception coming between them. I loved that James stepped in and rescued Katherine, but his vulnerability shows when he hides the fact that he is the earl whom she will wed. His justification that they could rekindle their friendship before revealing it to her was thin, and thankfully his friends pointed out the flaws in his impetuous plan. Learning to trust James is understandably difficult for Katherine after all she has been through. Ironically, it is the threatening notes meant to break them apart that are the catalyst for creating a stronger bond. I enjoyed their moments together when they could interact like old friends, allowing their genuine selves free rein. The climax was a bit melodramatic for my taste, but the happily ever after was just as sweet as I could hope. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

If you are a fan of Regency romances, this needs to be on your to be read list. I enjoyed the layers within this book- it wasn’t just about the relationship. There was more to the plot, including a bit of a mystery, and it brought Kate and James closer together. Kate’s growth as a character was well done, and I was rooting for her as she overcame past difficulties and showed her bravery. The “mystery” aspect of the plot took a slight twist that I wasn’t expecting, which I always love! I’m curious about so many of the side characters and hope to hear more about them. This book was exactly what a Regency Romance should be-a beautiful relationship, a glimpse into an interesting time period, and a little bit of intrigue to keep you guessing!

I was looking for a sweet historical fiction story and I got it. Karen writes of an innocent girl, trapped by her father's controlling temper and in a home that has been broken most of her life. When her father reveals to the ton that he plans to his only daughter in marriage to the highest bidder, her thoughts of escaping her troubled life goes out the door. Enter her childhood friend James Fenwick, who hears of this arrangement and is eager to save her from an unwanted match. James initially hides that he is her betrothed and when Kate finds out she is hurt, and pained by the lack of trust. As Kate and James struggle through their secrets and their upcoming nuptials, will they fix their friendship and find love?

This story was a sweet clean read for those who love historical romance. James is a loving, and gentle soul who wears his heart on his sleeve. The love they have for each other becomes obvious as you read. I had a hard time with the back and forth though. They would trust each other, then wouldn't, trust, love, then be unsure about their engagement. The communication between them was a struggle. And with the back and forth, I felt the plotlines bounced around a bit.

The side characters Julia and Lucas were lovely. I hope maybe a story for them in the future? The last 30% was great and kept me intrigued. Overall I liked it, but I wanted more. I think this author has a lot of potential though!

Posted on goodreads Kira the.book.belle

This is a sweet regency romance with childhood friends who end up engaged to each other. Kate’s dad is awful in this book and her mom is not much better. James and his friends really make the book worth reading. I love how James treats Kate. He knows her so well he is able to tell when she is upset even though she tries to hide it. I would love to see James’s friends get their own books.

I quickly became engrossed in this story because I was always wanting to find out what would happen next! There are many fun and interesting tropes in this story: arranged marriage, mistaken identity, friends-to-lovers/second chance romance, and a mystery to be solved! I really enjoyed Kate's character in this book! I loved seeing her grow and watching her become stronger and more sure of herself! I loved James' character as well, I was just upset at first about his deception, I didn't understand why he would do that or how he let it go on, BUT he doesn't let it go on TOO long, and I was so glad when he presented the truth and to see how the story unfolded from there! James is so sweet and adores Kate and I loved how patient he was with her. This sweet romance mixed with the mystery and suspense made this a very enjoyable read! 4.5/5

A wonderful debut novel by Karen Thornell! I enjoyed reading this clean regency romance! I especially enjoyed the thread of mystery woven throughout the story!

I received an ARC through Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

Gosh, I enjoyed this book! This comes as no surprise to anyone who either knows my reading preferences or follows along on GoodReads or social media, but I read (and enjoy) a lot of Regency and Victorian romance books. As such, I find it so refreshing when a book can surprise me by its twists and turns—and this one did! The trope mashup was so much fun.

First of all, I really like James. He may have done a few things that earned an eyebrow raise or an eye roll from me, but I still loved him. I rather found myself feeling as I imagine Lady Cheltenham did: quite fond of the boy but also wanting to shake him a bit to remind him of his sense. He is far too impulsive by half but he really is sweet and genuine.

I found myself a bit frustrated with Kate a few times. But here’s a big caveat: I also understand some of her behaviors stemmed from her trust issues! She became hesitant to trust others because of the way she was raised and I do not blame her for that. When you have a deep-seated psychological issue like that, having one person do something right will not automatically override one’s reticence to trusting in general. In fact, I believe her issue was not that she couldn’t believe in love but that she couldn’t trust. (There. Now I’m analyzing a fictional character’s psychological hang-ups. You know I’m a reader now.) So while I got frustrated with how back and forth she was about trusting James, I also felt like it was believable. I liked her character strength and determination to make the best for herself, even without the support of others in her life.

The cast of side characters in this one was spectacular, particularly Julia, Henry, and Lucas. I loved them! Karen, we’re going to get their stories, right? Right??

The little mystery side plot was so great! It was fun for me to do a little whodunnit thinking while simultaneously enjoying my swoony romance. Did I have an inkling who was behind the mystery? Yes. But I also had a couple other speculations so it was quite fun to see who it actually was and how everything played out.

Okay and the epilogue! Karen, you write amazing epilogues that always make me smile. Loved it!
All around, I think this was a wonderful story! I would have liked a cast of characters list at the beginning (like Karen’s novella had) to help keep everyone straight. I did have to remind myself a couple times about titles and rank and whatnot to keep from getting confused. I also could have taken another 50 pages to get even more romance. But I’m happy. I loved what I did get and I’m really looking forward to reading what Karen releases next.

Note: terrible father; attempted murder

**thanks to the publisher and author for an advanced copy with the option to review. This love is purely my own.

This was such a sweet book and I’m so glad Karen allowed me to be on her scream team and read it early!

All my regency loving friends, this is a good one! I loved Kate and James. Reading their story felt like a warm hug. It was cozy and heartwarming.

Neither of their lives were without trials (the book touches on loss of parents, verbal and emotional abuse) but seeing how they overcame their struggles and learned to love and trust each other was so sweet!

If you’re a fan of Edenbrooke or others In this genre I think you’d really enjoy this one!!

Book Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
In her debut novel, To Marry an Earl, Karen Thornell has produced a truly enjoyable and engaging story. From its second chance romance to its hint of mystery, this book delights readers while keeping them on their toes. Personally, I loved the characters. Katherine has a difficult home situation, which is putting it mildly when you consider her own father is willing to marry her off to the highest bidder. When her old childhood friend, James, steps in to save the day it's not all smooth sailing. However, the resulting story is one of hope, love, and growth well worth reading. For clean regency romance fans, this book is an excellent addition to your to be read pile.

*Thank you to the publisher and author for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed this Regency romance by Karen Thornell. Kate, our strong heroine, no longer believes in true love because of something that happened when she was younger. Unfortunately, her horrible father has decided to basically sell her to whoever will give him the most money, no matter what kind of person they are. When her childhood friend James, newly Earl of Bowcott, hears of what is to happen he immediately offers the highest bid, essentially so he can marry her and save her. Oh, and he's been in love with her for years so he's not sad about it. The story that ensues is full of miscommunications, intrigue, romance, suspense and some scary action scenes! When I tell you I swooned in some parts of this book I mean I SWOONED! So so sweet, I just loved it. I can't wait to read more books from this author!

4.5 stars!
Such a cute novel. I finished it feeling content and satisfied. I loved Kate and James' love story and am so excited for their life. (I know they aren't real, but they are in my heart and mind 😉)
It had great secondary characters and the storyline had a lot of layers that doesn't always happen in romance novels.
Definitely recommend!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an enjoyable book. It was cozy and heartwarming!