I so wanted to like this book! It had great potential in the beginning, but the plot was entirely predictable. I kept reading, hoping I was wrong, it couldn't be this obvious! But it was. I found the ending to be very cliché and I was so tired of hearing about how James couldn't keep his hands out of his hair.

Very sweet Regency romance! I really enjoyed the story and how Kate came into her own. The only reason this wasn’t quite a five-star book was that it was way too easy to figure out the villain of the piece. Other than that, excellent!

A clean regency romance full of lively characters and mystery. I found this quite entertaining and loved how the became reacquainted with each other.
The thing that drove me nuts was how easily they kept doubting their feelings for each other. Every other day they didn’t know what to do or how to feel. It was silly really.
Having said all that I know that I will definitely read another by this author.
I hope this was helpful.
Thanks Covenant Communication via Netgalley.

You know all the hype about cuddling up with a book, blanket and hot chocolate? Well To Marry An Earl is that book in the triad of the perfect book day equation. Sure it's a simple life buuuut listen, it's bliss. I know you feel my words deep in your soul.

Karen Thornell was given a great talent to show the world what a "James and Kate" love trope is. Unconventional engagement, house party, honor bound secrets, odd relatives, and earned trust. Whew and there's more! Yet I am not about to spill my very favorite part. *Bouncing my eyebrows up and down with this information* 😏

I completely enjoyed this story. Pre-order this debut novel. It's like she has been writing for years.

This is my honest opinion of an ARC.

This was a sweet arranged marriage, friends to lovers and second chance romance. Kate and James are wonderful characters who really deserved a HEA. I really enjoyed their relationship, even though they both made a lot of mistakes. There was a slight suspense element, but I felt it was pretty obvious, but it kept the tension going through the story. I kind of hope this is the beginning of a series. I would love to read Lucas, Henry and Julia's stories.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley, and this is my honest review.

Synopsis:
Kate, a debutante with an absolutely awful and in debt father, is quickly put up for auction to be married to the highest bidder. Absolutely mortified, she is sent off to the house party of her betrothed without knowing whom she is marrying. In a conundrum of mistaken identities, James, her betrothed, must come clean to his ploy to win her heart, but try not to ruin their future forced marriage. Will she be able to trust again, or will she succumb to the heartbreak of the past?

Review:
Y’all….. this Regency novel is just the best and cutest! It has several tropes: mistaken identity, marriage of convenience, and friends to lovers. Each one done so well that the plot just flows and concludes with so much mystery, suspense, and anticipation. I loved the character development, and how Karen wove their backstory melodiously through their current story. I loved the weekly questions, the notes, the rain, and so much more! This book has quickly become one of my favs of the regency time period!

I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys Regency Clean reads with multiple tropes…. why have one when you can have three?!?

Content Warnings: Emotional Parental Abuse and Abandonment
Clean Rating: 100% squeaky clean with some adorable kisses and swoon worthy spins…. IYKYK!

Thank you to @netgalley and @authorkarenthornell for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% my own.

This is the first book I have read by this author. While I love the regency era, this one could use a little work. We can all improve as we learn and grow. Kate is a young woman who has been bullied by her father. She has no desire to be pushed into marriage, when she has seen her father, belittle her mother. The only person she ever trusted, was a young man who had befriended her in their youth. But he also stomped on that trust, when he and he family moved away and she never knew what happened to them. Now she is being forced to marry the highest bidder, just so her father can pay his debts. The storyline was good and had potential, but moved along at a bit of a slow pace. The characters were just a little flat. I didn’t feel the chemistry I would have liked. The side characters were also, just there, nothing extraordinary. About halfway through a mystery appeared, but again no interesting twist or turns, until the 90% mark of the book. Now that being said, I did finish the book. I did enjoy the book. I just wasn’t fully invested in the book. I believe the author has a lot of potential and I will still follow and read her books.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I felt so bad for Kate in the beginning of this story. Her father is a horrible person. After she is auctioned to the highest bidder she meets an old friend, James. As they become closer, there are threats to deal with and secrets that comes to light. This is a sweet clean romance that is really well written. I would encourage you to give this book a chance!

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK! Being a debut novel I was a little nervous, but the characters made me laugh, but made me frustrated at other times. There was excellent communications, but also typical silliness.

I enjoyed reading an e-ARC of this book! I had seen people talking about it around bookstagram, so I was thrilled to receive a copy!

I loved Kate, and I thought her character development was beautifully done! The themes of loneliness and rejection tugged at my heart, and I wanted to give Kate a hug. Her friendship with Julia was beautiful; I loved seeing Kate make a friend, and Julia was a great character! In fact, I would love to see a book with Julia as the main character!

I didn’t care for James quite as much at first… It just felt like he didn’t have a very good reason for initially lying to Kate or for continuing the lie. I loved the scenes where he was courting her though, and I did like him better in the second half of the book!

I enjoyed Karen’s writing style, and I look forward to seeing what she writes next!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4/5 stars

To Marry an Earl is my first Karen Thornell book and I loved it. This is a sweet romance with a lot of ‘stuff’ going on. Let’s begin with Kate’s dad being a bit out of his mind for trying to ‘sell’ her off to cover his debts. Then, her mom is a bit of a weak doormat who lost her self while married to a debt-ridden husband. Single adult child Kate has to live with both of them. Along comes former childhood friend James, who is actually the one who is ‘taking’ her off of dad’s hands and gee, what a mess!

James is afraid to tell Kate he is the earl who has ‘won’ her hand. He wants to win her heart before marriage, but she believes she is engaged to this earl. Did I say there is a lot going on? Add in the cousin, who it was believed to be the earl upon the previous one passing, his mother and sisters. Let’s include threatening letters to keep Kate and the earl from marrying.

Overall, it is a delight. I loved the ‘clean’ romance and gentleness with which James treated Kate. I was slightly disappointed no one suspected the real villain a bit earlier in the story, but that does not take away from Kate and James HEA. Just enjoy it for the light-hearted read it is.

Kate's father is in debt and is seeking her in marriage to the highest bidder. Her childhood friend James catches wind of her sitting and is determined to rescue her- but he bungles it, of course, and mass confusion abounds. Not to mention, threatening letters add a smidge of suspense.

I laughed so much at the beginning of the story. But by the middle of the book, the misunderstandings piling up got a bit worn out, and while I liked and identified with Kate for a portion of the first half of the book, I felt like both she and James were a bit dense for not figuring out things sooner. Lots of eye rolling in the final 1/3 of the story due to the excessive misunderstandings and near miss chances to communicate and figure things out. It was an enjoyable read, but I'm not sure I'll re-read it. 3.5 stars, rounded up.

James has cared for his childhood friend Kate for years but lost contact with her after her father separated them, rejecting his prospective suit. So when he hears that the man is desperate for money and virtually auctioning her off to the highest bidder, he makes sure that's him. Since they last met, though, he has unexpectedly inherited an earldom from a distant cousin, so all that Kate knows is that she's been unwillingly betrothed to the Earl of Bowcott. An emotionally abusive father has left her leery of marriage and reluctant to trust others, and James knows that he's up against it if he hopes to have a willing wife by the time the banns have been called. Through a hastily-arranged house party, he attempted to bring normality to their unconventional betrothal and to renew their friendship, but when anonymous notes start arriving, he realises that his problems are larger than he thought. Can James win Kate's trust in time, and keep her safe from whoever is sending the notes?

I recently read and enjoyed a novella by this author, which gave me high expectations for this full length novel - and I certainly was not disappointed. The mystery is done well, with some good red herrings, and I particularly enjoyed the growth of the friendship and romance between James and Kate. It felt both so natural and so tender, even when it had to overcome obstacles. I'd love to see James' friends get their own stories - they seem to be begging for them... All in all, this is a clean, well written and very satisfying story. Recommended.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

To Marry An Earl is a childhood friends to lovers regency romance. Kate is an only child whose parents fell out of love after several miscarriages failed to produce an heir. Consequently Kate’s father decides that Kate is only useful to him if she marries a wealthy young man who is willing to buy Kate’s hand in marriage. It just so happens that Kate’s estranged childhood friend, James, has recently inherited an earldom and is in the perfect position to take Kate off her father’s hands and save her from a horrific marriage. It has been years since James and Kate have seen each other and James is worried that his abrupt departure years earlier damaged their relationship and will ultimately prevent Kate from trusting him. In the weeks leading up to their wedding James and Kate strive to rebuild the friendship they once had. However past experiences have taught Kate to build walls that prevent her from trusting and loving her betrothed. Can James tear down Kate’s walls and convince her to trust him or will he end up heartbroken when his childhood sweetheart does not return his affection?

I found the overall premise of this story to be interesting, but as much as I wanted to love this story ultimately I didn’t end up enjoying it. I had a hard time connecting with the characters, I found the plot to be a bit choppy, and overall the story didn’t capture my interest. I felt like Kate’s ups and downs were a lot like a pendulum, she was constantly going back and forth between loving and trusting James and being hurt and upset and not trusting him. In Kate’s defense James did a lot of things that he thought would help him obtain her love and trust that ended up being hurtful. Both the characters had their flaws and I did enjoy seeing them grow and progress, but I personally would’ve rather seen a gradual consistent progress than a back and forth act.

I also struggled to keep an interest in the plot because it kept changing. There were a lot of small challenges and side plots that did add to the overall concept of building up a level of trust, but I personally would’ve preferred to have one or two major challenges that they learn to overcome together. It just felt like we were hopping from one thing to the next and it felt busy to me. It also felt busy because there are a lot of side characters. Yes the story takes place during a house party, but we didn’t have a ton of opportunities to see the supporting characters and see them interact with the main characters. Consequently I had a hard time keeping track of who is who, and who is related to who, and how they’re connected to the main characters. I would’ve liked to see more group activities rather than Kate and James trying to court each other privately with a bunch of people staying at the house so the gossips don’t get the wrong idea. I think Kate could have learned that James is trustworthy in part by watching him interact with his friends and family and I’m disappointed that we didn’t get to see any of that.

Overall it is a cute story and has a lot of elements I’ve seen and enjoyed in other regency romance novels, but I didn’t have an emotional connection with the characters, the plot didn’t really keep my interest, and I just didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. However, I know several other readers who have enjoyed this story, so in the end I think this particular writer just isn’t for me. I think if you’re someone who enjoys regency romance, childhood friends to lovers, arranged marriages, characters overcoming childhood trauma and learning to love and trust within a marriage, you may very well enjoy To Marry an Earl.

To Marry An Earl was my very first regency romance and I couldn’t have adored it more. Karen Thornell wrote an absolutely beautiful book set in regency era England which centred around the love story of Katherine Cartwright and Lord Bowcott. I have to admit I was taking a bit of a chance on this book and wasn’t sure regency romance was my cup of tea but this one was hard to put down, I truly enjoyed it from cover to cover and look forward to reading Karen’s other book Persuing Miss Hall as well.

Katherine Cartwright didn’t exactly grow up in a household filled with love and laughter. Her parents were about as far from a love match as one could get. For this reason Kate herself doesn’t believe love truly exists. She finds herself upon a third London season, hoping it will be her last and she may find a way to escape the life that has been laid out for her. However, when her father finds himself in deep dept he auctions off his only daughter to the highest bidder.

James Fenwick, Kate’s long lost childhood friend recently inherited an earldom and the new title Lord Bowcott. When they were growing up James had a real fondness for Kate but her father made it abundantly clear he and his family were worthy of his daughter. Now several years later and with his newly inherited title James meets with her father and negotiates a betrothal upon hearing of Kates situation. Only noone told Kate Lord Bowcott and James Fenwick are one and the same.

This was such an easy and enjoyable read with a really nice flow throughout. Kate is sweet and innocent but it is obvious the treatment she has received from her father through the years has left a mark on her. Her mother having been unable to provide her husband with an heir also suffered her husbands anger and disappointment. Unfortunately Lady Harcourt has been unable to support her daughter the way she needed leaving Kate battling her doubts and loneliness, especially once James moved away without warning.

I think James is my favourite character in this book. I thought it was really admirable of James to make such an effort to rekindle their friendship and build a loving relationship leading up to their wedding. Yes he wants to marry Kate but more so he wishes for Kate to want to marry him and it clearly means a lot to him that they rebuild the trust they once shared. I thought his lies were a bit silly and didn’t fit with how deeply he cared for Kate but it also shows his insecurities in pursuing a woman he had previously been told he was unworthy of.

There were a lot of fun elements to this book, the arranged marriage, mistaken identity and even mystery notes threatening their happy union which all wrapped up beautifully at the end.

The question remains, is a love match truly possible or are they headed for a loveless marriage like the one which has turned her mother into a shell of the woman she once was? More than anything will she find the courage to trust again? Will Kate make it to the alter?

Thank you to Karen Thorneell, Covenant Communications, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I just finished reading Karen Thornell's To Marry an Earl, due out, September 1, 2021. Thank you to Covenant Communications, Inc. and the author for providing me a copy in exchange for my review.

To Marry an Earl begins with a heart wrenching scene. The main character, Katherine, comes from a chaotic family. As such, she lacks the knowledge of what a loving family should look like.

Accordingly, she does not know what a true marriage looks like because of the animosity her father feels towards her mother. Even though we feel the main character's pain, the opening chapters propel the novel into a beautiful love story.

In a drunken rage and looking to "rid" himself of his daughter, Katherine's father pretty much sells her to the highest bidder. From here, we meet the main character's love interest, James, a truly swoon-worthy Earl.

Analysis
I love this story. In fact, it captures the very essence of the regency period with the pomp and circumstance that surrounded the Season. The author's description of the English countryside makes it easy to picture its beauty.

Secondary characters read delightfully, for the most part. A few of James' friends feel over the top, not at the fault of the author. Consequently, their actions cause Katherine to pause for a moment, seeing vestiges of her past. Additionally, evil surrounds the villain. And kudos to the author for not providing any clues as to who it is. Sometimes, authors can lead their readers where they want them to go…even going so far as to point out the villain. Not the case here.

If any critique, the author did not indulge enough time to write out Katherine's relationship with her parents. Katherine cannot see James' love as true because of this tragic circumstance. This part of the storyline read too quick, and her reluctance to marriage was not expounded enough. But, I understand the need to capture the reader's attention and to hold it. Divulging further details would have detracted from the novel as a whole.

As a side note, the earl's home reminds me greatly of Pemberly, so great is the description.

Bottom Line
All in all, To Marry an Earl satisfies as a regency novel. I look forward to reading more by Karen Thornell.

As a final note of caution, this book contains a bit of drinking and drunkenness.

This is my first exposure to this author and I found that I enjoyed this story very much.

Katherine Cartwright was an only child and a disappointment to her horrible father. Since she was to be his only heir, and not a son, she was a bother to him. He couldn't wait to get rid of the responsibility for her. So, after two unsuccessful London seasons, he was going to "auction" her off. He would be the one to find her a husband and be rid of her once and for all. Her parents marriage was a disappointment to Katie as she saw no love there; only dominating control from her father and passive acceptance from her mother. The only other person who had ever shown Katie a measure of love was her friend and neighbor, James, who had disappeared from her life without a trace or a goodbye. She was certain that she would never be deserving or be able to find true love.

James was a gentleman's son but with no title, and no financial security, he was forced to leave along with her parents their family estate because of Katherine's father's ruination of his father's reputation and only because James and Katie had become close. Now, James had inherited an earldom and had money, title and property. When he found what Katie's father had planned for her, he was determined to save her from an awful fate with some less than deserving husband. His challenge now would be to convince Katie that she was deserving of his love and earn her love in return.

This was a beautiful story of healing, understanding and true love. It was a clean and wholesome read and had a happy ending. I look forward to more wonderful stories by this author.

I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.

Katherine Cartwright for the last two years of her come out she had tried to stay unmarried. All she wanted was her dowry and she could move out and work as a governess. There was no need to even see her parents again.
Apparently, her father had lost money again and was furious. He bemoaned her very existence. Lord Harcourt came home super angry and wanted to know why she was not married yet? He was mean and cruel. His wife was even afraid of him. He told them that he was going to sell her to the highest bidder.
James Fenwick, the seventh Earl of Bowcutt, was trying to get inside the door at White's but there were so many men at the gambling book it was hard. Henry told his two friends, James and Lucas, what was going on. James felt bad for Kate. They use to be good friends. He couldn't think so he took a walk and found himself in front of Harcourt's. He stood there a few minutes and finally crossed the street and banged on the door. He passed the Lord of Norwich. Who told him he was too late. but James went in and talked to Lord Harcourt.
This was a lovely story of a young couple trying to know each other and come to understand, they had to make the best of it. Although the earl did try to make it easy on her. The main characters had a few problems. James kept trying to make decisions for her and she didn't like it. The other characters were wonderful and tried to help. Her mother spent the first week they were there in bed. Right after telling them, he had sold her, he went back to London so they didn't have to deal with him for a while.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

This was a lovely, sweet regency romance.
I enjoyed the author's voice and the main characters are easy to love.
Kate doesn't trust the notion of love, and James has recently inherited an earldom. The two of them were close friends several years ago, but when James left suddenly and never came back, Kate felt that she had lost her only true friend.
I enjoyed watching Kate and James get reacquainted and for them realize they were perfect for each other.
I am looking forward to future books from this author and hope that some of the side characters from this book get some more time on the page.

This is the first book I’ve read from Karen Thornell and it won’t be my last! I thoroughly enjoyed this Regency romance. There are so many great elements: there’s secret identity, an evil father and weak mother, a mystery complete with threatening letters, and plenty of swoon worthy romance.

Kate has an awful father. When he runs into deep debt, the only way he figures he can get out of it is by auctioning off his only daughter in marriage to the highest bidder. James Fenwick, the new earl Lord Bowcott, hasn’t seen the woman he’s loved since childhood in three years. When he left, it was sudden and without explanation. Hearing Kate’s name bandied about in the clubs, he decides with his new title and wealth, he’ll marry her himself. Kate is told that a marriage has been arranged and she’s whisked away to her future home, the beautiful Newark Park, but her betrothed is not there. When James finally shows up, she doesn’t realize he’s the new earl. James decides hiding his identity may be the best way to get Kate to love him again. But, how long can he hide his true identity and is this the best plan to win Kate when she has learned that loving someone only brings pain? Along with this subterfuge, is the arrival of threatening letters. With a houseful of people, a rake who tried to marry her himself, and her father returning for their betrothal ball, there are plenty of suspects who might be behind the threats and not want the marriage to take place.

James is adorable. He is so patient with Kate. I loved the way he carefully tried to win her friendship and love. It was always one step forward two steps back. At times he lacked confidence, and tried to hide unpleasantness from Kate, but throughout the story he begins to see his own folly and strives to change. He is delightfully open with his affection and feelings when he feels it’s appropriate and provides several swoon worthy moments.

Because of Kate’s horrid father, she has difficulty trusting others. When James left three years ago without explanation, it broke her heart. She’s leery of giving her heart to him again. Kate’s stubborn and very understandably cautious, however I enjoyed her growth throughout the story. She was determined not to fall in love or open herself up to anyone, but little by little she begins to trust others and put everything on the line for love and happiness.

This book was hard to put down. It’s a quick fast-paced read that had the perfect balance between a slow build romance from friendship to an action filled conclusion with several twists. I highly recommend this to those who love clean historical romance. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author! I received a copy from the author and the publisher through NetGalley. This is my honest opinion and I was not required to give a positive review.