If you like regency romance, To Marry an Earl is sure to hit the spot! Thornell wrote an absolute masterpiece.

When Kate's father arranges for Kate to marry to the highest bidder, her old friend, James steps in and you can't help but love him from the start.

Watching James and Kate overcome their hurtles and learn to trust each other leaves the reader feeling all the happy feels. This is a book I definitely plan on reading again. Very good!

What a sweet debut from Karen Thornell! I really adored the courting between James and Kate as they became reacquainted. The mystery of who sent the threatening notes was a great addition to the story and kept me turning pages. I hope to see more of these characters in the future, especially Julie. I am looking forward to more from this author!

Thank you Karen, Covenant Communications, and NetGalley for my copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

If you enjoy regency romance with all the adventure of a murder mystery “who done it” novel, then Karen Thornell’s debut novel To Marry and Earl is your next read!

Katherine, known as Kate by her friends, had not lived the most free lives; but she is still shocked to discover her father has basically soled her to the highest bidder. And she doesn’t even know Lord Bowcott.

On the other hand, Lord Bowcott knows Kate and has loved her for years. He is now financially stable enough to provide a life for her. But James left her without any understanding three years ago, will she be resentful once she finds out who he is now?

The story from here is not typical, I love how Thornell takes us on a lovely trail of “getting to know you” and then it all falls apart right before the big day. Will you be able to decipher who is behind the plotting?

To Marry and Earl is cute, sweet, suspenseful, and all of that is packed into a relatively short package. I am amazed at how much character development and story Thornell gives is just a little over 200 pages. You need this book on your shelves!

Thank you to the author Karen Thornell and NetGalley for this eARC!

To Marry an Earl is an incredibly charming story of Kate and James. The story is set in regency era England (Side note, I appreciated the actual reference to the prince regent!). Kate is hoping for a future where she gets a semblance of independence that has thus alluded her, but her abusive/alcoholic father offers her hand in marriage to the highest bidder. This is where James, a newly titled Earl and former friend of Kate, comes in to save the day and seals the betrothal... without Kate's knowledge.
What follows is a back and forth of trust, betrayal, and the building of a loving relationship. It was incredibly sweet, and I loved to see Kate and James coming together. There was an added mystery (someone was threatening the two of them!), which I didn't expect, but it definitely kept me more on my toes and gave more weight to the story.

Karen Thornell writes very well, with natural-sounding dialogue and setting descriptions that made me see the place without overwhelming me with detail. She also generated believable chemistry between the h/h and I was really rooting for them! I had a couple of problems with some of the decisions the hero made, but I understand all the characters can't be perfectly reasonable or where would the story come from? Overall I'd recommend this book and I'll definitely be looking for more from this author.
Received free advance ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This was an entertaining book. It was light, amusing and held my interest. I enjoyed this book, though I felt like there were some issues with some of the plot background.

Katherine Cartwright has been married off to an unknown earl by a father who needs to rid himself of a debt and a mother, who does not seem to have the will to stand up to him. When James Fenwick, the new Earl of Bowcott, learns that the girl he’s loved since childhood is being sold off like chattel, he’s determined to step in and save her. He makes an offer to her father but is determined to give Kate time to feel comfortable with the arrangement. Yet when James meets Kate, he cannot tell her who he is and so the charade begins, with friends and servants helping him in his charade. But will Kate still feel the same for James when the truth is revealed?
This was a delightful romance, and I must admit that whilst I could under Kate’s hesitancy with the situation, it was difficult not to love James. He tried so hard to find a way to win her over, despite their past history. His love for her was evident to everyone, except to Kate. However, watching their romance blossom made for great reading. Together with a bit of mystery in the background, made this story stand out.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is the story of Kate and James a childhood friendship that years later will safe Kate from an unfortunate marriage match. Kate’s father has lost a great deal of money so he decides to make a marriage match for the man who will give him the most money. When James heard of Kates fate he steps in to try to safe her. Kate is fearful when she learns her father has matched her to a Lord she doesn’t know. How will Kate react to her old friend? Will others try to stop their wedding?
Fast easy read. Enjoyed this story.
Thank you to Netgalley for complimentary copy.

I really enjoyed Kate's story - her father is unloving and wishes Kate had been a son. After his debts become too much for him to handle, he decides to "sell" Kate off to the highest bidder. But in a twist of fate, her former friend who left without explanation becomes her betrothed.

The best parts of this story were watching Kate and James restore their friendship as Kate learns to open her heart to love. The author's descriptions of the setting were also breathtaking! This is definitely a place I would love to visit. The horseback riding scenes were a personal favorite as well, since I grew up around horses.

I will say that the story was a bit predictable, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the banter and the blooming romance. Overall, an entertaining and sweet story!

This was a clean and sweet Regency romance that I quite enjoyed. A decent 3.5 stars.

Lady Kate seems to be a young lady who has everything going for her, but really, she is very lonely and isolated; she has an unhappy family life with a father who is a drunk, abusive parent and spouse; at the very least, he is a bully and disregarding of her and her mother. Her mother seems to be a weak, abused spouse, who is not able to stand up for her daughter and herself. As a consequence, she and her daughter also do not have a strong relationship. Lady Kate grew up feeling that love only brings grief, and those whom she should trust, and who who should love and value her, only bring her pain.

Her father is truly an ass and debauched wastrel, drinking and gambling away his fortune. His wonderful idea to save himself is to essentially sell off his daughter to the highest bidder.

James Fenwick was a friend to her in her youth, and they grew close, until one day, he disappeared from her life with no explanation. It turns out that he developed feelings for her, beyond friendship, as they spent time together, and a year or so before her come out, his father, a gentleman, but not a Peer, suggested that James may be able to court Kate, to her father. Her father, Lord Harcourt, took vocal offense to this, and essentially the Fenwicks ran away to Town. James was not sure if Kate shared her fathers thoughts that he was unworthy, or not. Regardless, this was another fractured relationship in her past.

As the Harcourt's fortunes decline, James inherits an Earldom and climbs in prestige and wealth, and when he finds out about Kate's situation, he negotiates a betrothal, and arranges a house party to reacquaint himself with Kate and announce their betrothal.

However, he makes several missteps along the way, including lying to her about his status as the Earl and her betrothed. They both make mistakes in communication, hiding their feelings, and unsure how to express themselves to each other, because of their past experiences with each other and in other relationships in the past.

This was well written, with some fine detailing about Kate's conflict and mistrust in others. Her sense of loneliness was well developed. It was a nice touch to have the development of a healthy friendship in the story for her; but it rather emphasized how alone she must have felt, losing contact with James when she was younger. I felt James was rather foolish in his poor communication and silly lies, but it shows his own insecurities, especially in how he perceived a rejection in the past. Neither were perfect, but both were relatable as vulnerable humans.

Ultimately, I felt this was a nicely written with a slow development of their relationships, and some nice tension with the relationships of Kate, her mother and father, and how that impacts on her relationship with James. There is also a small mystery, and some danger as well, but resolving nicely in the end with a happily ever after for the two lovebirds.

I received a free copy from NetGalley for preview.

Kate Cartwright is skeptical of marriage. She has a terribly cruel, unloving, and domineering father who sees Kate as nothing more than an unwanted financial burden. This traumatic experience, coupled with the unexplained, abrupt ending of a relationship in years past with her best friend and secret crush, James Fenwick, leave Kate disbelieving that love can be hers.

Mr.Cartwright unashamedly sees Kate as a way to pay off his debts and makes a lucrative deal for her to marry Lord Bowcott, a man who recently inherited his title. Little does Kate know that this mysterious lord is her James. So begins the story of their rocky courtship as Kate has to learn that she is worth loving and that there are wonderful and kind men like James who can be trusted.

My favorite character is James Fenwick because he shows Kate what it means to be treasured, protected, and cherished. He is not without faults, but I felt that made him an even stronger, lovable man. He realizes that keeping well intended secrets only hurt his relationship and he needs to change if he wants to win Kate. She couldn’t have been paired with a better man than James to help her heal her broken heart.

While threats to both of them were scary for the couple, it actually brought Kate and James together. I am really happy they overcame this frightening obstacle and chose to let it bring them together instead of tear them apart. I had lots of smiles as the villain’s plans go awry.

Thank you to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for a digital review copy. I was not expected to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Love is a journey and this story is a great example of that. Kate does not feel deserving of love and has built walls around her heart. I loved seeing her discover that she is worthy of love as she let her guard down. James is practically perfect it seems; he is patient and understanding with Kate. I enjoyed their love story.

What would you do if your best friend left unexpectedly one day only to find out years later you would be engaged to them? Would you be glad to see them again? Hurt that they left? Would you be able to trust the again? This book is such a little journey for Kate and James. James is adorable and considerate… and quite possibly makes some crazy decisions lol. All with the best of intentions. Kate, you can tell has been hurt multiple times and doesn’t know if she can trust again.

I enjoyed the side characters of this book a lot. They proved to provide a little bit of suspense, which I always love. The setting is amazing. If there was a house like this in real life it would be on my bucket list to explore nonstop for days.

This is a feel good book with a hint of suspense! If you love those things, then this book is probably for you! Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

This is a sweet regency romance that has mystery and drama. It was a very enjoyable read and keep me turning the pages to see what happened next. If you like regency romance you will love this sweet clean book. I received a complimentary copy from Covenant Communications via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

#ToMarryAnEarl #NetGalley
This is the first book I've read by Karen Thornell and it won't be my last.
I loved this book so much! A Regency novell, with a suspenseful theme running through it.
Katherine Harcourt has lived with a cold hearted father and has watched her mother
become a shell of her former self. When Kate's father insists that she marry, that he is
done providing for her, Kate wants to take her dowry and find some way to make it on
her own.
James Fenwick, is a newly appointed Earl, known as Lord Bowcott. He is still plagued by
the memory of Katherine Harcourt, who, he knew as a young girl. When James, hears that
Kate's father is looking for a husband for his daughter.. James is determined to not let
Lord Norwich be the man who offers for Kate. But, will Kate, even look James way, after the
way he hurt her three yearsago?
What a great book, it kept me turning pages, and staying up late.

What a beautiful story. I loved everything about James’ character. He is kind, charming, and totally swoon worthy. Karen did a fantastic job building the characters and bringing all the feels to the story. Well done!

Sweet Regency romance is one of my all-time favourite genres. So when I saw this book from Karen Thornell, I knew straight away that I wanted to read it. Then, when I got accepted to receive this from Netgalley I was excited.

Thankfully, this book did not disappoint my expectations. It was such a sweet story. I loved that there was a range of different tropes – hidden identity, arranged marriage, childhood friends. All of these tropes worked so well together.

This book is fast paced. As soon as one problem is solved another pops up in its place. I enjoyed the suspense part of this story along with the romance.

If you love clean, regency romances then you should defintely check this one out. And while you are waiting for it to come out, go check out Karen’s other regency book, Pursuing Miss Hall.

To Marry an Earl is a sweet regency of unrequited love, a desire for freedom, and a mystery to solve.

My favorite line: “Unexpectedly, he lifted her into the air and spun her in a circle, letting out a whoop of elation that echoed across the frozen gardens.”

Kate comes from a titled family, but a broken home. Her parent’s attitude towards her have left her feeling like she cannot allow others in. I felt like the author did a good job accurately showing the small amount of control women had over their lives at the time. I couldn’t help but love and hope for Kate’s happiness.

James has cared for Kate for years and wants to prove his love to her. I couldn’t help but want to cheer him on, but also coach him. He had a good heart, but didn’t know how to mend his friendship with Kate after disappointing her years before. He was constantly in difficult situations.

I loved the characters and watching their journey towards love, but also loved that a little mystery was thrown in. I figured it out initially, but the author did a good job of making me question myself. I love a good mystery intertwined within a romantic historical fiction.

I did not see the end of that mystery coming. I had a few guesses but no solid clues as to the who behind it. That never happens. I mean it could have seemed obvious but the motives and manner in which it was carried out didn't scream whodunnit.

That being said, I really enjoyed Kate's journey. She needed to learn how to trust given the treatment of her by her father and her mother who was scared of her father. She really didn't have friends and had no one to depend on. I loved the interactions with her and James. I wished he would have been a little more forthcoming, but he has his friends to get after him over that.

I felt like the story moved fairly quickly and loved the development of the main characters. This is definitely one I am going to add to my collection.

I received an eARC through the publisher and NetGalley and this is my honest review.

If you like a fun-loving, sort of silly book, this book is perfect.

The gist of the story is that James Fenwick, who had been friends with our heroine, Katherine Cartwright, until something happened to end their friendship. This book begins three years after that event and one year after James unexpectedly becomes an earl.

Apparently he has loved Kate since they were friends, and lucky for him, Kate's father is looking to sell her to anyone who offers him the most money, because he is broke due to his gambling.

Through some difficult-to-understand circumstances, he arrives at his estate, and rather than tell her that he is now an earl and her betrothed, he keeps that a secret--why?--I don't know. The explanation made no sense to me.

I don't mind a silly plot, if the story is well written with well defined characters, but unfortunately, this is not the case here.

It may just be me, but I CANNOT STAND IT when characters think aloud, especially when their thoughts are facetious and full of clichés. The characters were constantly speaking to themselves and wondering what they should do. Or asking those around them rhetorical questions, such as Kate to her maid, "What would you say to life as a runaway, Betsy?
• "But, miss, you ARE intimately connected to the earl." "Oh yes, but I don't WANT to be, and does that not make the difference? Besides, OUGHT I even to be meeting them at all?"
• "They OUGHT to have gone straight to the front, but...."
• "He OUGHT to apologize for his very existence, really."
• "She OUGHT to have been more concerned."
• "You really OUGHT to apologize to my maid."
• "He OUGHT to be grateful."
The characters said that they "ought" to do something 44 times--I know, because I kept coming across this word so often, I counted its occurrences. Same with the word THOUGHT, but I won't even bother.

Another problem I had with the writing style was the amount of exaggerated angst. Kate acted like she was in shock driving to visit her betrothed. The emotional language was over-the-top, in my opinion.
• stomach revolted
• stomach clenched
• vision blurred
• breath whooshed
• pounding in her chest
• icy fear
• stomach jolted
Kate felt all of this just on the carriage ride to meet her betrothed.

I tried to finish this book on three separate occasions, but alas, I could not make myself do it. I asked for this ARC, so I felt a moral duty to read it, but it was impossible.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

# ToMarryanEarl #NetGalley