Karen Thornell
State: Utah
Karen Thornell writes charming, witty contemporary and Regency-set romance filled with humor, heart, and happily-ever-afters. Though a lifelong avid reader, she didn’t begin writing until 2019, when she wondered what it would be like to keep her favorite characters around forever. Since then, she’s penned light-hearted romances, cleanly written with warm characters and playful banter. Her popular Greenbank Romances series, set in a close-knit community, includes Christmas in Love, Pretending at Love, and Objection to Love, alongside standalone Regency romances like Edward and Amelia and To Marry an Earl. When not writing, she juggles household tasks, family life, and impromptu conversations with her characters aloud. She lives in Utah with her husband and kids and finds joy in board games, everyday comedy, and imagining happy endings.
Genres: Romance
Audiences: Adult
Books by Karen Thornell
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The Dangers of Daydreaming
Genre: Romance
Audience: Adult
The Dangers of Daydreaming by Karen Thornell is a sweet, bookish romance about love, second chances, and finding magic outside the pages of a novel. Lucy Sinclair has always preferred fictional adventures to real-life disasters, but when her career depends on a trip to Prince Edward Island—the home of her beloved Anne of Green Gables—she’s forced to step into her own story. Enter Finn Harrison, her childhood crush turned local tour guide, who is juggling family struggles and a life that didn’t go according to plan. As their paths intertwine with scenic adventures, heart-to-hearts, and sparks she never saw coming, Lucy begins to wonder if reality can finally rival her daydreams.

The Dangers of Daydreaming
Not currently available on Bookshop.org
Greenbank Romances
Genre: Romance
Audience: Adult
Tags: Romantic Comedy, Small-Town Romance
The Greenbank Romances by Karen Thornell are charming, feel-good love stories set in the cozy town of Greenbank, where second chances, fake dating, and unexpected sparks bring plenty of laughs and swoons. From a Christmas reunion between exes at a small-town B&B, to old friends pretending at love on a Hawaiian getaway, to a driven lawyer learning to let loose with the help of her neighbor, each standalone romance delivers humor, heart, and happily-ever-afters. Perfect for fans of sweet romantic comedies with small-town charm and playful tropes.

Christmas in Love
Not currently available on Bookshop.org

Pretending At Love
Not currently available on Bookshop.org

Objection to Love
Not currently available on Bookshop.org
Edward and Amelia
Genre: Romance
Audience: Adult
Tags: Historical Romance
Edward and Amelia by Karen Thornell is a witty, slow-burn Regency romance about duty, scandal, and the unexpected power of love. When spirited Amelia Kennington is forced into London’s Season, the last thing she wants is to attract attention—yet an unfortunate mishap with Edward Drayton, the notorious Earl of Norwich, does exactly that. Their scandalous encounter leaves them no choice but marriage, though neither is eager to wed. What begins as a union of resentment slowly transforms as Amelia and Edward uncover each other’s hidden strengths, vulnerabilities, and capacity for love. But jealousies, secrets, and the weight of society’s expectations threaten to tear them apart before they can truly begin.

Edward and Amelia
Not currently available on Bookshop.org
To Marry an Earl
Genre: Romance
Audience: Adult
Tags: Historical Romance
To Marry an Earl by Karen Thornell is a heartfelt Regency romance about second chances, hidden identities, and love tested by betrayal. Katherine Cartwright has learned the hard way that love is a fairy tale and trust is dangerous—especially when her father decides to auction her future to pay his debts. But James Fenwick, the new Earl of Bowcott, cannot stand by and watch the girl he has secretly loved since childhood suffer. By striking a deal to marry Kate himself, James sets out to protect her and rekindle their bond—yet his decision to conceal his identity may cost him everything. As old wounds, deception, and lingering doubts come to light, Kate must decide if she dares to believe in love again, and if James can prove himself worthy of her heart.

To Marry an Earl
Not currently available on Bookshop.org
Christmas Forevermore
Genre: Romance
Audience: Adult
Tags: Historical Romance
Christmas Forevermore is a heartwarming holiday anthology featuring four sweet historical romance novellas filled with festive charm, tender emotions, and a touch of Christmas magic. From a reimagining of A Christmas Carol where an unexpected journey sparks new love, to childhood friends finding their long-awaited chance at romance, to chance encounters in snowstorms and holiday gatherings that heal old wounds, each story offers cozy cheer and swoon-worthy moments. With contributions from Sally Britton, Sarah M. Eden, Ashtyn Newbold, and Karen Thornell, this collection is perfect for fans of sweet holiday romances and happily-ever-afters wrapped in festive spirit.

Christmas Forevermore
Not currently available on Bookshop.org
No Match for Love
Genre: Romance
Audience: Adult
Tags: Historical Romance
No Match for Love by Karen Thornell is a Regency romance brimming with secrets, schemes, and unexpected passion. Lucas Berkeley hides a double life as a nobleman-turned-underground boxer, clinging to control while burdened by a painful past. Lydia Faraday, weary of being forced into a marriage she doesn’t want, is determined to claim her independence—only to find her fate more tangled than ever when she collides with Lucas. Drawn together by danger and circumstance, the two must navigate secrets, family pressures, and forbidden attraction. Neither of them seeks love, but their hearts may have plans of their own.

No Match for Love
Not currently available on Bookshop.org
Pursuing Miss Hall
Genre: Romance
Audience: Adult
Tags: Historical Romance
Pursuing Miss Hall by Karen Thornell is a heartfelt Regency romance about second chances, hidden pain, and the courage to open one’s heart. Miss Charlotte Hall has resigned herself to a life of quiet spinsterhood, content to fade into the background after years of family disappointment. But when her path crosses with James Hunter, a kind yet guarded gentleman with secrets of his own, Charlotte finds herself seen—and pursued—for perhaps the first time in her life. As friendship blossoms into something deeper, both must confront the wounds of the past and decide if they are willing to risk vulnerability for love that could change everything.

Pursuing Miss Hall
Not currently available on Bookshop.org
