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Refusing Lord Blakely: A Sweet Georgian Christmas Novella
Not yet published
Expected 4 Nov 26He has to marry. She would rather marry anyone but him.
Sebastian Blakely has tried—and failed—to become the viscount his father and grandfather would have been proud of. With both men gone too soon and memories of their faces beginning to fade, he fears he will never measure up. So when offered the chance to acquire the only portrait of the men together, he cannot refuse. Even if it requires agreeing to a ridiculous find a wife by twelfth night.
No amount of wealth can erase Clara Whitmore’s humble beginnings—or convince her that any gentleman might truly care for her. With the marriage mart looming, Clara gladly accepts an invitation to spend Christmas with her sister. It promises to be the perfect escape.
Until Lord Blakely arrives.
Determined, infuriating, and entirely too interested in her, Lord Blakely is the last man Clara would ever deign to marry.
But as their small party forces them together, Clara begins to see that the boy she remembers is not quite the man before her. And as old memories and long-buried truths begin to surface, they find themselves wondering if the past is truly as impossible to overcome as they once believed.
Refusing Lord Blakely is a sweet, no-spice Christmas romance filled with banter, growth, and simmering tension—perfect for lovers of Jane Austen and romances where the last person you expect might be exactly the one you need.
Sebastian Blakely has tried—and failed—to become the viscount his father and grandfather would have been proud of. With both men gone too soon and memories of their faces beginning to fade, he fears he will never measure up. So when offered the chance to acquire the only portrait of the men together, he cannot refuse. Even if it requires agreeing to a ridiculous find a wife by twelfth night.
No amount of wealth can erase Clara Whitmore’s humble beginnings—or convince her that any gentleman might truly care for her. With the marriage mart looming, Clara gladly accepts an invitation to spend Christmas with her sister. It promises to be the perfect escape.
Until Lord Blakely arrives.
Determined, infuriating, and entirely too interested in her, Lord Blakely is the last man Clara would ever deign to marry.
But as their small party forces them together, Clara begins to see that the boy she remembers is not quite the man before her. And as old memories and long-buried truths begin to surface, they find themselves wondering if the past is truly as impossible to overcome as they once believed.
Refusing Lord Blakely is a sweet, no-spice Christmas romance filled with banter, growth, and simmering tension—perfect for lovers of Jane Austen and romances where the last person you expect might be exactly the one you need.
178 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 4, 2026
About the author
Karen Thornell
15 books377 followersKaren Thornell grew up reading when she should have been sleeping, but it wasn't until 2019 that she started writing. Tired of ending books and saying 'goodbye' to beloved characters, she wondered what it would be like to have her own characters that lived in her head always. It was probably a mark of sleep deprivation that she wanted people living in her head, but the idea was planted regardless.
Karen lives in Utah with her husband and kids. When not writing contemporary or regency romance, she spends her free time doing endless loads of laundry, playing board games, and, yes, talking to those characters in her head.
You can connect with Karen on Instagram, Facebook, or on her site at www.karenthornell.com
Karen lives in Utah with her husband and kids. When not writing contemporary or regency romance, she spends her free time doing endless loads of laundry, playing board games, and, yes, talking to those characters in her head.
You can connect with Karen on Instagram, Facebook, or on her site at www.karenthornell.com
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 14, 2026
I loved this story so much! Loved Lord Sebastian Blakely and Clara. Clara was hurt by him in the past so she wants nothing to do with him. Lord Blakely needs to find a wife by twelfth night. He decides on Clara but things don’t go as planned. I admit I did feel bad for him because he didn’t even know why she disliked him. I liked when they became more friendly and helped each other. I particularly liked the ice skating scene. Great Christmas vibes. Overall a great read!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
October 9, 2026
As an ARC reader, I received an advance copy of ‘Refusing Lord Blakely’ by Karen Thornell in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and this is a five-star read!
Karen Thornell once again artistically crafted her characters and story with such depth. The found family trope is woven beautifully throughout, adding a rich sense of belonging, and I loved that she kept the two protagonists from the first book in this one. The journey of honesty, forgiveness and love of the protagonists was so heartwarming although difficult as trust had been destroyed early on. It shows that we should never judge too harshly by our first impressions.
The themes of forgiveness, redemption, and hope kept me turning the pages non-stop. I read it in one sitting, and Thornell’s talent for rich, layered storytelling is unmatched. I highly recommend this story to anyone who loves heartfelt Regency romance—it’s a must-read!
Karen Thornell once again artistically crafted her characters and story with such depth. The found family trope is woven beautifully throughout, adding a rich sense of belonging, and I loved that she kept the two protagonists from the first book in this one. The journey of honesty, forgiveness and love of the protagonists was so heartwarming although difficult as trust had been destroyed early on. It shows that we should never judge too harshly by our first impressions.
The themes of forgiveness, redemption, and hope kept me turning the pages non-stop. I read it in one sitting, and Thornell’s talent for rich, layered storytelling is unmatched. I highly recommend this story to anyone who loves heartfelt Regency romance—it’s a must-read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Refusing Lord Blakely is a lovely novella, set in the Georgian time period. Clara Whitmore was looking forward to staying with her sister and her sister’s husband for Christmas, away from the busy demands of society. She was disappointed to find out that Lord Blakely would also be spending the holiday with them, especially since she has disliked him ever since she was a teenager. Lord Blakely enjoyed meeting Clara at the Harvest Ball and now that he needed to marry, he thought of pursuing her first. Nothing went as expected for either of them, but in the end, they learned to be honest with each other and learned to forgive as well.
This book was wonderful! I ended up staying up late a few nights to finish it. I loved the banter in this book. I also liked how Clara and Sebastian had to learn to be completely honest with each other for their relationship to work. It is a good reminder to us all that trust comes from honesty and forgiving each other, because no one is perfect.
This is novella is connected to Thornell’s novella Recalling Lord Ellison, in the Timeless Georgian Collection: Harvest Ball. Although it is the second book, it reads completely as a standalone. It doesn’t matter which order you read them in, but I recommend reading both!
Content: Clean, kisses only. No profanity. This was a delightful read, and it was so nice to be able to relax and read without worrying about the content.
I received this book as an ARC from the author. All these thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book was wonderful! I ended up staying up late a few nights to finish it. I loved the banter in this book. I also liked how Clara and Sebastian had to learn to be completely honest with each other for their relationship to work. It is a good reminder to us all that trust comes from honesty and forgiving each other, because no one is perfect.
This is novella is connected to Thornell’s novella Recalling Lord Ellison, in the Timeless Georgian Collection: Harvest Ball. Although it is the second book, it reads completely as a standalone. It doesn’t matter which order you read them in, but I recommend reading both!
Content: Clean, kisses only. No profanity. This was a delightful read, and it was so nice to be able to relax and read without worrying about the content.
I received this book as an ARC from the author. All these thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 15, 2026
What a heartwarming read! I received this as an advanced copy and I couldn’t put it down! It was a beautiful story of finding who you are after dealing with hardship and loss. Clara and Sebastian’s story is a sweet Georgian novel that encompasses many themes of love, friendship, loss and finding your way in life. It is a story that reminds us to see the good in everyday and in each other.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Past hurts are hard to erase, but when they are finally are let go, the future is full of possibilities! This book is tied to the author's novella in The Autumn Ball collection, and it was fun to see how the pieces all fit together. With a small dusting of Christmas traditions, this sweet story showcases how the main characters both learn and grow through the holiday season. Well worth the read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
An adorable Georgian Christmas novella! I am so excited we got Clara's story!
I received an ARC from the author and all opinions are my own.
I received an ARC from the author and all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
☕ Top-Tier Espresso - 5 Stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sebastian and Clara completely won me over! I loved their playful banter, but what really got me was watching Sebastian go from believing every mistake made him an unworthy viscount to realizing he could grow without being perfect. Clara had every reason to hold his past words against him, so watching her slowly let him in made their romance all the sweeter. Add a little holiday magic and a hero who falls harder than he planned, and I was smiling. 🙂❤️
Thank you, Karen Thornell, for the ARC copy! 💗
Sebastian and Clara completely won me over! I loved their playful banter, but what really got me was watching Sebastian go from believing every mistake made him an unworthy viscount to realizing he could grow without being perfect. Clara had every reason to hold his past words against him, so watching her slowly let him in made their romance all the sweeter. Add a little holiday magic and a hero who falls harder than he planned, and I was smiling. 🙂❤️
Thank you, Karen Thornell, for the ARC copy! 💗
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews