Mr. Donahue's Total Surrender

Wonderful read. Calistas running away from New York to London because she will have to marry someone to save her father career and reputation. She ends up at the Imperial Hotel where she becomes a scullery maid. When Mr. Donahue the owner of the hotel finds out and realizes that she is really an upper class lady, he has her placed in one of the hotel suites until he can send her back to New York. They both soon realize that they are falling in love with each other. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley, and these are my opinions. I highly recommend reading this book. Congratulations Ms. Barnes on another wonderful entertaining read.

Hello! I absolutely adored Mr Donahue's Total Surrender. I could not put it down, and I found this book magical. I had just recently finished reading Sophie Barnes's Mr Dale and the Divorcee and was super excited to have been granted an ARC copy of Mr Donahue's Total Surrender by NetGalley/the publisher. I found Steven's and Calista's story enchanting. The Cinderella/love-at-first-site story was so uplifting. I love Stephen's character...he is a third son who has made something of himself and, as such, has become both established and independent... independent enough that he will not stand to be controlled by his brother but also enough, to his early detriment, of vowing never to marry. When Calista, of upper middle class New York, enters his life, both characters transform each other and themselves. She has been controlled in a way by a potential marriage she does not want. Steven and Calista are perfect as hero and heroine, and I love the conversation as well as flirtation between the two. The protectiveness Steven showed Calista was so romantic. And the chemistry between the two was electric. Sophie Barnes has a way of drawing one in from the very first word, and her descriptions of place and people are so engrossing. It is like watching a Victorian-era romance movie whilst reading (and I read this in about two hours!). Absolutely worth it!! Thank you!! :)

I received an ARC of "Mr. Donahue's Total Surrender" from Netgalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Sophie Barnes writes in a way that her readers can easily visualize everything. This is the first book in her Enterprising Scoundrel series. Calista Faulkner, a New Yorker, is in England to meet and marry her fiance. But on arrival,  finds out of his sudden death, and then must work to scrape enough funds for passage back to America. She finds work as a scullery maid living in harsh conditions at a hotel. The owner of the hotel, Stephen Donahue, is in complete shock when he learns one of his employees, who seems to be an educated lady, has been so harshly treated by her fellow employees. He is a smart businessman, who has built himself a name, and recognizes the worth of people's characters. This is a beautiful story of love, helplessness, devotion and generosity.

This is the first book in Sophie Barnes' new series, The Enterprising Scoundrels novella series.
I found it was an a very enjoyable quick read. Even though a novella, it had a full story to it.
I liked both the main characters. I found them both to be independent thinking, intelligent and compassionate. Neither one afraid of a little hard work
Can't wait for book 2.

This is Steven and Calista’s story. Calista came to England to get married. Unfortunately when she arrives, she finds that her fiancé has died. His family refuses to help her. She is forced to find work, but she is from the upper class in America. She has no skills. She is hired as a scullery maid who sleeps in the pantry. Steven Donahue owns the hotel she works in. He finds out about her and the poor working conditions. He decides to help her get back to New York. He gives her a prime hotel room and money. They get to know each other. There is something between them. Can they make it work? I loved the story. Sophie Barnes is a wonderful writer.

This author rarely fails to deliver, and this story was unique.
The heroine is an American Senator's daughter. She was supposed to marry a man her father owed money to, but she started a written correspondence with the son of a nobleman. She had been writing for a while when she told him her circumstances. He suggested they get married because he was ill and needed a wife to care for him. He would pay off her father's debts, also. So she lied to her parents, ran away, sailed to London and her fiance-to-be had already passed on. She was not welcomed by his family and her money was stolen from her in the first boarding house she stayed at. She is desperate for a job and is begging the manager of a hotel for a job and is being turned down when the owner says to hire her. So she is hired, using a fake name, as a sculley maid and has to sleep on the floor. She is treated horribly and when she is about to get fired, the owner actually listens to her, hears the quality in her voice and she is treated as a guest when he hears her story. She sends for her parents and since he is the child of an aristocrat, he provides a maid and clothing for her. The hero and heroine slowly fall....
I can't give away all the details.
This story drew me in from the start. I enjoyed the heroine actually working and doing what she needed to do and the hero had a job and worked for a living. The story had its highs and lows and it all went well together. The characters grew and matured. I recommend reading this book with 5 stars.