Mr. Donahue's Total Surrender

Sophie Barnes

Jan 2022 · The Enterprising Scoundrels Book 1 · Sophie Barnes

About this ebook

Calista Faulkner had a plan: go to England, get married, and save her father from ruin. Instead, she’s now stuck in London, penniless and without the husband she’d pinned her hopes on. Desperate to return home, she seeks employment at a hotel – as a scullery maid – a far cry from the social status she has otherwise been accustomed to. But when a chance encounter with the hotel’s owner, Mr. Donahue, leads to a change in fortune and her acquaintance with him deepens, a new problem arises. For Calista knows she must return home and marry a man she hates in order to save her family’s reputation. But how can she leave behind the man she's falling in love with? How can she marry anyone else?

Ratings and reviews

Sweet story with likable characters Calista is an American, a senator's daughter, who's down on her luck after traveling to England to get married only to find her intended had just died. They weren't in love, but he was a better option than the man who's blackmailing her father unless she agrees to marry him. Steven, an earl's son, invested his inheritance in an exclusive hotel, in which Calista finds work as a scullery maid. Once he finds out that she's "high born" he rescues her from the inappropriate placement and vows to help her get back home. This part didn't set well with me, because it was made extremely clear that she was only deserving of his help due to her obvious good breeding. If she'd been just an ordinary girl from London, her situation wouldn't have been something he'd have thought she needed to be rescued from. Privilege in its most unabashed presentation. Once I accepted that this was de rigueur for the time, the story was nicely paced as Calista and Steven get to know each other and fall in love. There's a bit of conflict with some of his social peers and with his brother, but ultimately Steven solves all of Calista's problems as only a respectable gentleman can. The HEA was neatly handled, with happiness spread about for everyone. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

A lovely story for a winter’s afternoon. This tale has a young woman forced to work as a kitchen helper in a hotel with hopes of making enough money to go home to America. She had come to England to marry and it had not worked out. Her bad luck seems to follow her into the kitchen too that is until the owner takes things in hand. It is a sweet and lovely romance I enjoyed seeing Calista and Steven grow together. Yes there is a bit of a problem with the hero’s brother but it is a pretty mild event. I liked the story it was simple yet engaging. I did receive a free copy of this book from Booksprout and voluntarily chose to review it.

Sophie Barnes’ “Mr. Donahue's Total Surrender” is Book 1 in the Enterprising Scoundrels series. The story was absolutely delightful! Steven and Callista are perfect for one another and the story was such a pleasure to read. Great idea for a new series. I look forward to the next book. Steven is so swoon worthy and such a good man and Callista is an admirable heroine. They are characters you’ll root for. It would be awfully hard not to fall in love with Steven. The author combines charming characters, and evil villain, an exciting story and your wonderful dialogue creating a love story that is difficult to put down. Thank you so much Ms. Barnes for this wonder filled romance and love story.

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author, Sophie Barnes, has spent her youth traveling with her parents to wonderful places all around the world. She's lived in five different countries, on three different continents, and speaks Danish, English, French, Spanish and Romanian with varying degrees of fluency.

She has studied design in Paris and New York and has a bachelor's degree from Parson's School of design, but most impressive of all - she's been married to the same man three times, in three different countries and in three different dresses.

While living in Africa, Sophie turned to her lifelong passion - writing.

When she's not busy, dreaming up her next romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family. She currently lives on the East Coast.