City dweller John McCall never expected to be out in the High Sierras of 1868 on a wild-goose chase to find the Chiltons’ supposedly lost grandson. But now that he’s out here, things have gotten even more complicated, mostly due to wildcat Penny Scott. She’s not like any woman he’s ever met–comfortable in the woods, with a horse, and with a gun. When Penny and John are taken against their will … their will by a shadowy figure looking for evidence they don’t have, both realize they’ve stumbled into something dangerous and complicated. With their friends and family desperately searching for them, Penny and John must make a daring escape.
When they emerge back into the real world, they are confronted with a kidnapper who just won’t stop. They must bring a powerful, ruthless man to justice, even as this city man and country woman fight a very inconvenient attraction to each other.
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THE UNEXPECTED CHAMPION by Mary Connealy is the third book in the High Sierra Sweethearts series. It takes place in June of 1868 in Nevada around the Dismal/Lake Tahoe area when the west was still a wilderness and towns sprang up around gold mines. People were getting rich and crime seemed to be running rampant. This is the story of city dweller John McCall and frontier gal Penny Scott.
John McCall was hired by the Chilton’s to find their “lost” grandson through his employer, the Pinkerton Agency. Although he’s very good at his job and can track and find his man in the big city, he hasn’t a clue about the way things are done in the frontier. All in all he’s a God fearing man, but he’s not beyond bending the rules a bit if it helps bring in the bad guy or solves a crime.
Penny Scott is as smart and tough as any man. She’s been through a lot in her life. After the man that had been harming her family was killed, she thought that things could finally settle down. She has her family around her, staked her homestead plot of land and was ready to build her cabin to live a quiet, happy life. Love of family and faith in God had prevailed.
When John and Penny were kidnapped, they had a mutual bound – to escape and found the parties responsible. Escaping by jumping off cliffs and running for their live was the easy part. After days and days, they make their way back to town to be given the choice of marriage or John to be hung for kidnapping the girl that stood before them. They soon find out that marriage wasn’t the only way they would be united. When they see that the kidnappers are out for blood – theirs and Penny’s family’s, they join forces to find those responsible and bring them to justice.
Can they find the man with the fancy boots before harm comes to either of them or the ones they left behind? Can Penny’s skills in the frontier get them where they need to be? Once there can John find what he needs in his bag of tricks to help lead them to the ring leader? Will the Chilton’s showing up increase the risks and muddy the waters? Is a true marriage ahead or are they headed to a life alone – married but remaining single? Or will respect and admiration turn to feelings of love?
Mary Connealy writes an amazing story of danger, adventure, growing feelings of affection and a sprinkling of faith while showing the strength in family (blood or my choice) and tossing in a bit of humor. She has you turning the pages to see what excitement is over the next cliff or behind that door. Her characters are more than believable – they are enduring. They have you wanting the good guys to come out ahead, for the bad guys to pay for their crimes and for John and Penny to turn to one another as true husband and wife.
THE UNEXPECTED CHAMPION can definitely be read as a standalone. However, if you are like me and this was your first book of the series, you will be running to get book one and two. I highly recommend this book and give it FIVE STARS!
I’ve loved Mary Connealy’s books sine her first one. She writes interesting stories with many plot twists. Her characters leap from the pages straight into my heart. I find myself thinking about the characters for a long time after I finish reading the book. This story had more of the romantic comedy scenes than some of her other recent books. I’ve loved these scenes from the beginning of her career. And the twist and turns always surprise me. You won’t to miss this great read.
Reading Mary Connealy’s books makes me happy. The banter between her characters and her descriptive writing make me grin and sometimes laugh out loud. Hired by Edmond and Florence Chilton to find and return their grandson, Pinkerton agent John McCall locates young Ronnie but finds himself caught up in the dangerous threats against the Scott and Riley families. John and Penny Scott are kidnapped, which is just the beginning of their adventures together. Though the author gives enough back story that you won’t be lost if this is the first book in the series you’ve read, do yourself a favor and read the previous two, THE ACCIDENTAL GUARDIAN and THE RELUCTANT WARRIOR. THE UNEXPECTED CHAMPION is a very satisfactory conclusion to the High Sierra Sweethearts series. I found it to be purely delightful.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Everyone needed to be a champion
If you haven’t read the first two books of the High Sierra Sweethearts, hurry off and read them before you read this review! And when you’re done, hurry back – you won’t want to miss the fantastic conclusion to this series. This was the best of the set.
Penny was prepared for everything. Her cautious nature had her ready for any emergency in her bag. And that very thing saved her life. More than once. It could have almost been Marry Poppins’ bag for the amazing way she had just what was needed. I loved the way she was so resourceful, intelligent, strong, and yet willing to submit to others when necessary. She is one of my favorite spunky heroines!
John’s satchels were full of items he couldn’t be without as well, yet his preparedness looked so different from Penny’s. He carried with him the tools of his trade including disguises for every occasion. This Pinkerton detective, though more than just in his element in the city, was more like a babe in the woods there in the . . . um . . . woods.
John was admirable in so many ways. Not only was he resourceful, gallant, and handsome, he respected Penny despite her mistrust of him. He knew she was better in the wilderness than he was, and deferred to her when necessary. Still, he was fully able to take charge and had a cool head in the face of danger.
This fast-paced adventure had the two running and riding all over Nevada, escaping from their kidnappers and then tracking them down. The circumstances that they continued to find themselves in and the way they got out of the predicaments were such fun to read. Mary Connealy has a knack for balancing laugh-out-loud humor with high adventure and romance.
You can see some of her humor in the quotes here, yet there was so much more I wanted to share but didn’t because, outside of the context, it wouldn’t make sense.
This stunning conclusion to the series neatly wrapped up the loose ends from the previous books. I was so grateful the author didn’t find it necessary to rehash the details here. She sprinkled in enough to jog the memory when needed so it didn’t matter that it has been months and hundreds of books read since I read the first two books. Not to mention that they are the kinds of stories that simply stick with you.
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I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
If you’re looking for a story that is full of unexpected twists and turns, action, witty banter, and has a great setting, this is the story for you! The Unexpected Champion is the third book in the High Sierra Sweethearts series but it can be read as a stand-alone. It is my favorite of the series.
The action begins almost from the very first page – it was totally unexpected and caught me completely off guard! The banter back-and-forth between Penny and John is pretty funny – especially during some really intense scenes. I love Mary Connealy’s sense of humor! I also want Penny’s bag and everything inside of it!
The Unexpected Champion is the third book in the High Sierra Sweethearts series but it can be read as a Stand-alone. It is definitely my favorite of the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Review of “The Unexpected Champion” by Mary Connealy
High Sierra Sweethearts Series Book Three
Wow! Once your hands pick up this book and open it you won’t be able to let it go! It’s like taking the reins of a racehorse! Opening the book is like opening that race gate–you’re off on a high adventure that just doesn’t stop!
If you read the previous two books in this series, you learned who the “The Accidental Guardian” and “The Relucant Warrior” were, now in this book three, you will learn who the “Unexpected Champion” is!
When tough frontierwoman Penny Scott and city slicker John McCall meet up it is fireworks from the beginning, but add in a kidnapping, beating, a few gun fights, all while trying to survive being lost in the Sierra Nevada high country, only to be met with a shotgun wedding or a noose after returning to civilization, seems to add up to a great start of a relationship. It’s just one adventure and mystery after another as these two team up to bring a killer to justice and secure the future of a little boy.
This book will keep you reading until the very end to discover what happens to the matchup of these two people who are as different as night and day yet who each need the other to survive the conquests they are facing. You will also enjoy the inclusion of Cam, Penny’s brother, Trace, and snippets from the rest of the family, as you are taken back to the previous days of Raddo and the dangers they all faced at the end of book two.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
–Leona J. Atkinson
Y’all! Let me tell you a little something about this book right here. It’s fantabulous. That’s right. Fantabulous. Mary Connealy has been on my auto read authors list for years now. And, I always get giddy like a school kid on the play ground when I get to read her novels. This upcoming addition to her High Sierra Sweethearts series was no exception.
From the start, we are taking to the heart of the plot line, and into the lives of John and Penny. Oh sweet Penny, how I loved her! I loved her strong willed ways. And John. Lord have mercy, did I ever love him! His character really came to life for me, and I pictured myself beside him, taking each new twist and turn of being kidnapped with Penny as if I was there.
I loved the way Connealy created her characters with her trademark charm and wit. I love to get lost between the covers of one of her amazing novels because they are lighthearted and keep me chuckling on a bad day. The wit and charm of Penny and John were definitely evident in this page turner!
If you ask me, and even if you don’t, I’m going to tell you that I highly recommend this book with hats-off, two thumbs, and highest of 5 stars. Inspiration, hope, mercy and love are all wrapped up into another incredible cowboy story from the talented Mary Connealy. So, grab ya a copy, kick your boots off, and get ready to get wrapped up in another impeccably done novel from Mrs. Connealy!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.* Mary Connealy
I’m sorry to come to the end of this sweet historical western. This final installment wrapped everything up nicely.
City boy meets mountain girl. What could go wrong?
John McCall, Pinkerton agent, is hired to find the Chilton’s grandson and bring him home. Only Penny Scott isn’t having any of that. The two get pulled into an adventure neither expected and find something more.
The last book in the Sierra Sweethearts keeps you turning the pages until the end. Full of mystery, disguise, and love, the reader can’t help but want to finish it.
I loved the characters, especially a city slicker hero. Though he fumbled a few times, he still kept his hero status in tact. The ending left me satisfied but I hated to see these characters go.
Connealy delivers an action packed, swoon worthy romance. The hunt for dangerous killers kept me on the edge of my seat. I devoured this novel in one sitting.
Recommend to readers who enjoy inspirational, historical fiction.
I borrowed a copy from my local library. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
I love Mary Connealy’s hilariously witty dialog. Its like reading a western version of Nick and Nora Charles from the Thin Man.
The Unexpected Champion is the final book in the High Sierra Sweethearts trilogy. It is truly a story of opposites attract. Penny Scott, a high-spirited, horse-loving, gun-toting gal and Pinkerton, John McCall, who has come to retrieve Penny’s nephew who he believes to have been kidnapped by Penny and her brother. Both are champions for the little boy but when they themselves are kidnapped and forced to marry at gun-point, they finally realize that things are not at all as they thought. Penny and John must join forces in this action-packed romantic comedy to outwit and stop the villains who have plagued the family living in the High Sierras that began in the first book of the series, becoming unexpected champions of each other.
The Unexpected Champion by Mary Connealy
(I have voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book!)
I really enjoyed this book! John McCall and Penny Scott were absolutely perfect for each other and I loved how the whole story unfolded! All of the action and twists and turns throughout, really keeps you on your toes. My favorite part was the forced/pretend marriage between John and Penny and how their relationship slowly evolved from apprehension to friends to falling in love! And the action scenes in the book were page turning and left you wanting to know what happened until the very end!
I thought this was a great book!
Really enjoyed this book!! It was just as good as the first two in this series. I love that she tied everything together, though I’d have liked it even more if she told us a bit about what happened after they got back home. The epilogue is leaving me guessing. I thought this was the last book in this series, but maybe not!
If you like books that aren’t heavy on history, and are an entertaining read, you’ll really enjoy this book!
What a wonderful end to this series with Penny getting her own story. When Pinkerton Agent John McCall helps save Gwen from being shot by Raddo, he is taken into the confidence of pretty much everyone from the last book. A combination of McCall’s, Gwen’s and Cam’s shot killed Raddo before he could kill Gwen.
This book has it all; intrigue, mystery, adventure and love. The characters are strong and well developed. The plot moves smoothly along and you will not want to put this book down.
I hope others have been able to read this series in order, even though this is a stand alone book.
Penny and McCall go with Trace to town with Raddo’s body to tell the Sheriff what had happened. When Trace was finished telling the Sheriff his story, he left Penny and McCall to tell their side of the story to the Sheriff and went home to his pregnant wife, Deb, Gwen’s sister.
While waiting to tell their story, Penny and McCall are kidnapped by hooded men. They do not know who these men are or what they want. So begins an adventure Penny and McCall will never forget. What will happen to them? Who are these hooded men and what do they want with the pair?
Check out The Unexpected Champion and see what happens. If you like clean, historical romance, then you will love this one. I borrowed mine from the library. Enjoy!
Mary Connealy’s feisty female leads are always entertaining and this story’s hero is a steady breeze. The addition of a rather inconvenient marriage of convenience seasons the plot with irresistible laugh out loud moments.
Penny and John are a sweet example of opposites attraction, I love their chemistry and banter. The conclusion of the series arc was wonderfully satisfying and I hate to say goodbye to these dear fictional friends. I highly recommend this witty and adventurous series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
A great book filled with funny dialogue, wonderful characters, a hefty dose of suspense and quite a few evil villains! This book is #3 in the High Sierra Sweethearts series and I do recommend that the books be read in order because the three books weave a continuous thread in the plot that encompasses the whole series. I read the first book Accidental Guardian but did not read the second book prior to starting this one and I needed some time to fill in the gaps of my knowledge of the Riley, Harkness, and Scott family since the book starts out with a bang and takes off at a fast pace. If you enjoy a well-written historical romance, you will absolutely enjoy this book.
Set in 1868 Dismal, Nevada, Penny Scott has been leading a tough and roughened life in the west with her brother Cameron and his extended family. Capable, loyal, stubborn, impulsive, unconventional and with a mind of her own, Penny vows to bring down those villains who are threatening the life and peace of her family. John McCall is a Pinkerton agent who is the most comfortable ferreting out secrets and information in a big city. He possesses no survival skills in the wilderness but is hired to find and bring back Penny and Cameron’s nephew whose parents were killed during a raid moving out west. Though clueless in Nevada, John is humble, intelligent, observant, thoughtful, and brave. Penny and John are thrown into several skirmishes where they need to work together to survive and ultimately bring down the villains. Though completely different from each other, their relationship and partnership emerge from mutual respect and trust and filled with laughter.
This may be the end of the series (since Mary Connaly seems to like writing three-book series) but I would love to see some of the other minor characters, like Trace’s hired hands, have their own story! I was given a copy of the book from Bethany House via JustRead Publicity Tour and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
Y’all, Mary Connealy ends the High Sierra Sweethearts series with a book filled with danger, adventure, two strong-willed people, and plenty of laughs.
I loved Penny and her sarcasm (not the biting kind but the kind that is just plain hilarious). And then there’s John McCall who , without hesitation, goes toe-to-toe with Penny. And of course, Trace and Cam just add to the chaos that only Connealy can create in her books, in the best sort of way.
As Penny and John race to figure out who kidnapped them and who is behind everything that has happened to Penny’s family, readers are taken on a high-stakes, fast-paced adventure that keeps the pages turning as quick as you can.
The Unexpected Champion is the perfect ending to this series, and I’m thoroughly looking forward to what Connealy has instore for readers next because she just gets better with every book she writes.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
What do you get when you put a Pinkerton “City-Boy” Detective and a Rough-and-Tumble Homesteading Lady together? Well, toss in a kidnapping, a mad dash to bring a sinister criminal to justice, and a pinch (okay, more like a fistful) of humor, and you have the perfect recipe for an amazing Mary Connealy novel!!
I appreciated that the characters’ faith was a strong aspect in this book, and I also very much enjoyed some of the more unique aspects of this particular Mary Connealy novel (i.e. certain disguises and a gargantuan wall in the middle of the old west!—when you read it, you’ll see what I mean! )
I’m embarrassed to say I haven’t read the first two books in this series—yet! But I will say this book read perfectly well as a stand-alone (even though there were quite a few references that might have made a tad more sense if I’d read the first two! ), and it was a wonderfully entertaining, intriguing, and exciting novel!
~The Unexpected Champion by Mary Connealy takes you on a thrilling (and also hilarious) journey into the old west and, along the way, teaches some very powerful truths!~ Highly Recommended!! ~
Favorite Quotes—
“Marry her? Do I look crazy?”
“There ain’t enough ‘ruin’ in this world to make me marry him.”
“Cam looked at Penny, his eyes wide as a hoot owls. ‘Did he say marriage?’ ‘Yes, marriage,’ Penny stated in her most practical tone. ‘The sheriff just forced us to get married. He was going to hang McCall for kidnapping and murdering me.’ “
I was so excited when I received my book.
Let me start by bragging about this beautiful cover. It gives the reader a glimpse of th
e story it holds.
Mary Connealy has been a favorite author of mine for some years. She brings a story that captures both time and place. I always know I’m in for a captivating story with elements or suspense, mystery, faith and romance.
This historical is set in High Sierras during 1868. This is the third book in this series, but I feel it’s a stand alone story. I would recommend reading the first two books to get the full impact of the series though.
This story centers around Penny Scott and John McCall. These engaging characters are complex and intriguing. Penny is a no nonsese kind of woman who has learned to take care of herself. Even being in hands of her capturers she still kept her head about her and knew it was only a matter of time until she could make her move. John McCall lives in the city, but he learned how to survive during the war. He’s been working for the Pinkerton Agency and is on an assignment to bring a young boy back east to his grandparents. Penny doesn’t like John, but when they escaped their kidnappers her one thought was their survival. John realized quickly he was out of his element in this vast forrest and knows if not for Penny they may not survive.
I really liked Penny. She has a good heart and is motivated by doing the right thing. I think she has spent many lonely years following her brother in the army, but if nothing else she has developed skills that will help her while living in the Sierras. At first I wondered if I would like John. He was a typical male who felt he needed to save the weak female, but was pleasantly surprised when he admits that she is more knowledgeable and better prepared that he is about the area. Just one problem, there’s a mystery surrounding their kidnapping and just when they think one mystery is solved another emerges.
This book brings many twists and turns; romantic tension; characters with a softer side and tough exteriors; faith; and suspense. What more could a reader want????
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves history, suspense, or just a good, clean read.
I received this book from the publisher. I was not expected to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Mary Connealy
City slicker Pinkerton agent John McCall got more than what he bargained for when he went west to bring back little Ronnie to his grandparents and got kidnapped with Penny Scott trouser wearing female. They were forced to get married. What ensures after is filled with surprises, danger and intensely funny. This is an absolute treat to read another great historical fiction story by the wonderful Mary Conealy. I can’t recommend this highly enough
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher All opinions in this review are my own.