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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Picking up right where the previous book left off, the Chiltons have hired Pinkerton agent John McCall to restore to them their long lost grandson, Ronnie, in order to control his handsome trust fund. Ronnie has been living with the Scott family, who loves him very much.
Penny Scott is a strong woman who knows how to take care of herself in the wilderness, she can ride, shoot, and speak her mind. She has a homestead next to her brother Cameron and plans to raise cattle, she is suspicious of John and dislikes him right away because of his job. But when they are kidnapped and held hostage together, they must work together to escape.
John is a city-livin’ Pinkerton agent, he is a master of disguise and dedicated to his work. John is comfortable with his life in the city, but he is an honorable Christian man. He admires Penny’s strength and know-how. I loved seeing them get to know each other and learning to work together, seeing each other’s strengths and weakness, with a common bond of faith.
Fast paced adventure, with everything happening over a span of weeks. The explosive conclusion to a fantastic trilogy, it is not one I’d advise reading as a standalone. I was surprised by how much I liked John by the end of this book, as he was in previous books and at that point in time he wasn’t my favorite. I loved seeing the familiar faces from the previous books, as well as Ms. Connealy’s signature humor. Page-turning suspense that was hard to put down, I found that this book ended far too quickly. Fantastic western storytelling, with strong bonds of faith and family.
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Need a break from all the negative in the world and stress in your life then please read this book for a fun filled adventure!
What do a frontier woman and a Pinkerton detective have in common a little boy named Ronnie. His aunt Penny is trying to protect him from uncaring grandparents and John has been hired to return him to said grandparents.
However when they are kidnapped by the brother of the outlaw they have just brought into town things get really bad and crazy for them. Upon escapeing their captors they become lost in the wilderness for a few weeks and when they finally returned to town they are forced to marry or have John hanged for supposedly kidnapping Penny.
Neither are happy about the situation but they are more concerned with catching the men that kidnapped both of them (and saving John’s neck from a noose)!
Penny tracks the trail while John does the investigating and along the journey they begin to learn from one another. They even begin to discover that being married to the other might not be as bad as they thought.
I loved this book it had me laughing from the beginning and the adventure never stopped!
Thank you Mary Connealy writing and Bethany House for publishing such a wonderful book!
All the books I have read by Mrs. Connealy have been awesome please check out all her books!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Unexpected Champion by Mary Connealy is the third book in her High Sierra Sweethearts series. It can still easily be read as a stand-alone book. I had not read the first two and was able to follow the story well as the author fills in enough of the backstory that the reader does not get lost or have a lot of unanswered questions. Connealy has a nice style of writing and kept my interest throughout the entire book. I was hooked from the beginning as the action starts right up and continues through the story, always keeping the reader wondering how in the world will things work out now. The characters are realistic, vibrant, and relatable. Penny is outspoken and feisty. John is, in Penny’s opinion, a long-legged galoot, and yet he is determined and quite the gentleman. Two strangers unexpectedly brought together and they become entangled in unforeseen events that lead them into danger. Has Penny found an unexpected champion in John or are these situations so tangled that only God can untangle them? The Unexpected Champion is a captivating tale of family and faith, courage and love. I am looking forward to reading more books from this author and lovers of Western romance will not want to miss this series.
I read a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.
Once again, I found myself giggling, snorting, chuckling, and laughing out loud through a Mary Connealy novel. This time it was The Unexpected Champion—the last in High Sierra Sweethearts series. The setting in Nevada in the old west, and the well-crafted, horse riding, homesteading, gun-toting characters (both friendly and dangerous) came to life quickly and drew me right in. I loved the delicious chemistry and witty, hilarious banter between Penny Scott and John McCall, the two main characters. Penny’s strong will and independence combined with John’s handy skills and determination made for a delightful and somewhat quirky couple.
The appearance of some of the characters from previous books in the series was such fun. I loved how Penny’s family and friends all had each other’s backs. If one of them had a problem, the others were ready and willing to ride to the rescue. Immersed in the story are threads of faith, mercy, and love of family that add dimension to it. I’m sad to see this series end, but I’m also looking forward to more books from this highly entertaining author. 4 1/2 stars*
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the author/publisher/NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
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.
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When Penny and John are taken against 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.
What a great book to end the series. All Penny wants to do is build her cabin on her homestead. John wants to find the little boy he’s been hired to find and get back east. The only problem is that along the way he runs into outlaws who our out to kill Penny and her family. John kills the outlaw. Now he is on the hit list of the outlaws brother. Penny knows her way around the west. Being a Pinkerton, John has good detective skills. When the two meet they butt heads. In typical Ms. Connealy form humor and mystery were interlaced throughout the book.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in anyway.
It is incredibly engaging and active throughout! I loved the relationship building Mary does with the main characters and then with the rest of the family. I want to go visit the lake as she made it seem like it will be there with her words. So thankful for her hard work, always! Read the first two then enjoy this third book! An amazing story by an amazing storyteller!!!
Mary Connealy never disappoints, and The Unexpected Champion is no exception! I absolutely could not put thie book down! I highly recommend this book!