RTC

Book 3 of 3

Two smart independent characters are pushed together. They learn to trust each other. ( )

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Title: The Unexpected Champion (High Sierra Sweethearts #3)
Author: Mary Connealy
Pages: 304
Year: 2019
Publisher: Bethany House
My rating is 4 out of 5 stars.
Penny Scott has spent lots of time in the rugged wilderness and knows how to survive the elements. She is living with her brother and his wife and two children as they build their homes on acreage they have claimed. Penny soon will have a home of her own. She works hard every day on making this mountain land her home. The wrench in her plan is John Mitchell. He has been sent by her deceased brother’s in-laws to take her nephew home to the city. She knows first-hand how mean her in-laws can be as she lived with them for two years in the city before traveling west. She refuses to let her nephew be taken away from a loving family. John Mitchell thinks otherwise.
John Miller has been sent from the city where he lives and works out into the wilderness to bring home a 2-year-old. He has been paid for the journey, but once he finally arrives he realizes the child won’t be easily given up, even though his clients have a better claim on the child than those with whom he is now living. John wants nothing to do with feisty Penny initially, but as he sees her skill and knowledge of the land he begins to admire her and even like her sassy attitude. When they are kidnapped by unknown men, they fear for their lives. The danger doesn’t end when they escape as the mysterious man in charge of the kidnappers continues to hunt them. While on the run, their attraction for each other grows. However, John is determined to return to the city life and Penny won’t leave the country. How will they work things out, or can they?
This was a fulfilling conclusion to this trilogy. I liked Penny’s independent spirit and her amazing abilities to survive a tough live on the western frontier. She didn’t balk at hard work or complain about how difficult her life was. Her sassiness made her likeable too. John struck me as a city dandy, but he turned out to appreciate Penny’s unique and some would say unwomanly skills and was willing to learn from her. An unnatural reaction by most men of that era for sure! I like Mary’s books because the writing flows easily from one page to the next, making the story not a trial to read but a pleasure. ( )

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.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising." ( )