Celebrate Lit / June 5, 2026

Gingham Mountain

About the Book Gingham Mountain

Book: Gingham Mountain

Author: Mary Connealy

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: May 26, 2026

From beloved author Mary Connealy comes a heartwarming Western romance about faith, family, and finding love in unexpected places—a touching tale of a devoted bachelor rancher, a determined schoolteacher, and the orphaned children who bring them together. Perfect for fans of Tracie Peterson and Karen Witemeyer.

Grant Cooper has dedicated his life to taking in orphaned children others have overlooked, building a loving family on his rugged Texas ranch. When a new schoolteacher arrives in Sour Springs with strong opinions about his unconventional household, he finds himself drawn to her fierce spirit—even as she challenges everything about his carefully ordered world.

Hannah Cartwright’s own painful past as an orphan makes her wary of the bachelor rancher raising children alone. But as she gets to know Grant’s extraordinary family, she discovers there’s more to him than meets the eye. When dangerous enemies threaten both their futures, Hannah and Grant must learn to trust in God’s plan—and each other.

Can a man who’s sworn never to marry risk his heart for love? And can a woman who’s known only betrayal find the faith to build a true home at last? A touching story of healing, hope and the family bonds that transcend blood.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts on Gingham Mountain

Gingham Mountain is a wonderful historical fiction romance novel that you’re going to want to binge-read, as well as the others in the series. Because, yes, this is the third book in the series. You’re going to adore all of them!

Grant is a single man, but he’s rescuing and providing for orphans. Hannah was an orphan raised with some other girls by an abusive stepfather and forced to work in a mill. So, when Hannah sees Grant raising children on his own who were orphans, her own experience immediately causes her to see red flags everywhere!

Can I rant for a second? I love how the author addresses the bedroom situation in an interview, how she was raised in a two-bedroom house with 8 siblings! It’s great! You see, we have 13 kids and live in a five-bedroom house, and people can’t believe it! They don’t think 3 or 4 kids should be in a room. Well, not everyone needs their own room. It’s okay to share. It builds character and teaches lessons.

Whew. With that done. On to the novel!

Hannah was seen in a brief cameo in an earlier book in the series. Her sister Grace was the main character. Now we get her story! Love when we have stories that intertwine like this!

Grant has no last name of his own. He’s an abandoned child himself. And thus his love and care for the orphans. Hannah has to get to know him to see that he’s not bad and does actually care. There are some misunderstandings and scuffles along the way. This was a fun, sweet novel, and I fully recommend it.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

About the Author of Gingham Mountain

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedies with cowboys and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She is a two-time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys, always with a strong suspense thread. She is a two-time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist. She is the bestselling author of 75 books and novellas. She has over a million and a half books in print.

Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. Visit her website or find her at Petticoats & Pistols!

More from Mary

Gingham Mountain is the third book in this series. The first books I got published…though there were other things sprinkled in after Petticoat Ranch, the first in the series.

I think of Petticoat Ranch as my husband’s story. A mountain man who’d never been around women finds himself married to a widow with four daughters.

Then Calico Canyon is my husband’s story growing up. He is one of seven sons. I tried to imagine how that would be.

Now comes Gingham Mountain, and that’s my story. I grew up in a tiny farmhouse with eight brothers and sisters. We had two bedrooms until my sixth sibling was born. And two is a bit of an exaggeration because my folks slept on a couch in the living room that folded out into a bed. And the only ‘real’ bedroom was upstairs, the kind that has sloped roofs and, well, it was just tiny.

Then my folks bought another tiny home and moved it to our home and stuck it on the end.

Now our ‘two’ bedroom house had (drumroll!!!) three bedrooms. Mom and Dad retired the living room couch. Huge family, tiny home, the thing was, everyone back then had a huge family. Hey, it was the baby boom; these things happened. No such thing as a kid having their own room. I remember being excited that I had my own DRAWER!

So, Gingham Mountain, all those kids in a house that really only had three bedrooms, was completely believable to me. And it was hot inside and no room for nothin’, so we went outside to play all the time. And that’s how Grant’s kids had to function.

Grant with his little house, loneliness and the knowledge of how hard it was to be an orphan.

Hannah with her lioness heart for protecting children. And her utter poverty. Getting the job as a schoolmarm when she’d never been to school herself. With zero ‘womanly’ skills. The woman can’t cook, sew or do anything expected of a woman. But, because she had an abusive adoptive father who pressed her and a scad of sisters, into work at a carpet mill, she can thread a weaving loom like lightning.

Now she’s trying to save children from such a fate.

She and Grant are in perfect accord…if they just had a rational conversation. Instead, Hannah sees a man trying to make off with orphans, just like her abusive father. She sets out to save the children from Grant, and chaos ensues.

Then set it in Texas, and there’s trouble with oil, still a very underused natural resource, and Grant doesn’t know he’s sitting on a gusher of wealth. But there are villains who know what he’s got, and they want it.

Gingham Mountain, when I wrote it, was one of my favorite books ever. Helping those two find each other, well, I can’t even tell people about it without smiling. Grant and Hannah’s first kiss is one for the ages; of course, they are both horrified. And then they kiss again. What could be more fun?