3.5 stars. This work of historical fiction hits home with recent pandemic. 1918 Denver was afflicted with the Spanish Flu and WWI at the same time - families were surrounded by tragedy as loved ones died in war and sickness. This novel follows Lutie and Helen, two sisters (the former an advertising girl and the latter a nurse) as they navigate "the influenza", loss of loved ones and unexpected gain of family members along the way. There is mystery, family drama and resilience all in one story and those books often fall into some of my favorites.

I liked this novel but never fell in love with it. The characters were strong and there were parts that drew me in. Being in healthcare, I love a good overview of the Spanish flu and this author definitely did her research. I just never knew what the direction the story wanted to go - would it show us coping after loss of loved ones? Would it dive into a murder and kidnapping mystery? Or would it become a love story? I think in the end the author was attempting to do all three and in the end, the different directions affected the strength of the entire plot.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.25 stars. I love Sandra Dallas, she’s one of my favorite authors. I was so excited to get an advanced copy of Little Souls through NetGalley. But this book was not my favorite of Ms. Dallas’s. There are probably multiple reasons but the biggest is that this book is set during the Spanish flu outbreak of 1918 and what the characters, and Denver society, go through hit just a little too close too soon.

Lute and her sister, Helen, move to Denver, buy a house, and rent the basement to the Streeter family. Soon afterwards, Mr. Streeter abandons his wife and child. Maud Streeter, the mom, soon is dead from the Spanish flu and the sisters decide to adopt their daughter, Dorothy, as their own little sister. But all is not happily ever after which Lute discovers when she returns home to find Mr. Streeter dead and her sister, Helen holding the ice pick that kills him.

So begins the murder mystery part of the story. There is just so much going on here that I think I didn’t really engage with any part of it. There’s romance, there’s war, there’s flu, there’s murder, there’s sexual assault. There’s a lot!

But as usual, Ms. Dallas brings Denver to life in this book! I loved revisiting one of my favorite places.

Overall, this was an okay story, but if you need a suggestion for a better Sandra Dallas novel, let me know. There’s others that are alot better. That being said, I recently received her upcoming book set to publish in 2023 and am super excited to read it.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the advanced e-copy of #littlesouls .

Little Souls tells the story of two sisters, Helen and Lutie, who are living in Denver in 1918. World War I is raging abroad, while the Spanish Flu is ravaging healthy Americans at home. Helen and Lutie have a rental apartment in their basement where a family of three lives. After the father deserts the famiy and the mother dies of the Flu, Helen and Lutie begin to take care of the young girl, Dorothy. When Lutie comes home to find Dorothy’s father dead and both Helen and Dorothy standing over the body, the girls hatch a plan to disguise him as a flu victim so the police won’t have to be involved.

I promise I haven’t given too much away as the girls balance their daily lives during a pandemic, maintaining romantic relationships, raising Dorothy, and keeping a murder investigation at bay. I loved the relationship between Helen and Lutie and the way they cared for Dorothy. They also come to lean on Lutie’s fiance’s mother and the relationship Lutie shares with her was special as well. Sandra Dallas has crafted strong female characters for us to root for and created a story that although it takes place in 1918 feels a little too familiar as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

I felt deeply invested in knowing what would happen to all of our main characters at the end. I also enjoyed reading about a period in American history that I don’t typically frequent. I liked this book and believe that the second half definitely made up for the slow first half. I maybe was able to foresee the ending a little too well, but that shouldn’t deter anyone from picking this book up. I look forward to future historical fiction by Dallas. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC.

Little Souls takes place in Denver, 1918 during the Spanish Influenza. The main characters are sisters who have purchased a home together. They are strong females who care a lot about others which helps in different situations and times that they live in. I have read and enjoyed many books written by Sandra Dallas, this is no exception. I was captivated by the story and the strength of the main characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC which expresses my opinion.

Lutie and her sister, Helen, are in deep. They've conspired to cover up a murder. ⁠Will anyone notice if they add one more body to the pile of corpses lining the streets? The Spanish Flu Pandemic is at it's height in Denver, and people are dropping all around them. What's one more soul, especially one as tainted as this one? ⁠But when Lutie and Helen take in the corpse's orphan daughter, they take on more than they bargained for. Dangerous people mean business, as they soon learn. ⁠
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⁠I sat on this review for a month, wanting to choose my words carefully. This book was not my favorite. It didn't work for me. The plot seemed forced at times, leaving me wondering what genre of book I was reading. Is it a mystery? Is it a family drama? Is it a romance book? Then, to make matters worse, it got religious. I am not religious, so when a book contains religious subtexts I usually bristle. This one was subtle at first; one of the many characters at the beginning on the book wants to be a preacher. But over time, the religious overtones grew stronger. In the end there were phrases about "God's way" and such, which is a total turn off for me. I think this book should be marketed as a Christian novel, allowing folks like me to make an informed choice.

Lutie and Maud was two sisters who was trying to live their best lives during a turbulent time. Maud is a nurse during the influenza epidemic that’s effecting so many. Lutie is trying to find happiness while her fiancé is fighting in the war. Well Maud survive the horrible sickness that she sees every day? Will Lutie’s fiancé make it home?

This story is set in Denver during the great flu epidemic of 1918.. I enjoyed the characters and the dynamics of life during that time period. I recommend this books for readers of historical fiction.

Full disclosure: I've been a huge Sandra Dallas fan for years! Her latest novel, set during the 1918 Flu pandemic, doesn't disappoint. The story follows two sisters who take in an orphaned girl after her father is mysteriously murdered. Who had motive to murder the father? As the mystery unfolds amidst the backdrop of old-town Denver during war and pandemic, secrets about the two sisters and the little girl emerge. As always, Dallas weaves a gripping tale into period that brings you back to a time long forgotten. Another unforgettable tale from Dallas!

I loved this book!!!!!! It was a heart wrenching war story that tears at your heart strings in the best of ways

Another great book by Sandra Dallas! Set in WWI- era Denver, this book was so timely and familiar with the parallels of the Spanish Flu to COVID-19-- the not knowing what to do, feeling of inadequacy being a caretaker, quarantine/isolation, businesses closed.
Many of the characters were so endearing (one of my favorites was the judge's wife) and faced so many challenges. I recommend this to historical fiction fans for a read that addresses heavy topics in a gentle way and has wonderfully developed characters.

Sandra Dallas does a great job incorporating the Spanish Flu Epidemic into a historical fiction story. Comparisons to Covid-19 are obvious but not overdone. I particularly liked the compassion the characters showed towards each other and how difficult situations were resolved. Thanks to #NetGalley and #LittleSouls for an advanced digital copy.

Good book, good story. It had a solid premise with good characters, but kind of lagged in the middle. All in all 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. Will definitely read more by this author!

Lutie and Helen are sisters. They have recently left Iowa behind and purchased a home in Denver. Helen is a nurse and Lutie has recently finished design school and is working full time at a department store. When the Spanish flu hits it changes their lives more than they ever expected.

I will be honest. There were times during this read that I questioned if I was listening to a Christian fiction book. Then there were times…NO WAY! I am not sure if the author was conflicted on how she wanted to take this novel. But, now that that is out of the way…the story did captivate me in many ways.

Lutie and Helen are each strong women characters. And if y’all know me…you know that is a big plus! Also, Helen is hiding a big secret. Add in the small child Dorothy (you will need to read this to find out!) and her situation and you have a complicated story which will have you hoping, crying and jumping for joy all in the same chapter.

The narrator, Carly Robins, really did a wonderful job. I felt like I was right in the middle of the story with all the characters and drama!

Need a good novel which will take you back in time…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Lutie and Helen move to Denver from Idaho after the death of their parents. They buy a cute little house and Helen is working as a nurse and has a doctor boyfriend. Lutie works in the advertising department of a local department store drawing their advertisements. Lutie is in love with a young theology student. To make a little extra money they rent out a basement apartment. This is also 1918 and the Spanish flu is raging. The father downstairs is abusive and eventually runs away and the little girl loses her mother to the flu and Helen and Lutie are determined to adopt her and make her their sister. There are a lot of secrets and even with all the horrible things that happened with abuse and murder I just didn't feel the gravity of the situation. I thought the book was easy to read and I truly cared for all the characters and was rooting for them. There were so many secrets that came out. The epilogue jumps 10 years and I really wish I knew what happened in more depth in that 10 years.

I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

LITTLE SOULS by Sandra Dallas is set in Denver in 1918 and tells the story of two sisters, Helen and Lucretia (Lutie). Like so many of Dallas' strong female characters, they are self-reliant and compassionate, but face heartache and tragedies. Helen is a nurse, dating a doctor, and both battle exhaustion in the face of the raging influenza pandemic. Lutie works in advertising for a local department store; her beau, Peter Howell, joins the army and heads to fight in the war in Europe. Together, the two sisters have purchased a home and rent the basement apartment to the Streeter family, a married couple with a nearly teenaged daughter, Dorothy. In LITTLE SOULS Dallas returns to favorite motifs – with references to female friendships, quilts and sewing, plus orphans, and spousal abuse. Like many other novels by this best-selling author, there are elements of danger and loss, but hope ultimately shines through.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. This book hit close to home with the COVID pandemic and that was what I enjoyed about it. It was also very moving.

A touching story about two loving sisters, Helen the nurse and Lutz, the artist in the midst of the Spanish flu and WWI. A strong women's story of love, courage and survival.

This is my first book to read by Sandra Dallas. I will look forward to more. I almost didn't read this book. I'm so very glad that I did. It's a very good, very heartbreaking and heartwarming, story.

Set in 1918 during the Spanish Influenza epidemic and during WWll this book takes you on a rollercoaster ride that will have you weeping. I have to admit that I did have a couple of small chuckles though. I mean really, getting the flu from listening in on a party line, kind of like people saying they got Covid from their cell phones now. All these years later and we have not come a long way with that. How ironic is that.

Two sisters living in a home they bought after their parents died and they left to move to Colorado. Helen and Lucretia/Lutie only had each other after the loss of their parents. Helen is a nurse and they move to Colorado for her to get a good job. Lute is a designer. She gets a job in an upscale clothing store and they are very content with their lives. They rent the basement of their home to a couple with a daughter. Helen is dating/engaged to a doctor and Lute is engaged to a young man who may become a minister. Gil and Peter could not be more different but they love these women and would do anything for them. Peter joins the service and is sent overseas where he intends to help other young men believe that they can find the kind of happiness he has.

The couple who rented the basement are not the best of people. At least the man isn't. He's very abusive to his wife and daughter. He's one you will hate very quickly. After he leaves his wife gets the flu and dies. Their daughter, Dorothy, moves upstairs with Helen and Lute who intend to adopt her and she will be their sister. Peter's mother is a very wonderful woman who befriends Lute and will do anything for her. When Helen dies from the Spanish flu Lute is devastated. She has never lived without her sister.

This book takes you through a lot of grief and heartache. It also takes you through what it's like to be a sister. A friend. A fiancé. To be able to trust people who you may not would have. It lets you see the real lives of people during a time when they need each other. It does not dwell on the flu to the extent that you will lose interest. It dwells on the sisters and what all they go through. Then the one sister and how her life changed after a few losses. After she tries to adopt Dorothy and is turned down because she's a woman. An unmarried woman. How she overcomes that. How she finds true love. How she deals with life.

This book takes you through the lives of a few women and a child. The horrible things that happen to some of them. How they coped. This book is truly told in a way that you will be able to feel the pain these people feel. It does contain some talk about rape and a child being molested in the worst way by her own father. About a priest who is a rapist. Could be a huge trigger warning but it's still a very good book. It shows how you process these things. How these women dealt with them. How they understand what each other feels. How they try to shelter each other.

This is truly one heck of a book. One that will stick with you for a while. It was that good.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #SandraDallas, #StMartinsPress for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

5/5 stars and I highly recommend it. It's really a good book.

This was my first novel by Sandra Dallas and it did not disappoint. This historical fiction novel centers around two sisters during 1918 flu epidemic and World War I. The author did a wonderful job of blending factual historical events with a fictional story.

Even though we are living in our own pandemic, I enjoyed reading about the details of the 1918 flu epidemic. For me, the ideas presented in the novel about how people thought they could protect themselves from getting this deadly flu, political affiliation and avoiding certain foods, just to name two, provided a break in the heavy content.

If you are looking for a novel with historical facts and emotional content, this one is for you. This will be a novel I won't forget. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishing house, St. Martin’s Press, for providing an advanced copy for review. All thoughts and opinions written in this review are my own. My review of Little Souls can be found on Goodreads, Amazon, my Instagram and Facebook book club page, and my local library website.

~~~ I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~~~

Little Souls is the second Sandra Dallas novel I've read, and I must say I liked this one way less than the first one I read (The Persian Pickle Club). Overall, this book was too depressing for me, as it depicted one tragedy after another- just so much loss! This is the story of two sisters, Lutie and Helen, and a "third little sister" that they adopted figuratively and ultimately legally, Dorothy. While I appreciated the strong relationship between the three girls, it wasn't enough to make me love the book in general. Little Souls follows the sisters as they navigate life in Denver, Colorado during WWI and the Spanish Influenza pandemic. There are a lot of correlations between the timeframe of this story and the current world climate: pandemic and world unrest/uncertainty. This is a story of survival, grief, uncertainty, and family. Though it was not my favorite book, it may be worth a read for you, as you might enjoy it more than I did!