The year is 1863 when fourteen-year-old Haidie and her little brother Boots are deposited into an orphanage after the death of their mother. Haidie is a renowned liar and plans to run away to Colorado to find her Pa who was in the gold rush. To make traveling and finding work easier, she dresses like a boy. As soon as their journey starts, these two children meet and pick up traveling buddies who become as close as family. They also cross paths with murderers and horse thieves, causing problems and delays. With them, we travel the prairies on a wagon train, hunt some buffalo, encounter Indians, and visit the gold mines of the old west. The imagery was well done. The characters in this book are hilarious and so fun to read about. They had me chuckling throughout the book. Also, the pacing is quick, so it feels like constant action. It was a great read.

While I dearly love Sandra Dallas this book was a little over the top for me. Two siblings traveling across most of the country looking for their dad who had been gone for years.

In a nod to TRUE GRIT, the author's latest histfic novel is set in Colorado in the 1860s. The gripping tale uniquely captures the burgeoning American West, as a brother and sister follow their father to the hopeful land of gold mining. A winner!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I was thrilled to be able to read and review this book since I have read and enjoyed previous books by this author. This book focuses on two young orphans Haidie ( a young girl about 14 years old who disguises herself as a boy to be able to work) and her younger brother “ Boots” ( who she is very protective of ) , who travel to Denver from the Midwest to look for their father in 1863. The story is about their adventures in traveling, the people that they encounter, the good and the bad and everything in between., this story is loaded with fascinating characters, the story flows beautifully, the writing is very descriptive, I felt like I was with Haidie throughout the story. I would highly recommend this story, it was an easy , interesting read , I like the fact that in this story and in her previous books, Ms Dallas focuses on women of all different ages who encounter difficulties but are determined to persevere and ultimately succeed

Two orphans, a brother and a sister escape the orphanage to find their father who is trying to strike it rich in Colorado in the 1800's. Haide disguises herself as a boy so she and her brother Boots can get jobs on a wagon train headed West.

This was such a delightful story, with humor and surprises along the way. I love Dallas' books and this one is no exception. The characters were a real treat, people you wish you knew and could visit. The descriptions along the way were very visual for me and I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and enjoy this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
Each year, I look forward to Sandra Dallas's new book. I am thrilled to have been chosen to read this advance copy.
This is one of my favorite Sandra Dallas books now. This is an adventurous story with great characters. I felt like I was along for the ride since the storytelling is so good. I highly recommend this book!

I give it 4 stars for the characters alone! Haidie was my favorite but Jake Crowfoot was a close second, and I bet you’ll see why when you get a chance to read it.

This was a lighter read after several fantasy books lately. Not really based on a specific historical event but still a quick, easy read. I’m looking forward to reading more of the author’s books!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another wonderful story by Sandra Dallas. I never go wrong with her. This book is about a brother and sister dropped off at an orphanage. She vows to escape the orphanage and find their father. Through a series of encounters with helpful people they end up in Colorado and start asking if anyone knows him. In order to not give away how things turned out I’ll quit at that. Don’t miss this book if you like old west adventure and historical fiction! I received an arc of this book from NetGalley at the request of the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

I was captivated from the very beginning. The first sentence is a humdinger. The characters are — well … charming, engaging, and a couple, aggravating. The plot is different — not your typical “go west young wo/man” story. And you’ll keep reading because you can’t wait to see what will happen next. The year is 1863, just before the Civil War.

I am honored the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, and author Sandra Dallas asked me to review Tough Love via NetGalley early in the process before making this story available to all; the publish date is not until April 2025. A positive review was not requested and the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Haitie, Boots, and Cheet have a father who has been gone for years — off to Colorado prospecting for gold. It’s been three years since he wrote a letter to his family. Their mother has died but has been ill since her husband left. Haitie, now 14 years old, has shouldered the responsibility of the family. Cheet, the oldest at 19, is well-named. He has no problem cheating in card games — in fact, their father taught Cheet and Haitie how to do the same. Haitie is better than Cheet though he would never believe it. Boots is only 10 years old so he hasn’t been corrupted … yet. If it involves money, Cheet has no problem keeping it — even if it means his brother and sister end up with nothing.

Cheet dumps Haitie and Boots in an orphanage and takes off for gambling dens. But Haitie is one tough cookie for her age and what today we’d call “street smart”. Determined. Impatient. Sure that her pa has found gold and is living a good life in Denver. No orphanage is going to keep Haitie and her little brother “imprisoned”. They escape and their trip to Denver involves some wonderful scenes and great characters. The path isn’t easy. It is quite dangerous at times and Haitie proves to have enormous courage. And the actions were believable.

The book swirls around Haitie with a wonderful introduction of characters, plot twists, and great sub-plots. And yes, there were moments when I chuckled if not laughed out loud at a scene. When this book comes up for pre-order, click the button.

Frankly, I had a ball reading this story and if you love the historical Western genre, you gonna love this one. It’s a great book. and well written. I loved it.

Rating: 5 stars
Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Western
Cover: Loved it. Eye-catching.
Publish date: 29 April 2025
Pages: Unknown, I estimate 250.

#TouchLove #NetGalley #SandraDallas

Writing: 4/5 Characters: 5/5 Plot: 4.5/5

I’ve been reading Sandra Dallas’ books since 1998 and have read (and loved!) all of them. This one is already one of my favorites — captivating characters, wild adventures, and a full sense of the time (1863) and place (Western territories).

Dumped in an orphanage by their elder brother once their mother died, Haidie (14) and Boots (10) Richards manage to escape, taking one of the more reluctant caretaker nuns with them. They head West in search of their long missing father whose last reported location was a mining town past Denver.

Diving into some fantastic storytelling, we join them on an adventure laden trip, sharing the camaraderie of a slew of characters who are as realistic as they are individualistic, intriguing, and somewhat morally curvaceous. The feel of the time and place is intensely real, with the focus on how these people are making their way through the harsh realities of the time. It’s the characters who make it for me — card sharks, con men, mule packers, members of the clergy, and (my favorite) a pair of “old maid” sisters (at the ancient ages of 27 and 29!). I love the way they are each making his or her own way in a harsh world following individual definitions of what it takes to survive in an acceptable fashion. I love the way Dallas’ books tend to include people aggregating into tight knit groups bonded by their experiences. It’s a part of human nature that I genuinely enjoy.

Gobbled this up in one session. Hope the author’s book tour lands in my town because I would dearly like to meet her.

Good for fans of Paulette Giles (though Dallas has been at it longer!)

Tough Luck, by Sandra Dallas, is a cross between Tom Sawyer and True Grit. A funny, sweet story of two children travel west to reunite with their father and all the adventures they had. I was able to read an ARC on #NetGalley.