Disclosure: Thank you St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Publishers for making this book available for review through NetGalley. Opinions are my own.
Dallas' novel reads like a Civil War-era road novel. Full of action, adventure, and a vibrant cast of characters, the story follows a teenage girl, Haidie, and her brother, Boots, as they travel west to Colorado to find their father. Along the way, Haidie remains disguised as a boy to safely accompany wagon trains and offer her hardworking abilities. At times a novel of friendship, family, and courage, the novel is paced perfectly so as to prevent slow sections. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and the only critique I have is that the prose in certain sections could be cleaned up to prevent step-by-step descriptions, but these did not take away from my enjoyment of the book. Fans of historical fiction will enjoy this book, namely those interested in the western genre, though I'd recommend it only to mature audiences due to brief cruel behavior. The one content warning I have is for an instance of suggested sexual violence. Ultimately, this is a gripping western which puts a unique spin on the western genre: In this novel, the women have the power!

Reading Westerns ranks low on my list of must-read books. If I do read them, I usually make sure that I either have read the author before (if nonromance) or it is a romance. If they don’t check either of those boxes, I don’t read and, in rare cases, review, which brings me to Tough Luck. I had read and reviewed several books by Sandra Dallas, and based on my experience with her books, I decided to read Tough Luck.

Tough Luck was an interesting book to read. It follows a girl, Haidie, who treks across the country with her younger brother to find her father. Because of the danger (a girl traveling alone had a high chance of being sexually assaulted/kidnapped), Haidie disguises herself as a boy. Her journey from the orphanage in Illinois to Colorado was danger-filled but exciting. Haidie and her brother meet various people who both help and hinder their journey. But the excitement doesn’t stop once they arrive in Colorado.

I liked Haidie and laughed at some of her observations about the people she met. She was a tough cookie, and she was very determined to find her father. Her detective skills were pretty good. She was able to not only find her father but help him in recovering something that was stolen from him.

The people Haidie met during her journey influenced and shaped her. It also helped that Haidie could lie with the best of them (or so she thought), and her habit of taking risks worked in her favor.

My favorite part of this book was the wagon train across the Great Plains to Colorado. It was as exciting as I thought it would be. It was also as dangerous.

The end of Tough Luck felt rushed but didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the book. I couldn’t tell if there would be a book 2.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Sandra Dallas for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Tough Luck. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Full of wonderfully vivid characters and a strong female protagonist, this book makes me want to watch True Grit again.

Girls can be tough!

I loved following Haidie's adventure throughout this book and seeing how her character helped her through tough times!

Thank you Netgalley and St.Martins Press for an advanced copy to read and review

This book was wonderful! The setting was perfectly done and it felt like I watching a movie! I would highly recommend this book!

I thought this book was just okay. It seemed like it was going to have more action but really didn't. I also felt like a lot of the characters were super selfish. I didn't enjoy this one as much as I hoped I would. It was still an interesting historical fiction novel. But this is not a book that I would go back and reread or suggest to others. I have just read other books set during this time period that are better.

Thank you Sandra Dallas, St. Martins Press, and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

Haidie is quite the character. I liked her spirit and tenacity. Didn't love that the whole book is based around liars and how they help her and her brother along the way. But it is an interesting story, with lots to keep your attention.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

I really like Sandra Dallas as an author. This book does not disappoint in that it is very descriptive and has quite a few quirky characters that are sure to keep your attention. It is also a bit unbelievable that all these things would happen to these children on their trek to find their father. The ending seems a bit contrived and unrealistic as it attempts to make all things right in a rather unorthodox way. I wish I could say I loved the book, but it is probably one of my least favorites by Dallas. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance read copy.

The author’s vivid period details and colorful cast of characters bring Haidie’s daring adventure to life. With a mix of grit and heart, Tough Luck captures the spirit of the American West and the enduring strength of its people.

Oh this book had ALL the yellowstone feels for me! Just sooooo good! I could not get enough of this story. It was phenomenal.

I have read many books by Sandra Dallas and enjoyed almost all of them. Tough luck was sent my way by NetGalley and the publisher to give my honest review and I will do so. I really enjoyed the story the first half of the book. Kept me interested and it read kinda more like a YA book, which I love that genre. The last half I wasn’t too caught up on. I pushed thru just to finish it and give a honest review. Too unbelievable and just not interesting. But I am glad it ended with a happy ending.

I like this one . I feel that the author is good a the history of the west and bringing it to life . I think in her own way she is a modern day Laura ingallas .
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review the book

A wonderful adventure story from an author I love! This story was unlike her other books that I've read, but still great. Haidie and Boots were loveable characters and I enjoyed going on the journey with them to find their father. Lots of other interesting characters cross their path along the way which made it a fun read.

I have read quite a few books by Sandra Dallas. My favorite is The Diary of Mattie Spencer. I particularly enjoy her western historical novels. Her latest book is titled Tough Luck and I was happy to receive an advanced reader’s copy. Her stories are well written and they hold my interest. Tough Luck is about two children who join a wagon train to find their father who left them to find a gold mine. They travel across the Wild West, encounter Indian attacks and bad cowboys. I found this particular book to be a bit unbelievable and unrealistic. That being said I did enjoy it and I was left with the good feeling and happy ending that Sandra Dallas delivers with all of her books.

This was basically if an American Girl story got the Yellowstone treatment

It’s gets into a rut by relying on declaratory statements, but works best in the gambling halls and on the trails.
When Haidie has too much time to sink into her thoughts, the book can become more if a repetitive rehash of the same thought loop, which makes sense for a kid but doesn’t lend itself to adult read.
I think that if this is marketed as a YA book it will get to the desired audience, especially for all the teens who grew up reading the “Dear America” books.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC

So very happy to have a new Sandra Dallas book to read. I just recently read "Little Souls" and it was also a great read. But this one is a true western which I loved. The story is about Haidie Richards and her brother going west to find their father and the adventures they encounter along the way.
I love how Haidie learns the ways of the west and even learns to handle mules and greedy men. :) The tough lady should be the subtitle. She is a pickle that you will enjoy a lot!

I never thought I’d finish reading a novel about liars.

But Sandra Dallas spins an intriguing tale set in 1863 Illinois.

In Tough Luck, Haidie is a professional liar at only fourteen years of age. Fact is, she comes from a line of liars and cheaters. After her mother dies, her brother sells the family farm, sending Haidie and her younger brother to an orphanage. Determined to stay with her brother, Haidie continues the lies until they eventually escape.

Only to connect with more liars who are willing to help her get to Colorado to find her father.

The only truly "good" people, still lie to help Haidie, and see nothing wrong with doing so.

Gambling, prostitution, fake marriages, extra-marital affairs, cross-dressing, polygamy, deception, domestic abuse, violence, theft, and murder fill the pages as Haidie and Boots (her brother) travel from Illinois to Colorado.

I suppose the redeeming factor in the entire narrative is that Haidie and her friends deceive the ultimate deceiver, winning back something that belongs to her family.

And yup. They all lie to get what they want.

And they all do get what they want in the end.

Somehow, that just seems wrong.

I prefer stories that delineate good and evil. This one did not.

The narrative is strong, however, pulling readers into Haidie’s world and the descriptions give readers an idea of everything Haidie is experiencing. These are the only reasons I kept reading.

If you enjoy western stories that are gritty, you may like Tough Luck. But if you prefer stories that are wholesome and clean with strong morals, pass this one by.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

When their mother dies, their selfish father gives the entire farm to the gambler older brother and packs Haidie and her little brother, Boots, off to a miserable orphanage. But Haidie is tenacious and resourceful, and soon she and Boots are off on an adventure across the old west. A gritty, thrilling, feel-good story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press

Another great adventure book by Sandra Dallas. This one is set in the Colorado during the gold rush of the 1860s.

Loved getting to know Haddie, Boots and especially Jake.

I think YA would love this story as the main focus is on the young people and is told from their perspective.

Highly recommend.

Expected publication April 29, 2025.

Tough Luck by Sandra Dallas. Enjoyed the perilous journey westward with Haidie and Boots very much. The narrative was filled with vivid descriptive details of everyday life during the late 1800s and of the landscape, very colorful and interesting characters, harrowing events and humor. And the "Tough Luck" ending, great! Was picturing all the “old time” westerns heroes throughout; John Wayne, Sam Elliot and for some reason Roddy McDowell as Corney. Highly recommended.
Thank you to Sandra Dallas, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

“Filled with vivid period detail, colorful characters, and the irreverent voice of our scrappy heroine, Tough Luck celebrates both the tenacity of youth and the persistence of the heart in the great American West.”

Scrappy is definitely a word that describes Haidie well! After her mother died, her older brother has sold the family farm and put her and her brother Boots into an orphanage. They father left 4 years ago for Colorado. Haidie is sure he has hit it big and will send for them. After having enough of the orphanage, she decides they will go find him. She and Boots break out and head west. Along the way, she learns big life lessons and meets an eclectic group of characters. The journey is hard but they make it to Colorado. I went give away anything after that! This story is detailed and heart warming!