Welcome to the gold rush days of the past! I thought I was having a flashback of watching one of those old West movies mixed in with the Sting. I enjoyed the story of a fiesty 14 year old girl, Hailie and her younger brother Boots escaping the Orphanage and heading out West to find their pa. The adventures and characters she meets along their journey kept me turning pages and staying up late. A very entertaining story, a wonderful getaway for a little while. Thank you #NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions expressed are solely my own. #ToughLuck

So thrilled to be included in reading this book. Not my usual-western. cowboy(girl) type of book. I enjoyed it so much. The author writes so that we feel a part of the cast of characters in the story.

Tough Luck by Sandra Dallas is the entertaining story of a girl who wouldn’t give up. Mary Haidie Richards had two brothers: Boots and Cheet. Cheet was older and when their mother died, he up and sold their farm and took the two of them to an orphanage. Their father had gone off some time before to explore the gold fields of Colorado. Since they hadn’t heard from him in awhile, Cheet assumed he was dead. Haidie knew he wasn’t. Cheet gave the two of them each a twenty dollar gold piece and told lies. She bided her time. He came back masquerading as a priest. He wasn’t but he married a couple of people there anyway. The marriage didn’t work out so when Haidie was ready to run, she took Boots with her, and her, now not married friend, Teresa. They ran and met many people along the way. Since she was honest , friendly, and hardworking, people looked kindly on her and helped. Teresa met a man, a good one this time, and went with him, but Haidie and Boots made it to Colorado.

What a fun book! Haidie is a character. Her experiences were many. She worked on a mule train and in a covered wagon. Teresa had done a bad job of cutting her hair and she became a boy. It was safer and she liked it better anyway. She worked and made friends and those friends came back into her life when she needed them. She was a bit of a con. What a good character she was. What an entertaining book. Haidie had one goal: find her father. Everything she did focused on that goal. She was a great character as were many of the people she met. The plot was thin, but the story was fabulous. Pacing was great. Plenty of adventures. What the old west was and should have been.

I was invited to read Tough Luck by St Martin’s Press. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #SandraDallas #ToughLuck

Tough Luck by Sandra Dallas

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for a review copy of Tough Luck. My words are my own.

In this homage to True Grit, a young woman makes a perilous journey west in 1863 in search of her gold-mining father.

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tough Luck is a must read for historical fiction and women’s fiction readers. Set during the expansion of Western America and before the Civil War we see the realities of men leaving their families behind to discover gold. Few became wealthy and many never came safely home. The Richard’s family is no different. It’s been several years since they’ve heard from their father. After the devastating loss of their mother, Haidie and her younger brother Boots are dropped off by their card gambling, no good, older brother to an orphanage. Cheet needs a good whomping! However, this is the reality of American families seeking a better life away from the harshness of their economic troubles.

Haidie is determined to not stay in the orphanage and escapes with Boots on an adventure through the Wild West. Wow, what a strong girl of just 14 years old. Her character growth leaps from the page as she faces her fears with courage and determination to reach Denver. They befriend sisters, Missing Arville and Lizzie, and weave hopeful tales of their father’s success. Their optimism in the face of reality is what I’d expect of children putting the best foot forward.

If I were to describe Haidie with one word it would be resilient. Her character has left a lasting impression on me. I was rooting on the safety and success of Haidie and Boots as I know you will also. Wait until they find out what happened to her father. The plot takes several turns and Haidie bests the man who fooled her father. Resilient.


#netgalley #bookrelease #historicalfiction #sandradallas #toughluck #arcreview #wildwestbook

I’ve never had any interest in reading a historical western but the synopsis for *Tough Luck sounded interesting and I figured I would give a historical western a try.

I found this fascinating, in no small part due to the time period - the writing was excellent and allowed me to visualize so many of the scenes. Almost immediately after losing their mother their brother sells the family’s home, and places his two younger siblings in an orphanage. This is unacceptable and the fourteen year old Haidie escapes with Boots, her younger brother and they embark on a quest to find their father.

Haidie is a wonderful heroine, the bond between her and Boots is a joy to read, the adventures the two siblings met with and a number of well written side characters, held my interest to the point I didn’t want to stop reading, and I read this in two sittings.

This was my first time reading the author and I will definitely read more of her work.

I really enjoyed this and would recommend.



Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the DRC

The Civil War has been raging for two years by 1863, when Haidie and Boots’ mother dies of grief, never having recovered from their father’s failure to return from chasing the lure of gold in the West. Cheet, their older brother and an inveterate gambler, sells the farm, pockets the money, and deposits Haidie and Boots in an orphanage. It does not take long for fourteen-year-old Haidie to figure out a master plan of escape, and once free of the orphanage the siblings are swiftly on their way to find their Pa.

Disguised as a boy, Haidie works as a driver under Jake Crowfoot’s protective wing as far as Omaha; and then under wagon-train scout Ben Bondurant to Denver. In turn, Haidie shelters her young brother from Indians, thieves, and murderers along the way. Haidie assists two kindly sharp-shooting spinsters, who fortuitously turn out to be very rich, helpful in aiding a later “sting.” Card shark Cornelius Vander claims he is from the poor branch of a famous family, while other diverse characters in the wagon train put on quite a show.

Dallas’s novel showcases a coming-of-age in a raw and lawless time, where the bright, engaging Haidie carries the novel with her delightful twang. The question is, will the kids find their long-lost Pa, and what dire straits must they endure to satisfy their quest? The children’s thoughts of their father sustain them on their journey and enable them to swallow all their tough luck with charitable acceptance and eternal optimism. This is a satisfying and uplifting novel from a prolific Spur- and Caldecott-award-winning writer of Old West fiction.

TOUGH LUCK
Sandra Dallas, Author
Historical Fiction

Follow Haidie and her brother after their mother’s death passes away and they escape from the prison that is called an orphanage. Following that they head to the western territory where their father is supposed to be running a successful gold mine.

This era is of particular interest to me. The ups and downs of gold mining is a fascinating subject. Filled with con men and outlaws. Add in Sandra Dallas’s form of bringing any era to life you get a 5 out of 5 stars from me.

Sandra Dallas, why have I NOT been reading your books? This was a delight. From the first line, I was hooked.🎣

Ma hadn't been in the ground more than an hour when my brother Cheet sold the farm. It wasn't his to sell. I told him that.

Our narrator is Haidie Richards. She may just be fourteen, but she has some skills. And she made a promise to her Pa to protect little brother Boots (10). Haidie is determined to keep her brother from harm and find their Pa. That quest will take them from Smoak, Illinois to Georgetown, Colorado.

Since this story takes place in 1863, you can believe that there will be many adventures along the way. The challenges come in the form of ornery wagon train neighbors, "buffaler," Indians, and the occasional flimflam man.

What folks in the Wild West don't realize is that Haidie Richards will do anything she can to reunite her family. And we get to ride along on her journey. It's a little bit 'True Grit,' a dash of 'Maverick,' and a ton of fun to read.🤠

I will definitely be checking out the back catalog for Sandra Dallas. Her storytelling is riveting and heartwarming. If you have a favorite, just let me know in the comments.

Happy Publication Week to this Western read. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

*4.5 stars*

Satisfying western/historical fiction…

Haidie and Boots’ journey was filled with courage, fortitude and more than a wee bit of women power. It was 1860’s America and the gold rush was in full swing. Haidie, 14, and her younger brother Boots were at the mercy of the time and their family as their lot in life was not of their choosing. When Haidie decided to change their future she was smart, resourceful and not afraid to follow her gut as they searched for their lost father…

And what a trip it was! From the mundane to the incredible, they met and befriended some very interesting, colourful characters along the way. I loved how the author blended a whole host of different people together to form a quietly written, but packed with heart and emotion, glimpse of the wild, wild west…

The story reminded me of the simplicity of the ‘Little House’ stories with some saltiness to add spice. Haidie may have been only fourteen but she had the courage and strength of someone much, much older. I couldn’t help but laugh at some of the turns the story took but also admire her and the friends she made along the way as they bonded over her relentless search for family…

"Tough luck" nineteen -year-old Cheet Richards tell his fourteen-year-old sister, Mary Haidie and younger brother Thomas. After their mother died, he sells their farm and dumps his siblings at an orphanage. Haidie is not going to take this. She and ten-year-old "Boots" escapes the orphanage and starts a journey to find the father who had gone off to make their fortune in the Gold Rush. The girl chops off her hair, dons britches and the two head out to find work on a mule train so they can get to their wealthy father.
I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. This is my unsolicited opinion of it. I thoroughly enjoyed the priceless wit in this book. It is mainly provided by the mighty lying mouth of Haidie Richards. This young duo finds a string of interesting people while on a wild adventure.
This book has excellently descriptive writing. The characters, historical settings and situations feel real. I will be looking for more books by author Sandra Dallas.

Haidie's dad goes to Colorado to look for gold. After their mother passes away the older brother, Cheet, sells the farm and puts Haidie and Boots in an orphanage so he can become a river boat gambler. They escape the orphanage to go west with Haidie disguising herself as a boy to look for their father. They hooked up with some interesting people on the way. They experienced things that weren't a surprise, like wagon trains and Indian attacks, horse thieves and cheaters.

Maybe because Westerns don't usually appeal to me. The characters were great but I never felt really like I knew them enough to root for them. The book seemed divided into four parts, one in the orphanage and the escape, then when they hooked up with Jake, when they joined the wagon train with Ben and when they finally made it to Colorado. That's a lot to cover in less than 300 pages and with so many characters there just wasn't time to get to know anyone well.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

Tough Luck is the perfect title for this book. Haidie and her younger brother Boots find themselves in an orphanage after their mother dies. Their father left several years earlier to travel west to look for gold.
Haidie and Boots decide they are going to go and find their father. This story is one that will stay in my mind for a long time. I found myself reading until late in the night. I was so vested in their adventures on the way west.
Thank you NetGalley, Sandra Dallas, and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of the book Tough Luck. This is my personal review.

I enjoyed reading Tough Luck by Sandra Dallas. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

I read True Grit last year and, paired with Sandra Dallas’ storytelling, it was a perfect homage. I’ve read and loved her previous works and was concerned about a child narrator. However, the writing was age appropriate without being watered down. Haidie was fierce and crafty! Western lovers will appreciate the setting, thematic elements of justice, hero’s journey, and colorful characters. Contemporary readers will enjoy the found family and clear prose. Thank you St. Martin’s and NetGalley for the egalley!

I loved all of the great characters in this story! We traveled with Hadie and Boots across the prairie where they met up with all kinds of characters and all kinds of situations. Many of those characters pulled through at the end to right a wrong for the family. I enjoy reading Westerns and this was a definite 5 stars.

Quick and Dirty
-linear timeline, single POV
-gold rush era
-charming and adventurous
-highly bingeable

Y’all, I devoured this book! Set during the gold rush, it follows sharp-witted Haidie and her little brother as they chase after their Pa—and a bit of justice—across the rugged frontier. I was completely charmed by the characters, all well-developed and full of unexpected humor. Haidie reminded me so much of the feisty heroines from my favorite childhood historical fiction series—clever, daring, and just morally flexible enough to twist the truth if it means getting closer to her goal. With a crew of lovable misfits, plenty of grit, and nonstop charm, this one’s funny and full of heart. Not totally realistic, but wildly entertaining. If you’re a fan of Westerns or just love a good, fast-paced tale with unforgettable characters, Tough Luck is an absolute must-read. Wildly entertaining from start to finish—I loved every minute.

Set in 1863, during the time of the Civil War and the Colorado Gold Rush, this is a wonderful coming of age story that is undeniably tender and sweet, with unforgettable characters, and a captivating storyline.

Fourteen-year-old Haidie, dressed as a boy, and her ten-year-old brother, Boots, run away from an orphanage in Illinois to head west to Colorado to find their father. They haven't seen their father in four years, but they believe that he has struck it rich in the gold mines. Haidie and Boots' older brother, Cheet, sold the family home after their mother died and divested himself of his siblings in order to gamble away their small inheritance.

The two courageous children look danger in the eye and join up with a wagon train going west. They are exposed to the good and bad in people along the way. Haidie bravely becomes an unlikely hero and with determination and love, she and Boots find new friends and family along the way. This book was hard to put down and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I had read 'Where Coyotes Howl' by the author and when I saw that she had written a new book, I had to read it. This book is just as unforgettable, and one I will never forget. I've never seen so many lies told in one book, and while there are some harrowing events, there is much more humor. The book takes place during the Civil War but the war is peripheral to this story.

Haidie Richards is the main character, and we experience this story through her eyes. Her father had left years before to go out West to prospect for gold and they had not received a letter in several years. After her mother died, the oldest brother, Cheet, took almost everything from selling their house and land, and put 14-year-old Haidie and 10-year-old Boots in an orphanage. Then he took off. Cheet was a good name for him.

Haidie and Boots hated the orphanage. Haidie convinced the matron at the orphanage that her brother had sent for them, and they were lucky - they got spots on a wagon train going west, and Haidie the girl became Haidie the boy. A young woman who worked at the orphanage went with them. Then they were all on the way to Colorado via wagon train. Haidie and Boots are looking for their father without much information other than what was in his letters.

The Gold Rush has slowed a bit but is still going strong in some parts of Colorado, which was a territory then. The possibility of becoming rich was a draw for many would-be prospectors and other people who saw an opportunity to make money from the influx of people. Overnight, a new boon town could spring up - hotels, restaurants, gambling establishments, stables, laundries, and houses for ladies of easy virtue. People were pouring in every day.

This is a delightful book and I recommend it to anyone. I laughed my way through almost all of it. I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher St. Martin's Press and voluntarily read and reviewed it.

Tough Luck by Sandra Dallas

Thank you @stmartinspress for a physical copy and @macmillan.audio for an ALC.

I went into this completely blind and was pleasantly surprised! I am not a big fan of westerns which is what the cover had me assume this was. I wasn’t wrong on that but from the start this reminded me of True Grit which I read years ago and loved. Only after finishing the book and reading the synopsis did I find out that this was an homage to True Grit. To that I say the author hit the mark perfectly. I really enjoyed the juvenile antics our main character participated in.

If you are looking for a realistic portrayal of life during the gold rush, this probably isn’t it. But, if you are looking for a fun journey west with some orphans, this might just be the choice for you.

Rating:
I really liked it

What you’ll find:
An homage to True Grit
A plucky young heroine
Heading west during the Gold Rush era

TOUGH LUCK is a feel-good, coming-of-age adventure.

Haidie was barely a teenager when she and her younger brother embarked on a trip across the American West in search of their father. It was 1863, right in the middle of the Civil War. Violent skirmishes between settlers and Native Americans were also a serious issue during this time. I expected a dark undercurrent, but instead hope led the way.

I loved Haidie’s bravery and devotion to her brother. While the pair faced challenges along the way, we only touched on these darker aspects of life in the Wild West.

This book isn’t marketed as YA, but it’s well suited to a younger audience.

The audiobook is well done. Mia Hutchinson-Shaw does a great job of immersing us in Haidie’s world.

*Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the free audiobook download!*