Tough Luck by Sandra Dallas
Although I wasn't sure if I would like this novel, 8 thought I would give it a try because I liked many of the author's previous novels. I'm so glad I stuck out the slow beginning because Tough Luck turned out to be a knockout! Engaging characters take you on a journey across the unsettled country to get to the Colorado territory with the main character Haidie being a girl disguised as a boy. Their trials make us see how easy we have it now and what was involved in settling our country to make it what it is today. A great read!
Thank you to the author publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Searching for Father

Set in the year of 1863 and the gold mine rush, this tale has character. The characters in the story are colorful, humorous and sometimes dangerous.

Two children are put in an orphanage by their older brother when their mother dies. They escape and go to search for their father who disappeared two years ago while searching for Gold in Colorado.

As the story reads, we learn of the fierce love and protection Haidie has for her younger brother Boots, and the lengths she will go to protect him and to find their father. They have dreams of a rich father with a gold mine. What they find is not so much but it is a mystery that deserves solving and Hailie has some help from a few friends they meet along the way.

As you travel the long and dangerous journey west with a wagon train you will marvel at the abilities of this young couple of siblings. A gambler, two sisters and a dog feature well into their story. You will be reading this until the last page.

I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.

Thanks to Sandra Dallas for writing a great story, to St. Martin’s Press for Publishing it and to NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy to read and review.

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 via NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed it.

I really enjoyed Sandra Dallas' last book (Where Coyotes Howl), so I was excited for the opportunity to review Tough Luck. Like Where Coyotes Howl, it is set in the Fronteir West, specifically in Colorado in the 1860's. A brother and sister go through incredible circumstances of living in an orphanage, living on the wagon trail, joining wagon trains, and searching for their long lost father in Colorado.

Sandra nailed on the head a child's ability to think the best of their parent, even if that child has experienced abandoment or neglect for that parent. These kids always thought the best of their father and thought that he had the best circumstances possible, even though a reader without rose colored glasses can see the true picture. The kids have quite the adventure finding their dad and helping him once he is found.

Overall I found the novel engaging and a great read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book. A review, especially positive was not required.

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.