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.