For decades. I have been reading Sandra Dallas. She is a master storyteller and this one did not disappoint. Loved the setting and the way all the characters were written. Another beautiful book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Tough Luck by Sandra Dallas was such an enjoyable story. I am a fan of books about the Oregon trail or early American settlements in the west. Anything that can take us back to those days where people were tough, resilient and paved their own way. There is so much that I could say about Tough Luck, but I don't like to give away plots. I figure you can read the synopsis to get the gist of the storyline. So the characters, the scenery description, and the emotions felt by the characters are what draws me into a book. Needless to say, all were top notch in Tough Luck. Every character including Haidie and Boots and all of those that played a part in their journey to the West were unforgettable. Sandra Dallas does such a beautiful description of scenery that you feel like you are looking at a painting or watching something on a movie screen. She makes it extremely easy to visualize what the characters are seeing. The way the characters are tied together keep the story flowing. Someone who may seem insignificant in the larger picture can actually play a huge role in the survival of Haidie and Boots. Dallas has always written stories that stay with you for days after you finish reading. I find myself having to delve into other genres after reading one of her books. I just have to let the stories sit and then I'm ready for her next book. Tough luck is one of my favorite Sandra Dallas books so far! I can't wait to read what Dallas comes up with next! I voluntarily received a copy of this book from netgalley.

It's 1863. Haidie Richards (14) and her 10-year-old brother Boots are dumped in an orphanage four years after their father takes off by their older brother when their older brother sells the family farm after their mother dies. Desperate to find their father who has only sent four letters in three years, Haidie disguises herself as a boy and the siblings take off for the gold mines of Colorado Territory. Reminiscent of True Grit, their journey is filled with adventures and characters that bring the harsh realities of the wild west to life. The characters are the best - mule packers, card sharks, con men, uptight clergy, prostitutes and two old maids (sisters who are in their late 20s). The climax is a reimaged rendition of The Sting. So fun!

This is the second books I've read by Sandra Dallas, and I'm now a big fan. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an advance reader copy of this unique book full of characters, comradery and excitement. Highly recommend.

Sandra Dallas has done it again.

I was thrilled when the publishing company reached out asking if I would review Dallas' upcoming 2025 novel "Tough Luck." I had read "Where Coyotes Howl" last year before it was released and loved it, so I was excited to dive into another one of her Wild West stories.

Mary "Haidie" Richards has been sent to an orphanage with her younger brother. Her older bother Cheet has inherited their farm after their Ma died and their Pa presumed dead after not hearing from him after he left for Colorado with gold dreams in his eyes. Haidie was determined her father was not dead and so she hatched a plan to escape the orphanage with her younger brother Boots and set off to Colorado to find Pa herself. She disguises herself as a boy and finds good and bad people along the way.

I absolutely loved this story and there are SO many characters I adored: Jake Crowfoot, Ben, Teresa, Corny, the badass sisters, Emily. It was so fun to read about the adventures on her way to Colorado. Gah! I don't want to give anything away, so you just need to read it. The ending was PERFECT. Sandra writes Wild West stories so well and I find myself pulled into the story because I fall in love with the characters. Well done!

Haidie’s father left their home 4 years ago to look for gold. In the meantime, her mother dies and her older brother sells the farm , keep the money and puts her and her younger brother in an orphanage. Not being one to not do her own thing, her and her younger brother escape the orphanage and hook up with a wagon train gong to Colorado to find her father. Haidi dresses as a boy to make things easier on the trail She hooks up with a couple spinster sisters, the wagon master who takes her and her brother under their wing. The trail is hard and not safe but she learns to handle the mules and all else on the trail . When they get to Colorado Haidie and her brother start the search for her father. This is a good story and moves along well. I would highly recommend it. Have read a few other books of Sandra Dallas and I like her writing. Thank you to St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this. The opinions are my own. I will recemmend this to my book club as well.

Haidie and her little brother Boots have been abandoned. Their father took off a few years ago for Denver to try and strike it rich in the gold rush, their mother just died and their older brother sold off the farm and dumped them at an orphanage. Not one to take things lying down Haidie devises an escape plan and has her and her brother out of the orphanage, disguised herself as a boy and gotten themselves a ride to Denver with a wagon train.
As a kid, like a lot of 90’s kids, I loved playing Oregon trail. And as an adult I like reading books about the wagon trains that set settlers west. There is very obviously a sad and destructive history attached to the settling of the west which I wasn’t aware of at 8 but at far more familiar with now. This book only focuses on the children’s perspective of trying to cross the prairies. This almost reads as a YA adventure story. All in all I enjoyed this fast paced story. Thank you to @netgalley @stmartinspress for letting me review this a little early in exchange for a review. #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookworm #booklover #toughluck #sandradallas #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookcommunity #readersofinstagram #readersofig #readersofinsta #bookstagramcommunity #readmorebooks #readersgonnaread

Sandra Dallas never lets me down! Every one of her books pulls me back in time to an escape with folks out west. It was a heck of a lot of fun to travel along with the sibs in this book as they made their way toward Colorado and, on the journey, came under the care of a couple of much better father figures than the real father who left their family in pursuit of gold. The narrator, Haidie, is an even-eyed observer of the world and a sensible decision maker. Navigating the limited life and predictable outcomes of remaining in an orphanage, she masterminds a safe escape and picks up the first of several friends to help her and her younger brother. She's a hard worker who learns quickly from each phase of this quest-- exactly the kind of person readers want to hang out with because her conscientiousness pays off time and again. As a librarian, I am inclined to recommend this for parents and middle or upper grade kids to read at the same time-- either each with their own copy or together as a read aloud.

This wasn’t the book I thought it was going to be, and I’m glad for it! This book is reminiscent of True Grit, with a cast of fun + quirky cast and a 14 year old girl as a main character. It has the traditional western setting I love so much, but with a softer hand to it. The beginning is a bit slow, but keep reading to find: Adventure on the wagon trail, mystery, found family, and humor. Sandra Dallas wins again.

“Tough Luck” in the newest historical novel by Sandra Dallas who is the master at immersing readers into a slice of history and leave them attached to unique but relatable characters.

“Tough Luck” focuses on Haidie and her brother Boots who set off to find their dad who had set off to strike it rich many years before. The tale takes us from the Midwest to Colorado and the colorful people they meet during their travels. Like the cliché goes, it’s not the destination but the journey as “Tough Luck” is a great example of that.

The timing of the book is 1863 but because we’re in Colorado the Civil War and slavery are only secondary in the plot. The novel moves at a lively pace with vivid descriptions and plenty of humor.

Fans of Sandra Dallas are absolutely going to love Haidie who has a lot of gumption but also a big heart. This is an excellent story about women surviving (without men needing to rescue them).

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this great read.

Tough Luck
by Sandara Dallas
Pub Date: April 29, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
For fans of Paula Gillette!
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.
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. 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.

I highly recommend this book!

What a wonderful story that took me to the "Wild West" with real cowboys and Indians in 1863.
This novel is about two orphans who breakout of an orphanage to search for their father who left the family to claim his fortune.
The journey of Haidie and Boots is challenging and they encounter many enemies and danger.
But... they also find friendship, love, assistance and life lessons all within the time it takes to complete the goal of getting to Colorado.

This is such a fun read and I totally loved this trip back in history!

Thank you to @NetGalley and to @St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read and write my own review of this ARC.
Well done!

Haidie's mother just died and her brother, Cleet., has sold the farm so that he can pursue his dream of being a gambler. Cleet takes Haidie and their little brother to an orphanage since their father left to go search for gold in Colorado. Haidie comes up with a plan to escape the orphanage with Boots and go to Colorado to find their father. She first goes to Omaha with a man named Jake who transports goods throughout the west. Jake then helps Haidie and Boots find a good person to travel with to Colorado. They join a wagon train and while Haidie pretends to be a boy, to keep her and Boots safe, she learns a lot and befriends a pair of sisters who are also on their way to Colorado. Once they make it to Colorado, Haidie comes to learn that trusting people can be difficult, but can also be the thing that saves you. Another wonderful novel by Sandra Dallas.

I really enjoyed this western/pioneer tale from Sandra Dallas! Haidie and her brother Boots head west to find their father after their mother dies. They join a wagon train and meet all kinds of interesting characters along the way. They experience loss and tragedy and defeated dreams, but they do so with spunk and determination. If you enjoy tales of the American west during the time of the pioneers, this book will not disappoint.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Tough Luck by Sandra Dallas.

A solid 5 stars to this sweeping tale of the old west during the gold rush. Specifically, 1863 Colorado. Haide, Boots and Cheet are "orphans," having been abandoned by their father as he sets out prospecting for gold. When their mother dies, Cheet puts Haide and Boots in an orphanage where they are abused. Haide manages to escape with Boots and they set out to find their father whom they are sure is living in the lap of luxury with all the gold he has surely found.

Their trip is just such a fun journey. The people they befriend, the people that try to do them harm, you feel like you're on the trip with them. I had to keep reading to see how it all ends up. Some things that happen I expected but there are some twists that kept me guessing.

I highly recommend this book.

Hadie has always taken care of her brother since her mother died. She is still taking care of him in an orphan home where here older brother dumped her after he sold their farm. Hadie knows she has to get out of there and find her Pa who has set out for the Colorado territory to find gold. And she does just act through a little lying and some good luck.

Tough Luck by Sandra Dallas I am unsure which genre this novel is placed in or age group expected to read but it could be read by a child of 8 or an adult of. 80. There is some entertainment value for all. Even though there are rough times life always turn out fine for the main characters with Sandra Dallas. Thank you Net Galley.

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.