This was a fantastic read, set during the Civil War, about a brother and sister who traveled across the plains to Colorado to find their dad after their mom died and their older brother abandoned them. It is told in the perspective of Haidie who was a spunky, sassy, determined, and humorous girl of 14. Haidie and Boots had quite the adventure and made lots of new friends along the way. The story had several twists and turns so you never knew what would happen next! There were a few run-ins with Indians and highwaymen that might be a bit disturbing for sensitive readers. The chapters were long but engaging and the story ended on a happy note. If you are a historical fiction or Sandra Dallas fan you will enjoy this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

fun story, likable characters. Parts seemed a little unbelievable at times, but still enjoyed the ride

Billed as an homage to True Grit, the latest novel by Sandra Dallas, Tough Luck. delivers on its promise. Following their mother's death, Haidie Richards, our plucky heroine, and her brother Boots set out from their home in Illinois towards Colorado Territory in hopes of finding their estranged father, who went west to try his luck in the gold mines a few years earlier. Of course, nothing goes as planned on this journey and the kids have some harrowing adventures on the way.

The characters of this novel are what make it special. Haidie is a spirited and endearing character. She disguised herself as a boy, thinking she would be taken more seriously and given more opportunities. Although she decides life feels a bit easier as a boy, her deception lands her in a few tight spots. I loved the supporting characters as well, from Jake to Corny to Miss Arvilla and Miss Lizzie. The pacing was solid, and the journey flew by as quick as a wink. The tone of the first half of the book felt more serious but it became lighter near the end - almost bordering on slapstick or middle grade - but there was no denying the final scenes were a lot of fun.

I will recommend this to readers who like western type fiction with a bit of sass.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sandra Dallas is a solid gold treasure. I have read all her books and Tough Love meets the high bar set by the author for storyline, characters and setting. A bonus is the historical details that flesh out the story. Loved the 14 year old heroine the best. Thanks to #NetGalley and #ToughLuck for advanced digital copy.

This book was a delight to read. A light hearted story with some intense scenes along the way. I enjoyed it very much.

When Haidie, Cheet, and Boots, ma dies their lives go awry. Cheet is the oldest. He decided to sell the farm, not that it was worth a lot, and take the money for himself. Their pa had left for Colorado to become a gold miner and Cheet thought he was in charge of everything. In many ways he was. He put his sister and younger brother in an orphanage. Haidie and Boots didn't belong there. They had a pa and wanted to go find him. So they escaped and took off on an adventure that would take them across the country. Through indian territories. Through lots of ups and downs. They didn't know who to trust but did get lucky and found a train of wagons to help them.

What these two kids went through was tough but they were certainly resilient. Both were hard workers and got along with others. Everyone thought Haidie was a boy. She had cut her hair off short so as to not be recognized. Haidie certainly could do a lot of work that most boys her age would not have been able to do. She was not afraid of much either. She could shoot a gun and that helped when they were attacked by indians.

You get to know these children and will love them. They work hard to get to Colorado and have plenty of hardships along the way. Traveling the land with strangers took a lot of guts but they really didn't have a lot of choices.

Parts of this book will have you gritting your teeth. Will they make it. Will they find their pa and if they do will he take them in. He had loved his family. He had been a good pa. But was he still even alive. Haidie would not stop until she had her family back. And Boots would go wherever Haidie went. He trusted his sister.

This was a fun story. It had just enough to keep me wondering what would happen next and a lot of heart and soul. And boy was Haidie smart. I thought she was maybe one of the strongest children ever. Of course for that era she had to be...

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I am on a Western kick! Tough Luck follows a pair of kids who trek across the wild, intimidating frontier in hopes of finding their father after the death of their mother. Haidie and Boots were lovable, whip-smart, and easy to root for. They displayed both naivete and bravery in their quest, and the supporting cast of characters they encountered were very well-developed. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a high-stakes adventure and a heroine with heart.

This is my very first Sandra Dallas book but it certainly won't be my last. I read TOUGH LUCK in one sitting and was captivated by the story which had so many layers and was full of such rich layers! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

I was expecting a realistic and moving historical novel, but instead, this was full of humor and lightheartedness as the siblings encountered one unlikely event after another. In some ways, it felt like a caricature of life on the frontier. While I appreciated the humor, I was looking for a more emotion-driven story. I also didn't like that the cover wasn't accurate in reflecting the story.

There is something special about Sandra Dallas’s writing that draws me in every single time!
The characters are all so likable and real. Each character was relatable.
It was a great description of what life would have been like at that time.
Overall, “Tough Luck” proved to be a compelling read, through its masterful storytelling, vivid imagery, and deeply relatable characters, making it a book I would highly recommend to others.

In traditional Sandra Dallas style, this western fiction novel is as inspiring as it is thought-provoking . Having loved her novel, 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒚𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝑯𝒐𝒘𝒍, I was so happy when St. Martin's Press shared this #gifted review e-copy with me - #thankyou . I'm such a sucker for the Old West, having grown up in Arizona, so this one was a treat! This coming-of-age story follows 14-year-old Mary "Haidie" Richards and her younger brother "Boots" as they follow their heart to find their father, whom she is convinced has struck gold in Denver. Setting off an adventure from Smoak, Illinois, Haidie disguises herself as a young boy and meets a wild (literally) cast of characters along the way!

Read this one if you enjoy coming-of-age, spunky female characters with 𝑻𝒓𝒖𝒆 𝑮𝒓𝒊𝒕 (for which this novel pays tribute).

For more of my reviews, please check out my blog at www.mamasgottaread.blogspot.com or follow me on Instagram at www.instagram.com/mamasgottaread!

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.