"Tough Luck" by Sandra Dallas follows young Haidie Richards and her younger brother Boots as they escape the orphanage their brother put them in after their mother passed away. Determined to find their Pa who left for Colorado a few years ago Haidie disguises herself as a boy as she and Boots hit the trail West. Along the way they meet a unique and loving cast of characters as they travel across the plains.

Sandra Dallas tells a lighthearted and fun story of two kids on a quest across the plains to find their Pa. This story is the perfect historical fiction read for those looking for something unique! I loved spitfire Haidie and her unwavering loyalty to mischievous Boots. While they find themselves in and out of trouble their love for each other, and the folks they meet along the way make for such an enjoyable story.

Stories of the American West are generally not my genre, but Sandra Dallas always does them justice.

Haidie Richards and her younger brother Boots are left at an orphanage by their older brother when their mom passes. Though, as Boots rightly claims, they aren’t actually orphans. Their father Manly Richards headed west from their home in Smoak, Illinois for the gold mines of the Colorado territory a few years prior to find fortune. Determined to find him, the two younger siblings plan through the winter at the orphanage and steal away for the open road as soon as spring arrives.

On their journey they meet many new friends who help the young duo, they learn to drive oxen, how to handle Indian raids, deal with card sharks, and much much more. And when they finally make it to Denver, they find even more trouble to deal with. With the help of a few of their friends, Haidie, a survivor, makes sure their luck won’t run out.

This lightning fast read, will have you rooting for our unlikely heroine as she does what needs to be done to survive in an environment that sees much failure. Her tenacity and grit are awe inspiring for one so young, and her love for her brother will pull at your heart strings.

Mia Hutichinson-Shaw does an outstanding job narrating the many voices, but ultimately makes you fall in love with spitfire Haidie.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and of course the author Sandra Dallas for the advanced copy of the audiobook. Tough Luck is out on April 29th. All opinions are my own.

I love stories that take me back to a different time when the people were as hardcore as the hardships they suffered. In this western historical fiction, two siblings end up traveling by wagon train to try to find their father who left their family in 1863. Haidie dresses as a boy alongside her younger brother, Boots, so that they can find work to make their trip. They meet lots of interesting people along the way (some good and some bad) and have tons of adventures.

I did a combination of e-book and audiobook for this one. The narration by Mia Hutchison-Shaw was excellent, whether she was voicing the rich banker or a scallywag, it always seemed to fit. The story was very entertaining.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the copies. All thoughts are my own.

3.5 stars.

Illinois, 1863. Boots, Haidie and Cheet’s father left the family home in search of gold and wealth in Colorado four years ago. Their mother passes, leaving the family farm for Cheet, the eldest sibling, to run. Cheet sells the farm for much less than it’s worth and abandons his younger siblings, planning to move on with his life without them dragging him down. Boots and Haidie make a plan to venture west in search of their father who they feel is sure to have found wealth and will welcome them back into his life.

This book was full of adventure. Haidie and Boots were incredible characters. I loved their relationship dynamic and that Haidie was more a mother figure than sister. Their bond was one of my favourite parts of this novel. The story is brilliantly told through Haidie’s perspective, which I loved. She was charming and entertaining with her inner thoughts. She was mature but still had a young innocence about her. Haidie and Boots find themselves in a variety of situations that is sure to have the reader entertained, emotional and rooting for them.

There are many characters introduced along their journey. Each new encounter unravels a unique layer to their story and enhances their personal growth. In a way, this is their coming of age story, but it also an entertaining romp through the American frontier. Several dangerous situations arise that had me worried and anxious. But there are also several surprising and heartwarming circumstances involving the kindness of strangers.

I am always fascinated to learn about this time period. The Wild West, where danger lurks beyond every grueling mile travelled into unknown territory. The bravery of people who embarked on this vast, hopeful and mysterious journey is inspiring.

I truly enjoyed following these unforgettable characters throughout their journey. Although I wouldn’t call this intense, gripping or fast paced, I cared deeply for the characters and will always remember them. I would have preferred more grit and realness, as I found a lightness to the writing that kept me from fully immersing myself in the atmosphere and storyline. I also found the ending wrapped up too neatly which had me lower my rating, but I can understand how this will please many readers.

Audio rating: 5 stars! The audio narrator did an excellent job narrating and greatly enhanced my connection to the book. Her tone, inflections and pauses were perfectly plotted. She had a twang to her pronunciations that had me feeling the atmosphere of the time period. I highly recommend the audio!

Thank you to the publisher for my physical and audio copy!

This novel publishes on April 29th. Be sure to get your hands on a copy!

All my historical girlies have to read this one! I loved every moment of it! I listened and really enjoyed the performance!

Haidie and her little brother become orphans when their father left them to find gold in CO and then their mother dies. This is their journey west to find their father. I loved how the characters the kids met along the way all weave together for the final conflict in the book. This was my first read by this author but I will check out more! Tough Luck was a fast paced, enjoyable read and I highly recommend it!

Thank you to the publisher and author for the advance listener copy through NetGalley.

It’s 1863, the Civil War is raging across North and South, and Mary Haidie Richards has been snookered. Her pa has gone out West to seek his fortune in gold and her Ma has died unexpectedly. True to his name, her older brother Cheet sells the farm to gamble on a riverboat. He's nineteen, and he can dispose of it any way he wants to. She is fourteen and a girl and has no rights. Tough luck.

One thing about Haidie is she is a liar. She doesn't do it to be ornery or because she is wicked. She lies because it is to her benefit, and (it might be to yours, too, if you'd like to try it!). She may be a liar, but when she give her word, she keeps it. Another thing about Haidie is she can be a sneak thief if she wants to be. Finally, Haidie is good at plans. So when Cheet dumps Haidie and her younger brother Boots at the Good Shepherd Home, she forms one: They're going to be the best damn orphans they ever had. Then they're going to run off and find their pa.

Haidie comes from a family of cheats. Her brother does. And her grandpap did, too. And she herself is awful good at it. The best scammers look just like somebody’s brother. And as Haidie’s brother Cheet once said, only a fool loses, when he can win by cheating. They are all confederates in this crime. Cards are also a family calling, and when Haidie’s pa discovers the Hangover Mine, he wins five thousand dollars on it and deposits the money and the deed at the bank for safekeeping.

But the next morning when Pa goes to get the money and the deed, the banker Mr. Thacker says he's never seen him in his life. Pa shows him the receipt, and the banker replies that it wasn't one of his or his signature, either. Desperate, Pa says the banker could keep the money if he'd just give Pa back the deed. But the banker claims he'd won it off a fellow in a poker game. Then the banker smiles at Pa and says, Tough luck! But when the dust stirred up by Mr. Thacker’s carriage settles and the curtain is pushed back, who will have the final call for “Tough luck”?!!

Of insolents and incorrigibles, Sandra Dallas’ Tough Luck is grandiloquent!

I had the Advance Listener Copy of Tough Luck by Sandra Dallas and narrated by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw. Haidie and her brother Boots set off from Illinois to Denver in search of their father. More than a year ago their dad left his wife and three kids to find gold in the mines outside of Denver Colorado. They’ve had three brief letters from him but nothing in months. Their mom got sick and died and their older brother sold the farm cheated his brother and sister out of their share and dumped them in an orphanage. Haidie plans her escape with Boots and they hire on with a man to travel by wagon train from Illinois to Denver. This is the story of the journey and the people they meet along the way. Great characters in this story. The narration was fantastic. This book releases April 29, 2025. I need to thank Net Galley and MacMillan Audio for my ALC.

After her mother dies, Haidie must keep her family together, meaning she has to go find her father in gold rush Colorado. The last they heard from him, he had struck it rich, and Haidie and her brother Boots have nothing left, and that includes their swindler older brother who gave them up to the orphanage. Their journey West is a true coming of age story about finding your true grit, blood isn't always thicker than water, and friends come from all different places.

I've been a Sandra Dallas fan for years. She has an ease of writing, even if her stories are a little predictable. This was a character-driven story that had all types of people, including those you love to hate. Dallas just does character development so well. I listened to the audiobook version, and Hutchinson-Shaw got the job done. I will always read what Sandra Dallas publishes, and I'm never left disappointed.

I discovered this story while trolling the read shelves of GR friends, Marilyn & Liz. Domestic dramas aren’t my go-to genre because I so often get so pissed off at all the kids who get stuck with such crappy parents. However, there was something about Haidie that really appealed to me. I like kids who turn out to be bad@$$#$ in spite of their crappy parents and terrible childhoods.

The book summary basically lays out the primary storyline of Haidie and her little brother Boots becoming orphaned after the death of their mother, and homeless after their older brother Cheet, sells the farm and dumps them off at an orphanage. They convince a new nun, Theresa, at the orphanage that they will help her escape the orphanage (she was forced to become a nun by her father) if she helps them escape too. After escaping the orphanage, Haidie and Boots end up helping Theresa again by aiding her in escaping her abusive fake marriage. None of this is a spoiler since it’s basically how the story started.

Haidie and Boots make their way across the Midwest to Denver where they hope to find their father who came out years ago to mine gold. Along the way, they meet a cast of characters from the good and honest to the downright mean and scary. They become heroes by catching a couple of freight bandits and learn some very handy card tricks that they picked up by a kindhearted card shark. The ending comes fast in a worthy payback to a shyster banker.

The character development of Haidie and Boots along with a couple of other characters was well done. Love Haidie as well as Corny and the spinster sisters!!!. The pacing was steady to fast and the storyline entertaining even if it was kind of corny. The writing was fine and, once again, seemed a little cheesy. The story reminded me of a YA story, a good one, but a story for teenagers nonetheless. I’m looking at an overall rating of 3.8 that I will be rounding up to a 4star rating. I want to thank NetGalley, Macmillian Audio for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

NetGalley #MacmillanAudio #ToughLuck

There is always something about a book that takes place on the prairies many years ago that always draws me in.

This story gave me a Western Story feel as people set off in their covered wagons to find new beginnings or make it big with Gold Mines.

Some of those just have bad luck or as the book is Titled Tough Luck.

The narrator did a wonderful job and enjoyable to listen to.

1923 has been a favorite show at our house, so I knew I was going to love the feel of this book! It was marvelous! HIGHLY recommend this.

This was my first time reading Sandra Dallas' work, and it was such a fun read. I love historical fiction, and what really brought this story to life for me were the secondary characters. I especially fell in love with Jake, Teresa, Boots, Corny, and the old maids. Heck, I even loved Tyge the dog. The main character, Haidie, is also someone to be admired. Even though she's only fourteen years old, she's an old soul. She's a hard worker and she's fiercely loyal to her friends and family. I greatly admired her perseverance through all of the trials she faced. The narrator, Mia Hutchinson-Shaw, did a wonderful job. Her voice reminds me a lot of my favorite narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, so needless to say I took a liking to her right away. I would highly recommend the audiobook version of Tough Luck to everyone.

Middle America, 1863, and 14 yr old Haidie Richards has fallen on the hardest of times. Four years ago her Pa left in search of gold in the Colorado mountains. Her mother has just been buried and her older brother has sold the farm, taken the proceeds and dropped Haidie and her younger brother at an orphanage. But Haidie’s survival skills kick in as she and her younger brother Boots set off on a cross country adventure in search of family. It eventually becomes clear that family takes on many meanings, while she protects her brother as they intersect with both heroes and villains along the way.

Similar to William Kent Krueger’s This Tender Land and Amor Towles’ Lincoln Highway, what they find at the planned final destination is very different from what she anticipated. With the same unapologetic spunk and fierce sibling loyalty as Duchess of Chris Whitaker’s We Begin at the End, Haidie’s coming of age runs fast and furious in Dallas’ new historical fiction novel.

Mia Hutchinson Shaw’s narration was easy on the ears, speeding the plot forward while making the essence of the characters sing. I look forward to future audiobooks including her talent.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the early copy in exchange for my honest review.

What a fun read! This book was classified as Historical Fiction and Women’s Fiction on NetGalley, but I think a YA tag would also have been appropriate as our protagonist is a 14-year-old girl. I went into this not knowing what to expect as I’ve never read any other works by Sandra Dallas and I was unfamiliar with True Grit, to which this novel was compared. Tough Luck could have taken a much more serious tone with a girl and her young brother traveling across the country in search of their father. But it read more like a Mark Twain with interesting characters popping in and out of the story, either helping or hindering the vulnerable pair. In a world of pandemics and divisive politics, this was a lovely little escape that I was sorry ended as quickly as it did. I would recommend this book and I hope to read more by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

*NO RATING*

I have read previous Sandra Dallas books and enjoyed two of them very much [The Persian Pickle Society and Prayers for Sale; I can really recommend these books], but the others only slightly, so I was hoping for a win with this one [I felt I was due for a good one LOL].
Unfortunately, this was not the case here. I didn't like ANY of the characters [not even the MC; what a snotty, conniving bratty child she is], the glorifying of lying and cheating [amongst other vices] made for a meh story and was, by the end, very irritating, I didn't really enjoy the story [though there were parts that were sad] and that end...well, it was just...sigh.
Overall, this was a huge disappointment and I am not sure I will ever read this author again.

I have listened to this narrator[Mia Hutchinson-Shaw] before and enjoyed her; unfortunately, she was doing an English accent [and doing it very well I must say; I had no idea she wasn't British], and I'd not heard her in her regular voice, WHICH I found that I do not care for [I WOULD absolutely listen to her read a book where she uses the English accent; that was truly fantastic]. Which was, of course, a real disappointment. I am sure that many will enjoy it, but for me [I am unfortunately pretty particular about my narrators/narration as I really rely on audiobooks now for "reading", and I end up not liking as many narrators as other people do], it hindered and already unlikable story even more.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and narrator, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

Tough Luck is a gripping, heartfelt western that follows two resilient young siblings, Haidie and Boots, as they journey westward in search of their missing father—a gold miner who left in pursuit of treasure and never returned.

Set in the 1860s, the story captures both the hardships and hope of the time. As a parent, I found myself particularly moved by the dangers these two kids faced, and their strength, perseverance, and sense of responsibility was both admirable and emotional.

The audiobook narration is absolutely outstanding. Mia handles a wide range of characters—across different ages and genders—with authenticity and depth, bringing the entire world of the story to life.

While I gave it 4 stars due to a small feeling of something missing (perhaps a slightly more satisfying resolution or emotional beat), it’s still a powerful and adventurous listen.

Tough Luck is a fantastic choice for readers looking for a tale of courage, endurance, and old-west adventure.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I had hopes for this one- I love historicals and I love western settings. But this was a huge disappointment.

First, it reads a lot like YA, but the subject matter isn't YA. Prostitution comes up quite a bit- though it isn't called that.

Second, all of these terrible things kept happening, yet they miraculously solved the problem quickly and with little effort. There wasn't any strife. You couldn't feel their turmoil. It was very shallow.

Mia Hutchinson-Shaw narrates the audiobook.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Charming historical fiction about a young woman in 1863 who is determined to find her wayward father in the Colorado Territory.

After the death of their mother, 14-year-old Haidie and her little brother, Boots, are dumped in an Illinois orphanage by older brother Cheats. They soon escape, and with Haidie dressed as a boy, are on the road west.

The characters are wonderful—even the nasty ones. The kids meet lots of interesting folks along the way and they work hard to earn their keep. Haidie is determined to find and confront their father, no matter who or what gets in the way.

Dallas provides plenty of humor and the language and perspective are very entertaining. The audio narration by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw was downright perfect.

The book will be published on April 29, 2025 by St. Martin’s Press. The audiobook (8 hours, 18 minutes) was recorded by Macmillan Audio. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to the book in return for an honest review.

Listen to this on audio it was an arc read. I thought it was really cute. Pretty wholesome, and the narrators were good. It’s about a couple of orphan kids that believe that their father is still alive and they go across country to try to find him. Reminds me of like a cowboy western type movie. They run into good and bad people, make relationships with good people, and as they are on the hunt for their father meet a lot of different characters. Basically I think it was a good read and I would recommend it.

Tough Luck by Sandra Dallas is the story of two orphans who set out west to find their father. The novel vividly depicts the harsh realities of life on the trail to a new territory, highlighting the dangers, hardships, and perseverance required to survive.

As the siblings journey across the rugged landscape, they encounter numerous challenges, including unpredictable weather, scarce resources, and the constant threat of outlaws. Despite these hardships, they also meet many kind and generous people who offer them guidance, shelter, and support. Along the way, they learn valuable lessons about resilience, trust, and the meaning of family, ultimately discovering that sometimes the greatest strength comes from the kindness of strangers.

This story was well written and an easy to listen to, The narrator did a great job depicting the characters voices and bringing life to the the story.