Westering Women: A Novel

From the bestselling author of Prayers for Sale, Sandra Dallas's Westering Women is an inspiring celebration of sisterhood on the perilous Overland Trail

Exciting novel ... difficult to put down.” —Booklist


"If you are an adventuresome young woman of high moral character and fine health, are you willing to travel to California in search of a good husband?"

It's February, 1852, and all around Chicago, Maggie sees postings soliciting "eligible women" to travel to the gold mines of Goosetown. A young seamstress with a small daughter, she has nothing to lose. She joins forty-three other women and two pious reverends on the dangerous 2,000-mile journey west.

None are prepared for the hardships they face on the trek or for the strengths they didn't know they possessed. Maggie discovers she’s not the only one looking to leave dark secrets behind. And when her past catches up with her, it becomes clear a band of sisters will do whatever it takes to protect one of their own.

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Published Jan 26, 2021

336 pages

Average rating: 7.42

12 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Margie Pettersen
Oct 27, 2025
8/10 stars
I'm loving this historical fiction book set in the 1850s. Women are being sought to go out to California to marry the 1000s of men who had gone there for the gold rush. Maggie has a compelling story. She has with her a four year old daughter and most likely was the target of domestic violence. Mary, an older woman "sees" Maggie for what she is - a young and desperate woman, and lies to vouch for her and convince the agents that she is young widow. She takes Maggie and her daughter under her wing.

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