Protect My Lambs

The Ballerina’s Bargain

Series: Danforth Theatre, Book 1

Written by Lorri Dudley

Published by Wild Heart Books

Release Date: 09.08.26

Genre: Christian Historical Romance, Christian Historical Fiction

5 Stars!

“Protect My lambs.” That line says so much about The Ballerina’s Bargain.

Emmeline is brave, stubborn, determined, and completely willing to do hard things. “Laurents do hard things” fits her perfectly. Her courage has more weight because she is not simply forcing her way through every obstacle on her own.

She keeps turning to God.

She prays. She asks for His help. She trusts Him when she cannot see how everything is going to work out. She knows those girls matter to Him too. That dependence on God gives her strength a depth that would not have been there otherwise. Her faith feels like part of her actual life. It is there in the hard decisions, the fear, the uncertainty, the protecting, and the waiting. It never feels dropped into the story just because a faith scene is needed.

That is exactly the kind of Christian fiction I want to read.

Grant and Emmeline are also so much fun together. She keeps disrupting his plans while he is trying to keep everything carefully under control, and watching those two worlds collide made their relationship especially enjoyable.

The ballet setting gives the story its own distinct feel too. The theatre, the girls, and Emmeline’s fierce concern for their futures give the book heart, while the danger and unanswered questions keep the story moving.

The faith is what gave this story its grace. Again and again, there is a recognition that God sees what they cannot see yet and that His plans may look very different from the ones they are trying so hard to hold onto.

Only two chapters in, this already felt special. That feeling never changed. The Ballerina’s Bargain was absolutely excellent and easily one of my favorite reads of the year.

I received a complimentary copy of this book directly from the author and am also participating in the Celebrate Lit tour. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.