Happy Release Day!
Congratulations Deanna
on the release today of
The Lost Ballerina!
The Lost Ballerina by Deanna Lynn Sletten
Women's Sagas, 229 pages
Published January 13, 2026 by Deanna Lynn Sletten
Two generations. Two dreams. One story powerful enough to change a life.
1963—Evalina Ashford has spent her life reaching for her dream. Raised with little more than determination and a passion for dance, she has fought her way into the revered halls of the New York City Ballet under the watchful eye of the great choreographer, George Balanchine. Just as her long-held dream is finally within reach, a devastating betrayal from someone she loves threatens to shatter everything—her future, her trust, and the very identity she has built through years of sacrifice.
Today—Seventeen-year-old Madison Carlson is having the kind of summer she’d rather forget. With her car wrecked by her boyfriend and her parents urging her toward a “sensible” career path, she’s stuck mowing lawns to earn repair money and questioning every choice she’s made. When Maddie reluctantly knocks on the door of the old house the neighborhood kids whisper about, she expects to be turned away. Instead, she meets two elderly ladies with a past that glimmers with secrets and heartache—and one woman whose extraordinary story inspires Maddie to reclaim herself, her dreams, and her future.
Across decades, the lives of a rising ballerina and a struggling teenager intertwine, revealing how courage, mentorship, and the stories we share can change everything.
My thoughts about The Lost Ballerina ~~
(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)
First lines—"Madison Carlson stood at the end of the long driveaway, staring at the home that all teens in the neighborhood believed was haunted."
I got lost in the storyline of The Lost Ballerina. (See what I did there.) I love dual timelines in stories, where we learn the story behind what is happening in the the present. And no one does dual timelines better than Deanna. I'm a huge fan of her historical novels—you can tell she does the research to write her stories authentically. And then to throw in two related stories takes her stories over the top.
Madison has to step out of her comfort zone to approach the two elderly women who are perceived as witches by the neighborhood kids. What she finds is not at all what she expected and she forges a deep friendship with them. As their past is revealed, Madison discovers so much about them, her family, and herself.
The Lost Ballerina was an eye opening look at the world of ballet for me. I now understand a little bit of what it takes to be the best and and how hard people have to work studying ballet. It was heartwarming to learn about the love and sacrifice that Evalina and her mother went through so that Evalina could live her dream. Life lesson for all of us—live your best life and follow you dreams.
I loved everything about The Lost Ballerina and highly recommend it.
I received an ARC of The Lost Ballerina and this is my honest opinion.
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About the author
Deanna Lynn Sletten is the author of Mrs. Winchester's Biographer, The Ones We Leave Behind, The Women of Great Heron Lake, Maggie's Turn, The Lake Harriet Series, and several other titles. She writes compelling historical fiction, heartwarming women's fiction, romance novels, and murder mysteries. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime
Deanna has recently begun a new murder mystery series, The Rachel Emery Series which includes The Truth About Rachel and Death Becomes You.
Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing on the lake in the summer. ~ Goodreads
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