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Brides of the Empire #1
The Eagle and the Lamb
Rome, the capital of the world in A.D. 62, was the site of privilege and poverty, of sumptuousness and slavery. Yet Sara, a plain young Jewish slave with lovely large brown eyes who has become a Christian, is filled with far more peace than her wealthy mistress Diana.
In Diana, though, Sara sees a spark of faith that could be fanned into a flame. And in Diana's strikingly handsome brother, Antonius, a Tribune of Rome, she sees a man at the pinnacle of power, searching for something more.
Against the tableau of the twilight of the Roman Empire—soon to be torched by the mad Nero—is a love story that transcends time.
In Diana, though, Sara sees a spark of faith that could be fanned into a flame. And in Diana's strikingly handsome brother, Antonius, a Tribune of Rome, she sees a man at the pinnacle of power, searching for something more.
Against the tableau of the twilight of the Roman Empire—soon to be torched by the mad Nero—is a love story that transcends time.
170 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
5 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Darlene Mindrup
39 books17 followersDarlene Mindrup has always had a love of writing and an active imagination. Years of journalism classes and homeschooling her children gave her the tools to make her writing better and more professional (and with a lot less errors). She has a love of history that comes through in her novels, especially Bible history and World War II.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 15, 2020
Honestly this is so cute and I will read it over and over forever. 😍💖
May 14, 2013
i loved it, it was so good! It was a mixture of Christian and romance, my two favorite combos!
May 21, 2024
loved it so much!!!!!!!!!!
August 30, 2021
Sarah, a young Jewish woman, is made the slave/companion to a young, ailing woman named Diana by Diana's brother, Antonius, a tribune of Rome. Diana wonders about the peace that Sara has, even as a slave, and Sara can't help but talk about her faith in Jesus Christ. Antonius, however, doesn't wants Christianity poisoning his sister, even while he has to admit to being unable to stop thinking about Sara and how different she is from Roman women. What began as a terrible situation for Sara and her family when they became indebted to the Roman might just turn out to be part of God's will for the lives of everyone involved.
I am so glad I found this book and read it again! When I was in high school, my family went to visit my grandparents in Arizona (I live in the midwest), and I remember them having a library full of paperback romance novels (probably mostly Christian, if not wholly, since they lived at a church). I read several of those books during our stay there, but this is the only one I remembered well enough to track it down again, which took me a long time and a lot of digging. It's a sweet romance, but also a tale of early Christians during the time of Roman persecution around 62 A.D. and the difficulties they had to face just to be able to practice their faith. Sara is a great example of a Christ-follower spreading His love and message to everyone she spends time with. Secondary characters add to the enjoyment of this book, especially a fellow slave and Christian who some readers likely see as a serious contender for Sara's heart.
Antonius may be harsh through much of the book, but he's a well-written, realistic character. He's a Roman soldier, taught to believe that Rome is the center of the universe and that the rest of the world should fall at his feet. Even with his culture and training, he's actually set apart from others of his type, which is clearly shown in the story. And let's not forget that he actually saved Sara and her parents from being sold into much harsher slavery near the beginning of the book. When he treats her badly, she stands her ground. When he insists she not speak to Diana about God, she weighs the obedience of her slave master against the obedience of her one true master, God.
The book's title is an apt description of the contrast between these two characters, and I think that contrast is why I love the story so much. I read the book to reminisce about the first time I read it, and didn't expect to find much of substance, but it's really quite a lovely story. It's pretty short, but I didn't feel that detracted at all—in fact, that kept the story from dragging out like some romance books can do. I also didn't think I'd care about the series this book is the beginning of, but now that I know the next book is about Decimus, the fellow slave I mentioned above, I'd love to see his story.
I am so glad I found this book and read it again! When I was in high school, my family went to visit my grandparents in Arizona (I live in the midwest), and I remember them having a library full of paperback romance novels (probably mostly Christian, if not wholly, since they lived at a church). I read several of those books during our stay there, but this is the only one I remembered well enough to track it down again, which took me a long time and a lot of digging. It's a sweet romance, but also a tale of early Christians during the time of Roman persecution around 62 A.D. and the difficulties they had to face just to be able to practice their faith. Sara is a great example of a Christ-follower spreading His love and message to everyone she spends time with. Secondary characters add to the enjoyment of this book, especially a fellow slave and Christian who some readers likely see as a serious contender for Sara's heart.
Antonius may be harsh through much of the book, but he's a well-written, realistic character. He's a Roman soldier, taught to believe that Rome is the center of the universe and that the rest of the world should fall at his feet. Even with his culture and training, he's actually set apart from others of his type, which is clearly shown in the story. And let's not forget that he actually saved Sara and her parents from being sold into much harsher slavery near the beginning of the book. When he treats her badly, she stands her ground. When he insists she not speak to Diana about God, she weighs the obedience of her slave master against the obedience of her one true master, God.
The book's title is an apt description of the contrast between these two characters, and I think that contrast is why I love the story so much. I read the book to reminisce about the first time I read it, and didn't expect to find much of substance, but it's really quite a lovely story. It's pretty short, but I didn't feel that detracted at all—in fact, that kept the story from dragging out like some romance books can do. I also didn't think I'd care about the series this book is the beginning of, but now that I know the next book is about Decimus, the fellow slave I mentioned above, I'd love to see his story.
December 29, 2025
The writing and story and faith/conversions are rather simplistic but I still enjoyed reading it. Mrs. Mindrup doesn't dwell much; she can't, the book is too short, but I was still pleased with what I got.
The relationship between Antonius and his sister, Diana, was a highlight for me. I could have enjoyed a story about them without any romance. While Antonius and Sara are the main romance and I had fun with them, I was more drawn to Flavius and Diana as a couple. Probably because they had less complexities and inequalities in their relationship. Nothing against Antonius, but his confusion about Sara being afraid of him was rather silly considering she's his slave, he's her master and Roman men could rape any slave they desired. Jubal, Sara's father, even hints at this when he objects to Antonius taking her and Antonius understands what he's asking and why he's worried! He would understand Sara's fear and she'd be much more distressed about his attraction and especially his jealousy of Decimus, who is a fellow Christian slave who falls in love with Sara, considering that he could have Decimus flogged, sold, or killed for any reason or no reason at all.
Thankfully, this is a pretty, safe, sanitized version of Rome and Antonius is a mostly good, ultimately safe, sanitized Roman man. But occasionally the book gestures at the reality of the complications and dangers of Roman slavery and master-slave attraction in some scenes and then ignores them for the next. So that may be a problem for some. I could roll with it, even if I snorted a few times.
The relationship between Antonius and his sister, Diana, was a highlight for me. I could have enjoyed a story about them without any romance. While Antonius and Sara are the main romance and I had fun with them, I was more drawn to Flavius and Diana as a couple. Probably because they had less complexities and inequalities in their relationship. Nothing against Antonius, but his confusion about Sara being afraid of him was rather silly considering she's his slave, he's her master and Roman men could rape any slave they desired. Jubal, Sara's father, even hints at this when he objects to Antonius taking her and Antonius understands what he's asking and why he's worried! He would understand Sara's fear and she'd be much more distressed about his attraction and especially his jealousy of Decimus, who is a fellow Christian slave who falls in love with Sara, considering that he could have Decimus flogged, sold, or killed for any reason or no reason at all.
Thankfully, this is a pretty, safe, sanitized version of Rome and Antonius is a mostly good, ultimately safe, sanitized Roman man. But occasionally the book gestures at the reality of the complications and dangers of Roman slavery and master-slave attraction in some scenes and then ignores them for the next. So that may be a problem for some. I could roll with it, even if I snorted a few times.
April 6, 2009
Seventeen-year-old Sara is an ordinary young woman from a Jewish family that has converted to Christianity. She and her family live in a small village near the Roman city of Ephesus. But a chance encounter with Antonius, a wealthy young man who is a Tribune in the Roman Legion, changes her life. When Sara's brother Dathan incurs a gambling debt, Antonius pays it off to prevent the family from being sold into slavery. He takes Sara back to his home in Ephesus, hoping that she can help his sister, Diana, who has been suffering for some time from a mysterious illness brought on by grief. Sara is now a slave, but she can't hate poor Diana, whom she befriends, and she can't even hate Antonius, whom she finds herself attracted to. But he is one of the hated Romans who relentlessly persecute her people, and she is only a slave. Is it possible that things could ever work out between them?
I really enjoyed the setting of this book, but I didn't think the romance was as well done as in the other book I read by this author, A Light Within. It may be because this was her first book and she was still a new writer. But she did a good job of bringing the historical setting to life, and the characters were at least somewhat developed. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoyed others by the author but new readers should try one of her others first.
I really enjoyed the setting of this book, but I didn't think the romance was as well done as in the other book I read by this author, A Light Within. It may be because this was her first book and she was still a new writer. But she did a good job of bringing the historical setting to life, and the characters were at least somewhat developed. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoyed others by the author but new readers should try one of her others first.
October 17, 2018
It was sooooooo good! Everyone should read it! It was so funny too! I love this author! I don't like the cover though. It doesn't fit.
August 6, 2015
Really good read! Couldn't put it down,
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews