A Timeless, Beautiful Allegory of the Biblical Love Story of Ruth and Boaz The Great Rebellion of 1857 was a remarkably bloody business. At a time when Britain’s imperial influence in India was sparking brutal clashes on both sides, no one could have expected Rena, an Indian woman, to marry a British officer–nor do they understand her decision to follow her mother-in-law to England after her … to England after her husband’s tragic death.
Once the two widows are in Abbotsville, the stern yet compassionate Lord Barric attempts to help them despite his better judgment. Soon he is torn between the demands of reputation and his increasing desire to capture Rena’s heart for his own.
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This is a new-to-me author and since this is an allegory of the Biblical love story of Ruth and Boaz, I was hooked. The author has done her research. You get a realistic picture of how brutal it was in 1857 during the Great Rebellion between Great Britain and India. There are traditions in the story of Ruth in the Bible that are difficult to read or understand, and the author dealt with the harshness of the treatment of women as delicately as she could without sugarcoating the truth. This was exciting to read the author’s first book and I look forward to seeing where her next book takes the reader.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this book. Rena is from India and married an Englishman. I loved Rena’s dedication to her mother-in-law, Nell. Rena is trying to make up for her being a widow and therefore a nobody in Indian society. Rena works hard to make Nell not regret taking her along with her. Nell was cast out of her family’s home due to having Rena with her. I love how hard Rena works to make a way for her and Nell. Lord Barric is a man that is concerned with how others perceive him. Throughout the story we see how he shows partiality to Rena and Nell, but he continuously tries to shun her when others are around. I really had a hard time putting this book down. I enjoyed how the story progressed, however, I found myself mad at the characters many times. Rena cuts herself down, yet she is strong. Lord Barric was kind in one moment and then the next he was not a very nice guy. Towards the end of the story, we see Rena’s spiritual struggle as she has to choose between following her Indian gods or following Jesus. Overall, this was an engaging book that kept my attention throughout. I would recommend to those that want to see what it is like to live as an outcast.
I received a copy from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Shadow Among Sheaves is the debut novel by Naomi Stephens. It is a retelling of the Biblical story of Ruth and Boaz. I love that story and love to read various rewritings of it. I was so excited to have the opportunity to read and review this book. I was not a bit disappointed. I found Lord Barric and Rena to be likeable characters. The Great Rebellion of 1857 is not a piece of history I am not familiar with, so I was intrigued with reading a new era.
Shadow Among Sheaves is getting a well deserved five plus stars from me. Miss Stephens is definitely a very talented author and I can not wait to get my hands on her next release. I am curious to find out where her imagination will lead her readers to next.
Shadow Among Sheaves is a must read. I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy Ruth and Boaz’s story, as well as those who enjoy clean historical fiction.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
Where to start! Wow this book was a fantasic story, my favorite version of the the story of Ruth, Boaz & Naomi.
The author did a marvolus job weaving in the oppression and belief systems that are part of the hindu faith and showing how God can work through any circumstance. I loved the interaction between characters and I was pulled in from the very beginning of the book. I would definitely recommend picking this book to read and I already can not wait to read more books by Naomi Stephens.
One thing that I did not particularly like however was the use of a couple cuss words, as they really do not add to the story. Personaly I do not see a reason for them to be used in a christian fiction book.
I was given a copy of this book for honest feedback by Barbour Publishing the opinions expressed with in are my own.
Wow! Wow! Wow! I am…Wow! I don’t even know where to begin. This is a new author and this is her debut book. However, I would have thought her a seasoned writer. This book sucked me in from the get go. This is a re-telling of the story of Ruth and Boaz. Sigh! I loved the story of Ruth so much that my husband and I recited passages from this book of the Bible in our wedding vows over thirty-five years ago. So, when I saw the description, I was all in. Now, add in flavors of Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, (another fave of mine) then you know it is a winner in my opinion. I loved Rena, the Indian girl who was a young widow and her sweet mother in law Nell. They were so likeable and it broke my heart all of the trials and tribulations they experienced. I also loved how sacrificial Rena was in her love for Nell. Now, add in Lord Barric and I was smitten! It was a bit gritty, but a real look at life during that time for widows. It was a book that showed unconditional love and hope. This had a wonderful HEA! So, this may be my favorite or at least one of my favorite books I have read from this publisher. If you love romance, then this book is for you.
Now, for you sensitive readers, there are a few mild curse words throughout the book, which took me by surprise, but don’t let that keep you from this amazing book.
I hope this author will write books for Alice, William and Charlie. 😉
*I was given a copy of this book by Barbour Publishing. This is my honest opinion.
While not perfect, this was a good story about a young Indian widow who leaves her homeland to travel with her English mother-in-law back to England. It’s a story of the journey through grief, of selfless love, determination, and prejudice (both racial and social).
I admired the heroine’s strength and watching her own self-discovery of that strength as she faced her grief, her struggles with prejudice and ultimately her reconciliation of her Indian heritage and her new English circumstances.
I did feel the story was a bit too long and drawn out and a bit draggy in spots, however overall it was a satisfyingly good read.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #Barbour for the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.