"Most days she found her own past too painful in its vastness."

England 1861. Intricate tale of a young Indian woman who married a British soldier, heir to a fortune. Similar to the biblical Ruth, when he and his father both died, she left India to follow her mother-in-law back to England. Neither realizing just how tough it would be. Severely rejected because of her race and nationality, both women were rejected and shunned by everyone and forced to live in a way neither had experienced before.

Lord Barric grudgingly felt compelled to help these women, relatives by marriage. At first, he just allowed Rena to glean from his field. The story is excruciatingly painful to read at times, vividly brought to life by this talented author. Unfairness of discrimination, both of race and because they were women in the society of this day and age. And the customs of both countries. Through Rena, the beauty of the Indian people is unfolded. Although in India, the people didn't respect widows at that time; treated them harshly. In many parts of India, widows were beaten and shunned, cursed and spat upon, their clothes stripped away and ornaments ripped from their piercings so even their skin and flesh were broken. In the Indian state of Punjab, the term for widow was synonymous with the word for prostitute. But love has no racial boundaries.

“We are so much more than our reputation,” she finally managed to reply, her face warming. “Stories cheat; truth is found only in friendship.”

I was blessed to meet and work with people from India for a while, even more blessed to call these beautiful people friends. A time and friendship that I will always treasure. I didn't learn nearly enough about them and the land that they came from. The beauty and dignity of the main character in this story made me think of them.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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Shadow Among Sheaves is a retelling of Ruth and Boaz from the Bible. I thought the author did a great job finding a more modern setting to tell this story. Rena (Ruth) comes to England with her mother-in-law after both of their husbands die. They go from being well off to total poverty- I loved Rena's strength of character through the struggle. She and Lord Barric (Boaz) meet and he begins to help her, and her mother-in-law, and eventually he falls in love with her. As much as I loved their story, my one issue is that Lord Barric was a jerk until almost the end of the book. Boaz in the Bible was a good man of good character. Other than that I really enjoyed this book and would recommend to others as well.

I loved this retelling of Ruth, which is set in Victorian England. . Shadows Among Sheaves is well written and pulls you in right from the beginning. The characters and setting are all very detailed and so vivid that you almost feel your a part of the story itself. This is a must read.

Shadow Among Sheaves is one of the best books I've read this year. It is a more modern retelling of the book of Ruth from the Bible. When I say more modern I am really refering the late 1850s. It is set in England with a glimpse of India as well.

If you know world history you know that this timeframe regarding England and India is referred to as The Great Rebellion. The story begins with Rena and her mother-in-law Lady Hawley making the arduous journey from India to Abbottsville, England. The two are basically destitute when they arrive in Abbottsville. The life they are forced into through their circumstances resembles nothing compared to their former life when their husbands were alive.

Eventually Barric enters the picture and provides a bit of respit for their plight. But not much. He's torn because he feels compassion for Rena but she's still basically an outcast and in his world that's a no-no.

If you are familiar with the book of Ruth you know how the story ends, but the author's imaginings of the journey is definitely worth the read. I thought it stuck to the structure of the original yet added the necessary details needed to switch the timeframe and setting. The story was well written and one I would highly recommend.

A well written adaption of the Book of Ruth. While I love Biblical retellings I prefer to read them in the same time or place they were written. That being said the story of Ruth is one that can adapted to any time period. And the stetting of first India then Britain gave a new twist on a beloved story. I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. I look forward to other books by this author.

4.5 stars- I have always loved the story of Ruth and Boaz in the Bible. So when I heard about this book retelling the story in 1862 England, I was eager to read it. It was such a fascinating read. I know very little about the history between India and Great Britain and the Indian Mutiny. I learned so much about this time in history and it fit so well with the story of Ruth.
This book was hard to read at times because my heart felt so hurt for Rena and how she was treated by almost everyone. It brought such great perspective of how similar it must have been for Ruth in the Bible. I don’t think I ever quite grasped just how poorly she was probably treated. Rena was a woman of great courage and fortitude. She struggled to find a place to belong. Because of her marriage to an English soldier and subsequent widowhood she was cast out of Indian society, yet because she was Indian she was scorned by the British.
Enter Barric, the only Englishman to show any sort of kindness to her, and that most begrudgingly. I’m still so torn on my thoughts of Barric. At times he seemed so angry and hardened, yet at other times there was this amazing sensitivity about him. There were some moments I felt like his words to Rena even bordered on cruel, yet I sensed a softness about him as well. I was also struck by how much alcohol the men drank in this book, Barric included.Maybe that was the norm?
Overall, this was a story that tugged at my heart and kept me reading, wanting to see what would happen next. Even though I knew the outcome of the story in the Bible, I was curious to see how things would play out in this version. I look forward to reading more books by Naomi Stephens.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There was a lot I loved about this book—and some I really did not appreciate. I loved watching Rena learn about God and come to faith in Him, and I enjoyed finding the ways in which this story paralleled the Book of Ruth. Watching Rena learn to trust Barric was good, too. On the other hand, there were frequent references to immorality, and I did not appreciate Barric's sensual attraction to Rena. Also, in several places there was swearing. So, while the writing style was very good and the story gripping, I can't give this book 5 stars.

I received a free copy of Shadow Among Sheaves by Naomi Stephens from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This a Victorian retelling of the story of Ruth and Boaz. Naomi Stephens does a great job at bringing her characters to life and giving some modern life to the story. We see the racial divisions and class divisions that are present in India and England at this time of history. We see devotion and unconditional love between a daughter-in-law and mother-in-law that is very touching. This is an encouraging and uplifting story. Wonderful read.

A great parallel to the story of Ruth and Naomi. I love it when authors are able to find periods of history that work perfectly for this. Just as Ruth’s people were enemies of the Israelites, the people of Britain saw the Indians as enemies after some of the rebellions in India.

I enjoyed the story, plot, parallels, and characters of this book. Most of all, I loved that it gave me a new perspective on the story of Ruth without trying to be that Biblical account. Well done!

I follow the GoodReads rating system. Please note that this means even the 3-star books are ones I liked.
1 star – didn’t like it
2 stars – it was OK
3 stars – liked it
4 stars – really liked it
5 stars – it was amazing; I’ll read it over and over and/or it will impact my daily life.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

This novel, based loosely on the Book of Ruth in the Bible, is set in England during the Victorian Era and following the Indian Rebellion of 1857. For the most part, it easily parallels Ruth’s story as we follow Rena, an Indian woman who was married to an English officer, and her English mother-in-law, Nell.

Nell has decided to return to England after the deaths of her husband and son. Rena has chosen to follow Nell to England rather than remain at home in India with her own family. As the story progresses, the reader observes the scorn, prejudice, and insults experienced by Rena from the English people because she is Indian. The strength displayed by Rena in dealing with these negative behaviors while continuing to love and care for her mother-in-law in their fight for survival caused me to wonder about what Ruth in the Bible must have suffered when she traveled to a land and people who were not her own.

Added to this story are the characters of Lord Barric and his family who are related to Nell and, in turn, Rena. That Lord Barric cares for Rena soon becomes obvious but acting on that love becomes very complicated when added to the equation are Rena’s nationality, the reactions of Barric’s family and the townspeople and Rena’s feelings due to the negative behaviors she is experiencing. What will Lord Barric and Rena do? The complexities of this decision are expertly presented and handled well by the author and provides the reader with much to think about.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book that was provided by the publisher through Net Galley. However, the thoughts and opinions presented here are my own.

This book was an interesting retelling of the biblical story of Ruth, set in historic England. Rena, a young Indian widow, travels to England with her mother-in-law, also widowed. She faces discrimination, poverty, and starvation. While she is willing to work, no one will offer an Indian woman a job. As both women struggle with the loss of their husbands, Lord Barric enters the picture and provides relief from their physical suffering. He provides food and a home to stay because of his interest in Rena. However, they are dependent on him and Rena doesn't want that for her or her mother-in-law. After a new copy of a will is found, Rena must confront her feelings about Lord Barric and her ability to move on. This book was engaging and extremely interesting, both as a Biblical retelling and as a story standing on its own merits.

I loved this new take on an old classic. Stephens does a masterful job of weaving in enough suspense and romantic twists keep me turning the page on a work outside of my genre. I really wanted to know how this story would end--even though I already knew in the historical sense. Stephens added in so much tension in parts that I wasn't sure if the ending would align with my Biblical understanding. I'll leave the reader to wade through the mystery, but know this: you're going to want to know what happens next!

India born widow, Rena Hawley returns with her also widowed mother-in-law to the homeland of her late husband. In England she is met with disdain, and shamed for her exotic heritage. Rena works hard to help provide for herself and Nella, but the only productive work she can find is to glean in Lord Barric's field picking up what is left behind by the harvesters.



Lord Jack Barric is intrigued by the beautiful woman who has come to glean in his fields, he allows her to stay and even arranges a place for her and her mother-in-law to live. But as the townspeople begin to chatter and spread malicious gossip about him and his relationship to Rena, things become strained and choices must be made.



A Victorian re-telling of Ruth, Shadow Among Sheaves is a fresh new take on the story we all know so well. It made me admire Rena's bravery to travel to an unknown land and people, leaving everything familiar behind.



Barric is honorable to a fault, constantly thinking about his reputation while also juggling his duty to do what is right. I liked how the characters were all flawed and imperfect, yet were not without redeeming qualities, which brought a realness to them that was refreshing.



In some ways it was a slower read, and maybe it just felt that way because I did have a pretty good inkling on how it would likely end up. I also thought that there was a lot of justifying and overthinking going on inside the heads of Barric and Rena which had me skimming here and there. But I did really like how the author transposed the story into the late 1850's of Great Britain, with the culture clash of Rena's Indian upbringing, I could tell that the author had done her research with this genius re-telling.



Overall, a promising read, good tension and that paints a picture of the societal challenges that a woman such as Rena would have faced in Britain in the mid-1800's. Strong themes of faith, family, and trust, the whole time I was reading this book I kept thinking what a great movie it would make. A wonderful new way of looking at Ruth and Boaz, set during Queen Victoria's reign.



I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book has been a joy to read. The author has taken a story from the bible and retold it in a way that brings readers right into the scenes with ease. I felt like I was there as the story unfolded. My heart broke for Nell and Rena as they found themselves penniless and no where to live. The deep compassion Rena has for her mother-in-law is compelling. The depths that Rena will go to in order to keep Nell safe and well is what I would call unconditional love.


Rena and Nell both are grieving a loss but must find a way to survive when there is no one willing to help them. I can't imagine how hard it was for Rena to be called such horrible names by people and still honor her promise to her mother-in-law. I really admired Rena's strength and integrity and she found ways to provide for Nell. The time period was quite fascinating to read about and I loved the British theme in the story.

It is easy to see Rena out in the fields as she collected the loose grains left behind by workers. She never complained about how hard it was to be in the field all day as the hot sun cast heat across her body. When we are introduced to Lord Barric I was immediately drawn to his compassion and humbleness. He was a character that gave off quiet strength and a heart that was pure. Being of British descant Barric is enthralled by the young woman from India. The rumors abound when he takes interest in her. The people who surrounded Lord Barric were concerned that his reputation would be damaged if he was to show any sympathy for Rena. It is funny how people jump to conclusions that Rena must be after Lord Barric's money and that since she is a foreigner she is not worthy of him.

The story is similar to Ruth and Naomi from the bible but is told in a way that delves into more of what it was like to be an outcast and feel like you have been forgotten by God. It also highlights how a person is treated if they are from another country. The author kept my attention by telling a story that went into detail of the struggles of a young woman who made a promise she was willing to keep at all costs. The story flows easily and reminds readers that there is always hope.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

I very much enjoyed Shadow Among Sheaves. I was hooked from page one and struggled to put the book down. I found the characters to be uniquely endearing and realistic. My favorite aspect of this novel is the realism: the depiction of 1850’s British class systems and social hierarchies, the palpable tension created between the hero and heroine due to societal constructs at the time, the illustration of the backbreaking, tedious work communities did in order to bring in a harvest, and the loyalty exhibited between two widows desperately trying to survive after the deaths of loved ones proves Shadow Among Sheaves is a well-researched, highly captivating story, one I will not soon forget.

My number one, most favorite moment in this story occurs when Rena accepts Jesus as her Lord and Savior. I promise not to spill the beans on how or why this moment happens. Instead, I want to share a story. I have four brothers — Clint, Chris, Joey, and Vinnie — and one sister — Conni. We were all raised in the same fashion — to love, honor, respect, and follow God. I have been a follower of Jesus since I was six years old. Three of my siblings share my beliefs in God, one never talks about God, and another proclaims to be agnostic (which breaks my heart). Belief in God matters on SO many levels, but it really matters where death is concerned. Losing my dad unexpectedly was one of the most difficult ordeals of my life. It’s still hard to handle. BUT I know where my dad is. He is with Jesus in Heaven. Roughly three weeks after my dad died, my sister and I were talking on the phone. She had noticed that our one brother was not handling dad’s death very well. I explained to her that this brother is agnostic — she didn’t know this — and so it makes sense he’s struggling because to him death is final. You could have knocked my sister over with a feather she was so shocked. My sister, rightly so, was devastated for our brother. There is no hope without Jesus Christ. Death is permanent when one chooses not to believe in God. When we believe in God, we still hurt when a loved one dies, but we know our loved one is still alive with Jesus. We know we will see him/her again, and this brings comfort. Without Jesus, there is no real comfort available when a loved one dies.

For 98% of this novel my heart hurt so badly for Rena. Not having been raised with Jesus as her Lord and Savior meant that when her husband died, for her, Edric became nothing. Death, for Rena, was so permanent. When you don’t know that Jesus defeated Death, life on this earth can be so ugly, so dark, and so pitiful. I am always so happy when people come to believe in God. Believing in God is freeing, wholesome, and the right path to walk. But, I am most happy because believing in God allows for actual, true HOPE — hope here on earth and after in Heaven. I cried happy tears when Rena accepts Jesus into her life because it means she knows the Truth: Jesus saves, and He’s got our loved ones (who have passed) right by His side. The peace this knowledge brings is priceless, and I was so relieved that Rena understood this life-changing information.

I could talk about this novel all day. It is jam packed with so much goodness! But I won’t continue because I do not want to ruin any part of this excellent story. Suffice to say, I HIGHLY recommend Shadow Among Sheaves. Purchase a copy immediately. You will not be disappointed.

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the author via Celebrate Lit. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

As a retelling of the book of Ruth, Shadow Among Sheaves takes a story we know and brings it into a new light. I’ll be honest, I wanted to love it because I love the book of Ruth. That’s one thing that makes Biblical retellings so difficult. They are open to interpretation and the expectations we have as readers cannot always be met by the authors.

What I loved:

Rena is a powerful character. She gave up everything to follow Nell and suffered indomitable pain while facing starvation after they arrived in England. But she never gives up. With the exception of Nell, every single person she meets acts unkindly at some point. Even when William is kind, he’s always warning Rena. When this could have pulled Rena into a pit of despair and anger, she trudges forward.

The writing style. Naomi Stephens has a wonderful writing style filled with beautiful prose and vivid descriptions. Her style firmly anchors you in the setting and fills your mind with wonderful details.

What I didn’t love:

(These are my personal preferences and I am not detracting stars for my personal opinion. But I almost did.)

Three curse words. All of them very late in the book. When I read the first one, my brain screeched to a halt as I sat there blinking and shaking my head. In my opinion, curse words have no place in Christian Fiction, no matter the time period, character actions, or culture. I’d rather read “he cursed” five hundred times than read a single curse word. However, I received an ARC and the words might have been removed for the final copy.

Rena’s journey to God is painfully slow. I’d always assumed Ruth already knew God. Naomi had two sons while Nell only has one. I understand the author’s creative license to tell the story however she wishes. As I’ve already stated, these are just my opinions and are not detracting from the star count.

There are few books that can be described as being both sensual and having a Christian undertone. This book intrigued me from the get-go. Rena is a grief stricken Indian woman traveling with her mother-in-law to a place she has never been; England. It is a sort of Victorian era Naomi and Ruth story. As a foreigner, Rena is mistrusted and looked down upon by even the patrons of the local whore house, where she has managed to beg place (the pantry) for her and her mother-in-law to lay there heads. I love how the characters develop and change over the course of the book and Rena's encounters with her would-be hero, Lord Barric.

This was beautifully written and kept me coming back (or up way too late) each day.

I would definitely recommend it to teens and adults

It’s July 1861 in Abbotsville, England, hot and bleak for two widows. They have been turned away from various households and businesses as they search for work. They are starving, without money and with no place to rest. Rena is from India. She was married to Nell’s son, who was British. After he passes away Rena feels compelled to take care of her mother in law. Rena’s nationality has caused them to be shunned by nearly everyone. Talk about prejudice!
This story is based loosely on the Biblical account of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. Rena is allowed to gather the “scraps” from the wheat harvesting to sell in town to keep them from totally dying of starvation and allowing them to sleep in a closet at a brothel.
What’s to become of them and how does Lord Barric fit in?
I felt so sorry for Rena and how she was treated by those around her. Nell clung heavily to her faith but Rena seemed in despair most of the time. She had been raised Hindu in her home in India. But she was much stronger than her weak, frail body indicated and worked as hard as she could to take care of Nell.
It was a compassionate story of sacrifice and unselfish love one for another. A lesson good for all to learn from.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit but was not required to write a review positive or otherwise.

The book was a little slow at first but within a few chapters, it got interesting. Loved how Rena cared for her mother-n-law. Rena and Nell are both widows. The story is set in England around 1861. They end up homeless. They do find work and end up living in a closet.

Through trying to find food Rena meets Lord Barric. He ends helping them. Basically, that was when the book got very interesting. The book had great characters, great word flow. A fast read.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write a positive review. This is my own opinion.

I have always loved the Biblical book of Ruth. So I was intrigued when I saw the premise of Shadow Among Sheaves. Naomi Stephens took the story of Ruth and re-wrote it as historical fiction set in the late-1800’s. If you know the story of Ruth, you can figure out the ultimate end of the story; but how Naomi Stephens chooses to get to that end will pull you along through the story. Readers will empathize with Rena – the beautiful Indian woman who is looked down upon because of the Indian uprise against Britain’s imperial reign. She leaves all she has ever known to move to England with her mother-in-law to ensure Nell has someone to care for her. She never realized that she would be treated so poorly and that Nell would be rejected as well because of her. Neither Rena or Nell knew of the changes made to Nell’s husband’s will which will provide for them if only they can find a “kinsman-redeemer.”

Shadow Among Sheaves appears to be well-researched. Naomi Stephens includes details about life in India, some information about the uprising, and details about the life on an English manor and town in the 1800’s that could only come from research. I enjoy learning history from fiction.

I enjoyed reading Shadow Among Sheaves and would not hesitate to add it to my K-12 Christian School library. Those who enjoy Biblical fiction or historical fiction will probably enjoy this book.

I want to thank Celebrate Lit for the review copy of Shadow Among Sheaves.