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.

If you enjoy Bible retellings (especially those about Ruth), then I have no doubt that you will simply fall into this one! I absolutely adored this story. I appreciated that it held the perfect balance between maintaining the essence of Ruth while still being its own unique narrative.

What I thoroughly loved about this story was the emphasis on the cultural implications. We know that Ruth and Naomi were from different cultures but do we really grasp how significant that was? Or do we simply assume that Ruth changed who she was overnight and was no longer burdened by her upbringing? In this depiction Rena came from India. I personally don't know a lot about Indian culture, but I do know that it is very different from my own. Historically even more so. I appreciated the research that was added into the narrative to give a fuller picture of the type of life that Rena came from. There were pieces she missed and those she didn't, but seeing just what she'd given up to marry Edric in the beginning and then again to follow Nell into England was a thought-provoking journey. It saddened me to see that everywhere Rena went, people saw her as an enemy and a cast-off because they could tell she was Indian. What made matters worse was that even her own people wrote her off after she'd married an Englishman. Seeing Barric initially throw her kindness out of humanity to then come to truly care for her, was truly heartfelt. Not only did I enjoy reading about the characters in this telling, but I developed a further understanding of the original Biblical account through them.

This story easily gets 5 stars from me. I absolutely loved it and highly recommend it to historical and biblical fiction fans! I was amazed that this was Naomi Stephen's debut novel as it was simply masterful. This is an author I will certainly be keeping my eye on for the future! 

*I received a copy of this book through CelebrateLit. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.

“The Sun was the same, but that was all.” I was intrigued by the first sentence, sure that I had discovered another jewel in Shadow Among Sheaves by Naomi Stephens. The novel takes place in England in 1861. Touted to be a modern recounting of the Old Testament story of Ruth and Boaz, I was disappointed. Stephens does a great job describing India; its revolt against Britain; the hatred of the one people for the other. She also shows us how much Rena loved Edric, but I felt like so many details of the story that Scripture spoke to, were ignored and the circumstances changed for the sake of the story.  
We don’t know a lot about Boaz, but again, I felt the character representing him was not as honorable and respected as the one shown in Scripture. The author uses a couple of swear words a few times over. In both cases, it was a few times too much for my taste. I am not a prude, but I don’t expect to have to read those words in Christian books.  
In summary, I thought this was a great book to explain the resulting relations between the British and Indian peoples following the Indian revolt against British rule. It was not, however, a great representation of the Biblical Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz. This is only my opinion. I would encourage you to read other reviews and judge carefully for yourself.  
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own responsibility and no positive review was required.

I was so excited to see a historical retelling of the story of Ruth. It is my favorite book from the Bible since I was a child and still holds that place as favorite today.

An interesting setting and story, Shadow Among Sheaves follows the tragic story of Rena, a young woman from India who loses her husband and follows her mother-in-law to a foreign land. Struggling to survive, these two women at last find themselves under the care and protection of Lord Barric of Misthold (I like the name, but it makes me think fantasy rather than historical).

Here is a man of mystery and brooding, but with a heart set strongly towards doing the right thing and living a life approved by society and right appearances. But when his care for Rena starts tongues wagging and cruel accusations shot at her, doing the right thing becomes a difficult line to follow. He is too proud to admit his feelings, forcing Rena—when shocking news about her and her mother-in-law’s future is brought forward—to bravely confront him and force his hand.

There is a great pull between faiths and traditions present in this story, and sometimes I was not certain of what confession of faith Rena followed. However, I felt the representation of her struggle was very well thought-out and realistically portrayed. As for Lord Barric, his strong sense of honor and integrity aside, I never sensed much of anything on the side of faith from him. This disappointed me, mostly because I never felt confident in where he stood on this important element.

Besides this, I was impressed and sometimes breathless with the pure poetry of how the author got inside the characters’ heads—especially Rena—and expressed the heart, hope, joy, and loss experienced. I applaud this novel as the author’s debut and look forward to seeing where her talent takes her in future novels.

Please Be Aware: Although this is a mainly clean read, there are a couple romantic scenes on the more mature side. I'm rating a little lower because of this. Otherwise, I'd consider this a 4 star read for the beautiful storytelling.

If you enjoy classics like Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre, or Biblical Story Retellings--stories with romantic tension, brooding heroes, and a little faith sprinkled in--give this one a try.

I received a complimentary review copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a little bit different for a historical romance.  I was not sure whether Rena and Nell were going to survive moving from India back to England.  It was nice to read a story that was different than normal.  I had a hard time putting this down.  I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit and Barbour Publishing for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Well, that was a unique take on the story of Ruth!
Stephens has built an engrossing and realistic story that I enjoyed reading, rich in culture and history.

Retellings always feel like I’m visiting an old friend and discovering something I never knew about them. It’s comfortable and familiar, but also fresh and exciting as the author deepens the characters, emotions, and conflicts of the story. Naomi Stephens does that in this retelling of the Biblical story of Naomi and Ruth set in England, 1861. 
Shadow Among Sheaves tells the story of Rena, a newly widowed East Indian woman, who promises her mother-in-law, Nell, that she will follow her to England. They are destitute, falling victim to English entailment restrictions on women inheriting property, but Rena does her best to provide of them both. Starving and desperate, Rena comes upon a field where the workers are harvesting and, in her hunger, she steals some grain. When the master, Lord Barric, hears about her, he allows her to come and take what she and Nell need. One thing leads to another and soon Rena and Nell are under the protection and provision of Lord Barric. The love between Barric and Rena grows, though they struggle to admit it as they push past hurts and misunderstandings.
Rena’s fierce love for Nell makes you love and cheer for her, and the way she is treated by everyone in the town makes you want to jump to defend her. She is strong and gentle, brave and timid all wrapped up in one petite bundle and you can’t help but cheer for her. Lord Barric is a man with many strings pulling on him, be it family ties, societal pressures, or his own expectations, and he is conflicted as how to best care for Rena and his own estate. While I definitely had sympathy for Lord Barric, as a character, I found him passive. He more or less went along with whatever he was told to do or what was expected of him until the very end. That being said, I still cheered Lord Barric and Rena on as the book went along. Overall, I recommend this wonderful story of finding second love, holding firm to who God says we are, and sacrificing for the ones we love. 
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.