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.

What a fantastic idea for a book! The story of Ruth and Boaz has to be one of the most beautiful and well-loved stories in the Bible, and I love the idea of retelling that story in a different time and place. This particular time and setting worked really well because Rena’s situation brought out similar racial, cultural, and religious issues to those Ruth would have struggled with as a Moabitess trying to assimilate into Jewish culture. It was interesting, too, to learn a little bit about Indian culture, particularly the stigma surrounding widows.

That said, there was one scene that I felt didn’t translate well from Ruth and Boaz’s story. Whereas this scene had cultural significance in the original story, it didn’t do credit to either character in this setting, and I think the story would have been better served by retaining the spirit rather than the specifics of the original.

I also found myself getting a little angry with the hero at times. To put it bluntly, he could be a jerk. He was something of a Darcy figure in that his attraction butted against his better judgment, though Barric was even less the gentleman than Darcy on occasion. Yet there were enough glimpses of the decent, steadfast soul behind that exterior that I couldn’t totally dislike him. On the whole, I would have to say I was intrigued by the contradictions in Barric’s character more than I was irritated by them, but if you’re expecting Lord Barric’s character to be modelled after Boaz, you may be disappointed.

Despite these observations, I thought this story was well written, and I found myself thoroughly invested, reluctant to put it down once I’d been drawn in. There is a lovely cadence to Naomi Stephens’ writing, and I hope I’ll be able to read more from her in the future.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

This heartrending story is loosely patterned on the biblical account of Ruth and Naomi. Rena, a high caste woman from India, married a British soldier, but soon she becomes a young widow. She chooses to accompany her mother-in-law, Nell, to England. Facing rejection and ostracism, she struggles to provide for the two of them. Watching these kind women suffer such poverty and persecution grieved my heart. The author portrays the characters and situations quite realistically. Incorporating historical happenings and authentic settings into the compelling story, the tale makes the reader think about attitudes and societal norms. What would you do if caught between cultures and enmeshed in grief? The novel flows along, but in some places I felt a bit lost or confused—possibly because I was contemplating the activities and emotions and not fully tuned it as the tale progressed. The mood of the book is heavy and sad much of the time yet maintains an element of hope. I received the book from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

The description of "Shadow Among Sheaves" immediately caught my attention. In part, the author's bio was a draw, because I lived in Fort Wayne, Indiana for several years. I used to drive past the IPFW campus on a regular basis, since it was near our home. More importantly, however, I enjoy historical fiction set in the Regency and Victorian eras, and I have read several excellent books which could likewise be classified as Biblical allegorical fiction. It's a tricky genre! It can easily grow imbalanced, either slanting toward trying too hard to remain true to the original story or careening headlong toward reckless theology. While I wouldn't urge readers to discard all theological studies in favor of fiction, rest assured: this book hits the sweet spot, delivering both a compelling story and a beautiful tribute to the original Biblical story.

Rena, a young Indian woman from the highest caste, hastily eloped with a young British officer with whom she fell in love. After his untimely death and the subsequent death of her father-in-law, she insists upon accompanying her impoverished mother-in-law, Nell, back to England. The two women quickly discover, however, that Rena is viewed as not only an outsider, but also with great suspicion and prejudice following the Great Rebellion of 1857, an uprising among Indian members of the British army in which many British officers were killed.

For Rena, who enjoyed great freedom and privilege as the treasured daughter of a wealthy and influential family, the contrast could hardly be greater. As a widow who has chosen to align herself with her British mother-in-law, however, she has fallen from grace in her first culture and is no longer truly welcome in India, either. Nell and Rena find themselves helplessly entrapped in poverty, a plight often explored in novels set during this era, due to the nature of entailed estates and uncharitable relatives. In desperation, Rena finds them a temporary living situation in a tavern and begins to forage for food, which brings her to the fields of a local landowner, Lord Barric, who reluctantly allows her a place among his field workers. As the young woman bowed by grief, once little more than a shadow among his sheaves of wheat, hesitantly and reluctantly emerges from her self-imposed solitude, Lord Barric is drawn to her, despite the warnings of his steward and uncle. Will he become a savior for the desperate women or will he plunge Rena into ruin once and for all?

Readers, this is a book which will pull you into the Victorian era and drag you (quite willingly) through the Dickensian suspense of characters steeped in grief and teetering on the razor's edge of ruin. Rena and Nell are entrapped in a proper Gothic dilemma hinging upon their protectors' premature deaths and the conditions of an irregular will. Only an Austen-worthy hero can possibly save them. The characters have depth, the dialogue felt plausible, and the plot twisted predictably only because I am familiar with the story of Ruth. I read it not only once, but twice, and will gladly read it again! I'm stingy with rave reviews, but this is a debut novel which easily earns five stars, two thumbs up, and a spot on my "favorites of 2019" list. I am ecstatic to have a strong new voice in Christian fiction and eagerly anticipate Naomi Stephens' next book.

I read an Advance Reader Copy of this book provided through Celebrate Lit. All opinions contained in the review are my own.

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 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.



My Thoughts: In this novel, we learn about Britain's history of "The Great Rebellion" and how it affected the lives of both the British and of those whose homeland is India. The author brings the reader back to the customs of that era and of each nationality. It gives the reader focus on how the characters may feel and react in the story.


I really love the book of Ruth in the Bible and enjoyed how this novel mirrored that book. The author has done an incredible job of bringing this novel into perspective with the Biblical story of Ruth. The author has done an incredible amount of research to bring us a novel that shows the reader what it may feel like to be cast out, to be in a foreign land with different customs and to successfully parallel it to a biblical book in the Bible.


This is a book about redemption, love, and trusting in God. I truly enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it.

Oh, my goodness, I loved this book! I've never read anything by this author before now, but she's definitely on my radar now! This is a retelling of the story of Ruth, which is already a story very dear to me, but it took it even further and set it in a time period and setting that I knew very little about. This made the story extremely interesting to read!

I loved how true to the story of Ruth this book stayed! I felt that using the Revolution in India was a great choice to showcase how Ruth must have felt going to Naomi's homeland. Using Rena and Nell was an excellent way to demonstrate that! I loved how Rena kept trying to keep her distance from Lord Barric, and how they inevitably fell in love with one another despite their best efforts to the contrary.

The book really tugged at my emotions, and drew me in at a time when I desperately needed to relate to God's Word. I recommend this very highly to any Christian focused reader!

I absolutely loved this book. This book had caught my attention, when I realized the main character was Indian, and as an Indian Christian, I had never before read a book that featured an Indian protagonist in a Christian book, so I was very pleased to see that.
The story of Ruth and Noami in the Bible is a familiar one, and I have read another retelling of this story before and there may be even more that I’m not aware of, but this specific book had something that made it different in the best possible way. The time period, the addition of other characters, the addition of plots in this story all had me engrossed.
The main character Rena is so strong and amazing to read about. She endures so much scorn from people, yet she remains strong. Back in India, she was viewed as an “Indian witch” by her husband’s fellow officers, and in England, people consider her a harlot. This story really demonstrates how hard it is to leave your home and everything you knew, for a new life. Still, despite the trials and hardships, she refuses to go back to India, where her parents would have welcomed her and taken care of her, all because she loves her mother-in-law, Nell, so much.
Barrie was a sterner, more flawed version of Boaz, but I enjoyed that. He seemed more human for his mistakes. He’s drawn to arena from the beginning and despite how easy it would have been to cast off this women he had no obligation for, he still takes care of her and provides for her. The slow and steady romance between them was beautiful.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and as I got towards the end I wanted there to be more to the book, just so I wouldn’t have to say goodbye to these characters. I know the book of Ruth ends there, but I honestly wouldn’t mind reading more stories in this setting with theses characters. I would love to see more of Charlie, William, and Alice!

Following the death of her British husband and father-in-law, Indian widow Rena relocates to England with her mother-in-law with the hope of a fresh start. While in Abbottsville, Lord Barric is torn betweeen maintain his reputation and aiding these two widows. Despite his better judgement, he is soon torn over this increasing affection for Rena.

This Victorian retelling of the story of Ruth and Boaz was well done with great flow. Stephens highlights various themes that are still relevant in the 21st century such as inter-racial relationships and the clash of culture and religion. She also highlighted the plight of Indian widows who are disowned by the families. Unfortunately, this sad practice is still practiced today not only in India but in other parts of the world.

A great addittion to the book would have been a historical note to provide context for the Great Rebellion of 1857 and also to seperate fact from fiction. Since, I received an eARC from the publisher via Netgalley, therefore I am not sure if a historical background was included in the final copy. I would be interested in reading reviews from Indian Reviewers.

Overall, I think it is interesting take on the story of Ruth and would a good summer read.

My Review:

Genre: Historical, Christian fiction.

My Rating: 3 stars . . . I wanted to give more but I couldn't -- read 'my thoughts'.

My Recommendation: 17/18 up . . . Warnings below.

My Favorite Character/s: Rena was a sweet girl and while I loved her story I can't really say that I'd connect her with the real Ruth from the Bible, that's not to say I didn't enjoy her story it's just to say that I saw a different story in Rena's book.

My Verse for Rena is Ruth 1:14

And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. (King James Version.) (Kind of a given isn't it - to pick this verse?)

My Thoughts: Ruth is one of my favorite books of the Bible which is why I requested this book from NetGalley. But I was disappointed by the 'Boaz' character, he wasn't what I imagine Boaz to be like, in short, he was something of a bully and I only came to like Barric in the last three chapters, I'm sure of it being the last three chapters. Oh, and I'm more likely to say that Lord Barric is Mr. Darcy mixed with Wickham than I am to say he's Boaz.

Warnings: Several rumors go around in the book that characters are having an affair, calling a woman many rude names, and suggesting things that shouldn't be suggested. Ugh, this book was filled with quite a bit of bullying for a character. Mentions of following false gods.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review and am truly happy to provide it!

The Biblical account of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz is one of my favorites. Shadow Among Sheaves will mimic aspects of that story but the author takes us on an unexpected journey with the geographical setting. Her choice in nationalities was difficult to imagine in the beginning of the book although it held my attention from the beginning and I was anxious to grasp where the book was going.

As I continued deeper into the storyline, my mind began to imagine and understand how terribly difficult Rena's choice to follow her mother in law to a world far away from anything she knew. Her gods, her family, her memories...all that made her the strong woman she was, she left behind. Her dedication to an aging Mother in Law and her desire to honor her deceased husband are are endearing. It is difficult to let go of love.
Barric is surprising and disappointing a few times. There are moments he seems completely taken with the young Indian widow and other times he seems aloof and brusque. I need to read it a second time and see how I feel.

There were many passages that I highlighted along the way. They resonated deep within my heart and now I'm writing this review over a month after I read it. THIS is the measure of a well written book!
I am sure I will read this again and dwell on a few facts I may have missed earlier. It was a quick read as I could hardly put it down.
Thank you, NetGalley & Barbour Publishing Inc.

I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Barbour Publishing Inc. the opinions in this review are completely my own.

(partial review since it won't all fit here)
Shadow Among Sheaves was an allegory of the story of Naomi and Ruth. It was artfully imagined and written, though I do have a few criticisms, and thus only give it 3 out of 5 stars.
Rena, a young Indian woman (a Brahmin, of the highest caste), falls for and marries a British officer serving in India during the reign of Queen Victoria. She is devastated when he dies. Unfortunately, her father-in-law dies shortly thereafter, leaving Rena and her British mother-in-law, Lady Nell Hawley, as penniless widows. Nell decides to return to England to live with her relatives, and Rena determines to follow her.
For the complete review, please see https://millefeuille07.tumblr.com/post/184394932718/shadow-among-sheaves

Ruth and Boaz's story in the Bible has always been one of my favorites. Ruth being kind and loyal to her mother-in-law, making her promise to follow her and love her people and her God, and struggling in the fields to glean enough food to help them survive earns my admiration. Boaz coming to her aid, encouraging her, offering his protection, and finally becoming her kinsman redeemer deserves my utmost respect and their story is the ultimate real life romance.

Shadow Among Sheaves loosely based on the story of Ruth and Boaz set during the time of India's bloody rebellion to Britain's Imperial rule, is an enthralling tale. Ms. Stephens does an excellent job of depicting the time period and culture of the time.

However, I must warn those lovers of Christian Romance that they might find some offensive language, though not extreme. I believe if you can focus on the characters and their struggles you can find much redeeming qualities.

Rena is Hindu but has pledged to remain faithfully by her English mother-in-law's side after the death of their husbands, even leaving home and family behind to face much abuse and suffering in her new homeland.

I was very frustrated with Barric's treatment of her even as he reluctantly strived to assist her and Nell when he could. He continually set her in her place and even insulted her making sure she knew she was only a beggar at his mercy. It was hard to see his feelings for her and her's for him because their stubborn pride seemed more important and got in the way.

Finally, the climactic scenes where she throws herself on his mercy and has to wait to know the outcome are distressing to me. Even though, the finish is very satisfying, I am not sure how they ever arrive at it because of what Rena is forced to endure. Still I give it 4 stars as it is a better than average read. Thanks to Shiloh Run Press for allowing me to read this ebook through Netgalley. This review is my expressed honest opinion

Shadow Among Sheaves by Naomi Stephens is a historical romance inspired by the love story of Ruth and Boaz of the Bible. The story opens in July 1861, Rena is an Indian woman who is traveling with her mother in law, Lady Nell Hawley after the deaths of her husband, Edric, and father in law, Alistair. Rena and Nell find themselves in dire straits as people refuse to help the women. The Indian Mutiny of 1857 is still fresh in everyone’s mind and Rena is seen as the enemy. In desperation, Rena picks up grains which have fallen on the ground when she is caught by the estate’s steward, William. He takes pity on her and allows her to gather what she can carry. When the lord of the Manor, Lord Barric, sees Rena in the fields, she allows her to take whatever she needs. Soon Barric helps the women when so many had turned their backs. As the attraction between Rena and Barric is undeniable, will they allow love to blossom? Or will society and prejudice keep them apart?
I loved Shadow Among Sheaves. It was a great story with a great twist on the story of Ruth and Boaz. Having read their story so many times, I never imagined that Ruth, as a stranger from a strange land, could have suffered the prejudice that Rena does. However, it makes sense that she would have. And Barric is the caring yet stern landlord that Boaz may have been, Their story felt very real for 19th century England and is very relatable to today’s social and racial climate. I highly recommend Shadow Among the Sheaves.

Shadow Among the Sheaves
is available in paperback and eBook

I love the story of Ruth from the Bible. I like to read retellings of it as well. When I read the synopsis for this book I saw that it contained Victorian elements and the Ruth character is from India (two things which I’m very interested in). "Shadow Among Sheaves" by Naomi Stephens is a book I ended up having mixed feelings on.

Naomi Stephens is a great writer and I love her descriptions. The pace moves fairly quickly, only lagging in a few parts. I love the concept of this story. Ms. Stephens deals especially well with describing the Indian culture and how that would clash with Victorian England. It’s crazy how much prejudice the people in England had against the Indians (even if a person was from the highest class in India). Both cultures are well researched.

But, there are two things that give this book a lower rating for me. I mistakenly thought it would also be a Naomi and Ruth story as well as a Ruth and Boaz. I really wanted to know more about Nell’s (the Naomi character) life and thoughts. I desired to see more of the beautiful relationship Naomi and Ruth share in the Biblical account.

Secondly, I just did not like the Boaz character in this story (Lord Barric). He says and does some really mean and hurtful things towards Rena (Ruth). I understand why he did them, but he just doesn’t seem like a hero character to me.

All in all, it was fun to see how this retelling would play out. I enjoyed the plot, setting and descriptions, but I just didn’t love the book overall. I would still recommend that you try it out for yourself!

Content: I give this book a PG-13 rating. Some examples of the content are: the main characters live in a brothel for a while (but do not become prostitutes); there are some violent descriptions of the Indian Mutiny; mention of prostitution and concubines; talk of lovers; a man swears, but the word isn’t actually written; a man hits a woman; a married couple is naked in bed together; the word “dammit” is used.

Rating: I give this book 3 stars.

Genre: Christian fiction; Historical; Romance; Victorian

I want to thank Barbour Publishing, Shiloh Run Press, Naomi Stephens, NetGalley and Celebrate Lit for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

“Your home is my home. And everything you are and everything you love-that is all I ever wish to be”

Naomi Stephens has written a poignant novel loosely based on the story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz. Rena, an Indian woman, decides that she cannot leave her mother-in-law who has just lost both her husband and her son. So she follows Nell back to England, and is met only with disgust by the English who remember the Great Rebellion of 1857 between England and India.

The book flows easily and captivated me from the first page. My heart immediately went out to Rena, who is reduced to a slave-like state in order to survive. But I feel the real heroin of this story is Lady Hawley, Nell, who lovingly guides Rena toward the God that loves her, and is her biggest encourager to begin living life again. Lord Barric is an odd character, and I had difficulty connecting with him.

I was expecting more of the biblical story, but despite that, I did enjoy reading this!

I received a copy of this book from Shiloh Run Press and Barbour Publishing through Net Galley. The opinions in this review are my own