Wow. I am stunned by this elegant novel. It caught my attention from page one and never let go. The story is absolutely beautiful and the writing was perfect. I could not put it down even though I read it as an eBook. (Congrats to the author for that. Very few books are this way.)

This book was unique due to the fact the diversity. It was a refreshing change and I am so happy to see other countries and people groups represented in the Christian genre. The meaning of this story is clear and stays true to the story of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz while taking place in the 1800s.

The writing shows how much time and effort that Stephens put into researching the Bible and time period. The writing reminded me of Joanne Bischof's and that is the highest compliment I can possibly give as far as writing style.

I would recommend this book for older teens and adults due to some references and a few uses of language.


Personal Rating: 5 Stars

Content Rating: 1 Star

*I received this book from the publisher on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.

This book was promoted as an updated version of Ruth and Boaz from the Bible; however, though there was a similarity in a few areas, the story somewhat drifted away from it.

That is not to say that I did not enjoy the story for I did.

The author kept me interested in the ups and downs that Rena suffered, the prejudice she received from the town's people and the turmoil Lord Barric endured (due to his love for Rena) throughout the story. The faith that Nell (Rena's mother-in-law) and the local clergy had for Rena and Lord Barric was uplifting to read.

Overall I give this a 5 star rating. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot say enough good things about this book. I loved it. It was a historical book that brought the story of Ruth in the Bible to life. Ruth is my favorite book of the Bible but I never really stopped to think of just what Ruth sacrificed when she stayed with her mother in law. This brought it all front and center but did so beautifully.

Shadow among Sheaves tells the story of Reva. She is a native Indian and she married a British soldier. The conflict between India and England was still very fresh in the minds of many when they married. It was also against both of their parents wishes, yet they loved one another. When Reva loses her husband and her mother in law loses her husband and her son, Reva pledges her faithfulness to Nell, her mother in law. They both return to Nell's hometown but are rejected due to Reva being of Indian heritage. They suffer great poverty until Reva discovers the fields of Lord Barric. Barric has no idea why he takes pity on Reva but he does. He also finds himself drawn to her but knows he cannot act upon it. When a will comes into play and Barric's family becomes interested in Reva's husband's estate, things begin to get more complex. Barric and Reva fight their attraction to one another but it does not stop them from thinking about the other.

Reva has her own struggles to overcome. She has to comes to terms with her grief and decide to live instead of stay in morning. She also has to come to terms with her relationship with Nell's God. When Reva is asked to do one thing for Nell that is the hardest for Reva to do, Reva puts all her faith and trust in God and in Barric. I will not spoil it for anyone but the ending was so well written. I absolutely loved the book and look forward to reading more of Stephen's books.

I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest feedback.

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

What a lovely first novel. This modernized re-telling of the Bible story of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz highlights the problems of prejudice throughout history. The context is 1850s England’s colonization of India and the rebellion of the Indian soldiers. Some of the plot twists seemed a bit forced, but overall the story came to a satisfying conclusion.

Shadow Among Sheaves was a bit different than I expected. When the reference was given that it was about Ruth and Boaz, that is what I expected. Naomi Stephens did an excellent job however, creating a fictional book, with many comparisons to Ruth and Boaz. The story of redemption is brought full force, I only wish it would have played a larger role in the story line. The story of Ruth and Boaz is a beautiful love story, one that is used in comparison of Christ's love for us, and how He redeemed us, I would have liked to see more of this brought into the plot.

I love the story of Ruth and Boaz as recorded in scripture and was intrigued by the concept of pulling that story to a more modern (but not quite modern) retelling. The fact that the "Ruth" character (Rena in this story) was Indian and an outcast painted a potentially realistic picture of the struggle that the real Ruth would have faced as a Moabitess in Israel.

The "Boaz" character (Barric in this telling) left much to be desired. His irrational behavior was just a bit too erratic to allow me as the reader to actually come to the place of liking him or believing that he really did have Rena's best interests at heart.

There were a few scenes (especially toward the end of the book) that seemed just a little too racy for a good Christian fiction book, so take that note of warning.

I finished the book, but honestly, there were times that the character development seemed so forced that it detracted from the story. I wanted to be engrossed in the story (as I have with other books) and I just never was.

Three stars for a good first effort though!

I received an advanced copy from the publisher via Net Galley. The opinions expressed are my own.

In Shadow Among Sheaves, Naomi Stephens retells the well-known story of Ruth and Naomi. The tale now alternates between monarchy ruled India and Victorian England, with Rena taking the place as the longsuffering but eternally loyal Ruth. Her mother in law, Nell, willingly endures their life of hardship beside her, both of them finding comfort in their love for one another.
Upon the death of her husband and Nell’s son, Edric, the two abscond to England, where Nell hopes they will be taken in by one of her family members. Unfortunately, they are consistently turned away and forced to enter the lives of beggary until Rena has a chance encounter with Lord Barric. While many in his circle of peers and in his family strongly attempt to dissuade him from associating with the two widows, he continues to help them, both with food and lodging.
Stephens explores the racism and stereotyping that were common during the time period represented in the book. She does not gloss over harder subjects and is willing to show the downsides to both cultures, especially as they pertained to women struggling to survive on their own. The historical details have been meticulously researched without making the book feel stodgy or the pace unpleasantly slow due to their additions. A must read for anyone who loves historical fiction with a smidge of romance.
Thank you to Barbour Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with an early release copy. This has not influenced my rating.

I enjoyed reading Shadow Among Sheaves, but a one thing kept it from being a five-star read for me. I found it a little predictable. I enjoy retellings, but too often I find that I know what is going to happen and how it's going to happen. The start was a little slow for me, but once the story picked up, I liked it. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

I wanted to read this Christian romance because it’s a Victorian historical romance (already my jam) based on one of my favourite bible stories- Ruth and Naomi. I was intrigued to see how that love story would be “modernized” into a mid 19th century British setting.

The premise of this is Rena, an Indian young widow from a wealthy family chooses to follow her gentry-class mother-in-law, Nella, back to England, when her mother-in-law is also widowed. The problem is that just like in India, 1860s England is no place to have been in an interracial marriage nor to find acceptance if you’re a different race and her kindness in choosing to cleave herself to her mother-in-law brings hardship and sacrifice from both women.

This novel had me thinking of Ruth and Naomi’s story in a different way. I’ve always sort of romanticized their relationship, and even Ruth and Boaz’s relationship. But in reality, what must it have been like when Naomi rolled back to her hometown after years abroad with nothing to show for it but the added “burden”/blessing of a foreign daughter-in-law especially in a xenophobic time. What must it have been like for Boaz to overlook all the “appropriate” young ladies in his community and choose a widowed stranger that didn’t have the acceptance of his people? I found myself thinking a little harder of the complex realities of my favourite bible story in a way that I hadn’t before.

If you’re reading this, I’d say park your plausibility glasses at the door, especially if you’re a regency/Victorian romance buff. I found lots of points in this story where I was saying “but why doesn’t she just...” The premise of this book was a little bit of a hard sell for me because I think in the Bible story, Ruth and Naomi were both poor and returned home to relatives who lacked. In this book, Rena’s return to England with Nella seems to place a huge burden on Nella even though we’re told several times that it is Rena with the burden- it seems that the suffering is instigated by Rena’s presence with Nella. There’s a major plot twist in the book towards the end that had me bemused because it was so left field and Deus ex machina but if you’re not being the plausibility police, it made for an interesting conclusion to the end of the book.
📖
Even though this is listed as Christian Fiction and it’s based on a major story from the Bible, I wouldn’t say this was overtly Christian either in content or expression. There’s not much biblical content (apart from the overall premise) or sermonizing or treatment of issues true a faith lens or questions of faith. In fact, faith is not particularly overtly discussed in this, other than the fact that they attended church, which is standard in any genre of historical romance. Also, although this isn’t at all explicit, the main couple are in physical “adult situations” more often than you would typically find in a Christian romance.
📖
In the end, this made me want to read more Christian romance than I’ve been reading recently. I received an advanced reading copy of this novel from #BarbourPublishing and #ShilohRunPress through #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. What s debut novel! I cannot wait for more of this author’s work. This novel was based loosely on the biblical story of Ruth. It takes place around The Great Rebellion in 1857. The stories of Rena and Nell are heart breaking at times. They deal with prejudice, homelessness, and poverty. Do they overcome? How does Lord Barric fit in? This was a thought provoking novel and was hard for me to put down. Many thanks to Barbour Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This novel is a beautifully written retelling of the Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz story from the Bible.
The characters feel real in terms of their actions, hesitations, and motivations. I could empathize with Rena's despair at being cast off and widowed. I could understand Barric's hesitation and indecision regarding aid to the two widows and how it would look. I really appreciated the Pastor's statement that Barric could NOT do nothing -- the women were already his responsibility as a Christian. Some of the language in the book reminded me of poetry in its depth and beauty. The setting and historical references appear to have been well researched and add considerably to the reader's understanding of societal pressures of the day. I hope this author writes more; she reminds me of Sandra Byrd, whose books I absolutely LOVE. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a moving story to get caught up in for days and remember for a long time.

I loved it! This book read like a classic historical fiction romance novel much in the vain of Francis Rivers. I really have enjoyed these types of novels in the past, a kind of "modern" retelling of a story many people know but with more of the plot filled in and some dialogue created. This book does not follow EXACTLY the biblical story, but i think that's the point. The author takes liberties and for me, this story really works. It starts with a biblical context for a base and then creates a whole new thing.

In this book, two widows travel from India to Britain after their husbands both die during the war. The women are related as mother/daughter-in-law and the DIL chooses to stay with her MIL. Hence the classic "Where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God." Ruth 1:16 Once in Britain they are met with racism, sexism, poverty, and a new love interest. The DIL/MIL relationship is very sweet and they do a good job of taking care of one another. I enjoyed their fraternal bond as much as I did the romance in the book.

I loved the authors descriptions of the setting and the clothing. I could imagine myself in the middle of the balls, dancing the night away. She does a wonderful job of describing scenes and creating tension.

This got a little Hallmark Channel for me by the end, with some of the outcomes feeling a little over the top for the time period and the situation, but if you're into romance above all, you will love this book.

Thank you Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for providing an ARC copy of this book prior to publication. I would recommend to lovers of romance, historical fiction, and biblical classics.

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.

One of my favorite stories and books in the Bible is the story of Ruth and Naomi. Shadow Among Sheaves is a well written Allegory about this wonderful story. The time period is 1857. It takes place in England during the Great Rebellion. Rena a beautiful Indian widow returns home to England with her widowed mother-in-law Lady Nell Hawley. No one expected Rena to leave her homeland of Indian and her family behind when her husband a British Officer suddenly passed away. Moving to England with Nell, least of all Nell herself. Nell begged her to stay with her parents, where she would be taken care of. But just as in the Bible story Rena vowed to go and to take care of Nell. Our Boaz in this story is the land owner Lord Barric. He is captivated by Rena's beauty the first time he sees her in his fields, stealing grain.

This book had me at the heartstrings right from the first page. Ms. Stephens is an incredible story teller. I loved the way she wrapped her book around the story of Ruth, yet you never knew what to expect, Ms. Stephens made it her own. The characters are so endearing, you will fall in love with them. I couldn't have asked for more. Fans of Christian historical romance will not be disappointed with Naomi Stephens new book.

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.

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 really enjoyed this unique version of the Ruth/Boaz story. I loved the idea of a Indian Ruth traveling to Britain post-Sepoy Rebellion. Very interesting. I found the "Boaz" to be a bit frustrating, and frankly at times stupid. Really. Just think about what you are saying and doing here. That was my biggest complaint. I saw very little reason why she would ever like him. But it was entertaining and a great twist on a familiar story. I will recommend it to others.

I received a copy of this book to facilitate my review. I was not required to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.

A historical romance based on the story of Ruth, set in 1861, Victorian England. A young widow leaves her homeland of India to travel to England with her widowed mother-in-law, hoping for help from remaining relatives. Destitute, they are on their own, clinging to each other until one man finally reaches out.

“Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” Ruth 1: 16

The history and setting of this novel worked well for a retelling of Ruth. The Indian uprising set up Rena for a lot of prejudice and outright hate once they tried to settle in England. Her love for Nell, her mother-in-law, drove her to sacrifice nearly everything to ensure their survival. The author does a good job of working in the theme of grief and loss on many levels--loss of spouses, dreams, status, family connections and homeland -- and showed how people deal with it differently. The story challenged me to think about what I put my hope in, people or God? Ultimately, some of the main characters turn to faith and their future takes an upturn finally.

The romance is a bumpy one, as they seemed to push each other away often, fighting attraction and even friendship. Social norms seemed more important to Lord Barric than doing what was right many times, influenced by his family and steward. It was hard to make out where he was coming from sometimes. I hoped he would be more like a Boaz, and be a noble man of strong faith. He was a bit more of a brooding hero, and given the setting, reminded me more of a Mr. Rochester.

Readers who enjoy a Victorian romance with a bit of grit and faith may like this book. A few instances of language and mature situations make this a better read for adults. 3.5 stars

Naomi Stephens has undertaken the task of writing the story of Ruth and Boaz in novel form in another time era. This book fell below my expectations and wasn't the read I thought it was going to be. Shadow Among Sheaves is a thinly veiled attempt to tell this story with only setting changes. Set during the time of England's occupation of India, the story begins with Nell and Rena Hawley returning to England after the death of their husbands. Nell is Rena's mother-in-law, and Rena is an Indian native.

Rena is not welcomed in Abbottsville because of her darker skin and her being an outsider. This is one redeeming feature of the book, because the discrimination and lack of acceptance gave a good idea of what Ruth went through when she went from Moab to Israel with Naomi.

This was not a book to hold my attention or intrigue my imagination. It is at best a two star book. I would rather try to suss out what Bible story I am reading and be beguiled by the plot.

My thanks to Barbour/Shiloh Run Books for allowing me to read and review this book.

Indian widow Rena follows her widowed mother-in-law Nell to England. Unwanted in England because of the Great Rebellion of 1957, Rena must resort to stealing to avoid her and Nell's starvation. In time, they find mercy, compassion and more from Lord Barric.

I didn't want this book to end. From page one, "Shadow Among Sheaves" captured my imagination as it retells the biblical story of Ruth. I appreciated the author's perspective since this book made the strange customs of Ruth's time come to life in ways today's readers can understand. Note: the book does include some sexual marital content and two curse words.

One thing I would recommend is not to compare the novel to the biblical version of Ruth. I felt distracted through most of the book deciding if the scenario was indeed included in the biblical version - and it was, so it's all good!

Set in the late 1800s, an Indian woman is a widow that leaves India after losing her husband to illness. She vows to always stay and take care of her mothe-in-law as they set out to live in England where her mother-in-law is from. As they struggle to survive, Rena must decide if she will do whatever is necessary to provide for her mother-in-law. She must also decide if she can find love and peace in her new world. A definite page turner!