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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.
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Sexual Content - 1/5
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Violence - 1/5
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Language - 1/5
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Drugs and Alcohol - 1/5
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Summary
From: Rebecca Maney
Book Title: Shadow Among Sheaves
Book Author: Naomi Stephens
What do you like about this book:
"Rena had given up everything to follow Nell to England. Her family and her home. Yes, even her future. . . . For as long as Rena cleaved to Nell - for as long as she loved her and look after her - she clung, in a way, to Edric."
Heartbroken after the death of her husband, Rena Hawley leaves war-torn India with her British mother-in-law only to find that England is not any more of a home than what she left behind. Reduced to begging to prevent the two of them from starving, Rena unknowingly meets her husband's second cousin, Lord Barric, who kindly offers Rena and Nell some semblance of refuge. But it comes with a price, for Rena's elegant, exotic beauty, even under duress, causes those in the small town of Abbottsville to assume that she has offered herself on the altar of Barric's carnal pleasure. Will he rescue her, destroy her, or possibly admit to loving her?
While this book faintly resembles the biblical story of Ruth and Naomi, there is much about it that does not parallel Boaz's kinsman redeemer role in the least. Rena has much to learn about the one true God and her painstaking journey towards faith is both pitying and empowering. To her credit, Rena continually attempts to draw attention away from herself, while Barric continually demands her attention, only to end up treating her with far less dignity than she deserved.
Although considered a clean read, I found the occasional profane words and repetitive suggestive innuendos to be unnecessary and distracting. On the positive side, the historical elements surrounding Britain's attempts to "civilize" India according to their western standards and the resulting prejudices against those originating from that country, were interesting; adding a strong backdrop for the story. And admittedly, the characters will prove memorable simply because they were so unique. Ultimately, it's my opinion that this author's best work is yet to come and readers will be eager to invest their time into her next story.