Description
The Scarlet Ribbon
Naomi Stephens
As the Revolutionary War unfurls around her, Rebekah Stanton is abandoned by the man who once claimed to love her. Shunned by her father and forced to give up her child, she finds herself thrust into prostitution at the local boarding house.
When the British seize control of the nearby fort, she gives little thought to the officers who frequent the boarding house. Men are men regardless of the color of their uniform…or so she believes. But then a young man—a Patriot spy named Benjamin Renshaw—stumbles upon her in the darkness, and she saves him from a group of pursuing Redcoats.
With an attack on the fort brewing in the background and the father of her child returned to serve with the British, Rebekah is torn between old dreams and new hope, struggling all the while to find peace and forgiveness in a place of rising conflict.
paulamarys49 –
Sparked by the story of Rahab in the Bible, this story follows the long journey of Rebekah from her fall from grace to her redemption at the battle of Stony Point during the Revolutionary War.
Some situations were hard to read about, such as prostitution, but were realistically portrayed. The descriptive language put me right in the battles and had me empathizing with the characters.
Rebecca was put in an impossible place of her own making, alienating her father. But Reverend Wainwright continue to pray for her and encouraged her to return to Christ. She was caught between the British Loyalists and found herself helping a Patriot spy. There were lots of tense moments that kept the story exciting.
For fans of Revolutionary history with a redemptive thread.
* A complimentary copy of this book was obtained through WhiteFire Publishing on behalf of the author. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
candideweekes –
The Scarlet Ribbon by Naomi Stephens was a great discovery.
It was the first book I read by this author and I will look for others now that I saw how well she writes.
Her characters are well described and developped while the story unfolds.
I ireally enjoyed how we change points of view and that we can follow different charactrers at the same time.
— I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone. —
mindyhoung –
This is my first Naomi Stephens book and I enjoyed the reimagining of Rahab’s story set in 1779. Rebekah’s heart-breaking past and her bleak present set the stage for God’s redemptive work. I knew nothing of the fort at Stony Point, NY so it was fascinating to travel to this place and time. Ben’s work as a Patriot spy was fraught with danger. He didn’t pretend to be anything he wasn’t with Rebekah and I found his candor refreshing though his bitterness and anger required quite a bit of spiritual intervention. Both main characters were flawed, real, and relatable. The banter between Ben and Rebekah was witty, clever, and oftentimes like watching two bulls lock horns. There was a love triangle which was my least favorite part of the book (mostly because I really dislike love triangles). Forgiveness, grace, and mercy were found by those who sought them and Reverend Wainwright with his wisdom and fortitude was probably my favorite character in the book.
I received a complimentary copy courtesy of WhiteFire Publishing and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.
Talita Adendorff –
The Scarlet Ribbon is a retelling of the story of Rahab from Jericho set during the American Revolution and the first book by Naomi Stephens that I have read. The first chapter really grips you, the characters are engaging and if you enjoy stories set in that time period you will really enjoy it.
Follow the story of Rebecca, Ben, and Mason in this intriguing tale that was inspired by the fall of Jericho and the Battle of Stony Point.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
hcushing725 –
“The Scarlet Ribbon” by Naomi Stephens is a very well written retelling of Rahab from the Old Testament. Rebekah finds herself cast out of her childhood home after having a child out of wedlock and ends up as a prostitute in the Revolutionary War period. This book has some very difficult moments but also has very beautiful, faith filled moments where the heroine discovers she’s more than what her present circumstances are.
Since this is a book set around war, specifically the battle of Stony Point, there is danger and intrigue throughout as the Patriots and Royalists clash with Rebekah in the middle of it all. The author does a great job keeping the reader engaged and wondering what will happen next.
The reader is very aware of Rebekah as a prostitute but this is a closed door book, so anything that happens is off page and alluded to only. There is nothing graphic about her interludes – just the fact of what she does to stay alive.
This is a wonderful faith-filled book by a Christian author. This is a story of redemption, much like the biblical Rahab – exactly what a reader of a Rahab retelling would hope for. There are twists and turns along the way to keep the reader wondering what will happen next.
If you are a reader that enjoy stories of redemption out of the most broken of circumstances, this book is definitely for you. I recommend this book for adult readers due to content but older teens and parents going through this one together may allow for a book to discuss hard, but real topics. This book is written in a tasteful way for sure and has good talking points for discussion.
Thank you to Whitefire Publishing on behalf of the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
PhyllisRBooks –
Rebekah is spiraled out of the protection of her family and into a lifestyle she would have never dreamed she would enter. Without choices, she resigns herself to this horrible life until a wounded soldier seeks her aide.
Naomi Stephens has penned a revolutionary era retelling of Rahab that is both unique and credible. With a significant spiritual theme, Rebekah is a character who struggles with her past decisions, believing that God’s love and protection has been traded for His wrath. Her redemption story is coupled with that of her rescuer, bringing this tale to a satisfying end.
Several favorite quotes-
“There is nothing in either of us, ruined or otherwise, that God is not using for His will.”
“As her fingers fastened around the ribbon, she sensed that first quiet glimmer of answered prayer, of two people woven together and held fast by the grace of God.”
This book is suitable for teens and older with no inappropriate intimate scenes and no bad language. I received this book from the author/publisher free of charge, with no expectation of a positive review.
beilbybooknook –
The Scarlet Ribbon is an emotional historical fiction inspired by the biblical story of Rahab set during the American Revolutionary War. Naomi Stephens sensitively writes about the main character Rebekah as she turned to life of prostitution because of her life circumstances. Rebekah gave up her child because of family and societal pressures and felt abandoned by all those who should have stood by her. Rebekah feels that the only way for her to survive is to live her life in a boarding house being paid for her services.
Rebekah and Ben cross paths when Rebekah finds him injured out at night and saves his life. Ben and Rebekah form an unlikely friendship and work together to help Ben as he is employed as a spy. Things become further complicated when the father of Rebekah’s child is posted at the British fort and appears to want to reconnect with her while keeping things a secret.
I loved how Ben grew to care for Rebekah and was willing to do whatever it took to protect her. Her station in life and job didn’t stop him from spending time with her and developing a relationship. The scarlet ribbon Ben buys for Rebekah was a beautiful way to connect the story with Rahab.
I haven’t read many stories or history about the American Revolutionary War, but Naomi did a great job depicting the two sides (the American Patriots and the British Loyalists) and made me want to dig deeper into that time in history.
The Scarlet Ribbon is an engaging historical fiction with biblical inspiration that has themes of redemption, courage, faith, family, and finding forgiveness in God.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Naomi Stephens and WhiteFire Publishing. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
7graftcl –
I’m always intrigued when authors take stories from the Bible and retell them in a different era.
Naomi Stephens takes the story of Rahab and sets it in Colonial New York /Revolutionary War era. This was a wonderful take on the story.
There are a few obviously predictable scenes and elements, hard to avoid with retelling Rahab’s story. Due to hard circumstances Rebecca takes a position at Pendergrass House. There is nothing overt, it’s closed door but Naomi also doesn’t mince words as to Rebecca’s occupation and what Rebecca goes through. As with the original story there is a redemption arc for both Rebecca and Ben.
Her role at Pendergrass house allows her access to officers, especially British officers. And more significantly one with whom there is painful history. And a Patriot spy (Ben) whose life she saves.
The Revolutionary/Colonial era is one of my favorites to read. There aren’t many authors who do so. She weaves true historical people and events throughout the story.
This is the first novel I’ve read by Naomi, this is her third novel. And I have her first two on my library hold list and bookstore order list. .
My thanks to the author and Whitefire Publishing for providing a complimentary copy of this book. Without obligation for a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
kewkew34 –
The Scarlet Ribbon is the first book I have read by Naomi Stephens and I really enjoyed it. Told from two points of view, this story takes place during the Revolutionary War, but is also a retelling of the story of Rahab from the Old Testament.
Rebekah Stanton has been abandoned by those who should love her. Her father turned her back on her when it became public knowledge that she gave birth to a baby out of wedlock. The father of the baby, a British Loyalist and soldier had left her before even knowing she was pregnant. Leaving her to face the consequences of their indescretion on her own. With nowhere else to turn, she finds herself turning to prostitution in the local boarding house.
Benjamin Renshaw, known by his alias Ben Clarke for the majority of the story, comes upon said boarding house one night, having been shot. Rebekah cares for him and keeps his identity hidden from the British soldiers with great peril to herself, but then he is gone as fast as he arrived.
However, circumstances eventually bring them together again. But at the same time, Mason, the father of her child, is also back in the area. She wonders if he ever loved her, and more importantly, if he would be able to love her now, especially if he finds out the truth of her “occupation” or if he finds out about their son and what she was forced to do with him.
Lots of intrigue and deception and danger surround the main characters. Rebekah as she has to decide whether of not to tell the whole truth about herself and her past. And Ben as he is a Patriot rebel and spy. It is a tense situation and time leading up to the Battle of Stony Point, a battle that attempts to bring the fort back under the control of the Patriots. A battle I admit not remembering learning about.
There were a lot of emotions that I felt when thinking about Rebekah and all she had gone through and was going through. Not only was she denied the love of those who should have loved her, but she was constantly being used by those who only wanted her for one thing. Would she be able to win Mason back? Was Ben also only interested in her for what she could do for him or could there be something more between them? I did get frustrated with her at times as she continued to keep the truth hidden. But I also understood the struggle she was going through, a struggle even more difficult because she had to choose between being a Loyalist or a Patriot. Though she didn’t really see how either loyalty would make a difference in her life, being what she was.
Also important in this story was faith and repentence. We see both Ben and Rebekah struggling with spiritual issues and being guided by Reverend Wainwright. Additionally, it was brought up that as Christians there would have been the struggle between obeying the rulers that were over them, as in the King of England, or choosing freedom.
And I have to say, I loved the way the author brought the red ribbon into the story as the parallel to the story of Rahab.
Of course, this story is based on Rahab and there is no secret that Rebekah is a prostitute. And yes, there are plenty of mentions of this in the book, which includes multiple mentions of men being in her bed or and staring at her lustily. For that reason I would say the book would be appropriate for adults and possibly older teens. Though there is nothing graphic shared and it is closed door.
I received an e-copy of this book as a member of the review team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.