The Scarlet Ribbon by Naomi Stephens Review

 

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.