There are so many facets of this story to admire! The setting is unique and fresh and charming. The characters are flawed, scarred, and endearing. The nods to Beauty and the Beast left me smiling. The themes of self reliance, selfless love, and self confidence amid ridicule left me with desire and inspiration to be a better person. I enjoyed this book!

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

This was such a good book! I am such a fan of Rachel Fordhams books so I was excited for this one. It didn’t disappoint, I loved the storyline and the characters! Highly recommend!

I just reviewed Beyond Ivy Walls by Rachel Fordham. #BeyondIvyWalls #NetGalley

A poignantly touching novel with a "Beauty and The Beast" feel. Set in the early 1900's, this novel of family, heartbreak, healing and hope drew me in and kept my attention throughout. After her father has a crippling accident, Sadie West leaves the family farm to work in the city to help ease the financial struggles they are facing. But in order to save as much as possible, she finds she can't afford a boardinghouse. Thus she "lives" in an abandoned factory. Otis Taylor, exiled as a child, has returned to the family home after the death of his brother. He intends to settle and sell the estate then move on. But after seeing the state of affairs, he realizes there isn't a quick fix. Dealing with the mess his brother left and uncovering a well-kept secret, Otis finds himself having to come to terms with long held hurt and mistrust. When he discovers Sadie "living" in his family's abandoned factory, he offers to hire her for a better wage with the stipulation she keeps his return a secret. Can the two of them press on with what is needful, form a working relationship and find friendship in unlikely places? Rachel Fordham once again weaves a tale with wonderful character development and plot filled with twists and turn. A definite must-read for 2024!

I was gifted a copy of this novel by the publisher through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are soley my own.

Sadie works at a factory sorting feathers to make dusters and is surrounded by rumors about a mysterious bachelor, Otis Taylor, soon to return to Monticello, Iowa; her family's difficulties with keeping their farm afloat during her father's injury necessitates her living in the city and sending as much money home as possible. She meets reclusive Otis in an interesting way, and they form an alliance through letters, both alluding to the novel Jane Eyre in their initial names for each other. The novel dragged on in the first half, and the only surprise was involving a child named Elizabeth. Snippets of the story were reminiscent of "Beauty and the Beast," especially due to Otis' appearance. Little mention is made of faith between the characters, so I wouldn't consider it "Christian fiction," although the romantic aspect is definitely clean. There are discussion questions, which would help leading book club discussions.

Beyond Ivy Walls by Rachel Fordham is definitely a Beauty and the Beast re-telling. The parallels between the two stories are pretty obvious. The difference is that Sadie comes from the country, but she has whole household of sisters with a Mom and Dad. The Disney version Belle only lives with her inventor father. The hero, Otis Taylor, is not a tall, overbearing hairy guy who is gruff right from the start. Instead he is a little shy and a standoffish, but he is polite and gives Sadie a place to live in exchange for her work on cleaning his house up. A castle vs. a mansion. While Fordham does describe the setting that the readers populate, I would have liked to see more of the castle. It is not really a creepy place to go. People in town admire the structure. Otis just keeps the curtains close because he is ashamed. As for the characters, Otis is the character who needs to change a lot. He learns to accept himself with all his scars and learns to open his heart to a number of people. I imagine it is hard to create a widely popular storyline and try to come up with something different. With this story, Fordham did a wonderful job at showing how everyone should look at the character of a person, not at their faults whether they are physical or mental. Overall, Beyond Ivy Walls by Rachel Fordham’s plot moved nicely and kept me strolling through the story.

I received a complimentary copy of Beyond Ivy Walls by Rachel Fordham from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

Beyond Ivy Walls has been such a pleasure to read! It's been one of those late-into-the night, page-turning reads for me. Such good, clean fun and amusing comedy coupleD with feathers and letters and mysteriousness, kindness and compassion. Oh, and wrapped in an envelope of unconditional love and romance that crept up and slowly burst into unsuspecting flame, without being cringy.

I believe that the Discussion Questions at story's end will help a reader or readers' group sort through some of the issues that presented themselves along the way.

A very satisfying read for me, thus I give the author a 5-Star rating. I hope to read more from Rachel Fordham in time to come.

~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~

May 2024

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

Beyond Ivy Walls has the feel of Beauty and the Beast, set in 1903 Iowa. Sadie, a vibrant young woman finds herself working at a feather duster company to help support her family. I love her honest, upbeat nature despite the hardships she is facing. Her letters home to her sisters were touching and comical and demonstrate the beauty of her character. Otis is drawn to this beauty, having been an outcast and in seclusion most of his life. He bears scars, internal and external, and Sadie’s ability to see past all of them brings Otis back to life. I love the nuances of their friendship as it is uniquely theirs. They grow in their respect and admiration for one another in a fiercely loyal, yet humorous, companionship. The writing is well paced and drew me in from start to finish. There are layers of depth that deliver nuggets of wisdom throughout in addition to just great storytelling.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

A delightful love story with Beauty and the Beast vibes.

After the death of his father and brother, the elusive bachelor Otis Taylor returns to his hometown to settle his families estate. Bringing with him many physical and emotional scars, Otis hides out in the family mansion until he stumbles upon Sadie West, a young woman living in the abandoned factory on his property because she is sending all of her money home to her beloved family.
As Otis is assaulted with painful memories from his past, he discovers a deep secret his brother has kept from the family. He offers Sadie a job and seeks her help on a quest to find answers.

As the story progresses you see the beautiful aspects of Sadie's character. She is a woman who loves others for what is inside the heart and disregards physical flaws. I loved watching as Otis comes out of his reclusive shell and their lives flourish into a beautiful relationship.

*A big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Beyond Ivy Walls is so much more than a Beauty and the Beast story. It has dealing with one's past, sacrifices made for family, friendships, forgiveness, acceptance, and so much more. Such a poignant story with powerful characters.

Releases Aug. 13th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
Beyond Ivy Walls is one of the best Beauty and the Beast retellings I’ve ever had the pleasure to read! The emotional depth Rachel Fordham managed with Otis and Sadie’s characters is exactly what I look for first in a novel. The backstory given about Otis is naturally woven into the story and does not feel like a brain dump of information. I felt every bit of his pain and hurt and my heart wept for him. Sadie is a girl I could see myself wanting to be best friends with. She has a heart of gold and such an encouraging nature, even during her own struggles.
The way their friendship grew and they leaned on each other was so refreshing. I laughed, shouted, and cried while reading this book. The ending was so beautiful and endearing, there are no words for the love I felt in that moment for both of these characters. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time!

Great Beauty and the Beast retelling. The characters weee easy to like and very relatable. The plot was easy to follow along with and captures your interest right away. A read from Fordham is always going to be an enjoyable one.
Thank you to Fordham and NetGalley for my advanced copy. These words are my own.

What an absolutely beautiful book! This is my second read for Rachel Fordham and I'm definitely hooked on her writing.
This novel was a different take on the Beauty and the Beast story and was packed with warmth and heart.

Sadie and Otis are a lovely set of characters and I could absolutely see their love grow throughout the book like they were perfectly matched. I enjoyed their banter and their letters and the 'less than polite, bordering on awkward' conversations that came from not spending too much time with others before.

I loved Leon and Mildred and thought they were the perfect parental figures in the story and I want to be a surrogate sister and a West woman for sure. The sisterly love and comradeship was lovely.

My favourite scene in the book which had me grinning like a loon was the family evening at the West's where they read a story of Daphne and Mr Darling. So so sweet and perfect for this pairing.

Rachel Fordham always does the research soundly for the time periods she writes in and creates such lovable, feisty characters, and I'm always sad when it comes to the end of the book.

A fantastic read and one I will definitely do a reread of again.
Thanks to Netgalley and the author and publisher for a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.

A charming, tender historical romance set in the Gilded Age. The citizens of Monticello, Iowa anticipate the return of a mysterious bachelor whose family fortunes helped build the town. A small town girl whose father is ill brings unexpected joy to the recluse.

This delightful, light story has characters who tug on your heart strings and brings hope that none of us are lost causes. I liked how Sadie seemed to find a bright side to her difficult situation, seeks to help Otis come out of his shell and see how God still had a purpose for him.
The author does a good job bringing real facts from history and spins them into a lovely story. Reminiscent of a Beauty and the Beast type plot, yet with unique twists. Enjoyable reading, with a satisfying ending. Should be fine for teens and up. 4.5 stars

This was my favorite of Rachel Fordham's books. Very interesting plotline with compelling characters. It was also interesting to me to learn the history of how feather dusters were originally made!. I recommend reading this book. "I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

For those who like historical romance, but don't really care if the characters and language fit the time period, you will enjoy this. Personally, I was disappointed in this, because while the story line was good, there are so many things about this that don't fit the historical time period of 1903, like the way people talk to one another, the unlikeliness of things happening the way they do, and the impropriety of some parts of the story, which would not have been acceptable in 1903.
I enjoyed this author's last book, but this one was just not as good or accurate.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance e-copy of this book! All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

When hope lives alongside heartache, life is tangled, just like the ivy that grows on the walls around the property. Rachel Fordham has written an enchanting book that delves deep into the lives of Sadie and Otis, two characters that have each known heartache of a deep and abiding kind. This heartache can become all encompassing unless someone steps into that grief and exposes it to hope. This is what makes this story such and enchanting and exciting read.

Sadie is striving to hold onto her positive outlook while living in complete squalor and dejection but working hard at providing for her mother, her sisters, and her severely injured father. Hope is hard to find sometimes but Sadie looks to her family for purpose. Pushing ever onward, she is discovered by Otis living in the abandoned factory on his property. His aching for something worthwhile causes him to push past what his father or brother might have done and to offer his own version of hope to Sadie. Little does he realize that by doing so, he also reached for the hope she offers him.

As Sadie and Otis' friendship grows, we see the depth of the characters Fordham writes. They are courageous in the face of fear, stepping just to the edge of it each time, pushing slightly further toward it each time. This touching the edge of fear and pushing just into it each time was something I loved the imagery of. This image really brings to life the highlight of the story. Each push forward brought more hope and less heartache.

It was a joy to read Beyond Ivy Walls. It contains a depth of character not often seen in historical fiction and I found myself drawn into the story more and more with each passing paragraph. "I couldn't put it down" is a somewhat cliche statement but it was true of this story for me. I read late into the night, drawn more and more into finding out how Sadie and Otis would handle the hope and heartache, love and longing that were living next to each other in their daily lives.

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

This was a very sweet story. I'm already planning to read it again. I enjoyed the wholesome, Christian themes and the happy ending!

A Reclusive Bachelor. A Historical Beauty and the Beast. Family Secrets.


This christian romantic fiction takes place in the Early 1900s. Sadie West enjoys her position at the Hoag duster factory when her family is struck bankrupt, penniless. Except, the money she earns doesn't go to her boarding and food, it goes home to the distraught family. Sadie West is then forced to take up residence in an abandoned building. This is the where our lead girl meets the town's enigmatic bachelor.

We meet the other half of the story, protagonist Otis Taylor, having been recently returned from spurned exile. Sadie West catches his eye, instantly requesting her service with his estate. Not only that, but she can breathe to no one that the exiled man of the hour has returned. The eligible bachelor is brooding and mysterious and Sadie quickly finds that memories haunt this lonely man forced to vacate his own home. A childhood masked in pain and tragedy.

However, there is light in the darkness. Otis finds himself watching his new hired hand, noticing that she is quite literally the star in his night sky. The moon that lights up the dark crevices of the eerie midnight hours. His once shriveled heart begins to beat once again, for this woman who he found hiding on his family's property.

The story is sweet and a slow-burn romance. Our Beauty slowly begins to thaw the Beast, unraveling warm feelings and thoughts, removing the cobwebs in his dreary heart. Sadie makes Otis trust again. To feel again. To love again. The pair begin to investigate Taylor's ancestry tree, casting the mansion in a dark shadow as they learn horrific truths to the Taylor bloodline.

This clean historical romance was an emotional ride for me, and the family's depleting financials hit too close too home. Though in the past, I flinch when I read about hardship when it comes to house and home. Surviving is not living. Then, with certain events in the book that come to light, made me gasp out loud. It has been a while since I have audibly expressed surprise and horror.

Overall, I loved the character development. The historical nuance and facts felt immersive, believable. Not cheesy in some ways that others of the same genre feel. That end was also so satisfying in a way that I cannot even express. Read to find out why! 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!

Set in Monticello, Iowa in 1903.
An old mansion full of secrets, a musician in hiding and a young woman in need of a safe place.

Sadie West is 23 and works at Hoag Feather Duster Factory where she sorts feathers. Sadie is supporting her family and everything she earns she sends to her family. When she loses her room and board, she sleeps in an old dilapidated, factory owned by Otis Taylor.

Otis is a musician who returns to his family home after many years away with the intention of selling it and moving away. Before he can sell his mansion, he needs to sort out what secrets his brother had been keeping.

I loved the way Otis and Sadie meet and work together to discover the secrets hidden in Otis’s house.

A romance of families, secrets and a need for love and acceptance.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for a chance to read this E-Book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

There isn’t a book this author writes that I don’t love. The character gets are always so developed. The historical details are always so interesting and the storyline always keeps me interested.
Really an enjoyable read. Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.