In Rachel Fordham's Beyond Ivy Walls, Sadie West must leave her family farm to find a job in the city of Monticello, Iowa, to help make ends meet after her father's injuries. Otis Taylor, the city's mysterious bachelor, secretly returns home following his brother's death and finds Sadie squatting in an abandoned factory, He makes a proposition to her that he will allow her to live in his mansion if she works part-time as a maid while continuing her job at the Hoag duster factory.

Sadie soon realizes that Otis's return to his family home doesn't bring back happy memories, but rather anger due to his father sending him away because of Otis's health. Over time, Otis softens to this warm and welcoming new friend. However, a secret Sadie holds may cause him to question his growing feelings for her and hers in return.

As a more modern (early 1900s) take on Beauty and the Beast, I felt nostalgic reading Beyond Ivy Walls. The character development for Otis was spot on. My heart broke because of his insecurities, yet I could see him grow through the novel. Sadie was slightly less developed, in my opinion, but her attitude towards those with physical differences is a stark contrast to the rest of the town. With lovable secondary characters like the West family and Otis's mansion workers Leon and Mildred and witty banter between Otis and Sadie, this novel is quite the entertaining read.

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

While I thought that this book was a little stiff and slow in the beginning, I really enjoyed it by the end (staying up too late to finish it). Although some parts of the storyline are predictable, the author does a nice job retelling Beauty and the Beast. Her characters are likeable, and she brings to life a real condition that impacts people.

I would recommend this book for people looking for an enjoyable historical romance told from a Christian perspective.

I really enjoyed reading this book and had a hard time putting it down. I especially loved how the author shares her love for adoption in this book and doing the best for the child even when it hurts.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book for review

This was a delightfully enjoyable story. I love Fordham's easy to read style, and she always has some of the sweetest characters.

Otis definitely had some beast from Beauty and the Beast vibes which is a slightly overused trope, but thankfully it was well done and didn't take away from the story. He was generally a really likeable character. And really had a soft heart which I loved. I also felt genuine sympathy for his past.

I loved Sadie and her bond that she had with her sisters. The West sisters definitely gave me some Little Women vibes, which was so fun and well done. The parents were also great.

The plot and mystery kept me intrigued and turning pages while not causing stress.

There weren't really any Christian themes, but it was a heartwarming, sweet, and clean historical read.

* I received this book free from the publisher/author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

I was looking forward to checking this book out, since the concept and cover intrigued me, but I found it hard to get into the book. This was mainly because it's much harder to get me interested in an American set novel over a European set one. Ms Fordham's writing is beautiful and the characters have distinct and interesting voices. In future, I may try this book again, but it wasn't the right time for me now.

In 1903 Sadie West had to leave her family farm and go to work at a feather duster factory in a small Iowa town. She was paid a small amount, which covered her rent and paid her fathers' mortgage as he had gotten injured falling from a horse and could not work. Her sisters worked the family farm and tried to bring in the crops to help.

But Sadie lost her home to a higher paying renter, so she searched for new lodgings and found an abandoned building next to a mansion. Sadie had heard about a rich musician named Otis Taylor who was coming back to Monticello to settle his affairs.

Sadie had taken a dip in the creek near the house and she was chased home by a big dog with a fancy collar who followed her into the building and slept with her.

A few nights later Otis Taylor, who owned the mansion went looking for his dog Wolf and found Sadie!

Beyond Ivy Walls
Rachel Fordham
This is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. The setting is the early 1900s. Sadie’s family was destitute; she had no choice but to leave her beloved home to work in the Hoag duster factory. There is no money for a place for her to stay because she sends all her money home to her family. She is forced to take shelter in an abandoned building.
Otis Taylor is back but determined to keep it a secret. He finds Sadie hiding in a building belonging to his family. He rashly decides to hire her but makes her promise not to tell anyone. The home he grew up in brings back memories deep dark memories where he wants them to stay. Sadie becomes his salvation, the bright light in his dark existence.
This is a squeaky-clean romance. The characters are captivating. The relationship between Sadie and Otis was charming. This is a Christian novel, but it is not preachy.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book for review;

A wonderful story that I was unable to put down. It is a huge reminder of God's grace and courage in facing life's challenges. Such depth and delightful characters that shows new meaning of family and community.

This book has it all!
There is a young man, burdened by the acts of a selfish parent. A man who has been in isolation for many years, scarred physically and emotionally.
And there is a young woman, a beauty, both inside and out, who is trying hard to help her family, to save the farm, and willing to sacrifice her comfort for them.
A chance meeting, and some wise helpers, assist these two on an adventure of healing, acceptance, and love.
The growth that is experienced, the selflessness shown, the letting go of pain, all this brings together a wonderful story.
This story touched my heart. I am sad to leave it!

This was a great book. It is a beauty and the beast retelling. This story was so addictive. I could not put is down. The romance was so sweet.

Book Review: Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Publishers for providing me the opportunity to read and review and ARC of this novel.

Otis is from a wealthy family but is scared from a disease and many failed cures (Both externally and internally). Sadie is from a wonderful family who is dealing with hard times and she is in a desperate situation. Through chance they find each other. He brings her on as staff which helps her situation and she, along with helping the caretakers of his home, helps him overcome these scars from his past.

This is a wonderful, clean and sweet book that has Beauty and the Beast vibes. It, however, lacked the depth that I am accustomed to from Rachel Fordham. Therefore, this is probably my least favorite of her books which I have read. This book touched on several subjects that I would have enjoyed seeing a more indepth look at- the dealing with the scars and the dealing with best care for an orphaned child. The faith content was extremely light- a few mentions of church and praying. The opportunity was there for a much greater amount of faith and it could easily be done without being preachy.

I will continue to read books by this author even though this one didn’t really do it for me. I would recommend this book to people looking for clean, sweet, historical romances. If you are looking for in depth dives into hard subjects or strong faith content this would not be the book for you.

A love story that reminds the reader of Beauty and the Beast. A young woman(Sadie) leaves her home to work in a duster factory to help out her financially strapped family. A young muscial recluse (Otis)returns to his family home after years of being sent away by his mean spirited father. From entirely different back grounds, the two meet by accident and each form a relationship that sets the tone for the novel. I thought that the book moved slowly in places, I found myself reading it quickly to get to the end.

This was my favorite book by this author!! The story drew me in from the beginning and I could barely do anything else but read this book! Otis and Sadie were such great characters and were so unique in their own ways. I loved how Leon and Mildred were like grandparents to Otis and Sadie as they go throughout the story. This may be one I reread because I loved it so much!!

Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

I’m a huge fan of Rachel Fordham! The way she carefully brings history to life at such a gentle cadence is beautiful, and always reminds me of reading Janette Oke books as a teen. The heartwarming simplicity of the story is as charming as it is nostalgic.

This loose retelling of Beauty and Beast is set in the early 1900s Midwest. Due to the pacing, it did take me until the 30% to feel fully invested in Sadie & Otis, but once I got there, I was all in. And the supporting cast shone so brilliantly! Leon & Mildred were the precious older couple, encouraging & cheering Otis and Sadie. As for Sadie’s family, I love a strong sister dynamic that reminds me of Little Women and Pride & Prejudice.

From the gorgeous cover to the stirring story within the pages, Fordham penned a poignant tribute to seeing beyond the scars to the heart that beats beneath them.


*Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read it.

This is the first time trying this author. I don't think she is quite what I am looking for. She has interesting stories but they were very, very basic and tame. I know this is a clean book - I went in knowing that. But, there was hardly a kiss, and the romantic moments were too juvenile. These are people who are supposed to be 20's, but they acted as if they were teens.

The guy she had feelings for that the author was hyping up like crazy never, ever showed up in the book later on. I expected him to have a more prominent part, but it was just the female character thinking that.

It was an interesting story, but the overall thing just didn't hit any real enjoyment for me and seamed to be too basic.

As someone who has been incredibly frustrated by mainstream romance publishing's obession with Regency Romance, I want to give special thanks to Thomas Nelson for embracing other time periods! Beyond Ivy Walls is set just after the turn of the century, and its Beauty and the Beast air had me turning pages all day! I loved it, and would definitely read more by this author!

BEYOND IVY WALLS by RACHEL FORDHAM is a most enjoyable and thought provoking novel. Set in Monticello, Iowa in 1903, the author tells the story of the mysterious Otis Tayler and his return to the family mansion in Monticello,mand Sadie West , who works at the Hoag feather duster factory and is living in squalor in the Taylor’s abandoned factory in order to save her family’s farm and care for her ailing father, brought together by a dog called Blue-Wolf. I like to see their growing friendship and the way they call each other Edward Rochester and Jane. Other interesting characters are Mildred and Leon, the caretakers of the Taylor property and Otis’ loyal friends.
Otis was thrown out as a child by his father because of a physical defect, and we see the results of his family’s abandonment in this scarred, angry, reclusive man, who does not know how to handle himself around people. He is particularly angry about his brother’s child Elizabeth, who was born out of wedlock and is determined to find her and bring her up as his own. He is sensitive of his hideous scars and is surprised at Sadie who, after her first gasp of shock, accepts him as he is.
Sadie is lonely and smells bad due to her job with stinking turkey feathers and lack of washing facilities but puts up with her fellow workers’ taunts in order to help her family.
When Sadie promises to help Otis find his niece their relationship becomes strained…….
I cannot recommend this beautifuly written book highly enough.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Thomas Nelson. The opinions in this review are completely my own.