MISSING SOMETHING.

I adored the first book in this series so much I jumped at the chance to receive a copy of book two (these can be read as standalones with no issues!!). But then I feel like I struggled way more than I hoped for getting through it.

The Beauty and the Beast vibes were definitely woven into the story. I could see the nods to the original and how it was adapted for a historical romance setting. I loved the unique set up for the FMC and how she came to meet the MMC. They had some sweet moments throughout and there’s good themes too. I enjoyed the small faith elements too. The side characters were charming and added to the story too.

I had issues with the aura and writing style of the book. And it’s hard to explain but it came across as if it was written as if the main cast were younger characters and not fully grown adults. I had a disconnect and struggled to stay engaged reading.

The audiobook was fantastic though. I love having two narrators for both the male and female leads. I thought they did a great job and if you want to try this book, absolutely recommend this format.

Overall audience notes:

Historical Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisse
Content Warnings: child abandonment and abuse

"Reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast, a recluse and a young woman discover that the scars of life are no match against an act of love.

Iowa, 1903. All of Monticello believes Otis Taylor has been away fostering his musical genius. But the truth is that his father exiled him long ago, rejecting Otis's appearance and the scars that came with it. Now that he is the last living Taylor, Otis has covertly returned to settle his family's affairs and rid himself of his past for good. However, he soon discovers that he may not have been the only abandoned Taylor and begins a tireless search for his missing toddler niece.

At twenty-three years old, Sadie West left her family farm and found employment at the Hoag feather duster factory. It isn't a romantic job, but she's hardly had a glimmer of romance since her beau went off to college, leaving her with no promise of a future together. Desperate to save money and help her family make ends meet, she trespasses and finds shelter in an abandoned building - and is thrown in the path of the town's mysterious bachelor.

Otis's wounds are deep, but as Sadie's friendship with him grows, she begins to fall for the man beneath the mask. Locating his long-lost niece, however, is more difficult than either could have imagined, and Sadie West may be the key to Otis Taylor finally finding his way home."

Yes, romance, yes, recluse, I want to know more about the Hoag feather duster factory!

I adored Beyond Ivy Walls! It’s the first novel that I’ve read by Rachel Fordham, but I’m adding her other novels to my TBR. The setting for this novel is 1903 Iowa which is something different from the usual novels I read. I found this Beauty and the Beast retelling refreshing and captivating!

After her father is badly injured, Sadie West must leave her home on the farm to work in Monticello. She’s been working at the Hoag feather duster factory. Sadie sends almost all of her money to her family which is why she finds herself homeless when another tenant can pay more for her room. Sadie seeks refuge in an abandoned factory which is how she meets the newly returned Otis Taylor. I love their meet cute!

Otis Taylor’s father sent him away many years ago, ashamed of his son’s condition and appearance. I won’t tell you anything more about it since it would be too spoiler-ish. When Otis’s brother dies, Otis has to return to Monticello to settle his late family’s affairs. He wants it to be over and done with as quickly as possible, so he can return to his solitary life. However, that meet cute with Sadie just might change his mind.

I adored these characters…flaws and all. The other characters in the book are just as well written as Sadie and Otis are. Mildred and Leon are the two that we get to know the most. They’ve been the caretakers at the Taylor home for many years and are very close to Otis. I love how their personalities are so warm and caring as compared to how Otis’s father treated him. Otis is the character who undergoes the most growth throughout the novel, and it’s wonderful to “watch.” Sadie does some growing up too, realizing that romance is so much different than how she pictured it. I loved meeting Sadie’s family and neighbors. I’d love having a book for each of Sadie’s sisters.

Beyond Ivy Walls is such a wonderful picture of finding a person’s value in who they are, not what they look like. It touches on forgiving those who never asked for forgiveness. That is especially hard when the person who’s hurt you has died. It also deals with sacrificial love and putting others’ feelings and wants above your own. I highly recommend it for these reasons and so many more!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and these characters. Otis Taylor has returned home after being sent away by his fathers years ago, now its up to him to deal with the family home and the business dealings. Due to his events from his past he has accepted life in the shadows and does not want to risk ridicule from others. Meanwhile Sadie has left the family farm to work at the duster factory to earn money to help the family after her father gets injured. Due to events she has been staying in an abandoned factory owned by the Taylor family, but no one knows. What happens when she is discovered changes the course of her life. I loved Sadie's perspective on life and her determination to work hard for family. I felt Otis' pain and could understand his struggle with being home, he comes across as a grump at first but you quickly see that he has a soft heart and will do anything for those he cares about. I loved how Sadie encouraged him and looked past his exterior to see his heart. There is a bit of a mystery going on trying to figure out who someone is and where they could be. Once some of those questions were answered Otis then needed to make some decisions and that was hard. It was like no matter which decision was made someone was going to get hurt. I also enjoyed the characters of Mildred and Leon, caretakers of the Taylor house. They each came out with some witty comments that made me laugh. One example is: "You're offering her room and board, not matrimony. It makes no difference what you look like." This was an enjoyable to read and I am pleased with the way the story wrapped up.

Author Rachel Fordham has quickly become a favorite of many, and this book shows why. Fordham puts so much passion and depth into this story that I read it one day. There was no putting it down.


Life was not easy in 1903 and we meet Sadie, who is doing her best to help save her family home. That means being brave and doing hard, scary things. What an incredible character she is. Otis is a wounded individual, and rightly so. When you read about his life you’ll weep for him. Add long time servants that are beyond loyal, as well as Sadie’s family, and you have an incredible cast of characters that will seem real. And of course who doesn’t like seeing the mean girl deal with?


Beyond Ivy Walls also has mystery and you’ll love how that turns out. If you enjoy historical fiction with hope and home, then do get a copy of this book.


I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

A few years ago I stumbled upon Yours Truly, Thomas and fell in love with Rachel Fordham’s writing. I immediately purchased her other books and preorder every new book that releases. Her stories are sweet and tender, they take place in the heartland of America during an era you don’t normally see written about.

Beyond Ivy Walls is an uplifting and heartwarming tale of a young woman who leaves her home to help support her family when her father is injured and can no longer work. Sadie secures job in a duster factory, but soon finds herself without a place to stay. That’s when an abandoned building becomes her refuge and she is soon discovered by Otis, the last surviving Taylor and the mysterious bachelor who has been far from home for far too long.

The journey from strangers to friends to more is beautiful and organic. Sadie is a breath of fresh air. She carefully and deftly cracks Otis’s gruff facade and his steely armor. She shows him that a person is more than their history or the appearance.

Otis has scars and pain. He was wounded and abandoned by the people who should have loved him the most. He is reluctant to forgive, closes himself off from the world and the possibility of genuine affection. That is until Sadie befriends his dog and works her way straight into his heart.

My favorite part of Rachel’s stories is the letter writing she incorporates. Letters are such personal and insightful windows to an individual’s soul. They are intimate and meaningful. Precious and comforting.

I enjoyed this Beauty and the Beast retelling immensely. The mystery added a layer of depth and that epilogue perfectly brought the story full circle.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the advanced copy, all opinions are my own.

Rachel has such a beautiful way of weaving a story that it tugs on your heartstrings. This one is no exception. I really was drawn right in from the beginning. Sadie’s determination and bravery were very impressive. Working in the city to help her family stay afloat and keep their farm after her father’s accident, she has no money for extras. When she loses her lodgings she takes up residence in an abandoned factory.

When the factory owner discovers her he decides to hire her instead of run her off. He’s been a lonely recluse his whole life. Sadie’s presence begins to fill his soul with light. With the beginnings of friendship he becomes hopeful once more.

I loved the dialogue between the two MCs, especially the letters. This is an uplifting and sweet story of loss and love. It is kisses only with no spice, but lots of tension. I highly recommend it.

Sent away as a child due to health issues that his father perceived as shameful, Otis' return after his father and then brother's death is difficult. With ghosts of horror and disappointment everywhere, his old home is a place to flee as soon as possible. But the unexpected discovery of a young woman living in his family's long-abandoned factory first gives him something new to think about and then starts to bring light to his life. Sadie sees past the scars that seem so insurmountable - but can he learn to see himself the same way, and open himself up to the same rejection as he's experienced all his life? And can the rich city man and poor country girl have any future together, even if he is willing to step out of hiding?

This might be my favourite book by the author so far. There was something about Otis and his wounds (physical and emotional) that was deeply touching, and the way Sadie gently brought light and love into his life was just what he needed. Better still, he went out of his way to find ways to help her, too. I also appreciated the way that Leon and Mildred loved and supported him as his father should have and didn't. They made great secondary characters, as did her sisters in a more minor way. His father's treatment of him was horrible, but fortunately we only see enough to give a glimpse of what he's gone through, rather than the full picture. I also found the storyline of hunting for his niece beautifully done and the conclusion deeply satisfying - because showing love doesn't always look like we think it should, and involves caring for others more than ourselves. All in all, a great read and I look forward to more by the author.

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

🌿BEYOND IVY WALLS🌿

Beyond Ivy Walls is a story set in early 1900s Iowa in a town called Monticello, the childhood home of the famous recluse musician Otis Taylor. When returning home, he plans to live a solitary life while solving the missing pieces of his late brother's life. It's here he has a chance encounter with a beautiful young lady, who happens to be living in his abandoned factory.

Sadie is one hard working, beautiful soul. I adored the beauty and the beast and Jane Erye vibes in this story as well as her determination to show Otis how special he is, scars and all. Great medical rep in here! Fun historical elements, quirky side characters and a unique working class romance as well. Otis is absolutely adorable!

It is always fun to see a fairytale like story within all genres. This is definitely one to add to your list. Beyond Ivy Walls publishes August 13th!

Thank you @austenprose for my #earc and @uplitreads for my physical copy. All thoughts are my own.

*Romance- kisses
*TW- child abandonment, childhood trauma

🌿QOTD- What are your favorite beauty and the beast retellings?🌿

#beyondivywalls #rachelfordham
#austenprose #uplitreads #thomasnelson #newrelease #augustpub #beautyandthebeast #fairytaleretelling #historicalromance #iowa #scarstoyourbeautiful #20thcentury #histfic

Rachel Fordham’s new novel “𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝘃𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀” has the undercurrent of a 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 story. A novel about a young woman who left her family farm to get employment at a feather duster factory. Not a fun job but a necessary one to help her family make ends meet. When Sadie finds herself seeking shelter in an abandoned building, she also finds herself in the path of the town’s mysterious bachelor. A man with his own buried pain. The mystery that surrounds this hidden man is more complex than anyone could imagine… and so is the love that she starts to feel. ⁣

The book gives a fantasy feel mixed with romance. I can definitely see how it was described as a Beauty and the Beast retelling… as we follow along Sadie & Otis’ story. I thought it was a simple read, perhaps could even be marketed towards a YA book. One I enjoyed.

This book by Rachel Fordham is beautiful, inside and out! I loved the plot, the characters, and the setting.

I loved Sadie. She's the kind of young woman who is willing to work hard for her family. Her father has been injured and she moved to a different city to work in a factory, in order to pay the family's bills. I loved her ingenuity. She ends up having to live in an abandoned building. And that's how she meets Otis.

Otis is a young man who is scarred from his childhood, both inside and out. I loved that the reader gets to see things through his eyes as well as Sadie's. The way Sadie is able to get him to see his life through a different lens is one of my favorite things about the book. And the way he, in turn, is able to help Sadie was so beautiful.

I did not want to put this book down!

A beautiful retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

I loved The Letter Tree by Rachel Fordham so I knew I would love this book also!

The story of Sadie and Otis is a beautiful tale that explores trust, love, inclusion and kindness. I love how the story includes the trials and tribulations of both characters and how together they can work through their issues. What a gorgeous story!!!

Thank you Netgalley and Uplit Reads for the honor to read and review this book!!!

I think I can understand why this book so far is loved, but I feel I may just not be in the right demographic for this.


Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

THIS STORY. Oh my! I couldn’t put it down! I absolutely loved Otis and Sadie. Their story is so sweet and lovely. Every interaction makes you fall in love with both characters more and more, even during their less than perfect moments. Which is one of the things I loved most about this story, the characters are so relatable and so GOOD to their core. The themes of loneliness, forgiveness, resilience, and acceptance were so well threaded throughout the book. I will be gushing about this one for a while to come!

This book gets all the gold stars as far as I’m concerned! I loved every moment and the ending leaves you feeling warm and happy, with a smile on your face.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Set in Iowa in 1903, Sadie West, a 23 year old, moves to the town of Monticello to find a job to help support her family while her father is unable to work. She starts working at the Hoag feather duster factory when she finds herself homeless and living in an abandoned warehouse. This warehouse belongs to Otis Taylor who has been away from town for years and when he returns, his dog takes off every morning to visit Sadie in the abandoned warehouse. Otis ends up giving Sadie a place to live and work after her job at the feather duster factory. They both have wounds and troubles to overcome and over time become friends who help each other more than they ever thought.

I will be honest, I was not expecting to love this story as much as I did! I read this in two days and loved the small connection to Beauty and the Beast with Otis having scars on his head from traumatic hair loss that his dad could not get over. Sadie’s family on the other hand was loving and kind but struggling and she had to leave them to go work and send money back. Otis’s niece storyline was a good addition and even though he was so determined to get her back, he realized that the life she had was a good place for her to be at that he could still support her without uprooting her whole life. I loved how Sadie dealt with the bully at her work and the older couple that worked at the estate were the sweetest individuals. Overall, I felt like there was a good romance, family connections, mystery of finding his niece, and trials with his appearance and Sadie trying to provide for her family. Such a good, clean, Historical Fiction read.

This book was delightful book set in the progressive era in America. I do not believe I have read anything set during this time and place before.
I adore the concept which is very lightly based on beauty and the beast. It is a moving story of Otis and Sadie who both have to overcome such big obstacles before they can find joy in their lives. I definitely have never read a book with roller-skating as the desire activity before and did not even know it was a thing over a hundred years ago. It was little things like this that made this book interesting. The history that took you to that time and place.
The characters in this story are strong, each one necessary and serving a purpose. One thought I ponder is why a factory full of low income workers believed that they would be able to socialise and interact with a man of wealth (to me this isn't historically correct)

Wow, this book was incredible. One night I started it, and the next night I couldn't sleep because I couldn't stop thinking about it. One late night later, I finished it with tears of happiness streaming down my face. Beyond Ivy Walls is a complex story of love, ailing family members, and the quest to uncover family secrets. Rachel's ability to weave together a story of love, old homes, and missing family members kept me engaged the entire time I read it.

Here are some of the themes that I enjoyed in this book:
- Recovery from cruel medical treatments
- Feather duster factory
- Small town gossip
- The complexities of adoption
- Family connections

Overall, I think this is a fantastic novel. Be sure to pick it up soon! I would categorize this as a clean historical romance, with kissing only. Thank you to the author for the advance copy of this book. A review was not required.

Thank you to NetGalley, UpLit Reads, and Rachel Fordham for the ARC of Beyond Ivy Walls. I love a good retelling, and this was no exception -- Beauty and the Beast, but with a twist. It was sweet and romantic and transported you back in time. The characters were very well-developed, and while I didn't realize it was a Christian novel when I began, the religious aspects were very nuanced and not in your face. Pick this one up if you're looking for a chaste romance with sweet characters.

Thank you to Net Galley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.
Please make sure you have plenty of time when you start reading this book. I couldn't put it down! This story takes place in Iowa in 1903. It is the story of a beautiful friendship between Otis Taylor and Sadie West. Both characters are dealing with trials in their lives, and their friendship makes them strong. I have read other books by Rachel Fordham, but I think this one is my favorite. I liked all the characters, and the plot was so engaging. I would definitely recommend to all readers! It is a beautiful story!

Beyond Ivy Walls was such a delightful book! I was unsure of the premise going in, as I am not generally drawn to books that are loose retellings of classics or fairytales. This story's new take on, "Beauty and the Beast," however, was lovely. I loved both Sadie and Otis, the development in their relationship, and the growth within their own hearts. I enjoyed this book in a special way in that although conflicts arose throughout the book, I felt that I could trust the author and the characters without feeling the anxiety that some books facilitate. While not perfect, (I did roll my eyes a bit at "Alexander Darling's" reading), this was one of my favorite books this year and one I definitely encourage everyone to read!