I really loved this book. This was my first book by Rachel Fordham and I will definitely be checking out her backlist. Sadie and Otis did not get off on the right foot…at all. It took them a while to tear down each other’s walls and really begin to know each other. Their romance was really sweet and I loved every bit of it. Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite fairytales and I try to read every retelling I can. I love how Beyond Ivy Walls puts its own unique spin on such a beloved story. If you love your historical romance with faith, humor, and depth you should check out Beyond Ivy Walls.

Thank you @rachel_fordham, @uplitreads, and @thomasnelson for my complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Christian Publishing for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Em Eldridge and Jason Keller do a great job narrating this book! Very enjoyable read.

This is a sweet retelling of the story of Beauty and the Beast. Sadie and Otis help each other with challenges they face and fall in love in the process. They draw out the best in each other, help each other and have a lovely story.

This a nice, fast read about a flawed couple who find each other. Very enjoyable listen if you need a touch of Disney!

Sing it with me now: Tale as old as time // True as it can be // Barely even friends // Then somebody bends // Unexpectedly! Beyond Ivy Walls by Rachel Fordham is a Beauty And The Beast re-imagining and was a beautiful-as-can-be fairy tale!

Otis Taylor returns to his family home after being cast aside and shunned by his father; Sadie sends money home to her own family as her father's health is failing. A mystery over Otis's missing niece provides both a way to push the two characters together while also creating a slight conflict, understood through their dual perspectives. This is a classic story that is well deserving of its ever-present yet nuanced theme!

With Fordham's unpretentious and approachable writing, this book had such a dreamy feel to it! There's a gentle, languid pace to this historical romance, like the muted colours of a harvest sunset or the ease of a meandering brook.

Leon and Mildred who have worked for the Taylor family for years represented all the meddling characters in Beast's home, pushing the two love interests gently together. I loved that Sadie worked in a feather duster factory, providing another subtle nod to a Beauty And The Beast character.

Em Eldridge and Jason Keller narrated this audiobook, their voices lending perfectly to their respective characters. Eldridge had a warm and friendly voice, airing on the side of innocent and playful. Keller was the opposite in contrast: gruff and powerful, demanding attention while still sounding introspective when called for. Keller, in particular, did an amazing job creating distinct voices for those characters he narrated.

Sweet, wistful, and full of nostalgia - this was an easy five-star experience!

Thank you NetGalley, UpLit Reads, Thomas Nelson Fiction, Thomas Nelson and HarperCollins Christian Publishing for the complimentary copies to read and review.

“This house is not only mysterious, it is magical.”

I listened to the audio of this book, as well as reading it. The audio narrators were excellent. Their tones and expression was spot on and they really helped me visualize the characters through their voices.

This was such a beautiful and heartwarming story. I absolutely love Rachel’s books and this one is another excellent offering. There were so many amazing quotes, I was highlighting on every page.

I adored Sadie. Her perseverance and her desire to help her family was inspiring. Otis is back home from years away, his brother and father now dead.I appreciated his need to hide, but also in wanting to make things right with his family. I loved the Beauty and the Beast feel to the story. The development of Sadie and Otis characters and relationships were so well done. Sadie’s love and acceptance was a pleasure to read. I loved Leon and Mildred. And Sadie’s family! All were wonderful additions to the story. Some of my favorite things were letters, Leon and Mildred, rollerskating, and so many more. One of my favorite things was the epilogue.

There were so many quotes and beautiful words I highlighted. .

I received a paperback from the publisher. I also received an ebook NetGalley link and an audio approval from NetGalley.

Thank you to Rachel Fordham, HarperCollins, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Monti-CHELLO. CHELLO!

I know, it's widely debated, but I (a native Iowan) have always heard it pronounced like the string instrument. So every time I heard Monti-sello in this audiobook, I winced. And it was said a lot. I probably looked like I was having a seizure. And it made me think of cellophane or Sellotape. So distracting! At least both narrators pronounced it the same way.

Then there was the pronunciation of Violet---Vee-oh-let. I think in Spanish and some European languages it's pronounced like that, but to my knowledge in America it's typically Vy-let. That's how Mr. Beauregard said it in Wonka's factory: "You're turning violet, Violet!" Bahahaha.... Em Eldridge was guilty of Vee-oh-let; I don't remember how Jason Keller said it.

Apologies if the book addressed the pronunciation of either of those names and I missed it.

Anywho, this book was sweet and heartwarming. It was waaaaaay too long ( ELEVEN hours), and I was bored around the 2/3 to 3/4 mark, but overall I enjoyed it. The influence of Beauty and the Beast was clear, and since that's one of my favorite tropes, I had fun catching the parallels. The characters were all likeable, and relatable in emotion if not circumstances. Except that one bitch. The broom factory was unique, as was Otis's alopecia. I was happy to find Elizabeth in a loving home, but sad that Otis had to give her up, as it were. I appreciated that the god talk was minimal, and that the cheese wasn't overdone. It was the good chaste historical romance I expected from Fordham.

I have just one question---why didn't they name the second boy Edward???

Otis grew up feeling like he wasn't enough, that his scars and medical condition were something he had to hide and it left him grumpy and broken. He returns to his family estate after being sent away as a child and is only at the estate to sell it. But he runs into Sadie in one of his abandoned warehouses. Sadie is homeless and working away from her family to help provide after her father has an accident and can not work. Otis takes note of Sadies situation and offers her a job and a place to stay in his mansion. At first, they are at odds with each other, they are opposites... she's hiding her concerns, hes hiding his past. But with time the walls come down. But...Sadie has promised her heart to another before she ever met Otis, what happens when the first man in her life reappears? And Otis has no intention of sticking around, once the property sells, he's leaving!

This story is just so honest and so raw when it comes to the struggles of both characters. They both have what the other doesn't. He has wealth, status, and people throwing themselves at his feet unknowingly but no one will accept him as he is, and his own family sent him away as a child. She has a loving family, is a hard worker, and doesn't complain... but her days are filled in turkey filth, she has no money, no home, and the man she loved hasn't been returning her advances. They BOTH breathe life into each other. He steps up for her, and her for him and this story just shows how two people from two different lives somehow become interwoven with each other.

This story is not just romantic, its also hilarious at times as they pick on each other and make jokes at each others expense.


If you like tropes such as...
Forced proximity
Grumpy/Sunshine
Pen pals
Friends to more... THIS is your story!
Loved it!!! I need a physical copy of the book!

***Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy. The review is my own opinion.

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

We are always told to look beyond looks. Beyond Ivy Walls reminds us that beauty is within. It was a great listen.

a charming new story from rachel fordham! beyond ivy walls is for readers who love historical fiction mixed with beauty and the beast, and it will not disappoint.

leaving the family farm, sadie west found a job at the feather-duster factory in monticello, iowa, and every cent she earns needs to go back home. she sleeps in an abandoned factory to save money inconspicuously—but of course, this puts her in the path of recently-returned-to-town recluse otis taylor. a surprise to both sadie and otis, they strike up a friendship...

as their unlikely friendship (and perhaps even more) grows, they deal with family dilemmas and personal hardships, and sprinkled throughout their interactions is lovely humor and encouragement. their story is one of facing fears and uplifting one another; it is sweet and heartfelt, even amidst the challenges the characters face.

beyond ivy walls is a delight to read. i loved the time i spent in its pages, and i'm sure that other readers will, too.