Rachel Fordham delivers a poignant story with "Beyond Ivy Walls". Set in 1903 Iowa, this book chronicles the emotional journey of Otis Taylor, whose alopecia was unsuccessfully "treated" by his cruel father, resulting in further disfigurement. Sadie West sees beyond his physical appearance to the person he really is.

While there is a decided "Beauty and the Beast" theme, this read is not a fairytale. It is not a Disney movie. In a way, this book reminded me of Fordham's first novel, "The Hope of Azure Springs". The heroine Em was unkindly rejected due to her appearance, as is Otis and to a lesser extent, Sadie (due to her living conditions). Human nature being what it is, sadly some people judge others by the figurative book cover, and a few are featured here. Our protagonists conclude there are "different kinds of normal".

The fate of niece Elisabeth provides an interesting and unexpected twist. This heartwarming side plot is thought-provoking. Is family defined solely by blood, or by those who raised you? As an adopted child myself, I'm of the firm belief that blood does not determine family.

I greatly enjoy Rachel Fordham's lovely prose. Her characters are wonderfully rendered. This novel is clean. I've read all of her novels, and they are all incredibly appealing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for an ARC of this compelling read.

Thank you Thomas Nelson Fiction for this ARC version of Beyond my Walls.

I enjoyed this book of about a man scarred as a child who comes back to his home after his family has passed away. He had been hidden from people and planned to come to sell the home then leave.

The process was slowed down when he met Sadie and also realized he had a niece.

It’s a nice story and not too dramatic.

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

I have mixed feelings about this book. it was reminiscent of beauty and the beast, in a very basic, very tame way.

It is a clean book, but in no way could this be considered a romance. There is a male character mentioned an alarming number of ties by the lead female character, yet he never once appears in the book.

This is the first time trying this author, I’m not sure if I would read another book by her, I found her writing style to be a bit too juvenile for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in return for my honest review.

3.5 stars

This is a clean reads, sweet romance with a Beauty and the Beast, and even Phantom of the Opera, feel. I was expecting a bit more depth, but it was still an enjoyable read. The pace was a bit slow, which made it hard to stay engaged at time, but this improved as the story unfolded. The faith element is present, but minimal. There are a number of prominent themes, including friendship, the transformative power of love, and acceptance. I really enjoyed Leon and Mildred. The epilogue was my favorite part of the story.

This was a beautiful Beauty-and-the-Beast-inspired story. I loved spunky, hard-working Sadie, and her relationship with her sisters and parents. And poor tortured Otis was so well crafted. I enjoyed watching their relationship blossom and their characters develop. Books like these make me wish they came with a soundtrack. I'd love to hear Otis pour his heart into the piano!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a sweet read by Rachel Fordham! I really enjoyed the relationship between Sadie and her sisters as it reminded me of my own sisters. This book was a twist on Beauty and the Beast and it was neat to see how Sadies and Otis' relationship grew throughout the story as well as their character. They had strong points as well as weak and I feel like Sadie was just the encouragement that Otis needed to heal from his past hurts. Overall it was an enjoyable read and I feel like there was a lot to apply to my own life.

Thank you Rachel Fordham, NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for allowing me to read this ARC!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a super sweet historical fiction novel. In some ways, it is reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast. Although I have wanted to read Rachel Fordham's other works for a while, <i>Beyond Ivy Walls</i> is the first that I have had the opportunity to read. I will certainly be seeking out the rest of her books!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ebook ARC of this lovely story of hope and forgiveness.

"Beyond Ivy Walls" is a sweet romance set in 1903 in Monticello, Iowa. Otis has no hair and has scars on his scalp from his father's attempts to make his hair regrow. Sent away from his family to live in an isolated cottage, he feels deeply rejected by his family. He's convinced his former friends will view him as a beast, a monster to be rejected. He returns after his father and brother died and discovers that his brother had a child out of wedlock. He's determine to find her and give her all of the love and acceptance he lacked. Sadie sees his scars and doesn't reject him. She's hired to help clean up the house and teach him social skills. She helps him find the courage to face the community.

Sadie and Otis became friends as they spent time together. They learned to work through misunderstanding and conflict. The historical details were woven into the story and didn't slow the pacing. Sadie prays for her father's healing and trusts that God will see her family through this hard time. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable romance.

'Beyond Ivy Walls' follows Sade West and Otis Taylor. Sadie West's dad has had a horrible accident, leaving him unable to work. With bills that need to be paid and a harvest that won't work itself, Sadie moves to Monticello to make some extra money while her mom and sisters stay to work the farm. She ends up homeless and squats in an abandoned factory. When Otis Taylor discovers her in his factory, he's intrigued by this beautiful woman and offers her a job in his mansion. Otis Taylor has a health issue that only affects his looks. His father sent him away and he never felt loved or cared for. When his older brother passes away, he comes back home to settle affairs. With anger buried deep, he gets to know Sadie, and he learns that not everything is as it seems.

This book was incredible! I loved the character growth of Otis and Sadie. Their blooming, slow-burn romance was a page-turner. The likenesses to Beauty and the Beast were enough to keep you intrigued, but not too much to where it seemed like a copy. The mystery added in was great! Some of the sentences didn't flow well or felt 'cringy' to me. Otherwise, I loved it and would recommend it for sure!

This is another beautifully written story by Rachel Fordham! I loved the characters and there were glimmers of Phantom of the Opera and Beauty and the Beast woven throughout. Ultimately, this is a story about love in all its forms....friendship, acceptance, mentorship, romantic love, and more. My favorite parts were the letters and the epilogue. It is one of the most perfect epilogues I have ever read.

The plot didn't grab me and the characters didn't seem sympathetic or relatable until the hero's sacrifice. Other readers who enjoy a subtle nod to the Beauty and the Beast trope may enjoy this title.

4.75 Stars. But I'll give it 5 stars since I can't be that specific. :)

Beyond Ivy Walls is another beautiful and rich novel by Rachel Fordham who wrote another book I enjoyed The Letter Tree last year. Beyond Ivy Walls is another historical fiction set in the Christian fiction genre.

This book definitely has Beauty & the Beast vibes in parts, but the real villain is definitely Otis' father. The child abuse that man inflicted on Otis because of Otis' medical issue was just...ARGH!
Otis suffers from severe alopecia. No hair on head, no eyebrows, no eyelashes. During that time period, it's practically a death sentence for your social life. But to compound the issue with scars from his father's "treatments". Sigh.

I really loved Sadie's family and how their love spills over to fill the dry cracks of Otis' loveless life.

One of the most intense parts was definitely when Otis finally goes to the attic and finds not only his mother's things but the chest of "tonics and oils" that represent all that is his father. And the moment he "loses it" is so cathartic to him emotionally and he was finally able to move on.

I loved the roller skating aspect of it and SAdie's rules. The ending was sooo sweet and I admit I cried in the epilogue. It was the PERFECT ending. <3

So if I couldn't stop reading it, and cried and got mad...why only 4.75 stars?
Well. Once again. The lack of God moments. There were so so so so so many times that there could have been scripture shared by the characters. So many times that stories from the Bible would have been perfect talking points. But nothing. For a book listed as Christian fiction to yet again NOT even have the characters going to church... much less any scripture reference. Well. It's just really encouraging clean historical fiction with a great message.

It's getting very frustrating to keep having this new trend of taking God OUT of Christian fiction and having it be just "feel good".

So PERSONALLY 4.5 stars because of that. But as I said--writing wise 5 stars.

*I was given a complimentary copy of the ARC by the publishers and NetGAlley. I was not required to writing a positive review and all opinions are 100% my own!

This is the first book I have read by Rachel Fordham and it will not be my last. Her writing style kept me engaged. I fell in love with Sadie and enjoyed her interaction with Otis. The similarities to Beauty & the Beast made it such an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for allowing me to read this book.

This story is a true gem with the nostalgic feel of beauty and the beast. A lovely reminder on where beauty is found and how love goes deeper than appearances.

I loved the relationship between Sadie and Otis. It was wonderful to see their friendship blossom into something more. Through hardship and laughter, they find strength in each other.

Between Sadie's struggles to try and know her heart and Otis trying to be free from the past, you will find yourself rooting for their happily ever after.


I was given a free ebook but my thoughts and opinions are my own

Rachel Fordham is one of those authors that reaches down deep and delves into the heart of an issue exposing all of its flaws. When she is finished the reader feels led to take up that cause. Beyond Ivy Walls was an inspiring, emotional roller coaster. The story opens with the return of Otis Taylor to his ancestral home to settle affairs left after the deaths of his father and brother. We are given glimpses of his life's story, of his exile due to him losing his hair, to scars that he bares, and his musical genius. We also meet Sadie West, a young lady sent to Monticello to work to help pay for her father's medical bills. Sadie is found living in the abandoned factory belonging to Otis Taylor. Though Otis wants to go back into his exile, he offers Sadie a job and a place to live. As I read this story many things came to mind. Mrs. Fordham is a Christian author and you can see that in her writing, but the theme that was most prevalent to me in this book was the theme of bullying. Often times people get bullied by others for the way they look, the things they lack, or just for meanness. If you can't stand up to a bully, tell someone and let them help you. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It is one of those books that you want to read over again.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing for allowing me to read an advanced reader copy. The review I gave is entirely my own opinion.

“You are so much more than your scars and what happened within these walls. You have heart.”

This sweet story, set in 1903, features Sadie West, 23, who has been forced to leave her family farm in rural Iowa and seek employment at the Hoag Feather Duster Co., a factory in Monticello. Her father’s riding accident left him bedridden and Sadie has to work to support her parents and younger siblings.

After a few unplanned disappointments, she’s discovered by Otis Taylor, Monticello’s musical genius and eligible bachelor. Otis and Sadie overcome insurmountable odds because they each realize that they are different and gather inner strength to work through their insecurities together, hoping to love and be loved in return.

Fordham asks readers to consider our definition of ‘normal’ and how we care for one another - are we looking beyond the surface and at each other’s hearts? She reminds us that we are all unique and all have moments when we are not as we appear. We shouldn’t let what people say limit us as to what we’re capable of doing. We are all our own definitions of normal.

Although this Beauty and the Beast inspired novel is about love’s transformative power, it’s also about:

✔️Sacrificial love
✔️Freedom; from physical captivity/exile (manor) and social expectations
✔️Dangers of judging on appearances
✔️Warning about the value of character over appearance
✔️Pain we cause when we are quick to judge
✔️Desire to be a complete and true version of ourselves
✔️Acceptance and compassion
✔️Supporting each other through adversity; pushing to the edge of fear

“Why can’t it be normal to be varied and different? In a world full of colors and shapes and backgrounds, who decided we were all supposed to be the same?”

It was good to be reminded:

1) to stretch to accept something different about ourselves and others. We should all strive to have eyes like Sadie, eyes that look deep inside and see the best in people.
2) to be the hero of our own story. Dare to think differently and show compassion.
3) We are all scarred and flawed in different ways - different kinds of ‘normal’.

This slow, gently probing story has a BIG impact even days later. Allow it room to impact you.

I was gifted this copy by Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

So this book is another look at the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale, but Rachel Fordham has done a masterful job in bringing all the bits and pieces of the tale to life. She put the characters in the early 1900s, so while it is historical, it is also a bit more modern.

Sadie West has been working at the feather duster factory in Monticello, Iowa, when she is turned out of her boarding house for someone who will pay more. She finds an abandoned factory to shelter in, and bathes in a freezing cold creek, but it is the only water available to her. She is found out and then given a position at the Taylor mansion to help clean it up and get it ready to sell. This is in addition to her job at the duster factory. She is sending money home to pay for her father's doctor bills after he had an accident on the farm. She is also paying the mortgage on the farm so that her family doesn't lose their home.

Otis Taylor is the only remaining Taylor alive and comes back to Monticello to settle his brother's estate. He'd been sent away because he was scarred and disfigured and his father didn't want to look at him. Otis has quite a chip on his shoulder for the way his family treated him, but he eventually finds that his chip is too heavy to carry.

Alta is one of the lesser characters but she plays an important part in the movement of the plot. She so wants to be the one that Otis courts when he returns to town. She's a little bit of a gold digger and a bit entitled, and plays the parts well. When she finds that Sadie has been working for Otis for a while, she throws a temper tantrum worthy of a two year old.

Beyond Ivy Walls has everything a reader could desire--a little bit of romance, a little bit of mystery, hard decisions, and a coming to terms with circumstances. I love the Beauty and the Beast type stories I've read and other than one written by Robin McKinley, this is the best one I've read. Robin's is an extremely well-done rendition of the tale, while Rachel's is a more modern retelling. It is still a five star book with two thumbs up and a beast who cares about family troubles.

Thomas Nelson Fiction provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

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