Beyond Ivy Walls by Rachel Fordham: Book Review

 **I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

The Book

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.

The Author

Rachel Fordham is the author of Where the Road Bends, A Lady in Attendance, A Life Once Dreamed, The Hope of Azure Springs, and Yours Truly, Thomas. Fans expect stories with heart and she delivers, diving deep into the human experience and tugging at reader emotions. She loves connecting with people, traveling to new places, and daydreaming about future projects that will have sigh-worthy endings and memorable characters. She is a busy mom, raising both biological and foster children (a cause she feels passionate about). She lives with her husband and children on an island in the state of Washington. Learn more at rachelfordham.com; Instagram: @rachel_fordham; Facebook: @rachelfordhamfans.

Book Review

What a beautiful story this was! I must admit, I didn't read the blurb on this one before I started reading, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but right away the Beauty and the Beast vibes were evident to me. That just so happens to be one of my favorite fairy tales, so that was a pleasant surprise. While the nods to that classic story were evident, it was still very much its own unique story too. Sadie and Otis drew me in right away... they both had their fair share of struggles that they had to overcome in their lives. Among them, was Otis' alopecia and treatments that had left him scarred and ultimately living as a recluse. The actual condition is not named in the story, as I assume it was not as known at this point in history, which I thought made his story all that much more compelling. Sadie sees beyond his exterior and the two share a beautiful and tender love story that I absolutely could not get enough of. This was truly such a beautiful story with so much emotion... one of my favorite historical reads of the year so far! I absolutely loved it. If you love historical romance and/or fairy tale retellings, this is absolutely one you will not want to miss. 

You can purchase your copy here: https://amzn.to/3WaB9f4