Beyond Ivy Walls by Rachel Fordham (Review)

Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Releases: August 13, 2024 
336 pages

About the Book:

Beauty and the Beast meets A Light Between Oceans in historic small-town America where a wealthy reclusive bachelor and an unlikely ally join forces to solve a family secret and inadvertently find belonging along the way.

Early 1900s. When an accident leaves Sadie West's family in dire financial need, she nervously leaves the land she loves to work in the Hoag duster factory. But sending all her money home means that she has nowhere to board, and she's forced to take up residence in an abandoned building--a choice that throws her in the path of the town's mysterious bachelor.

Recently returned from exile, and determined to keep his arrival a secret, Otis Taylor makes the impulsive decision to hire the woman he finds hiding on his family's property with the strict instructions she tell no one he has returned. The dark halls of his boyhood flood him with memories he's long tried to forget. The only bright light is the woman he has hired. Can the optimistic Sadie teach the wounded Otis to trust again? To love? Can the pair unravel the family secrets that have long cast a shadow over the mansion and those who reside within?

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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.

(I received an ARC of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley; opinions expressed 

in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Other books from this author that I have reviewed:   

   

The Letter Tree

The Hope of Azure Springs 

Where the Road Bends  

Yours Truly, Thomas