3/5 for The Grand Design by Joy Callaway

It was a pretty straightforward read. Mostly like a biography. Some parts dragged a little, but it was fine. Not really up my ally though.

Dorothy Draper was an accomplished interior designer. This book touts a story of a woman with a mind of her own. But this book is a novel. After reading the author's notes and various online resources, I'm not sure whether or not it's an accurate view of her life. Was she really as intensely independent as the book makes her out to be? Maybe, maybe not.
Also, I have a bias against rich, entitled folks, and she's part of that class. All the ritzy details and even the Greenbrier Resort seem like a waste of money, time and energy, especially when there are so many social issues to address.
Parts of this book drag, and I found myself skimming the angst about if she should get with Enzo or not.
In the end, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I wanted to.

I loved learning about the history of the Greenbrier hotel, but the story did not keep me as engaged as I would have expected.

Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I ultimately did not finish this book despite being so interested in the premise. And it had nothing to do with the book itself, but rather the formatting of the ARC on the NetGalley app. It made it nearly impossible to read. I will look forward to reading this in normal formatting with publication.

Delighted to include this title in ‘Lives Lived,’ my latest round-up for Zoomer magazine’s Books section highlighting new and notable historical novels (see mini-review at link)

Joy Callaway portrays the lead character, Dorothy, as a debutante in 1908. She recalls the details of her last summer at the Greenbrier. In 1946, Dorothy Draper is hired to transform the Greenbrier from an Army hospital to its former glory as a destination resort. Atmospheric and beautifully written, I highly recommend this book. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Dorothy is a rebel! She has divorced her husband and has started the first ever design firm in America. Dorothy has now been tasked to restore some of the elegance to her old stomping ground, The Greenbrier. And she must do her best work. Her design firm is on the rocks and she needs this job to keep her and her employees afloat.

I love a novel based on a true story and Dorothy is an amazing woman. But, I felt like something was missing in the story. It is very well researched, however, it is just a bit slow and maybe a bit redundant in places. But, I am so glad I read it. I love to learn about women who decide not to follow the conventional and Dorothy definitely did life her way. She is smart and hardworking and she changed her stars!

Need a good historical fiction novel with a strong woman you probably never heard of…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

This was incredible. I have always wanted to go to the Greenbrier after my parents went when I was younger. This book only makes me want to go more. I felt like I was there in this book and it was nice to escape in these pages.

I wanted to love this one, but Unfourntely for me it was one of those that was just to hyped up. But I did like the setting and the writing style.

This story is based on the real Dorothy Draper who almost 30 years later gets the opportunity to restore and create a better Greenbriar Club in West Virginia. Dorothy was a daring and scandalous character and a true joy to read about. She had more moxie than most women of the early 1900’s.

This book is a fantastic read and well worth the time to sit back and enjoy a rebel.

Thank you to #netgalley and #harpermuse for allowing me to read the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

This is a dual timeline novel about the famed interior designer Dorothy Draper. The story alternates between 1908 and 1946 and is set in the glamours Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. In 1908 Dorothy is spending the summer at Greenbrier with her family. They are expecting her to accept a marriage proposal from Warren, the son of family friends. Dorothy however has other plans. She dreams of being more than just another socialite wife, and mother. In addition, Dorothy is distracted by Enzo, an attractive Italian race-car driver. The alternate chapters are set in 1946, and Dorothy has returned to Greenbrier restore the famed resort back to its former glory. Dorothy's career has faced setbacks as has her reputation in society due to her divorce from her husband. She soon finds inspiration in the resort's beautiful surroundings, and she is determined to bring her vision to fruition, despite the obstacles thrown in her way by owners, employees, and the memories still haunting her.

Prior to reading The Grand Design, I had not heard of Dorothy Draper or the Greenbrier Resort. The author, through vivid description and wonderful dialogue, transports the reader back to the waning days of the gilded age, just before society changed forever as the result of two world wars and the Great Depression. Sprinkled into this grand setting, are cameos of notable figures of the time periods from politics, fashion, and art such as William Howard Taft and his wife and daughter.

For those of us who will never have the opportunity to see the beauty of Greenbrier, nor experience the privileged life of the upper classes; this is a wonderful escape into a different place and time.

In 1908 everyone that was anyone summered at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Joy Callaway escorts readers right into the enormous dining hall prepared for Greenbrier’s Centennial Celebration filled with “silk & chiffon served atop a platter of tradition and romance.”
Callaway shares the story of socialite Dorothy Tuckerman’s attempt to escape the prison of expectations through her rebellious and creative lifestyle. In this dual timeline, thirty-eight years later, Dorothy is challenged with overcoming the stigma of divorce and sustaining her design business. She had established herself as one of the first female interior designers but having been raised by a father who found fame uncouth, Dorothy had become dependent on it and praise. Callaway peels back layers of confidence, waxing and waning, as insecurities immerge, affecting Dorothy’s business and personal life.
In alternating chapters Callaway portrays a clear portrait of Dorothy as a debutante in 1908 as she recalls the details and “what ifs” of her last summer at the Greenbrier. In 1946, Dorothy Draper is hired to transform the Greenbrier from an Army hospital to its former glory as a destination resort. Different designs for every guestroom, restoration of antiques, and acquiring artworks along with tales of presidents, royals, and movie stars gracing the halls and cottages make for rich renditions of spectacular events. While hoping for a successful “resort reveal” readers are immersed in the lush details and vibrant colors of Dorothy Draper designs. Scandal, secrets, and love are wrapped in the historic theme of the Greenbrier Resort: romance and rhododendrons.

I had never heard of Dorothy Draper before the story though I have seen pictures of Greenbrier and its magnificent blue, green, and red halls. As someone who loves color, this novel was a feast for the senses.

Dorothy wanted more than to become the wife of a wealthy man and an unexpected meeting of an inappropriate Italian racecar driver at the Greenbrier resort convinces her of this. Unfortunately her family has different plans for her. Decades later Dorothy is living life on her own terms and returns to the Greenbrier as an interior designer with a mission to make it even better than it was before. Will Dorothy be able to make her dreams come true at the place were so many were broken?

In this dual timeline novel, it is 1908 and young Dorothy Tuckerman is chafing at familial and societal expectations. Her family has long expected her to marry Warren, for whom she feels nothing but friendship. While her parents expect an engagement announcement, she is falling in love with the inappropriate Italian race car driver, Enzo.

In 1946, Dorothy Draper is a divorcee who makes a living as a designer. She is scorned and criticized by the social circle to which she once belonged, but is thrilled to have the opportunity to design the Greenbrier Resort, where she once spent her summers, including the fateful summer of 1908 that forever changed the trajectory of her life.

This fictionalized account of the life of famed designer Dorothy Draper is also full of historical details about the famed Greenbrier resort in West Virginia. Although it has inspired me to learn more about Dorothy Draper and add more color to my house, the romance between Dorothy and Enzo falls a little flat. Far more interesting is the May-December relationship between her and her employee, Lee. Nonetheless, this book is wonderful for those interested in design and history. #TheGreenbrierResort #NetGalley

If you start reading this novel and immediately give out a sigh that maybe you’ve mistakenly picked up a wholly romance novel, I can hear you! However, only part of the book leans heavily on the romance elements. When you’ve reached the chapters that start in 1946, you’ll be out of that mode! Sadly, when the story reverts back to the 1908 parts, you might feel a bit disappointed. Yes, I get why Callaway did this, but I found Dorothy’s whole infatuation with Rossi to be distracting, even though I can understand that some background into Dorothy’s youth was a good idea. What I wanted was to concentrate on Dorothy’s renovating of the Greenbrier Resort. My thinking is that this earlier story arc would have been just as effective if it had been done as shorter flashbacks rather than whole chapters set in the earlier year. This was exactly how Callaway dealt with the intervening years, which include Dorothy’s marriage and divorce with Dan Draper, and I found those inclusions both insightful and well centered.

I should mention that Callaway’s writing was necessarily very descriptive, especially when it came to décor and fashion. This was particularly present when she described the dilapidated Greenbriar Resort as Dorothy surveyed the shell which she was about to renovate. Together with this, her descriptions of Dorothy’s vision for the renovations nicely appeared in my imagination, and for the most part, I could envision each element. Now, as they say, there’s no account for taste, so I’m not going to lower my rating of this novel because I don’t think I could stomach spending even an hour inside some of these rooms, let alone a whole vacation there. I mean, yeah, mid-century modern was very bright, and Draper took that word to new heights. However, that’s not me, and frankly, I prefer to be surrounded by more neutral tones with only pops of accent colors than this highly whimsical, almost circus-like, gaudy color-palette (which you can see here for yourself). But that’s just me.

So, I’m a bit of two minds about this book. On the one hand, all of the 1908 stuff was far too romantic for my taste, and I much preferred the post-war era chapters. That said, because Callaway’s writing was so lovely, I would have liked more of those sections that described the many varied designs that Draper used in this renovation. Believe me, if you click on the link above, you’ll see just how different each area looks, and more about the development of her visions would have really made this novel for me. Not that I didn’t want to know more about Dorothy as a person, because that was just as important. For all of this, I’ve been wavering between 3 and 4 stars, and I think I should just go with the middle ground of 3.5 stars, mostly because of the quality of the writing. I’m certainly going to recommend it, but with the caveat that lovers of historical romance might enjoy this more than I.

I love historical fiction book covers, they suck me in every time. This cover is no exception. And I adored the book too. A home run for me.

I enjoyed the storyline, I don't think I had every heard of Dorothy Draper, but what an interesting character both in the book and the extra googling I did to find out more about the real person. I enjoy dual timeline storylines and I thought that this one was well done but the author.

I enjoy HF that is set in the US, so I thought this was an all around good book, it kept me turning the pages and I look forward to reading this authors other two books.

The Grand Design
A Novel of Dorothy Draper
by: Joy Callaway
Harper Muse
Pub Date: May 17, 2022
genre: Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction

Author Joy Galloway has exquisitely arranged a new historical fiction novel, based on the life of Dorothy Draper. Her narrative layout begins in 1908 as Dorothy is immersed in the world of high society. The gorgeous Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia provides the setting, as we follow Dorothy's through life and love as a young woman.

The dual timeline pattern then moves forward thirty-eight years as Dorothy returns to the Greenbrier for a restoration project. Calloway's writing is lovely and appealing in presenting the life of the woman who established America's first interior design firm.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Muse for the advance reader's copy and opportunity to provide my unbiased review.
#TheGreenbrierResort #NetGalley

I fell in love with the cover and then i fell in love with the plot that made me discover a master designer, a woman who invented the Modern Baroque, and her iconic work at the Greenbrier.
I loved Dorothy and loved the style of writing. I discovered a lot of new places, historical characters, and design concepts.
It's a compelling and fascinating read.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Greenbrier Resort by Joy Callaway is a great historical fiction that takes us to the grand and steeped in history Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia.

This is such a wonderful and unique book that encouraged me to devour it within two days. Growing up in WV, I have been surrounded by the images, history, and activity regarding the Greenbrier, but the way the author presented her dual timeline narrative, really drew me in and made this fun and fresh.

Weaving between, what feels like two different generations and worlds, she takes us between 1908 and the 1940s in the point of view of the true to life Dorothy Draper. Most assuredly a woman before her time, and we get a firsthand look at her life through this story.

There are surprises, twists, cameos if famous names, fashion, art, and everything one could possibly hope for in design and architecture. The author brings to life in exquisite detail the passions, motivations, intense undertaking, and the sheer talent that Ms. Draper possessed and contributed to help make the Greenbrier look as it does today. Being able to see a part of Dorothy and how her path to this point contributes to this outcome is also beyond fabulous.

I highly recommend this gem and this will be one of my favorites of 2022…guaranteed.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Harper Muse for this stunning arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

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

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts immediately upon publication on 5/17/22.