The Grand Design by Joy Callaway, is historical fiction based loosely on the life of renowned interior designer Dorothy Tuckerman Draper. I love the absolutely breathtaking descriptions that place readers at the heart of the book set in two separate timelines. It is a beautiful heartfelt book.

1908
Dorothy Tuckerman's family spends summers at the popular Greenbrier Resort located in gorgeous West Virginia. The family attends social events at the resort which Dorothy finds a bit boring until she meets handsome Enzo Rossi. Enzo is a racecar driver. He wants to pursue a life with Dorothy, but her parents have other plans for Dorothy's future.

1946
Thirty eight years later, Dorothy Tuckerman Draper's marriage is over and she has been through an unseemly divorce. She is the owner of her own interior design company which is deemed very unsuitable for a woman in historic times. Dorothy tries to cast off rumors and her scandalous reputation to rebuild her life as an independent woman. She jumps at the chance to restore the rundown Greenbrier Resort which sadly was turned into a hospital during WW2. She needs this job to be completed smoothly in order to keep her design company afloat. Will Dorothy be able to compete this massive undertaking and gain the trust of her critics?

Before reading this book, I knew nothing about Dorothy Draper or the historic Greenbrier Resort. I began searching the internet for more information and pictures. This is a fascinating novel that includes author's notes about the book that you will want to read.

The Grand Design is available on May 17th. (5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

My deepest respect and thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse, for allowing me to review this interesting look back at Dorothy Draper's life. I loved every page of this book!

Under the skillful pen of Ms. Callaway, the grandeur of the Greenbrier comes to life inviting readers to become the next generation to be enthralled with the history of this magnificent resort. Nestled amidst the natural beauty of the West Virginia mountains, this is a place that has long served as a refuge, one of renewal for its guests.
This split time novel grabbed my attention with Dorothy Draper's story, a designer that flaunted societal expectations to have a successful career in design. Her overwhelming achievement was in the redecorating of the Greenbriar following WWII. While I am aware that certain aspects of the story were fictional, I was intrigued by both the factual and the might-have-been aspects of this story.
With impeccable attention to detail, this story is filled with nostalgia, lost-loves and heartbreak, but most of all, it tells the story of an amazing woman with an incredible drive and vision to make the world a more beautiful place.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the author/ publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I had never heard of either Dorothy Draper nor Greenbriar until reading this book. Switching between pre WWI and post WWII time slots, the story slides easily, showcasing Draper’s life as a debutante and then decorator of the resort that played such a role in her life.
I liked all the drama and the behind the scenes look at the renovation of the Greenbriar.
Times like those will never come again so The Grand Design illustrates so much, not just for historical fiction, but also for nostalgia.

Oh the Greenbriar! I hope that those who have not visited this famous resort will google it to see the Dorothy Draper designs, which are loud, proud, and fun. This is her story and it moves back and forth between 1908, when she fell in love with Enzo, an Italian race car driver seen as entirely inappropriate, and 1946, when she's back in town, divorced, and running her own design business. This mixes fact and fiction (Enzo, for example) to bring the reader into the world of the Greenbriar complete with famous visitors, social mores, and other things. At root, however, it's the story of a woman who found her own way, pushing conventions to create a style all her own. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a good read for fans of historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and #HarperMuse for this ARC. Dorothy Draper grew up in the privileged neighborhood of Tuxedo Heights. This same set of people vacationed at The Greenbrier - a premier resort. Expected to marry in her set, she found she couldn't marry the man she really loved. Flash forward 30 years, Dorothy, now divorced and owner of a reputable design firm, she has been asked to come back and revitalize The Greenbrier back to its former glory while also dealing with past memories she thought she had buried. I liked learning this true story about this strong, talented women but I felt like the story drug and had a hard time finishing it. However, if you look up The Greenbrier, her bold designs are still there and celebrated. #TheGrandDesign #JoyCallaway #May2022

This is very much a character-focused book, over plot--which can be fantastic! I personally didn't find the characters compelling, though; there simply wasn't much to draw me in and feel anything for them beyond mild curiosity.

The book deep-dives into a setting very different from my own, which was appealing. It reminded me of _Gilmore Girls_ and Rory being presented to society as a deb. I definitely learned more about that with the read, especially as it was set in a time where debs were expected to present to society--they didn't have the choice, unlike Rory. Bringing that world to life is very much where the book's strength lies; the plot and characters were just a tad dry for my taste.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I know I am not going to do this book justice with my review, but this book is AMAZING! The book captured the old-world elegance of the early 1900s when everyone was much more proper, women were presented to society, and marriages were arranged, but sometimes the heart falls in love with another person or place. That is the case for Dorothy Draper, an infamous American Designer from 1923 until the 1960s. 

I do love a good historical fiction book about a real person from history. I learn so much about the time and the person. While it is fiction, many of the basic facts are true such as her career and the company she created, and her marriage, divorce, and children. I always love to read the author's notes when it comes to a book like this to learn where they drew their information, what is fact vs fiction, and what twists they added to make it an intriguing story. If nothing else, this type of book always has me searching the internet for more details about the main character.

The early 1900s was an elegant time where women were dressed to the nines, men were in suits, and people would vacation for months at a time at resorts like The Greenbriar which is depicted in this novel. I loved reading about the dances, races, picnics, and so much more that were part of their daily lives. 

The fictional part of this story is a love connection between Dorothy and Enzo during the summer of 1908. They don't end up together (well because he is not real) but the story is beautifully told and while I suspected the ending, I almost thought it wasn't going to be as I imagined due to some other factors that came into play.

I admire Dorothy and what she stood for and really pioneered the way for women designers. I loved that she wanted color and for a room to be fun and relaxing and not dark and dreary as The Greenbriar was prior to her makeover after WWII. There are times when Dorothy acted like a child, but I understood her frustration with life and what was expected of her as a woman at that time. I thank her and all of the other women that came before me that made an effort to make sure that we were heard and not taken lightly or dismissed out of hand.

I had a hard time putting this book down and highly recommend it and give it 5 paws up.

I was truly transported by this book from its very first page. I loved being in 1908 and 1946 and imagining The Greenbrier in both times. But more than anything, I loved stepping in to the shoes of Dorothy Draper. She was so interesting, I would read ten books about her. Now I must go to the Greenbrier and see it as described. I loved imagining this place of history and making so many design decisions without restraint. For these reasons, I highly recommend this book.

The Grand Design comes out next week on May 17, 2022, you can purchase HERE! This book is SO good!!

You're wild and bold, a rhododendron in the midst of greenhouse roses, and I pray that you aren't ever tamed. I'll never see those magnificent blossoms without seeing your face.

Thanks to Harper Muse, I was provided an ARC of The Grand Design by Joy Callaway via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

****Publishing May 17, 2022****

I loved how this author chose to write about two significant time periods in Dorothy Tuckerman / Draper’s life as it gives you the insight into how she became a trailblazer for women with her forward thinking, risk taking behavior, and following her heart!

This book includes two timelines:

1908 : Dorothy Tuckermsn vacations to the Greenbriar Hotel with her family as a young adult and all the societal pressure she faced and how she handled it. Her father has in mind who she is going to marry, but is this what Dorothy wants?

1946 : When Dorothy is in her 50’s and her career is established, she is asked to do a redesign of the Greenbriar Hotel after it had been left to disrepair during WWll. With the concern for money, she is pressured to keep it the way it once was, but she has plans to design it to be more vibrant and colorful. Can she come to a compromise with keeping with tradition, but also getting what she wants with a more updated design? Can she prove she has what it takes to get it up and running?

A fascinating read about Dorthy Draper and the Greenbriar hotel, and all the many changes changes it went through! I loved how Joy Callaway included in her author note her inspiration for the book, her research, and how she incorporated it into her book.

Perfect for those who love a well researched Historical Fiction book. A great book club pick as well as it will lead to many great discussions!

The minute I finished this book, I researched The Greenbriar Resort.

This is the kind of historical fiction that I want to read. This is the kind of historical fiction that I dreamed of reading when I was a kid and would page through my mom's design books that she would pick up from garage sales.

Reading about Dorothy Draper was reading about such an important figure in American History. Women in American history and design are so often relegated to home and homemaking space. Draper was at the forefront of design and had such an eye for elegance.

Thanks to NetGally and the publishers for the opportunity. I'm booking our next vacation now.

I thought that this book would be more interesting than it turned out to be! I was interested in learning about Dorothy Draper and her role as an interior designer. I thought that a book about her life and her struggles would be a good read. Unfortunately, this book of historical fiction was based too much on a fictitious love story that did not interest me. It also seemed pretty far-fetched. I cannot recommend reading this book.

I really enjoyed this book! Joy Callaway is such a wonderfully visual writer and the story was in such an exceptional setting that I pictured everything going on, which then had me envisioning a series adaptation of The Grand Design. I could see a This is Us vibe where Dorothy's storyline is shown in different times of her life, mixed with a feeling similar to Downton Abbey, Belgravia, or even a touch of non-spicy Bridgerton. I'd be there for that tv series. How can we make this happen :)

I love a good setting in a story and this ones has it in spades. Although I've never been to The Greenbriar (although I'd love to check it out one day) I did go to a resort year after year as a kid so this book also brims with feelings of nostalgia, including early friendships, family and romance. I'm not a big romance reader and the romance here was not over the top, just enough to evoke that nostalgic feel. I loved learning the history of The Greenbriar and also of Dorothy Draper, what an interesting combo. This story had me doing a little research online as well, I love when that happens because of a story. This was my first book by the author and I'll keep her on my radar.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Muse.

Being from West Virginia I know of course about the Greenbriar Hotel and have been there on a couple of occasions. I knew some of the history of the resort prior to reading this novel, but the fine details that are contained throughout this story are priceless. As for Dorothy Tuckerman/Draper her style of design stands alone, it would be hard not to recognize a room decorated by Dorothy Draper, her bright colors and flamboyant style stand out in a crowd and are very hard to miss. This I knew. Her story, her life I did not know. I enjoyed reading this well researched detailed account of Dorothy, from the early 1900s when a young debutante Dorothy and her family spent sumners there, till post WWII Dorothy returns after many years absdent, this time to oversee the rebirth of the Greenbriar, restoring it to better than its old These things I knew nothing about.
I love when a historical fiction novel not only entertains but also educates. This novel blends both elements, providing a terrific attention holding read till the very end. Great job! I recommend this hist-fic highly! This is one of my top reads thus far for 2022.
Thank you to the publishers at Harper Muse and to Net Galley for the free ARc, I am leaving my honest review in return.

The Greenbrier is legendary but I didn't know much about renowned interior designer Dorothy Tuckerman Draper. This novel follows young Dorothy as she vacations at the Greenbrier in the early 1900s with her family and unfolds her story between flashbacks and the present day 1960s as Dorothy is redecorating the new Greenbrier.

This is my first book my Callaway and her style transported me to the hotel. Her descriptions of people, places, and the complex emotions throughout the novel put me into the story. I could image the beautiful dancing scenes and the decorations of the Greenbrier.

I tried really hard to get into this book but I had a really hard time. It was very slow going and tough to read although the subject was really interesting.

This is a slow methodically beautiful crafted novel about Dorothy Tuckerman and her life's achievements and love -- not just romantic passions but personal passions as well. I love stories with a dual timeline and in our novel, from 1908 vs 1946 - there is a back and forth between the two that balance out the story. The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia is a big setting for our novel and one that I was initially unfamiliar with even though I have been to W.V. plenty of times - I hear West Virginia is for lovers. The writing style in this novel slowly develops and creates even minute detail of the characters not just for our protagnist but for the secondary characters as well and I so enjoyed that our author, Ms Calloway took the time to do that! If you enjoy stories of independant, sharp working women that follow their passions and are complex characters, this novel is for you. For fans of Masterpiece theater who enjoy historical fiction novels of renewal and rebirth of self -- this one is a stunner!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperMuse for the advanced copy of my book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a story that features the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia, a place where the rich and famous summered back in the early 1900’s. We are there in the summer of 1908, and Dorothy Tuckerman’s family want her to make a match with Warren, a member of their social circle. and of course this young debutant has other ideas.
This is a time split read, and we fast forward to 1946, still at the Greenbrier, and with Dorothy. She is now a famous designer, and is hired to refurbish this hotel, it is really in disrepair.
A story of rebirth of a woman, gone is the young girl, and she is reeling from a divorce and a replacement of a younger rendition of herself. This is also the story of a lost love, and a story of survival, her personal, but also that of her gift of decorating and the company that she has formed.
Come and watch through the eyes of the author the Greenbrier come alive!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Harper Muse, and was not required to give a positive.

This book is about a resort called Greenbriar. It was in its heyday in the early 1900s but had fallen in disrepair after WW2. It had been used as a hospital and POW camp during the war. One of the young women that had stayed there during the heyday had a decorating company that was tasked with bringing the building back to its former glory. The story goes back and forth between 1908 and 1947 but it is not clear what time period you are in until you read a little. I love to read about the details of gowns and decor of times gone by but it was glossed over in this book. There was a nice romance. There was also quite a bit of information of the different social mores of the different time period. I received this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
#Netgalley #thegranddesign #joygalloway #Hollandmuse

The Grand Design is based on the life of Dorothy Draper, a socialite turned designer, who was inspired by bold colors. Written in dual timelines, the reader is introduced to young Dorothy living the life of elite dinners and balls during her family’s summer visit to the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. Later the reader is brought back to the Greenbrier Resort when Dorothy is hired to renovate the grand location after WWII.

Although I was looking forward to this book and enjoyed a look into Dorothy Draper’s life, I did struggle to finish it. It never truly captured my attention and made me want to learn more. The tale progressed too slowly for me.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Muse, for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions above are my own.