Joy Callaway's novels are always eloquent and lush and this book was her at her finest! Her love of history and of the Blue Ridge shines in the descriptions. The Grove Park Inn features beautifully in this story like the glowing hearth every heart longs to find at the end of a long journey--and your so happy her characters find their way. I was swept up and now all I can think about is making my own reservation and getting back to North Carolina!

In this romance about keeping one's background secret for reasons of social standing, Callaway tries so hard to make her characters work, but in the end, it just doesn't work. Belle is slated to marry Worth (god, these names, please, can we be at least a little more subtle?), but Belle comes from a poor family. Belle's mother has obfuscated her past, and married a rich man after Belle's father died in a mine collapse. Worth's parents and, apparently, his fiancée, died in a fire. Both are pledged not to love, ever, because love brings pain. (Sigh.) Everyone is on holiday in Asheville, NC, to see the building of the Grove Park Inn. As they figure out their relationship, which consists of numerous broken engagements and attempts to break engagements, they fall in love. Of course. At the same time, Belle begins to write an article about the men building the Inn, which gives her the opportunity to show that laborers and craftspeople are people too! But the "article" included near the d of the book does no such thing, and while Belle is happy that her husband covers costs for the workers' health care and housing, she's still horrified by her own roots, except when they are useful for her to gain favor with Worth and others in their circle. You can also play Gothic bingo here: young woman in love with inappropriate man; man who is a cad; tuberculosis; poor but proud people; escaping on horseback; possible illegitimate child; charred ruins of Worth's parents' home; sneaking around in the dark; lots of costume changes; Worth's manly chest. 3/5 for effort.

Loved the setting of the North Carolina mountains. Such a beautiful place! I enjoyed my visit
I really loved the first person pov from Belle. She's an interesting person herself. She has many secrets and fears that she feels weighed down with.

A historical drama and romance set in 1913, North Carolina. Featuring the building of a remarkable historic landmark, the Grove Park Inn near Asheville, with a story mingling real and fictional figures.
"Memories were interesting that way. Sometimes you didn’t realize how much you ached for something until it materialized again."

Drama, history and a complicated romance fill the pages as a group of notable industrialists, entrepeneurs and their families convene for a camping trip in the mountains outside of Asheville. I liked how the author's research and personal experiences were inspiration for this story. The details of the building process and beauty of the area were well described. The tuberculosis epidemic was a real threat and sadly impacted the entire nation. My great grandmother contracted it, and was sent cross country for a remedy, as many in this tale did also.

"Fear is greedy. If you let it, it will expand and grow until it steals your joy, your wonder too.”
Themes of dealing with past traumas, grief, fear and betrayal added depth to the tale. Class differences and some prejudice were part of the storyline. Championing the lives of workers was a good way to show how all people have worth. Belle was transformed by the end and seemed to find a real purpose for life. I enjoyed the hopeful ending.

Fans of historical romances with some grit and flawed characters may enjoy this one. It is generally a clean read with some hints at off screen intimacy and occasional language.
3.5 stars

I continue to be impressed with Joy Callaway's writing. She captures a time period and place so beautifully. In this case, I've been to Grove Park Inn many times, and she brought its magic and its beginning to life in a remarkable way. The time period details are spot on without ever getting in the way of the narrative.

While the plot can be a bit soap opera-ish at times, it kept my attention from start to finish. Maire Austen is a villain we love to hate. The love story between Belle and Worth is one for the ages.

I especially admired Belle's quest to honor her father's legacy and memory, which was very touching.

I may be in the minority here, but I would love to see a future book from Marie Austen's perspective. She has been through a lot and has a strong personality. I love a good redemption arc, and she is certainly due for one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy; all opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins Focus for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
This is basically the story of the building of the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. The author bases this event around one of the camping trips of the Vagabonds. Belle Newbold and Worth Delafield are the main fictional characters that bring this story alive. I enjoyed this story, although the actual details of building the Inn sometimes slowed down the action. I thought the author brought a lot of storylines into the book-romance, a little mystery and one of the famous trips made by the Vagabonds. Overall, this was a good story!

hard to find a historical fiction that i don’t love!! set in the mountains of north carolina at the picturesque grove park inn, we follow belle & worth’s engagement of convenience. they both aren’t looking for love, but eventually find it along the way.

the thing i appreciated most was the time spent learning about each person’s role in the creation of the grove park inn, then called a great wonder of the world. from the stonemason to the architect, each person played a very vital role.

thank you netgalley for the arc digital copy & joy for the arc paperback! look for this at your local bookstore on april 2nd!

I loved this book and knew I would because I had read Joy Callaway’s work before. Belle and Worth were such lovely characters. The ending was wonderful, and the ending with Marie-Austen was humorous. Callaway wrote What the Mountains Remember to share the Grove Park Inn with the rest of the world with memories from her childhood. She conveyed the beauty of the Inn wonderfully, and now the Grove Park Inn is a place I would like to visit soon. The book is very recommendable. The novel was wonderful in its length and pace, which would suit adults and young adults alike. What the Mountains Remember is a good book that I greatly enjoyed and rated five stars.

Joy Callaway has a true talent and passion for telling stories while highlighting beautiful, unique architecture. In this story she has woven her WV roots and NC roots together to give us a hopeful story of love, loss and family. The research put in to this novel shines throughout the entire story.

Thoroughly researched, What the Mountains Remember is a beautiful historical fiction story of how Asheville’s iconic Grove Park Inn was built with a special focus on the construction laborers. The romantic interests and family drama are at times repetitive and confusing but all ends well in the conclusion.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Muse for the opportunity to read What the Mountains Remember by Joy Callaway. I live not far from Asheville and am very familiar with the beautiful Grove Park Inn. This was as a fascinating read.

I read, “What the Mountains Remember”, by Joy Callaway. Ms Callaway has written a beautiful story set in a lovely place. The book has love, friendship, care, and appreciation. The characters, Belle, Worth, Marie Austen, Willie, and many others, have depth and a believable quality. I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to others. Once you have completed the book do not overlook Ms Callaway’s notes at the end.
I rated this book. 4 out of 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a beautiful book!! Meticulously researched historical fiction set during the building of the Grove Park Inn. The setting comes to life and I feel in love with the characters. The story of a young woman who wants more out of life than what is expected of her. Also a wonderful love story! This book has everything I love in a historical fiction read! Highly recommend!!

Oh my goodness what a gorgeous book!!! From the breathtaking cover to every single word written inside Joy Callaway has penned a masterpiece.

The construction of the Grove Park Inn in Asheville in the early 1900s is the setting for the story of Belle Newbold. She is a woman that has a fire inside of her to be more than just a ‘high society’ lady as expected of her. She is “promised” to Worth Delafield and their story is beautiful.

The research that Joy put into this book is evident as Joy’s descriptions and details transport you to that time and place.

Highly highly recommend this gorgeous story!!!

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Muse for the chance to read and review this amazing story!!!

This was a meticulously researched historical fiction book that follows a woman who visits the Grove Park Inn while she's visiting with The Vagabons (Ford, Firestone, Burroughs, and Edison's glamping adventures with reporters in tow). We get a sense of the massive undertaking the construction of the hotel was at a time when the skilled laborers who did the work were overlooked and financiers often got all the credit. We also get to see the town of Asheville before tourism, a time when it was a destination for tuberculosis patients. There's also an angst-ridden romantic subplot that keeps you guessing until the very end.

For anyone who has visited the Grove Park Inn, the highly-detailed scenes from the construction site are fascinating. The main character, Belle, is charged with writing an article about the hotel when the reporter in their group is kicked out for dallying with one of the young women. Belle grew up in a coal-mining town and appreciates the work behind the scenes to excavate and place granite at the site.

The romantic part of the story is a fun one - we have two wounded young people who have agreed to an arranged marriage. Worth Delafield, Belle's soon-t0-be finance is a wonderful character - kind, but clearly nursing deep wounds. He and Belle advance and retreat several times as they navigate their issues. Of course, they get their happily ever after and it is so satisfying after what they've been through.

Complicating almost every part of this story is Belle's cousin Marie Austen, who is a chaos agent of every sort. She flirts with the men she can't have, is terrible to the one she can, drinks too much, throws great tantrums, and is a spiteful, jealous snob. She's such a mess that I almost looked forward to her next attempt to stir all the pots.

Belle and her mother have started a new life after the death of her father. Her mother has married a wealthy man, Shipley Newbold. Shipley does not know that his new wife was poor, and she does not wish for him to know. Belle is going to marry the wealthy Worth Delafield. It is a marriage of convenience, and both do not want a marriage based on love. Belle begins writing of the workman of the new Park Grove Inn, where a group are visiting. Will Belle and Worth grow closer?

I enjoyed this book. I live in NC but had never heard of the Park Grove Inn. Thank you to the author for introducing this inn to me. I would love to visit. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I have been waiting for this one! Thank you to Netgalley for the early read.
Joy takes us to Asheville NC and the building of the Grove Park Inn. It’s a story of the have and have nots. Belle, a recent “have” travels to Asheville with her family, she must continue to hide her poor upbringing or be ostracized. She is quickly drawn to the beauty of the mountains around her and memories of her previous life. As she observes the building of The Grove Park Inn, she is drawn to the workers and wants to tell their story. Of course, there is a love interest and those that want to tell all about Belle. She is determined to find her own way even against the threat of rampant tuberculosis in the area.

This book kept me reading most of the night and the next day! Loved Joy’s descriptions of the Asheville area and the detail surrounding the building of Grove Park. I have been to Grove Park several times and it is a beautiful area and building. Joy’s book do not disappoint! She tells a great story against the backdrop of a spot of history and looks at the “have nots” with an eye of beauty.

Great story!
I really liked the story and plot but felt as though the story got muddy half way though. Belle is a beautiful character and I loved Worth. I felt as though they had a strong connection and the plot was great! However, the side characters were a bit much for me. I felt as though there was too much going on at once. The story got muddled together and it got confusing. I did really like the story. I might recommend this book to my friends and family.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ What the Mountains Remember by Joy Callaway is set to release in April 2024. Very interesting story. I really appreciate that it’s a historical fiction account of the building of the Grove Park Inn, and includes many nods of real life. It brought me into the world of the early 1900s, and made me picture life at that time. I appreciate that the author tells the story of strong women, in a time where being a strong women was looked down upon. Additionally, although there is a clear class destination between the upper class and lower class, the story reminds us that every person matters. I think this is an important message, and tends to be forgotten.
In my opinion, I felt like there were parts that were a little confusing, where the story would jump around. There were almost too many characters, it was hard to keep them separated. Overall, I did enjoy this story, but just wish it was a little more concise.

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

An interesting premise of a story. Historical fiction account of the building of the Grove Park Inn. At times the heroine was frustrating. It appeared the author kept inventing silly, unbelievable reasons for the hero and heroine to keep pushing each other away. Although the heroine is supposed to be researching an article she's writing, it seems that the story gets bogged down in parts by all the lengthy detailed descriptions of the construction of the building. Overall, I found the story mostly likeable. Thanks to NetGalley for a review copy.