A summer getaway for the rich and famous particularly in the 20th Century was located in West Virginia: Greenbrier Resort. Its guests ranged from Presidents to scions of industry. One of the privileged guests: Dorothy Tuckerman and her family have come to this beautiful area of nature with mountainsides of wild rhododendrons and roses. The author has broken the story of The Greenbrier and Dorothy Tuckerman in the years of 1908 and 1946 when Dorothy Tuckerman Draper has the design contract to completely restore the famous resort which to her would be her highest profile contract.
I was delighted to receive an early review copy from NetGalley and Harper Muse for which I was delighted. In 1908, young couples would have dances with their parents in attendance and, basically, the parents would work on arranging marriages for these young people. In this historical fiction, Dorothy falls in love with an outsider to the group: an Italian who is a car racer. She never is able to reconcile this first love and strives to break loose of her environment: divorcing and becoming an entrepreneurial in the design industry. I felt the split timelines to be confusing: I got quite tired of the repeat and repeat of rhododendrons (one of my favorite flowers) and roses. The author’s notes are effective at the end of the story. This is my reflection of the book.

I read this when it came out a few years ago. Really satisfying historical fiction. Joy Callaway is great! I love that she incorporates real people and places into her writing. I always learn while I’m entertained.

I thought that the story showed very well how women at the turn of the 20th century were supposed to find a suitable husband and raise a family. The idea of having a business was just not entertained The focal point here is Greenbrier Resort where the Vanderbilts, Abercrombies, Tafts and other notables at the time would vacation. In 1908 Dorothy falls in love with the exotic Enzo.

I found the different time lines confusing, like I was missing a plot point from 1908 to the 1940s. The romance wasn't really a romance and I didn't really know anything about Dorothy's friends and I didn't like Dorothy much. To me she was selfish, arrogant and insecure. I thought Warren seemed like a nice guy and deserved better than Dorothy. Then there was Enzo, the race car driver, who had to get married. It didn't feel like a great love story, just a summer dalliance. The story has different time lines, one is 1908, then in the 40s after the war. I found that confusing and things seemed to be left hanging.

I thought I would try the audio book but ended up reading. When the narrator tried to do a male Italian accent I cringed.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Muse for providing me with a digital copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Grand Design: Gilded Ambitions, Unrelatable Lives

If you love your historical fiction with a side of luxury, The Grand Design by Joy Callaway might catch your eye. Set at the glamorous Greenbrier resort in West Virginia, the story is based on real-life interior designer Dorothy Draper, who carved out a career for herself in an era when women were expected to marry well and stay quiet.

Callaway paints a vivid picture of high society in the early 20th century, from debutante balls to decor trends. The historical tidbits about Draper’s life and inner circle were genuinely interesting, and I enjoyed learning more about the Greenbrier itself—it’s the kind of place that’s fun to peek at from afar, but not exactly in my travel budget.

The problem? I just didn’t care much about these people. Dorothy’s ambition was admirable, but she wasn’t easy to like, and the story’s focus on the woes of the ultra-wealthy left me cold. While I appreciated the portrayal of a woman blazing a trail in business, I had a hard time relating to the privileged bubble she lived in.

The audio narrator did a fine job, but using different character voices would have been an improvement. The eBook is well-written and well-researched—but emotionally distant. If you like elegant escapes, give it a go. Otherwise, it might leave you feeling like a guest who wandered into the wrong party.

** Thanks for NetGalley, and Harper Muse for copies of the eBook and Audiobook. The opinions are my own.

This is the second Joy Callaway book I read after The Star Of Camp Greene, which I also recommend.

Thank you Harper Muse for still making copies of this book available years after its release date.
Thank you Netgalley for the review copy.
What a great story of the life of a remarkable woman. I adore these stories that span decades with a backdrop of major historical events. And Joy navigated that jumps between different timelines beautifully.

The audiobook was such a great escape.

This story is based on the life of Dorothy Draper, the famous interior designer. There is a dual timeline - one with young Dorothy in 1908, spending the summer at The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia with family and friends, who just happen to have been the upper class wealth of America at the time. Marriages between the families there are expected and Dorothy finds herself tangled up in following the path her parents wish for her or following her heart. The other timeline follows an older Dorothy, now being hired as a successful interior designer to come and redecorate the place she spent so many summers, The Greenbrier Resort.


I loved the way that we learned so much about Dorothy's story, past and present, as the author unraveled it. Prior to reading this, I did not know about the Greenbrier or much about Dorothy Draper. It makes me want to go visit the resort after reading this!

The author's note was helpful at the end and also revealed that much of the book about Dorothy's love life, etc,. was imagined and not actual fact. There was, however a lot of true history used in the book and I think the author did a great job of weaving it all in and keeping the reader entertained!

I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Grand Design offers a beautifully detailed look into the life and legacy of Dorothy Draper, one of America’s most iconic interior designers. Joy Callaway brings glamour and elegance to the page with vivid descriptions and a rich sense of time and place.

While the pacing was a bit slow in parts, the story still delivered a rewarding and thoughtful glimpse into a fascinating woman’s world. If you enjoy historical fiction with strong female leads and a touch of vintage flair, this is worth a read.

Thanks NetGalley for the eARC of this book!

Really enjoyed how Callaway balanced history with the elements of design of Greenbrier Resort. Based on a true story of an interior designer named Dorothy.

This is the second book I’ve recently read about the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. I enjoyed this historical fiction novel about the famous designer Dorothy Draper. It was an interesting and enjoyable read.

Dorothy Draper, renowned for her bold use of color and pattern, was a trailblazing interior designer—her most iconic work being the vibrant redesign of the Greenbrier Hotel in West Virginia. A quick Google search reveals just how stunning and innovative her style truly was.

This historical novel unfolds across two timelines: in 1908, a 19-year-old Dorothy is staying at the Greenbrier, where her family hopes to arrange a marriage with a family friend; and in 1946, she returns to the now-restored hotel—once used as a wartime hospital—tasked with bringing it back to life. In the postwar years, Dorothy reflects on her past, the choices she made, and the paths she didn’t take.

Blending real and fictional figures, the story captures Dorothy’s evolution into a strong, independent woman determined to break free from societal expectations. Joy Callaway’s vivid descriptions, especially of period fashion and decor, are a highlight—though the oppressive summer heat described throughout makes modern air-conditioning feel like a luxury not to be taken for granted.

A rich, engaging read—highly recommended.

Another book I had troubles getting into—and, it looks like, I’m not singing in tune with the choir. Why’s that? A couple of reasons.

First of all, the pacing. The opening of a story needs to grab the reader’s attention and make them want to read more; while the hook is indeed there—Dorothy Tuckerman, a wealthy heiress, is being pressured into accepting a marriage proposal—it gets lost in the slow rhythm of the storytelling. Although the plot in the second timeline is better paced, it’s not enough to hold up the book.

Then, the characters are a bit dull. I have a hard time in sympathizing with the plights of a rich girl trapped into a bunch of tropes (love at first sight, forbidden romance, arranged marriages), even if I appreciate how she (re)invents herself. Her passion for interior design turns into a job, which is what sets the second timeline in motion. Renovating the Greenbrier closes the circle, so to speak.

The grammar is polished, and the main reason behind the three stars I decided to give it. It’s obvious that Callaway is a talented author who knows how to write well. I couldn’t find technical mistakes or plot holes, something that speaks volumes about her skills. Maybe it’s just a matter of the right story for the wrong person, I guess. It happens.

3 stars on GR.

I loved this book! It's well-written, enjoyable, and a great read. The author did a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and makes you not want to put it down until you're finished! I would highly recommend it!

Joy Callaway’s The Grand Design is the story of Dorothy Draper and her transformation of the Greenbrier Resort. I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this well written, interesting book. If you like historical fiction, this book is for you!

Loosely autobiographical story of Dororthy Draper and the Greenbriar Resort starting in the early 1900s. She stayed there as a young girl, and later, as a decorator redesigned it and brought it back after it had been used during the war as a hospital and internment for political prisoners. Being a decorator back then was not typical for a woman. Dorothy was a wealthy heiress: a woman having a profession wasn't done. The story is a love story for Dorothy and for the resort as a special place. Royalty, actors, actresses, political greats and the wealthy all enjoyed staying there, with all of their secrets.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#TheGrandDesign #NetGalley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #HarperMuse #HistoricalFiction #JoyCallaway

This was a fun book that incorporated the Greenbriar Resort as the backdrop. In the early years, Dorothy falls in love with a racecar driver, but her family puts an end to it. Thirty-eight years later, newly divorced Dorothy returns to the Resort to restore it. The character of Dorothy is loosely based on Dorothy Draper. This book is well-written and is a delightful story.

Well researched and extremely well written story based on a Draper. I enjoyed almost everything in it. What a woman!

In 1908, rich young socialite, Dorothy Tuckerman, gets to experience the Greenbrier Resort yearly while vacationing there with her family. Dating an Italian racecar driver just ups her social status and makes her crave the passion and adventures that come with being with a wealthy man of status.
Despite her yearning it is not to be as her family puts a stop to it, not uncommon for a young woman in those days.
Never having forgotten the beauty and charm of the Greenbrier in West Virginia, Dorothy returns there thirty-eight years later as a divorced woman and her eye for beauty and style leads her to become CEO of America’s first interior design firm. She is tasked with restoring the Greenbrier to become more elegant than the original design. Her bold and brilliant prints are ahead of her time and one of a kind. Her unconventional methods of design lead some to give her designing suggestions but she won't back down. Her whole life was the Greenbrier and she absolutely loved it there.
"Based on the true story of famed designer Dorothy Draper, The Grand Design is a moving tale of one woman’s quest to transform the walls that hold her captive."

Pub Date 17 May 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

A captivating romance that takes place in one of America's hidden gems. The historical aspects were entertaining and kept me interested throughout the book. Having this time period and this place be centered in the book is encouraging to the people who know and love The Greenbrier, but also may open it up to new visitors, too.

Dorothy Draper, 1930s - 1960s interior designer, is the main character. And, the historically significant Greenbrier Resort in White Sulfur Springs, WV serves as another primary character. Although the book is a work of fiction, the author hypothesizes, reasonably so, that Dorothy fell in love with the Greenbrier through her growing up years with summers away from NYC that were spent at the Greenbrier.
The story jumps between 1908 and 1947-1948. We first meet a 19-year-old Dorothy who has fallen in love with Italian race car driver, Enzo. Down on his luck, Enzo agrees to a marriage to Helen Taft, daughter of the President. Star-crossed romantics, Enzo and Dorothy are fated to part. In the 1940s, Dorothy has, at long last, been hired to her dream job of restoring the Greenbrier. As she works on the property, she reflects back on that summer.
It is a clever story with a reach into facts about Dorothy Draper, designer.

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

Dorothy Draper is well known as on of America's first interior designers, and Joy Callaway's new novel looks at her life and most famous work at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. 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 glamourous Greenbrier. In 1908, Dorothy is spending the summer at the resort with her family dreaming of a life beyond that of a typical housewife. In 1946, she has been hired to restore the rundown resort and possibly save her company and reputation at the same time.

I enjoy historical fiction and love interior design so I was excited to get a copy of this book but I struggled with it. Dorothy, or at least her portrayal, was grating despite her revolutionizing an industry she was not my favorite character. The story's pace was slower than I would have liked with too much focus on the romance then the woman and her accomplishments. I enjoyed the details of Greenbrier and its restoration.