Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed reading about the Greenbrier resort it’s a place I haven’t been but have been nearby.

I enjoyed the past and present of the grandeur of the Greenbrier and of Dorothy Draper’s life there. I also enjoyed reading how much she loved her work, during these years not as many women were working.

I recommend this book to those interested in historical fiction. A four star read!!

This book is as grand as the title would suggest. From the grandeur of high society in the early 1900s, to the grand rebirth of an historic resort, and a grand love affair, this book captured it all. I was thoroughly captivated by Dorothy Draper and Greenbrier, of which I did not know even existed before reading this book. I came away feeling like Dorothy was a long lost friend. This is a book that should be on every historic novel lover's book list.

Generally I enjoyed this book. What I liked the most was the historical setting of the Greenbriar resort and the details about the design that Dorothy Draper did there. Those parts of the story I found really interesting and I spent some time on google looking at pictures of the resort and Draper's designs.

On the other hand, I just wasn't invested in the characters and the underlying love story. I didn't like the decisions the characters made. It didn't feel realistic maybe. Because of that, I found the story dragged a bit.

Overall it was an interesting book.

Attempted to read.. Did Not Finish and did not review on blog. I couldn't read this book on my kindle due to the formatting and not being able to see the words clearly on my kindle app.

The Grand Design had me from the beginning! I love a historical fiction novel that transports me completely, and I gives me the opportunity to learn about something, someone or somewhere new. The Grand Design hit all those boxes.

My best friend had been to the Greenbrier Resort, but other than hearing about her trip, I really wasn't familiar with the Resort or its famous designer Dorothy Draper. The story is told in a split time line where we meet Dorothy as a young lady in the early 1900s staying at Greenbrier Resort with her family. She feels the societal constraints so tightly around her, and simply knows she wants something different for her life. She meets Enzo, a young Italian race car driver, and her heart is immediately taken but their path is not so easily laid out for them. In 1946, Dorothy Draper is now a rising interior designer who has been hired to return the Greenbrier Resort to its former glory and establish it as the place for stars and high society to visit.

The descriptions of the Greenbrier Resort and Ms. Draper's designs are captured so vividly that when I looked at photos online they were exactly as I had envisioned them. I absolutely fell in love with this story and am now trying to figure out when I can plan a trip to West Virginia to visit the Greenbrier in person. I had not heard of Dorothy Draper before and am in awe of her story and accomplishments.

The Grand Design gets all the love from me and a five star rating. I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Just this morning, a friend asked what I had read recently. When I mentioned The Grand Design, she asked what made me want to read this book. So, there was the author whom I knew from another book that I liked. I also was, and am always, enticed and intrigued by historical fiction’s ability to send me to a time in the past where I can become absorbed. It is also always fascinating to learn more about people and how they grow.

This story of Dorothy Draper drew me right in. I had heard of the Greenbrier Resort which was important to DD so I was curious to learn more about her connection with it The author gives this hotel so much life and history.

DD went there as a young girl of marriageable age as is described in one of the novel’s time frames. She was taller than her female peers and felt different. Dorothy also dreamed of a less conventional life. What happened when she met an Italian race car driver at the Greenbrier? How does she get from this strong attraction to the other marriages in her life? Readers will want to know.

Before moving on, a note about Dorothy’s peers in the early section of the book. They included people like Helen Taft, the President’s daughter. I had fun looking up old newspaper clippings about many of those who were mentioned. There is so much social history in the wedding announcements.

The second time frame of the book centers on an older, wiser (?) Dorothy, who returns to the Greenbrier after WWII. The hotel had been a hospital and was quite neglected. How will it be brought back to life? Here, readers learn about DD’s immense design talents and the process of getting this huge undertaking completed.

I very much enjoyed this book. I loved the descriptions and insights into Dorothy’s love of color. It was fascinating to learn about this working woman who had her own company at a time when that was unusual. I was left curious and wanting to learn even more about Dorothy and her circle.

I highly recommend this title to those who enjoy historical fiction. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for this title. All opinions are my own

The Grand Design
The book was hard to put down. Great writing, great story! It leads me to read more about Dorothy Draper.

The Grand Design: A Novel of Dorothy Draper is a wonderful work of biographical fiction. Joy Calloway creates a story based on the life of Dorothy Draper, an American design pioneer, and one of her most famous designs, The Greenbrier Hotel. It was fun to revisit The Greenbrier and learn about the design process. I even pulled out my old photos as I was reading! Calloway does a great job incorporating the talent and circumstances that positioned Dorothy Draper to become a design icon through the use of bright colors, bold designs, and big patterns on such a grand scale. I thought the dual timeline worked and the story well-paced. I felt immersed in the setting and the story.

I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy learning about famous buildings and influential women in history. Fans of Allison Pataki and Fiona Davis will enjoy reading The Grand Design!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a historical novel, but it some places it feels more like a biography. I enjoyed this book but I didn't love it.

Thank you NetGalley, Harper Muse and Joy Callaway for providing me with a digital ARC of this book.
This is the story of Dorothy Draper, one of the most well known and much emulated American interior designers. Dorothy Draper grew up in a rarified environment which she ultimately rebelled against. Every summer her family summered at the Greenbrier resort in West Virginia. The Greenbrier was the place to summer, with the same upper crust families returning year after year. It was there that Dorothy first fell in love. This is a beautifully written and impeccably researched novel which spans the years from the Gilded Age through post World War II. The reader is immersed into Dorothy’s world with all the highs and lows she experienced. The cover of this book is one of the most beautiful I have seen and really sets the scene for the story. Readers of historical fiction will find this book a joy to read.

The Grand Design by Joy Callaway is a historical novel set in two time periods. The first time period is just before World War 1 where we are introduced to our main character Dorothy Tuckerman. She is a young, tall debutante who is summering at The Greenbrier (formerly known as White Sulfur Springs). All the proper families summered at The Greenbrier. The summer was about showing off one’s wealth, attending debutante parties, talking national politics and making connections. Young Dorothy had been promised to the son of a wealthy family friend. Dorothy and her pseudo-beau do not want to be married, but they love one another as friends. Then a race car driver from Italy arrives, and everything changes.

The second time period is after the war, the great depression, a divorce and now a career woman. After her marriage ended (neither to the original beau or the Italian) a way of keeping her mind off her problems was to surround herself with bright colors. She became excited when decorating a room.

Fast forward, Dorothy Draper, has now made a name for herself. So when The Greenbrier needed to be redecorated, Dorothy was a natural fit. Now she is faced with the gigantic task of redesigning the entire hotel. She is feeling the pressure not only to uphold the history of The Greenbrier but Dorothy needs the commission from this job to keep her business in the black.

Ms. Callaway does a good job balancing the interesting history of The Greenbrier alongside the design elements of this special place. Prior to reading this book I had never heard of Dorothy Draper. She was a very early force in modern interior design. Ms. Callaway uses a compilation of historical facts and creative fiction to create a bright and curious story. The author’s skill in character development allows us to love and hate Dorothy's personality all at the same time.

Much of the former glory about the hotel is found in the details of this book. I had never heard of The Greenbrier prior to reading this novel. I found myself eager to keep reading about the details of this special place.

The author tucks in a side story with a long-time worker at The Greenbrier adds the perfect amount of sentimentality to the story. I found myself a bit bored with the over description of Dorothy’s thoughts in a few tedious details and monologue-like scenes but for the most part the story flowed very well. This is my first book by Ms. Callaway. I am curious to see what she has in store for us next.

I would like to thank the author, Harper Muse and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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.