In this enchanting memoir, Patricia Altschul, the “dowager countess” (The New York Times) of Bravo’s Southern Charm, reveals the exciting adventures of a storied life—from working as an academic and art dealer to her three marriages, to her star turn on the show—offering candid anecdotes, memorable bon mots, and exclusive tales of high society.
Long before she was the undeniable fan favorite on Southern Charm, reigning over the young and decadent cast well-known to Bravo fans everywhere, Patricia Altschul lived a life of glamor, romance, and intrigue. Now, she is ready to reveal it all in this intimate and high-flying memoir.
As one of the great and high-powered private art dealers of the late 20th century, Patricia blazed her own path from Virginia, Washington, and New York’s Upper East Side to her historic home in Charleston, South Carolina. Along the way, she forged close friendships with notable tastemakers such as fashion legend André Leon Tally and Mario Buatta, the interior designer known as “The Prince of Chintz.” Patricia has been embraced as a style icon and a fun-loving authority on manners, Martinis, and living the best life. In Eat, Drink, and Remarry, she recounts with wit, class, and an abundance of sass how she has remained true to herself throughout her very charming life.
This book was so good! I didn’t want to stop reading. Patricia had lived such an interesting life. I couldn’t believe all the fun and once in a lifetime experiences she’s had. She’s such an interesting woman.
A delightful book! The author is more than she seems or is portrayed on the reality show Southern Charm. Miss Patricia has a Master's degree in both art history and archeology and was at one time an assistant professor of art history at George Washington University. Full of wit, charm and advice. You don't have to have been a viewer of SC to appreciate this book.
Always so hard to rate a memoir, truly. Miss Patricia, who I love and adore from Southern Charm, is quite a lady. This entire book feels like a big name drop (I mean that in the nicest way possible) because Pat is a CONNECTED woman. She's rubbed elbows with so many recognizable names, and she's seen a lot in life. There is a LOT of art, art history, etc. mentioned throughout this book. I liked hearing about her job and (three!) marriages, and a teeny bit about Whitney. I'll be honest I would have liked to hear more about Whitney 😂 but she did address that later on saying she promised him not to say too much. I loved getting a glimpse behind the gorgeous house and lifestyle we see of Miss Pat, to realize she's pretty much normal like the rest of us (besides the butler and mansion lol).
This was such an enjoyable read! I picked it up expecting a light, entertaining memoir, but it turned out to be so much more. She has lived an extraordinary life, filled with fascinating experiences, sharp wit, and wisdom that goes far beyond what reality TV viewers might expect.
What really struck me is how much more there is to her than what we see on Southern Charm. Through her stories, I learned a lot—not just about her personal journey, but also about elegance, resilience, and living life fully on your own terms. Her humor and candor make the book a joy to read, and it gave me a new appreciation for who she is.
This was a delightful, insightful memoir that’s both fun and inspiring. Definitely worth the read!
Thank you NetGalley & Gallery Books for sending this book for review consideration.
Patricia is queen of the Bravo world. Queen of my world too. I cannot believe this was only 250 pages. Nowhere near long enough. Give me 1250 pages of Patricia talking about her life and I think even then I’d say it’s not enough. The best!!
Love her on southern charm and just had to read this. She has had such an interesting and exciting life it was so fun to get to read all about it. So many fun stories and little pieces of advice I really enjoyed this book.
Ms Pat is an icon and I underestimated her. I found her memoir extremely entertaining and I learned that there is much more to her life than marrying rich men. Who knew!
Huge thanks to Gallery Books for the gifted physical copy and Simon Audio and Libro FM for the gifted ALC. As a Bravo fan, I was thrilled.
As a proud reality TV junkie and Southern Charm watcher since episode one, I went into this memoir ready for the sass. And Patricia Altschul delivered like only she can. Yes, we get the Patricia we know and love. She’s dispensing etiquette lessons, attempting (and often failing) to wrangle the Southern Charm boys, and reigning supreme with a perfectly chilled Martini in hand. But what I loved most was discovering the woman before the kaftans and confessionals.
Long before she became Bravo royalty, Patricia lived a life dripping in glam. She lived quite the life from the Upper East Side to the elite art world, forging friendships with André Leon Talley and Mario Buatta. She’s smart, sharp, unapologetic, and completely aware of who she is and that confidence radiates off every page.
Also her relationship with Madison? Surprisingly one of my favorite parts. Madison wasn’t always my fave, but present day Madison earns her spot, and their dynamic brought humor and heart to the story.
Cassandra Campbell’s narration captured Patricia’s dry wit, elegance, and subtle shade so perfectly.
Whether you’re a longtime Southern Charm fan or just love memoirs filled with style, confidence, and unapologetic living, this one is such a fun, charming read.
Patricia’s life doesn’t just read as glamorous or eventful — it feels layered, intentional, and incredibly well-lived. You truly get the sense of someone who is not only fascinating, but genuinely sharp, self-aware, and far ahead of her time.
For someone of her generation she has an incredibly modern mindset. She approaches marriage, change, and personal identity with this calm confidence and intelligence that feels surprisingly current. It’s no wonder she became such a fan favorite on Southern Charm. The same wit, poise, and dry humor people love on screen come through so clearly in the
Her art career was especially interesting and impressive to read about. The creative world she moved through, the people she encountered, and the way art and relationships clearly shaped her taste and perspective make her story even richer. By the end, I didn’t feel like I’d read a typical memoir. It felt more like spending time with someone who has truly lived — stylishly, thoughtfully, and very much on her own terms.
There is more to Ms.Pat than meets the eye. If you watch the show Southern Charm, you know her as the doyen of Charleston. She has a fascinating story to tell. I was very impressed with her background and education. There is a lot of name dropping in her book but these are all friends she knows and loves. Interspersed in the book are etiquette questions that she answers and I learned a thing or two. Her beloved butler Michael was one of my favorites on the show. I’m not a martini drinker but enjoyed having his recipe provided in the book. My only wish for Ms. Pat is that Whitney gives her a grandchild soon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy! As a Southern Charm original fan, I was excited to get an early read to learn more about Ms. Patricia's life. And wow! I had no idea the life she has lived! She has accomplished so much both professionally and personally. I can't believe the situations she has been in, the friends she has made through her travel journeys and the connections she has well before her Bravo career. Such a business savvy women that so many could learn from!
I love watching Miss Pat on Southern Charm and was excited to read this memoir.
It was so much more than I expected - her story is amazing, she's had such a fascinating life and I really enjoyed learning more about her. She's so accomplished professionally with many connections and fun travels. Her words are witty and entertaining.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.
The saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” applies to my perspective on Miss Pat. Her upbringing and world view is much different than I pegged based on the snippets we see of her from Southern Charm. I really enjoyed learning more about her past! Her memoir is well-written, entertaining, and informative.
Only negative of the book was the chapter talking up her groundbreaking kaftan collection, her gin endorsement, and her Home Shopping Network collection.
As a longtime fan of Southern Charm, reading Miss Pat’s book was an absolute must for me! Coming from someone who actually works in the antiques business, I found her adoration for antiques to be the highlight of the book. My only slight critique is that I truly wish she had narrated the audiobook herself.
Overall, it was a really entertaining, quick read. Miss Pat is just as great on paper as she is on screen!
I don’t watch Southern Charm, but I follow it. I always wondered how Patricia got involved and where the money came from… now I know her story and I like and respect Patricia. This reminds why telling stories matters.
***I received a free ARC of this e-book from Gallery Imprint and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.***
Loved learning about Ms. Patricia's interesting life! We get the same sass and etiquette lessons I've come to love from Southern Charm, while also learning about her personal journey and professional accomplishments. Enjoyed the audiobook narration too (even though she doesn't narrate).
This clever book is a must for Southern Charm fans. Patricia is as elegant on the page as she is on television. Her life story is fascinating—a pure joy to read about. I hope more books are in her future!
This was such a fun read! I love Southern Charm so I knew this would be entertaining. Ms Patricia shares her life story and advice. I found her writing over my head at some points but overall was such an easy non-fiction read.
southern charm was my pregnancy binge watch so it felt fitting that miss patricia’s book would be a great naptime listen! miss pat is an interesting lady with an even more fascinating story - we get merely the surface on the show. my only complaint is that she didn’t narrate!
I read this book because my mom did, and I surprisingly liked it. Patricia has a witty and sassy sense about her, and I enjoyed learning more about how she became the woman that she is. She lives such an interesting life. Noah is making me watch Southern Charm, so perfect timing reading this book!
“My mother always said you are the company you keep, so it looks like I’m a B-list F###boy!”. I literally laughed out loud when I read that line.
This book is everything I hoped for and more. You get to see where Ms. Pat came from and what led her to Charleston. Behind the caftans and the glam, there's real depth, and it was so refreshing to read about the woman behind the persona. Funny, sharp, and surprisingly heartfelt, this memoir gives fans a glimpse into the life of a true Southern icon.