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Gutted: How an Old House Remodeled Me
Fans of Under the Tuscan Sun and House Lessons will love Gutted, a witty, big-hearted tale of trading city lights for leaky pipes—and discovering that sometimes the best renovations happen on the inside.
What if the only way to rebuild your life is to begin by tearing down the walls?
When a successful designer, entrepreneur, and lifelong city dweller hesitantly agrees to follow her husband’s dream of country living, she doesn’t expect to be undone by a sagging Victorian farmhouse and the relentless wind howling through uninsulated walls. But as holes are patched and rooms slowly take shape, something surprising space opens up. Not just in their crumbling home, but in her heart.
Told with humor, vulnerability, and the insight of a woman rebuilding more than just a house, From There to How an Old House Remodeled Me is a love story—not only between a wife and her husband but also between a woman shaped by fast-paced living and a slower, quieter way of life. With each creaky floorboard and stripped layer of old wallpaper, Maida Korte discovers unexpected beauty, remembers buried dreams, and finds strength in the women who came before her.
For anyone who has ever wondered what lies beyond the edge of timelines and control, this is a warm, wise, and deeply human invitation to slow down, dig deep, and make peace with change—one shingle at a time.
What if the only way to rebuild your life is to begin by tearing down the walls?
When a successful designer, entrepreneur, and lifelong city dweller hesitantly agrees to follow her husband’s dream of country living, she doesn’t expect to be undone by a sagging Victorian farmhouse and the relentless wind howling through uninsulated walls. But as holes are patched and rooms slowly take shape, something surprising space opens up. Not just in their crumbling home, but in her heart.
Told with humor, vulnerability, and the insight of a woman rebuilding more than just a house, From There to How an Old House Remodeled Me is a love story—not only between a wife and her husband but also between a woman shaped by fast-paced living and a slower, quieter way of life. With each creaky floorboard and stripped layer of old wallpaper, Maida Korte discovers unexpected beauty, remembers buried dreams, and finds strength in the women who came before her.
For anyone who has ever wondered what lies beyond the edge of timelines and control, this is a warm, wise, and deeply human invitation to slow down, dig deep, and make peace with change—one shingle at a time.
- GenresNonfictionMemoir
216 pages, Paperback
Published June 23, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 25, 2026
Korte was a city person through and through—but her husband dreamed of life in the country, so they compromised with a rambling old Victorian house in a smaller town. They were better qualified than most to take on a house Project: Korte's background was in interior design, and her husband was a contractor. So she had the vision, and he had the know-how to make it happen...once they got past the structural issues.
I have a longstanding love of house-restoration books. It's not a project that I particularly want to take on—keeping a one-bedroom apartment clean is enough for me!—but to me reading about house restoration is the real estate equivalent of armchair traveling. Bring on the floor plans, the unexpected termites, the dithering over which tile to use, the walls torn down to reshape the space...
Gutted is partly a house-restoration memoir, but more than that I'd say that it's Korte's story of growing up and finding a place for herself, and then finding a new place when things changed. It's a quick read but a fairly quiet book: The basic house restoration took years, and if I had to guess I'd say that the finer details are ongoing; Korte doesn't chart the process from beginning to end but rather dips in and out, highlighting certain areas (my mind was boggled by the idea of a space that may have been designed with pre-burial casket viewings in mind) and leaving others untouched. 3.5 stars for me (predictably, I would have liked more house details), but will be higher for those looking for something that is more about family and figuring oneself out.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
I have a longstanding love of house-restoration books. It's not a project that I particularly want to take on—keeping a one-bedroom apartment clean is enough for me!—but to me reading about house restoration is the real estate equivalent of armchair traveling. Bring on the floor plans, the unexpected termites, the dithering over which tile to use, the walls torn down to reshape the space...
Gutted is partly a house-restoration memoir, but more than that I'd say that it's Korte's story of growing up and finding a place for herself, and then finding a new place when things changed. It's a quick read but a fairly quiet book: The basic house restoration took years, and if I had to guess I'd say that the finer details are ongoing; Korte doesn't chart the process from beginning to end but rather dips in and out, highlighting certain areas (my mind was boggled by the idea of a space that may have been designed with pre-burial casket viewings in mind) and leaving others untouched. 3.5 stars for me (predictably, I would have liked more house details), but will be higher for those looking for something that is more about family and figuring oneself out.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
July 4, 2026
I enjoyed this memoir. I like doing DIY projects around the house so I found the remodel of their home interesting. I liked how she linked various projects around the house to self-improvement in her life. Full review soon.
June 23, 2026
Spreading joy and reinventing yourself while turning a house into a home (Woodstock, Illinois; 2004 to present day): Joy is the reading mood I’m searching for these days. Maida Korte walks the talk, “showcasing joy” by writing lovingly and exuberantly about a major life change in her memoir Gutted: How an Old House Remodeled Me.”
A cup-running-over mental attitude and conviction that “words matter” shines through. The award-winning interior designer combines her love of designing uplifting spaces with prioritizing the needs of her large family as the “hub of a well-functioning wheel.” A “We are here. This is Now.” zest for life seen on every page, in spite of the formidable challenges unexpectedly faced buying a Victorian house in the country built in 1903.
“We want to be near and pulled toward each other by the sounds of our hugs and kisses and greetings. It is a centrifugal force of love, and reveling in its powers to each member of the family.”
For the self-described Midwestern Chicago “urban girl” who applied her well-honed organizational skills to the space limitations of a “bungalow,” a move to the country near the border of Illinois and Wisconsin was “unimaginable.” How, she asks, “could I give this up [close neighborhoods you could walk to on sidewalks, for instance], for pastures, fields of corn, and cows”?
And yet, she does. The seed planted the day Korte’s husband Andy surprised her telling her moving to the country was his “dream.” His desire became the catalyst for taking stock of herself to “settle my soul and simplify my life.”
Simplify might be the last word you’d think of for the author’s quite full life at the time. Juggling the demands of her interior design company with mothering four daughters, who end up marrying and having families of their home as the substantial home remodeling endeavor was underway, Korte relies heavily on Andy, her “rock,” a calming force she repeatedly, gratefully, and frankly shares as he balanced her intense energy and anxieties.
Offering far more psychological insight than you might expect from the world of interior design, you’ll find yourself delightfully engaged in what can be and is accomplished.
Recognizing her Type A personality, Korte has a keen sense of self-awareness, understanding she can quell her unease with a tremendous work ethic that boosts her sense of control. Noteworthy, too, is her embrace of a count-your-blessings philosophy.
Which makes the memoir a worthy example of facing challenges so they don’t tear us apart, rather, bring us closer to the people we love. Another life lesson is that our immediate and strong reactions against taking risks can be recast if we’re willing dig in and stretch ourselves to make the impossible possible. Not to be understated; to be admired.
So, what seemed impossible takes on a different air when the author beholds the Victorian house on a hill surrounded by a “lush green lawn,” a “sprawling magenta magnolia,” and a towering maple tree.
Architecturally described as a “Victorian four-square.” Inside it had the “charm” and markings of being built by a “master craftsman.” Already, the interior designer’s imagination was stirred, envisioning what she could do with all the large and rambling rooms, treating the house respectfully as a “living, breathing” place that could “enhance our lives.” The same vision she applied professionally.
Describing interior design as an “architectural dig,” Korte views remodeling as a discovery process “into the inner workings of a person, a family, a home, a heritage.” Reminiscing with an old-fashioned sweetness on her happy memories growing up in a family of five siblings, family traditions are carried forth to transform a house in need of tremendous repair to a home that was “ours alone.”
“In arranging rooms, I am arranging dreams and giving a place and purpose for everyone to bring their harmony to our mixture of instruments.”
The 1960s rom-com film, The Money Pit, comes to mind as the polar opposite of what can happen when you buy a house and it’s not what you thought you were getting into. So much goes wrong when Tom Hanks and Shelley Long buy a country home. Wildly, hysterically wrong. Their relationship at the brink. On the other end of the equation, the hurdles of repairing, revamping, and refashioning the author’s country home strengthened the family even more.
You might assume Korte’s professional skills would have smoothly transferred to her personal situation. Instead, “emotions ran high” with “every wall torn” and disaster encountered. Starting with the howling sounds of Chinook winds resulting in “thirty-seven windows later,” followed by fixing a host of unseen structural elements when:
“The sewer pipes have exploded on the front lawn, the water pipes in the basement just burst, the concrete floor is failing, and the heating system will not last through the winter.”
Andy, the one who finds “humor wherever he goes,” alleviates the stress. Not to be overlooked is the family’s beloved dog Clyde, a constant reminder that “happiness came from being with those he loved.” Korte’s transition in middle-age to a “gentler spirit,” to increased “wonderment,” acts like a tonic for us.
Each chapter is introduced with a literary quote. The one by W. B. Yeats from the dreamlike The Celtic Twilight – “In the great cities, we see so little of the world” – sums up how a move outside of our comfort zones can awaken us to new ways of seeing ourselves. To opening our eyes and heart to possibilities we couldn’t imagine before.
A cup-running-over mental attitude and conviction that “words matter” shines through. The award-winning interior designer combines her love of designing uplifting spaces with prioritizing the needs of her large family as the “hub of a well-functioning wheel.” A “We are here. This is Now.” zest for life seen on every page, in spite of the formidable challenges unexpectedly faced buying a Victorian house in the country built in 1903.
“We want to be near and pulled toward each other by the sounds of our hugs and kisses and greetings. It is a centrifugal force of love, and reveling in its powers to each member of the family.”
For the self-described Midwestern Chicago “urban girl” who applied her well-honed organizational skills to the space limitations of a “bungalow,” a move to the country near the border of Illinois and Wisconsin was “unimaginable.” How, she asks, “could I give this up [close neighborhoods you could walk to on sidewalks, for instance], for pastures, fields of corn, and cows”?
And yet, she does. The seed planted the day Korte’s husband Andy surprised her telling her moving to the country was his “dream.” His desire became the catalyst for taking stock of herself to “settle my soul and simplify my life.”
Simplify might be the last word you’d think of for the author’s quite full life at the time. Juggling the demands of her interior design company with mothering four daughters, who end up marrying and having families of their home as the substantial home remodeling endeavor was underway, Korte relies heavily on Andy, her “rock,” a calming force she repeatedly, gratefully, and frankly shares as he balanced her intense energy and anxieties.
Offering far more psychological insight than you might expect from the world of interior design, you’ll find yourself delightfully engaged in what can be and is accomplished.
Recognizing her Type A personality, Korte has a keen sense of self-awareness, understanding she can quell her unease with a tremendous work ethic that boosts her sense of control. Noteworthy, too, is her embrace of a count-your-blessings philosophy.
Which makes the memoir a worthy example of facing challenges so they don’t tear us apart, rather, bring us closer to the people we love. Another life lesson is that our immediate and strong reactions against taking risks can be recast if we’re willing dig in and stretch ourselves to make the impossible possible. Not to be understated; to be admired.
So, what seemed impossible takes on a different air when the author beholds the Victorian house on a hill surrounded by a “lush green lawn,” a “sprawling magenta magnolia,” and a towering maple tree.
Architecturally described as a “Victorian four-square.” Inside it had the “charm” and markings of being built by a “master craftsman.” Already, the interior designer’s imagination was stirred, envisioning what she could do with all the large and rambling rooms, treating the house respectfully as a “living, breathing” place that could “enhance our lives.” The same vision she applied professionally.
Describing interior design as an “architectural dig,” Korte views remodeling as a discovery process “into the inner workings of a person, a family, a home, a heritage.” Reminiscing with an old-fashioned sweetness on her happy memories growing up in a family of five siblings, family traditions are carried forth to transform a house in need of tremendous repair to a home that was “ours alone.”
“In arranging rooms, I am arranging dreams and giving a place and purpose for everyone to bring their harmony to our mixture of instruments.”
The 1960s rom-com film, The Money Pit, comes to mind as the polar opposite of what can happen when you buy a house and it’s not what you thought you were getting into. So much goes wrong when Tom Hanks and Shelley Long buy a country home. Wildly, hysterically wrong. Their relationship at the brink. On the other end of the equation, the hurdles of repairing, revamping, and refashioning the author’s country home strengthened the family even more.
You might assume Korte’s professional skills would have smoothly transferred to her personal situation. Instead, “emotions ran high” with “every wall torn” and disaster encountered. Starting with the howling sounds of Chinook winds resulting in “thirty-seven windows later,” followed by fixing a host of unseen structural elements when:
“The sewer pipes have exploded on the front lawn, the water pipes in the basement just burst, the concrete floor is failing, and the heating system will not last through the winter.”
Andy, the one who finds “humor wherever he goes,” alleviates the stress. Not to be overlooked is the family’s beloved dog Clyde, a constant reminder that “happiness came from being with those he loved.” Korte’s transition in middle-age to a “gentler spirit,” to increased “wonderment,” acts like a tonic for us.
Each chapter is introduced with a literary quote. The one by W. B. Yeats from the dreamlike The Celtic Twilight – “In the great cities, we see so little of the world” – sums up how a move outside of our comfort zones can awaken us to new ways of seeing ourselves. To opening our eyes and heart to possibilities we couldn’t imagine before.
June 23, 2026
If words on the page/screen can create a "feel-good" sensation like music or film, then Gutted is checked off the top of the list. I especially found the author’s stories of growing up plus raising her four Daughters uplifting while meanwhile leaving the city for the countryside & taking on a farmhouse, outbuildings & vast acreage. She must be a juggler in her spare time to maintain a successful, well-known home design firm plus a happy marriage!
(I even went down the rabbit hole of finding her childhood book, Rufus & Apron Springs, on Thriftbooks! The sweet retelling of the horse auction & the kitten had me reaching for a tissue, too.)
There are life lessons in every chapter of this book. In an age where we want it NOW, this Family had the discipline to understand the steps of getting there with a finished sterling product matter more than the instant gratification. If only more individuals realized this is a key component of achieving contentment, there would be less consumer debt & bankruptcies.
I don’t know anyone who hasn’t had a home improvement project or remodel take over & make the homeowner feel like they aren’t steering the ship…Maybe someone who lives in a hotel full-time doesn’t experience the rollercoaster of emotions & endless outflow of $$$ when your house reminds you how many years (or more likely decades) it has existed?
A charming feature of this read is that they celebrate & marvel in the journey that comes with the remodeling of a 100-year-old farmhouse. It isn’t a spiteful retelling of each hurdle they encountered & how much it cost. They love this structure that will be Home for the rest of their days. If I had to guess, the Home loves them right back.
If this house healed the author, her Husband & Daughters from the endless rat race of city living, I feel like you will close the book & experience the affection that she not only had for this project, but also for you, the reader.
This isn’t the first book that I have loved from this publisher either. I would encourage a reader to explore She Writes Press for other authors who share their outstanding work.
(I even went down the rabbit hole of finding her childhood book, Rufus & Apron Springs, on Thriftbooks! The sweet retelling of the horse auction & the kitten had me reaching for a tissue, too.)
There are life lessons in every chapter of this book. In an age where we want it NOW, this Family had the discipline to understand the steps of getting there with a finished sterling product matter more than the instant gratification. If only more individuals realized this is a key component of achieving contentment, there would be less consumer debt & bankruptcies.
I don’t know anyone who hasn’t had a home improvement project or remodel take over & make the homeowner feel like they aren’t steering the ship…Maybe someone who lives in a hotel full-time doesn’t experience the rollercoaster of emotions & endless outflow of $$$ when your house reminds you how many years (or more likely decades) it has existed?
A charming feature of this read is that they celebrate & marvel in the journey that comes with the remodeling of a 100-year-old farmhouse. It isn’t a spiteful retelling of each hurdle they encountered & how much it cost. They love this structure that will be Home for the rest of their days. If I had to guess, the Home loves them right back.
If this house healed the author, her Husband & Daughters from the endless rat race of city living, I feel like you will close the book & experience the affection that she not only had for this project, but also for you, the reader.
This isn’t the first book that I have loved from this publisher either. I would encourage a reader to explore She Writes Press for other authors who share their outstanding work.
June 24, 2026
Gutted
How an Old House Remodeled Me
by Maida Korte
Rating: 5 star rating
I just finished, Gutted: How an Old House Remodeled Me by Maida Korte. If you love funny stories dealing with life changes, surviving a nightmare home renovation, or just trying to overcome your own inner control freak, you will love this book. It is such a down to earth read.
This story is about Maida, a super organized interior designer from Chicago who leaves the city because her husband, Andy, wants to live out in the country. They buy this large, 100 year old Victorian farmhouse in Woodstock, Illinois. She thinks it's just going to be a fun, easy design project, but the place turns out to be a money pit full of crumbling plaster, awful wiring, and actual bats in the attic.
But the story isn't about the construction. As the workers tear down the walls of the house, Maida starts tearing down her own emotional walls. She is a perfectionist who has dealt with anxiety since she was a kid. Watching her handle the absolute mess of a gutted house while looking back on her stressful years raising four daughters is so relatable.
In the end, through a ton of hard work, they save the crumbling house and turn it into a gorgeous home. Andy gets his country living dream, and he stays the steady, patient guy who got Maida out of her comfort zone in the first place. The four daughters stand behind them, and the finished house becomes this amazing place for them and all eight of Maida’s grandkids to hang out.
Maida changes the most by finally letting go of her need to control everything, learning to slow down, and finding some peace with herself. It is a great book that I would definitely recommend.
Thank you, NetGalley, She Writes Press, the author, Maida Korte, for the book review consideration. All opinions are my own.
#NetGalley
#SheWritesPress
#MaidaKorte
#GuttedHowanOldHouseRemodeledMe
http://goodreads.com/patriciasreading...
http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogs...
How an Old House Remodeled Me
by Maida Korte
Rating: 5 star rating
I just finished, Gutted: How an Old House Remodeled Me by Maida Korte. If you love funny stories dealing with life changes, surviving a nightmare home renovation, or just trying to overcome your own inner control freak, you will love this book. It is such a down to earth read.
This story is about Maida, a super organized interior designer from Chicago who leaves the city because her husband, Andy, wants to live out in the country. They buy this large, 100 year old Victorian farmhouse in Woodstock, Illinois. She thinks it's just going to be a fun, easy design project, but the place turns out to be a money pit full of crumbling plaster, awful wiring, and actual bats in the attic.
But the story isn't about the construction. As the workers tear down the walls of the house, Maida starts tearing down her own emotional walls. She is a perfectionist who has dealt with anxiety since she was a kid. Watching her handle the absolute mess of a gutted house while looking back on her stressful years raising four daughters is so relatable.
In the end, through a ton of hard work, they save the crumbling house and turn it into a gorgeous home. Andy gets his country living dream, and he stays the steady, patient guy who got Maida out of her comfort zone in the first place. The four daughters stand behind them, and the finished house becomes this amazing place for them and all eight of Maida’s grandkids to hang out.
Maida changes the most by finally letting go of her need to control everything, learning to slow down, and finding some peace with herself. It is a great book that I would definitely recommend.
Thank you, NetGalley, She Writes Press, the author, Maida Korte, for the book review consideration. All opinions are my own.
#NetGalley
#SheWritesPress
#MaidaKorte
#GuttedHowanOldHouseRemodeledMe
http://goodreads.com/patriciasreading...
http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogs...
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I should have known from the blurb (if you liked Under The Tuscan Sun you'll like this) that this book isn't about the house, but I was hopeful. I love old houses and the stories of what is found when they are renovated and restored. There is not much of that in this book. It's more about how choosing to move out of the city and renovate an old house was good for Maida Korte's mental health. Which is fine. Just know what you're getting.
Having grown up in a REALLY rural area, I found myself somewhat amused by Korte's continual references to the "country" and her tendency to idealize it. No neighbors walked by our house or called in for coffee, there were only about six houses in our mile-plus long road. It was two miles to the one-traffic-light center of town where the library and elementary school were. The guy across the road raised pigs to sell for meat. Walking to a cafe in a pretty town square isn't really "country." It's nice that her move to a smaller town is sort of an idyll. Personally I've found my edge-of-urban neighborhood much more neighborly and friendly than my country home town. Thus I started rolling my eyes whenever she referred to moving to the country.
The house sounds lovely and I would have liked to know more about it than I got here.
On the whole, this is a psychological memoir rather than a story of home renovation. It's easy to read and entertaining. Just know what you are getting.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.
Having grown up in a REALLY rural area, I found myself somewhat amused by Korte's continual references to the "country" and her tendency to idealize it. No neighbors walked by our house or called in for coffee, there were only about six houses in our mile-plus long road. It was two miles to the one-traffic-light center of town where the library and elementary school were. The guy across the road raised pigs to sell for meat. Walking to a cafe in a pretty town square isn't really "country." It's nice that her move to a smaller town is sort of an idyll. Personally I've found my edge-of-urban neighborhood much more neighborly and friendly than my country home town. Thus I started rolling my eyes whenever she referred to moving to the country.
The house sounds lovely and I would have liked to know more about it than I got here.
On the whole, this is a psychological memoir rather than a story of home renovation. It's easy to read and entertaining. Just know what you are getting.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.
Read
May 26, 2026Gutted: How an Old House Remodeled Me by Maida Korte is a reflective narrative that blends memoir and lifestyle storytelling, using the process of restoring a Victorian farmhouse as a framework for personal transformation.
One of the most engaging aspects of the book is its central metaphor of renovation as self reconstruction. As the physical structure of the house is stripped, repaired, and rebuilt, the narrator experiences a parallel internal shift, where emotional layers are also uncovered and reexamined.
The setting plays a crucial role in shaping the emotional tone of the narrative. The contrast between a fast paced urban life and the slower rhythms of rural living creates space for reflection, discomfort, and eventual adaptation, highlighting the tension between control and surrender.
A notable strength of the work is its blend of humor and vulnerability. The challenges of dealing with a deteriorating Victorian home, including structural issues and unexpected setbacks, are balanced with introspective moments that explore identity, partnership, and personal history.
The narrative also emphasizes relational dynamics, particularly within marriage, as the shared experience of rebuilding a home becomes a quiet exploration of partnership, compromise, and mutual growth.
For readers drawn to memoirs and narrative nonfiction that explore personal transformation through place, architecture, and lifestyle change, Gutted offers a warm and introspective account of rebuilding both home and self.
One of the most engaging aspects of the book is its central metaphor of renovation as self reconstruction. As the physical structure of the house is stripped, repaired, and rebuilt, the narrator experiences a parallel internal shift, where emotional layers are also uncovered and reexamined.
The setting plays a crucial role in shaping the emotional tone of the narrative. The contrast between a fast paced urban life and the slower rhythms of rural living creates space for reflection, discomfort, and eventual adaptation, highlighting the tension between control and surrender.
A notable strength of the work is its blend of humor and vulnerability. The challenges of dealing with a deteriorating Victorian home, including structural issues and unexpected setbacks, are balanced with introspective moments that explore identity, partnership, and personal history.
The narrative also emphasizes relational dynamics, particularly within marriage, as the shared experience of rebuilding a home becomes a quiet exploration of partnership, compromise, and mutual growth.
For readers drawn to memoirs and narrative nonfiction that explore personal transformation through place, architecture, and lifestyle change, Gutted offers a warm and introspective account of rebuilding both home and self.
Read
June 9, 2026Reaching for Beautiful: A Memoir of Loving and Losing a Wild Child is a deeply moving and heartfelt memoir that explores a mother’s love, the complexities of addiction, and the profound journey through grief after unimaginable loss.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is its honesty. Sally McQuillen shares her experiences with remarkable openness, allowing readers to witness both the joy and the challenges of raising a son whose adventurous spirit often placed him at risk. Her reflections feel genuine, vulnerable, and deeply human.
Another compelling aspect of the memoir is its exploration of grief. Rather than focusing solely on loss, the narrative examines the emotional aftermath of tragedy the guilt, fear, regret, and longing that often accompany it. The author’s willingness to confront these emotions creates a powerful and relatable reading experience.
The book also offers meaningful insight into the impact of addiction on families. Through Christopher’s story, readers gain a deeper understanding of the difficult balance between loving someone unconditionally and recognizing the limits of what a parent can control.
What makes this memoir particularly memorable is its message of resilience and compassion. Even in the face of profound heartbreak, Sally demonstrates how love can remain a source of strength, healing, and connection.
Overall, Reaching for Beautiful is a touching and inspiring memoir that will resonate with readers interested in stories of family, loss, addiction, healing, and the enduring power of love.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is its honesty. Sally McQuillen shares her experiences with remarkable openness, allowing readers to witness both the joy and the challenges of raising a son whose adventurous spirit often placed him at risk. Her reflections feel genuine, vulnerable, and deeply human.
Another compelling aspect of the memoir is its exploration of grief. Rather than focusing solely on loss, the narrative examines the emotional aftermath of tragedy the guilt, fear, regret, and longing that often accompany it. The author’s willingness to confront these emotions creates a powerful and relatable reading experience.
The book also offers meaningful insight into the impact of addiction on families. Through Christopher’s story, readers gain a deeper understanding of the difficult balance between loving someone unconditionally and recognizing the limits of what a parent can control.
What makes this memoir particularly memorable is its message of resilience and compassion. Even in the face of profound heartbreak, Sally demonstrates how love can remain a source of strength, healing, and connection.
Overall, Reaching for Beautiful is a touching and inspiring memoir that will resonate with readers interested in stories of family, loss, addiction, healing, and the enduring power of love.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Many thanks to NetGalley and She Writes Press for gifting me a digital and physical ARC of the debut book by Maida Korte. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!
When a lifelong city dweller follows her husband's dream of country living, the love/hate affair with a century home begins. But as the restoration of the home begins, so does the settling of her soul.
This was a book that spoke to my life. My husband dreamed of again building a house, but this time, 500 miles away from all that we had built and established. This was a man who also took my children into his heart when he married me, so I owed him this dream. And it turned into the best thing ever - we both found peace and solace in building our house on a gorgeous piece of land where we can't see a neighbor. Where hard work every day leads to celebrating those accomplishments at its end. We spent years building - only using contractors to pour concrete slabs that were too big for just us, and for digging our well, Everything else was just us. (I'm sure there's a book there if any publisher is interested - ha!). So of course I'm going to love a book that mirrored our journey, although my husband will always say that he would much rather build new than refurbish old. But the heart and hard work are the same - and what it does to your soul changes you. I loved the author's feelings towards her husband - her love shone through every page. I'm wishing their family many years of happiness in their home. Loved the book!
When a lifelong city dweller follows her husband's dream of country living, the love/hate affair with a century home begins. But as the restoration of the home begins, so does the settling of her soul.
This was a book that spoke to my life. My husband dreamed of again building a house, but this time, 500 miles away from all that we had built and established. This was a man who also took my children into his heart when he married me, so I owed him this dream. And it turned into the best thing ever - we both found peace and solace in building our house on a gorgeous piece of land where we can't see a neighbor. Where hard work every day leads to celebrating those accomplishments at its end. We spent years building - only using contractors to pour concrete slabs that were too big for just us, and for digging our well, Everything else was just us. (I'm sure there's a book there if any publisher is interested - ha!). So of course I'm going to love a book that mirrored our journey, although my husband will always say that he would much rather build new than refurbish old. But the heart and hard work are the same - and what it does to your soul changes you. I loved the author's feelings towards her husband - her love shone through every page. I'm wishing their family many years of happiness in their home. Loved the book!
July 30, 2026
Maida Korte, an interior designer, writes about moving from an urban setting to an alien exurban environment. It means leaving the safety of the city (yes! I know how safe a city can be emotionally.) And moving out to the country to adopt a 100-year-old sprawling house that could upend her sense of security molded by old habits, such as those of a super-spinning type A. That old house could upend her equilibrium or stats quo. But with love and a sense of security cast by a talented husband, they form a team that transforms the dowager house into a workable home for a large family. This journey is written in the most charming language of metaphors and analogies that saunter from page to page, keeping the reader engaged with the author’s dialect, as well constructed and well balanced as a new door or window. There is never a hint of the underlying messiness, heartache, cost overruns, and disasters caused by a renovation. Instead, the tale of an old maligned house’s renovation becomes a mirror of the author’s self-renovation, moving from her Idyllic childhood memories to a correction and transformation of the older self, by shedding fears, habits, and youthful intensity, and replacing these with the slow and calm contemplation of life’s blessings. A fast and delightful read, without the stressful tale of renovation disasters many of us have experienced and expect this kind of book to deliver.
June 25, 2026
What stayed with me most after reading Gutted is that the house is never really the central project. The Victorian farmhouse may be the visible renovation, but the deeper story is about what happens when a person accustomed to speed, productivity, and control is forced into a slower rhythm of life.
Maida Korte uses the restoration of a crumbling home as a framework for exploring personal transformation. I particularly appreciated how recurring renovation details such as stripped wallpaper, creaky floorboards, and unfinished rooms mirror an internal process of uncovering forgotten dreams and reevaluating long held assumptions. The book also holds an interesting tension between city life and country life, not as competing locations but as competing ways of seeing the world. Korte's humor keeps the memoir grounded while her vulnerability gives weight to the larger questions about identity, marriage, and change.
This book will resonate with readers who enjoy memoirs where external projects reveal deeper emotional truths. By the end, the strongest renovation is not the house itself but the life being rebuilt within its walls.
Maida Korte uses the restoration of a crumbling home as a framework for exploring personal transformation. I particularly appreciated how recurring renovation details such as stripped wallpaper, creaky floorboards, and unfinished rooms mirror an internal process of uncovering forgotten dreams and reevaluating long held assumptions. The book also holds an interesting tension between city life and country life, not as competing locations but as competing ways of seeing the world. Korte's humor keeps the memoir grounded while her vulnerability gives weight to the larger questions about identity, marriage, and change.
This book will resonate with readers who enjoy memoirs where external projects reveal deeper emotional truths. By the end, the strongest renovation is not the house itself but the life being rebuilt within its walls.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I found this to be more of a personal growth memoir than a home restoration book. Which was fine, the author had great insights into her own growth. At times, I found myself vibing with her, as she wrote about some of her struggles. In particular, several quotes struck me deeply, as I myself feel the same way. "If I work at a rapid pace, I can outrun my capacity for worrying about everything....but I am exhausted from the frantic pace I have demanded from myself most of my life". Amen!!! I can totally relate! One more,...."Shadowing my mind often is a nagging sense that there is something to be completed". It's like Korte is in my head.
I'm happy to say that the author finds the strength, wisdom, and patience to get through the massive project. Her growth from the beginning of the book to the end was impressive. Gives me hope for myself.
Korte is a good writer, using a sort of stream of consciousness manner of telling her story. At times it felt a bit chaotic, but by the end she pulls it all together. A very good book!
I'm happy to say that the author finds the strength, wisdom, and patience to get through the massive project. Her growth from the beginning of the book to the end was impressive. Gives me hope for myself.
Korte is a good writer, using a sort of stream of consciousness manner of telling her story. At times it felt a bit chaotic, but by the end she pulls it all together. A very good book!
Review of advance copy
Korte is an interior designer who took the plunge with her husband Andy and purchased a home far outside of her Chicago bungalow.
The book marks the family’s move and the author’s exploration of her new home. She delights in the open spaces and the possibilities but also misses the familiarity of her urban dwelling.
The renovations abound and they’re not always planned ones.
Korte also provides snippets of her family life as a child and with her four daughters. She ruminates on the past and present with the same level of poignancy.
I related to her anxiety about projects and projections and more than once as I read I was thankful she was doing the reno projects and not me!
Moving and changing are not for the faint of heart but Korte has her husband by her side which is a huge asset. Facing challenges with a home are usually more palatable when there is someone to Share the successes and challenges.
Our homes shape and mold us as much as we shape and mold them.
Thanks She Writes Press and NetGalley for both digital and hard copies.
The book marks the family’s move and the author’s exploration of her new home. She delights in the open spaces and the possibilities but also misses the familiarity of her urban dwelling.
The renovations abound and they’re not always planned ones.
Korte also provides snippets of her family life as a child and with her four daughters. She ruminates on the past and present with the same level of poignancy.
I related to her anxiety about projects and projections and more than once as I read I was thankful she was doing the reno projects and not me!
Moving and changing are not for the faint of heart but Korte has her husband by her side which is a huge asset. Facing challenges with a home are usually more palatable when there is someone to Share the successes and challenges.
Our homes shape and mold us as much as we shape and mold them.
Thanks She Writes Press and NetGalley for both digital and hard copies.
June 23, 2026
You are a sophisticated artist and designer who has lived in Chicago for years. What do you say when your husband proposes a move to the country? To an old, decrepit Victorian house that you will renovate? Maida Korte reluctantly says yes and a life changing journey begins. She believes that “a house is a world away from a home…” and begins to create that home. Maida will learn a lot about insulation, single pane windows, furnaces, wiring and more. She, once an overly sensitive child, probably with OCD, who lacked self esteem, will learn a lot about herself. In her new, rundown home outside the small town of Woodstock, she will realize just how capable she is.
Gutted is subtitled From There to Here: How an Old House Remodeled Me and that is a perfect description of this memoir. I’m not sure I could have done what Maida did - the bats alone would have left me screaming. The changes in the house and the changes in Maida make Gutted thought-provoking and hard to put down. 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, She Writes Press and Maida Korte for this ARC.
Gutted is subtitled From There to Here: How an Old House Remodeled Me and that is a perfect description of this memoir. I’m not sure I could have done what Maida did - the bats alone would have left me screaming. The changes in the house and the changes in Maida make Gutted thought-provoking and hard to put down. 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, She Writes Press and Maida Korte for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Designer Maida Korte’s memoir chronicles her journey renovating her new, old home in the countryside, intertwined with her personal struggles with mental health. Moving away from the city forced her to slow down and confront her anxiety head on, making the book as much about self discovery as it is about design.
As someone who loves home design books, I especially enjoyed the sections on the renovation process; the challenges, triumphs, and creative problem solving felt very real. I also appreciated Maida’s honesty about her anxiety and how it has shaped her life; it added a layer of vulnerability that made her story relatable.
My main critique is that the book occasionally lacked cohesion. At times, the narrative flow was interrupted, making it feel a little disjointed.
Overall, if you enjoy memoirs that explore anxiety, personal growth, or home renovation, this is a book worth checking out.
A couple of instances of blasphemy.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.
As someone who loves home design books, I especially enjoyed the sections on the renovation process; the challenges, triumphs, and creative problem solving felt very real. I also appreciated Maida’s honesty about her anxiety and how it has shaped her life; it added a layer of vulnerability that made her story relatable.
My main critique is that the book occasionally lacked cohesion. At times, the narrative flow was interrupted, making it feel a little disjointed.
Overall, if you enjoy memoirs that explore anxiety, personal growth, or home renovation, this is a book worth checking out.
A couple of instances of blasphemy.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was such a lovely memoir!
I don't often read memoirs, but Maida Korte's writing style made the entire read seem more like a conversation with the author in a cozy coffee shop. As an architectural design student myself, I appreciated the brief explanations and architectural detours within the story.
I loved getting to know Korte's story and how a broken-down home gave her the space to confront the demons many of us compartmentalize without even noticing. Korte's affection for her spouse and daughters shows strongly in her writing, as well as her passion for architecture and design, making the memoir feel all the more genuine and personal.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this absolutely lovely read and a very big thank you to She Writes Press for their prompt help with a glitchy download file! And an especially big thank you to the author for sharing her beautiful story :)
I don't often read memoirs, but Maida Korte's writing style made the entire read seem more like a conversation with the author in a cozy coffee shop. As an architectural design student myself, I appreciated the brief explanations and architectural detours within the story.
I loved getting to know Korte's story and how a broken-down home gave her the space to confront the demons many of us compartmentalize without even noticing. Korte's affection for her spouse and daughters shows strongly in her writing, as well as her passion for architecture and design, making the memoir feel all the more genuine and personal.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this absolutely lovely read and a very big thank you to She Writes Press for their prompt help with a glitchy download file! And an especially big thank you to the author for sharing her beautiful story :)
July 10, 2026
I picked up this book at an Author event. Let me tell you, Maida has such a wonderful light in her. I can just hear her voice throughout this read and I love it.
What a warm hug!
Old houses can be incredibly inefficient and stressful, and I found myself chuckling and relating with her electric frustrations. You can feel the author's love for her husband Andy as well as her greater extended family. This is not my usual grab, but I appreciate all the comparisons between home design and internal reflection.
What a warm hug!
Old houses can be incredibly inefficient and stressful, and I found myself chuckling and relating with her electric frustrations. You can feel the author's love for her husband Andy as well as her greater extended family. This is not my usual grab, but I appreciate all the comparisons between home design and internal reflection.
July 13, 2026
I adored this book. Maida’s exquisite prose carries you with her as she both laughs and frowns at her own manner of being, as well as at her problematic but beloved home. By the end, she will have you contemplating the renovation of your own home and soul.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An immersive delightful memoir about the transformation of one woman's life as she and her husband renovate a Victorian country home. Highly recommended!
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June 22, 2026Gutted: How an Old House Remodeled Me by Maida Korte is a heartfelt and inspiring story about transformation, resilience, and the unexpected ways life can change us.
Through the renovation of a forgotten Victorian farmhouse, Korte explores a deeper kind of rebuilding the emotional and personal transformation that happens when we step outside our comfort zones and embrace change.
With warmth, humor, and honesty, the book captures the challenges of leaving behind a familiar lifestyle and discovering beauty in uncertainty. The house becomes more than a physical project; it becomes a reflection of memory, relationships, dreams, and personal growth.
Readers who enjoy stories about reinvention, home, family, and finding meaning in life’s transitions will connect with this thoughtful journey.
Overall, Gutted is a charming and uplifting exploration of how rebuilding the spaces around us can also help rebuild ourselves.
Through the renovation of a forgotten Victorian farmhouse, Korte explores a deeper kind of rebuilding the emotional and personal transformation that happens when we step outside our comfort zones and embrace change.
With warmth, humor, and honesty, the book captures the challenges of leaving behind a familiar lifestyle and discovering beauty in uncertainty. The house becomes more than a physical project; it becomes a reflection of memory, relationships, dreams, and personal growth.
Readers who enjoy stories about reinvention, home, family, and finding meaning in life’s transitions will connect with this thoughtful journey.
Overall, Gutted is a charming and uplifting exploration of how rebuilding the spaces around us can also help rebuild ourselves.
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