The Great Blue Hills of God: A Story of Facing Loss, Finding Peace, and Learning the True Meaning of Home

by Kreis Beall

The creative force behind Blackberry Farm, Tennessee’s award-winning farm-to- table resort, reveals how she found herself only after losing everything in this powerful memoir of resilience. 
 
Born with the gift of hospitality, Kreis Beall helped create one of the nation’s most renowned resort destinations, Blackberry Farm, in Tennessee’s Smoky Mountain foothills. For decades, she was a fixture in the travel and entertaining world and frequently appeared in the pages of popular home and design magazines. But at the pinnacle of her success, Kreis faced a series of challenges that reframed her life, including a brain injury that permanently impaired her hearing and the conclusion of her thirty-six-year marriage to her best friend and business partner, Sandy Beall.
 
Alone and uncertain as her world shifts and marriage ends, Kreis begins a new journey to find her faith and find God. After spending years on her beautiful exterior life and work, she begins the hardest undertaking of all: reclaiming and redesigning her interior life and soul.
 
Kreis retreats to Blackberry Farm, moving into an unassuming, 300-square-foot shed with peeling paint on the exterior walls, “where I met myself for the first time.” She examines what it takes to redefine life after deep loss and acknowledges, for the first time, often unbearable truths that existed beneath the beauty she had created.
 
By turns fiercely honest, heartbreaking, and warm, Kreis Beall’s story will resonate with anyone who can benefit from her discovery that “All it takes is all you’ve got. And it is worth it.”

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Book Club, Biography, Biography Memoir, Christian, Inspirational

263 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 4, 2020

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
All I kept thinking while I was reading this was, “this women has unbelievable talent and charm and she is determined to take on any challenge facing her.” Everything she touched turned to gold! And she is also an author! She wrote a beautiful memoir.
I loved it and couldn’t put it down. It flowed beautifully and I loved her honesty about her family and her endless running from ....well everything.
At about half way she starts to talk about her life unraveling, which further kept me glued to her story.
She paints a picture of loss, pain and grief that in part brought her into a relationship with God. I’m really glad she shared this with me. It was very good.

This was a NETGALLEY gift and all opinions are my own.

[Rosa · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the beginning of the book had me wondering what the significance was of all the details included, by the end of the book, I understood. The author does a beautiful job of giving simple details about her life, yet keeping the reader interested and desiring to read more. Beall is real, honest, raw, and open about her life. She paints a strikingly sad image of how one's life can be so full of great wealth and endless "things" and yet be so empty. This book definitely left an impression on me!

Thanks to author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the uncorrected proof of this book.

[Astrid Galactic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an stimulating, inspirational and interesting book. How one woman, along with her family, created, maintained a life that left behind her mark of beauty, love and home.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the eBook for a fair and honest review.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free digital ARC from the publisher, this did not influence my review.

I found the first half of this memoir to read more like a dry autobiography with too much emphasis on tedious details of meals cooked, fabrics chosen, etc. Her early life could have been betters summarized in a couple of chapters. The book is also filled with cliched aphorisms and large text mottoes that look like pull quotes in a magazine article.

Somewhere after the first half of the book, it picked up a bit as Beall discussed her traumatic brain injury. It was a harrowing accident with long-lasting effects; still, it irked me that Beall was out of touch enough to discuss her complete "loss of health" many times throughout the book only paragraphs away from descriptions of hikes to Machu Picchu, long road trips, and other elaborate vacations and undertakings. There are many examples of Beall appearing out of touch - in her preference throughout many decades for work over marriage and family, and her penchant for buying and renovating properties and moving with abandon (and no apparent attention to finances, because they never seem to fall short nor does it seem to occur to Beall that they could). Somewhere in the second half Beall grows almost evangelical but her sudden conversion appears as impulsive as many of her decisions, with no attempt to connect the dots for the reader as to how this transformation fully came about.

I did find the end of the book heart-breaking and wrenching; the loss of Beall's grown son Sam was tragic and untimely. After the level of detail at the beginning of the book, I found the end sudden with little explanation of how Blackberry Farm runs without him. Blackberry Farm sounds like a lovely inn and property, but the book falls short as a whole.

[Patty Bird · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want to know how a rich woman discovered God, this book is for you. Otherwise, skip it.

[Jena Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the beautiful Smoky Mountains, lived a woman named Kreis Beall. The mountains and valleys are breath-taking, inspiring, and the timeless guardians of souls and natural wisdom. The rocks, hills, and creeks didn’t stand a chance against Kreis Beall, the ultimate force of nature.

Kreis Beall has created a memoir that is overflowing with an abundance of dreams, desires, and accomplishments. Ms. Beall is a tsunami of life. I am amazed I had never heard of her before, or the luxury farm resort, Blackberry Farm, she established in the Smoky Mountains near Knoxville, Tennessee. (Note- the “farm” is exactly how I hope heaven is- beautiful surroundings, perfect hospitality, gourmet food, all the activities you could dream of.)

Ms. Beall was born and raised in Tennessee. She married Sandy, and he was the CEO and she was the COO of their lives. They founded a popular restaurant chain, created Blackberry Farm, and over the course of their marriage, built or bought and decorated and entertained in over 40 homes. They had it all. They really did- they had so much- wealth, family, friends, entertaining, and creative businesses. It would take a 1,000 of me to get done what the author accomplished in a day.

So- the perfect life? Well, the subtitle of the book is “A story of facing loss, finding peace, and learning the true meaning of home.” She suffered some major and devastating blows and she is honest and unsparing in the sharing of these incredibly sad and painful happenings.

I’m not sure she is a woman who can ever truly find peace, but just as she can remodel and redecorate a home and make it glossy-magazine Instagram perfect, she can also turn her talents inward to re-center herself. God Bless you, Ms. Beall. She includes devotional-type moments in the book that speak to her love of God, family and home. This is an interesting, if somewhat unsettling, read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Convergent Books for a digital review copy. This is my honest review.

[Liz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately, the first words that came out of my mouth after I finished this book were, “Thank GOD that is over!”

I feel for Kreis and her difficulties she has endured in her life… but. There are so many buts.

She lived an incredibly privileged life, which I still (after enduring this book), do not think she will ever realize or have perspective on.

Having a rough time? Go take a cooking class at Martha Stewart’s house! Feeling bored or directionless? Go take an 11 week long photography course in Montana! Which today is a mere $29,000.00 - not including lodging and food. Feel like getting away? Just jet off to Machu Picchu with your buds. Feeling out of sorts? Just go to The Ashram! She made going to The Ashram sound like a quick run to the grocery. Google the prices of these adventures - and what was she truly seeking in all this and the 40+ homes she bought/sold/lived in?

I am so very glad she found Jesus, but I truly feel like she wrote this book just like she appeared to live her life - never connecting, never digging deep and never really explaining and certainly never getting outside herself to give back to other people. Where was the HUMILITY?!? It was all about her. She and Sandy Beall were a perfect match in that regard.

This book makes me feel absolutely nauseated. It was gross.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My ex husbands family is from the East Tennessee area and we used to spend a lot of time in the Smokies. I always knew of Blackberry, had been by a few times, but never stayed (now I can't afford to)! ;) I enjoyed reading Kreis Beall's story and that of her family. She lived in many areas I've visited and frequented, which made it all the more interesting. It shows that sadness and tragedy have no preference on the wealthy vs the not so wealthy. It hits most of us at one point or more in life. I enjoyed reading how Ms Beall's health brought her to focus on what was missing in her life and finding her faith and real joy in more simple things. Highly recommend this book, especially to those in our area who would enjoy knowing more about the Blackberry history.
Thanks to NG and the Pubiisher for the ARC

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have heard so much about Blackberry Farm in Tennessee, so when I saw this book written by one of it's founders, Kreis Beall, I knew I wanted to read it. Beall is such an interesting and talented lady! She and her husband seemed to be the "perfect power couple". But, as so often is the case, what the outside world sees, is not always what's really going on beneath the surface.
Beall goes through much loss and heartache and finds herself on a journey of self-examination and a search for what's really important.

Although, I cannot relate to the author's lifestyle, I found it very interesting, and would love to one day have the opportunity to visit Blackberry Farm. In the end, it's another great example that wealth, power and things can never truly satisfy or fulfill.

I am grateful to Convergent Books and Netgalley for providing me an early release copy.

[Karen Parisot · Rating 4 out of 5]

As co-founder of and a driving force behind Tennessee’s renowned Blackberry Farm, Kreis Beall has led an extraordinarily full life, endured multiple tragedies and come out stronger in the end. She is a multi-talented workaholic who along with her husband led a highly successful life. They seemed to have it all. Kreis’s memoir is honest, heartfelt and at times gut-wrenching. I was so touched by her story that tears were literally rolling down my cheeks. If you like memoirs, you’ll definitely want to read this one about the remarkable Kreis Beall. 4.5 stars

[Anna Shelley Johnson]

Did this as a honeymoon read-aloud and it nicely scratched the right itch of what we were looking for. Short chapters, easy-to-read writing style, interesting-enough narrative, low-hanging-fruit for discussion about setting up our home/life/community, and lots of Knoxville-related fodder for Neil to tell me stories about interesting connections to his experiences and interests lol love that guy

Thanks for the rec, Ruthie!

[Judith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished this book a couple of weeks ago and am struggling with why I found it so annoying. I am from and live in East Tennessee, the area largely covered in the book, and find that the author did an accurate job of representing the area. The author is and has always been far more privileged than 90% of the rest of the folks here. She grew up in the affluent Sequoyah Hills, had someone to pay for her college education, met a guy on his way up, and never appeared to have to worry about money. This doesn't set the stage for making her appear sympathetic. By her account, she and her husband traipsed around, buying houses, hiring architects and designers, decorating, entertaining, and spending money like there is no tomorrow. Perhaps for them this was the case, but it simply doesn't resonate with the majority of us. I appreciate that she worked hard - many of us have; I don't begrudge anyone having money, but it could have been emphasized a bit less, if for no other reason, to make her look more realistic. On the other hand, for all I know, money was at the heart of the problem. I found it astonishing that her husband was carrying on with this younger woman right under her nose and she wanted to help "mentor" her and "arranged a two week tour of Europe for her." The author's now former husband went on to marry the younger woman, not coincidentally. She also claimed to live in a "shed" at Blackberry Farm, however, not before thousands of dollars of renovations were done to it. She does have my sympathy for her brain injury and the loss of her son; I realize this must have been devastating. But not so much that it kept her from taking elaborate trips, buying and decorating still more homes, and living a lavish lifestyle. More power to her that she has the money to do these things, it's just that it makes the other experiences seem a bit shallow. What is the most bothersome is her description of "finding God," which I found entirely disingenuous. You don't have to hit "rock bottom" and "live in a shed," and "lose your health" (which she did not, but she keeps saying she did) to "find God." That part was more than shameful, to me. Maybe it was how she wrote about it, but it comes across as insincere.

[Hallie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read it in one day. Couldn’t put it down. Went to bed with a crying headache. The last few chapters (even though I knew what was coming) were wrenching.

*I only knew about this book because Kyle read it. In all the hoopla of 2020, I missed it.

And then I bought three copies.

I honestly didn’t know Kreis & Sandy had spent so much time on HHI. But I went to public school. I didn’t know the family at all until 1994. And I really only just heard about the Bealls.

Kreis writes an incredible memoir. It is more about the Baileys and Bealls than Blackberry, far more about spiritual journey, and the fact that no matter who you are and how perfect your life seems, it can all come crashing down (multiple times).


Well done.

[Sue Blumenscheid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm generally not a big fan of memoirs and at first, I thought this would meet my low expectations. However, at some point I began to sense the layers of Kreis' story and I was drawn in. I wish I had read this with a book club because I'd love to be able to discuss it. I finished the book several days ago and haven't been able to stop thinking about it. That's the sign of a good book!

[Carter | forthebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!! I really enjoyed hearing the ‘behind the scenes’ of Blackberry Farm but mostly enjoyed the honesty with which Kris Beall told her story. From the outside her life looks glamorous but she has faced many hardships, and faced them with grace putting one foot in front of the other.

[Meagan Mankin · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I always thought I loved houses, but what I truly love is home, the place where we are loved, known, and safe.”

Wow. A really incredible (and heartbreaking) memoir of the life of a really interesting and wonderful woman. I loved this one!

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably my favorite book of the year. I laughed and cried & then cried some more. Beautiful story that draws you closer to the Lord.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one! This story is in my backyard which made it especially fun to read and learn more of the history of the area and Blackberry. There were ups and downs throughout that Kreis never shies away from, which I appreciated it.

- To be a good cook, you have to really love to eat or have someone to cook for who really loves to eat.
- Even the name was unassuming - the farm had been christened when the first owner snagged her silk stocking on a blackberry bramble.
- I knew that I wanted my home to look like Mom’s and to feel and taste like Mammy’s. Those two philosophies became the driving force at Blackberry.
- Pick yourself up from your despair, go do something, go be something, go share something, go think of something for someone else. Be lonely, be still, because when you have been lonely and still, you will learn how to go and sit next to someone else who is also lonely and still. Be hurt, because then you can feel compassion for the stranger in line behind you who is also hurting. Be small, because it is the small kindnesses that move the world. Be mindful, because each first light, each walk, each thank you, each smile, matters. Be joyful, because it is far better to find goodness than to find fault. And on days, when none of that works, just be, because the next day or the day after that may be your chance to be grateful to know thoughtfulness, to see love, to be needed, to be surprised, or to simply to begin again in the world.

[Mary Vogelsong · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Great Blue Hills of God is a memoir from the co-founder of Blackberry Farm, Kreis Beall.
The title comes from the rendering of the Native American name for the Great Smokey Mountains, the setting for Blackberry Farm.
This book chronicles not only the story of Kreis' life, but but her journey toward God as well. It is a journey out of a disfunctional family and a childhood influenced greatly by her mother's design expertise. Kreis also developed from that time a pattern of having an "exit strategy" for any situation in her life.
Kreis married Sandy Beall, the founder of the Ruby Tuesday chain of restaurants, back when the number of restaurants could be counted on one hand. Together they had a passion for buying, building, remodeling, designing, and selling homes. This became the framework of their marriage, as they moved close to 40 times.
Sandy poured his main passions into Ruby Tuesday and was usually gone during the week. Kreis poured her efforts into Blackberry and another restaurant, sometimes to the detrament of her children.
When they moved to Alabama, Kreis wasn't working and she struggled to find her identity. At times she and Sandy kept her sister's two boys, about the same ages as their own two. The begining of problems in their marriage started when Sandy made the decision to send all four boys to private school while Kreis was out of town. This even took away her job of mother.
Kreis began to develope some close friendships with other women. Kreis' design skills rose to the top like cream during this time. She was not promoting herself, but ended up in at least three magazine spreads.
Eventually Kreis ended up back at Blackberry. She had endured the loss of a beloved home to fire, her husband's infidelity and the subsequent loss of her marriage, and a devastating irrecoverable blow to her health.
Kreis' pastor had been praying for her to become a Christian for many years, and finally the circumstances and time in her life led her to accept Jesus. One further loss awaits Kreis near the end of the book.
I cannot wholeheartedly recommend this as a Christian book because, like the Israelites who followed God during the reigns of the kings but refused to remove the high places of idol worship, throughout the book Kreis still made pilgrimages to an ashram. Nowhere in the book does she denounce this practice, which is decidedly not Christian.
Kreis is a woman of grace who has endured much. We are often more able to find God during the dark times of our lives. He is there at all times, and he requires complete allegiance.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Blue Hills of God by Kreis Beall is an excellent memoir that brought me to tears (in a good way) as I journeyed with Kreis herself as she described her own life up until current day.

I have to admit I had never heard of Blackberry Farm in Tennessee before reading this book. Since, I have visited the website several times and have learned so much about the heart and soul that was placed into what she calls “her third child”.

I was fascinated to learn about her life, how the area was conceived, created, and come to be the stunning resort it is today.

What I feel is the most memorable aspect of this book is hearing Kreis’s life story and her path to finding herself, her family, her purpose, and her relationship with God. I cheered for her as I read about her accomplishments and I cried with her as I read about some of the tragic happenings in her life. I am amazed and in awe of her ability to fight for her recovery and her family. For the way she was able to step back and find God and create a wonderful and lasting relationship with Him, and the way that her faith grew and flourished,like her beautiful roses, helping her cope with her losses and find her path and purpose. I am inspired and admire her passion, love, tenacity, and beautiful soul.

I am so thankful that I have been able to meet Kreis through her words, and her search for love, acceptance, purpose, family, and God mirrors us all in one way or another. I think we can all identify with her journey and I can only hope that she finds all that she needs and deserves.

My family and I are now planning a trip to stay and experience the Blackberry Farm oasis this fall. I can’t wait!

Thank you Kreis for helping us all realize we are not alone in our daily lives and in our search for forgiveness and meaning. I am glad I got to experience this with you and I hope others will do the same.

Stunning. 5/5 stars

Thank you Random House/Convergent, Ms. Beall, GR Giveaway for this ARC and this is my voluntary and unbiased review in return.

[Bobbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an entertaining book! It's the story of Kreis Beall who was married to the creator Ruby Tuesdays. Their wedding night, he took her to an expensive restaurant for dinner where their meal was over 100 dollars. She said they could do that once but never again, but that wasn't the case. He took her to many expensive restaurants and learned from the owners of them what he would need to know to operate his business. He was a great an entrepreneur. But this isn't just her story with him. Kreis tells us her entire story. She had children, watched them grow up and go off of their own and start their families. And started her own business Blackberry Farm a farm to table restaurant in TN too. She also tells us at the beginning of the book, she will tell us the whole truth that she never has told anyone before. I'm not going to spoil it and tell you what her secret is, you will have to read the book to find out. Check out for an entertaining read!

[Juli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this audiobook on my library's website and checked it out because I'm familiar with the area around Blackberry Farm and was a little curious about the people behind the place. I was slightly concerned that the focus would be How We Made Blackberry Great, but instead this is truly a memoir. The resort is part of the story, of course, but it's a supporting character. What I found more interesting is a glimpse into the life of a woman very different from me, who is also relatable.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This memoir was fine but I would have liked a little more. I didn't really know anything about Blackberry Farm but the premise sounded interesting. The background and story of the creation of a luxury resort in the Smoky Mountains and the creative force behind it. She certainly had an interesting life!

[Finney Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is very quick read and story about Kreis Bealls life. I love to hear other people stories and this is one that anyone will love! It is a beautiful story

[Danielle Spree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love and loss are universal on some level, despite our background, upbringing or socioeconomic status. Ms. Beall shares her story through an honest lens while displaying sincere vulnerability. As a native of Alabama, I appreciate her attention to the details and pageantry of family traditions and Southern hospitality. From the outside looking in, her days appear to be full of the jet-set lifestyle which coincides with operating her business while managing her family with such confidence, perfection and joy.

My appreciation of Ms. Beall’s story truly evolved as she candidly shared how event after traumatic event broke her to her core. What resonated with me the most was her willingness to relinquish control of her life to God, especially during the most devastating trials anyone may experience. Ms. Beall’s journey is a testament to “God never promised that life would be easy.” Despite multiple tragedies, she develops a faith that has seemed to carry her through extreme loss and grief.

I also enjoyed how Ms. Beall relied on the relationships she had with her family and friends to help shape her faith during such difficult times. She mentions more than once that she’ll never understand why certain events occurred in her life, but she expresses what she learned and how she was strengthened through the adversities. I imagine most of us can relate to questioning why bad things happen in our lives. This book is a comforting reminder that we are not alone. I absolutely love the quote Ms. Beall shares from the poet Zachry Douglas toward the end of her memoir.

“the broken will always be
able to love harder than
most.

once you have been in the
darkness, you learn to
appreciate everything
that shines.”

I’ve never been to Blackberry Farm, but I hope to vacation there someday as the depictions of the resort in this book exhibit such meaning and sentiment in the midst of God’s creation. What a special treasure to experience, especially after learning the story of Blackberry’s beginnings and the love behind it all.

[Miriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to read about old 1960’s Knoxville and also how Chris was able to build a small paradise wherever she went from where she visited. Her story shows an “exterior” of beauty and the unspoken notion of how the interior might not be as beautiful as it may seem looking in from the outside. I love her resilience and for her pointing out how hitting Rockbottom and the process of pruning to bear fruit is sometimes what’s most needed even we can’t see why. Now I just have to ask after reading this beautiful account of decidance—“will somebody please just whisk me away to Blackberry Farms”? It doesn’t even have to be for even more than a day—although I dream for a weekend! I just want to see with my very own eyes, Kreis Beall’s Great Blue Hills of God. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Hope Curtsinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/4. this book intrigued me. i have heard of blackberry farms but didn’t know its history. i didn’t always connect to her writing or life experiences/perspectives but i still found myself wanting to know what else she would share. i appreciate her honesty in sharing about her successes, profound losses & lessons she’s learned.

[Jameson Ragsdale · Rating 4 out of 5]

A random book I grabbed at my mother in law’s house over Christmas — an interesting memoir from Kreis Beall, the co-founder of Blackberry Farm. I appreciated her honesty about her twisting road to finding a relationship with the Lord through divorce and the loss of her son.

It also made me want to go to stay at Blackberry Farm — @coleragsdale you in???

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

While visiting Blackberry Farm with my husband's family, I was given this book as a present. Needing a book to read I started and could not stop reading. Kreis Beall's book made me want to keep turning the pages and learn more about her family, life & the farm, as I stayed on the property for 5 days. She is an inspirational writer. I was able to relate to some parts of the book.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I’ve read in 2020.