Interior designer, business owner, party planner, hostess, and mother Lorna Gross is a type A personality who has always held a "heightened appreciation for human connection." This "Louisiana girl who was born in New York" developed an unrelenting passion for food and a joy for entertaining by traveling the world and making friends from all walks of life. In Entertaining by Design, she demystifies the often overwhelming prospect of pulling together brunches, formal dinners, intimate parties, or casual gatherings. Gross shares practical, time-saving suggestions on how to assemble stylish presentations with a big impact--but with a lot "less work." Gross also divides the book by seasons, with striking photographs and easy, scrumptious recipes in each section. She offers inviting ideas for preparing buffets, luncheons, barbecues, game-day and cocktail parties, and formal holiday feasts. Her creative concepts and her meticulous attention to detail--accents on invitations and place settings; flowers and serving pieces; and background musical suggestions--will inspire those on-the-go to plan and host gatherings filled with lively, tasteful ambience. --Kathleen Gerard, blogger at Reading Between the Lines