The home renovation heroes behind HGTV’s wildly popular Fixer Upper are sharing the secrets to their restoration and relationship successes in a new book – and PEOPLE has an exclusive first look at the cover.
Chip and Joanna Gaines grace the cover of their memoir, The Magnolia Story, due out Oct. 18 from Thomas Nelson’s W Publishing Group. The happy Texas couple smiles as Joanna grabs a piggyback ride from her husband of 13 years.
“Excited is an understatement,” Joanna tells PEOPLE of the cover’s debut. “We’ve been anticipating this cover release for months, and to see it all happening is a dream come true.”
The Magnolia Story, written with New York Times bestselling collaborator Mark Dagostino, documents the “first couple of home improvement” and their life together – starting way back in their pre-fame days.
“Writing a book is a tough job,” Joanna says. “But reliving years of memories together was so fun. Chip is a great storyteller, and I actually found that I have a knack for remembering details. We made a pretty good team and had a blast working on it together.”
She adds, “We’re looking forward to October when The Magnolia Story finally hits the shelves!”
Fixer Upper – which counts Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds among its fans – follows Magnolia Homes owners Chip and Joanna as they remodel and design houses around Waco, Texas.
Watch: HGTV Stars Anthony Carrino and John Colaneri Compete to Make the Better Birdhouse
“I knew when I married Chip in 2003 that this life would be an adventure,” Joanna said in a press release for the book. “Through all the ups and downs, I never would have imagined we’d land here. What I do know is that I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to share it with.”
A design book from Joanna is set to follow The Magnolia Story from Thomas Nelson Gift Books in early 2017.
