Southern By Design is the story of Magnolia “Mack” Bishop, an interior designer in Charleston South Carolina. Her personal and professional life are in turmoil, and she faces a huge turning point in her life as she finalizes a divorce with her husband and starts a huge preservation projection on the Daniel House.

I really wanted to love this book, but unfortunately I did not. The cover is beautiful, and the setting is amazing in real life but not well developed in the story. The main character was not relatable and came off as whiny and privileged. I had to push myself to read it.

Thank you to Harper Collins Focus for providing me with a copy of this book through Net Gallery for my review. All opinions are my own.

Magnolia “Mack” Bishop has worked hard to be the designer she has always wanted to be. Now she feels her professional and personal life are right where she wants them. But her husband has been cheating and Mack becomes a single mother. Magnolia Sr., her mother, gives Mack a chance at a lead on preservation of an old house, The Daniel House. However, with Magnolia Sr. there is always strings attached and it is to control Mack and her life. Just when Mack has her professional life going, her first love fifteen years earlier, Lincoln Kelly moves next door to her with a son her daughter’s age.

The last 20% of the book was good. Before that it was not concise. The story never really went anywhere. I kept wanting clues to where the story was going. There was a lot of explaining about the renovations which was way too much of the story. I lost interest. I ended up skipping a lot. Magnolia’s controlling became too much. The characters where flat throughout the book. Magnolia Sr was the only one that changed only at the end. This book did not keep my interest.

Thank you for the ARC from NetGalley and Harper Muse.

I absolutely wanted to read this book based on the beautiful cover. The story was very enjoyable and I could related to Mack a little bit.

The first chapter to me was chaotic and we met too many characters at once. Once I got past that I enjoyed the book more. The story jumps between past and present.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed the book and couldn't put it down. I love the characters and how they interact with each other. I also like the mother-daughter relationship and how it is resolved. I also liked learning about historic preservation and house renovations. I highly recommend this book to those who like a good love story but don't want it to be too sweet and sappy.

This book was delightful!

The book follows Mack, a true southern belle who grew up being the perfect daughter for her Mama. Where did it leave her? With a cheating husband whom her mother still desperately wants her to reconcile with, a career that can't escape her mother's control and searching for the identity of her father whom her mother will not reveal.

But she has had it! Now she has the opportunity to make something of her career on her own and a college fling (or more?) returns to the picture.

You will spend the entirety of the story rooting for Mack, grieving with her and falling for her witty daughter.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, NetGalley!

Southern By Design is an amazing debut from Grace Helena Walz.

I'm a sucker for the southern scenery (and Charleston holds a special place in my heart) so I absolutely loved this. The renovation aspect was a fun premise for this story.

I don't usually love a duel timeline but it worked so well here. This second chance romance is a needed addition to your tbr when its released this February

Southern by Design was a good southern story. Mack is getting settled after a separation. She is continuing her home renovation business, attempting to land a home renovation show that will document their work! Throughout all this she faces a meddlesome mother who strives to control all aspects of Mack’s life. A recognizable face from her past pops up next door, and we see the sparks begging to rekindle. In between learning to stand up for herself and dig into her past, Mack finds out more than she expected. The conclusion of this book gives us answers to everything we needed, and leaves Mack secure in her place.

See my full review at http://michelleardillo.com/2024/11/14/book-review-southern-by-design-by-grace-helena-walz/

Cute southern story. Loved the romance of it and Mack and Magnolia’s relationship is so southern - you can’t help smile picturing their facial expressions. I can’t wait to read the next Grace Helena Walz book. Thanks NetGalley for the Arc!

Mix together a novel about home renovation and the town of Charleston, SC and I am there! This was such an enjoyable read. If you're like me and a huge fan of books by Mary Alice Monroe, Mary Kay Andrews and Kristy Woodson Harvey then I'm sure you will love this book.

Thank you to Net Galley and publisher Harper Collins for this ARC! I look forward to future books from Grace Helena Walz.

Such a refreshing view of the design world in the American South. Based in Charleston USA, interior designer Mack Bishop is on the cusp of a breakthrough in her career. Juggling a seven year old daughter, fresh divorce and an overbearing southern mother makes that breakthrough a little difficult.

I loved the very detailed aspects of interior design of the great old Charleston houses that ran throughout this story. This paired with Mack's past relationship running parallel to the story makes for a cozy and heart-warming story. I loved this story for all of its gorgeous detail and the different relationships of the characters within!

Thank you netgalley and Grace Helena Walz for this heatwarming read.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Southern by Design is the perfect I need to get lost in a story kind of book. Southern lit is my absolute favorite and Grace Helena Walz does not disappoint. It’s the perfect mix of southern trauma, southern mama and love in two of South Carolina’s most beautiful cities. The way that this written both in the present and the past is beautifully done. Magnolia, her mother Magnolia and the whole cast of characters are people you want to hang out with and get to know. As Magnolia the daughter navigates her way through her new future the past comes to visit. She has to figure out if the past has any place in her life now. This a must read, cannot put down book. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. These are my own opinions..

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. I loved it. What a great new voice in women’s fiction. The characters, the setting, even the main character’s career choice went to making this book of second chances at love a warm and appealing story. I can’t wait to read what Grace Helena Walz comes up with next.

You can't judge a book by its cover, but I can usually tell immediately if a book is for me & if I'm going to enjoy it. From the moment I started the prologue I was confused. So many characters were mentioned. Her mom, mil & long last dad? Their was formatting & typing errors that was also bothering me. The first chapter more characters were thrown into the loop. I dislike the authors writing style & the voice. Not my cup of tea. Maybe it's cause I'm not a southern.

Set in Charleston and following the story of Mack. This book was definitely interesting, especially with the HGTV vibes. Though the second chance lovers plot was sweet overall the story was a little slow for me.

This is an absolutely stunning debut. Mack is dealing with divorce, a second chance romance and her overbearing dragon of a mother. I loved all the lough out loud moments that this book had. I was not prepared at all for the twists this story had. I highly recommend this one! Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Focus for a chance to read this one early in exchange for an honest review.

I was lucky enough to receive this book as an ARC copy from NetGalley. I loved the colouring on the cover of the book. I think based on this I went into it with high expectations of the story. I was excited to get stuck in but I feel like it fell flat for me. I enjoyed the inter generational aspect between Mack and her mother Magnolia and the plot twist I absolutely did not see coming. I just felt like it was dragged out too much with all the design talk, the design tv show and all that. I enjoyed the side characters like Fitz and Maya, they added a bit of comedy to the story. I liked the flashbacks to the past that we got snippets of and I enjoyed the second chance romance element of it. I got quite bored during a lot of it but once the plot twist start to play out then I was interested again! This is just my personal opinion so don’t take it that you won’t like it!

A Southern drama about Charleston interior designer Magnolia “Mack” Bishop. She has a complicated relationship with her mother and ex-husband, a darling 7-year-old daughter, a thriving business and opportunity for a TV show, a loyal best friend, and a new neighbor who just happens to be “the one who got away.” Southern By Design is full of family drama, betrayal, dreamy Charleston design, love lost and found, and behind-the-scenes details of shooting a TV show.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Loved the setting and the characters.
Not a huge fan of the flashbacks and present day type plot.
The second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes.
home design, Charleston, and a sweet little romance.

A great story about protagonist, Magnolia “Mack” Bishop, fighting for success in the middle of a divorce; struggling for a relationship with her mother who believes she rules all; finding true love; and finding her biological father in order to heal and thrive in her life’s journey.

The engrossing story is told in flashbacks to fifteen years before, and present time. The cast of characters is unique; especially Fritz, Mack’s best friend; Lincoln, Mack’s beau; and the team of experts Mack works with restoring an old historic home. The Charleston setting is wonderful. If you enjoy home remodeling and renovation TV shows, you should enjoy this story.

Southern by Design is a heartwarming read. Keep a tissue handy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.