This book was so much drama and I was here for it! Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! This book was based in my hometown, Charleston SC. I was born and raised here in Charleston and I am still here. It was so neat to read about the college I went to and the others I am very familiar with, the restaurants, the cities near by. The book itself was brilliant and kept me interested from start to finish. The home restoration & HGTV vibe was so fun to read about! I feel like it tied into the story well. The drama was raw and messy but the story drove home that beauty comes from ashes.

I love a book with a Southern flavor and Southern by Design delivers. All the down South charm, plus a wonderful story of family, following your dreams, and navigating the rough roads in life. This book hits all the right. spots and makes you happier for reading it!'
4/5

Magnolia (Mack) Bishop, still reeling over the loss of a impressive design fellowship in her Charleston home town, is offered the chance of a lifetime. Exquisite Interiors, the most popular reality home design show, wants her to audition for their show. Her restoration work for the Carolina Historic Society on the Daniel House will be featured. To succeed, Mack has to rely on her trusted assistant Maya, her college friend and confidant Fitz and her many loyal workman from the city. There are problems. Her untrustworthy, soon to be ex-husband Grady must do his share of child care for their seven year daughter. Her mother, the original Magnolia, must be prevented from interfering with Mack’s work. This will not be easy. And then there’s a complication. The handsome man who just moved in next door is…the man who broke her heart when he chose a photography residency over her.

All of this fills Southern by Design to the brimming. There is heartbreak, romance, anger and a delightful look at the backstage world of creating a reality home show. I’m hoping that Holy City Flip becomes a series! I want to see more of these characters who I would recognize if I saw them walking down the street. If you like Kristy Woodson Harvey, Mary Kay Andrews or Patti Callahan Henry, you will love Grace Helena Walz and Southern By Design! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollinsFocus and Grace Helena Walz.

Coming from the South, I as a reader can understand how a certain last name carries weight as it epitomizes where that family stands in society. Society is extremely important as the girls and eventually women learn how to speak and behave in a certain way. Mack was born in that type of society; however, she was determined to capitalize on her talent as a designer and create her own path which eventually resulted in a reality television show. Even though it may have been frowned upon, she knew that divorcing Grady was the right decision as it enabled her to allow Hallie to be a child and express her wants and desires. Love does not go away when Mack had such strong feelings for Licoln.and I was glad she stood up to her mother and knew that she couldn't let him find someone else. Just like Fitz, love supersedes what society believes who one should be. This is a charming read.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse for the opportunity to read Southern by Design by Grace Helena Walz.. It was charming, sweet and sad and I enjoyed it tremendously.

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 While Mack may have a keen eye for design in her professional life, her personal life is not how she envisioned it to be after her husband’s dalliances outside their marriage. Grace Helena Walz’s novel absolutely radiates southern charm, a beautifully fun story of growing up even when you are technically an adult that many of us can relate to. Sometimes adult duties are tedious and no fun, and sometimes we find joy and second chances where we least expect them. Southern by Design hits all the notes of the classic souther antebellum style and grace in a heartwarming and savory read.

Review is on Goodreads and will be posted on instagram closer to publication date and on Amazon when published!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

As someone who has lived the entirety of their life in New England, this was the exact dose of southern charm I was looking for. I LOVED this book. It was like four or five of my favorite tropes rolled into one and I was living for it. I thought Mack was such a fun character but the supporting cast was what really made the story shine. I could quite literally visualize the Spanish moss swaying in the breeze over a glass of sweet tea in downtown Charleston. I also just really enjoyed the story. Mack working through her personal struggles with her career when the one who got away pops back up in her life was fun, and even though some of these plot points have been played out several times over, it still felt fun and fresh to these characters. I loved the relatability of having to really pull yourself up by the bootstraps when it feels like just about everything is an inconvenience and the odds are against you. Throw in the HGTV style element and you've got a really solid four star read. Loved it!

Adore this gorgeous cover! The southern setting is familiar for me, one I enjoy reading stories set there. This was no exception. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Souther by Design was a great book that had everything that I look for in a book: great story, great characters, and even a great cover!

Oh this book was just charming!!! It was such an adorable book. I can not wait to recommend this to book club! I absolutely loed the characters and the sweet story. Wonderful writing.