For fans of southern fiction there is so much to love about this debut novel!

Strong Women. Lost Love. Deception. Designing Woman. Cheating Husband. Overbearing Mother. Obedient Daughter. Gay Best Friend. Designing TV.

Set in Charleston with expected and unexpected twists, great characters and clever dialogue, Walz keeps your interest. This is a fun, cozy, romantic tribute to friendship and strong Southern Women.

Thank you to Grace Helena Walz for an enjoyable kickoff to a new year of reading. I cannot wait to read more from you!

Thank you to NetGalley for the complimentary eBook in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book gave me Mary Kay Andrews vibes in the best way possible! If southern chick lit is your thing then you will LOVE this book!!

This is an enjoyable southern family drama about a newly divorced mother with her dream career. While predictable, this is a story with well loved characters and a happy ending.

Newly divorced, Magnolia ‘Mack’ Bishop was so close to her dream of securing Charleston’s prestigious Historic Preservation Design Fellowship. With the loss of that dream her mother, the original Magnolia Bishop, has secured Mack a new design job with plenty of strings attached. When a home renovation television network reached out to Mack’s design firm about applying for a TV pilot, Mack knows this is her chance to get out from under her mother’s thumb and prove to everyone that she is a success. As her and her team prepare for the pilot – Mack will find herself facing questions and people from her past. Will these end up derailing her newly built life? Or will she finally be able to answer questions she’s had all her life.

I enjoyed this book but found it slightly lacking in execution. There were so many areas that could have been flushed out to really draw a reader in, but overall, I still found myself enjoying the story. As a debut, I think it could have used a bit more editing and focus -as the plot seemed to be stretched and trying to do too many things and felt it didn’t commit to any singular trope or topic. For example, it seemed it could have easily gone down as a romance, but lacked any true chemistry, instead brushing over the opportunity a bit. However, I did find our characters to be charming (minus her ex) and as a big fan of design shows, I loved the concept of Mack’s livelihood.

If you are a big fan of renovation shows, you will love Southern By Design. Filled with plenty of colorful characters, southern charm, and of course home design – this was a cute story perfect for an easy beach read. I’d certainly be interested to see what a sophomore approach looks like for Walz. 3.5 rounded up to 4 for the ‘easy breezy’ atmosphere.


Southern By Design comes out February 11, 2025! Huge thank you to Harper Muse for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my:

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I was able to read and listen to this book, while I though it was well written I did feel it hard to follow along via audio. I’m not sure if it was my audio but I felt I would have missed some words if I wasn't following along on print. I also thought the beginning the book was a little confusing but liked that it circles back at the end. All in all it was a lovely book and reminded me of a hug from the HGTV network.

This charming rom-com follows Mack, a talented designer navigating life, career, and the overbearing influence of her mother, Magnolia. Determined to break free from her mother's control, Mack builds her own firm and auditions for a reality TV show centered on her work. But just when she thinks she has everything figured out, life throws her a curveball!

I loved how Mack's journey unfolded, especially her friendship with Fitz—who truly adds depth to her world. It was refreshing to see that not everything had to revolve around Mack, and her character growth was one of my favorite aspects of the story.

As a Charleston local, I adored all the familiar references sprinkled throughout the book. The setting was vibrant and authentic, making the story even more enjoyable. If you’re looking for a fun, heartfelt read with humor, romance, and a dash of Southern charm, *Southern by Design* is a perfect pick! Highly recommend it to my fellow rom-com lovers, especially those who appreciate a Lowcountry backdrop.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#SouthernByDesign #GraceHelenaWalz #BookReview #RomComReads #Charleston #SouthernCharm #Bookstagram #MustRead #NetGalley

This was a wonderful setting, full of characters that were interesting and for the most part likable. Maybe a little slow paced but still very enjoyable. This is a writer that I will want to read again. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary digital ARC. This review is my own thoughts and opinion.

Southern by Design is set in one of the most beautiful cities in the South - Charleston, South Carolina. The setting and the old houses there are a major part of the story. Mack Bishop owns a design firm and is intent on winning Charleston's prestigious Historic Preservation Design Fellowship - an award desired by all of the design firms in town. She's also in the process of divorce from her husband..the husband who is the son of her mother's best friend. To say that her mom is controlling is putting it mildly. When Mack loses the award, her mother - one of the main charity driven women in town, gives her daughter a chance to work on a home for the historical society but, of course, mom wants to be part of the project and able to change some of Mack's design plans. Mack reluctantly accepts the job -- it may be her chance to become a more desired designer in Charleston society but she sure isn't looking forward to working with her mom. While she is starting on the historic home, a television network puts a call out for local designers. This would give her a chance to pitch the home renovation TV pilot of her dreams--one with a historic preservation twist and might just be the way to finally prove herself. However, she has to keep the TV pilot project secret from her mother and its difficult to keep any secrets in a town like Charleston. Her other mom problem is that her mom cannot accept her divorce and Mack is beginning to spend time with her new neighbor next door who was the guy she loved before she was married and the relationship ended too early when he got a job in NYC. To move forward Mack needs to learn to own her professional and personal future without interference from her mother or is her mother really more caring than Mack thinks she is? Can Mack grow up enough to find happiness in her life - both professional and personal - by following her own path?

If you enjoy TV fix-up design shows or the City of Charleston, this is a book that you don't want to miss. This is a debut novel by this author. She has a lot of potential and I look forward to her future books.

Lots of drama in this charming novel set in Charleston. Mack is renovating houses and as it turns out her life thanks to a rat of a husband. This has all the feels for those who like (privileged) Southern fiction. Yes it's a but trope-y but the characters are good and Walz has nailed the atmospherics. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

All you have to tell me is “This book is set in Charleston” and I will read it. “Southern by Design”. Had not only Charleston, but also a design show (think HGTV) AND the boy that got away…mix some southern family drama in the mix and you have a great read.

“Southern by Design” is great romance to be able to escape to the world! I do want more of stories with Mack!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for an ARC. #SouthernbyDesign #NetGalley #Charleston

3.5 stars, rounding up to four!

First I’ll say the cover of this book is totally stunning and I love how it fits the vibe of the story. Bright, colorful, southern charm. I was immediately intrigued by the description of the book (especially because it was a mix between sweet magnolias and fixer upper)!

This book did deliver on a lot of fronts. My favorite thing about the book was Mack’s business and seeing the design world through her eyes. The parts of the story where we got to see achieving her goals and making her vision come to life were really well done. It seemed like that was where the passion in this book lived!

The second chance romance was sweet but I felt it was very surface level and happened too quickly. It wasn’t quite a slow burn, just felt like it randomly happened and there wasn’t a lot of depth when they did finally get together. I needed a little more of the romance!

The secondary characters played a big role in the story and were all lovable (especially Fritz). The author did a great job of presenting Magnolia as a grey character. I wish we saw as much of Hallie in the last half of the book as we did the first half. All the drama at the end was a little much for me, but I do understand that could be more of a southern culture choice!

The setting was great and I really loved all the southern charm! Made me want to take a trip to Charleston ASAP.

Overall, I felt like this was a good debut novel and I would definitely read something else by this author if they wanted to write more!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins Focus- Harper Muse for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Southern by Design is a charming debut novel, with great characters and a fun storyline. The cover immediately grabbed my attention, and the setting, Charleston, secured this as a must-read for me. Grace Helena Walz did not disappoint. I'm looking forward to future novels by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

I loved many things about this book, the cover, the fact it was set in Charleston, but even though it is an interesting story it felt slow moving in certain parts. I am from the south so I can relate to a lot of it and the ending was a good wrap so It is.four stars for me.

Southern by Design by Grace Helena Walz had me hooked from the start with its blend of Southern charm, family drama, and a sweet second-chance romance. I’ll admit, the alternating timelines between present-day Mack’s struggles with single motherhood and her career ambitions, and the flashbacks to her summer romance with Lincoln Kelly, left me a little confused at first—it felt like I was following two separate storylines. But as the pieces came together, I was completely drawn in. Mack’s determination to rebuild her life after her husband’s scandal and her dream of pitching a home renovation TV pilot made her such a relatable and inspiring character. And when Lincoln, the one who got away, moved in next door, the chemistry and tension were undeniable. The last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat, rooting for Mack to succeed both professionally and personally. I loved this book!

Mack (real name Magnolia) has a business in Charleston restoring old houses, is married to her high school sweetheart, has a precocious daughter Hallie, and an interfering mother also named Magnolia. From the outside it looks like she is living a dream life, but when her husband sends explicit picture to another woman, her world is rocked. She gets to restore a old home under the oversight of the Historical Society (her mom), gets a chance to be featured in a reality TV show, and her college love moves next door with his son. Mack’s life is full of up’s and downs, but with the help of friends Mack learns about herself, her mom, and what she truly wants out of life.
Southern By Design, by Helena Walz, was a fun read.
FYI: Mack’s friend and business partner is a gay man. There is more in the book than I’d prefer but it was not graphic.

Magnolia "Mack" Bishop lives in Charleston and is in the process of divorcing her cheating husband. Mack owns her own design firm and redoing a house she has hopes the Charleston's prestigious Historic Preservation Design Fellowship like, so she wins. When they come to tour the house, it ends in host of calamities. Macks mother Magnolia controls as much of her life as she can; Mack doesn't have a father, and her mother is a control freak.
Lincoln Kelly has moved back to Charleston with his son; he was glad to be back. He has a seven-year-old son now and glad to be out of NYC. He left town 15 years ago to study under a professional photographer and now he is famous.
Mack spots a new neighbor moving in and decides to walk down to check out who it is moving in. She is in for a big surprise it's her old boyfriend Lincoln.
The story is told in going back 15 years to let us know what is going on then and now. The story is well written and a good first-time writers' book

I requested for an arc of this book because the synopsis portrayed a nice picture and built high anticipation. But book was not really up to my expectation. It started off nice, but started to get boring towards the middle, I skimmed through far too many pages.

Too many things were going on in Mack's life, yet nothing substantial was really happening. I enjoy the drama in books, but the drama here only made an appearance towards the very end.

I would have loved to see more of Lincoln and Mack falling in love, both in the past and the present. I could not buy their romance, it could have been written much better.

I loved reading about Mack's design firm, perhaps because of my own experience in the design industry. Mack as a character was not very strong. She made some choices that left me puzzled. Her actions felt unrealistic.
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Overall, it was an average read. I loved the starting and the ending (teared up once towards the end), but the middle part failed to keep my interest.

I really enjoyed this. It was cute, sweet and full of family drama! This is my first book by this author but it definitely won’t be my last.

This is a new author for me and I truly enjoyed this book. Money can be an evil, as we see in some of these scenarios. There are so many feels in this book and some surprises. I don’t always like when books jump from one time frame to another, but it was necessary and well done to give us the complete picture and story. I wouldn’t be mad if there is a sequel with these wonderful characters so I can continue to see how their lives continue on. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

Southern by Design is a compelling and heartwarming story centered on Magnolia “Mack” Bishop as she navigates the challenges of a divorce, a fraught relationship with her controlling mother, the discovery of true love, and the search for her biological father—a journey that ultimately leads to healing and self-discovery.

Told through a dual timeline of flashbacks and present-day events, the narrative effortlessly weaves Mack’s past and present, creating a rich, layered story. The cast of characters is as unique as it is endearing—Fritz, Mack’s loyal best friend; Lincoln, her charming beau; and the team of experts helping Mack restore a historic home.

Set against the picturesque backdrop of Charleston, the story shines with its vivid descriptions and Southern charm. Fans of home renovation and remodeling will especially enjoy the detailed restoration work woven into the plot.

This heartfelt tale of resilience, family, and love is a perfect pick for readers looking for a story that blends emotional depth with uplifting moments. Southern by Design is a delightful and memorable read.