Southern By Design by Grace Helena Walz ⭐⭐⭐💫 Magnolia “Mack” Bishop’s ex-husband was caught cheating on her and was involved in a scandal which was revealed in a group text chain. Mack is trying to pick up the pieces of her life as she raises her 7-year-old daughter, and an opportunity arrives to try to be on a design show. As an interior designer, I was excited to read a book that focused on renovation. I wish more of the story was centered around this. The story was told in two timelines, present day and 15 years earlier. There is a second chance romance between Mack and her new neighbor, her high school sweetheart, but I didn’t feel the chemistry between the two in either timeline. There is a lot written about Mack and her mother’s relationship. I enjoyed the twist at the end but found the middle of the story to be lackluster. The story makes me want to go to Charleston! Overall, this was a decent debut and I’m curious to see what Walz comes up with next. LTKFindsUnder50 LTKMostLoved LTKHome