Southern by Design: A heartwarming novel of family, design, and secrets that refuse to stay buried

Magnolia "Mack" Bishop is navigating single motherhood after her husband's infidelity becomes public within her community. She is focused on winning Charleston's prestigious Historic Preservation Design Fellowship, a coveted award among local designers. When the final house tour for the fellowship competition falls apart due to multiple problems, Mack loses her opportunity. Her mother, the original Magnolia Bishop, then offers her a project with conditions attached. Magnolia is primarily concerned with maintaining her social standing and controlling Mack's life, including keeping secret the identity of Mack's absent father. While working for her mother, Mack learns that a television network is seeking local designers for a show. She decides to pitch her own home renovation TV pilot with a historic preservation focus, working in secret to avoid her mother's interference. Complications arise when Lincoln Kelly, Mack's first love from a summer romance fifteen years earlier, moves into the house next door. He had left for New York to pursue his dreams, leaving Mack heartbroken. His unexpected return disrupts her carefully managed life. The novel explores themes of family, design, and long-buried secrets, following Mack as she pursues her professional ambitions and navigates her personal relationships. Book club discussion questions are included.