This wasn’t my cup of tea but it was well written and plenty of detail was laid out. The content was a bit dry but that was just my take from it.

After the initial pages, I found myself not connecting with the story so I decided to pass on this book. Did not finish

In a Sweet Magnolia Time begins by pointing out that Judge Waties Waring of South Carolina was the first to argue that "separate but equal can never be equal." and following with few glimpses of Waring's life. Instead, some insight into the judge is offered through letters written by his first wife, Annie, and the friendship between white alcoholic lawyer Arthur Covingdale and black local fisherman Jim Cohen. It would appear that Arthur and Jim (and later Jim's relative Anise) put the judge's profound words to the test as they develop a respect and liking for each other. While Arthur will struggle in his personal relationship with Anise, all three characters will reach new understandings of how to live one's life.

"In a Sweet Magnolia Time" by Robert Wintner is the story of 58-year-old Arthur Covingdale in Charleston, South Carolina in the late 1960's. He's the type of older white man who is racist, but doesn't consider himself racist; who thinks racist jokes are perfectly acceptable with the right timing. At the funeral for Judge Waties Waring, who set the ball rolling for the important court case Brown v. Board of Education, Arthur is confronted with his past and the new knowledge that a heinous racist act committed in his youth is not the secret he thought it was. After the funeral, Arthur gives a ride to a Black fruit peddler, and this action changes the course of his life forever.

I really enjoyed parts of this book, and I liked how Arthur grew as a person-proof that older people can indeed change their ways and that age is no excuse for racism. The characters were vivid and realistic; the descriptions of life in 1960's Charleston were enlightening and interesting. However, some parts of this book were so wordy and convoluted that I found myself skimming large passages. I think it needs a good editing to tighten things up a bit. Otherwise, it was a good read and I am thankful to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Seemed like the topic was well researched but at times it was a little hard to get past the verbiage. Not being familiar with the South and it's uniqueness I did find that the topic was presented well. The time period was written accurately as so you were there.

Thank you NetGalley and Robert Wintner for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I wish to thank NetGalley and Twice-Baked Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a book set in Charleston which is one of my favorite destination cities. I tried several times to get into this story and over and over and would put it down and try again later but to no avail. I did not finish it as it was just too difficult for me to get interested.

The story deals with Federal Judge Waring known for his 1951 dissenting opinion in Briggs vs. Elliott that helped put into motion the landmark ruling Brown vs. Board of Education in 1954 which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that U.S. state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools are unconstitutional, even if the segregated schools are otherwise equal in quality. It suggests that Waring dissenting opinion was an act of revenge against the white elite of Charleston, S.C. that shunned him after the divorce from his first wife, a lesbian. I found reading it frustrating and difficult to follow. I also didn’t find the relationship between Covingdale and Anise convincing.

i really enjoyed reading this book, it was a well done historical novel that was written really well. The characters were interesting and I enjoyed the historical period.