William Morrow Magnolia Table Volume 2, Hardcover Review
A 352 page illustrated hardcover of Joanna Gaines's second Magnolia Table recipe collection, built around family meals and gathering.
| Publisher | William Morrow |
|---|---|
| Author | Joanna Gaines |
| Binding | Hardcover |
| Edition | Illustrated |
| Pages | 352 |
| Language | English |
| Best for | Home cooks wanting a second collection of family-style recipes from Joanna Gaines spanning breakfast through dinner |
Product Overview
This is the second volume in Joanna Gaines's Magnolia Table cookbook series, following her previous best-selling collection, and the listing's own text frames it as a continuation driven by her deepened interest in cooking for others after that first book's reception.
The book covers a broad range of meal types rather than a single category, with the listing specifically naming breakfast, dinner, breads, soups and sides as areas covered across the collection.
Gaines is credited as the sole author in the listing's byline information, and the book carries an Illustrated edition designation, consistent with the photographed-dish approach the feature text describes.
At 352 pages, this is a substantial single volume cookbook, enough room to cover the range of meal categories the listing describes without needing a companion volume.
Score Breakdown
This verdict is based on the manufacturer's stated specifications, the current Amazon listing and its product images, the confirmed materials and design, real buyer ratings, and our research into the product category. Scores are consistent editorial judgments, not laboratory measurements, and we did not receive a paid sample.
Key Features
Spans breakfast through dinner plus dedicated breads, soups and sides sections across a single 352 page volume.
Carries the Illustrated edition designation, pairing recipes with dish photography throughout the book.
Feature text specifically names a mushroom gruyere quiche, pumpkin cream cheese bread, stuffed pork loin and lemon lavender tart.
Follows Joanna Gaines's original Magnolia Table cookbook, continuing with new recipes for gathering.
Built to withstand repeated kitchen use and stand open on a counter or shelf.
Joanna Gaines is the sole contributor named in the listing's byline information.
Design and Build Quality
Hardcover binding at 352 pages gives this book the durability to withstand repeated kitchen use, standing open on a counter or shelf, which suits a cookbook meant to be referenced regularly rather than read once and shelved.
The stated dimensions describe a wide, tall cookbook footprint, consistent with how illustrated recipe books are typically sized to give photographs and recipe text room on the page without excessive page count.
The Illustrated edition designation lines up directly with the feature text's own description of the book as beautifully photographed, meaning the recipes are paired with dish photography throughout rather than presented as plain text instructions.
At well under a pound, this is a manageably light hardcover despite its page count and width, easy to hold open while cooking compared with a heavier reference-style cookbook.
Performance in Everyday Use
The listing's feature text specifically calls out several named dishes as examples of what the collection covers, including a mushroom gruyere quiche, a pumpkin cream cheese bread, a stuffed pork loin and a lemon lavender tart, which gives a concrete sense of the range between savory mains and baked goods.
Breakfast through dinner coverage, plus dedicated sections for breads, soups and sides according to the feature text, means this functions as a broad everyday reference rather than a narrow specialty book focused on one meal type or cuisine.
The feature text frames the book's motivation specifically around Joanna Gaines wanting to get back into the kitchen and beyond her usual comfort zone after her first cookbook's reception, which shapes the collection toward dishes meant for sharing and gathering rather than solo quick meals.
One detail worth flagging directly: the listing's own feature text contains a visible typo, rendering nclude where include is clearly intended, in the sentence describing the named example dishes, which is a listing-level error rather than anything about the book's actual printed content.
Overall the edition data and feature text describe a broad, photographed family cookbook built for repeated kitchen reference, with a meaningful range of dish types across a single hardcover volume.
How It Performs: The Evidence
| Decision factor | What we found | Evidence and measurement | Score | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Page count | 352 pages | Listing states the book runs to 352 pages | 9.0 | Confirms a substantial single volume with room to cover the range of meal categories described |
| Edition designation | Illustrated | Listing records the edition as Illustrated | 9.0 | Lines up with the feature text's own description of the book as beautifully photographed throughout |
| Binding | Hardcover | Listing classifies the binding as Hardcover | 8.8 | Durable enough to withstand repeated kitchen use and stand open on a counter |
| Named example dishes | Mushroom gruyere quiche, pumpkin cream cheese bread, stuffed pork loin, lemon lavender tart | Feature text names these dishes as examples included in the collection | 8.7 | Gives a concrete sense of the range between savory mains and baked goods on offer |
| Author credit | Gaines, Joanna, sole author | Listing's byline information names Gaines, Joanna as author | 9.0 | Confirms this volume continues directly from her original Magnolia Table cookbook |
| Weight | 0.65 lb | Listing states item weight of roughly 0.65 pounds | 8.5 | A manageably light hardcover despite its page count and width, easy to hold open while cooking |
| Listing text accuracy | Typo present | Feature text renders nclude in place of include when describing the named example dishes | 6.5 | A listing-level error worth flagging directly, though it has no bearing on the book's actual printed content |
Who Should Buy It
- Home cooks wanting broad everyday recipe coverage
- Fans of the original Magnolia Table cookbook
- Family-style cooking for gathering and sharing
- Readers who value photographed recipe collections
- Kitchen reference use rather than single-read cookbooks
- Gift purchases for home cooking enthusiasts
- Cooks seeking a single-cuisine specialty cookbook rather than a broad everyday family recipe collection
- Visible typo in the listing's own feature text
- No single-cuisine specialty focus
- Hardcover costs more to replace if damaged than paperback
- No stated nutritional or dietary information in the listing
- Requires owning or wanting the original Magnolia Table for full series context
Full Specifications
How It Compares
| Feature | William Morrow | Typical option | Higher-tier option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal coverage | Breakfast to dinner, breads, soups, sides | Single category only | Broad coverage |
| Edition | Illustrated, photographed | Text only | Illustrated |
| Binding | Hardcover | Paperback | Hardcover |
| Page count | 352 pages | Shorter collection | Similar length |
| Series context | Second volume | Standalone only | Series volume |
| Named example dishes | Specifically listed | Not listed | Specifically listed |
| Weight | 0.65 lb | Heavier reference book | Similar weight |
| Author credit | Joanna Gaines, sole author | Multiple contributors | Single author |
Alternatives Worth a Look



This second Magnolia Table volume runs to 352 pages of photographed recipes spanning breakfast through dinner, plus dedicated breads, soups and sides sections, built specifically around the idea of cooking for gathering rather than solo meals. The named example dishes in the listing, a mushroom gruyere quiche and a lemon lavender tart among them, give a concrete sense of the range on offer. Hardcover binding at a manageable weight makes this practical for regular kitchen use. The one thing worth knowing going in is a small typo in the listing's own feature text, which has no bearing on the book's actual printed content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a sequel to the original Magnolia Table?
Yes, this is the second volume in Joanna Gaines's Magnolia Table cookbook series, following her previous best-selling collection, continuing with new recipes for family gathering.
What kinds of recipes does this cover?
The feature text specifically covers breakfast through dinner, plus dedicated breads, soups and sides, naming examples like a mushroom gruyere quiche, pumpkin cream cheese bread, stuffed pork loin and lemon lavender tart.
Is this book illustrated with photos?
Yes, it carries the Illustrated edition designation, and the feature text describes the dishes as beautifully photographed throughout.
How long is the book?
352 pages in this hardcover edition, enough room to cover the range of meal categories the listing describes.
Is the hardcover durable for kitchen use?
Yes, hardcover binding at this page count is built to withstand repeated kitchen use and stand open on a counter or shelf.
Who wrote this cookbook?
Joanna Gaines is credited as the sole author in the listing's byline information.
Is the listing free of errors?
Not entirely. The feature text contains a visible typo, rendering nclude where include is clearly intended, though this is a listing-level error rather than anything about the book's actual printed content.
How heavy is the book?
The listing states an item weight of roughly 0.65 pounds, which is manageably light despite the book's page count and width.
This review is based on the publisher's stated specifications for this edition, the current product listing and its feature text and images, the stated page count, binding, edition designation, dimensions, weight and named example dishes, plus our own general knowledge of the Magnolia Table cookbook series. It is editorial analysis of the edition and its described content, not an evaluation of individual recipes we have cooked ourselves, and we have noted the typo present in the listing's own feature text.