The Stuffie Stand ARC Children's book review

I originally found out this book was coming out in the publication Booklist. It was much better and cuter than I had expected. I can definitely recommend The Stuffie Stand to anyone looking for a new children's book.

For starters, it definitely has a cuteness factor that elementary school kids and younger are going to enjoy. Especially with the character Mabel. She means well, but she can come across as annoying in the way she just wants to help and in the way she gets excited over everything. Just like an actual child might at the intended reader's age. 

There is also the introduction of the idea of entrepreneurship in the way the stuffie stand comes to be. What starts out as a hobby turns into a business. When the business gets bigger, there is the idea of supply and demand and expanding the business. Of course, these terms weren't included but were shown at the intended reader's level.  

Another theme underlaid into the story is the importance of friendship. Without Moose and Mabel's friendship, they would not have been able to work together and expand their business. Mabel stuck by Moose even when he did not want her to. Like an actual friend does. 

I see many possibilities for The Stuffie Stand to be a very useful book. The themes of entrepreneurship and friendship especially give it great use in the classroom or in a homeschool setting. The cuteness factor helps keep a child's attention as well. 

This book comes out June 9, 2026.

Flushing His Pipe by Lara London ARC Review

Flushing His Pipe by Lara London was a rethat I didn't know that I needed. It was a quick read (read it in a night) that had some funny moments. It is also an adult book, definitely for the eighteen-and-over crowd.

This grumpy/ sunshine read introduces the two main characters, Jameson and Naomi. Jameson has sworn off love. He is exactly the blue-collar man some of us want because he is rough, tough, handsome, and gruff, running his own construction company, going from plumber to foreman. Naomi appears to be his polar opposite. She is temporarily living at the construction site that Jameson is working because of being new to the area, coming to town for her new job. Working with a wedding planning company her friend owns, Naomi is offering new opportunities as a massage therapist, a yoga instructor, and an aesthetician. She also is a curvy, blonde bombshell with a soft and soothing voice and soulful eyes. Of course Jameson would find her irresistible. Her dog, Fred, is a bonus as well.

The hesitant in the beginning to the full steam ahead attraction is a major part of why I couldn't quit reading this book. Their attraction and fast paced romance makes sense without the need to slow down. I'm typically more a slow or medium paced burn fan but this book may be one to fully change my mind.

The other characters make me look forward to reading the rest of the series as well. Especially Betty's shirt gifts. They have similar themes to the title of this book.

I definitely recommend Flushing His Pipe by Lara London. I also recommend grabbing the bonus scene by joining her newsletter. I'm definitely out of my reading funk I have been in. I can't wait to read more Lara London books.