Worthy Reads: September 2025

Everything I have enjoyed this month!

I made this Peach Ricotta Cake for an end-of-summer BBQ and it was such a crowd pleaser! 🙌 Because I can never follow a recipe exactly, I lightened it up a bit by using half a stick of butter + ½ cup unsweetened applesauce, and swapped the ricotta for whipped cottage cheese (blended it even smoother so it felt just like ricotta). Bonus: fewer calories, more protein. Since cottage cheese has some saltiness already, I just added a tiny pinch instead of the ¾ teaspoon. Honestly, no one had any idea I made changes—it was gone in minutes! 🍑 This would be amazing with apples or berries too. Highly recommend!

I’ve officially started my Black Friday shopping list, and at the top is the MZ Wallace Deluxe Large Metro Tote. I’ve seen a few friends travel with it, and it’s seriously impressive—it holds so much and slides right onto a roller bag with ease. Basically, it’s the perfect weekender bag and carry-on in one.

 

 We released a new colorway in our best-selling Velvet Twirly Dress, and it’s flying out of the shop faster than we can steam them! ✨ The deep purple is pure elegance—perfect for holidays, parties, and family photos—yet soft and comfy enough for everyday wear. It’s one of those dresses she’ll never want to take off.!

I LOVED this book. 

The Many Lives of Mama Love is Lara Love Hardin’s powerful memoir of losing everything—and slowly finding herself again. Once a typical suburban mom, her hidden opioid addiction spiraled into crime, jail time, and the loss of her family. Behind bars, she became “Mama Love,” a source of comfort and guidance for other women. After release, she faced the crushing stigma of being a felon while trying to rebuild her life and reclaim her role as a mother. It’s a raw, funny, and deeply human story about shame, resilience, forgiveness, and the possibility of starting over.