Falling like Leaves is the perfect cozy fall book that wraps you up like a warm hug. I was expecting this book to be ok. My expectations weren’t very high because I assumed it was going to be a generic “fall vibes” book. I couldn’t have been more wrong! If you like Gilmore Girls and Pumpkin Spice Cafe, then this book is for you! I can’t wait to read more books from this author!

🍂 This was such a cute fall YA romance!
I loved the atmosphere, the fall vibes and the characters, now I can't wait for the pumpkin spice latte season.

✨Vibes:✨
🎃 from city to small town
🎃 second chance romance
🎃 pumpkin spice lattes
🎃 practical magic

If you’re looking for a cute fall-themed teen romance, Falling Like Leaves delivers on every aspect. It’s full of small town charm, second chance romance. The vibes reminded me of Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls—cozy, atmospheric, and heavy on the leaves and lattes.

Ellis, the main character, is understandably upset about leaving behind her life in the city, but at times she comes off as a bit selfish at first, especially when dealing with others' feelings. That said, her journey is relatable and she does come around in the end. The rest of the cast is cute and fun, from her energetic aunt, cousin Sloane who always has Ellis' back, to the now even hotter Cooper, they all add plenty of personality even if some could have used more depth.

One thing that took me out of the story was the way some side characters were described. A few came off a little too blunt or stereotypical—like the pizza delivery boy or classmates. I appreciated the attempt at diversity, but those moments felt more like placeholders. Hopefully that’s something that will be cleaned up in the final version.

Overall, this is a sweet, easy read with all the fall feels: flannel and oxfords, lattes, baked goods, and slow burn romance in a cozy town that goes all out for the season. Definitely worth picking up in September when it releases!🍂☕

🍁Huge thank you to netgalley & the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

The perfect fall read.
-Cozy Town
-2nd chance romance
-Great banter, closed door

This made me want to pack my bags, move to Bramble falls and order a harvest latte! I fell in love with the town and characters. This story follows Ellis who moves out of NY to a small town in CT. She crosses path with her old flame Cooper, a local barista. There story restarts there and I loved every minute. I really hope this turns into a long series. I want all the characters to get their happy ending.

Misty Wilson did an amazing job creating a cozy fall read, that was fun, binge worthy. All the characters were dynamic and well thought-out and interacted and intertwined with the story perfectly. I absolutely want to read more books by Misty Wilson!

5 star read for me. Thank you kindly to Net Galley for the ARC! I'm so grateful and truly loved this book!

A cute and cozy read with the perfect fall vibes that turned my summer days into autumn and pumpkin spice filled dreams. The romance in this book is almost dreamlike and the concept of someone finding their true self and the plase where they feel at home in their passions and goals is mesmerising

Adooooooooreddd this eARC. Read in 1 day and had 0 complaints start to finish. Really fun Fall YA book! Absolutely loved the characters and wish teenage boys had been like that irl ☠️

Thank you Misty Wilson & NetGalley for an ARC of Falling Like Leaves!

This book was so sweet. I was in the mood for a (pre) Fall read and this one delivered in spades!

Ellis and Cooper were extremely likeable main characters with a surprising amount of depth given this is a YA novel.

Overall, I found Falling Like Leaves to be charming, heartfelt and engaging. I recommend to anyone look for a fast paced Autumn read!

"Gilmore Girls meets Jenny Han in this autumnal teen rom-com about a city girl stuck in a quaint small town who must confront her future and her old flame while the town prepares for an annual fall festival.

Ellis has a plan: spend her senior fall prepping her application for Columbia, get into their journalism program, and set the foundation for a respectable career. So when her parents announce that not only are they separating, but Ellis has to move with her mom from New York City to Bramble Falls, Connecticut, to live with her aunt and cousin, it couldn't come at a worse time.

From past summers spent in Connecticut, Ellis knows Bramble Falls is idyllic and charming. But it also seems to be full of distractions. There's local barista Cooper Barnett, Ellis's one-time best friend and first kiss who now wants nothing to do with Ellis. And then there's the Falling Leaves Festival, a local autumnal celebration run by Ellis's aunt where people from all over come to see Bramble Falls's beautiful foliage. The house is stuffed with decorations, and every conversation seems to center around the festival.

Dragged to every oh-so-charming event from apple picking to pumpkin carving, Ellis can't stop bumping into Cooper...or falling for the quaint town and its quirky residents. As her return to Manhattan gets repeatedly delayed, Ellis finds herself caught between two very different places - and the futures they represent."

Yes, we are officially in the fall Gilmore Girls section of Tuesday Tomorrow.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

I couldn’t get enough of this book! This book is cozy sweaters Gilmore girls reruns and hot pumpkin spice lattes.
Ellis is a girl who adamantly is working towards getting into Columbia for journalism like her dad .Her real passion is fashion design. She and her cousin Sloane have the sweetest friendship and it was one of my favorite parts of the book.

I could say a thousand things about Cooper. He works as a barista and bakes at a local cat cafe. He was the main leads childhood summer best friend but they had a falling out when she ghosted him.

To anyone who is looking for a cozy autumn read this it!!
🍂 🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁

13+
Some language ( 6 uses of the f-word )
Lgbtq+ themes ( only two mentions of side characters )
Just kissing
4.5 stars

Ellis has a plan to get into Columbia for journalism. It is her senior year and everything must go off without a hitch but when she is told she and her mom are moving to Bramble Falls to live with her aunt because her mom and dad are taking a break all of her hard laid out plans go down the drain.
Now she is back in Bramble falls and the guy she spent some time with, Cooper, they use to be best friends and now he won’t even really look at her.
This is a second chance, small town young adult romance that was full of fall time fun and was a very fast read. It was absolutely perfect for the fall time with apple picking, pumpkin patches and even mazes. Really anything you could think of this had it.
I could totally see myself as Ellis. I was the student who was the one who had to get good grades and wanted to get into the good college and I can totally see myself in her. I really liked the crafty side of her with designing and making outfits. I really loved the growth we saw with her to from not really wanting to be in the town and being made to be there, to making friends and ended up enjoying the volunteering. I totally would love to read more in this town!

Do you love cozy fall romance novels? How about pumpkin picking, corn mazes and apple bobbing? Then this book has it all for you-including flannel! Ellis is moved to a small town by her mother while her parents take a break. She is trying to stay on track to apply for prestigious colleges but is side tracked by her cute new neighbor Cooper, who she has history with from visiting Bramble Falls in years past (to visit her aunt). Except, he's mad and she does not know why! There is also something mysterious going on with her father who stays in the city. I loved watching Ellis finally take the time to be a kid and experience small town life in a town that takes fall VERY seriously! I finished this cozy read in two days and cannot wait to return in Misty Wilson's next book!

Beautifully written, emotional story about love, healing, and finding yourself in the quiet moments of change. With a cozy autumn setting and a slow-burn romance, this heartfelt read is perfect for anyone who loves second chances and stories that linger long after the last page.

I’m really sad this one missed the mark for me. Maybe I’m just not the intended audience because I could see some redeeming qualities but I just found myself forcing through this book unfortunately.

I will say I absolutely love this concept of a second chance but where one of them is super upset at the other. That’s a different take than I’ve read and I enjoyed that. I also really enjoyed the same town vibes and the town making the biggest deal out of the fall season and all of the activities! I’m a HUGE sucker for some fall vibes which was why I requested the book in the first place.

I also really enjoyed all of the secondary characters and the MMC, Cooper. Where this book became unbearable for me was the FMC. And that’s why I saw I might not be the right audience. I found her immature, ungrateful, and very selfish. I understand being driven but she literally and very rudely shuts everyone out in pursuit of her studies. Literally no balance. And I get she’s a high school senior but if you’re that goal oriented then you should have the maturity to understand working hard and play time. She’s beyond rude to be mom, aunt, and cousin who all only want to help her in this transition she doesn’t want part of, and the only person she pays any lick of attention to is her dad who….ugh we won’t go there.

And there’s also poor Jake 😭 just cut the line for the poor guy.

Again, I gave it two stars because I can see where a young adult / older teen could really relate with her but it wasn’t for me so it’s not one I could personally recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

High 4 ⭐️!!!!
Make sure to check this out if you love heartwarming ya romances, with a it-girl fmc and the sweetest mmc. The friendships and family dynamics in this book are so sweet. The fall vibes are immaculate and I will definitely be rereading in the fall with my PSL and Taylor Swift blasting in the background! Perfect for readers who love Lynn Painter, Autumn Vibes Books, Small Town, and obviously Girlmore Girls
* Also the cover

I really enjoyed this book! It gave off cozy fall vibes & made me want a pumpkin spice latte. I found Ellis relatable, especially in her struggle to figure out whether she should follow the path her father expects or chase her own passion. Her inner conflict felt so real & I was rooting for her the whole time, even when she started to annoy me. I especially enjoyed watching her character development.

If you need the perfect fall read, then look no further!! This is like pumpkin spice latte, Gilmore Girls, and cute relationships all wrapped up in one. I finished this book in a day and could not put it down. I loved everything about the characters, Ellis, Cooper, and Jake and loved the maturity of some of these characters. The plot was divine and the shorter chapters made me keep wanting to read more. I loved following Ellis journey and I was rooting for her the whole time. This is a book that I think many young adults can connect to and I loved it. I can’t wait to buy multiple copies for my book shelves. I know my students will devour this sweet story. Thank you netgalley and publisher for the advanced read. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

This was a cozy read full of fall vibes and the small town setting felt alive. I enjoyed getting to know Ellis and felt heartbreak for her when her mom suddenly pulled her away from New York when she was in her senior year. Ellis had big goals for her career and never took time to have fun and experience what it's truly like to be a high school student until she was forced to move. I could understand her anger and then enjoyed seeing how she slowly made the best of her temporary situation.

I didn't like that Ellis' parents kept her from the truth and treated her like she was a young child. I understand trying to protect your kids, but uprooting Ellis at such a pivotal point of her life should have been a chance to come clean. Instead, Ellis' parents' choices made Ellis make her own poor decisions and hurt the people who loved her.

The romance was sweet and I enjoyed the friendship between Cooper and Ellis too. The ending felt a bit rushed and predictable and didn't seem to match with the drama that had occurred in the last few chapters. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy for an honest review.

4.5 stars – Falling Like Leaves by Misty Wilson is a wonderful, cozy read! This YA novel is a quick easy read that gives off warm vibes – think fall festivals, corn mazes, pumpkin spice lattes, yummy cookies, senior year high school fun and second chances.

Ellis moves, somewhat temporarily, to Bramble Falls, Connecticut from New York City when her parents’ marriage falls apart. Her mother’s sister and family live there and Ellis visited often when she was younger. When Ellis was 14, she became infatuated with Cooper, a Bramble Falls local boy her age. When Ellis and Cooper reconnect, their relationship grows with some bumps and bruises. Such a warm, cozy story even though Ellis is a bit of a brat at times.

A big “Thank You” to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing |Margaret K. McElderry Books for allowing me to receive a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A perfect fall read! It felt so cozy, I loved the cast, and the depth of characters, and the small town setting.

Ugh, I’m genuinely a bit heartbroken about having finished Falling Like Leaves… because it’s a sublime entry in the YA genre. I have been seeking out a comfort read all summer, as only a few novels truly have captured my attention and interest enough to make me want to binge read them. After having read Wilson’s colleague’s novel, Lynn Painter’s Fake Skating, I was worried I wouldn’t find anything else for months that would come close. Well, I was wrong.

I originally tempered my expectations a bit, even putting off reading Falling Like Leaves for a handful of weeks, instead of immediately starting it after my request was approved. I am glad I did though, because like Ellis’s new life in Bramble Falls, it was exactly what I needed to lift my spirits. Had I immediately read it, I’m not sure I would have connected as deeply to it as I have/did. As someone who is not in the target demographic, I often read YA novels with an analytical lens, examining the realism and rationality of their plots, the timelessness of their writing styles, and the development of their characters. However, let’s be brutally honest here— YA isn’t just for pre-teens, teens, and young adults anymore. It is a genre to which any reader will turn when he/she/they want(s) to reminisce or recapture a bit of that quintessential childhood/teenage magic.

Therefore, though I cannot speak for my thirty-year-old plus contemporaries, for me, Falling Like Leaves tapped into my teenage sense of wonder and excitement and allowed me to escape into the world of Bramble Falls. How, one may ask?

1. Wilson’s writing is chock full of imagery; the town is described to such an extent that I quickly envisioned it in my mind, much less the characters. Wilson doesn’t rely on descriptions though to drive the plot— the actions of the characters develop each plot point and interweave seamlessly with their dialogue. Everything just flows together so well. To add to that, despite obviously being Generation Z, Ellis, Cooper, Sloane, Jake, and company speak in a relatively timeless way, making their stories accessible for all ages and audiences.

2. Each of the teenaged characters (apart from a few of the minor characters— Slug and Chloe, for example) are nuanced enough that I immediately found an element to which I could relate. However, what truly makes them memorable is how evolved, good, and genuine they are (as a HS teacher of 13 years, I would hope that I have enough experience working with students to speak to these qualities). Yes, at the beginning, Ellis is driven to the point of being a bit insufferable (the opening scene actually made me believe she was in college before she mentioned being in high school). Later, Sloane’s enthusiasm during her introduction and Ellis’s subsequent first few days of school comes across as irritating and eye roll worthy for those of us who aren’t beams of sunshine 24/7. However, they quickly shed their stereotypes and expose/embrace who they truly are— making any prior irritation evaporate. Let’s talk about Cooper and Jake for a minute though. Perhaps I haven’t paid as much attention to how my students in recent years communicate with each other (in a solely social context, not academic). However, the characters’ ability to communicate is excellent. Though Cooper hesitated to share his feelings with Ellis, it wasn’t for a lack of words, but rather due to his fear of being abandoned once more. When he found his courage to do so, his dialogue was direct. Jake is more or less the same. Both are adorable to say the least about their personalities. They are considerate, attentive, respectful, and unapologetic about expressing their opinions and feelings, even if it ordinarily would result in embarrassment. The only issue I took with Wilson’s characterization was the lack of development of Aunt Naomi. I assume, given the announcement of Falling Like Snow, Sloane and Asher’s story, that she’ll receive more attention then.

All of that said, I wish Fern had been given more to do, as her appearance in the novel was relegated to the role of furthering the plot, rather than existing as her own character.

Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Falling Like Leaves. I loved it and am eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series(?).

I had so much fun with this! It was a great palette cleanser, and was exactly the quick read that I needed. The characters were real and honest, and I definitely rooted for them. It's the perfect cozy book to get out of reading slumps or as a pick me up after a heavy read. I'd definitely love to check out more work by this author, especially if she writes more titles in this town. I will definitely recommend to patrons!