Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and Net Galley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This was the perfect book to start my fall reading. Misty Wilson painted this picture perfect cozy town of Bramble Falls and I was wishing it was a real place, and a harvest spice latte was a real drink. Ellis has her future set, just get through senior year in NYC and apply to Colombia so she can be a Journalist like her dad, but when her parents send a shock wave through her plans and uproots everything Ellis has to finish her perfect senior year and college application in a quaint town called Bramble Falls....in Connecticut. Ellis is devastated and when her mom and her pull up to her aunts and cousins house she is anything but thrilled. Little does she know this little town might have a lot more in store for her than she could ever imagine and possibly someone from her past that she hasn't quite forgotten about. Fun Fall themes, Hilarious banter and fun and sometimes sassy characters this books is the epitome of fall reading. Definitely consider adding it to your fall TBR, it is out in stores today!

Thank you to the publishers for an early copy of this book. This was a cute, Gilmore Girls-esque fall read. Overall this was entertaining and fun to read for the fall. I love reading about small towns and the different festivals and events they take part in. I struggled to be fully invested in this one. There were points where this was a little too YA and predictable for me. I struggled to connect with these characters. This didn't fully work for me, but I would recommend to anyone that likes a cozy fall read.

This book was so good! Ellis is the main character and she is in high school. Her life is uprooted when her parents decide to get a divorce, and of course it happens right before her senior year. She is whisked away to New York to live with her.m mother at her aunts house. She goes to a coffee shop and runs into none other than Cooper. They knew each other not too long ago but it might as well have been another lifetime. He gives her the cold shoulder because they didn’t part ways on the best of terms. Follow along with Ellis as she learns to accept the change in her life just as the change of the seasons comes on and she sees the beauty of fall in the big city. I loved this!

Falling Like Leaves by Misty Wilson is a cozy, heartwarming teen rom-com.
Ok, this cover art is simply amazing.
I was so excited to read this book and it did not disappoint!
Ellis and Cooper were so relatable. I just loved them together.
The perfect book to read during the fall months!

Thank You NetGalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7882374318

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/falling-like-leaves-misty-wilson/1146889511

4.5⭐️
This was the cutest way to slip into that fall feeling🥰 Cooper and Ellis were sensational as they came together from friends to something more. Ellis is going through a big change and I love how it is symbolized in the turning of the season. Everyone in this story is going through their own transformation of sorts and autumn shows just how beautiful change can be🍁

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.


Falling Like Leaves by Misty Wilson is a lighthearted and easy-paced teenage rom-com and story of self-discovery. The book wonderfully captures the small-town autumn setting, tying the new season into Ellis' new chapter in life, with characters participating in multiple charming fall events. By the end of the book, I wanted to be in Bramble Falls with their friend group.

The book begins with Ellis being uprooted from her life in New York during the stressful college application season. As an ambitious senior, it'd be an understatement to say she isn't thrilled. But over time, she settles into her life with her cousin, new friends, and past love interest. It isn't easy, though, as Ellis has multiple moments where she just wants to leave. Her growth makes the book feel authentic and satisfying by the end.

Ellis is incredibly relatable. She has high expectations for herself and is in the mindset of trying to fit a certain mold, even when it doesn't reflect what she truly wants. Watching her learn to prioritize what she genuinely wants over others' expectations is a delight to see.

The romance is sweet and full of tension. Cooper is such a supportive and caring character, encouraging Ellis to be herself and giving her the push when she's struggling. Their relationship felt genuine and heartwarming.

Some areas I wish had been explored more include Ellis' relationship with her dad and more of a look into Cooper's character. Also…justice for Jake, but it's okay because he's fine in the end.

I'd recommend this book to fans of Gilmore Girls (obviously!), Lynn Painter, second-chance romances, childhood-friends-to-lovers stories, or anyone looking for a cozy, easy read.

Falling Like Leaves by Misty Wilson is Gilmore Girls meets Jenny Han in the best way. Ellis’s senior year plans go off the rails when her parents split, forcing her to trade Manhattan skyscrapers for Bramble Falls, Connecticut, where autumn comes with apple picking, pumpkin carving, and an ex–best friend turned grumpy barista. Between prepping for Columbia applications and dodging the town’s leaf-obsessed festivities, Ellis finds herself torn between the future she planned and the unexpected pull of home, family, and maybe even love.

I’m giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. The cozy fall vibes were absolutely immaculate, with crackling leaves, cider-scented air, and a touch of small-town drama that keeps the pages turning. The writing flows beautifully, the pacing is spot on, and the whole thing felt like sipping hot chocolate on a chilly autumn day. I genuinely didn’t want to put it down.

That said, this one leans firmly YA, so if angsty teen feelings and self-discovery are not your thing, you may not connect with it as much. But if you are in the mood for a charming fall rom-com with all the heart and atmosphere you could want, Falling Like Leaves is a must. Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!

falling like leaves (arc) by Misty Wilson review 🍂🤎✨

4.5⭐️!!

The perfect cutie YA autumn romance! Honestly I was blown away with this book and literally could not put it down towards the last 50% of the book. 🥹✨ Prepare yourself for a swoony little love triangle, lots and lots of fall Gilmore Girls vibes, and some very cute Taylor Swift references. ☺️🤎

And the ANGST. Oh gosh. I was totally crying and having little heart pains with this one. I just wanted the babies to be happy. 😭 It perfectly embodied the big feelings and emotions you have as a teen when it comes to love. 🥺🫶🏻

Cooper our mmc has a guarded heart due to his past with Ellis when they were kids. Meanwhile Ellis wants to focus on her future, leaving no time for boyfriends. Their past brings them together like magnets in the best way! 🧡

If you need a clean fall small town romance full of angst and fun, PLEASE READ THIS ONE 🤎🍂✨🎃

Thank you so much for this arc @simonteen !! ⭐️
#SimonTeenInfluencer #FallingLikeLeaves

Out tomorrow 9.2.25 🤎

Thank you Simon & Schuster for the arc of Falling Like Leaves by Misty Wilson.

This is a young adult, second chance romance about two high school seniors in a small town. Ellis comes from the big city and runs into her old friend Cooper from years back. The problem is, he seems to hate her now.

All the fall vibes!! I live for jealousy so I was amused by the high school drama! The main characters were fleshed out well, even down to Ellis’s parents.

Simple story, but definitely a read I would say for middle school age rather than young adult range. Felt like the cover made it seem like a more mature story.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc of the book.

This book was so cute!!!! Loved the fall small town vibes. 100% reminiscent of Gilmore Girls. The underlying themes of the story were so impactful. I got a huge sense of live while your young and do what makes you happy/do what you love. The romance was super sweet. There were a few pop culture references which I know bother some people. It brought me out of the story a few times. I also felt like the “drama” between the two main characters was a bit lackluster. Her leading another guy on and him leading another girl on for no reason except that they can’t communicate/he decides to ignore her even though everything was fine the last time they talked. It was a bit frustrating. With that said, I would 100% recommend this book because it is such a cute fall read.

actual rating: 3.5. FALL IS HERE AND IT COMES IN THE FORM OF THIS BOOK 🗣️🍂 a quick and easy read that made me yearn for the cooler weather. my only downside is that this book was a bit too young for me as a college-aged girl. i do think this book would be a perfect introduction to YA for a younger audience. I equate this to the same level of The Summer I Turned Pretty (aka upper middle school/lower high school girls who are ready to move on from Wattpad)

Falling Like Leaves was the perfect read to kick off the -ber months. This was such a cozy YA novel full of small town shenanigans, family connection, and a sweet romance. The Gilmore Girls comparison was definitely accurate and I got some Practical Magic vibes as well (and I love how the movie popped up throughout the book!).

One of my favorite things about this book was just how autumnal it felt. The town felt like its own character with all of the autumn festival events and just how into it everyone got. Seriously, it would be a dream come true to live in a town like this. I loved all of the characters in this book (except maybe Ellis’ dad) and even though this is a YA book, they all seemed very mature and low drama for the most part. Ellis thinks she has her whole future planned out at the beginning of the book and it was refreshing to see her perspective change when she moves away from the city. I loved seeing how her relationship with her mom changed when they got to spend more time together and how she rekindled her relationship with Cooper after so many years apart.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a review copy. I hope we get to return to Bramble Falls again in the future!

Falling Like Leaves by Misty Wilson was a tender and beautifully written story that really touched me. I loved how it captured the bittersweet mix of change, love, and finding your place in the world. The characters felt relatable, and their emotions resonated deeply, making the story easy to connect with. It’s the kind of book that lingers in your heart after the last page.

Happy almost publishing day (9/2) to this sweet and adorable YA romance novel. A solid 3.75 star read. Overall, this story is such a good coming of age novel about Ellis navigating her way through what she always thought she wanted/had to do, but what is actually best for her and her goals in life. I loved the social commentary on how we may put our parents goals for us on a pedestal and how it's ok to deviate from that if something else makes us happy. I would say the romance was secondary to the story, and I was ok with that. Personally, I cannot wait to read what is next in the Bramble Falls series. Jake (secondary character) is an absolute cinnamon roll and I hope we get his story. He is the perfect MMC in the making and his love for T Swift is *chef's kiss*

eARC review - thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for an early copy of this book!

Falling Like Leaves is a quick and fun autumn read! I really liked Ellis, the main character, I thought she was complex and intelligent. Cooper was adorable and I was nervous it wouldn’t work out for a brief moment with the third act break up. I did appreciate that the Jake situation didn’t end with him being angry and blaming Ellis because I think that happens a lot in rom coms with a second guy who the heroine is not interested in. I honestly really want Misty Wilson to write an adult romance centered on Ellis’s mom finding her true love after her bad divorce from Ellis’s awful dad. I don’t even care if it’s set in Bramble Falls. I want that book and I know Sloane’s book is next but plz justice for Ellis’s mom!

This book is perfect to kickoff the fall season. It gives very strong Hallmark movie vibes as this ambitious girl from NYC has to spend her fall in a small town in Connecticut she used to visit as a kid. She of course gets roped into the town’s fall festivities and runs into the boy she met there years prior. So maybe a little cliche but I think we all sometimes yearn for these seasonal type stories. It definitely made for a cozy fall romance.

This book doesn’t hold anything back with the fall vibes; there’s apple picking, pumpkin carving, football games, corn mazes, apple cider, and more! Plus, I loved the tight-knit, small town atmosphere.

Cooper was a sweetheart of a love interest, always bringing Ellis coffee and cookies and helping her out. I also really loved Ellis’s cousin, Sloane, and the rest of the friend group.

What I found most interesting about this book was Ellis’s relationship with her dad. He had a big effect on her and it really rubbed off on her other relationships. Ellis has to come to the realization that maybe her dad isn’t as great as she thinks he is and her dreams aren’t the same as his.

I do have one big complaint about this book and it’s the lack of discussion Ellis’s parents have with her. It annoyed me that her parents tell her (the day before!!) that she’s moving with her mom to Connecticut without giving her much of an explanation or say in it. Moving schools your senior year is a big deal, especially with all of the commitments Ellis had like the school paper and her internship, so I found it so hard to believe they gave her no warning and had no discussions about it. Poor girl had to pack up and leave in less than 24 hours. I was eventually able to get past it and it did help the story progress quickly, but it definitely had me a little irked.

But if you’re looking for fall themed romances to add to your tbr I think this one would check all the boxes!

3.5/5 ⭐️

🍂✨ First pumpkins of the season + a cozy fall rom-com = the perfect September 1st combo! 🎃

I just finished Falling Like Leaves, and it’s basically Gilmore Girls meets Jenny Han. Think small-town charm, quirky festivals, endless lattes, and one very swoony old flame.

Ellis thought she had her senior year mapped out in Manhattan—until her parents’ separation lands her in Bramble Falls, Connecticut. Suddenly she’s stuck helping with her aunt’s month-long Falling Leaves Festival (yes, it’s as autumnal as it sounds 🍁) and constantly running into her childhood best friend/first kiss, Cooper. Except now Cooper is giving her the cold shoulder… and yet also baking cookies sweet enough to make anyone forgive him. 🍪❤️

This book was a delight! It reads like strolling through Stars Hollow, with gossiping neighbors, cozy small-town vibes, and all the seasonal feels. Ellis and Cooper’s romance is sweet (with a little teen miscommunication, of course), and I loved how the town itself became a character.

My only wish? A deeper dive into Ellis’s relationship with her dad—it felt like the emotional impact was there, but we didn’t get to see enough of it explored.

Still, if you’re craving a quick, bingeable fall read, this one is a perfect PSL companion. ☕🍂 Falling Like Leaves hits shelves this September, and it’s exactly the kind of comfort read to kick off the season.

This is the perfect book to welcome the bur months. Falling like Leaves is a beautiful YA romance full of charm, small town vibes and swoon all around. Imagine having your life planned and all of a sudden everything changes without warning.

Ellis is a very determined teenager, she is working hard to attend Columbia and please her father. She volunteers and is super excited for her senior year. Unfortunately all her plans change when her mom decided to take her to Bramble Falls, Connecticut. Of course Ellis tries to stop this without success. Once in Bramble Falls, both Ellis and her mom will start seeing the change of pace in their daily lives and all the fond memories they had when they visited. In comes Cooper, Ellis first love and now they’ll have to remedy their broken friendship and maybe ignite that spark they once had. The atmosphere and fall vibes are absolutely the cutest and I am so excited for fall to be here so readers can read this one next to the cozy fire or in a cute coffee shop.

Cozy autumn read. The conflict was interesting, but a little tidy for high schoolers. I expect teenagers to make mistakes, and additionally, royally screw up the repair. But I can suspend belief for a a cozy read that can model good conflict resolution.
Ellis making the same mistake twice when she hurt Cooper? Messy, selfish teenager behavior! I love a flawed character.
My least favorite thing was all the “is this real life” and “what even is life” as internal monologue from the main character. Felt young, for sure, but also a bit heavy handed. Felt unnecessary when I could clearly understand the characters POV without it.

Let me start by saying that as a near 40 year old woman, it’s extremely hard for me to relate to high school romances. That said, I did still enjoy this fast-paced fall romp, but the FMC did grate on me pretty badly.

Ellis (ironic name for someone who is born & raised in NYC) is about to enter her senior year & has a one track mind of applying to Columbia as a journalism major to follow in her father’s footsteps. What she really wants to do & just hasn’t realized yet, is take her secondhand fashion designs & go to FIT, but her Dad only sees that as a hobby so she pushes that aside. Then, her life is suddenly turned upside down when her parents separate & her Mom moves Ellis to Bramble Falls, CT to be closer to her side of the family. But OMG they don’t even have any AP level classes or a school newspaper there? Whatever will she do?

Cooper is a senior at Bramble Falls High that Ellis spent one innocent romantic summer with in middle school. He’s also a barista at the local cat cafe who moonlights as a baker. And he’s still harboring feelings for the girl who stole his heart 3 summers ago even though she ghosted him because she can’t be bothered to focus on anything but studying & getting into Columbia.

Honestly I have no notes on Cooper, he was great. I do have issues with Ellis being very obtuse/naive & yes, I know we’re talking about 17yos, but good lord. The third act breakup made me want to fling my kindle across the room, but I made myself power through. Jake also deserved more justice than he got so I’m hoping he’ll maybe get his own book.

WHAT’S TO LOVE:
•small town, second chance HS romance
•fall setting with TONS of seasonal events
•non-toxic cousin dynamic

Personally, I could have done without all the Taylor Swift references. I know she’s a huge part of pop culture these days, but it’s mentioned in almost every romance book now & it’s getting old at this point. There are other pop cultures references we can be making.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.