Don’t judge a book by its cover, right? Well, I do, and it wasn’t a bad thing this time. I was looking for a cute, autumn, cozy book, and Misty Wilson delivered. I didn’t know it was about teenagers, but it worked.

Ellis is uprooted from NYC to a small town her mom is originally from. She hates it. It’s right before her senior year, and she has plans to follow in her father’s footsteps. The small town charm and coldness of her father change her entire future.

This is a coming of age book where Ellis figures out who she truly is and what she wants to do with her life. Ellis thinks like a teenager, and that truly annoyed me at times. She was slightly self centered and couldn’t see past her own situation. I was probably the same way at that age, so it was written perfectly.

I look forward to more books in this new series.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

Very good book! Perfect for jumpstarting the upcoming season of fall. The small town of Bramble Falls was constantly reminding me of my favorite show, Gilmore Girls. The book filled me with enjoyment and excitement as I couldn’t put it down!

Thank you to the publisher and author for providing me with an ARC of Falling Like Leaves in exchange for an honest review.
This story had a lot of heart, and I appreciated the themes of change, growth, and finding your place when life feels uncertain. Misty Wilson’s writing style is warm and approachable, and there were definitely moments that tugged on my emotions.
However, the pacing wasn’t consistent for me. Some parts felt stretched out, while others wrapped up too quickly, which made it harder to stay fully invested. A few of the characters could have used more depth, as their motivations and development sometimes felt surface-level.
Overall, this was a solid read, but it didn’t completely capture me the way I hoped. Readers who enjoy reflective, character-driven stories will likely appreciate it more.

this was absolutely adorable and perfect for the gilmore girls fans! this put me in the absolute perfect mood for fall and made me yearn for a pumpkin chai. i loved this plot, setting, and the characters so much. this is such a perfect teen romcom but is perfect for older readers who enjoy YA as well. cooper + ellis had the cutest second chance romance that made me so giddy reading. seeing ellis find her place in bramble falls was so heartwarming. i love stories where the city girl, who hates small town living, learns to love it and really finds herself. if you’re in the mood for a fun, coming of age, fall story, definitely pick this one up.

What an amazing book I loved how the story started with her not being so happy to be there but then warmed up To it and found her place in the small town. I can see the similarities to Gilmore girls with all the town activities and happenings

Positives - I liked most of this book, the small town vibes had a good and cozy atmosphere. A town that makes a big deal about autumn sign me up! The friend groups worked really well and this book was quite lighthearted.

Negatives - The main character, Ellis, was too immature and selfish for most of this book. She came off wrong more times than not. Saying she was going to be there then “oops” something more important came up. Not to mention just kinda using Jake because he was there? I know they didn’t agree on anything but she definitely sent lots of mixed signals for him. My biggest issue was how rude she was too her mom, which yes she realizes why her mom needed this time away by the end but I can’t understand how she never saw how much her mom lost as a person over the years. Lastly, I didn’t care for the back and forth with the main relationship, it was too many times and honestly I don’t see these characters staying together after this book.

Plot: 5/10
Pace: 8/10
Ending: 9/10
Characters: 7/10
Enjoyability: 6/10
Writing Style: 7/10
Would I Recommend? Maybe
Favorite Character: Fern

Favorite Quote: ❝I sincerely wish a coyote would jump out of the cornstalks and put me out of my misery. ❞

I’m so incredibly thankful genuinely for so many publishers/ authors for accepting me for ARC books upcoming! Thank you @simonandschuster @mistywilsonwrites @netgalley for this copy of Falling like Leaves 🍁 🍂🍃📚✨I loved this book so much it was such a great book and relatable “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.” Release date: September 2, 2025 ✨

I really enjoyed this sweet, cozy autumn novel! Falling Like Leaves is filled with fall vibes, lovable characters, and just the right balance of heart and humor. It’s a medium-paced read that feels lighthearted and relaxing, yet still carries enough emotional depth to keep you engaged. Honestly, I could happily read an autumn story like this any time of year.

At the heart of the novel is Ellis, whose parents separate at the beginning of the story. She and her mom move to Bramble Falls, Connecticut, to live with her aunt and cousin. There, Ellis reconnects with her childhood best friend, Cooper. Their paths keep crossing during the town’s beloved Falling Leaves Festival, and through the festivities, Ellis and Cooper’s friendship begins to rekindle into something more. As Ellis falls for Cooper, she’s faced with a big decision about her future and where she truly belongs.

This novel shines with a diverse and well-developed cast of characters, and I especially loved the dynamic between Ellis and Cooper. The story is heartfelt, charming, and engaging, leaving me happy, satisfied, and cozy by the end. It’s the perfect blend of relaxation and just enough emotional tension to make it memorable and thought-provoking.

✨ Fans of Gilmore Girls will absolutely adore this one—it has the same warm, small-town feel and heartfelt relationships.

Falling Like Leaves takes place in a small town called Bramble Falls after Ellis is forced to move there because her parents are divorcing. She meets up with Cooper an old friend of hers who is a barista at the local cafe. However, he seems to no longer want anything to do with her.
I thought this book was super cute. Great settings, fun festivals, corn maze and perfect fall vibes. Cooper and Ellis seemed cute together. Sloane was funny!
The pop culture references was a little heavy though... it just took me out of the story a lot. I for one love Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift but the mentioning of both of them was too much.

Ellis has her whole life planned out, even to the smallest details. So, when her mother tells her they’re moving to a small town called Bramble Falls, she feels all her plans for the future are being derailed. And to make things worse, she reunites with her old childhood friend Cooper, who now seems to hate her and she has no idea why.

Throughout this book, Ellis has to learn how to navigate her new life in Bramble Falls all along with family hardships, new friendships and possibly even love, all while trying to decide what to do after high school. Which is a lot for a teenager.

I saw a lot of myself in Ellis and some scenes with her parents near the end had me tearing up. And even though she was immature and selfish at times, I think her reaction and feelings were genuine and felt real to me as a reader. I really enjoyed this book and all the characters we got to meet and Cooper is just so darn cute!

If you like anything to do with autumn and young love, you’ll definitely enjoy this cute, cozy read!

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for providing the arc!

I think that was such a cute story. It definitely gave me Gilmore Girl vibes, small town life. I felt like it was such an as they say perfect read for the fall.

This is the perfect book for fall! I loved the small town vibes with the fall activities happening in the town. It was so sweet and cozy.I really enjoyed to found family aspect of the book. The book was so good that I was not able to put it down. Copper is the sweetest MMC, I love him so much. I really enjoyed seeing Copper and Elis’s connection grow over the book. These two characters have my heart! I am hoping for book 2 to follow Sloan and Asher. I definitely see a friends to lovers book about them.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, and the author for a chance to read an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Ahh! This book was the perfect dose of Fall and adorable romance, and I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. This is quite the coming of age type story with romance, friendship, parental relationships, and all the sweet lessons and emotions that come with it. I loved every character, every challenge and bad decision made, and every learned lesson in this book. I don’t think anyone could come up with a more perfect adorable story that makes you squeal at how lovely it is. The whip cream and cherry on top are the fall vibes which were perfectly executed. Will be buying the physical copy!!!

The perfect cozy autumn read to kickoff fall!! It’s a quick read, easily digestible and found it to be the good palette cleanser.
The story is YA, and is great for a younger audience and fans of Gilmore Girls.
I’m a sucker for small town plots. But this story takes place in CT, and as a Nutmegger, there’s always a Dunkin within 15 minutes and we’re not waving to strangers… the best you’ll get is a curt nod/smile.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Margaret K. McElderry Books for the eARC. Release date is September 2.

really cozy and fun autumn vibes romance with some cool feelings and some interesting characters. would recommend. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

I really enjoyed this book. Even being YA and I’m out of that age it was entertaining. Had the right fall vibes you want to read in the fall.

This was UNREAL. I feel like I was reading a Lynn Painter x Gilmore Girls book. This just made me want to go buy a pumpkin spice latte in a sweater and Ugg boots and read by the fireplace.

I had the pleasure of meeting Misty Wilson at the Lynn Painter signing in Louisville where she talked about her new book coming out. I was lucky enough to get approved for an ARC and I am so glad I got to read this early so I can tell everyone how amazing this was.

Cooper and Ellis were everything and I hope we get more of them in the second book. I loved the maturity of the characters and the fall atmosphere. If you haven’t preordered this yet what are you doing!!!!

JUST RIGHT.

I haven't read a young adult contemporary romance in a hot minute because I often feel like I've just aged out of enjoying these stories but then I get sucked in by a super cute cover that screams FALL and I had to read it. And I genuinely enjoyed it!!

I liked that this was a true YA book. The language was low and it stayed at kisses only. And as I mentioned earlier, there were so many fall things and I loved them all. The small town atmosphere surrounded by apple picking, horse carriages, pumpkins and more, set such a beautiful scene. I could not get enough.

The romance was great. Relatable and full of growth and learning after mistakes. Ellis has been sitting in a blind spot for so long it took her a bit to come to terms about the box she'd been sitting in. I appreciated her willingness to apologize and try to do better next time attitude. It gave Ellis a sense of realism that I think is what's needed for a younger audience too. Cooper was just super cute too which made their interactions very endearing.

I would absolutely read another book from Misty Wilson.

Overall audience notes:
- Young adult contemporary romance
- Language: mild
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: none
- Content warnings: parents who are separating (with infidelity as part of the reason)

I really enjoyed this! This is the epitome of YA. The romance was great, and felt like age appropriate drama for teens their age. The family drama also felt fresh and I enjoyed seeing Ellis' character grow in terms of her father's relationship with her and her future, and how that affected her own perception of herself and her future, as well as her relationship with her mother.

Did not finish. The story had so much potential and sounded so cute, but I was not vibing with how it was written. I know lots of people will like it though for the Gilmore Girls vibes.