Falling Like Leaves - (Bramble Falls) by Misty Wilson

About the Book

"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"--

Book Synopsis

Gilmore Girls meets Jenny Han in this "delightfully autumnal small-town romance" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) 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.

Review Quotes

"Romantic and fun, give this to Gilmore Girls fans and aficionados of autumn-spiced stories."--School Library Journal "8/2025"

"Warm, sweet, and brimming with heart, FALLING LIKE LEAVES is the perfect friends-to-lovers story to curl up with on a chilly Fall day. You'll be kicking your feet for Ellis and Cooper to the end!"--Eva Des Lauriers, author of I Wish You Would

"This book is everything we love about small towns and fall weather--cozy, charming and romantic. The dialogue is witty and the characters jump off the page. Definitely add this one to your reading list."--Kasie West, author of Better Than Revenge

True to its title, FALLING LIKE LEAVES is autumn distilled into a sweet second-chance love story, one harvest spice latte at a time. Curl up with a warm mug and a delicious cookie and root for Ellis and Cooper as they find their way back to each other amid apple picking, corn mazes, and the Pumpkin Prom----Sarah Henning, author of THROW LIKE A GIRL and IT'S ALL IN HOW YOU FALL "1/13/25"

About the Author

Misty Wilson is the author of Falling Like Leaves and Play Like a Girl, her award-winning debut middle grade graphic memoir. Misty is a teacher, registered nurse, and a voracious reader. She loves binge-watching television series and adores rom-coms. She lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband and their two daughters.