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A Season for Falling: A Swoony Fall Romance Novel for Teens
A swoony, heartfelt, and evocative standalone paperback original romance about first love, second chances, and finding yourself in the season of change—perfect for fans of Misty Wilson’s FALLING LIKE LEAVES and anyone looking for their next Gilmore Girls-esque fall read. Some seasons change everything.... Five years ago, Claire was a child star, the goofy punchline of one of America’s favorite sitcoms. Until a series of devastating betrayals by her manager-father left her broke, humiliated, and desperate to disappear.
Now she’s just another high school senior in postcard-perfect Glenridge, Connecticut, determined to leave her past behind. Not even her best friend knows who she used to be—or that she’s scraping together every spare dollar to hopefully attend NYU.
When a movie shoot lands in Glenridge—and with it, her former co-star and ex–best friend, Luke Cordova—it threatens to stir up not only Claire's past, but also the dizzying crush she once had on him. Luke offers Claire a deal she can’t let him shadow her to research his role, and he’ll pay enough to make her college dreams possible.
As pumpkins are carved and the woodsmoke-tinged October air grows colder, and she falls for Luke (again), Claire must confront what really drove her to hide—and whether she can step back into herself without being consumed by everything she’s tried to forget.
Now she’s just another high school senior in postcard-perfect Glenridge, Connecticut, determined to leave her past behind. Not even her best friend knows who she used to be—or that she’s scraping together every spare dollar to hopefully attend NYU.
When a movie shoot lands in Glenridge—and with it, her former co-star and ex–best friend, Luke Cordova—it threatens to stir up not only Claire's past, but also the dizzying crush she once had on him. Luke offers Claire a deal she can’t let him shadow her to research his role, and he’ll pay enough to make her college dreams possible.
As pumpkins are carved and the woodsmoke-tinged October air grows colder, and she falls for Luke (again), Claire must confront what really drove her to hide—and whether she can step back into herself without being consumed by everything she’s tried to forget.
400 pages, Hardcover
Published September 22, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 363 reviews
July 29, 2026
🤬Language Rating: 2.5/5
🌶️Spicy Rating: 2.5/5
📖Plot Rating: 2/5
⚔️Violence Rating: 0/5
😎Christian Worldview: 0/5
⭐️Final Rating: 1.5/5
✨this is NOT a spoiler-free review✨
Please know before I start this review that I hate giving a low rating to books. Especially to ARC books. My family always makes fun of me for ranking books too high.
So when I give this a 1 ⭐️, please know that this is not the norm for me. I just really couldn’t stand this book.
I received a complimentary copy of A Season for Falling from HarperCollins Children’s Books. Thank you to HarperCollins and Kate O’Shaughnessy. All opinions are my own.
I’m not going to pick a song for this book, I am just going to jump right into the review this time…
The book follows Claire, an ex-child movie star, trying to start a new life in a quiet town away from LA. But when a movie shoot lands in her small Connecticut town, Luke Cordova, her old co-star and ex-best friend, comes with it. Luke offers Clara deal, to let him shadow her to research his role as a high school student, and he’ll pay enough to enable her to go to her dream school, Tisch.
It’s a tempting offer and one she can’t refuse. So she accepts it. But the close proximity begins to stir old feelings, and it gets harder and harder to hide her old life.
I think the premise of this book was excellent. There was a real potential for an engaging story, and for a cute fall second chance romance. Unfortunately, the agenda of the author kept this from coming to fruition.
For starters, I can’t believe that this is being published by a children’s publishing house. I know YA can mean all sorts of things nowadays, but having a book center around teenagers does not automatically make it YA. Especially if the content is anything but.
Throughout the course of the book, teens are encouraged by the narrative to drink, smoke, lie to their parents, attend parties, and lose their virginity. None of this is presented as disgusting or bad in the course of the story, but rather it is encouraged. Claire’s own mother does not care that she is going to a party with alcohol and even offers to drive her. Underage drinking is encouraged, and there are multiple characters who either don’t ID teenagers or help teenagers buy alcohol. Additionally, the movie that is being filmed is about a student who had a relationship with a teacher and then murdered her. We nowhere once in the novel hear that it is wrong for a teacher and a student to be together romantically and everyone in the town is rather excited to see this movie. Content wise, this is not even CLOSE to being clean. There might not be any closed or open door scenes, but content is heavily implied. The main character even HELPS her best friend plan how and when she should lose her virginity.
I know that as a Christian reading this book, I have a different worldview than some of the readers of this book. However, I did want to make a brief statement about sex from a Christian perspective. Sex is something that God designed to be between a husband and a wife. It is an intimate act of love, of dedication to your spouse, and it is not meant to be for every romantic relationship. The fact that books like this normalize teenagers losing virginity to random boyfriends is sad. Waiting for marriage is a beautiful thing. Especially in a culture that rushes intimacy. Please do not think that sex is something you should do as part of growing up. It is not a milestone for you to check off, but a beautiful moment to share with your future husband, the man God has prepared for you.
Another topic I wanted to address was the obvious woke agenda. Honestly, the tension between Luke and Claire was put on the back burner due to the author’s desire to present LGBTQ content. The brother dates a trans person, there are multiple same-sex relationships, there’s talk of an LGBTQ alliance in the school, one character has pronouns of they/them, and there’s even talk of Sesame Street characters being gay. Additionally, there is a reference to a teacher who is a Trump lover, who cheats on his wife.
I don’t wanna get into politics debate, mostly because marriage and gender are from God, not the government, but I do just wanna reference Romans 1. God does not endorse or condone same-sex relationships or switching genders. In fact, it is a sin to do such things. I say this in love. I do not hate members of the LGBTQ community as a Christian. God calls me to love others, whether that’s my sister, my neighbor, or a trans person I meet at my local Walmart. I am a sinner too, and not “above” you in any way. I merely want to point you to Jesus, the Savior of ALL sinners.
The Gospel is this:
We are all sinners, living in rebellion to God. We are all deserving of judgment, save the mercy of God. We could never pay the debt that we owed, nor did we want to turn from evil. However, in His love, God sent His own son, Jesus, to pay our debt. He died on the cross, taking our sins upon His shoulders, and He rose again from the grave, conquering death. All those who confess their sins, repent of evil, and believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved. This life on earth will be a constant battle of sanctification, which is a fancy word for being made more like Jesus, being made more perfect as we draw closer to heaven. And one day when we die, all those who believe will go to heaven to live with Jesus, where they will be made whole and perfect, and will sin no more.
If you want to talk more about Jesus, what it means to believe in Him, or if you have anything I can pray about for you, please comment! Jesus loves you ❤️
When it comes to this book, I think there was real potential. The storyline was interesting., And for the first third of the book, the plot was the main focus. However, the author lost herself in agenda, which unfortunately ruined the story for me. I would not recommend this to a teen audience, nor to an audience who is trying to read clean books. If you were looking for a cute actors romance book to read, I would highly recommend How to Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson. The storyline is sweet, there is no underlining agenda, and the author does not promote sex outside of marriage, drinking, or drugs.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review, and again thank you to HarperCollins for an ARC copy of this book. I hope you have a blessed day! 🫶🏻
🌶️Spicy Rating: 2.5/5
📖Plot Rating: 2/5
⚔️Violence Rating: 0/5
😎Christian Worldview: 0/5
⭐️Final Rating: 1.5/5
✨this is NOT a spoiler-free review✨
Please know before I start this review that I hate giving a low rating to books. Especially to ARC books. My family always makes fun of me for ranking books too high.
So when I give this a 1 ⭐️, please know that this is not the norm for me. I just really couldn’t stand this book.
I received a complimentary copy of A Season for Falling from HarperCollins Children’s Books. Thank you to HarperCollins and Kate O’Shaughnessy. All opinions are my own.
I’m not going to pick a song for this book, I am just going to jump right into the review this time…
The book follows Claire, an ex-child movie star, trying to start a new life in a quiet town away from LA. But when a movie shoot lands in her small Connecticut town, Luke Cordova, her old co-star and ex-best friend, comes with it. Luke offers Clara deal, to let him shadow her to research his role as a high school student, and he’ll pay enough to enable her to go to her dream school, Tisch.
It’s a tempting offer and one she can’t refuse. So she accepts it. But the close proximity begins to stir old feelings, and it gets harder and harder to hide her old life.
I think the premise of this book was excellent. There was a real potential for an engaging story, and for a cute fall second chance romance. Unfortunately, the agenda of the author kept this from coming to fruition.
For starters, I can’t believe that this is being published by a children’s publishing house. I know YA can mean all sorts of things nowadays, but having a book center around teenagers does not automatically make it YA. Especially if the content is anything but.
Throughout the course of the book, teens are encouraged by the narrative to drink, smoke, lie to their parents, attend parties, and lose their virginity. None of this is presented as disgusting or bad in the course of the story, but rather it is encouraged. Claire’s own mother does not care that she is going to a party with alcohol and even offers to drive her. Underage drinking is encouraged, and there are multiple characters who either don’t ID teenagers or help teenagers buy alcohol. Additionally, the movie that is being filmed is about a student who had a relationship with a teacher and then murdered her. We nowhere once in the novel hear that it is wrong for a teacher and a student to be together romantically and everyone in the town is rather excited to see this movie. Content wise, this is not even CLOSE to being clean. There might not be any closed or open door scenes, but content is heavily implied. The main character even HELPS her best friend plan how and when she should lose her virginity.
I know that as a Christian reading this book, I have a different worldview than some of the readers of this book. However, I did want to make a brief statement about sex from a Christian perspective. Sex is something that God designed to be between a husband and a wife. It is an intimate act of love, of dedication to your spouse, and it is not meant to be for every romantic relationship. The fact that books like this normalize teenagers losing virginity to random boyfriends is sad. Waiting for marriage is a beautiful thing. Especially in a culture that rushes intimacy. Please do not think that sex is something you should do as part of growing up. It is not a milestone for you to check off, but a beautiful moment to share with your future husband, the man God has prepared for you.
Another topic I wanted to address was the obvious woke agenda. Honestly, the tension between Luke and Claire was put on the back burner due to the author’s desire to present LGBTQ content. The brother dates a trans person, there are multiple same-sex relationships, there’s talk of an LGBTQ alliance in the school, one character has pronouns of they/them, and there’s even talk of Sesame Street characters being gay. Additionally, there is a reference to a teacher who is a Trump lover, who cheats on his wife.
I don’t wanna get into politics debate, mostly because marriage and gender are from God, not the government, but I do just wanna reference Romans 1. God does not endorse or condone same-sex relationships or switching genders. In fact, it is a sin to do such things. I say this in love. I do not hate members of the LGBTQ community as a Christian. God calls me to love others, whether that’s my sister, my neighbor, or a trans person I meet at my local Walmart. I am a sinner too, and not “above” you in any way. I merely want to point you to Jesus, the Savior of ALL sinners.
The Gospel is this:
We are all sinners, living in rebellion to God. We are all deserving of judgment, save the mercy of God. We could never pay the debt that we owed, nor did we want to turn from evil. However, in His love, God sent His own son, Jesus, to pay our debt. He died on the cross, taking our sins upon His shoulders, and He rose again from the grave, conquering death. All those who confess their sins, repent of evil, and believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved. This life on earth will be a constant battle of sanctification, which is a fancy word for being made more like Jesus, being made more perfect as we draw closer to heaven. And one day when we die, all those who believe will go to heaven to live with Jesus, where they will be made whole and perfect, and will sin no more.
If you want to talk more about Jesus, what it means to believe in Him, or if you have anything I can pray about for you, please comment! Jesus loves you ❤️
When it comes to this book, I think there was real potential. The storyline was interesting., And for the first third of the book, the plot was the main focus. However, the author lost herself in agenda, which unfortunately ruined the story for me. I would not recommend this to a teen audience, nor to an audience who is trying to read clean books. If you were looking for a cute actors romance book to read, I would highly recommend How to Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson. The storyline is sweet, there is no underlining agenda, and the author does not promote sex outside of marriage, drinking, or drugs.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review, and again thank you to HarperCollins for an ARC copy of this book. I hope you have a blessed day! 🫶🏻
September 22, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Five stars from me. And apparently we’re factoring our personal beliefs about LGBTQ+ people into book ratings now, so consider this my contribution to balancing the scales 💅🏼 but also, I genuinely had a fantastic time reading this :)
Personally, I like to rate books based on things like the writing, characters, plot, pacing, and whether I actually enjoyed reading them…not whether the fictional characters live their lives according to personal religious beliefs.
Queer characters existing in a book is not a “woke agenda.” They’re characters. Queer people exist. Our existence isn’t political, and it certainly isn’t a literary flaw.
Anyway, since representation is apparently worth deducting stars over, I figured it was only fair that I add a few back 🌈
Five stars. No scripture citations required.
Five stars from me. And apparently we’re factoring our personal beliefs about LGBTQ+ people into book ratings now, so consider this my contribution to balancing the scales 💅🏼 but also, I genuinely had a fantastic time reading this :)
Personally, I like to rate books based on things like the writing, characters, plot, pacing, and whether I actually enjoyed reading them…not whether the fictional characters live their lives according to personal religious beliefs.
Queer characters existing in a book is not a “woke agenda.” They’re characters. Queer people exist. Our existence isn’t political, and it certainly isn’t a literary flaw.
Anyway, since representation is apparently worth deducting stars over, I figured it was only fair that I add a few back 🌈
Five stars. No scripture citations required.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
3.5 ⭐️
this was a very cute read for fall/the ber months! YA romances are usually a hit or miss for me but I actually ended up enjoying this one! I do think it dragged out and slowed down at times, and it definitely didn’t need to be almost 400 pages, but it was fun and easy to read!
thank you avon for sending me an arc! <3
this was a very cute read for fall/the ber months! YA romances are usually a hit or miss for me but I actually ended up enjoying this one! I do think it dragged out and slowed down at times, and it definitely didn’t need to be almost 400 pages, but it was fun and easy to read!
thank you avon for sending me an arc! <3
July 5, 2026
🍂🍁 A Season for Falling 🍁🍂
📖 Bookish Thoughts
This was a very cute fall read! And low angst!
4.25 Stars!
✨ What to Expect
• YA Romance
• Second Chance Romance
• Former Child Star
• Small Town
• Autumn Vibes
• Friends to Lovers
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: September 22, 2026
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
📖 Bookish Thoughts
This was a very cute fall read! And low angst!
4.25 Stars!
✨ What to Expect
• YA Romance
• Second Chance Romance
• Former Child Star
• Small Town
• Autumn Vibes
• Friends to Lovers
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: September 22, 2026
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
Currently Reading
August 7, 2026⸝⸝ 🍂 ━ pre-read .˖
⌗┆10.14.26 𐦯
omggg i literally feel so bad that i keep putting this book on hold so i'm putting myself on the task of finishing it for real 😭 also it's the perfect season and weather for this so... 🌸
𑣲⋆ thank you so much to netgalley for the arc!
⤷ prediction :: ★★★★☆ ˎˊ˗
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
thanks to netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion
i was looking for a cute fall read to recommend to all my friends and i was so badly hoping this would be it!!! it wasn't.
70% of the book gave me the ick, 10% was lowkey relatable??? (paying for college here i come), and the other 20% was "where the heck is my movie star bf"
overall i enjoyed the plot and of course it's a romcom so i love that, but i ended up skimming a good portion of it because i didn't want to be reading about LGBTQ couples and yapping about sex and they/them pronouns.
i was a little confused about the whole money part too??? like girlie is given $30k, and then she's like "oh no how am i gonna pay for college". hun, if i got that money i'd be taking it and running 😭
all that to say, i was really hoping i'd love this book! ...but i didn't 😔
i was looking for a cute fall read to recommend to all my friends and i was so badly hoping this would be it!!! it wasn't.
70% of the book gave me the ick, 10% was lowkey relatable??? (paying for college here i come), and the other 20% was "where the heck is my movie star bf"
overall i enjoyed the plot and of course it's a romcom so i love that, but i ended up skimming a good portion of it because i didn't want to be reading about LGBTQ couples and yapping about sex and they/them pronouns.
i was a little confused about the whole money part too??? like girlie is given $30k, and then she's like "oh no how am i gonna pay for college". hun, if i got that money i'd be taking it and running 😭
all that to say, i was really hoping i'd love this book! ...but i didn't 😔
September 29, 2026
⋆.˚✮ 4 stars ✮˚.⋆
okaayyyy ended up being so cute!! loved the fall vibes and if you like gilmore girls this is for you <3 {longer review coming soon}
okaayyyy ended up being so cute!! loved the fall vibes and if you like gilmore girls this is for you <3 {longer review coming soon}
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
huge thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
originally this was going to be a four stars. because i had a hehehaha time. and then i felt a wave of deja vu. almost like i had read this book before, and then i realized it was a mashup of two books i had read before and i just felt like whoah, crazy, where am i the twilight zone? hoa hoa hoa who? that's my third hoa hoa joke and it wont be my last of the season.
the romance was cute. i mean it was obvious that he was in love with her and vice versa. every day i am reminded that i am incredibly single which is a great way to live life. like im never going to have a childhood friends to strangers to lovers trope and-- "alexa play the cut that always bleeds" it just hits you know? fictionally.
the plot was fine, very cookie cutter, if you've read "love canter action" then it reads a little similar to this book just..set in fall and without horses. i thought the side characters were pretty good tbh, considering the fmc kindaaaa got on my nerves.
other than that, a cozy fall read but nothing to write home about.
pre review
wow i am very single. stay tuned for the full review where i am still single
originally this was going to be a four stars. because i had a hehehaha time. and then i felt a wave of deja vu. almost like i had read this book before, and then i realized it was a mashup of two books i had read before and i just felt like whoah, crazy, where am i the twilight zone? hoa hoa hoa who? that's my third hoa hoa joke and it wont be my last of the season.
the romance was cute. i mean it was obvious that he was in love with her and vice versa. every day i am reminded that i am incredibly single which is a great way to live life. like im never going to have a childhood friends to strangers to lovers trope and-- "alexa play the cut that always bleeds" it just hits you know? fictionally.
the plot was fine, very cookie cutter, if you've read "love canter action" then it reads a little similar to this book just..set in fall and without horses. i thought the side characters were pretty good tbh, considering the fmc kindaaaa got on my nerves.
other than that, a cozy fall read but nothing to write home about.
pre review
wow i am very single. stay tuned for the full review where i am still single
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of Advanced Reader Copy Provided by NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books.
Publication Date: September 22, 2026 🍂✨🍁
1.5 stars ✨
A Season for Falling by Kate O'Shaughnessy is a heartfelt read amidst the lovely scenery of fall, and dives into the no-so-glittering secrets of a child star’s past. A swoony childhood-best-friends-to-lovers is met with a whole lot of miscommunication and lies. The premise was cute, and the characters were unique and interesting, all having raw struggles and confusion of emotions. Claire’s story broke my heart, and gave a very honest reason for why she chose to guard herself so tightly as well as her struggles of standing up for herself. Luke was a kind and caring guy, who also struggled immensely with standing up for himself, but some of the things he did because someone said it was “the right thing” definitely made it feel like the two of them needed more time to work on themselves before committing to a relationship (Claire does seek out therapy—yay!— which was a really nice thing it see in a novel).
Now, there was a lot of content in it that was uncomfortable and/or went against my beliefs. For the story and heart within this book, it would have been nearer a 4, but the content greatly impacted my overall rating. Others may be totally fine with the content in this book, which is okay and I mean no hate or ill-will, the content just was not for me. Firstly, there was a ton of sex talk in this. For example, the FMC helps her best friend plan when the friend and her boyfriend are doing it for the first time, then proceeds to ask how it was afterwards. Or, in a heated kiss, narrating how that’s what she wants to do. Also, in every other chapter it felt as though they were at a party and there was drinking and drugs (a character gets their legal aged cousin to buy liquor for an underaged high school party, and in another situation, a waitress does not card them). There’s also a couple instances of characters smoking an illegal (depending on your state) substance. I know all of this does occur in real life, but it felt very uncomfortable, personally. Side note: there are several LGBTQ characters in this book as well as talk of celestial/star/zodiac signs.
I wouldn’t necessarily say this is a “clean” book, however there is no on-page spice.
What is present: heated kisses/almost more, talk of sex, mildly frequent swearing (practically all including the f-word, and the Lord’s name is taken in vain), and innuendo.
Other content considerations: past child abuse (mostly verbal), past trauma, underaged drinking/drug participations, manipulation, lying, secrets, and authority figure’s manipulation of minors. *The movie being filmed within the book is about “true-crime”, involving a physical relationship between a teacher/student, and the murder of a teacher by a student. Nothing is graphically described, just sort of there.*
Overall, this was a really cute read, just not my personal cup of tea!!! I wouldn’t necessarily NOT recommend, however it wouldn’t be a top recommendation. If you enjoy heartfelt, swoony, cozy, YA, and healing themes in a book, think about checking this one out, especially if you are fine with any of the aforementioned content!!!
Happy reading :)
Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for providing this ARC in exchange for a free and honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Publication Date: September 22, 2026 🍂✨🍁
1.5 stars ✨
A Season for Falling by Kate O'Shaughnessy is a heartfelt read amidst the lovely scenery of fall, and dives into the no-so-glittering secrets of a child star’s past. A swoony childhood-best-friends-to-lovers is met with a whole lot of miscommunication and lies. The premise was cute, and the characters were unique and interesting, all having raw struggles and confusion of emotions. Claire’s story broke my heart, and gave a very honest reason for why she chose to guard herself so tightly as well as her struggles of standing up for herself. Luke was a kind and caring guy, who also struggled immensely with standing up for himself, but some of the things he did because someone said it was “the right thing” definitely made it feel like the two of them needed more time to work on themselves before committing to a relationship (Claire does seek out therapy—yay!— which was a really nice thing it see in a novel).
Now, there was a lot of content in it that was uncomfortable and/or went against my beliefs. For the story and heart within this book, it would have been nearer a 4, but the content greatly impacted my overall rating. Others may be totally fine with the content in this book, which is okay and I mean no hate or ill-will, the content just was not for me. Firstly, there was a ton of sex talk in this. For example, the FMC helps her best friend plan when the friend and her boyfriend are doing it for the first time, then proceeds to ask how it was afterwards. Or, in a heated kiss, narrating how that’s what she wants to do. Also, in every other chapter it felt as though they were at a party and there was drinking and drugs (a character gets their legal aged cousin to buy liquor for an underaged high school party, and in another situation, a waitress does not card them). There’s also a couple instances of characters smoking an illegal (depending on your state) substance. I know all of this does occur in real life, but it felt very uncomfortable, personally. Side note: there are several LGBTQ characters in this book as well as talk of celestial/star/zodiac signs.
I wouldn’t necessarily say this is a “clean” book, however there is no on-page spice.
What is present: heated kisses/almost more, talk of sex, mildly frequent swearing (practically all including the f-word, and the Lord’s name is taken in vain), and innuendo.
Other content considerations: past child abuse (mostly verbal), past trauma, underaged drinking/drug participations, manipulation, lying, secrets, and authority figure’s manipulation of minors. *The movie being filmed within the book is about “true-crime”, involving a physical relationship between a teacher/student, and the murder of a teacher by a student. Nothing is graphically described, just sort of there.*
Overall, this was a really cute read, just not my personal cup of tea!!! I wouldn’t necessarily NOT recommend, however it wouldn’t be a top recommendation. If you enjoy heartfelt, swoony, cozy, YA, and healing themes in a book, think about checking this one out, especially if you are fine with any of the aforementioned content!!!
Happy reading :)
Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for providing this ARC in exchange for a free and honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
September 27, 2026
2 stars! 🌟🌟
(Spoiler-free, arc review)
While I love the cover, and the blurb of this I sadly did not enjoy this book!💔😪
So grateful I got this as an Arc from Netgally!<33
But I’m very disappointed in this very anticipated release 🤧
It definitely was dragged out towards the end, the conflict of the book was pretty realistic, though the way it was resolved was in less than a page and then it was just over? 😭
I really liked how Claire and Luke were written but it just wasn’t my taste personally especially with this being advertised as a “fall/autumn read”🍁
I didn’t really get the vibes from it!
🌟Rating: 2/5
🔥Spice: 0/5 (closed door scene)
📚Age Rating: 15+
(Spoiler-free, arc review)
While I love the cover, and the blurb of this I sadly did not enjoy this book!💔😪
So grateful I got this as an Arc from Netgally!<33
But I’m very disappointed in this very anticipated release 🤧
It definitely was dragged out towards the end, the conflict of the book was pretty realistic, though the way it was resolved was in less than a page and then it was just over? 😭
I really liked how Claire and Luke were written but it just wasn’t my taste personally especially with this being advertised as a “fall/autumn read”🍁
I didn’t really get the vibes from it!
🌟Rating: 2/5
🔥Spice: 0/5 (closed door scene)
📚Age Rating: 15+
August 30, 2026
I really enjoyed this clean, cozy romance! However, I will say that it doesn’t necessarily read like a YA book. Yes, it has all the common YA tropes and is set in high school, but the actual situations and emotions it explores feel very much New Adult. That’s not necessarily a negative thing, but there is a slight disconnect between the storyline and the characters’ ages. That being said, the FMC is an 18-year-old high school senior, which is already such a turning point in life. And because of her background in Hollywood, the more mature nature of some of her experiences doesn’t necessarily feel completely out of place.
One nitty-gritty thing that I absolutely loved? The descriptions of senior year were SPOT ON. So many times, I feel like authors either forget or never actually experienced the college application process and get their information from Hollywood. Suddenly, you have kids in June just starting to apply to colleges and somehow expecting to be heading off to school in December. 😂 But this book? Spot on. From early decision to regular acceptance timelines, everything felt natural and authentic, and I really appreciated that attention to detail.
It even had a present parent! And the mother was written appropriately and realistically. She was involved without taking over the story or hovering unrealistically, while still giving the FMC the space she needed for the plot to unfold. As a parent, I appreciated this SO much because apparently having parents who actually parent is a rare occurrence in YA fiction. 😂
I was grateful to receive complimentary access to the audiobook ALC from HarperAudio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to read ahead of publication and share my voluntary thoughts.
Admittedly, it took me a while to get used to narrator Rebecca Mozo’s presentation. Her vocals were often flat, almost monotone at times, punctuated by a deeper tone that took some getting used to. Her pacing was also a little atypical, with parts of her sentences delivered very quickly while other words were drawn out. At times, it almost felt like she wasn’t breathing, and some sentences sounded like they ran together because the natural pauses suggested by the punctuation weren’t always consistent. It wasn’t like any audio performance I’ve heard before.
That said, I did appreciate that she gave each character a distinct voice, and I was able to comfortably speed the narration up to 1.75x. Eventually, I got used to her style and found myself focusing more on the actual prose and story rather than the narration.
In the end, I really enjoyed this story and found myself rooting for both the FMC and MMC, both individually and as a potential couple. While this is a standalone, I honestly think a follow-up could be wonderful because I would LOVE to continue Claire’s journey as she heads off to college. There’s definitely more story to be told there!
One nitty-gritty thing that I absolutely loved? The descriptions of senior year were SPOT ON. So many times, I feel like authors either forget or never actually experienced the college application process and get their information from Hollywood. Suddenly, you have kids in June just starting to apply to colleges and somehow expecting to be heading off to school in December. 😂 But this book? Spot on. From early decision to regular acceptance timelines, everything felt natural and authentic, and I really appreciated that attention to detail.
It even had a present parent! And the mother was written appropriately and realistically. She was involved without taking over the story or hovering unrealistically, while still giving the FMC the space she needed for the plot to unfold. As a parent, I appreciated this SO much because apparently having parents who actually parent is a rare occurrence in YA fiction. 😂
I was grateful to receive complimentary access to the audiobook ALC from HarperAudio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to read ahead of publication and share my voluntary thoughts.
Admittedly, it took me a while to get used to narrator Rebecca Mozo’s presentation. Her vocals were often flat, almost monotone at times, punctuated by a deeper tone that took some getting used to. Her pacing was also a little atypical, with parts of her sentences delivered very quickly while other words were drawn out. At times, it almost felt like she wasn’t breathing, and some sentences sounded like they ran together because the natural pauses suggested by the punctuation weren’t always consistent. It wasn’t like any audio performance I’ve heard before.
That said, I did appreciate that she gave each character a distinct voice, and I was able to comfortably speed the narration up to 1.75x. Eventually, I got used to her style and found myself focusing more on the actual prose and story rather than the narration.
In the end, I really enjoyed this story and found myself rooting for both the FMC and MMC, both individually and as a potential couple. While this is a standalone, I honestly think a follow-up could be wonderful because I would LOVE to continue Claire’s journey as she heads off to college. There’s definitely more story to be told there!
September 28, 2026
A sweet second-chance romance with lovely fall vibes
A Season for Falling was a really enjoyable romance and such a nice read for the beginning of autumn. I especially liked the idea of Claire being a former child star who is trying to build a more normal life, only to have Luke from her past suddenly come back into it. The second-chance romance worked well for me and I enjoyed watching Claire and Luke slowly find their way back to each other. Their history added some nice tension, while Claire's struggles with her past gave the story a little more depth than a simple romance. The autumn setting, small-town atmosphere and movie-set storyline made this an easy and entertaining read. Some parts felt a little long and the pacing wasn't always perfect, but overall I had a good time with it.
A cute, heartfelt fall romance with relatable characters and a lovely second-chance story.
A Season for Falling was a really enjoyable romance and such a nice read for the beginning of autumn. I especially liked the idea of Claire being a former child star who is trying to build a more normal life, only to have Luke from her past suddenly come back into it. The second-chance romance worked well for me and I enjoyed watching Claire and Luke slowly find their way back to each other. Their history added some nice tension, while Claire's struggles with her past gave the story a little more depth than a simple romance. The autumn setting, small-town atmosphere and movie-set storyline made this an easy and entertaining read. Some parts felt a little long and the pacing wasn't always perfect, but overall I had a good time with it.
A cute, heartfelt fall romance with relatable characters and a lovely second-chance story.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This story has a celebrity romance trope but with a twist.
Claire becomes Luke's normal life coach as she lives a normal life, but she's been a celebrity who knows how it is on the other side. That gives an unique layer to the trope, and if you add some star child traumas you got yourself a fresh story that I really enjoyed.
I'm a fan of the tension that a love triangle gives in a story, there isn't much of that here. So I think that people who do not like that trope won't be upset about it here.The 3rd act breakup is meaningful and necessary for the characters' building.
The side characters are very good with a special love for Mara who is just perfect.
I wish there was a bit more of Claire and Luke in the end, like an epilogue of something.
It is a very good YA story.
Claire becomes Luke's normal life coach as she lives a normal life, but she's been a celebrity who knows how it is on the other side. That gives an unique layer to the trope, and if you add some star child traumas you got yourself a fresh story that I really enjoyed.
I'm a fan of the tension that a love triangle gives in a story, there isn't much of that here. So I think that people who do not like that trope won't be upset about it here.The 3rd act breakup is meaningful and necessary for the characters' building.
The side characters are very good with a special love for Mara who is just perfect.
I wish there was a bit more of Claire and Luke in the end, like an epilogue of something.
It is a very good YA story.
May 31, 2026
REVIEW OF ADVANCED COPY FROM NETGALLEY
Written in First Person
Single Point of View
YA Second Chance Romance
I loved this story so much I struggled to put it down when real life got in the way! Claire was a child actor managed by her father. Her career ended, her parents divorced and she moved to Connecticut with her Mom and brother. She is now a Senior in high school and no one - not even her best friend - knows she was once a child star. Luke, the co-star of her childhood sitcom, arrives in town to film a new movie. Now Claire is faced with her secret being exposed.
I rated four stars instead of five because I would have liked to know the results on Claire’s lawsuit against her father and what Luke decides to do with his future.
Written in First Person
Single Point of View
YA Second Chance Romance
I loved this story so much I struggled to put it down when real life got in the way! Claire was a child actor managed by her father. Her career ended, her parents divorced and she moved to Connecticut with her Mom and brother. She is now a Senior in high school and no one - not even her best friend - knows she was once a child star. Luke, the co-star of her childhood sitcom, arrives in town to film a new movie. Now Claire is faced with her secret being exposed.
I rated four stars instead of five because I would have liked to know the results on Claire’s lawsuit against her father and what Luke decides to do with his future.
October 16, 2026
A Season for Falling had the potential to be a really enjoyable, cozy YA romance, and while I didn’t dislike it overall, I struggled to connect with the writing style. There are some lovely ideas here, a sweet romance, and a handful of characters I genuinely enjoyed, but the actual writing felt so dry and plain that it kept me from becoming as invested in the story as I wanted to be.
The story follows Claire Hopper, a high school senior living in a small Connecticut town who is hiding a pretty significant secret: she used to be a child star in Hollywood, known as CeCe Lafayette. After a difficult experience in the entertainment industry and a devastating betrayal by her father, who stole her acting earnings, Claire left that life behind and started over somewhere nobody knows her past. She has built herself a quieter, more normal life, and she would really prefer to keep it that way.
Naturally, that becomes complicated when Luke Cordova, her former co-star and childhood crush, arrives in town to film a movie. Luke is now a famous actor, and his return threatens to expose Claire’s carefully guarded identity. When he offers to pay her to help him understand what being a normal teenager is like, Claire agrees, partly because she desperately needs the money for her dream of attending NYU. Spending time together again brings up old feelings, unresolved history, and the possibility that what they had as children could become something more.
I actually liked the Hollywood angle quite a bit. The idea of two former child stars reconnecting years later, with one embracing fame and the other desperately trying to escape it, gives the romance an interesting foundation. There is something appealing about the contrast between their lives and the way their shared past complicates their present. The romance itself was fine, and I enjoyed the old-friends-to-lovers element. It was sweet, relatively low-key, and very much in keeping with the YA feel of the book. If you’re looking for something cozy rather than spicy, this definitely fits the bill.
My bigger issue was that I never felt the writing brought the story to life. The prose is very straightforward, but not in a way that necessarily works in its favor. It often felt flat, dry, and a little lifeless, without much stylistic personality to pull me into the characters’ emotions or make the setting feel particularly vivid. For a book that leans into autumn, small-town charm, complicated feelings, and second chances, I wanted more atmosphere and a little more emotional texture. I wanted to feel the moments rather than simply read about them.
The characters also feel very YA, which isn’t inherently a bad thing, but it was noticeable to me. Their reactions, relationship dynamics, and emotional struggles all fit the genre, yet I sometimes found myself wishing for a little more nuance and depth. Claire’s journey toward reclaiming her identity and figuring out who she wants to be is an important part of the story, and there is certainly something worthwhile in watching her work through the baggage of her past. I just wish the writing had made that journey more compelling on the page.
Honestly, though, Mara was the character who really stood out to me. I loved her, and I found myself much more interested in her relationship with Nicky than I expected to be. Their story had a pull that I wanted more of, and I often found myself more invested in what was happening with them than in the central romance between Claire and Luke. That is probably one of the biggest compliments I can give the book in terms of its supporting cast: Mara made me want to keep reading, and I would happily have spent more time exploring her story.
Overall, A Season for Falling is not a poor story. There are good ideas here, a charming premise, a perfectly pleasant romance, and characters who have the potential to be genuinely engaging. The Hollywood connection adds an appealing twist, and the book offers an easy, cozy read for anyone who enjoys YA romance without expecting much heat. Unfortunately, the writing style was the biggest obstacle for me. It felt too plain and lacked the spark I look for in a novel, leaving the emotional moments feeling less impactful than they could have been.
I can appreciate what O’Shaughnessy was going for, and I don’t regret reading it, but I wanted more from the execution. A decent story with some lovely elements, particularly Mara and Nicky, that ultimately didn’t quite deliver for me stylistically.
The story follows Claire Hopper, a high school senior living in a small Connecticut town who is hiding a pretty significant secret: she used to be a child star in Hollywood, known as CeCe Lafayette. After a difficult experience in the entertainment industry and a devastating betrayal by her father, who stole her acting earnings, Claire left that life behind and started over somewhere nobody knows her past. She has built herself a quieter, more normal life, and she would really prefer to keep it that way.
Naturally, that becomes complicated when Luke Cordova, her former co-star and childhood crush, arrives in town to film a movie. Luke is now a famous actor, and his return threatens to expose Claire’s carefully guarded identity. When he offers to pay her to help him understand what being a normal teenager is like, Claire agrees, partly because she desperately needs the money for her dream of attending NYU. Spending time together again brings up old feelings, unresolved history, and the possibility that what they had as children could become something more.
I actually liked the Hollywood angle quite a bit. The idea of two former child stars reconnecting years later, with one embracing fame and the other desperately trying to escape it, gives the romance an interesting foundation. There is something appealing about the contrast between their lives and the way their shared past complicates their present. The romance itself was fine, and I enjoyed the old-friends-to-lovers element. It was sweet, relatively low-key, and very much in keeping with the YA feel of the book. If you’re looking for something cozy rather than spicy, this definitely fits the bill.
My bigger issue was that I never felt the writing brought the story to life. The prose is very straightforward, but not in a way that necessarily works in its favor. It often felt flat, dry, and a little lifeless, without much stylistic personality to pull me into the characters’ emotions or make the setting feel particularly vivid. For a book that leans into autumn, small-town charm, complicated feelings, and second chances, I wanted more atmosphere and a little more emotional texture. I wanted to feel the moments rather than simply read about them.
The characters also feel very YA, which isn’t inherently a bad thing, but it was noticeable to me. Their reactions, relationship dynamics, and emotional struggles all fit the genre, yet I sometimes found myself wishing for a little more nuance and depth. Claire’s journey toward reclaiming her identity and figuring out who she wants to be is an important part of the story, and there is certainly something worthwhile in watching her work through the baggage of her past. I just wish the writing had made that journey more compelling on the page.
Honestly, though, Mara was the character who really stood out to me. I loved her, and I found myself much more interested in her relationship with Nicky than I expected to be. Their story had a pull that I wanted more of, and I often found myself more invested in what was happening with them than in the central romance between Claire and Luke. That is probably one of the biggest compliments I can give the book in terms of its supporting cast: Mara made me want to keep reading, and I would happily have spent more time exploring her story.
Overall, A Season for Falling is not a poor story. There are good ideas here, a charming premise, a perfectly pleasant romance, and characters who have the potential to be genuinely engaging. The Hollywood connection adds an appealing twist, and the book offers an easy, cozy read for anyone who enjoys YA romance without expecting much heat. Unfortunately, the writing style was the biggest obstacle for me. It felt too plain and lacked the spark I look for in a novel, leaving the emotional moments feeling less impactful than they could have been.
I can appreciate what O’Shaughnessy was going for, and I don’t regret reading it, but I wanted more from the execution. A decent story with some lovely elements, particularly Mara and Nicky, that ultimately didn’t quite deliver for me stylistically.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
FTC DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this book. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
Kate O'Shaughnessy wrote one of my favorite middle grade books of last year, so I was excited to read her YA debut. It wasn't quite what I was expecting, but I did enjoy it.
If you go in expecting a cutie fall romance, you'll get some of that, but it's more of a coming of age story. I saw one reviewer mention the themes and situations seemed more for a New Adult audience, and I'm inclined to agree between the side characters in college, an emphasis on college acceptance, and a college football game and party. It's an interesting crossover between YA and NA for sure.
I liked Claire a lot and her growth journey. Luke, too. Both of their struggles of speaking up and having agency were things I had to figure out in my late twenties, so I was rooting for them. I also liked the emphasis on volunteer work.
The whole movie aspect was fun! There was less filming stuff in the present than I expected, though.
Thisbe the Goodest Doggo was THE BEST. 🧡
CW: past child abuse, including verbal and financial. Intense kissing, removal of clothing, discussions and plans of losing virginity. Underage drinking and hangovers. A prominent side character is a transwoman.
Kate O'Shaughnessy wrote one of my favorite middle grade books of last year, so I was excited to read her YA debut. It wasn't quite what I was expecting, but I did enjoy it.
If you go in expecting a cutie fall romance, you'll get some of that, but it's more of a coming of age story. I saw one reviewer mention the themes and situations seemed more for a New Adult audience, and I'm inclined to agree between the side characters in college, an emphasis on college acceptance, and a college football game and party. It's an interesting crossover between YA and NA for sure.
I liked Claire a lot and her growth journey. Luke, too. Both of their struggles of speaking up and having agency were things I had to figure out in my late twenties, so I was rooting for them. I also liked the emphasis on volunteer work.
The whole movie aspect was fun! There was less filming stuff in the present than I expected, though.
Thisbe the Goodest Doggo was THE BEST. 🧡
CW: past child abuse, including verbal and financial. Intense kissing, removal of clothing, discussions and plans of losing virginity. Underage drinking and hangovers. A prominent side character is a transwoman.
November 7, 2026
When the child star reunites with her ex-crush. Claire was in her acting career when she was a child but stopped because her father left her. Then, her life has to go on despite her financial problems. When a movie set comes to her city for a shotting, she encounters Luke again. And once again, he makes her heart throbs.
I am such a fan of second chance romance. I love the premise of the book so much. Together with the struggle life of the main character who has to find the way to earn the money and that makes her to be closed to her crush again. Also, love the fall vibes. However, the story wasn't very hooked (at least at the time when I read it). And FYI this book is categorized as YA but I don't think those explicit scenes are YA.
I am such a fan of second chance romance. I love the premise of the book so much. Together with the struggle life of the main character who has to find the way to earn the money and that makes her to be closed to her crush again. Also, love the fall vibes. However, the story wasn't very hooked (at least at the time when I read it). And FYI this book is categorized as YA but I don't think those explicit scenes are YA.
September 13, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the author of this book for giving me an arc!! I absolutely adored it!!!! Claire and Luke were adorable!!! Luke was giving Conrad Fisher vibes hehe!! I loved all the fall vibes and Christmas vibes!!
I highly recommend everyone read this when it comes out when September 22nd!!
I highly recommend everyone read this when it comes out when September 22nd!!
November 13, 2026
It wasn't a bad book, it's just that I don't really like reading about teenagers anymore. Si I found it a bit slow, but I enjoyed the ending, cause you can see the evolution of the main character, how she becomes more confident and independant.
October 18, 2026
I have a love hate relationship with this book. It’s such a feel good cutie novel and perfect for fall and ends in the winter time which makes you excited for all the seasons. I was also pretty invested the whole time, there wasn’t any spots that felt like a “filler”
This book was about a girl who was a child actor and after her parents divorce moves to Connecticut and lives life under the radar. Her best friend from L.A. ,Luke, was also a child actor and still is to this day. After she moved they stopped talking. But after she learns he’s in town filming a movie all her feelings come back up. Long story short they reconnect and fall for each other.
I do feel like some parts of the book were rushed, but also had good character development. Claire learns to stand up for herself and open up to her past which is super cute.
I did not love that there was a lot of LGBT+ added in. It was super unnecessary and didn’t add to the book. But I guess that’s what life is now days. Dang liberals 👩🏼🍳 anywho, wasn’t anything super crazy just not my jam. Other than that I really liked the book.
This book was about a girl who was a child actor and after her parents divorce moves to Connecticut and lives life under the radar. Her best friend from L.A. ,Luke, was also a child actor and still is to this day. After she moved they stopped talking. But after she learns he’s in town filming a movie all her feelings come back up. Long story short they reconnect and fall for each other.
I do feel like some parts of the book were rushed, but also had good character development. Claire learns to stand up for herself and open up to her past which is super cute.
I did not love that there was a lot of LGBT+ added in. It was super unnecessary and didn’t add to the book. But I guess that’s what life is now days. Dang liberals 👩🏼🍳 anywho, wasn’t anything super crazy just not my jam. Other than that I really liked the book.
October 13, 2026
The premise of this one was promising, but it's one of those where the execution doesn't quite live up to its potential. One of the biggest drawbacks was that this book is advertised as a seasonal, fall-heavy read, but that atmosphere and feeling just wasn't there. Mentioning Halloween and Thanksgiving does not a fall book make.
Something else that was a negative was the characters. They were honestly quite flat, missing depth adn development. It felt like the author tried to include a diverse cast without creating meaningfully developed characterization. And then just because the characters were teens doesn't make this book a YA read. The lack of criticism or commentary of many negative elements that were included made me question if this would really be suitable for a 13-year-old to read (apparently being a "good mom" means driving your underage kid to get drunk at a party). I'm no prude or saint, but I feel like we should be more careful with the messages we're sending young teens.
This was an okay romance, but I don't necessarily recommend it. My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Something else that was a negative was the characters. They were honestly quite flat, missing depth adn development. It felt like the author tried to include a diverse cast without creating meaningfully developed characterization. And then just because the characters were teens doesn't make this book a YA read. The lack of criticism or commentary of many negative elements that were included made me question if this would really be suitable for a 13-year-old to read (apparently being a "good mom" means driving your underage kid to get drunk at a party). I'm no prude or saint, but I feel like we should be more careful with the messages we're sending young teens.
This was an okay romance, but I don't necessarily recommend it. My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
September 27, 2026
review:
thanks to netgalley, author, and publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review!
✨✨✨✨ ~ 4 stars
aww stop this was so cute. i was swooning and omlll the romance?! childhood besties to not friends to LOVERS WAS HITTING HARD 🥹 this was beautifully written and i hated the dad, but it was a good book, they were such a cute couple. i keep wanting to spoil things, but i won't so instead you should go read it so i don't have to bug you about reading it!! really though, its the perfect fall book and the romance was so cute 🤭
preread:
guess who forgot she had this arc 😭 I feel so bad too bc I was so excited abt getting it too
thanks to netgalley, author, and publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review!
✨✨✨✨ ~ 4 stars
aww stop this was so cute. i was swooning and omlll the romance?! childhood besties to not friends to LOVERS WAS HITTING HARD 🥹 this was beautifully written and i hated the dad, but it was a good book, they were such a cute couple. i keep wanting to spoil things, but i won't so instead you should go read it so i don't have to bug you about reading it!! really though, its the perfect fall book and the romance was so cute 🤭
preread:
guess who forgot she had this arc 😭 I feel so bad too bc I was so excited abt getting it too
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
i don’t even remember the last time i’ve given a rating this low.. i wanted to enjoy this book so bad, the idea was so fun. childhood costars on a tv show?? finding each other again?? so up my alley. but i could not get past the amount of underage drinking in this book. not a single person (including the mom) batted an eye at any of it… and the repeated brand name drops just felt like ads. obviously the two main characters have to get together, break up, and get back together, but there was no build up to the getting back together part.. this one was unfortunately not for me :/
September 23, 2026
Babes…🍂🥹 a small Connecticut town, childhood best friends who find their way back to each other, a secret past, and all the emotional growing pains that come with figuring out who the hell you actually want to be…
Claire Hopper has spent the last five years trying to make sure CeCe Lafayette stays buried in the past. Once a child star on a popular sitcom, Claire walked away from Hollywood after being betrayed by the people who were supposed to protect her….her own father. Now she’s a high school senior in Connecticut, keeping her head down, saving every penny for NYU, and trying to build a life where she gets to be Claire, not the girl everyone watched on TV.
But then Luke Cordova shows up. Luke was her childhood best friend, former costar, and first crush. Now he’s a Hollywood heartthrob filming a movie right in her tiny town.👀 So of course Claire’s carefully constructed little life starts unraveling.
Luke needs someone to help him understand what it’s like to be a normal high school student, and Claire needs money for college. So they make a deal. Except spending time together has a funny way of bringing back feelings neither of them exactly managed to forget.😏🍂
Claire’s experiences as a child actor weren't brushed aside as some glamorous Hollywood backstory. We get to see how much being exploited and controlled at such a young age affected the person she became. Claire learned to keep people happy, avoid confrontation, hide pieces of herself, and make herself smaller when she thinks that's what everyone else needs.
Luke grew up in the same industry as Claire but his experiences have shaped him differently. He has spent so much of his life having other people make decisions for him that figuring out what he actually wants becomes part of his growth too.
They weren't simply finding each other and suddenly everything was fixed.
They were learning how to choose themselves first.
A Season for Falling is a heartfelt YA romance about growing up, letting go of the version of yourself other people created, and learning that your past doesn't get to decide your future.
It's sweet. It's emotional. It's cozy. It's hopeful.
And if you love childhood friends to lovers, second chances, small-town romance and a heroine learning to finally use her voice…definitely put this one on your fall TBR.
Claire Hopper has spent the last five years trying to make sure CeCe Lafayette stays buried in the past. Once a child star on a popular sitcom, Claire walked away from Hollywood after being betrayed by the people who were supposed to protect her….her own father. Now she’s a high school senior in Connecticut, keeping her head down, saving every penny for NYU, and trying to build a life where she gets to be Claire, not the girl everyone watched on TV.
But then Luke Cordova shows up. Luke was her childhood best friend, former costar, and first crush. Now he’s a Hollywood heartthrob filming a movie right in her tiny town.👀 So of course Claire’s carefully constructed little life starts unraveling.
Luke needs someone to help him understand what it’s like to be a normal high school student, and Claire needs money for college. So they make a deal. Except spending time together has a funny way of bringing back feelings neither of them exactly managed to forget.😏🍂
Claire’s experiences as a child actor weren't brushed aside as some glamorous Hollywood backstory. We get to see how much being exploited and controlled at such a young age affected the person she became. Claire learned to keep people happy, avoid confrontation, hide pieces of herself, and make herself smaller when she thinks that's what everyone else needs.
Luke grew up in the same industry as Claire but his experiences have shaped him differently. He has spent so much of his life having other people make decisions for him that figuring out what he actually wants becomes part of his growth too.
They weren't simply finding each other and suddenly everything was fixed.
They were learning how to choose themselves first.
A Season for Falling is a heartfelt YA romance about growing up, letting go of the version of yourself other people created, and learning that your past doesn't get to decide your future.
It's sweet. It's emotional. It's cozy. It's hopeful.
And if you love childhood friends to lovers, second chances, small-town romance and a heroine learning to finally use her voice…definitely put this one on your fall TBR.
September 25, 2026
A Season for Falling sounds like a fall romance, but it’s really a celebrity romance. So I’m not adding it to my Cozy Fall romance , but putting it where it belongs, on my Celebrity Romance post!
Claire, a high school senior, lives in small-town Connecticut with her divorced mom. (This accounts for the Gilmore Girls vibe mentioned in the blurb.)
But Claire is keeping a secret from her friends and everyone in town. She’s former child actor CeCe Lafayette, nerdy star of the show House of Bricks. And a victim of embezzlement at the hands of her estranged father.
When Claire's former co-star, Lucas, comes to town to scout out the location of his new movie, Claire is shaken. She’s even more shocked when Lucas offers to pay her to decode life in a small New England High school for him. As research for his role. Weird, but she really needs the money for college.
I feel like the cover and title of this book are a bit of a catfish, but I really enjoyed this one.
It’s being also attacked on Goodreads for conduct unbecoming to teenagers, which feels a bit unfair.
There’s nothing in the book that the average teenager doesn’t do: a bit of drinking plus a side character who decides to sleep with her boyfriend and then has regret that she rushed into it.
Some readers also object to a trans side character, which is ridiculous. Maya is a lovely sounding board for the very lonely and confused Claire.
The child celebrity angle was unique and added a lot of the story. Claire’s father did some very questionable stuff, and she’s still suffering for it in many ways.
The romance was sweet and slow burn. I love a single POV when it's clear that the other character is secretly crazy for the POV character!
Be sure to check this out if you love small town vibes and celebrity romance!
Claire, a high school senior, lives in small-town Connecticut with her divorced mom. (This accounts for the Gilmore Girls vibe mentioned in the blurb.)
But Claire is keeping a secret from her friends and everyone in town. She’s former child actor CeCe Lafayette, nerdy star of the show House of Bricks. And a victim of embezzlement at the hands of her estranged father.
When Claire's former co-star, Lucas, comes to town to scout out the location of his new movie, Claire is shaken. She’s even more shocked when Lucas offers to pay her to decode life in a small New England High school for him. As research for his role. Weird, but she really needs the money for college.
I feel like the cover and title of this book are a bit of a catfish, but I really enjoyed this one.
It’s being also attacked on Goodreads for conduct unbecoming to teenagers, which feels a bit unfair.
There’s nothing in the book that the average teenager doesn’t do: a bit of drinking plus a side character who decides to sleep with her boyfriend and then has regret that she rushed into it.
Some readers also object to a trans side character, which is ridiculous. Maya is a lovely sounding board for the very lonely and confused Claire.
The child celebrity angle was unique and added a lot of the story. Claire’s father did some very questionable stuff, and she’s still suffering for it in many ways.
The romance was sweet and slow burn. I love a single POV when it's clear that the other character is secretly crazy for the POV character!
Be sure to check this out if you love small town vibes and celebrity romance!
September 8, 2026
As much as I love rivals to lovers and enemies to lovers, I have to admit I have such a sweet spot for the childhood friends to lovers dynamic. And A Season For Falling hit that perfectly.
Claire Hopper, a senior in highschool, has a secret. No one in Connecticut knows that she’s CeCe Lafayette, actress on a big sitcom, and she’d like to keep it that way. Her past is one she left behind in LA, along with the fact that her father stole all of the earnings she made. She wants to keep her head down and focus on getting into college, and leave CeCe for good.
But all of that changes when Lucas Cordova, Hollywood Heartthrob as well as her childhood best friend and longtime crush, arrives in her small town for the new movie he’s filming. And when he asks to shadow her for his role as a highschool student, how can she say no? He’s paying her for her time- and that’s a lot of college tuition easily gained.
The past has a way of catching up to you, however, and Claire soon has to balance past and present as her secret begins to spill over, and her feelings for Luke return. While this is a cute, clean YA romance, it does briefly touch on the damage child stars suffer. Claire suffered under a cruel director, was forced into plastic surgery early by her father, and had every penny she made snatched away. These are things no child should ever have to face, and they were written incredibly well.
Thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley for the e-arc! A Season For Falling releases on September 22!
Claire Hopper, a senior in highschool, has a secret. No one in Connecticut knows that she’s CeCe Lafayette, actress on a big sitcom, and she’d like to keep it that way. Her past is one she left behind in LA, along with the fact that her father stole all of the earnings she made. She wants to keep her head down and focus on getting into college, and leave CeCe for good.
But all of that changes when Lucas Cordova, Hollywood Heartthrob as well as her childhood best friend and longtime crush, arrives in her small town for the new movie he’s filming. And when he asks to shadow her for his role as a highschool student, how can she say no? He’s paying her for her time- and that’s a lot of college tuition easily gained.
The past has a way of catching up to you, however, and Claire soon has to balance past and present as her secret begins to spill over, and her feelings for Luke return. While this is a cute, clean YA romance, it does briefly touch on the damage child stars suffer. Claire suffered under a cruel director, was forced into plastic surgery early by her father, and had every penny she made snatched away. These are things no child should ever have to face, and they were written incredibly well.
Thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley for the e-arc! A Season For Falling releases on September 22!
September 22, 2026
This was such a cute, fun, quick YA read! It had just the right mix of romance, secrets, and figuring out who you really are.
Cece was once a child TV star, but after going through a series of traumatic events, she decided to leave everything connected to her old life in LA behind—including her dad and her best friend (and first love), Luke. She packs up what she has and moves across the country with her mom and brother.
For five years, she’s lived as Claire Hopper, getting to experience something she never really had before: a normal life where no one knows her as the nerdy girl from a popular sitcom.
But that carefully built life starts to unravel when Luke comes to town to film his next blockbuster. The closer Luke gets, the harder it becomes for Claire to keep her past—and her secrets—from catching up with her.
I thought this was a really fun coming-of-age story about leaving your past behind, second chances, first loves, and figuring out whether you can truly run from the person you used to be.
It was an easy, entertaining read that I flew through, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need!
Cece was once a child TV star, but after going through a series of traumatic events, she decided to leave everything connected to her old life in LA behind—including her dad and her best friend (and first love), Luke. She packs up what she has and moves across the country with her mom and brother.
For five years, she’s lived as Claire Hopper, getting to experience something she never really had before: a normal life where no one knows her as the nerdy girl from a popular sitcom.
But that carefully built life starts to unravel when Luke comes to town to film his next blockbuster. The closer Luke gets, the harder it becomes for Claire to keep her past—and her secrets—from catching up with her.
I thought this was a really fun coming-of-age story about leaving your past behind, second chances, first loves, and figuring out whether you can truly run from the person you used to be.
It was an easy, entertaining read that I flew through, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need!
September 26, 2026
3.5⭐️
The fall vibes and high school ambiance of this book was absolutely incredible and what I think made the entire book. The cast of characters is great and they’re all written in such a realistic, high school teenager way which I loved. I think that this book is much more of just a ya fiction read than a ya romance. While there is romance in it, it is a slow burn that is heavily focused on Claire story. I did really enjoy her character arc and getting to see her take control of her life again. I thought that her friends and family were great additions to the story and they really complimented her. The pacing of this was on the slower side, and while I think it fit the story, it did make the ending feel really rushed. The ending was just not something I enjoyed and I found the last 15% of this book to be so frustrating. I think the conflict could started earlier and have been navigated a bit more throughly just because the ending felt a bit incomplete. So, not a fan of the ending, but overall this was such a cute fall read that I’m really glad to have picked up.
The fall vibes and high school ambiance of this book was absolutely incredible and what I think made the entire book. The cast of characters is great and they’re all written in such a realistic, high school teenager way which I loved. I think that this book is much more of just a ya fiction read than a ya romance. While there is romance in it, it is a slow burn that is heavily focused on Claire story. I did really enjoy her character arc and getting to see her take control of her life again. I thought that her friends and family were great additions to the story and they really complimented her. The pacing of this was on the slower side, and while I think it fit the story, it did make the ending feel really rushed. The ending was just not something I enjoyed and I found the last 15% of this book to be so frustrating. I think the conflict could started earlier and have been navigated a bit more throughly just because the ending felt a bit incomplete. So, not a fan of the ending, but overall this was such a cute fall read that I’m really glad to have picked up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.25
A fun fall Romance. I wasn't sure about this book being that I am defiantly way past my high school days, but I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audiobook.
Clair the FMC, is in her last year and is planning her future, which I think helped me to connect with and I would almost say some of the emotions and situations were more NA than YA.
Some of my favourite tropes are present in this book as well, Found Family and Second Chances. I will always praise a book that can make me show my emotions out loud, I did laugh, groan, scowl in frustration at the characters and shed a few tears. I truly am a lover of sappy romantic gestures and this book didn't disappoint.
This was my first book by Kate O'Shaughnessy, but I will be keeping an eye out for others by her to check them out.
Rebecca Mozo did a fantastic job as narrator for this audio book.
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperAudio Children's/Storytide and Kate O'Shaughnessy for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A fun fall Romance. I wasn't sure about this book being that I am defiantly way past my high school days, but I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audiobook.
Clair the FMC, is in her last year and is planning her future, which I think helped me to connect with and I would almost say some of the emotions and situations were more NA than YA.
Some of my favourite tropes are present in this book as well, Found Family and Second Chances. I will always praise a book that can make me show my emotions out loud, I did laugh, groan, scowl in frustration at the characters and shed a few tears. I truly am a lover of sappy romantic gestures and this book didn't disappoint.
This was my first book by Kate O'Shaughnessy, but I will be keeping an eye out for others by her to check them out.
Rebecca Mozo did a fantastic job as narrator for this audio book.
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperAudio Children's/Storytide and Kate O'Shaughnessy for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 4, 2026
This was a cute YA contemporary, perfect to read in the fall.
The FMC, Claire, was a child star on a TV sitcom who left acting and moved across the country to a small town in Connecticut to live a quiet life away from show business. She is content and happy that no one knows who she really is. However, a movie starring her former costar (and first crush) is being filmed in her town and she is worried her two worlds will collide.
First off, I will say that I loved the small state rep! The town in Connecticut is fictional, but Claire’s brother attends UConn and Claire always says she has to get to Storrs which made the fictional town feel like a real place. I also liked the feel of the small town. I will say for the cover and title, there weren’t as many fall vibes as I was expecting but I really enjoyed what was there.
I did also enjoy Claire’s character growth. She wasn’t really comfortable standing up for herself at first and I liked seeing her become more confident. I also liked her relationship with her brother. They had a close sibling bond and it was sweet.
The romance was okay. I honestly preferred the other guy she kind of liked over Luke, her former costar. He was kind of hot and cold and I didn’t like the way he treated her at times. There’s also a third act breakup that I didn’t like at all. Overall the other guy seemed to have less drama so maybe that’s why I liked him more?
Thank you HarperCollins/Storytide for providing this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The FMC, Claire, was a child star on a TV sitcom who left acting and moved across the country to a small town in Connecticut to live a quiet life away from show business. She is content and happy that no one knows who she really is. However, a movie starring her former costar (and first crush) is being filmed in her town and she is worried her two worlds will collide.
First off, I will say that I loved the small state rep! The town in Connecticut is fictional, but Claire’s brother attends UConn and Claire always says she has to get to Storrs which made the fictional town feel like a real place. I also liked the feel of the small town. I will say for the cover and title, there weren’t as many fall vibes as I was expecting but I really enjoyed what was there.
I did also enjoy Claire’s character growth. She wasn’t really comfortable standing up for herself at first and I liked seeing her become more confident. I also liked her relationship with her brother. They had a close sibling bond and it was sweet.
The romance was okay. I honestly preferred the other guy she kind of liked over Luke, her former costar. He was kind of hot and cold and I didn’t like the way he treated her at times. There’s also a third act breakup that I didn’t like at all. Overall the other guy seemed to have less drama so maybe that’s why I liked him more?
Thank you HarperCollins/Storytide for providing this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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