Falling Like Snowflakes

Bramble Falls #2

by Misty Wilson, Andrea Fischer (Translator)

Willkommen zurück in Bramble Falls!

Sloane und Asher sind seit Kindheitstagen beste Freunde. Sie erzählen einander alles ... zumindest fast. Denn dass die beiden Gefühle füreinander haben, ist zwar allen um sie herum klar, aber sie selbst wollen es nicht wahrhaben. Als die ersten Schneeflocken über der gemütlichen Kleinstadt Bramble Falls fallen, erscheint alles im Schein von Lichterketten und Kerzen, und auch Sloane und Asher sehen sich plötzlich mit ganz anderen Augen.

Romantischer Winterzauber für Fans von Gilmore Girls

Darauf haben die Fans des Bestsellers„Falling Like Leaves" die Friends-to-lovers-Liebesgeschichte von Sloane und Asher

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Young Adult, Friends To Lovers, Cozy, Contemporary

337 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 23, 2026

About the author

Misty Wilson is the New York Times bestselling author of Falling Like Leaves and the award-winning middle-grade graphic memoir Play Like a Girl. She is a teacher, a 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.

Reviews

[Sarah • semi ia (nvm still pretty inactive, sorry!)]

✧˖*°࿐ TL;DR: The vibes were vibing, but the lack of communication and jealousy kinda ruined the Christmas cheer I was trying to enjoy.




〖 ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ: It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas by Perry Como, The Fontane Sisters, Mitchell Ayres & His Orchestra 〗
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺ 1:03 ───ㅇ───── 2:35




✧˖*°࿐ Before I start to ramble on about the positives and negatives of the book (because, let’s be honest, that’s all I do in my reviews), I think we should set the mood and have a little fire going so I can stay in the joy and awesomeness of Christmas for just a little bit longer. A little bit of ignoring reality never hurt no one. 😉




This book was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. Even though it was about best friends falling in love (my least favorite trope), I was so excited and ready to head back to Bramble Falls and experience the magic and beauty of Christmas in the quaint little town with Sloane as the heroine. Granted, I didn’t remember Sloane or her bff Asher (my brain felt like it was going to explode from how hard I was trying to remember these two), but I remembered enough to sit back and see what would play out between Sloane and Asher. And, boy oh boy, I should’ve had a plate full of sugar cookies and a mug of hot chocolate on hand to drown my frustrations while I read this book. Buckle up, y’all. This sleigh ride is going to get a little bit bumpy.



Let’s start with the positives because I don’t want to think about the negatives at the moment. 😅 This book solidified my love for Christmas. Like, I know why it’s my favorite time of the year, and it’s because of all the wonderful things you can do, the giving of gifts, and just the overall spirit of the season and goodwill toward men (and women) that makes the world seem not as bad as I thought it was. This book proved all that, and I had sooo much fun thinking about all the things I’m going to do for Christmas. 🥰🎄

The side characters and relationships were also great. I loved the friend group, Sloane’s Mom, and Sloane and Asher’s friendship. It was all so sweet and fun, and I still shook my head and chuckled about Jake. I definitely remembered him. 😂

Although the middle part of the book really, really frustrated me (I’ll get to that in a sec), I really liked the beginning and end of the story when we were all living in harmony and were communicating like human beings should.

And the cover?? Absolutely adorable! I can’t stop looking at it. 😍

But what really dampened the mood and made this book not so jolly were the characters’ actions and feelings. Look, I liked Asher and Sloane. I really did–I have no complaints about them as individuals or as best friends. They were cute together, regardless of whether they had feelings for each other or not, because friendship as close as theirs is always sweet. And I should add that I have nothing against flawed characters. I actually love flawed characters because they’re relatable and they feel real. So please, give me more of them. But there’s a difference between flawed characters and characters who can be annoying. You can be flawed and not annoying. If the character is both, then I’m obviously going to say something about it because I can and it’s my opinion. So let’s talk about Sloane and Asher.

Sloane herself wasn’t annoying, but her jealousy and anger towards Asher were. Like, girlfriend, a rift between you two was bound to happen if you got into a romantic relationship. That’s just how it goes. You won’t talk as much or hang out as often, and yeah, there are some things you won’t tell your best friend that concern your romantic relationship, and vice versa. But instead of being happy for him, you're mad and jealous. And that’s fine, I suppose. Those are natural feelings to feel about a change in y’all’s dynamic, but if you were being left behind and all alone, I’d have more sympathy for you. BUT YOU LITERALLY STARTED IT!! You’re mad at Asher for something that you did first. The lack of communication?? The off being somewhere with someone they possibly like??? All you, queen. Asher just decided to do his own thing, and you’re mad about it? What happened to just being friends? You sound like a jealous ex, honey, so you might as well just realize that you like the guy and find out if he feels the same way about you because this game that you’re playing sucks and I don’t want to be a part of it anymore. Everyone can see it except you.

Gosh, my patience is wearing thin for this trope. I think I hate it at this point. 😭

But Sloane isn’t the only one at fault here. Oh no, no, no. Asher didn’t help either–him and his secrets. 🙄 And that one scene at the water tower? Hello??? Are you alright there, my guy? I mean, I get it, but then I don’t because that was totally uncalled for. 😭🙏🏼

I was literally shaking my head and furiously writing down notes on why they were in the mess they were in. I swear, I should get paid for this counseling session because I was staying away from this book like the plague because of their incessant need to dance around each other and walk on eggshells instead of just talking like good friends should, instead of letting their anger and misunderstandings fester into something bitter and resentful. It ruined the whole romance, if there was one to begin with, since most of the book was Sloane wanting to be with Micah while harboring conflicting feelings about Asher. It’s probably very realistic, and that’s great, and all, but Asher and Sloane were so cute together as friends, and all the things he did for Sloane were the sweetest ever. I wanted to see them be cute together as a couple, even if it was for one chapter. The “romance” felt so flat and not even the slightest bit romantic because Sloane was so oblivious and adamant on them just being friends, all the while wondering why her heart fluttered around Asher AS SHE FLIRTED WITH MICAH. I was so confused about this girl’s feelings and intentions. 🤦‍♀

But Micah can go jump in a lake. I couldn't care less about him and his feelings. Sorry, not sorry. That’s what you get.

Anyway, aside from that, everything else was fine. ☺ The writing was easy to read and really painted a picture of what Bramble Falls looks like for Christmas. The plot itself kept me engaged for the most part. Nothing was exciting, surprising, or groundbreaking. It was just a straightforward, seasonal read that could honestly be read in one sitting if I weren’t the way I am and didn’t refrain from finishing this. The common denominator is me, so I’m the problem here. 😅

I can’t say that I’m utterly disappointed with this, but I do wish I could have loved it. But I still liked it and kinda had fun, so I think 3 stars is fair. 😌 And even though I didn’t love it, I still recommend it if you are looking for a quick, Christmassy read. I sincerely hope you love it. 💙

၄၃ Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing | Margaret K. McElderry Books and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own. ၄၃

《 Content Warnings 》
Death of a parent (off-page), blood, & sexual assault (kissing and groping without consent).
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Kissing. (🌶/5)

[Tori{LovesReadingRomance} (Jacks’s version)]

🎄❆🗽

▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||||။‌‌‌‌‌၊|• 0:10
Now playing ⋆｡˚୨You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton୧˚｡⋆

-ˏˋ⋆ ᴡ ᴇ ʟ ᴄ ᴏ ᴍ ᴇ ⋆ˊˎ-
Okay so first of all thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this arc (aka my very first one!!!)
This was definitely one of my top reads of the year! It was so amazing I loved it so much. Sloane and Asher were amazing! The book was hilarious (as you can tell from the quotes and notes section of this review lol) and this is a mostly spoiler free review!! Happy reading!!
P.s this song is perfect for them btw lol

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Sweet gingerbread made with molasses
My heart skipped and I reacted
Can’t believe this is happening

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

‧₊˚✧Characters✧˚₊‧

Sloane: honey this is why you never date the guy your friends say is a player.
Anyway I get way you were jealous of Asher and Daphne hanging out together, but you should have told him how you felt after you figured it out! And why would you spend him back to the dance after he saw you leave it after the whole Micah thing and he wanted to stay with you. Honey. Asher was trying so hard not to go back there and beat the life out of Micah. And I literally almost cried at the cemetery scene , and I never cry while reading. I think that’s the closest I’ve ever gotten.

Asher: okay why are you doing buddy, you turned Bramble falls into Sloane’s dream winter break vacation and she still couldn’t see that you loved her come on man step it up. Also the huge water tower thing I’m still mad at you for that, and you leaving before Sloane even woke up, even tho I know that you didn’t want to move or leave her cuddles. Come on man. I just know that if we had gotten his pov of the kiss/ afterwards he would be so happy and never wanting to leave her but forcing himself too because he thinks she only kissed him for practice and is really into Micah. (He’s amazing but I like Cooper better sorry!)

Micah: liked him and then I was meh and then I greatly dislike him a ton (go to themes section to find out why) that is all I’m saying thank you very much

Others:I’m not writing everyone else down so here’s my top side characters! Hannah: loved her! Hannah’s grandmother: look at the quotes and notes she’s a hoot also loved her!
Ellis and Cooper: still love them from The first book wished we saw them more together tho
Jake and Fern: if we’re getting a third book (which I think we are) i hope it’s abt them!
Sloane’s mom: love her she could be a little less “I’m going to bury myself in town work so I won’t have to talk abt my feelings” but I think she’ll work on it. And I lowkey hated how she came up with the whole new festival to put together in a few days thing right when she knew Sloane was really looking forward to and excited abt her and Ellis’s trip to nyc.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Like a present sent from God
Sleigh bells singing hallelujah
Stars are shingling on us too

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

‧₊˚✧Themes✧˚₊‧
Okay so the themes were a tad darker than Falling Like Leaves were.
Sloane grieving her father, some sa when Micah would not stop kissing or touching her and she has to push him away and gave him a black eye and a bloody nose
Minimal cursing (maybe like 10 to 15 in the whole book)
2/5 spice (kinda steamy kisses (good steamy not bad steamy iykyk) and mentions of teen pregnancy in a joking and then in a kinda joking way oh and she accidentally gave him a hickey)

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

I wanna thank you, baby
You make it fell like Christmas
(Ooh, ooh)

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

‧₊˚✧Plot & Progression✧˚₊
The plot was really good and so was the progression. We picked up probably abt a month after Falling Like Leaves ended.
It never really got slow too much there was always something happening and I really liked that it didn’t give me time to get boarded lol

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

You make it feel like Christmas

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

‧₊˚✧Things that stood out✧˚₊‧
I loved all the holiday festivities and I can’t wait to get my own physical copy when it releases so I can reread it for Christmas!!
Asher and his ideas to make Sloane get thru December
That mistletoe kiss sigh I need something like that one day

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

‧₊˚✧Quotes & Notes✧˚₊‧

11%
“We’re here, Mom. What more do you want?” Hannah’s dad asks, the ring under his eyes and the slump in his posture telling a story of exhaustion. “What would make this more exciting for you?”
“I don’t know!” She crosses her frail arms. “Perhaps mud wrestling. Or streaking.”

A laugh barrels out of me at the unexpected comment. “Now that would exciting to watch, I suppose.”
A crease forms between her eyebrows. “No, dear, I don’t want to watch. I want to participate.”
“Grammy!” Hannah exclaims, appalled. Her dad grips the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger and sighs.
“Don’t be such a killjoy Hannah.” I laugh. “Let the women run naked through the streets.”

Hannah looks at her grandma. “You’re eighty two, Grammy. You’d probably break a hip doing either of those things.”
Her grandma lifts her chin. “Oh hogwash. See, this is why you’re not my favorite grandchild.”
“I’m your only grandchild.”
“Doesn’t make it any less true.”

(Note: I love Hannah’s grandma lol she seems like she would get in a lot of trouble if left alone lol.)

17%
I’m climbing down when Asher returns, and Ellis pulls Cooper under the dangling evergreen leaves and clusters of white berries.
“Oh shucks look where we ended up,” she says, looking up at the mistletoe. “Guess we have to kiss—it is the rule.”
He grins at her. “Darn it, I guess so.”
She presses up on her tiptoes and plants a kiss on his lips.
They’re so sickeningly adorable, if I didn’t love them, I’d hate them for it.

(Note: aww my babies, I love them so much)

19%
Micah Cook
He pushes his light brown hair out of his concerned, piercing green eyes.
“Damn, you have pretty irises,” I blurt.
I slap my hand over my mouth.
He laughs “Um, thanks…” my cheeks flare as he offers his hand. I let him pull me up.

(Note dann Sloane smooth real smooth)

19%
“Hey” the now-familiar voice calls from behind me. I pivot to face Micah. “You have pretty irises too, Sloane Sullivan.”
With that, he walks away, leaving me wordless.

(Note damn again)

20%
“Very successful,” Hannah chirps. Then her smile vanishes. “Minus Sloane buying Grammy a thong.”
Asher’s eyes swing to me. “Uh, why would you do that?”
“Because she’ll get a kick out of it!” I say laughing. “I’m not a very good present giver, but the thong is a great present.”
“Unfortunately, you’re right,” Hannah grumbles, shaking her head.
“It’s why I’m her favorite fake grandchild.” I say proudly.
She sighs. “Also correct.”

(Note I stand by what I said earlier about Hannah’s grandmother)

34%
“You aren’t replaceable, Sully,” he says, calling me by the nickname he only uses when he’s serious. His voice is somehow soft and firm at the same time, like he wants me to know he’s not mad but also needs me to know he means every word.
“You can worry about your grades and finals and studying. You can worry about making sure your mom is happy. You can worry about your dad’s upcoming anniversary. You can worry about what needs to be done for every Bramble Falls festival event. You can worry about Micah’s weird comments and mixes messages. But do not worry about us.”
“Even if you and Daphne start dating ?” The question burns like acid in my mouth. Am I really that scared of having to scare him? Am I seriously that selfish?
“It seems more likely that you’ll be dating before I will,” he says. “But yes, you’re my best friend no matter what. Forever and always.”

(Note
Awww Asher you love her!! And Sloane you love him too as more than a bestie and you know it.)

35%
Who knew hockey was such a hot form of art?

(Note
Girl all us hockey romance readers out here that’s who)

59%
“Excuse me, no one is banging, or boning, or boinking anyone tonight,” I say. “There will be no teenage pregnancies occurring the only night my mother has ever let me have a co-ed sleepover.”
“Oh my god, you sound just like her,” Ellis says, chuckling.
I pause. “Ew. I totally do. Fine. Teenage pregnancies for everyone!” I declare.
Jake’s faces contorts. “No thanks.”
The room fills with laughter.

(Note
I was cackling so hard at this lol)

97%
He tears his mouth away. “We should stop.”
I freeze, “Oh. Okay. Sorry. I didn’t mean to—“
“Sloane, you didn’t nothing wrong. Quit apologizing.”
“Then why are we stopping?” I ask, pretty sure I wasn’t the only one enjoying this best friend make-out sesh.
“Because we don’t want a teen pregnancy. Our parents would kill us, and I’m not ready to have a kid.”
I kiss the corner of his lips. “You do know how babies are made, right?”
He laughs. “Yes, Sloane. But seeing as I ended up with semipermanent marks on my neck the last time we ‘just kissed,’ I say at least one of us needs to practice some self-control.”

(Note
Well yeah at least you think ahead Asher or else this would be very different lol)

[ryliekate_reads]

Review of Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley and Simon & Schuster.
Publication Date: October 6, 2026

3.25 stars!
Wintery, sweet, and cozy, Falling Like Snow is an adorable friends-to-lovers YA romance by Misty Wilson! So many moments of “aww” mixed with the longing and frustration of just wanting them to confess their feelings, which creates all the slow-burn and yearning. Was this the best? No. Was still cute? Yes!
Sloane’s sweet authenticity and spunk, and Asher’s kind-heart and tender spirit truly endears them to the reader. Oh my gravy, Asher?!? He is so genuine and respectful, and just an altogether good guy. Sloane and Asher’s friendship is one-of-a-kind in the best way, and thoroughly loved getting to see where it took them. Now Micah… I am honestly really confused about him, but overall NOT a decent boyfriend and needs some maturing. His moment at the end left me quite confused— which is totally a me issue as I have difficulty figuring it out in real-life— about whether or not he WAS genuinely apologizing and expressing with Sloane. Now, while I understand why Sloane and Asher didn’t confess their feelings all this time, I didn’t love the blow-ups and frustrations it caused in their friendship. Sloane and Micah’s relationship felt very uncomfortable (no means no), but it is one of those things as a reader when you see what the characters do not in that moment.
One thing to note is while this is a Christmastime rom-com, the plot revolves around the town’s new snow festival and events that have a blend of Christmas and just winter activities. Also, Sloane deals with much grief after losing her dad, so it is a hard time of the year for her and she struggles between wanting to engage in memories and/or avoiding them.
I will say, due to certain content in the book and being a bit uncomfortable, the star rating is lower than it potentially would be otherwise. Of course, everyone has different convictions and levels of comfort— which I respect— and kindly, there was some in this novel that crossed my line(s). In this, NO hate and/or ill-will is intended towards the author or anyone; these are my personal thoughts/feelings and I hope my tone comes off kind because that is my intention. I try to note ANY potential content concerns or considerations in my reviews so that a potential reader doesn’t end up uncomfortable or caught off guard due to a book’s content, especially as someone who has been in that position and ended up a book I wasn’t okay with reading (due to my beliefs/convictions) but didn’t know before buying. Thank you!
~Content~
Romance: No-spice! Moderately descriptive kisses (level 3), physical touch (non consensual and consensual), physical attraction, frequent innuendo, and attempted s*xual assault (forced kissing and groping; no r*pe). Sloane and Asher do snuggle in bed together and sleep on a couch together, but nothing happens with that. While being snowed in, Sloane’s cousin and her boyfriend share a room, and other potential couples are also present which results in talk/jokes of teen pregnancies. References to steamy movies.
Violence: Attemtped s*xual assault, Sloane almost gets a concussion while dangerously sledding, punching, and the movie “Die Hard” is mentioned and quoted.
Other: Moderately frequent coarse language (h*ll, d*mn, sh*t, and the f-word are all used throughout as are s*xual jokes/words), death of a parent (past), parental neglect, deception, miscommunication, jokes surrounding alcohol/drugs (I I remember correctly, there’s no direct usage), reckless choices, and breaking into school to borrow/use something. LGBTQ+ side characters are present; a couple same-sex relationships pertaining to side characters, and there is someone referred to as “they/them” only present in a few scenes).
Christian: None. The characters don’t celebrate the birth of Christ as the meaning of Christmas, which was disappointing to see. Instead, it focuses more on how Christmas is a time of friends and memories. There is a passing mention of the “original” tradition of the winter solstice, and the town follows that tradition as one of the festival events.
~Final Thoughts~
Falling Like Snow is a cozy read bursting with larger than life characters. Overall, it may not be the first wintery/Christmas season book I recommend, however if you enjoy swoony friends-to-lovers, festive, teen-years feel, fun, and sweet seasonal reads (which of course are lovely for any time of the year)! As always, honor your beliefs/convictions about what content you read, and use discernment.
Happy reading :)

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children’s Books for providing this complimentary e-ARC in exchange for a free, honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

[Gwen]

PRE-RELEASE

I need this book rn! I loved Falling Like Leaves soooo much I don't know how long I can wait to read this book.

AFTER READ:

Falling Like Snow by Misty Wilson 5/5⭐

AWWW so cute! This is THE christmas/winter rom-com of the season!!

Don't forget to follow me on YouTube, where I post all about my favorite clean books! https://www.youtube.com/@ItsRenity

✨Plot✨

Sloane is helping her mother plan the Falling Like Snow festival after the crazy success of the Falling Like Leaves festival. As she and her childhood best friend, Asher, run around town, go to school, and help Sloane's mom for the first time, they start liking and dating people. Sloane is talking to her crush she's had since forever, and Asher is talking to a pretty girl at school. But what happens when Sloane realizes who she loved might've been in love with was Asher the whole time?

Loved the tropes and the book overall!

✨Characters✨

I loved seeing the friend group and Ellis & Cooper again. The character development and overall personalities of the characters shined through. I can't believe I have to wait a whole year to get the next one in the series.

✨Romance✨
The miscommunication was aggravating at times, but it was so cute and sweet and wholesome. The build-up was so worth it!!

✨Writing Style✨
BEAUTIFUL. I was with the characters the whole time, and I loved every second of it! Once I started, I couldn't put it down! I still can't believe this is only Misty's second rom-com; they are amazing!!


✨Would I Recommend It?✨

YES! This is THE christmas/winter rom-com of the season!!!

[Jessica Burkhart]

So as you’re all aware, FALLING LIKE LEAVES was a perfect autumnal romance so my hopes for FALLING LIKE SNOW?? Sky high! Misty Wilson did not disappoint. Asher and Sloane made my heart sing, made me scream “admit your feelings, already!” and melt into a puddle of candy cane goo when they finally, finally had That Talk. This is a romance I’ll be comfort reading every winter, and I suspect many of you will be too! FLS is cozy from start to finish and if only all future partners were like Asher. The THINGS he does for Sloane in this book?? You’re not ready. ❤️

[Fifi’s Bookshelf]

I said this for Falling Like Leaves and I’ll say it for again for this. This series is the absolute best of the books of this type in this genre. You know, the small town Gilmore Girls Hallmark movie type romances. And it’s not to say I haven’t tried other ones, or the viral ones. I’ve read many in this style to chase the kind of feeling these kinds of books give: The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, If It Makes You Happy, etc. And I’m not trying to play a comparison game or anything, but in my opinion, of any book in this cozy Gilmore Girls/Hallmark type genre, this series is the greatest. It pulls off what the more viral autumnal romance books try to do but don’t do as well as these books.

Falling Like Leaves last year was everything I wanted (one of the most Gilmore Girls-y Hallmark-y autumnal books in existence) and though the focus is on Winter rather than Autumn, the novelty isn’t gone at all. It’s got the SAME vibes the SAME coziness the SAME feeling of what made the first book so special. I clocked that from the very first chapter. Plus, the only thing better than small town fall is small town winter. Sloane and her mom are so painfully Lorelai and Rory too (down to the poptarts) it just ugh makes me wanna rewatch Gilmore Girls all over again.

Falling Like Snow takes place immediately after the previous book, and ugh Bramble Falls just made me crave small town life in New England all over again. Picture living in a quaint town where you can hear kids playing in the leaves, neighbors holding hot drinks on their porches, the scent of cinnamon and spice from a local coffee shop, and a quant downtown area complete with cat cafe, library, and diner. Complete with a huge annual autumn festival, and now, a Falling Snow festival too, preceding an annual Snow Ball on Christmas Eve amongst other cozy Christmas festivities such as holiday market, and cozy activities at the Bramble Inn. Serious question, which small towns (preferably in New England) are similar to this because I think I need to find an hyperfixation town, since Bramble Falls unfortunately isn’t real.

The best way I can describe this book is it just makes me feel nostalgic for a time that doesn’t exist anymore. It’s not a 90s or early 2000s book or anything but it kind of gives off that kind of energy somehow? Maybe it’s because of the small town vibe. It just feels like a time where life felt slower and back when we had just the right amount of technology. This book made me miss being young and going out to diners with my best friend, miss the feeling of being part of a big friend group when you’re young and making friends was easier, miss the innocent of when life felt simpler. Books like these are the only way I can get even a semblance of that feeling back, and I think that’s why I feel so drawn to YA sometimes. I actually love that it’s YA, because it brings this spark of a reminder of when life felt easier. It gives me the same spark of a feeling similar to time I lived before and never will again. It’s just so cute, so innocent, so cozy, and makes me miss being this young. Ugh I sound old.

This book is a standalone but I highly highly recommend reading Falling Like Leaves first for full immersion. I loved seeing Ellis again, and good ole Jake (who I still feel kinda bad for, if you’ve read Falling Like Leaves ikyk) and Cooper of course. I feel such an attachment to my babies Ellis and Cooper who already got their happily ever after. Admittedly friends to lovers isn’t a favorite trope of mine, but Sloane and Asher’s dynamic was SO cute, their chemistry insane, and honestly, I was just happy to be back in Bramble Falls. My only real complaint was that Ellis and Cooper took a huge backseat to this story and it felt like the other secondary characters played a much bigger part, but I think that is because they’re being set up to have their own stories later in the series. I just am biased and I miss my babies!

One of the most fun parts of reading this was theorizing who the couples for books 3 and 4 will be, but I have my theories 🫢 I will read ANYTHING Misty Wilson writes at this point. Bramble Falls forever!

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

[Sydney]

Pre release:
AHHHH I CANT WAIT FOR THISSS!! AND I KNEW IT WAS GONNA BE ABOUT ASHER AND SLOAN!!!

[ᴄᴀᴛ]

4☆ | not sure if I liked this one or Falling Like Leaves more, they were both so good in their own ways. Both were equally charming and had different settings as they're set in different seasons.

I typically don't mind love triangles, but in this book it just annoyed me, because like..the obvious choice is clearly Asher, not Micah. The whole book I was just waiting for them to finally get together.

I love how this author writes friendships and family relationships in her books, I really loved those moments in the book where Sloane and her family were jsur hanging out together.

I LOVE Sloane and Asher, and they're adorable together. But OH MY GODDD the secrets and jealously was getting on my nerves😭 like please just TALK. Just talk it out and we wouldn't have to deal with that.
But Asher really annoyed me with that water tower/cake scene. Like I was genuinely so annoyed when I read how he was reacting to a cake that was MADE FOR HIM.

Really didn't like Micah, every scene with him in it I wanted to put my phone down and stop reading because ew get off my screen, I don't like you.

Also...books 3 and 4 when? Because likee, I need more 😇

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to have an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

[emily ⋆☕︎(school s-ia + slump)]

GUYS THE COVER OMGGGGGGGG IM OBSESSED 😝

[KKono_The_Booknerd]

Review of Advanced Copy received from NetGalley





Thank you so much to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, and the amazing author herself, Misty Wilson, for this advanced reader copy! My review is down below:


Title: Falling Like Snow by Misty Wilson
Rating: 4.5 ⭐️
Tropes: Childhood freinds to lovers, found family, cozy winter vibes
Song to describe this book: My Favorite Things by Julie Andrews.


Okay! I have so many thoughts on this review. I am going to start positive, because I have some other things to say, but wanted to keep it nice first!

This book was very cute! I was enjoying the winter vibes, it felt so cozy! It was nice to be back in Bramble Falls, especially with such a fun winter setting! It made Bramble Falls even more cozy, and all of the winter activities that were planned and set througout out the book, were enjoyable, creative, and fun to read about, especially as a fan of Christmas myself. I loved how we got to see Sloane and Asher’s relationship develop through this winter season. The writing was really good and it made me even more excited for the next book (which, I think I know who it’ll be 😉) I liked that there was so much pop culture references, rom com and Christmas movies, and Christmas songs!
Okay, on to the main characters! I loved the found family in this! It felt like we got to see more of the main group, which was nice! I loved their dynamic, and I am excited to see more of them. It really added to the cozy vibes of the story. Sloane and Asher, they were perfect! I love a good friends to lovers, and it was so cute! Sloane was pretty relatable, especially the people pleasing part. She grew so much, which reminded me of the character growth in Ellis from book one. And Asher, he is just so sweet! The little things he did for Sloane, I really loved it (readers, you know what I’m talking about with the whole New York thing). It was sweet seeing their relationship grow and they were so loveable. I hated a certain guy, and enjoyed all the time that Sloane got with her mom (especially the conversation at the end!)
Normally, I feel like I would be upset by the miscommunication and the problems that Sloane and Asher were facing. But as someone that was in a friends to lovers, miscommunication kind of situation, I think its important that these issues are highlighted and talked about in books (especially in a young adult, high school romance).That not every day in high school, or even with your best freind, is going to be good. There are going to be days when you don’t talk about anything, or have feelings for someone else, or avoid a certain conversation. And that is okay. I really liked that part. It was nice to see Sloane and Asher really work through those problems, which is very necessary, especially being in high school. It teaches you and prepares you for relationships in the future. So I loved seeing that! All of that was written so perfectly!
I have some negative things, but I’ll just list them. I love Misty Wilson and her work so much, and Bramble Falls will always hold such a special place in my heart:
—I felt it was a little confusing and felt kind of rushed
—Sloane spent a lot of time with Micah, and that was something I got a little annoyed with
—Micah.
—I wish Sloane could have spent more time with Ellis!
—So much conflict (But, that is how they grow, so this one is more 50/50).

Overall, it was so cute! It was enjoyable rom-com, especially the fact it was holiday themed! I am so grateful I got to read this and I’m so excited for Bramble Falls 3!!

[AJ]

Falling Like Snow - Misty Wilson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎵: I Knew It, I Knew You - Taylor Swift

Thank you netgalley, simonteen, and amazing Misty Wilson for this arc!!

Falling Like Snow is the second book in the Bramble Falls series, but definitely can be read as a stand alone as I have not read the first book. The book is about Sloane Sullivan, the mayors daughter, and Asher Yoshida, her bestfriend. They live in a cute little town in Connecticut called Bramble Falls. It is quite literally Stars Hollow (the town in Gilmore girls) in a book. Every year they do a fall festival and after gaining a lot of traction this year, Sloane’s mom decides they should do one for the winter. As Sloane and all her friends scramble to plan & work all the events in this festival, we get to see how Sloane & Asher navigate their friendship after a boy becomes interested in Sloane.

I LOVE the amount of references in this book!! From musicals to romcoms to Taylor swift, this book had it ALL. I was absolutely obsessed and couldn’t put this book down. WOW MISTY WILSON YOU HAVE DONE YOUR BIG ONE.

This is literally stars hollow in a book and you can’t convince me otherwise. This book makes me think that I need to move to a small little town that gets snow during the winter and I’m from the south!!!

Speaking of, it is the middle of summer and now I’m just wanting Christmas to be here already. I wish my town did all these festivities for the holidays.

In books, I get very annoyed when the author makes the main character (specifically the woman) unable to defend herself and just be so obnoxious and honestly, pathetic. So when she did what she did at ball (spoiler free review) I WAS JUMPING FOR JOY! She clocked tf out of that boy and we love to see it.

When this book comes out, RUN do not walk to go pick it up and read it. You will not be disappointed!

[Mella aka Maron]

DNF at 27%

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC but I must be a Scrooge because bah humbug, I’m bored.

I don’t really like Sloane at all. She’s obnoxious and not in a good way. She’s so oblivious to things and I can’t take her “there are no feelings” mantra. I don’t believe that she would suddenly grow feelings for her friend within the next few weeks. I much prefer mutual attraction but reluctance in my friends-to-lovers, not obliviousness.

Her insta-attraction to the hockey boy was so out of nowhere too. She’s lived in this small town all her life and only just is like “oh hey, he’s hot” when he talks to her? If you really cared to get to know him, you would have in such a small town. I was hoping it would have been someone not from there so it would make sense.

Asher is a very typical “I’d do anything for this girl but she has no idea” simp. He’s not particularly interesting though. Their friendship banter is boring too. There is no underlying flirting. It’s legit just two friends talking. 🙃

The plot is … frustrating. It’s the same plot as book one except it’s a Winter festival we decided to do in the span of two days!!! ☠️☠️☠️ And the mom plot… ugh. As someone who knows grief has different ways of showing itself, this ideology that the mom is in the wrong for not doing things the same way as her dead husband… I hate it. I hated the parent plot for book one too so that’s 0/2 😂

Anyway, I think for this one, it’s just a whole bunch of stuff coming together into a book I didn’t really like and have no desire to continue. I might give Wilson one more shot but as a library read and with a different series, not Bramble Falls.

[Maddie Smitherman | Midnight Chapter Club]

Thank you, NetGalley and Misty Wilson for allowing me to read this advanced copy!

3.5 ⭐️s rounded up to 4!! This was a really cute winter romance, best friends turned to lovers novel. The romance was super cute and I definitely fell in love with Sloane and Asher. I haven't read the first novel, Falling Like Leaves, but I assume it's just as cute & would set this sequel up really well. I'd definitely recommend it for an uplifting book during Christmas time, hence the rounding up to 4 stars.

My one critique that made this below 4 stars is that at times, the chapters felt a little wordy without it adding much to the premise or finale of the book. I also had a really hard time with the amount of main characters there were - I got them all mixed up half the time & was confused by their purpose.

Overall, very cute! Misty knows how to write a beautiful romance!

[Hannah Burke]

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for an ARC of this book!

I love these Christmas books set in a small town who has the decorations and holiday cheer ready to go! I love that Sloane and her Mayor Mom are planning Bramble Falls first ever Falling Snow Festival!

I love that this is a sweet young love story as Sloane starts to develop feelings for one boy while having a green flag best friend that is her support system always. Only, will she start to have feelings for her best friend, Asher? Or will she ultimately choose her hockey crush, Micah?

This reminds me of a sweet hallmark movie. The descriptions and fun hometown vibes will get you into the spirit of things! I loved the found family aspects as well as the ease from the Falling Like Leaves book by Misty as well. This paired so well with book #1 and I loved this addition to this seasonal book series!

[Cammy]

𝐏𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞

𝓡𝓮𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓮 𝓓𝓪𝓽𝓮: 𝓞𝓬𝓽𝓸𝓫𝓮𝓻 6 2026

Ahhh another Bramble Falls book?! AND it's about Sloane and Asher?!??!? SIGN ME UP RIGHT NOW. AND it's christmas themed? I am so hyped

[Andrea Roberts]

I loved this soooooo much. I cried and laughed. another amazing Bramble Falls book

[Jessica Kepinski]

3.5 stars ⭐️
Solid book for the holidays; likely audience would be more by younger adult/teen readers. It brings in pg type of romantic elements, and is set in high school.
The main character is likable but somewhat predictable. The intertwining of multiple high school characters in this book is almost confusing because of the sheer volume of them, but seems to be a necessary element to bring the whole story together.
I appreciated the family and cultural influences brought into the book, and I would have loved to have had a chapter or two from Asher’s point of view.
It was a good and easy read overall!

Thank you #NetGalley for the #ARC

[Tiffany Wagner]

Thank you so much to Simonteen, Netgalley, and the amazing author herself, Misty Wilson, for letting me read this amazing book early and trusting me to give an honest review in return.

My rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (if I could rate it more, I would)
❄️Tropes❄️
No Spice/YA
He falls first (technically) x she falls harder
Gilmore Girls winter vibes
Small town
childhood best friends to lovers
Grief
One POV

I'm not going to even lie. This book had some very high expectations, and holy freaking moly did Misty Wilson freaking DELIVER. Like Falling Like Leaves, I freaking devoured this book. It took me longer to sit down and actually write a review than it did to actually read the whole book, which at this point, it isn't surprising. This book had me crying (still unknown to this day) and laughing, and giggling, and OHMYGODDDD AGHHHHHHH! If you loved FLL, then you'll love FLS.
I have so many things to say about this book, about the characters, and about the setting. But first I wanna say just how easy it was to read this book. Misty Wilson's writing style and just FLL in general were one of my favorites last year and I'm so grateful I got to read this one early because it just made me love her books even more. Also, I've read a LOT of amazing books this year, but this one has to be in my top three. No competition there.
Okay, imma stop rambling and get to the actual review now loll
Asher freaking Yoshida, ladies and gentlemen OH.MY.GOSH. Do I even need to say anything about him? Hello??? This MAN. What he did for Sloane left me freaking jaw-droppingly SPEECHLESS. This man is so down bad for her. Like if Asher can do something so amazing for Sloane while they're "just friends," just imagine what he'd do when they're together. Also, I really thought he was buying her a plane ticket for her present😭BUT HIS PRESENT WAS STILL REALLY CUTE AGHHH! I loved Asher. He was such a good best friend, very protective and very jealous for just being a friend. He did get on my nerves a little at the end, BUT how could you be mad at him. Come on, he was in love with his best friend and there wasn't any way he could explain that. I loved him. I am so in love with that man, please, I can't omg. The only thing I will say, though, I really, really wished we could've gotten inside of his head. But either way, I loved him sm!
NOW FOR SLOANE YAY! My girl. I loved her so much. Her grief with her dad was so well done that I CRIED. I think I've only cried reading five books, including this one. I loved her so freaking much, but this girl was SO OBLIVIOUS. If someone did what Asher did for Sloane, I wouldn't be able to help be curious if there were feelings. I mean, come on! But as much as I loved her, she pissed me off when she met Micah, which I'll get into (I wanna punch a wall, man). I relate to Sloane in many different ways, but she was very, VERY. . . hypocritical. I HATED IT. Please, I know she was upset, but let's not be a hypocrite, hm kay? But beside that, I loved her lol. And I really, really loved her relationship with her mom. She wasn't the typical mom who ignores everything and focuses on her work, she was actually there for Sloane and communicated which I really loved. Though, it was questionable in the beginning, she ended up being one of the characters I loved.
Unlike some, what Micah did to her was so out of line. Crashing out over a cutesy winter romance book at 4am was not on my 2026 bingo card. But it brings me to Micah. This freaking BOY, bro. I HATED HIM SO MUCH. I actually really liked him in the beginning because Sloane and him had great chemistry. I thought it was just a boy flirting with a girl, BUT NOPE! THE FREAKING AUDACITY THIS BOY HAD OH HELLLLLLLLL NO. NO. NOPE. Screw him. I hate him so much. Please. I am not okay. I hate him. UGHHHH I hate him so much. He should've begged for a freaking apology but the audacity that boy had, oh it made my skin BOIL. IT STILL DOES. Have I mentioned how much I hate him?
Anyway, lolllll, out of all the characters mentioned, Jake and Fern WERE MY FAVORITE I CANNOT WAIT FOR THEIR BOOK (if there is gonna be one). PLEASE I NEED A BOOK ABOUT THEM I'LL DO ANYTHING 😭pls. There aren't enough words to explain how much I love them. Whenever they first appeared in FLL, I immediately fell in love with them, and I can't wait to see where that goes. I also loved Ellis and Cooper, of course. And I loved the vibes this book gave. The Gilmore Girls reference in the beginning made me laugh so hard, because it really is a power!
Overall, I loved every minute of this book. Asher and Sloane's chemistry and banter were amazing and I'm so, so grateful I got to read this early. I can confidently say that FLL and FLS WILL BE a yearly read. If you loved Falling Like Leaves, Falling Like Snow will definitely meet up to your expectations and you'll fall in love with Asher and Sloane even more.
Falling Like Snow comes out October 6th, so it's not too late to pre-order and get a copy of those beautiful sprayed edges.

[Ree]

📚ARC REVIEW📚
📆PUB DATE: October 6, 2026
[3.5⭐️ Rounded up to 4]

What To Expect:
☕️Cozy
🏘Small-Town
🔺️Love Triangle
👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨Friends to Lovers
🗣Witty Banter
🎄Christmas
😤Jealousy
😶Lack of Communication

💭: Bramble Falls is having it's first ever ❄️Falling Snow Festival❄️. I LOVED the cozy and festive atmosphere in this book.

All the events that they set up for the festival also added to the vibe, making me really want climb into my kindle and be apart of Bramble Falls, too.

I loved the witty banter and flirting between Micah and Sloane. It had me wondering how was I ever going to get on board the Ashloane ship. Micah had me in a constant state of blushing in the first half.

Sloane was a bit frustrating at times in how she couldn't just admit she liked Asher. I didn't like how it led Micah on only for him to be disappointed every time she canceled plans or ignored him. I felt bad for him in the first half.

As for Asher, his reasons for the secrets were cute. While it was predictable what he was up to, it didn't take away from how sweet the moments were as they are revealed to Sloane. Their chemistry may be different than her and Micah's was in the first half, but he's so thoughtful and they have a wholesome connection.

Then came the last 30% of the story and everything changed. Micah became completely unlikeable, I felt bad for Sloane, and I just wanted her and Asher to talk properly about their feelings. Tbh, Sloane was a bit frustrating. The lack of communication and honesty with Asher just led to so much drama and I was wanting more a more lighthearted romance since it was during Christmas and such a cozy setting. The drama went on so long they don't even get together until after 95% through.

Overall, there were some sweet moments, it was a very cozy vibe in the beginning and heavily packed with lack of communication. I liked Asher but I didn't fully believe in them as a couple by the time they finally confessed their feelings. It was basically at the very end by that point.

Thank you Misty Wilson and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the ARC.

[Laura B]

This is the Bramble Falls series book two. Sloane and Asher have been best friends their entire lives, so they know each other better than anyone else. When Sloane’s mom, the Mayor of Bramble Falls, decides that after the success of their Fall Festival, she wants to throw a Falling Snow Festival, Sloane knows that means all hands on deck, and Asher knows that Sloane is heartbroken over having to miss her vacation to New York City. What ensues is fast thinking and a lot of work as they help to bring Sloane’s mom’s dreams to life, but a close encounter with one of Bramble Falls hockey stars, has Sloane wondering if love might also be on the agenda. As she becomes distracted and confused by Micah’s attention, Sloane also begins to wonder if she just might happen to like Asher as more than friends. Uncertain and overwhelmed, Sloane juggles to keep herself busy and her emotions in check as she works to sort out her own dreams and desires for this holiday season.

I’ll start by saying I really enjoyed Falling Like Leaves, the first book in this series, so I had high expectations going into book number two. I appreciated that while the characters from the first book were included, they played minor roles in this story. The small town vibes continued to give me that warm fuzzy feeling, and while I’m not a huge fan of love triangles, I appreciated that both came off as good guys giving me a reason to believe why Sloane would be torn between the two. I also liked the way the author showed both Sloane and her mom dealing with their grief in different ways, as it stood to help others understand that there is no one right way to deal with the loss of a loved one. I wasn’t a huge fan of the tragic flaw at the end of the story that solidified Sloan’s choice in love interests, but at the same time, I was anticipating something similar. Overall, I think I may have even enjoyed this book a bit more than the first, and I’m looking forward to Fern and Jake’s story to come. 🤞

4.5 Stars YA 15+ Underage drinking

[Elizabeth]

Thank you to Simon Teen for the eARC!!

Falling Like Snow was the cutest book, and I loved being back in Bramble Falls!! I loved the small town vibes and seeing familiar characters from Falling Like Leaves. The way the community always came together to celebrate and help each other was amazing, and once again I found myself wanting to move to Bramble Falls!

This had the perfect amount of drama without being overwhelming. The romance between Asher and Sloane was really sweet and cute!! I thought the friends to lovers was done well, and the tension had me wanting to keep reading. I loved Sloane and Asher together because they truly did know each other. Unlike in FLL where I loved Jake as another potential love interest, I was not a fan of Micah. I thought he became more and more of a red flag, and I spent the whole time wanting Sloane to confess her feelings to Asher lol. Although Sloane frustrated me at times, I found her character to be relatable and realistic for a teenager.

Asher deserves the freaking world!! The fact that he brought NYC to Bramble Falls for Sloane since her trip was canceled was a highlight of the story. The effort that he put into making that happen showed how much he really cared about Sloane. Plus his Christmas present for her was the sweetest and had me in tears. Not only was he the best best friend, but as a love interest he was easy to root for!!

This story also has emotional depth and focuses on grief. Sloane had lost her dad three years earlier (off the page) during the winter, so this time of year was particularly difficult for her. I thought the story did a great job of acknowledging both her and her mom's grief and how they both dealt with it differently. I loved the conversation Sloane and her mom had in the end about their grief!

If you want a holiday small town romance with friends to lovers, then you should definitely check out Falling Like Snow!!

[Topo Chicas]

Falling Like Leaves was one of my favorite reads of 2025. When I saw that the next installment in the Bramble Falls series featured Sloane, I knew I had to read it ASAP!

Sloane Sullivan is looking forward to the winter break. As the daughter of the mayor in their small town of Bramble Falls, Sloane was busy every weekend of fall as the town celebrated the Falling Leaves Festival and now she’s excited for the break. Except one never comes. In an effort to capitalize off of the momentum from a record breaking fall, her mom announces the advent of the Falling Snow Festival and several holiday themed events leading up to it. Sloane is already exhausted, but quickly gets to work, recruiting all her high school friends, including her best friend, Asher. But as preparations for the festival ramps up, a different classmate, Micah, starts showing interest in Sloane. The more time Sloane spends with Micah, the more she questions her feelings, especially when the sparks she’s been looking for only happen when she’s around Asher. Are these new feelings for Asher the real deal, or just a trick of the holiday season?

This was such a cute book! I am so in love with Bramble Falls and all the characters Misty Wilson has crafted. It was so fun to return to this world and get to know Sloane after she was introduced in Falling Like Leaves. This book was like the young adult version of When Harry Met Sally.

Sloane’s character development really shined throughout the book as we see her working through both the grief of losing her dad a few years ago and the growth of her feelings towards Asher. And Asher? He was such a sweetheart! I absolutely loved his grand gesture surprises to Sloane sprinkled throughout the book and his patience with her. You could tell he truly loved and respected her.

Overall, Falling Like Snow is the perfect, hallmark-sweet YA romance to help get you in the holiday spirit. Thank you to NetGalley and Margaret K. Elderberry Books for the ARC!

[Charlene]

After the success of the fall festival, Sloane is helping her mom plan a winter festival for the town. With the help of her friends, Sloane manages to help pull off some great festival events. She has also caught the eye of hockey player Micah, while also discovering she has feelings for Asher. While trying to enjoy the season, grieve the loss of her father, and sort out her feelings, Sloane learns that sometimes you just have to be honest with yourself.

I struggled with this one. I didn’t realize there was a love triangle for the better portion of the book, and considered DNF-ing several times. I persevered through, pushing my way through, and by the end, I found myself sobbing. There is a very small town vibe, giving a lot of coziness and perfect holiday feelings.

Generally, my problem with love triangles is that there is obviously someone you are rooting for. Here, for me, it was Asher. He is the friend you could see had been pining for her. He did so many cute little things for Sloane, and her not seeing them as acts of love was frustrating. Micah and Sloane seemed a little insta-love, and I just didn’t get what her attraction to him was. There is a moment with Sloane and Micah at the ball that left Sloane vulnerable, and I loved how she stood her ground, and I cheered her on.

I loved the holiday vibes in this book though. The different events that Sloane planned made me want to be in town, participating in all the fun activities. Sloane’s friend group was amazing. They created their own little found family and seem to love and support each other so much.

Even though there was a love triangle and miscommunication, I found myself enjoying the book, especially once the triangle was resolved. If you love a YA small town romance with holiday vibes and great friendships, this may work for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.

[Natalie]

After reading and loving Falling Like Leaves last year I was so excited to get my hands on another book set in this charming small town — and a Christmas book no less!!!

Let me tell you, if you want Christmas vibes, look no further than this book! It was full of so many fun, Christmassy activities. It made me long for the Christmas season — and it made me wish that I live in a town that goes all out for Christmas like that.

Plotwise, I liked the first book more, but I think that’s because I’m just not a fan of the “friends to more” trope. Sloane and Asher were so much more than friends and it was almost painfully obvious. It reminded me a bit of a YA version of Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune in that Sloane was almost comically oblivious to her feelings for Asher (and his for her). There were so many things he did that had me thinking “a guy would never do that for someone he was just friends with!” And then Sloane would say that they were just friends, she wasn’t attracted to him, etc. Asher’s whole “give her a trip to NYC” was a perfect example. He would never have done that if he wasn’t completely in love with her.

I also didn’t really like the situation with Micah. It felt like Sloane led him on for almost the entire book. She was very flirty (especially over text) and ran hot and cold with him. I felt bad for Micah for most of the book. And then, just when it felt like Sage was the “bad guy” in her own book, the author decided to have Micah become the bad guy by kissing her without consent. I will say, he wasn’t right for doing that, but I was also glad he called Sloane out for leading him on later.

Basically, there was a lot of drama in the relationships in this book. I didn’t really care for Asher because he seemed very unrealistic for a teenage boy and Sloane definitely took Asher for granted.

I did really like Sloane’s relationship with her mother and the book was also poignant at times as it deals with the loss of a loved one around the holidays. While Sloane loves Christmas, it also makes her sad because her father died during the Christmas season. I also liked Sloane’s friend group and how they were always there for each other. And of course I loved the Christmas elements. I just wasn’t wild about all the relationship drama.



Thank you to the publisher, Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Kimmie]

Falling Like Snow ARC review!🎄❄️☕️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+
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•
•
New favorite book alert! This will definitely become a Christmas reread. Misty does it again. I adored Falling Like Leaves and had high hopes for this one, and I was so excited when I saw I got the ARC! This book was so good. This is the first book in a LONG time where none of the characters really annoyed me. I mean, yes, they had their moments, but normally someone just gets on my nerves. Not this one. All the characters were so well written, and I feel like I was a part of the friend group. I missed these guys. Sloane is amazing. She is so sweet and thoughtful and has such an amazing personality that I love. She has such a big heart. ASHER. He might be in my top book boyfriends now. He is so, so, so sweet and caring and attentive. He knows something is wrong with Sloane before she even knows. I am so glad they finally opened their eyes and talked. I was waiting. And we are all Mrs. Yoshida. Iykyk. Ugh, I love them so much. Top book couple.
Micah. Ugh. Never loved him. Never hated him. I did think Sloane was a little hard on him, but he also deserved it, so 🤷🏼‍♀️. I loved seeing the town again and all the characters in it. The festival and its activities were so fun. The number of times I was giggling and grinning like a maniac is innumerable. I absolutely loved, loved, loved this book and will be recommending it to everybody. Please read it when it comes out. Release date is 10/6! It is the most perfect holiday read. And if you need a good fall book, read Falling Like Leaves first 🤭.
Spice:none! Just kisses but jokes throughout
CW: greif
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*thank you netgalley, simonteen, and mistywilsonwrites for blessing me with this arc!

[Monique Fierro]

I loved this book so much! There's just something about YA Romance books that reminds me exactly what it's like to fall in love for the first time, has me swooning and getting butterflies. This was a fantastic trip back to Bramble Falls and picks up right where Falling Like Leaves ended.

What I Liked:
This book had all the cozy vibes and is a perfect holiday read. With a winter festival, peppermint hot chocolate and grand gestures, this book has it all. I loved Asher and Sloane's friendship and that it was the focus of them trying to figure out how they felt about each other. I also loved Sloane's relationship with her mother and their banter. We got to know more of the Bramble Falls clan and side characters from book one and I'm hoping for some more books in the series (mainly Jake and Fern). Basically, if Misty Wilson writes it, I'm reading it. Her books just make me feel so happy and giddy inside.

What I didn't like:
This story didn't have as much depth as far as background for Sloane and her mom. I thought it was done really well in book one and kept wanting more of it in this story. I also got a little frustrated with Sloane and how obtuse she was. I was internally screaming at her to "just say how you feel already" and the fact that she kept "misreading" the situation. You can only do that so many times. But those were such little annoyances.

Overall I'm giving this book 4.75/5 stars. A perfect holiday romance. Thanks to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for the chance to read this early in exchange of an honest review.

Read this if you love:
- Stars Hollow Holiday vibes
- Friends to Lovers
- Peak rom-com movie references
- Lynn Painter YA romances
- Grand gestures and declarations of love

[Ellie]

Thank you SimonTeen for this arc!

Falling Like Snow by Misty Wilson ( Bramble Falls #2)

Book 2 in the Bramble Falls series follows Sloane Sullivan (Ellis’cousin) who we met in the first book. Sloane is navigating her junior year of high school with a great group of friends. Since her mom is the mayor of the town, Sloane is first to assist with the planning of its Falling like Snow festival. One that they hope will be as successful as the Falling like Leaves festival. Sloane’s whole crew pitches in, including her longtime best friend, Asher. With the planning of the event comes new faces,new feelings, and a memorable holiday!

I really enjoyed this book as Sloane navigated her feelings with regard to not having her dad around, wanting to be there for her mom and her burgeoning feelings towards Asher. Of course, with any story, there are aspects of tension and miscommunication, but the openness of her small town community offered such great support throughout this story.

Sloane and Asher’s friendship was just a breath of fresh air, especially how emotionally in tune they are with each other. I find it hard to believe that anything could ever top Asher’s gift to her.

The author still allowed us glimpses of Ellis and Cooper, so we could enjoy their relationship, but it didn’t overshadow the current story. We also saw bits of their friends’ lives and maybe clues into whose story is next.

Conclusion: Bramble Falls is a dream! We all need an Asher in our lives, but a friendship with someone as helpful, kind and compassionate as Sloane would be everything! The heartfelt confessions are just the icing on the cake!

I highly recommend this read!

[Kathryn Waite]

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for providing me with an early copy of this book via Netgalley for review. All opinions are my own.

Get ready to smell the snow because WIlson's newest installment in the Bramble Falls series is a beautiful, cozy tale to curl up with on a winter night! As a follow up to "Falling Like Leaves", this novel returns readers to the quaint, Stars Hollow-like, town of Bramble Falls. After a successful Falling Leaves Festival, Sloane Sullivan finds herself caught up in the creation and management of a brand new Falling Snow Festival. Although Sloane is still battling grief over the loss of her father, she is excited to spend the winter organizing events for the winter festival with her best friends, particularly Asher, by her side. As lifelong friends, Asher and Sloane are absolutely inseparable but have never moved beyond friendship status. However, when Micah begins to show interest in Sloane, she enters into an unexpected debate with herself about her romantic feelings. If cute, hockey player Micah is the one who is obviously interested in her, why is she all of a sudden seeing Asher in a whole new light? As Sloane is thrust into the chaos of the Falling Snow Festival, she also attempts to sort out her tangled feelings and determine which boy her heart is pointing towards. This is a wonderful, lighthearted romance that pulls readers directly into the coziness of Bramble Falls. Each moment had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would unfold next. Although the characters experience deep feelings and explore their coming of age anxieties, the nostalgia of the setting ensures the continuation of a lighthearted tone throughout the book. My only complaint is that there was not more to read after I turned that final page. Put this in the hands of YA romance readers who are looking for their next story to obsess over.

[Adella Hafen]

AHHH!!! Definitely 6 ⭐️stars!This book was everything I wanted and more. When my request for this book got approved I was jumping up and down, screaming, and genuinely just so happy! The first book, Falling Like Leaves, is one of the greatest reads ever it’s in my top 5 favorite books so yes it’s that good.

I’m so glad Asher and Sloane got there happily ever after! After years of friendship they’re finally together which made me so happy cause you just know they were always meant to be together! Their chemistry was absolutely undeniable it was AMAZING! And the pining and the yearning OH MY GOSHHHH!🤭 SO CUTE!!!

Freakin Asher what a man he is! AN ENTIRE SKATING RINK, TIME SQUARE, and THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING. That is exactly what every woman wants, a man that cares about them and loves them. He went above and beyond for his girl so you know their love is real.

This book was literally so cozy especially when you’re cozied up in your bed with blankets it’s the PERFECT WINTER READ! Will be rereading this book every winter it’s just so good. I really felt the chemistry, the connection and the love for the characters through the book every single time I turned the page. This book did an absolute AMAZING job at portraying grief I could definitely feel it and there were definitely tears. I love how clean this book minus the swearing which is fine I just ignore it.

I also wanted to note there were SEVERAL times where teen pregnancy is mentioned and I was thinking is this foreshadowing???🤨 and if so I’m already hooked

I hope we get a Fern and Jake book, love those two!🤞

[Debbie]

Sloane Sullivan loves Pop-Tarts and Nora Ephron movies – the kind of teen every mom hopes to raise. She’s beautiful inside and out, popular, active in school and community and has that one very special best friend in her life – Asher, a boy she’s known forever.

Wilson’s teen/YA novel is set against the snowy backdrop of December and the Bramble Falls’ first Winter Fest, packed with a ton of fun activities to brighten the season. It’s also Sloane’s first encounter with romance and heartache. Finding herself attracted to the attentions of the school’s hockey hunk (Micah), she’s simultaneously wrestling with feelings she is unable to identify in relation to her best friend.

Wison does a splendid job of capturing the emotional firestorm – the butterflies, the embarrassment, the giddiness, the puzzlement, the tears … the intense physical and emotional angst of being a teen. She depicts the fear and quandary of sharing those feelings in budding relationships. As Sloane and Micah grow closer, gashes begin to form in her relationship with Asher. Growing pains or growing love? Wilson also deserves kudos or finding a town full of teens who appear to always be willing to jump at the chance to carry out adult tourism plans/activities (where is this town again?). In spite of this little hard-to-imagine factoid, the book deserves 5 stars.

Thanks to @Booktrovert, @SimonTeen @MistyWilsonWrites for the opportunity to enjoy and review this ARC.