
About the Book:

Title: Leaves and Longing
Series: Rivals and Romance #1
Author: Amanda P Jones
Release Date: September 1st, 2026
Genre: Romantic Comedy
She wants roots. He collects boarding passes.
Travel journalist Knox Sheppherd is supposed to be sipping sangria in Spain. Instead, a forgotten passport renewal strands him in Iowa, covering the Midwest Rival Fest, where two neighboring towns are locked in a decades-old rivalry fueled by pumpkins, apples, and a mischievous goat named Karen.
As Harvest Glen’s event planner, Mia Mullins thrives on turning chaos into magic. Between organizing the festival and defending her three-year Pumpkin Palooza winning streak, she has no time for distractions—especially not a charming reporter who’s only passing through.
But between runaway livestock, festival disasters, carnival lights, and one increasingly inconvenient attraction, keeping things professional becomes harder by the day. As sparks fly and festival season heats up, Knox and Mia find themselves facing an impossible choice.
Mia is building a future in the place she loves. Knox is always chasing the next destination. With an expiration date looming over their romance, they’ll have to decide whether love is worth rewriting the plans they thought they wanted.
Because sometimes the greatest adventure isn’t the one that takes you somewhere new—it’s the one that makes you want to stay.
Leaves and Longing is a sweet rom-com featuring a hero who falls first (and takes care of her), a small-town festival, opposites attract, and enough cozy fall vibes to fill a pumpkin patch—including campfires, carnival rides, stargazing, a pumpkin regatta, delicious festival food, and one unforgettable goat.
Leaves and Longing is part of the Rivals and Romance series; a collection of six interconnected standalone novel that can be read in any order.
Book Review:
The first in the Rivals and Romance series, Leaves and Longing is an adorable romcom perfect for the fall! I was so excited to come to this small town and to get to know some people there.
It was a lot of fun to follow Knox as he got to know Harvest Glen and Maple Ridge. He was a newcomer too and it helped to have his perspective. He had been traveling all over the world, but was finding the appeal of a small town and the community that it brought. I loved Mia’s spirit! She was hard working and determined to make the Pumpkin Palooza a success. Mia loved her town and wanted its success in the years-long rivalry. It was her home. I loved her relationship with her Gram too! She was so sweet and supportive of Mia.
Know and Mia were adorable together! He fell so quickly and threw himself into supporting her. He was such a romantic! I loved seeing them work together and to experience the events through him. Knox offered Mia a perspective bigger than she was used to and he gave her the place to reevaluate some of her own views around her town and family.
I loved the introduction to the two towns of Harvest Glen and Maple Ridge! We already get peeks into some of the other characters and I cannot wait to read their stories. Both towns are full of quirky traditions and pretty hilarious events. I loved seeing Mia and Knox going to the events and their different perspectives. This was a cozy and sweet romcom with some passionate kisses.
I received an ARC.

















