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.

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