Leaf You Hanging by Laney Hatcher

Heartfelt, swoony, and full of fall magic

From fall nights to late-night confessions, Leaf You Hanging is small-town perfection with a big heart.

Laney Hatcher does it again. I feel like a broken record when I say she creates characters I would protect with my life. But it’s never been more true than with Leaf You Hanging. I would burn the world down for Bonnie Clark (I refuse to use Jensen). She’s tender, anxious, resilient, and so incredibly real. And Jack Ellis? The reformed bad boy with a motorcycle, tattoos, and a pair of reading glasses that should come with a warning label. He’s everything she deserves.

Dedicated “for the eldest daughters,” this one hit me straight in the chest. Bonnie’s need to keep everything together, to take care of everyone but herself, felt so authentic it nearly split me open. The way Laney handles her anxiety isn’t dramatized or glossed over—it’s honest and deeply human. Jack sees her, truly sees her, and the care he shows is the kind of soft, steady love that stays with you.

Friends with Benefits, Fueled by Heart

Their friends-with-benefits setup builds into something both fiery and profoundly tender, filled with quiet intimacy and fall-tinged longing. Jack’s nickname for Bonnie (which I won’t spoil) made me melt, and I loved how the story pulled him—reluctant, rough-around-the-edges, and a little isolated—back into the heart of Kirby Falls. His bond with his grandmother, Lia, and his unlikely stint coaching the girls’ soccer team gave this book that perfect blend of humor and heart that Laney always nails.

If I had to make a list of my three favorite things (IYKYK):
• “Confessions in the dark.”
• “Soft reminders cloaked in comfort.”
• “The smell of leather and leaves and something dark and tempting.”

This book is comfort and swoon and every emotion you feel deep in your chest. Leaf You Hanging is my favorite in the Kirby Falls series (shhh, don’t tell the others), and the teaser for what’s next already has me counting the days until March.

If you love small towns, bad boys with good hearts, and heroines learning they’re allowed to take up space, the Kirby Falls series should be at the very top of your list.

Available in Kindle Unlimited. Grab your copy here.