PLOT: 3.5/5 CHARACTERS: 4/5 WRITING: 3.5/5 ROMANCE: 3.5/5 ENTERTAINMENT: 3.5/5
It was like, if love couldn’t exist in reality, at least it was alive in fiction. Between the pages it was safe. The heartbreak was contained. There was no aftermath, no shock waves. I mean, there’s a reason all books end right after the couple gets together. No one wants to keep reading long enough to see the happily ever after turn into an unhappily ever after. Right?”
– Alex Light, The Upside of Falling
My musings
After Durjoy Datta’s Wish I Could Tell You, Christina Lauren’s The Unhoneymooners, and Sahana Ahmed’s Combat Skirts, I had not read a decent romance book in a long time.
In the mood for some light romance, probably the young adult kind, I set out to search for an audiobook on my Storytel app. Luckily, I was quick enough to find The Upside of Falling by Alex Light. The cover and the blurb looked promising, and I immediately got down to listening.
Read on to know more about my thoughts on the book and about my experience of reading it.
What to expect?
Expect a light and fluffy read that will warm your heart. Expect a young adult contemporary romance. Expect a book with a mild dose of high school drama and a generous amount of family drama. Expect a book that will be relatable to not just teens but many others. Expect an easy read that is readable in a single sitting.
Reading level
Since the book has easy and conversational English, it can be read by any category of readers, including beginners.
The story as it goes
Becca is seventeen and a nerd. After her parents’ messy divorce and her dad’s estrangement, her belief in love and dating is gone. She is a firm believer that love is only meant as something to be cherished in fiction. Because in reality, it does not exist. Even if it does, it is the temporary kind and not the forever soul mate type. But when suddenly one day, her former best friend questions her about dating, Becca blabbers something about secretly dating someone.
Brett is one of those popular guys. Dashing, charming, captain of the football team, whom everyone wants to be friends with. Thankfully, Brett is a sorted guy who likes to stay away from all the high school drama and instead focuses on his career. When he overhears Becca’s conversation about a mystery guy, he decides to jump in, and reveal himself as that mystery guy.
But acting like a real couple is not as easy as it sounds. Very soon, the boundary between real and fake might fall apart. But before that happens, will Brett and Becca’s secret be out?
How good are the characters?
The characters are a decent bunch. Brett is really cool and down to Earth. His charming manners, gorgeous looks, and sincere nature make him an absolute favorite. Becca is nerdy and emotional. Trauma from her past still haunts her and has affected the way she deals with people and loves them.
Both the characters manage to make an impression on the reader. Right from the beginning, the reader cannot help but vouch for them as a couple. Their honest and sincere relationship relies on laying bare their inhibitions and traumas and deciding to embrace love when they really see it.
The best thing about Becca is her love for books. She is a complete nerd who binge reads romances and loves to take her books to parties and football games.
What about the writing style?
The writing is effortless. One flows through the book and there is hardly a dull moment. I love how the book makes a departure from regular high school dramas and instead focuses more on family drama.
The whole cake shop business adds another layer to the story and works as a good side plot.
The fake dating trope rarely fails to be interesting. And the same holds for this book too. The story unravels from both Becca and Brett’s perspectives, and the reader quickly falls for both of them.
What did I like?
I loved that this book has none of the high school toxicity that inadvertently becomes a part of many other high school romances. It is innocent and cute, a comfy read that warms your heart.
Let us talk about the climax
Though the end is exactly how one predicts it to be, it gives a befitting conclusion to Becca and Brett’s story. I especially love how Becca receives the closure that she had been wanting for years.
Is the book entertaining?
The book is fast-paced and a decent entertainer. I would strictly recommend it as a one-time read.
In the end
In the end, The Upside of Falling is a sweet comfy romance that makes for a decent one-time read. Brett and Becca, with their adorable personalities and the fake-dating fiasco, manage to woo the reader in no time.
The final verdict
Can be read!
Pick the book if
- You are looking for an innocent high school romance.
- You enjoy contemporary young adult romances.
- You are looking for a light and fluffy read.
- You enjoy feel-good reads.
- You are looking for a book that is easily readable and can be finished within a day.
Skip the book if
- You are looking for serious romance fiction.
- Young adult high school romances are not your type.
- You are looking for a five-star read.
Can’t wait to read it? Buy your copy of The Upside of Falling by Alex Light using the link below.
