The Upside of Falling: A Fun and Flirty Teen Romance

I was looking for something light and sweet, and this totally fit the bill!This was a cute story about Becca and Brett, a bookworm who doesn’t believe in love and a jock who has never had a girlfriend. They agree to a fake relationship so Becca can save face when being teased and Brett can get his dad off his back about not being in a relationship. Things, as would be expected, get a little blurred between reality and pretend as the two navigate their budding friendship. Family dramas put a dent in their real relationship and everything seems bleak for their new reality. But never fear, a happily ever after is just around the corner.I appreciated these characters quite a bit. I am not a fan of teenagers all being characterized as shallow and dramatic in these kinds of romance stories. I know quite a few teenagers who are level-headed and rather mature, just as I felt these characters were. They didn’t let stupid mistakes and irrational choices lead them into senseless drama. They looked at their issues in a very mature way that led them into making some really grown up decisions. I liked watching them grow as they acknowledged their mistakes and went about correcting them.I hope that the author continues to write new stories. I am looking forward to seeing what she has up her sleeve next!

A fun, flirty teen debut from Wattpad phenom Alex Light about a fake relationship and real love.It’s been years since seventeen-year-old Becca Hart believed in true love. But when her former best friend teases her for not having had a boyfriend, Becca impulsively pretends she’s been secretly seeing someone.Brett Wells has it all. As captain of the football team and one of the most popular guys in his school, he should have no problem finding someone to date, but he’s always been more focused on his future than who to bring to prom.When he overhears Becca’s lie, Brett decides to step in and be the mystery guy. It’s the perfect solution: he gets people off his back for not having a meaningful relationship and she can keep up the ruse that she’s got a boyfriend.Acting like the perfect couple isn’t easy, though, especially when you barely know the other person. But with Becca still picking up the pieces from when her world was blown apart years ago and Brett just barely holding his together now, they begin to realize they have more in common than they ever could have imagined.When the line between what is pretend and what is real begins to blur, they're forced to answer the question: Is this fake romance the realest thing in either of their lives?“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?” This book was a really cute young adult story that started out on Wattpad. I really like the after series that came from there so I decided to try out some more books. I’m really glad I did because I really enjoyed this book. It had me feeling all kinds emotions for these two characters as they navigated through high school gossip and real feelings development while they were “Fake dating”. It showed them go from complete strangers to creating a first love to helping each other through hard times and leaning on one another and pretty much becoming each other’s best friend. “And with all the downsides of love, you managed to show me the upside.”

The characters are crisp and clear.Teenage angst abounds. The in-depth look into life after divorce, Becca a senior, deals with her father leaving to create a new life, and she reads about romance because she just doesn’t think true love exists.Her best friend blooms over summer and shuns her when she becomes popular in sophomore year and teases her about not having experienced love.After dealing with the disillusionment, Becca invents a secret boyfriend. Overhearing Brett impulsively comes to her rescue.He is the ultimate high school jock, Captain of the football team. His focus on sports doesn’t lend much time for dating or meaningful relationships, and it seems a good solution for him as well.It is a learning curve when this couple who are basically strangers figure out who the both are and how to relate.Brett’s world hits a snag, and Becca helps him get through by sharing how she dealt with her experiences.An excellent read I couldn’t put down.