The Upside of Falling: A Teen Love Story You Won't Want to Miss

Longing for a book that will make you experience heartfelt young romance? The Upside of Falling features teen love and a roller coaster ride for every bookworm.

The Upside of Falling: Is This Teen Love Story Your Perfect Match?

The Upside of Falling is a young adult romance novel written by Alex Light. It was originally titled "Rivals" and had 64 chapters. In February 2020, the web novel was published, and Light rewrote about 75% of the book. The paperback version of the book is composed of 21 parts with additional new content and characters.

The story of The Upside of Falling revolves around Becca Hart, a 17-year-old teen, who does not believe in true love. However, when her former best friend teases her about not having a boyfriend, she impulsively claims that she is dating someone in secret. Not knowing what to do to cover up her lie, Becca chooses Brett Wells to be her fake boyfriend. Brett Wells is one of the most popular boys at their school and the captain of the football team. Brett overhears Becca lying and instead of confronting her, he offered to be her secret boyfriend.

Author Information

The Upside of Falling is written by Alex Light, a BA in English literature graduate from Toronto, Canada. She is a bookworm since she was young and a big Swiftie as well. She began writing in her teens and has published several love stories online that have garnered over 150 million reads.

Novel Key Factors

The Upside of Falling is a feel-good romance novel with exciting twists and turns. It is easy to read and follow along, making it one of the most recommended young adult romance novels for bookworms of different ages.

If you are still having second thoughts about whether The Upside of Falling is the perfect match for you, these novel key factors can help you out. Below we break down the elements of the book and discuss these elements one by one.

Theme

The novel conveys various themes, but the main ones are young love and romance. It also explores personal growth and self-discovery. as the characters begin to have a deeper understanding of themselves and become more mature.

Characters

The main characters of The Upside of Falling are Becca and Brett. Get to know their traits in the descriptions below.

Becca

Becca is a 17-year-old girl with a strong disbelief in true love. Her character has a complex blend of vulnerability and desire for social acceptance as well.

Brett

Brett is the captain of the football team and is one of the most popular boys in school. He is well-liked by everybody; however, he is more focused on his future rather than his social life. He is driven and goal-oriented but has a soft spot for his family. 

Point of View

The story was written in the first-person point of view. Each part of the novel was narrated by either Becca or Brett. This has been effective in fostering a personal connection with the reader and immersing them in the thoughts and insights of the characters.

Plot

Becca, a 17-year-old girl, has always been convinced that true love doesn't exist. However, when her former best friend teases her about not having a boyfriend, Becca decides to pretend that she's dating someone secretly. She finds an unlikely boyfriend candidate in Brett Wells, the popular captain of the football team who is more focused on his future rather than his social life.

One day, Brett overhears Becca telling a lie about being in a relationship. Surprisingly, even though they don't know each other well, Brett offers to be her fake boyfriend. It seems like a perfect solution for both of them. When Brett's friends find out he is dating someone, they will stop pressuring him to date, and Becca can maintain her lie.

However, pretending to be the perfect couple becomes challenging. The relationship became hard to handle because they barely know each other's traits. Additionally, Becca often faces struggles with her past and Brett struggles to handle the pressure of his personal life. Even so, they discover that they have more in common than they initially thought.

As time goes by, distinguishing between fake romance and reality becomes increasingly difficult as they realize that their feelings for each other are genuine. Eventually, the two characters admit their true feelings and end up dating for real.

Most Notable Parts

The Upside of Falling has many notable parts that keep readers at the edge of their seats. Below we share with you some of the parts we liked in this novel.

“Read to me.” was all he said.

“ I don’t think you’ll like this book.” It was romantic. Like, embarrassingly so.

“Please, Becca.” - The Upside of Falling

This scene happened when Brett discovered that her father is cheating on his mom. We can feel how hurt Brett is, but at the same time, the scene has shown how much comfort Becca has given him just by reading a book.

“Read to me.” 

“Why?”

“Because you go somewhere else when you read. I want to go there with you.”

We sat there, and I read aloud, my back to Brett’s chest. He pulled me a little closer, held me a little tighter. And this time, we escaped together. - The Upside of Falling

This part shows how comfortable Becca and Brett have become with each other. In the end, they stayed together and escaped together. It is truly heartwarming.

Writing Style

Alex Light is an outstanding author with a narrative and descriptive writing style. She was able to paint vivid pictures of the story's developments in the reader's mind and tell the story in a clear and creative way. Additionally, she didn't use overly complicated figurative language, making her novel a great read for readers of different ages.

Final Part

In the last part, we see Brett practicing for his first game back on his team while Becca is watching him. Becca stopped watching after the first hour and started reading her book. Eventually, Brett joined her. Becca read the book to him and together they escaped.

Conclusion

The Upside of Falling is undeniably a romance novel that will make you feel the excitement of young love. The writer did excellent work in creating a natural chemistry between Brett and Becca and has successfully made these characters memorable for every reader. All in all, The Upside of Falling is one of the contemporary young adult romance novels that deserve a spot on your bookshelf.

So, are you ready to get drawn into the captivating story of The Upside of Falling? Wait no more. Grab your copy today and join Becca and Brett in their journey to discovering genuine love.

FAQs

Q: Is The Upside of Falling a Good Book?

A: The honest answer is that it depends on the reader. Overall, we can say that The Upside of Falling offers an enjoyable and fun read. However, it may be too easy to read for readers who like challenges and heavy drama.

Q: What Is the Main Conflict in The Upside of Falling?

A: The main conflict in The Upside of Falling is how Becca and Brett navigate their fake relationship and convince everybody of their love. Another conflict also lies in the increasing difficulty to separate fake romance from reality as the two gradually feel genuine feelings for each other.