The Upside of Falling

December 6, 2019

Gr 9 Up-When studious Becca is taunted by her frenemy for not dating, she pretends to have a boyfriend. Determined to earn a spot playing college football, gorgeous Brett has ignored the dating scene, much to the dismay of his father. Overhearing Becca's lie, he jumps at the chance to be her fake boyfriend. Despite not knowing very much about each other, the two small-town Georgia teens realize they have more in common than they thought as they share ice cream and pastries and spend long hours in the arcade. Becca discovers she loves football much more than she could have imagined, while Brett finds literature increasingly more interesting under Becca's tutelage. Although the plot is somewhat predictable, readers will likely find many moments endearing as Becca and Brett develop a friendship that leads to true romance. VERDICT An additional purchase for fans of Jenny Han's To All the Boys I've Loved Before and Kasie West's The Fill-In Boyfriend.-Jillian Woychowski, West Haven High School, CT

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2019
High school seniors do the fake dating thing. Brett Wells has always been focused on football. Brainy Becca Hart's faith in love was destroyed by her parents' divorce. The two have little in common other than being pestered by their friends and families about the lack of a special someone in their lives. They embark upon a "fake relationship," but, predictably, it gives way to a real one. Debut author Light sprinkles in just enough charm and good-natured romance as the narrative bounces between Brett's and Becca's perspectives to keep readers engaged but not overwhelmed by twee sentiment. Becca is a much better developed character than Brett (handsome yet doofy, he has the complexity of a golden retriever), and her chapters are the novel's highlights. Brett's whole deal is a bigger pill to swallow, but readers who go with it will find a pleasant story. The novel is a syrupy ode to what it feels like to slowly fall for someone for the first time, and that mood is captured effectively. Becca and Brett have chemistry that feels completely natural, but sadly there are some late-in-the-game plot mechanics that feel forced. Fortunately, the author seems as uninterested in these disruptions as readers will be: Things are resolved quickly, and the novel ends on a high note. Whiteness is situated as the norm; main characters are white. A successful romantic enterprise. (Romance. 12-16)

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November 1, 2019
Grades 9-12 Becca, 18, is disillusioned about love; her father walked out on her mother when Becca was six, and now the only romance Becca cares about is in books. When Becca's ex-best friend Jenny embarrasses Becca in class by ridiculing her for being single, Becca claims to be secretly dating Brett, the football team's popular captain . . . and is shocked when he goes along with it. Brett idolizes his dad, an ex-footballer who lives vicariously through Brett's football success. Becca, despite herself, begins to fall for Brett even though she knows their relationship is all for show. And when Brett discovers a shocking secret about his parents, it threatens to destroy whatever he and Becca may have. Readers get both Brett's and Becca's points of view through alternating narratives. At times, the plot strains believability, and the prose can be awkward. Overall, though, this is a sweet and fun debut that neatly riffs on the unrealistic expectations romance novels can set for real life.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)