First of all, I want to thank the author for giving me an advanced copy of this book, I really appreciate it!

The Unexpected Fall follows Genesis Gonzales and her work nemesis Will Kobayashi both of whom work at Siren Music Records and strive to make their goal of producing and creating music respectively. As Genesis is about to give up on her dream, the perfect opportunity arrives: a work contest in which the winners will have their song featured on one of the label’s most anticipated collaborative albums. The problem? Genesis has been paired with Will and together they have three months to come up with a song that is up to the task and allows them to make their dreams a reality.

Okay, I am going to start this review by saying I absolutely love the premise of this book, I was a bit scared because it’s easy for romance books to forget the plot at some point and focus solely on the characters and their relationship- which I honestly don’t mind most of the time since I am more of a character-driven person; However, that is not the case with The Unexpected Fall, I believe the author was pretty consistent with the whole plot line of the music contest and I think the fact that this was a big part of the characters’ personalities helped a lot with keeping it on track.

I really enjoyed reading about the dynamic between Will and Genesis, though I have to admit some of the romance scenes were a bit too cheesy for my taste, still, their banter was really entertaining and I loved the support they offered each other. Now, something that did disappoint me a little was the third conflict act, jut because I really did not think it was an issue in the first place, I understand where one of the main characters was coming from by thinking there had been a breach of trust, but I actually think it was a bit underwhelming and it could have been handled better.

To end on a positive note, I have to talk about the thing I appreciated the most about this book and the author: It did not forget about the characters identities. Often, and I mean pretty often, I find that books mention characters have heritage from x country and then completely forget about it, like there’s nothing except the mention of it. This book did absolutely AMAZING in that aspect (at least in my opinion) their backgrounds - Genesis is Dominican- American and Will is Japanese- American- were seen in the little things that were put throughout the book: the food, their dynamic with their families, what they do or don’t in their respective homes, it was really refreshing to read about it. I feel like sometimes authors don’t really find a way to incorporate these details in a way that feels natural instead of a list of qualities/customs that proves the character’s background, so I greatly appreciated the small details that the author included in this book.
Overall, I believe if you’re looking for a quick and entertaining romance read with a bit of rivalry, banter, and music, of course, you should pick this one up and give it a chance!

First: I liked the story. I love enemies-to-lovers and office romance.

I thought the story started out strong but then bogged down in the extensive descriptions of her family and her thoughts. What I wanted to read about was Genesis and Will and I got a lot of unnecessary information. Because the extended family never really played a role in the story, only her younger sister. There were a lot of pop culture references (movies, tv shows, singers etc.), a lot. And many descriptions (ordering in a restaurant, watching a certain tv series) The scene where the younger sister barges in on them .... was that really necessary? What did it add to the story?

The story has a strong basic arc - the developing love story between Genesis and Will. I liked that one. But I had to skim through all the extra weight to get there.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this free ARC.

This book was amazing! This is definitely a must read if you love a forced to work together rom-com!

Thank you to Netgalley for the review copy of The Unexpected Fall

The story is an enemies to lovers, work rivals forced to work together music industry themed romance with Dominican American and Japanese American rep.

I'm giving this book 3 and a half stars only because I really struggled through the first 25% of this story. It was heavy on (mostly negative) monologue and lacking in dialogue. Nothing much was happening and it was a chore being in the head of the main character, a self confessed ice queen with trust issues. Possibly the beginning of the story simply needed more editing? I considered giving up in the first few chapters but am glad I didn't as I did enjoy the rest of the book.

After a slow beginning the story and most importantly the banter picked up and the main character thawed out a bit and I found her far less grating.

I'll be interested to see if any of the side characters get a companion novel as there are a few characters I'd be happy to read more about.

"'I knew we would be magic together,' he said, his words a deep promise."

The Unexpected Fall was an unexpected delight in my books! An enemies-to-lovers workplace romance, if you enjoyed The Ex-Talk or The Hating Game you're going to want to read this book. It's told from Genesis' perspective, a marketing assistant at a record label who dreams of being a producer. When her company pairs musicians and producers together for a competition, of course, she is paired with her nemesis, Will. But soon she starts seeing him from a fresh perspective.

There's a lot to love about The Unexpected Fall:
- Firstly, the characters! Genesis is a complex main character, surrounded by the best group of friends and family. She's family-focused, driven, but also has trust issues. Meanwhile, Will is a stoic but sweet-talking (sometimes dirty talking 😏) guy that's total book boyfriend material. I highlighted so many of his swoon-worthy moments and comments to Genesis (like the reason behind her Buttercup nickname 😍) and the fact he's a singer was the icing on the cake!
- The chemistry between these two was electric! There's slow-burning tension, witty banter, great relationship development and some blush-worthy moments too.
- The diversity. Genesis is Dominican-American and Will is Japanese-American and I loved how their different cultures were a strong part of the narrative.
- The setting, including the NYC backdrop and the behind-the-scenes glimpse at working at a record label/making a song.

So, if you like steamy enemies-to-lovers workplace romances, I highly recommend reading The Unexpected Fall.

Thank you to Anna Salcedo for the ARC via NetGalley, in exchange for this honest review.

4.5/5 stars read!

I’d first like to thank Netgalley for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Okay first off, this cover is AMAZING! The yellow and the pink! ADORABLE!
Enemies to lovers, workplace romance with close proximity? YES, PLEASE!
I really loved this book! I started reading it on my way back from a trip. I was tired but the story kept me reading even after I got home and had to sleep!

Genesis was a very interesting character; she was very relatable. Her love for music really showed in the writing. She was good at her job, but she wanted more to follow her dreams and she had some emotional baggage.

Will, was the type of hero that I just can’t help but love. From the first few sarcastic remarks he made I was a goner! He was so caring, and swoony. Plus, he sings!
He’s TOP TIER Husbandoo material I need a Will Kobayashi in my life!

The banter and chemistry from these characters was off the roof! Talk about slow burn. I loved the little ways Will showed Genesis that he cared from getting her food to helping her with her presentation. Their writing sessions were so cute ahhh I just loved it.

The development of their relationship was also very interesting because Will made it clear that he liked Genesis, but the relationship keeps developing without them getting together which was different from the typical genre norms. Oh, and the conflict! I didn’t see it coming I was getting ready for it to be something else and BAM it was something different and it made so much sense! It was the perfect way for Genesis to get the character development that she needed. I liked the no frills aspect of them getting back together it was different and honestly it made things more believable.

Also, no spoilers but what Will tells Genesis when their having a conversation by the vending machine!

I gave this a 4.5 simply because I felt like a few chapters tended to be a bit wordy, but I understand the need to explain and give background info on the characters. So, it wasn’t a big deal. The supporting characters in this were great and I wouldn’t learning a little more about them. ( Hint, Hint Zander!? )

Overall I absolutely loved this book, I ordered a paperback as soon as I finished it.
Anna Salcedo did such an amazing job with her characters and the story.
This is how you do POC representation. That feels genuine and doesn't hit you over the head!
Being Mexican it’s always nice to see my first language used in books even if our slang is different.
Genesis is Dominican-American and Will is Japanese-American I loved the way their cultures were written.
I can't wait to read more books of Anna's books!

Genesis Gonzalez is a strong woman who finds herself taking care of everyone around her and is afraid to let the man who she thought she hated in. Will and Genesis find themselves working together on a love song for a company competition and these enemies (spoiler - the chemistry between them leaves no room for enemies) come together to write an amazing song. Will Kobayashi is a caring, strong, talented, and dirty (in all the right ways) male lead. I found myself falling for this John Mayer-esque songwriter. I will be honest, I am normally a one sitting type reader, once I stop I cannot put a book down but I found myself putting this book down a couple of times. Genesis has had a hard life, and I found the book really repeating certain points and even adding a lot of information that was written to be so important but played a much smaller part in the book. Overall, Genesis and Will have a very steamy, romantic, and heartwarming love story. Did I mention Will is spicy? This book serves spicy on a platter for you from lovemaking to Dominican Republic inspired dishes! Love.

QOTD: Have you ever entered a talent contest?
My A: Never! I’m wayyy too anxious to ever do something that brave!
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It’s been a minute since I’ve read one of my NetGalley books! I’ve been caught up through December for about a month now and I’ve been (impatiently) waiting for some of the other books to get closer to their pub dates. I snagged this one over the weekend and was instantly hooked!
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An enemies to lovers workplace romance with a sticky sweet H and a sharp and sassy h, this book is a must read! And the best part... It’s already out so there is no waiting to go and grab it RIGHT NOW. These two had serious chemistry, inside the studio and at the office. And as the story unfolds you just swoon harder and harder. Will Kobayashi is about to be your newest book boyfriend because he was HOT and the mostpateint sweetheart of a guy! Genesis Gonzalez’s Dominican-American culture blends with Will’s Japanese-American culture so perfectly. It was so fun reading these two experience each other’s food, celebrations and families and bond over being the children of immigrant parents. Toss in the high stakes musical competition and the late night jam sessions and take out food, these two have effortlessly found their way on my Favorite Couples list!
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BLURB:
Genesis Gonzalez has spent the last two years trying to prove herself at Siren Music Records. Despite her dreams of creating music, she’s been stuck as an assistant who spends most of her day answering emails, taking notes in painfully long meetings, and avoiding Will Kobayashi, the six-two bane of her existence. She was just about to throw in the towel when her job announced an opportunity that could change everything—a work contest that would allow two employees the opportunity to have their song on the label’s highly anticipated collaborative album, which features music from all their hottest artists. Getting her name on that album would almost be a guarantee that she’d finally get to say good-bye to being an assistant and hello to producing music. But her plans take an unexpected turn when she finds out that she gets paired with Will, who she is humanly incapable of getting along with. They have three months to create a song that will impress the record label enough to make both of their dreams come true. But the one thing Genesis could’ve never seen coming is that the only thing harder than getting along is not falling in love.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book had so much potential but fell flat for me very quickly; possibly because it reminded me so much of The Hating Game, which I did not enjoy! I found I was skim reading many parts of the story, in particular the sex scenes as they came across as cringey and a little stereotypical. I do applaud the author for the diverse representation and for carrying this throughout the book. It was a pleasure diving into Genesis and Will's respective cultures and learning more about them through their words, interactions and actions. Whilst I really wanted this book to win me over, it simply didn't hit the mark with the expected tension and strength in writing.

I will start by saying I am very picky about my romance novels, and my romantic comedy book. I stopped reading this book after about 10%. I felt myself looking at the percentage I was reading on my kindle, and hoping it would go faster. I felt like it was going to be very predictable, and very cliche. I feel badly giving it so harsh, and low of a review, but I should couldn't get into it. Don't let me discourage you from picking up this book just because I couldn't get into it, because there are many good reviews on this book, and the author did a good job for it being her debut novel.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I enjoyed this novel, and it gave off Hating Game vibes at times. I liked the music side of the storyline and how their jobs forced them to get to know each other.
At times I felt Will a bit too good to be true, and then other times he'd turn into this dirty talking male.
Genesis spoke at length about her issues with her Dad and Mother and I'm not sure that she worked through those issues; however maybe being with Will helped her in that way.
Quite a semi-serious romance overall.

This was both a very sweet and charming story as well as a steamy all encompassing romance! Wow the author started out with a bang of an enemies to lovers story that lead to some forced proximity and some secret pining. The story followed a couple of coworkers who were paired up on a songwriting contest. Their relationship slowly develops overtime as they are put in new situations. This story was both fun an unexpected. The author created lots of deep seated wounds and gave the characters a soft place to land in one another. I was a big fan of each character's development over time and how they handled these new situations.

I'm looking forward to more from this author.

Genesis does not like Will and has disliked him since her first day at Siren Music Records. A few years later, they're partnered for a company contest. Genesis works with Will, mainly to win the prize of a record deal with the label.

As soon as I read the description I was hooked. This book was a cute workplace romance. I loved both Genesis and Will. Genesis is Puerto-Rican and Will is Japanese American. The details about their culture was such a wonderful touch to the story and added to the plot. The conflict was well done. Salcedo's debut novel is a cute music related romance book perfect for hopeless romantics!

Genesis keeps herself to herself at work, having stopped trying to make friends after being snubbed too many times by Will. When they are put together in a competition that could give them each the career they have dreamed of, can they get along in order to win?

A great read. Hope there are more books in this series so Cora and Yari get their own books too!

I'd give this book maybe 3.75 stars, so I'll round it up to 4 for the rating! I'll start by saying that I love workplace romances and am always down to read books revolving the music industry, so this was right up my alley. I love Will and Genesis as characters, but something felt missing to me. They had pretty good chemistry but I would've definitely been okay with more development in their relationship. I wish Genesis made Will grovel!! That's probably my only real problem with this book haha. She forgave him really easily, so I just wish we saw a little more about how much his decision affected her.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The Unexpected Fall is an outstanding diverse romance that takes place inside a workplace. It is, without a doubt, the cutest thing in the world.

Genesis Gonzalez is attempting to establish herself at Siren Music Records, where she has worked for the past two years. She's always loved music, thanks to her father, and her dreams have always revolved around creating music. Her dreams, unfortunately, did not come true, and she is now stuck working as an assistant. Will Kobayashi, the Finance Analyst for Siren Music Records, works in the same office as Genesis. Will is the office's hotshot. He is pleasant to all and mingles with all, except for Genesis. They'd disliked one other since Genesis's second day on the job.

Their job has now announced a significant opportunity that may drastically alter both of their lives. It's a work contest that will provide two employees the chance to have their song featured on the labels of an upcoming collaboration album. With the big news, Genesis realizes that now is the best opportunity to pursue her goal and leave her job as an assistant. The only drawback seems to be that you don't get to choose your partner; they do.

Genesis is teamed up with Will for this contest, and they have only three months to write a song that will help them achieve their goals. What will happen, though, along the way? Will they be able to put their differences aside and work together to win this contest? And what if they don't win the contest? Will they still be able to achieve their goals in the end?

*thank you for the arc in exchange for an honest review*

The Unexpected Fall was great fun! I loved the characters who kept me guessing as to what would happen with them. If you want to be entertained and like a fast paced read this would be the perfect book for you.
Genesis and Will.... These two characters are amazingly, And very well developed. I couldn't help but enjoy seeing where this story took them in the end. This is a romance between two very well detailed and credible characters, The chemistry, wit and banter between Genesis and Will was just perfect,
This was just down to earth and completely relatable which I found so refreshing, full of hope, lightheartedness, and love.
A fun mixture of women’s fiction and romcom, there were also some really sweet and touching moments and I was left with a smile on my face!
Anna Salcedo did a fantastic job here and I can't wait to more of her!

Thank you this eARC.
I will post and tag tomorrow on my major platforms!

Rating: 2.5 stars

This has everything I would want in a book. A slow-burn romance that is defined as enemies-to-lovers. It pains me to say that I didn’t like it as much as I had hoped to. There isn’t anything wrong with the book besides it just not vibing with me personally.

The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Genesis Gonzalez. Since starting her job, she has only made one friend at work, Cora. Everyone else, including Will, has shrugged her off or just talked about her body. Fate has other plans though and soon she will have to work with Will on writing a song and trying to win a contest through work.

I did like Genesis for the most part. Family is very important her, especially her sister who is also her roommate. She wants what is best for her and they don’t always see eye-to-eye because of it.

One reason for not being fully hooked on the book is that I lacked a connection towards the characters. It’s hard to root for Genesis or Will if I feel impartial to what is happening through the plot. I also just am not a huge fun of pop culture references.

When it comes to the romance, it is definitely slow-burn. It’s not a bad thing since it does help to build up their relationship. The enemies-to-lovers was a bit on the eh side. I felt like it was one-sided and then both and then switched to friends rather quickly. This could honestly be just me.

The plot is filled with music, family, and a lot of important topics. One in particular being sexism and what women deal with when it comes to work environments.

Overall, this was good but just not the right fit for me. I know others will like this one a lot more than me. So, if the cover grabs your attention and the blurb does too, go ahead and give it a try!

Genesis hates Will. Has hated him since her first day at her new job at a Siren Music Records when he completely ignored her attempts to make friends with her new coworkers. Now, two years later, Genesis and Will find themselves partnered on a company wide contest. Tired of putting her dream job as a music producer on hold, Genesis decides she can suffer through a few months of working with Will, if only to win the coveted prize: a record deal with the label.
I absolutely loved this book! I’m a sucker for workplace/forced proximity romances and this one delivered. It’s one of those books that draws you in and makes you part of the story. The author wrote each character so well, truly making them come to life. I loved that the characters had realistic flaws that weren’t glossed over and that the MC wasn’t blind to them. Speaking of the MC, Genesis was such a well rounded character. She was written in a way that it was easy to relate to and understand. The cultural details also helped develop not only the characters, but also the plot. The conflict was perfect and related very well to the plot. It was topical without being predictable which I appreciated.
There really isn’t anything I didn’t like about this book. I do wish we could have been privy to more of Will’s feelings/what was going on in his head but that is hard to do without a duel POV. All together, I don’t feel that it detracted too much from the plot line.

Genesis is a marketing assistant at a record company, but some of her male coworkers think that's synonymous with "coffee girl." So when an opportunity comes along for her to join in a competition to produce a record, she jumps at the chance. Unfortunately, her partner on the project is Will, the gorgeous guy in Finance who seems to charm everyone but her. She agrees to call a truce with him during the three months of the contest. The friendship that develops between them leaves her unsure. How can she trust that this new version of Will is real?

This strong debut strikes a good balance between light-hearted and emotional. The voice captured me right away. The writing is impeccable. Will and Genesis and both good-hearted, caring people with a strong devotion to family. They made this novel a pleasure to read. It's a long book for the genre—the pacing is leisurely but not boring. There are some steamy scenes if you like your romance with a bit of spice.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.