November 9: A Novel

“I want you to read it for yourself. Because when you love someone, you owe it to them to help them be the best version of themselves that they can be. And as much as it crushes me to admit this, the best version of you doesn't include me.”Stunning. Consuming. Poetic. Raw. Heartrendingly Beautiful. These are a few words that comes to mind when describing this magnificent and captivating masterpiece called November 9 by Colleen Hoover. CoHo is one of those rare authors who DELIVERS every single time. If her mission was to grip her readers hearts and leave a stain on our soul with her written words then I will happily say mission accomplished. She delivered. Well, she more than DELIVERED as readers like myself happily handed my heart to her as she took me on one of the most unforgettable reads that I have read.One date. November 9. One day out of 365 days in the year. That one specific date that CoHo has ingrained in her readers. The date that readers like myself will fall in love with the story of Benton James Kessler and Fallon O'Neill. November 9.“ I'm in love with her. Like really in love with her. Crippling, debilitating, paralyzing love.”In life, there are so many momentousness occasions and life-altering dates that occurs in one's life whether it be a birthday, a milestone, a graduation, a wedding, a death anniversary, or the day that will forever alter and change your life. For Fallon O'Neill, November 9 marked the day that changed her. It is the day that left her insecure and ridden with physical scars. But on that specific day, November 9 also marked the date that she met Benton James Kessler.On November 9, Benton James Kessler walked into Fallon O' Neill's life and instantly knew his life would be forever altered by this girl. He didn't see a young woman with physical scars but instead saw a witty, smart, funny and beautiful girl. A girl who just needed that extra push of encouragement to be bold and confident. He saw that her inner beauty radiated from within and that her scars were just as beautiful. It told him that this girl he just met was a fighter and survivor.“Maybe I don't know the first thing about falling in love, because I've been telling myself I'm not falling for him yet. That it's too soon. But it's not. What's happening inside my heart right now is way too consequential to deny. I think I've been misjudging the whole concept of insta-love. Now if I can just figure out how we can finish these next few years with a happy ending.”They say ever scar tells a story. And for Fallon, her scars tells of a story that will emotionally gut you. Her scars were a reminder of a terrible accident gone wrong and a resentment she holds. These scares were put on display of what could have been a thriving career as a young actress in Hollywood. But all that changes, when Ben made her see that she doesn't have to hide her scars. Ben knocked down her walls of insecurities and stripped her bare, allowing her to see that Fallon O'Neill is one of the most beautiful woman that walked into his life. And on that day, November 9 marked the day when a boy fell in love with a girl. The day that gave birth to an epic love story.“No combination of written words could ever do this moment justice.”I really don't want to say anymore because November 9 is a book that must be read, experienced and savored. I will just say this Colleen Hoover reminded me once again why I love reading her books. She has a way of stripping you down, laying you bare and exposed in order to FEEL for her characters. Passion, strength, humor, hope, absolution, and love were so beautifully entangled and woven into this book that I was left breathless as I absorb every written word and emotion. Did Colleen Hoover leave me a blubbering mess? Yes, of course she did. She is Colleen Hoover, a master in pulling those emotional heartstrings. With that being said, I will just say CoHo will shatter your hearts as she weaves one of the most emotional plot twist that will have you grabbing for the tissues. But don't worry and fret too long, CoHo will heal and mend our broken hearts with her magical and book-worthy unforgettable lines. Just be prepared to fall in love Benton James Kessler as he writes and tells us why his love for Fallon O'Neill is book-worthy.“I don't want to be your first, Fallon. I want to be your last.”Colleen Hoover is one those gifted and rare writers who can capture your hearts with her gorgeous prose and raw characters. Like any masterpiece, Colleen Hoover paints a beautiful literary creation that will leave a lasting impression that can stain your soul. Her words are not only felt but absorbed. It is often said to let the work speak for itself and as such Colleen Hoover will hold you hostage as you are immersed with beauty, loss, friendship, heartache, and a new found sense of hope, absolution, finding oneself, and an epic book-worthy love. November 9 was a book that consumed you, stripped you naked and left you feeling raw, exposed and vulnerable and it was worth every laughter, tears, and swoon-worthy moments. As an avid reader, I love to read book to escape. To fall in love with the words, the characters, and everything in between. Just a few pages in, you can already tell if a book is going to be amazing or not. And let me just say, November Nine is 100% BOOK WORTHY!!!!! So thank you, Colleen Hoover, for gifting your readers on another unforgettable book worthy romance!!!!~Michelle of Four Chicks Flipping Pages

Actual rating 4.5 stars“When you find love, you take it. You grab it with both hands and you do everything in your power not to let it go. You can’t just walk away from it and expect it to linger until you’re ready for it.”Colleen Hoover has done it again, and left my heart in her hands. I will preface this with review with the fact that this isn't my favorite of Colleen Hoover's books, but it was still a fantastic read that left me sorting through my emotions by the end. Ms. Hoover's writing is beautiful as ever and simply sweeps you away into Fallon and Benton's world. In many ways, this book was almost poetic. I basically stayed away from all reviews with this novel because I knew there was a HUGE twist at the end, and I didn't want to risk spoiling it for myself. Even though it took me a bit, I did figure out what the twist was (granted, I was hoping I was wrong), but for the majority of the book I had no idea what the twist could possibly be until one line kind of triggered something in my brain. And although I did figure out the twist, I was still surprised by the turn of events when everything is laid out in the manuscript.“You’ll never be able to find yourself if you’re lost in someone else.”I loved Ben and Fallon's characters so much. I wasn't quite sure how their story would play out since they only meet once a year, and the book was centered around only that one day, November 9th. However, Colleen Hoover is an expert at writing, so it's no surprise that somehow, against all odds, this book just works. I didn't find myself missing out on Ben and Fallon's story over the previous year. There was just enough details that were revealed to fill the reader in, but not too much that hindered the storytelling process. Ben had me laughing so many times, and I absolutely loved his character. He's exactly what I love in a male lead: funny, charismatic, and sweet. But that humor and charm is also his defense/coping mechanism, allowing few to see the real Ben. Fallon was an amazing character to read as well. I loved watching her transformation over the course of the story. She went from this girl who was more or less a shell of herself, to someone who was confident and saw herself as she truly was. Nevertheless, Fallon's strength is something to be admired, and she is an easily likable female lead.“She’s not the kind of girl you choose your battles for. She’s the kind of girl you fight to the death for.”The relationship between Fallon and Ben is definitely unique, and while I wasn't always the biggest fan of it, by the end I was convinced they were perfect for each other. One thing that I did love consistently throughout the story was the way Ben constantly encouraged and supported Fallon. And in turn, when Ben needed Fallon, she was there with support and encouragement as well. While there were some cheesy moments, I still adored their cute moments together. Regardless of the odd relationship they shared, it was still extremely real. They experienced their ups and downs like a regular couple, but at the same time had a lot of passion for each other.“It took four years for me to fall in love with him. It only took four pages to stop.”I will say that the one big flaw I had in this book was the predictability of the twist once you get to a certain part. I knew exactly where the story was going from that point forward, and I wish it didn't turn out the way I expected. Not that it really made much of a difference for me, but I think I've come to expect these huge twists from Colleen Hoover, and I was hoping for something more than what it was. So, in that way, I was a bit let down. There were also some things in regards to Ben's character that I didn't necessarily agree with, but those specific things are just personal opinion and has nothing to do with the story.“I thought I was stronger than a word, but I just discovered that having to say goodbye to you is by far the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”I highly recommend this to fans of Colleen Hoover as it is yet another win for this author! It is a unique and interesting way to go about a story, and very few authors could pull it off. I think Ben and Fallon's story shows just how amazing an author Colleen Hoover is, and that her talent knows no bounds. While it isn't my favorite story from this author, nor do I think it's the best this author has ever written, I still greatly enjoyed the story. I can't wait to read what Ms. Hoover has in store for us next!!Happy reading :)