November 9

- Colleen Hoover

Albany, WA

September 2, 2022

Goodreads Book Blurb:

Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.

Can Ben’s relationship with Fallon—and simultaneously his novel—be considered a love story if it ends in heartbreak?

Genres:

My Review:

solid, good read:

☆☆☆☆☆ 4/5

Yes, you saw that right. I just gave a CoHo book four stars. Am I becoming a convert? …I wouldn’t go that far yet. Let’s see if this trend continues.

I think anyone who participates in a bookish community, be it through TikTok or Instagram or GoodReads, has a soft spot for books about books. November 9 strikes the right balance- with conversations about hated tropes (hello instalove), the difference between bad and good romance, and book boyfriends – without having it take over the narrative.

I liked that the characters actually addressed the similarities in their circumstances to Sleepless in Seattle and One Day. I love One Day and have seen it way too many times, so I may have been predisposed to liking November 9. Don’t worry, there is still plenty of CoHo angst and red flags to keep faithful readers happy.

Spoiler

I think enough was going on – I don’t think the ‘Ben started the fire‘ twist was entirely necessary. There was already enough drama, especially for two people who only see each other once a year. This addition was probably one twist too many.

So while I may have actually enjoyed a CoHo book, I apparently read this in 2016 and didn’t remember it at all… I guess I must have liked it more this time? Maybe my expectations have been lowered by reading through her previous works, but I hope it will only keep getting better from here.

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