Saturday 5 November 2016

REVIEW; November 9, by Colleen Hoover

Rating: 

Genre: Romance, Suspense

Recommend: Yes

Standalone

SPOILERS 

Summary:

Fallon's life changed on November 9th. Ben's mother committed suicide on November 9th. Ben and Fallon meet on November 9th. And then they make a deal. Fallon and Ben will continue their separate lives, but meet up again every year on the same date. The rest of the year they stay away without contact, no messaging, no calls, no social media contact. The date becomes something special to them both, but as their life changes each year, can they see it through and find love together? 

My Thoughts:

Story: For the most part I really enjoyed the premise of the story - meeting each other on the same day for 5 years before re-evaluating their lives together. But honestly, I don't understand the insta-love effect. I can't imagine how one can go a year without seeing someone, or even changing. The whole point was from 18-24y/o one changes but to be honest I didn't see much evolving of the characters.

Book: I enjoyed how Ben was writing a novel of their story within this - like a book within a book about the book! But I didn't understand the discussions re a bad romance novel and then mention of insta-love but yet they acknowledge that's what happened to them...? Seemed a bit weird acknowledging a bad aspect of a novel that's included.

Ben: Meh... I liked him at first when he showed up at the restaurant but I felt it hard to warm to him after the dress incident. His pushing for giving Fallon self-esteem was good but I felt he needed some sensitivity added to him. If a guy forced me to wear something I wasn't comfortable in just because he was paying for dinner I'd roundhouse him! 

Fallon: I really felt for her. Her dad was horrible to her and her career was ruined (ultimately because of him) but I hated the melodramatic romantic selfless acts of love she claimed were for the better that just pushed the guy she loved and who loved her away. I'm so over the "you're better without me bullshit" that's everywhere these days. If you find that sort of true love, you deserve to be broken hearted for rejecting it! 

Romance: the romantic scenes did not work. Ultimately cringe although suspect the aim was for some delicate handling of it all but really didn't work this time around. I feel like their should have been some more insight into the pain endured the rest of the year to solidify the level of happiness achieved on November 9th. While only recording November 9th has huge impact, at times it felt like the rest of the year didn't even happen but gaining an insight into their lives without the other would help hit home how much they needed each other. 

Overall:

I loved this and the unique spin of the story with some great plot twists and dark parts. But there was a little lacking for me and I didn't love the romance as much as I wanted too. Still, recommend it though!  

Goodreads 

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