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jen1804's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I cannot express how much I loved the concept; living your own lives and meeting on the same day once a year for 5 years before you allow yourselves to fall in love? Ugh stop it, it’s so freaking cute. I also really loved the fact that we get absolutely no narrative in between each November 9th! I love that we get to skip over all the mundane life stuff each year and jump straight back into the interaction between our two MCs. AND having said that, despite only getting a window into the lives of these two characters on one day a year, they in no way feel under developed because of the richness of their inner monologues, is CoHo a genius or what?
I have seen some hate towards Ben from other readers but I personally adore his character. Does Ben come with his flaws? Absolutely - I especially cringed during the first November when he tells Fallon what he wants her to wear to dinner because “he’s paying”, but they’re both very young at this point. And does Ben show character development and growth over the years as he matures? Yes, yes he does. But any boy who takes homework to read 5 romance novels that the girl has recommended is absolutely swoon worthy in my eyes. Add onto that that he’s a writer and is literally writing a novel about their love story - RIP me.
I disliked the Jordyn storyline but not because it was necessarily unrealistic, I can absolutely see how in that situation, two grieving people who already share a house and are now raising a child together could gravitate towards one another whilst subconsciously knowing it wasn’t what either of them ultimately want. It was just so sad and I felt my heart breaking for both Fallon and Ben in that moment!
I adored the body positivity messages woven throughout this book and how Fallon learned to love her scars. I feel like the fact that it was Ben who helped shape her confidence here is so freaking important.
The scene in the closet at the night club? Omg how can something so marginal be so hot? I loved that scene so much and I think it’ll live rent free in my head forever. And the scenes that followed too, “yes” to Ben’s nonchalance towards Theo and an even bigger “yes” to Ben, Glenn and Amber defending Fallon’s honour when Theo insults her.
I really did not like the sub plot of mother Kessler committing suicide, to me this was too unrealistic. I just can’t see how she, someone who loved her children as much as the book claims, would ever do that and allow her 16 year old son to find her dead with her brains blown out. It’s for this reason that I cannot give it a 5. I did however really like the description in Ben’s novel of the events that followed said mother’s death and gave good insight into the grief and trauma that Ben was experiencing, especially before reading his mother’s note.
Overall this was a really beautiful and complex coming of age story about love, forgiveness, family and self acceptance. Would highly recommend to YA contemporary romance readers.
Graphic: Grief, Blood, Death of parent, Violence, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Sexual content, Alcohol, and Cancer
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
thatswhatshanread's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
If you’re into Instalove—two characters falling in love at first sight, all consuming love straight out of the gate—then you’ll be immediately pulled in. I guess I found out with November 9 that I don’t really care for that genre of romance. Ben and Fallon’s instant attraction didn’t seem believable to me.
The main thing that pulled my rating down was not something that went away throughout the story as it was literally the character of Ben, the MMC. From the beginning he gave me the ick by the way he talked and interacted with Fallon, without even knowing her. He was too confident and domineering and controlling for my taste, disguised as the “nice guy” who saw past Fallon’s imperfections. DUDE YOU’VE SPENT ONLY A FEW HOURS WITH HER. Idk, the simp behavior jumped out.
The plot had potential and I liked the sections being split up by the same date each year. However, that further drove the nail in the coffin that was my effort to give Ben and Fallon time to grow on me. Instead, with each year passing, I found their “connection” more and more forced and weirdly obsessive.
Hoover’s writing wasn’t bad, she always has great pacing in her novels, in fact. For me, the main relationship in this book just really put me off and the rest of the elements that I liked didn’t make up for it.
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual content, Body shaming, Medical content, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Suicide, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Violence, Cancer, Alcohol, Car accident, Mental illness, and Pregnancy
Minor: Stalking and Panic attacks/disorders
kyrstin_p1989's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Vomit, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Cancer, Suicide, Sexual content, Body shaming, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Violence
klubbgodis's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Moderate: Grief, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, and Death of parent
Minor: Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
capybooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
I started off really enjoying this book. I liked the concept, the romance and the chemistry the characters have together.
I hate how it is written to make it sound like anyone with scars/disabilities should be embarrassed about it. I hated the assault scene and how it was just brushed under the carpet. I hated the
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, Suicide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Sexual content, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Pregnancy, Ableism, Cursing, Terminal illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Car accident, Mental illness, and Sexual assault
pippamillerxoxo_'s review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Sexual content, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
rania_sofia's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Addiction, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Alcohol, Vomit, and Terminal illness
lara_bk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5
Moderate: Suicide, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Cancer and Sexual content
cait's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Body horror, Body shaming, Cursing, Death of parent, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Medical content, and Suicidal thoughts
wrengrey's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship