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bluebellvine's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Violence, Racism, and Sexism
therealsouls'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? It's complicated
3.5
This book is... sophisticated in every way possible. I have no words. I mean, it's Colleen Hoover, but I thought somebody already got the fire extinguisher.
"November 9" by Colleen Hoover portrays the love story of aspiring writer Benton James Kessler and semi-ex-actress Fallon O'Neill, who meet two years in a fake-dating situation after Fallon suffered fourth-degree burns from a house fire... on November 9. Hence the title. After meeting up, they decide (for some ENTIRELY UNFATHOMABLE REASON) to meet up every day for the next 5 years on November 9 only. No ways of contact, just living separate lives for a year.
If insta-love is a throw-off for you, I believe you should still read this novel—the plot's incredibly well-structured with surprises and plot twists scattered throughout the book. Combined with the book's fast development, it made me forget how to yawn. The love surrounding Ben and Fallon is absolutely surreal.
Like any other book, there are some salient throw-off factors in this book: it's just... too... cliché. And unrealistic. The plot's great I guess, but it felt like it was fabricated along the way. The characters must have a damn plentiful load of patience, as I wouldn't probably bear not seeing my future significant other for a year anyway.
Moreover, the ending left me and possibly many other readers with unfilled holes, for example, what happened to the other characters? Heck, it doesn't even contain an epilogue, god damn it! What even happened to our beloved couple afterwards? Unless there's a second part to this, I'll remain forever salty. Saltier than the recommended sodium intake by the FDA.
Insta-love CoHo fans with a short attention span, this is going to be your bible.
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Sexual content
Minor: Violence
skyegbooks'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
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Mental illness and Violence
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
hollysutto's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Car accident, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Suicide, Violence, Pregnancy, and Death of parent
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
mel_s_bookshelf's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.75
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Suicide, Death, Sexual content, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Body shaming, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy
Minor: Violence and Terminal illness
flower_child's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Death
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Alcohol and Violence
emmastdlr'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Death
risen'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
2.0
<also I don’t understand why the father wasn’t included more in the story? It was as if he just disappeared. I would have liked more info on the lives they were living separate from eachother. Instead of just hearing about their love lives, and basic life updates.>
Overall I think the book was shallow, but the idea of the plot was great. Just wish it was handled better.
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Violence