Author: Colleen Hoover
Genre: Fiction, Romance
Rating: 2 out of 5
Pages: 320
Date Started: 22 October 2022
Date Finished: 26 October 2022
In 'November 9', Colleen Hoover takes readers on a journey of love and self-discovery. The story begins with a chance encounter between Fallon and Ben, two individuals who find an inexplicable connection in the midst of unexpected circumstances. Their annual meeting on the same date each year forms the foundation of their evolving relationship, even as the plot takes unexpected turns.
Ben's character is relatable as he grapples with love and the weight of his past decisions. His efforts to mend his past mistakes and his honesty with Fallon about his flaws and missteps add depth to his character.
While the story holds the reader's attention and keeps them engaged, it occasionally delves into the territory of young adult romance more than adult fiction. The emotional journey of the characters, particularly Ben, reflects a certain level of immaturity in their approach to love and relationships, which might leave some readers yearning for more complexity.
The narrative's twist adds a surprising element to the story, but it may not be entirely relatable. The likelihood of someone behaving as Fallon and Ben do is a stretch. 'November 9' leans into the genre of feel-good, cheesy romance, making it suitable for readers seeking a lighthearted and romantic tale. However, if you're looking for a more substantial and realistic exploration of relationships, this book might fall short of expectations.
Favorite lines from the book:
My flaws are what wake me up in the morning and what keep me awake every night.
In case you’ve forgotten, your mother also chose to marry me, and you seem to like her just fine.
Why do I always stoop to his level? I’m better than this.
I think he mourns the idea that he’s not the father of an actress more than he mourns almost losing his daughter to a fire that was caused by his carelessness.
Whoever said the truth hurts was being an optimist. The truth is an excruciatingly painful son of a bitch.
People say not to judge a book by its cover, but what if you somehow read the inside of the book without seeing the cover first? Because who wants an incredibly written book sitting on their bookshelf if they have to stare at a shitty cover?
You’ll never be able to find yourself if you’re lost in someone else.
People want to stare at you. Believe me, I’m one of them. But when everything about you screams, ‘Look away,’ then that’s exactly what people are going to do. The only person who gives a shit about a few scars on your face is you.
Why the hell does luck exist if I’m not supposed to push it?
I suddenly feel grateful for her scars… because they’re a reminder of how it could have been much worse. She could have died in that fire, and she wouldn’t be next to me right now.
“One of the things I always try to remind myself is that everyone has scars,” she says. “A lot of them even worse than mine. The only difference is that mine are visible and most people’s aren’t.”
Comfort can sometimes be a crutch when it comes to figuring out your life. Goals are achieved through discomfort and hard work. They aren’t achieved when you hide out in a place where you’re nice and cozy.
Whether or not the couple ends up together at the end of a book doesn’t determine whether that book has a happy ending or not. As long as the two people end up happy, it doesn’t really matter if they end up happy together.
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.
It’s hard to grieve people you don’t remember.
Fate. A word meaning destiny. Fate. A word meaning doom.
If parents have been able to survive the loss of children, then men and women can easily live with the loss of a relationship.
We sit around the kitchen table and talk about anything except why our mother hated her life more than she loved us.
After the first death, there is no other.
I talk to my mother sometimes. Of course the conversations are one-sided, but I still talk to her. I don’t feel like I need to stare at a headstone in order to do that.
A body is simply a package for the true gifts inside. And you are full of gifts. Selflessness, kindness, compassion. All the things that matter. Youth and beauty fade. Human decency doesn’t.
