herseriallife
Written on Jul 14, 2021
Beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Starts with Us, It Ends with Us, and All Your Perfects returns with an unforgettable love story between a writer and his unexpected muse.
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 Los Angeles 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?
- ISBN10 1442388900
- ISBN13 9781442388901
- Publish Date 10 November 2015
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country US
- Publisher Simon & Schuster
- Imprint Simon & Schuster Audio
- Edition Unabridged
- Format Audiobook
- Duration 9 hours and 47 minutes
- Language English
Reviews
jen20
Written on Jun 27, 2021
liz089
Written on Dec 28, 2016
Want to read the full review? Check out my blog Freyja Eats Books
readingwithwrin
Written on Jul 23, 2016
I was very unsure when I started this book if I would even finish it because it is in the New Adult genre and I’m not a fan of the majority of books in this genre due to how explicit some of the content can get. So when I started listening to this I was a bit apprehensive. Thankfully though there weren’t any explicit scenes that I can remember.
Fallon is a young woman who has been badly injured in an accident and because of this accident, she has lost almost everything that she used to be. With her cross-country move planned she’s hoping to start over and find herself.
Ben is a young man who is lost because of several things that have happened in his life that have caused him to spin out of control and turn into this person who he doesn’t even know anymore.
These two make an unlikely friendship that most likely seems won’t stand the distance and time that will happen in between them seeing each other. But somehow they both follow through on only seeing one another only one day a year with no other contact. With Ben having been challenged to write a book about what happens each year, they decide to give one another tasks to complete and then tell the other person about once they meet again. This lasts for four years and then it all goes horribly wrong.
“It took four years for me to fall in love with him. It only took four pages to stop.”
Overall I thought this book was okay, this genre still isn’t one I really enjoy reading yet, but I do see why it is so popular. I did really like seeing things from both of their points of view and how they felt about the situation and what was happening in their lives throughout the year. I really enjoyed the banter that would happen between Ben and Fallon and how there wasn’t really much awkwardness between them when they would meet up again. Yet I never really felt anything for either character besides when it all went horribly wrong and I wanted Fallon to stand her ground. But that’s beside the point. I can see why Hoover is such a popular author and I do plan on reading her YA books before I read another NA by her.
“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.”
Chelsea
Written on Jun 12, 2016
This really was a pretty good story, I’m just disappointed. I liked the concept of seeing each other once a year but that romance felt pretty unrealistic even for an insta-love relationship. The plot had enough to keep me entertained the whole way through though since there was a lot going on.
I loved the character development we saw with Fallon! She turned out to be so much more confident by the end of the book!
What I Didn't Love
“For the sake of the ultimate plot twist”? Really? You mean the EXACT same plot twist I’ve seen in at least TWO of her other books? Can you tell I’m a little bitter? When I see plot twist I want some serious plot twisting! Instead, once this plot twist was revealed I’m pretty sure I groaned out loan. It’s not even a little bit different from Confess or Hopeless! The same thing happens! I honestly really liked Colleen Hoover but I think I’m done with her now. If I wanted to read the same thing over again, I’d reread the same book. This dropped my rating by two whole stars because it was actually pretty good up until this.
Who I'd Recommend To
I’d recommend this to anyone who knows that they love Colleen Hoover. If you didn’t like her other books then skip this one for sure because it’s the exact same thing. If you’re planning on reading a bunch of Colleen Hoover all at once then I recommend you throw that idea out the window because you’ll be easily bored like I was. I don’t think I’d actually recommend this one to anyone other than a current fan of hers.
catiebug
Written on Apr 27, 2016
Leah
Written on Feb 16, 2016
I really liked Fallon. She’s the kinda girl I could be friends with, and I admired her spirit. It takes absolute courage to move to New York, from LA, especially after all that happened, but she did it. She knew she couldn’t be an actress any more, at least not in Hollywood, so she took herself to New York, to try something new and that was pretty freaking amazing. And Ben! Ben is legitimately the perfect book boyfriend. I loved how he made Fallon feel about herself, how he didn’t let her get down about anything, and it was just so beautiful to see their relationship develop over the years.
This was such an uplifting book. It’s amazing to see how a relationship can develop and flourish year on year, when you only see someone once a year. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Fallon and Ben. What they had seemed so special, and although I knew there was going to be a sting in the tale, and it was quite surprising and devastating, it was also kind of beautiful, which is so weird to say, but it’s true. This was a really beautiful read, and I just love Colleen’s books. Now, which one do I read next?
Sam@WLABB
Written on Feb 6, 2016
As Hoover often does, she throws in a big plot twist. I gasped audibly, and, I believe, shouted something to the like, "Curse you CoHo!", when I was reading the 4th November 9th (I think). My heart broke, and I was mad at everyone! It's the emotional roller coaster I expect from Colleen Hoover, and she always delivers.
A lot of drama, a lot of sadness, but also a lot of funny, sweet, and lovely moments. I loved how this one date, November 9, could hold so much significance, and I love the idea of turning your worst day into your best day.
inlibrisveritas
Written on Nov 24, 2015
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Colleen Hoover has done it again! She's somehow managed to do, yet again, what other authors try and fail to make me do. Tear up. I don't even get misty at those really sad animal commercials, I'm a metaphorical stone wall when it comes to emotions. And yet, November 9 had me utterly at it's mercy for an entire day. I was late getting around to reading it, so I popped it up on my kindle app just so I could get started and read it in bursts over a few days...instead I ended up devouring it while sitting behind the counter at my store.
I was a bit worried at first because November 9, sounds a lot like One Day and I think I've watched the movie of that. It was cute, but mostly the sort of fluff I don't really find myself dying to read. The parallel is there, but it just doesn't compare. November 9 has so much depth and raw emotion surrounding it's characters making the connection between these two irresistible, my heart ached for them and the damn thing even fluttered a few times. I really love that books played a big part in their relationship, and the way some of the romance book ideas are put into play are just too cute. We need more book loving characters because I could get use to this. And so many twists!
Fallon and Ben come together on her last day in L.A. and those few hours together were enough to push them into becoming who they want and they make a pact to meet up every year for five years on November 9th. I really love that we only get to see them on November 9th. We get to see who they've become in the year they were busy, how much things can change and how much things can truly stay the same. And it's not an easy road for either of them as they learn to stretch their wings on two sides of the country, have new experiences and grow separately as people. I really loved Ben and Fallon, separately and together. Ben has a lot to work through on his own, but he's such a damn romantic that he had me hooked. I think every book loving woman wants a guy who will read a book simply because it's something she loves. Instant swoon. Plus he's beyond adorable and a definite dork, so it's a win all around. I really liked that while we are given Fallon's story almost right away, Ben's story is one that slowly reveals itself over the course of those five years.
November 9 was everything I was hoping it would be. Romantic, heart breaking, and funny all in one not-so-neat but damn near perfect binding.
whisperingchapters
Written on Nov 20, 2015
I have to admit I barely read the description for this book. I merely skimmed through it but since it's by Colleen Hoover, I didn't think twice in pre-ordering it. My expectations were extremely high for this book until I read a 1.5 star review that lead me to lower those very high expectations. Even with my low expectations, I didn't love the book as much as I had hoped. I simply liked it because the story-line was good. While I'm not into insta-love and falling for each other in a matter of hours, this wasn't the factor that fully bothered me.
Fallon had to grow up very quickly once she became an actress. Unfortunately, an accident happened which caused her to lose her acting career. One day, Fallon is at a restaurant with her dad who's very hard on her and Ben overhears the conversation and thinks Fallon needs rescuing. He acts like her boyfriend while they are with her father and they sell it out completely. They instantly connect once they are alone and they realize they like each other. What happens next? They agree to meet up every November 9 at the restaurant they met for the next five years but there's a catch. They will not have contact with each other the other 364 days of the year. No stalking via social media, no giving each other their phone numbers. NOTHING.
After realizing this tidbit of information, I thought I wasn't going to like it. Surprisingly, I liked it! It was something new, something unique and I was definitely enjoying it all! Every year they would meet, it's as if they had never stopped talking. They were so into each other and I was sold by their "relationship". I was definitely rooting for them. Sadly, around... Maybe 65% things started to turn sour. Some decisions were made that were unbelievably stupid and the reasons given had me rolling my eyes so much, I'm surprised they didn't permanently stay rolled. I started liking the whole "no contact, only on one day a year" thing but then it felt pointless. The reason given for this... STUPID. Fallon's mother advises her to not date or fall in love before turning 23-years-old because until then you won't fully know who you are as a person. If I were her age, I'd explore the things I can and want and she obviously wants to get to know Ben more but because her mother said this, she wants to follow through with it... This seemed so pointless and seemed like a lazy reason. Not only that when some things happened, Fallon pretty much blamed Ben when it wasn't his fault at all and then she used the very cliché line: "I did it for your own good." I couldn't believe she used that line on him after completely destroying his heart. They had agreed to stay together, to have contact every day while they were apart. But then, Fallon tells Ben that she won't give him her phone number. When she returns the following year, she expects everything to have stayed the same but Ben has started a relationship with his dead brother's wife (now widow) and with Ben's nephew.
I didn’t fully see the other plot twist. Ben had set the fire that caused Fallon to have all of those scars. He did it because his mother had killed herself and he felt that Fallon’s father had something to do with it so he set fire close to the car, which caught up in flames but the fire spread to the house as well. I never figured it out completely but it had some-what crossed my mind and wow... That was really sad and heart-breaking but I felt like it lacked that special Colleen Hoover touch when it comes to plot twists and that was a huge let down for me. I loved that CoHo related a character from this book to a previous one she had released. There's Ian who is Ben's brother and the few times he appeared, I very much enjoyed. Not only that, Miles and Tate make an appearance and I was jumping with joy!! Then I realized who Ian was! Miles' best friend! *squeals of joy* I love when authors do this.
I definitely loved the messages of loving yourself despite the physical and internal flaws we have. Many of the quotes included in the story would actually boost me up a bit and I even wrote some down to read every day.
Overall, I'm in the minority of not loving this book. I felt like this book didn't need all of the drama that suddenly got pushed into the story after 65%. Sadly, this book didn't work for me but that doesn't mean I will stop adoring CoHo because we all know how amazing she is. This book simply didn't do it for me but that doesn't mean you won't like it. Should you give it a try? Sure, why not? Many readers are crushing on this book :) If you give it a try, I hope it doesn't disappoint you!
This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews