November 9

by Colleen Hoover

[inlibrisveritas]

Read in one day...I started because I was supposed to have it read by today, I finished because I couldn't stop reading 3

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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.