November 9 by Colleen Hoover | Book Review

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November 9 by Colleen Hoover

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Simon & Schuster 

Publication date: 10th November 2015

Blurb:

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 L.A. 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?

Review:

I either love or hate a Colleen Hoover book and I'd seen mixed reviews about this one so I was a bit dubious. However, it really surprised me.

We learn that our main character, eighteen-year-old Fallon, was in a house fire and left with burns causing disfiguration two years previously. Whilst on a breakfast date with her estranged father exactly two years to the day, November 9th, they get into an argument. 

Ben, also eighteen, happens to be sitting in the booth behind them and steps in, pretending to be Fallon's boyfriend who was running late. The two of them end up having a wonderful day together, clearly there is a spark, but Fallon is moving to New York the following day. They decide not to exchange numbers or any other forms of communication but they will meet up at the same diner next November 9th and continue the tradition for the following four years.

I will be honest and say I found a lot of this book very cheesy. From the spicy dialogue to Ben's writing of a romance novel, it was all a bit nauseating. However, I loved the concept and the plot. I liked seeing how their lives were different each year, the supporting characters, Fallon's coming to terms with her scars and gaining confidence. 

I liked that it wasn't smooth sailing but, that twist! I had an inkling of what happened when Ben's brother punched him but seeing how it all played out was very satisfying. I enjoyed this one!