“And it’s a twelve.” – November 9

She “loved me” in quotations; She kissed me in bold; I TRIED TO KEEP HER in all caps; She left with an ellipsis… – Benjamin James Kessler

What do you get when you mix a scarred beauty, a damaged charmer, a one of a kind arrangement, poetry, heat break, insta-love, suspense, and butterflies – you get November 9 by Colleen Hoover.

I’ve read a lot of romance novels. I love them. I love the passion and the romance and the intense feelings of new love between the couples. And let me tell you, November 9 is unlike any romance novel that I’ve read. I want to say it’s almost a parody to the romance novel. It’s all wrong. The female character, Fallon, is surprisingly flawed in ways you aren’t expecting. She even tells us this in the story…

“I wanted you to fictionalize me and make me pretty, Ben. You can’t make the main character a freak show. No one wants to identify with that. Main characters should be beautiful and…” – Fallon

And Ben, the male character, is wrong too. He isn’t the alpha male you usually read about. He’s a writer. He writes poetry and reads romance novels, and is witty and charming. “And screw it if I’m not supposed to admit that, but I tried the whole alpha-male thing for two seconds and I just can’t do it.” – Ben

And then, once you are hooked into the one of a kind arrangement they decide upon, you actually have no idea what the real story of the book is even about. You don’t understand anything until the ending when the curtain is lifted and you see the big picture.

“Why didn’t you tell me that the foundation you taught me to stand on is made from quicksand?” – Fallon

Yes, this book is not your typical romance novel; it’s better! The emotions you feel while reading about Ben and Fallon hit you from every direction. Joy, sadness, butterflies, happiness, anger…tears and tears and tears. I cried more for Ben and Fallon than I have in a long time!

I LOVED this book. Everything about it! If you are looking for your next page turner, read November 9 and let me know what you think!