November 9

November 9 is a novel by bestselling author Colleen Hoover. Published in 2015 by Atria, this novel follows the unusual love story between Fallon O’Neil and Ben Kessler. After meeting by chance, these two strangers agree to meet once a year in an experiment that fills their lives with a confidence they both lack—and a novel-in-progress written by Ben. Tragedy and an unspoken truth threaten to tear them apart, but the experiment results in a manuscript that heals them both.

This guide is based on the Atria e-book edition (2015).

Content Warning: November 9 contains mentions of suicide.

Plot Summary

On the second anniversary of the fire that left her scarred, an angry 18-year-old Fallon O’Neil meets her father, former actor Donovan O’Neil, for lunch. Fallon tells her father that she plans to move to New York that evening in order to pursue an acting career on Broadway. Fallon’s father tells her that her opportunity to be an actor died after the fire (which he takes responsibility for) and that she should pursue another career. Reacting to the cruelty of his words, a young man in a neighboring booth slides next to Fallon and claims to be her boyfriend.