What I Read In February 2021

SHOP THE OUTFIT: Floral Maxi Dress | Monogram Necklace

February was a fun reading month. I probably could have squeezed in one more book to read, but I decided to give myself a couple days here and there from reading. I think with the baby just around the corner, my brain is over stimulated.

Most of the books I read have a little love story to them but they are all in different genres. One is a sequel to a series and it’s more of a historical fiction. Then I have a meet-cute book mixed in with Asian culture and a modern romcom. And of course, I had to add in a thriller at the end. This thriller book was on my TBR list as soon as it came out!

All the books I read in February are from Book Of The Month. If you don’t know what that is, I did a full review of Book Of The Month in this post. Hence, why I was able to read one of the books before its March release date.

What I Read In February 2021

A Rogue Of One’s Own by Evie Dunmore

This is book 2 of a series. I read book one at the end of January (Bringing Down The Duke). Lady Lucie and her group of suffragists were finally able to control London’s major publishing house. Their main goal is to use it to speak against the Parliament and bring to light the inequality to women. But of course, Lucie’s nemesis, Lord Ballentine is getting in her way. Ever since they were little kids, they have been battling it out. One day, Lucie decides to do something out of character to get Lord Ballentine to stay out of her agenda. But ultimately, they both discover truths about one another and it leads to the saying… all is fair in love and war.

All the characters from the first book are back in this book. Personally, I don’t think you need to read book one but it does help create and build the depth of the characters. But if you want to start with this book, you’ll be perfectly fine. I actually like this book way better than the first. I felt like the storyline was more intriguing. Is it my favorite book series? I don’t think so, but at least it was entertaining to read.

The Dating Plan by Sara Desai

Daisy Patel is a successful software engineer working for a startup that she doesn’t plan on working for long-term. She plans everything in her life and doesn’t have any interest in finding love. Of course, her family doesn’t make it easy and her aunties are always trying to play matchmaker. Her childhood crush and her brother’s old friend, Liam, just one day decided to disappear and never contacted them ever again.

Ten years later, Liam and Daisy run into each other at a tech conference. Daisy still holds a grudge against Liam. Liam is going through his own family crisis and realized that in order for him to continue the family legacy and obtain his inheritance, he has to be married by his birthday. That’s when he decided he can help Daisy’s aunties get off her back about getting married and he can get his inheritance if they get married for a year as a business deal.

This book was a fun book to read and I was easily entertained by it. It is a contemporary romcom book. There were some parts that I could relate Daisy’s family to mine. So I think the relatability is what made me really enjoy it haha. If you are looking for a book to make you laugh, give you a good romcom, and generally something mindless, then I think you’d enjoy this as well.

SHOP THE OUTFIT: Floral Maxi Dress | Monogram Necklace

A Pho Love Story by Loan Le

Two Vietnamese American teens, Bao Nguyen and Linh Mai, have always known that their families have been rivals because their families’ Vietnamese restaurants are right across the street from each other. Their families are always competing , and they are not allowed to communicate with each other. Bao considers himself average and unremarkable. Linh has so much potential and has a passion for art, which her parents find an unacceptable career path. One day, Linh and Bao were forced to work on a school project together and there are sparks. But the family rivalries make it difficult. So they try to find out why their families hate each other so much. It seems much more deep rooted than two restaurants competing.

This book is your average meet-cute storyline. If you’ve read meet-cute books, then you generally get an idea of the storyline and flow. What I enjoyed about this book is that the main characters are Asians and there are Asian quirks and culture added to this book. Even though I’m Filipino, I can relate to some of these quirks and what the expectations are for being a first generation Asian American. It’s always refreshing when I can relate to the character. I also like how there is some history added to it. It gives context on the Vietcong era and why so many Vietnamese fled the country.

The Survivors by Jane Harper

Kieran’s life forever changed when a mistake led to a tragic incident 12 years ago in his hometown. He is constantly feeling guilt and his past haunts him when he goes back to his hometown to help his parents move out. One day, a body is discovered on a nearby beach and it leads the entire town to question motive, does it have to do with what happened 12 years ago, and secrets about the town unfold.

I was engrossed in this book the entire time. As I turned each page, I felt like I was getting closer to finding the perpetuator and the truth behind a tragic incident twelve years ago which to me feels like a relief. I don’t like it when thrillers just constantly keep you guessing and you don’t know anything until the very end. What I don’t like about this book is how it ended. It felt a bit flat for me and I expected more. While I did get answers, I was surprised it ended the way it did. I still would highly recommend reading it though!

For a short month, I was impressed that I was able to read 4 books and could have read a 5th. Now I’m curious how much reading I can actually do when the baby comes! What books did you enjoy reading in February?

xo RD