Always Be My Bibi is charming and heartfelt. I enjoyed The Love Match and knew I wanted to read this second book. If you’ve ever wondered if love conquers all, if it can help unite families or break them apart this book is for you! Keep reading this book review of Always Be My Bibi for my full thoughts.
Summary
Bibi Hossain was supposed to get her first kiss this summer.
Too bad her father finds out and grounds her for breaking his most arcane rule: No boys until your sister gets married.
Just when Bibi thinks she’ll be stuck helping him at their popular fried chicken chain until school reopens, her oh-so-perfect older sister Halima drops a bombshell: she’s marrying the heir of a princely estate turned tea garden in Bangladesh. Soon, Bibi is hopping on the next flight to Sylhet for Halima’s Big Fat Bengali Wedding, hoping Abbu might even rethink the dating ban while they’re there.
Unfortunately, the stuffy Rahmans are a nightmare—especially Sohel, the groom’s younger brother. The only thing they can agree on is that their siblings are not a good match. But as the two scheme to break their siblings up, Bibi finds it impossible to stay away from the infuriatingly handsome boy.
Could her own happily ever after be brewing even as she stirs up trouble for her sister’s engagement—or is there more steeping at the tea estate than Bibi knows?
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
What starts off with the classic, “I need to break my sister’s engagement up” premise, quickly turns into a story about dreams and family. It’s about what happens when dreams change and about how we can try to find people who weather this period with us. At the same time, the theme that really stands out is how Taslim explores family. With the generational and cultural differences in Always Be My Bibi, are we strong enough to go against these forces for love? What does it take to be a person like that? Always Be My Bibi is fun whether it be schemes and plots, or family secrets.
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The character voice of Bibi is fantastic with its humor, wit, and joy. It’s really a clash of generations and this book asks us what might get us to change? There’s layers of privilege, of familial expectations, and characters who come from very different backgrounds. I loved how Always Be My Bibi explores the history and colonization of tea and of Bangladesh as well. This is a multi-layered book which makes you want to share it with your best friend. I adored Bibi’s family and love that we saw such a loving father figure! This is the perfect summer read! Find Always Be My Bibi on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop. org, & Blackwells.