Unapologetically Feminine
A Valentine’s Day Ivy League Book Club reading by Lucia Petrusova
“While he was sulking over my handbag, I was preparing my exit strategy... When I told him it was over, he looked at me, dead serious, and asked: ‘But...where will you go?’ ...Ah, mon chéri. I had a life before you.”
Lucia Petrusova
Unapologetically Feminine: Red Flags, French Men and Returning to Yourself
Valentine’s Day is the commercial reminder that romance can feel less like a fairytale and more like a nightmare.
Patterns repeat, conversations circle, and certain lessons insist on being learned more than once. Lucia attempts to make sense of it all with wit and candor. Unapologetically Feminine’s bold self-awareness reaches beyond the page, like a ladies night with homemade mocktails, making it well suited to a Galentine’s reading circle.
Framing Parisian dating experiences as a living archive of contemporary relational patterns, Lucia reflects on attachment, emotional distance, and misplaced optimism. Each memoir unfolds with humor and self-compassion, inviting readers to recognize their own tendencies without judgement. Rather than assigning fault, she treats relationships as mirrors that reveal where one has been generous, perhaps a bit naïve, and eventually grown wiser.
What makes this book particularly engaging for Ivy League Book Club readers this month is its balance of narrative charm and psychological insight.
Lucia writes with a storyteller’s pacing, yet beneath the anecdotes lies a careful examination of how women negotiate affection, autonomy, and identity. At the heart of it all, the central theme is not a mockery or withdrawal from love; it’s about encouraging discernment and personal boundaries.
For a Valentine’s themed gathering, this text offers an elegant reminder that there are many facets to relationships. Companionship, friendship, vocation, and solitude all add sparkle to the richness of life, and our passion for them need not be forced or rushed. Lucia’s reflections suggest that dignity and delight are not contingent on being selected, but on choosing wisely, including loving oneself.
C’est magnifique!
Reader Discussion Guide
Which anecdote in the book felt most familiar, and why do you think it resonated?
How does Lucia’s tone balance humor with emotional honesty, and how does that influence your personal reflections?
In what ways does the book challenge the idea that romantic success defines personal success?
How do you feel themes of attachment and self-trust intersect with professional or creative life, beyond dating?
Journaling Prompts
Recall a relationship or connection that taught you something essential about your boundaries. What stayed with you?
Describe a moment when you chose yourself, even if it felt inconvenient or uncomfortable at the time.
Write about how your understanding of femininity has evolved over the years. What feels most authentic now?
Consider the concept of standards. Which standards feel non-negotiable, and which have softened with wisdom?
Revisit these reflections in a month and note any shifts in perception or feeling.
Historically, women have been denied equal opportunities to express their voices and perspectives, and though progress has been made, the pursuit of equal representation and recognition persists. At Arbor of the Vine, we welcome allies in support of female agency and epistemic authority who advocate for women’s equal right to be heard, contribute, and lead. We champion depth, integrity, and inner alignment so that together, we rise!
Thank you for truly seeing it. This is exactly why I wrote the book.