The Emma Project (The Rajes #4) by Sonali Dev

Here we come to the end of the Raje family romance epic with the story of Vansh, the youngest brother who comes home long enough to find purpose in his life that quells his wanderlust.

In the last installment, you might remember golden boy Yash breaking up with his long-time fake girlfriend Naina to romance yoga teacher India Dashwood. Now Naina’s a person non grata with the sisters and having a bit of trouble with the funding for her life’s work of establishing medical clinics in Nepal.

And Vansh Raje is in town as part of his brother’s gubernatorial transition, and after finding out one of the young tech gurus who helped his brother’s campaign is actually homeless, decides to do something about it. Except his genius plan to help the tech guru infringes on Naina’s funding.

Vansh is young, brash, full of heart, quick to apologize (which is where he differs from his loose assignment as “Emma” in this story) and falling in love with Naina– despite his sisters’ treatment of her.

So I wouldn’t start with this book as the Rajes’ extended family and background are best digested in order as there is quite a proliferation of names. However, if you have read most or all of the series, this is a satisfying end to their stories. Even, in a surprise move, Esha the recluse gets some POV and ending, and actually I wish we had more of her story since it included that slightly supernatural part. She and her romantic partner are quite interesting and I think deserved a book instead of a b romance line in Naina and Vansh’s story….but oh well.

Naina and Vansh seem to act on their attraction quickly, but this series is rather low on the steam level, and partly because there’s sometimes some vagueness to dialogue and action, so when things start to heat up, the language gets a little vague and so that isn’t as much fun for me 🙂

I was a little sad that all the sisters seemed to blame Naina, and then are won over so quickly. I wish Naina had processed the whole India Dashwood situation a little more, or her own actions when Yash was courting India.

However, I read this series for the family dynamics, the cultural underpinnings of all the characters navigating family expectations, busy-body Aunties, a little bit of foodie fun, and the picking out elements of the (very very) loose structure of the Austen story informing the romance. It was fun to have Vansh/Emma gender swapped. Lovely end to the series.