Sonali Dev has done it again!

The Emma Project was a showstopping finale to the Rajes. I loved the parallels between PP&F and The Emma Project with them being superfluous which encompasses the Raje family. But, that is not to say the issues in this book were cheapened. Sonali Dev takes comedy with realism to spread the message without coming on too strong.

While the romance and subplot were interesting there wasn't the climactic moment. It felt very monotonous. [ may be an interaction with India and Yash about this relationship would have helped. (hide spoiler)].

I feel like this was a fulfilling ending of the splendor of Rajes, but I just wished there was more of a climactic scene( but maybe I'm just a drama enthusiast). But do check this out and all 4 Raje books for that matter.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this e-arc

Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I can’t believe this series is officially over--it truly feels like the end of an era. The Rajes is my top contemporary series of all time and seeing this series come to a close makes me so emotional, especially after watching each of the Raje siblings go through their own journeys of healing and finding love. I honestly went into this book with no idea if I was going to like either of them. Vansh gave me spoiled, entitled bachelor vibes and after Naina’s antics with Yash and India in Incense and Sensibility, I already had a negative view of her. However, this book really put things in perspective and made me realize how mistreated she was being by the Raje siblings. Even if Naina and Yash were in a fake relationship, the way Yash dropped Naina for India so quickly and the way all the Rajes started treating Naina afterwards was really uncalled for. Overall, this book really made me love Naina. She’s so cool with how passionate she is about her work and there were so many times I wish she could sock Jiggy for the extremely sexist way he was treating her.

Vansh also surprised me so much and was such a fun character to follow. He seemed so much more mature and responsible in this book compared to his previous appearances. I also loved how passionate he was with trying to solve the housing crisis in San Francisco. I couldn’t even believe he was only 26 years old--his wisdom and advice made him seem so much older, that I would often forget that this book was an age-gap romance book to begin with (Naina is 12 years older than Vansh). I normally don’t like age-gap romances, but Vansh and Naina treated each other as 100% equals, so I didn’t even mind it here.

I also absolutely love that Esha got her own storyline in this book! I was hoping we would get a separate book for Esha’s story, but a subplot featuring her relationship with Sid was the next best thing. Their relationship was so sweet and I just love how interconnected this family is 🥺.

Okay that as all from me. I could probably gush about this series forever and how much these books mean to me. I obviously highly, highly recommend this series (particularly Recipe for Persuasion and Incense and Sensibility!) with my entire heart. These stories are going to stay with me forever. And of course, if you’re a fan of The Rajes, you definitely have to pick up The Emma Project when it releases in May!

Thank you to Net Galley for the arc.
I honestly love the Rajes series. I was especially surprised that Esha’s character was more included than she had been in the past. This book really wrapped up the series nicely, not as much spicy scenes as the previous books but overall a great read.

Yes! Thank you NetGalley for giving me a chance to give feedback on a book I have been waiting for so long! I’ve been excited for this book as soon as I finished Incense and Sensibility and it was totally worth the wait (although really I say that about all of Sonali Dev’s books)! Also, Emma is one my favorite Jane Austen books as well, so you understand I had high expectations for this book going in. FYI, there are some spoilers ahead, so please be aware.

Based on the prior books in this series, I knew this would be Vansh Raje and Naina’s story, and it was great to see their truly unexpected journey. While I was prepared to like Vansh, I had a harder time with Naina initially because of Incense and Sensibility, but she was such a strong and amazing character, I was really rooting for her. How do you not support a woman who lives her life trying to help other under-privileged women? This is Naina’s raison d’être since she has an awful dad who was abusive to her mom and pretty much hated her for being female. Naina lived her life watching her mom kowtow to this guy and is torn between protecting her mom and making herself stand against her dad without hurting her mom. As a mirror, she watched all the Rajes with their perfect family as a complete contrast to hers. Naina promised herself she would never put herself in a similar situation so when she finds herself with feelings for Vansh, it’s fun watching her fight with herself for wanting to give in.

One of the things I liked most about this book was Vansh’s frustration with his family about the way they deal with him and his work. In this book, I was a little surprised at the other Raje females attitude towards Naina. For people who grew up together, I felt they were all pretty mean including Mina Raje. I’m glad HRH was there to help Vansh and Naina. On the other hand, I also think that’s the reader’s initial reaction towards Naina based on the last book. Naina listens to Vansh, calls him out, helps him (because that’s just her), and really makes herself vulnerable again and again, when you realize how much she has to lose. I liked that Vansh also stood up to her, and made her life easier, and supported her as well. In the end, they realized a different partnership as Naina’s mom points out. Naina and Vansh’s relationship with their families makes for some great reading moments.

It was also definitely fun to read Esha’s story. She reminded me of Ashna in the way she dealt with her romance. I’m glad we got to see a bit of the way things turned out in the epilogue :) thanks Sonali Dev for another terrific story that was so relatable.

This book exceeded my already high expectations. What a fitting end to a phenomenal series. Again, Sonali Dev does an incredible job adapting Jane Austen’s characters and stories in surprising yet faithful ways. The Raje family somehow provides another charming, engaging protagonist for readers to become emotionally invested in, and the many aspects of their Indian-American heritage continue to provide incredible parallels to and analogies for Regency rules & society. The gender swap is a great move, and it works so, so we’ll. The way Dev adapts Mr. Woodhouse’s influence on his children is surprising & incredibly well thought out. The switch in focus from matchmaking to charity work makes the story feel like a more natural adaptation, somehow. Also, I’m thrilled that we see more of clairvoyant cousin Esha this time.. The Emma Project is the best adaptation of Emma I’ve read in years, and beyond that, it’s just a delightfully fun, wonderful book.

This was quite a fulfilling read for me. I was quite easily able to empathise and relate with the problems of the MCs. The characters just felt so real to me, so charming and so so real!!

I don’t know about the other people, but I started my new year by reading one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 and heck yeah if I don’t enjoy being with them fictional characters and in their world. That being said, I’m not a new reader of Ms. Dev, I have read almost most of her works and I especially love their Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors series, so I entered this book with a huge bulk of expectations and phew it really didn’t disappoint rather topped it. I loved it so much. It was such a fast and entertaining read for me. I love the whole vibrant vibes and absolutely loved how some of the heavy topics were covered be it; intoxication, homelessness or confidence issues. Apart from that I really love how Dev focuses on individual character growth and development, as that is something I very much look forward to in my reads. Overall, it was a 5 star read for me.

I read the first of this series - Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors - three years ago when I was new to reading romantic comedies. It fell really flat for me, so I stepped back from reading Sonali Dev. But I didn’t step back from reading romantic comedy. After I got a few more romantic comedies under my belt (Kate Clayborn, Emily Henry, Beth O’Leary, etc), I realized that these novels are generally low angst, low stakes books with a guaranteed happily ever after (or happily for now) ending. Kind of like cotton candy for the brain.

The Emma Project opens on the Raje family estate at a party celebrating the oldest Raje brother winning the California gubernatorial race. In quick succession the reader is introduced to all the Raje siblings as the couples are caught stumbling into a hidden alcove by the youngest Raje brother (the male protagonist) and a female family friend who fake dated the oldest Raje brother (the female protagonist). That sweeping opening chapter provides enough background for this novel to be read as a stand-alone novel.

The second chapter sets up the central conflict of the novel: the billionaire tech entrepreneur suggests that the female protagonist share his endowment (that she thought was hers alone) with the male protagonist. The female protagonist has been planning her project for roughly a decade, so she denigrates the male protagonist’s project as an “Emma Project,” after the Jane Austen novel in which Emma engages in vanity projects (matchmaking) to play with other people’s lives out of ennui. Therefore, as hard as the female protagonist seeks to cut the male protagonist out of the endowment, the male protagonist seeks to validate his project as more than just an Emma project.

A lot happens from the initial set up chapters to the happily ever after ending. All of it is low angst, low stakes. There are confidence issues that pop up and get worked out. There are long-standing family issues that rear their heads and get smacked down. There is laughter; there is lust; there is intoxication; there is vomiting; there is homelessness; there is dyslexia. And the sexy times are right there in your face on the page, starting with The Thigh Incident. But even those scenes aren’t high intensity, high stakes; they are much more Big Bang Theory than Fifty Shades of Grey.

Personally, I would streamline the book by cutting the Esha and Siddhartha subplot. There seems to be enough there to give these two their own book (or at least novella), so I would prefer to see this book focus on the two protagonists.

Overall, this book was a pleasant read. I definitely recommend it to anyone already invested in the Rajes series, as well as to anyone who enjoys a comfortable romantic comedy. There are definitely enough laughter and tears to go around.

I received this book as a digital advance reader copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

Wow! This is another fastest reading experience for me! Probably this book is my favorite one of the series! I sigh slowly as I remember this is the last installment of Rajes! I think I loved each member’s story!

I was so ready to enjoy this book. My reasons are obvious;
Gender swapped Indian- American Emma retelling is such a good idea!

Bringing back Incense and Sensibility’s greatest supporting character as heroine is another fabulous choice! I was already devoted fan of Naina from the previous installment!

The book truly carries true essence of Austen’s Emma and Vansh’s Emma project is realistic reflection of true soul of the original story!

Great combination of multi layered, flawed but genuine characterization and such a lovely lighthearted romance you may resonate with!

If you don’t get interested in the previous books of the series, I highly recommend you not to miss this one!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

It’s always bittersweet when a series comes to an end. I’ve loved the Rajes through three other books and I’ll miss them. The Emma Project was well done and I really appreciated getting Naina’s story. The secondary plot with Esha was a nice treat and complimented Vansh and Naina’s story well.

The Emma Project by Sonali Dev (The Rajes #4)
Tags: Contemporary Romance; Age Gap Romance; Slow Burn; Austen Inspired

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022, and I can honestly say it did not disappoint. Once again, Sonali Dev has delivered a heartwarming story – filled with memorable, multifaceted and flawed characters, love, friendship and emotion. One of the things I love best about her writing style is her ability to deliver both a lighthearted romance, but still take on hard issues and truths in an honest way. She balances the two so that I still find myself devouring the pages, and coming back for more and left with an overall feeling of happiness and hope.


I have loved the entire Rajes series, and I was so happy that every single book delivered for me – and it was bittersweet to realize this was the last book of the series. I am always a fan of an Austen inspired tale, it’s initially what drew me to the series. In this case, I loved that Dev chose not only a gender swap but to take the heart of Emma and weave it into this book with Vansh as an “Emma Project”.


I was actually worried going into this book when I found out it was to be Vansh and Naina’s book. I was fresh off of reading Incense and Sensibility (Yash and India’s story) – and when I saw Naina it was like a starched record noise for me. What?! Am I reading that right? Here’s the tell of a truly talented author though. Dev managed to completely pull me in and make me root for Naina – I loved seeing multiple sides of characters (good and bad) and finding a way to see the different perspectives. I was converted to ship the two by the end – so Bravo to the author!


For fans of: age gap romance (the woman is older!), slow burn romance, Austen Inspired reads.


All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for the gifted early copy to read!

Unfortunately not the book for me. I struggled to connect with the writing style unfortunately. The characters also fell flat for me. A Do not finish for me and it’s me and not the book. I’m sure that fans of the series will enjoy this instalment but that fan was not me.

this was so cute! definitely my favorite from this series!

i loved vansh so much - he's just trying to prove himself in a world that sees him as a spoiled child.

and naina... she's everything.

their romance wasn't perfect, but it was pretty darn cute.

highly recommend this (even if you didn't *love* the previous installments).