Review Detail

Rani Deshpande Takes the Wheel takes the wheel makes a perfect seasonal read as it’s set during the summertime or readers who are looking for a sweet romance. The story follows Rani navigating the many roads (figuratively and literally) of her life while attempting to get her driver’s license and transfer to the university. While trying to gather herself old crushes, family members, and changing friendship dynamics threaten to shake things up in a new way. Will she be able to handle everything that comes her way?

Rani is a character who has too much on her plate, but many aspects of her personality will make her a likable character. She’s passionate about school, is struggling to keep old friends and make new ones, and is very vulnerable about her struggles. These are just some of the many things that will make her a relatable character to the novel’s intended audience Being a third parent to her siblings is an added stress, but I love how tight-knit their relationship is throughout the book.

Even though the novel is framed as romance novel it also has an overarching coming-of age theme too because of the hard decisions Rani must make. The romance element feels developed and has smooth progression throughout the story. Because Kush and Rani have known each other for a long time their relationship progression feels natural as they make a possible shift to more than just friendship. I loved their cute coffee dates at the local café, how they connected over each driving lesson, and the open conversations between the two.

It’s a book that showcases South Asian culture while also being a story that balances romance, family, and self-discovery. It reminds readers that no one has all the right answers and that their journey ahead is full of uncertainty. This novel was such a fun reading experience and I recommend it to those who love a good contemporary fiction story.