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“I absolutely adored Rani Deshpande Takes the Wheel. Arushi Avachat’s charming romance is everything I love—witty banter, delicious food, whipsmart main characters, and a family that’s lovingly overwhelming. A must read for fans of enemies-to-lovers!”

—Jennifer Chen, author of Hangry Hearts

Rani Deshpande Takes the Wheel

Written by Arushi Avachat
Published by Wednesday Books

Nineteen-year-old Rani Deshpande is on a mission to reinvent herself the summer before transferring to her new university. After a challenging freshman year, Rani can’t help but feel like she’s playing catch up. To that end, she’s crafted a packed summer to get back on track: a dream internship, adventures with her hometown best friend, and regular driving lessons so that she can finally lose her passenger princess reputation – even if it means learning from her aggravating family friend (and childhood crush), Kush Khanna.

Kush and Rani grew up together, but they couldn’t be less alike. Within their close-knit Desi community – a Jane Austen style cast of ridiculous, meddlesome families – Kush is the beloved model son; Rani is more the black sheep. Kush is pre-med; Rani plans to teach elementary school. Kush is cool and collected, bordering on reticent; Rani couldn’t keep her mouth shut if her life depended on it. So when their mothers first force the pair to drive together, the arrangement feels like a recipe for disaster. As the lessons progress, however, Rani discovers there’s more to the boy she’s known her whole life than meets the eye.

In Arushi Avachat’s Rani Deshpande Takes the Wheel, Rani must learn to course-correct, no matter how bumpy or windy the road – and even if it includes a detour right into love.

Primary ISBN: 9781250895912
Publication Date: May 2026
Available As: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook
Young Adult, Age 13 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Setting: United States (Seattle WA)

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: 1st Generation

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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