The Emma Project

Sonali Dev continues her series of modern-day Jane Austen retellings with her latest novel, The Emma Project. This time, it's a gender-changed retelling of "Emma" featuring a charming, privileged young man and an older woman who changes his outlook on life. Vansh is rich, fabulously handsome, has a loving family, and a passion for philanthropy. Naina, meanwhile, is nearing 40 and just ended a decade-long fake-relationship arrangement with Vansh's brother. Naina has a dream of launching a microfinance foundation to support South Asian women, but becomes furious when Vansh winds up being her rival for funding. Even though he's wildly frustrating, he's also wildly attractive.

Bloomsbury Girls

Post-World War II London is the setting for Natalie Jenner's historical fiction novel Bloomsbury Girls. In 1950, Bloomsbury Books is the workplace for three different women with complicated pasts, and big plans for the future. Vivien is still mourning her killed-in-action fiance, while being with Alec, head of the bookstore's fiction department. Grace struggles to hold her family together while her husband deals with the aftermath of seeing the war's horrors. Evie, a college student, plans for her future after being passed over in favour of a man. Together, the trio encounters some of the great literary voices of the day, all while forging into a changing world.

Adult Assembly Required

If you love quirky, heartfelt stories about interesting characters and starting over, then Adult Assembly Required by Abbi Waxman is definitely the book for you. Laura moves to Los Angeles, hoping to get away from her overbearing family and the ghosts of a horrible accident. A series of unfortunate events causes her arrival to go much less smoothly than she would have hoped. Despite the bad circumstances, she winds up getting taken in by an eclectic group of new friends who push her to expand her horizons and take risks. It's hard work, but it might be just what Laura needs to truly find herself.