I’m not proposing or interpreting anything. Read:

“8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. “ (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Can’t get any plainer than that. Its just as explicit as James. You can “Interpret” it away but you could just as easily re-interpret James.
So basically you are admitting that you cannot reconcile it with James, but rather you are choosing one section of the Bible over another.