My favorite romance trope is a second chance so I was never not going to love this book. I really enjoyed the pacing of this book, and it was so beautiful! I cried a lot and it made me really want to rewatch "Sweet Home Alabama," which I know this book is a retelling of. The emotional beats of this story were everything to me. I only wish that it was dual POV because I loved Nikhil and actually wanted to read more from his perspective and his longing for Meena. I love this book and it was one of my staff picks!

This book reminds me a lot of Sweet Home Alabama. Meena and Nikhil impulsively marry at a young age. They begin to grow apart and Meena moves to DC to go into politics. Flash forward 6 years and she has a new boyfriend and is looking into running for a Congressional seat for Maryland. But first she needs a divorce.
Meena flies down to Houston to ask Nikhil for a divorce when a hurricane makes it impossible to think of anything else but survival, together. We follow Meena and Nikhil as they battle the hurricane and cope with the destruction of the storm and their marriage. Can any of it be repaired or is it too far gone?
Cute book. Loved the characters that were so well developed in this romance.

Thank you NetGalley and Dell for the ARC!

I knew I was going to be hooked because ITS A SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE! Stuck together in a house during a storm? ahhhh the close proximity of it all!
It was emotional and heartwarming, a rollercoaster really. My heart would break for Meena and Nikhil struggling with their marriage and the miscommunication, avoiding each other or talking about what’s wrong. But being stuck together in the storm changed them for the better, I thought it was heartwarming that they were able to evolve and understand each other deeply, reconnect and look back at those moments where their love was true and realizing that love for each other was still there they just had to try a little harder you know.
It was nice to see them grow, I miss them now lol

A second chance romance with forced proximity that gives 𝗦𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗺𝗮?! Yes please! This was my first book by Naina Kumar- and I really enjoyed it! I loved how the story is told through a series of flashbacks and present day narratives. It was so fun to catch glimpses of what it was that brought the couple together in the first place. The development of our main characters, especially the FMC Meena, was just instrumental to the plot as the romance. Meena transformed from someone who was bound by the expectations of those around her to someone who learned to prioritize her own needs and wants, and that was really special.

At times, there were some issues with the pacing, which caused some gaps in the plot. I also think the story could have been strengthened if we got Nikhil’s point of view as well. That being said, I was entertained by these characters and their story, and I look forward to reading more from Kumar in the future!

Thank you NetGalley and Dell Romance for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

The banter and the tension betwee the characters in this book are so good. I liked that the author showed differences between the couple, and the wnding wasn't rushed. If you like "Love and Other Words" I think you will also liked this book

This was a really light hearted feel good read. It gave me a nostalgic feeling while reading it. It was also a funny book- I caught myself laughing out loud a few times.

This was a like not love for me. I loved the forced proximity and second chance at love but over all I thought some of the details could have been worked out a little better to make it more clear. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for an advance copy of this book!

I found myself pleasantly surprised by this book - I don't know what I expected going in, but I loved watching the two main characters figure out where they went wrong in their marriage. I don't normally like a miscommunication trope, but this one felt natural and I was hooked from the start. Also, it's set in Texas, so it felt like I was at home in a realistic way (not in a cliche characture of Texas.)

Highly recommend!

Easily one of the best books ive gotten the opportunity to get my hands on. It captivated me from the very beginning until the last sentence. It made my heart so happy to learn that this book has gotten the praise it absolutely deserves.

So this forced proximity bothered me. What also bothered me was the FMC. Especially the fact that the FMC lived in this state and had no idea why they were doing half of what they were doing for this storm?????? That really bothered me 😂

The blame put on the MMC for the failed marriage at first also bothered me, it takes two…? And how can you grow together again?

Thanks NetGalley

thank you to netgalley for the e-arc. while this was supposed to give true romcom vibes, specifically sweet home alabama, i was just not getting it. however i did like the different perspective of the woman having an important, high stakes job and the man is not the breadwinner. their personalities complimented each other but maybe better off as friends.

I loved Naina Kumar’s debut (Say You’ll Be Mine still lives rent-free in my heart), and Flirting with Disaster just confirmed it! She’s officially on my auto-read list. This second-chance romance swept me away with its emotional depth, tender moments, and stormy tension… literally and figuratively. 🌪️

Meena and Nikhil’s story is one of those it’s complicated relationships you can’t help but root for. From spontaneous Vegas vows to years of silence, their reunion during a hurricane is the kind of setup that could feel over-the-top, but Naina writes it with so much heart, nuance, and realism, it just works. Being stuck in their old home, watching their past unravel alongside the storm outside? So. Many. FEELS.

I loved the way this book explores ambition, identity, and what it really means to choose someone, not just once, but again, when it’s hard and messy. Meena’s internal conflict felt so honest. And the chemistry? Still sizzling after all those years apart.

If you’re a fan of second chances, forced proximity, or messy, grown-up love stories with cultural heart, Flirting with Disaster will absolutely deliver.

3.75 ⭐️ i loved naina kumar’s debut so i was really excited about flirting with disaster. i’m also a sweet home alabama lover so i enjoyed the idea of this fun twist on the classic!

the “before” portion of this story (while obviously brief) was really fun and made me love meena and nikhil. the “after” switched things up. i love love love nikhil through and through. he was such a wonderful character who was kind, sympathetic, and open to growth. he also clearly loved meena SO much.

“I love you,” he says, cradling my face in both of his palms. “I’ve never stopped. Never. I’ve never not been in love with you.”

i was up and down with meena. i loved that she was a woman following her dreams and aspiring to take on DC. she was confident and powerful and ready for success. HOWEVER. her repetitive switch ups and the way she treated nikhil so severely irked me. i know how second chance romance works, but she thought so little of him and constantly hurt his feelings for a large portion of the book. i’m happy this was a HEA of course but i felt like nikhil loved meena far more than meena truly loved him. maybe im wrong, that’s just how it came across. i think this took away some of the value for me and that is 100% a personal issue but i just got very agitated.

overall this was a past faced read, it was fun, and i did enjoy the premise very much. there were just a number of issues that kept me from fully loving this story. still a generally good story!

Thanks to NetGalley and Dell for an ARC of Flirting with Disaster! This was a perfectly light and fluffy second-chance romance, about Meena and Nikhil, a couple who get married in Vegas on a whim and “break up” shortly after. When seven years go by and Meena needs their divorce papers finalized in order to officially start her bid for a state rep seat in Maryland, a hurricane traps Nikhil and Meena together in their home for a week.

This was the first novel I read by Naina Kumar, and I will definitely be back for more. Her writing is perfect for fans of Devney Perry and Elsie Silver, who are looking for a simple, fun, uncomplicated romance.

Overall - 4⭐️
Plot - 3.5⭐️
Setting - 3.5⭐️
Characters - 4⭐️
Character Development - 4⭐️
Writing - 3.5⭐️

What a fun twist on the early aughts rom-com, Sweet Home Alabama! This was a quick and enjoyable read, and my first from Naina Kumar.

What I liked:
- The characters and the chemistry: I liked Meena. I *loved* Nikhil. And my favorite part of this book, by far, was the chemistry between these two characters. I just couldn't help but root for them to end up together.
- The Sweet Home Alabama (Houston) of it all: I love the movie. I loved the little nods to the movie. I appreciated that there was so much more diversity in this version.

What didn't quite work for me:
- The miscommunication trope: I'm generally not too bothered by miscommunication in romance novels, but there was just a bit too much of it in this book. There were just too many times when they didn't communicate effectively with each other, to the point where I started to wonder if they even should end up with each other (lest they never be able to hold a mature conversation).
- The B-plot: I didn't really care about Shake. And I know that was the point. I know we weren't supposed to care about or root for Shake. But he was just so underdeveloped that his romance sub-plot added almost nothing to the story. I also wanted more story around Meena's career. There was a lot of career angst, but quite as much about Meena's growth/evolution with respect to her career choices.

Thank you to Dell Romance and NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.

Leaning towards a 3.75-4 ⭐️

✨ Second chance
✨ Forced proximity stuck in a storm
✨ Single pov (her pov)

I enjoyed the forced proximity of being stuck in a hurricane (aka the disaster) but it felt almost like a love triangle and back and forth between the FMC in which she couldn’t pick who she wanted to end up with, but I also liked the drama and angst of her making her decision.
I also just didn’t like her ex. he wanted her back after being the one to break up with her? and giving her ultimatums into doing what he wanted. anywho, not the main focus of the story, but those two things are what’s making me doc a .25 from my rating.
I did enjoy this, it had heartfelt moments and the flirting between the FMC and MMC was so cute. I liked and I liked that they learned to communicate now vs the toxic communication they had in the past. There is growth from both the FMC/MMC

I loved this book! A storm was a perfect comparison for the tumultuous relationship experienced by the main characters.

I love Naina Kumar’s voice—her writing is easy to read, with characters who are relatable and endearing. I especially appreciate learning from her authentic South Asian representation. As a big fan of the “marriage in crisis” trope, I was very excited to see it as the premise for her sophomore novel.

I loved the love letter to the Houston community and the realistic portrayal of hurricane prep and the associated fears. I was fully invested in the reconciliation of the main characters and appreciated how their backstory was revealed naturally through flashbacks, rather than a dual timeline.

Naina writes characters with real fears and flaws. While I was frustrated by their miscommunication, it made sense given how young they were when they married. I do wish they had been more open with their true feelings when reconnecting, to avoid repeating old mistakes.

Ultimately, this is a fresh new take on the beloved rom-com Sweet Home Alabama, and I enjoyed it.

DNF at 20% (I think 3 stars represents how I felt about what I did read)

I couldn't make it very far through this book because the writing leaned a little more YA than i prefer for the books I read. When reading the blurb for this story, i thought it would be right up my alley. However, the more I read the more I became irritated by the overly explained characters and plot line. It made me, as a reader, feel like the author didn't trust her audience to pick up on context clues and it made the plot feel overshadowed by the style of writing. I do love that this is a diverse book, exploring mental health and representing other cultures across America, however the writing wasn't up to my own personal standards. It might appeal to you though, so I always recommend giving it a shot!

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.