Sometimes I struggle with second chance romance because I don’t get the reason for their original breakup. This one, however, felt totally realistic and made sense. The chemistry between Meena and Nikhil was so good, and I really loved them. The backdrop of the hurricane made the story more unique and interesting. I didn’t love how they kept going in circles talking about why they broke up and how they wanted their future to look; it got a tiny bit annoying. This was an emotional but uplifting read, and I would definitely recommend.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

5/5 ⭐️s
🌶️ - low spice, slow burn

LOVES:
- The prologue is so sweet, it hurts my heart ❤️‍🩹
- Especially followed by the gradual unraveling of the mystery of their relationship and the secrets they kept from each other. The bitterness and misconceptions they have about each other. So sad.
- All of the commentary on politics and politicians is very poignant. Great to think there are good ones out there!
- They both love Gilmore Girls 💗 but obviously he’s wrong about Logan 🙄😉
- The way she eats toast is unusual, but I’m not gonna lie, I’ve thought about eating it that way. It just makes sense!
- So much ANGST 💔
- The entire ending and epilogue are beautiful ♥️ Couldn’t have asked for better.

I so badly wanted to shake them both and say why are you doing this?? Just talk!! But I could totally see both of their perspectives and how they got into this mess. It was very satisfying to watch them work through things and untangle it all to get the crux of their feelings for each other.

The Sweet Home Alabama vibes were excellent. Anyone who loves that movie will love this book. Even if you don’t, you’ll probably love this book. It’s a gem.

Flirting with Disaster
by Naina Kumar
ARC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Meena is a D.C. lawyer who returns to Houston where she said she would never set foot again, she returned 7 years later so that her husband could finally file the divorce papers, now that Meena is in her prime and has fallen in love again with someone who understands her and values ​​her work she wants to start a life with her new partner or that's what she thinks she wants. She thinks everything will turn out fine until she finds out that a hurricane will pass and she will have to spend it with Nikhil, her husband. As they spend more time together, Meena begins to remember everything that attracted her to Nikhil: his small-town charm, his thoughtful nature... his absurdly good looks and she begins to question why she left him.

I'm surprised that I liked this story so much. I'm not a fan of second chances but this one was definitely well deserved. At first the characters didn't have very good communication, they didn't even know their goals or their families, but when they were on the verge of breaking up everything flowed between them. I really liked Meena's development and how far they got as professionals and a couple. Nikhil really cares about Meena, you could feel that he really loves her and how much he cares. I loved their relationship. The whole book I wanted to go in and hug Shake, I just wanted him to be happy.
If you like the second chance trope, the movie sweet home Alabama, INDIAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL INFLUENCE, force proximity, and slow burn 🌶️ I recommend it to you.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

Even though their marriage stemmed from a drunken night in Vegas, the love between Meena and Nikhiil felt immediately real...and even though I knew what was coming I was rooting for them! Then you fast forward to years later and Meena is trying to get papers signed for a divorce! She is now a high-powered attorney with political aspirations and a boyfriend (though he recently broke it off) who fits her view of what she thinks the future should be.

This has been compared to "Sweet Home Alabama" and I could see the similarities. This however has been reimagined in a fresh and creative way with Indian characters as an added dimension. The story takes place during a hurricane which is fitting for the emotional storm between our couple. We get flashes of their year of marriage and little by little details of how things took a turn.

At times it was painful to watch...I just wanted to shout TALK TO EACH OTHER! I appreciated getting both sides of the story and though I didn't always like it, I could see why each of them felt and acted the way they did. Both Meena and Nikhil made mistakes and assumptions about their situation. It was heartbreaking that so much time was waisted because neither reached out with their truth.

There is the family dynamics within an Indian culture and that added pressure. Meena was so afraid of disappointing her parents and it colored much of her viewpoint. I can understand her reasoning, but also Nikhiil's frustration of their marriage being hidden and how it led to him feeling like he wasn't good enough. So much could have been resolved if they just communicated...sigh.

Despite all the turmoil, this second chance romance was filled with sweetness and a pure connection between out couple. The ending was perfection!

4 stars

Flirting with Disaster is a sweet and heartwarming reimagining of Sweet Home Alabama. Meena hasn't seen her husband, Nikhil, in years. She shows up in Texas to finally get him to sign divorce letters, but gets stuck there due to a hurricane. As they find themselves weathering the storm, her former feelings for him begin to resurface.

I adored this book so much. It was angsty and I was rooting so hard for Meena and Nikhil. The forced proximity really allowed them to reconnect and communicate a bit better than they had all those years ago. They clearly had some issues to work through, but their love for each other was so obvious and strong. I also really loved the way the author portrayed Meena's family dynamics which were complex due to the pressures she felt as a child of South Asian immigrants.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the eARC.

3.75/5, but rounded up to 4. I enjoyed this story overall. It was a cute second chance romance that had the added high stakes of having to survive a natural disaster together. I thought their relationship was cute and I teared up a few times at the emotional toll their separation seems to have had on both of them. I read this in just a couple of days, it did a great job keeping my attention and keeping me invested in the characters. I also enjoyed the side characters even though they didn't get a lot of air time.

There were a few issues for me with the pacing and it was hard sometimes to tell when we'd gone back in time. The story felt a little disjointed at times and there never felt like there was a great explanation for why they separated and why for so long. The book was very miscommunication heavy, which I typically don't mind, but their relationship fell apart because they both decided what the other person was thinking and that can be quite frustrating to people. I think this book would have been the perfect opportunity for a dual POV to help the reader understand where each character was coming from instead of the story being told from Meena's POV which was all over the place as she worked through her confusing feelings.

While I did enjoy this overall and I thought it was a cute romance that succeeds in making you feel for the MMC and FMC, there were some organizational issues to the book and some unresolved aspects or not very fleshed out aspects that didn't leave me completely satisfied with the story. I had maybe higher expectations because I absolutely loved her other book.

Thanks so much to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I'll be posting my review on IG on 1/11/25.

This Sweet Home Alabama reimagining will capture readers' hearts!

Meena and Nikhil are for the angst lovers. These two did a number on my emotions! Even after five years apart the love for each other was still there. This is told from Meena's POV but I felt that both characters were really strong and you get a good understanding of both. This second chance romance has the Sweet Home Alabama vibes for sure which, I will admit, was a huge selling point for me. I think the author did a phenomenal job with creating those vibes while still making the story her own. I really loved Meena and Nikhil.

This is my first time reading this author and, wow, I am blown away by how fantastic her writing is. I loved the writing style and how she incorporated the flashbacks so naturally into the story. I could not put this book down, it was that addicting.

A wonderful sophomore novel! Very highly recommend!!

𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

♥︎𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
♡︎𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐲
♥︎𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬

✨Thoughts✨
𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐚 and Nikhil parted ways six years ago, but now she's back in town to finalize their divorce. However, a unexpected hurricane in Texas strands her there, forcing Meena and Nikhil to stay under the same roof and confront their past.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 story had a reminiscent feeling of Sweet Home Alabama. Their struggle with communication and understanding each other's needs was a central theme throughout, sometimes dragging on a bit too long. Despite this, the storyline was engaging and kept me hooked.

𝐈 admired Meena's ambition and drive to advocate for others, as well as the representation of Indian American characters. For those looking for a second chance romance with a forced proximity twist, this book is a solid choice.

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝟒⭐️
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞: 𝟏/𝟓🔥

This was such an angsty but sweet second chance romance! I was immediately hooked by the Sweet Home Alabama comparison and it honestly did not disappoint. Emotions are already high when Meena, a DC based lawyer, travels to Houston to get her estranged husband of six years, Nikhil, to finally sign their divorce papers; her plan is to get him to sign and go right back to Capitol Hill, but a hurricane ruins her plans and forces her to stay with her soon to be ex hubby to wait out the storm. The forced proximity makes an already tense situation that much more angstier and I absolutely loved how hard they tried keeping their distance from each other but their old feelings couldn’t help but arise, even despite the heartbreak between them. I loved watching them give into each other and communicate how they went wrong and I was internally screaming everytime Nikhil’s walls went back up or when Meena got caught up in her own head about what her plans were after the storm instead of admitting she still loved Nikhil. The tension killed me but it was so worth it in the end and the love confessions were EVERYTHING I look for in a romance. It was passionate and so sweet and just perfect. I 10000/10 recommend this and can’t wait to read more from this author in the future!

Thank you so much to Netgalley & Random House Ballantine/Dell for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

This one got my attention by calling it Sweet Home Alabama inspired and kept it with a great second chance romance with characters figuring out what they really want out of their lives, careers, and relationships- and figuring out how those things bring them back to each other. The added high stakes of a natural disaster put them in a tense environment that heightens their reconnection.

Small town, forced proximity, and second-chance romance?! Sign me up!!

Huge plus that the author and characters are all South Asian, making this super relatable.

While trying to get her divorce papers signed, Meena flies down to Houston, not realizing a hurricane was on the way. Being forced to stay in the same house, Meena and her ex, Nickhil, are forced to figure out exactly why their marriage fell apart in the first place.

This books keeps you reading until the very end. Definitely recommend reading ASAP!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

4⭐️
Read this book over audio and I really enjoyed it! It follows Meena and Nikhil (her estranged husband) rekindling their marriage when she travels back to Houston to have him sign divorce papers after getting married on a whim in Vegas 6 years prior, but not realizing there was a huge hurricane on its way which makes both of them stuck in their old house while they talk about their lives, marriage, careers, etc.
This was definitely an emotional roller coaster of a read!! I felt so much for both of them as a couple and separately as characters. There was so much miscommunication it honestly made me wanna pull my hair out 😅🤣

Overall it was an enjoyable read. I adored the audiobook! The narrator was great!! 🥹🩷

But if you love forced proximity, second chance romance, or the movie Sweet Home Alabama, then this book is for you! 🩷

Thank you to Berkley for the ARC and PRH Audio for the ALC!! 🩷

There's a lot to like about this story! The tropes add to the tension of the story and the characters are compelling. It was fantastic to see an Indian MC who has a blue collar job. The story also had a lot of sweet and tender moments that made my heart melt. It fell short in the romance department for me though. Second chance romance is notoriously hard to pull off. The author needs to prove that whatever hurdle broke them apart last time won't shake their relationship now. Unfortunately that didn’t happen here. Instead I found myself getting increasingly frustrated with the lack of communication. I understood where both characters were coming from but I just wanted them to TALK and they kept showing that they didn't have any better communication skills than before. I'm curious if dual pov would have made this work better for me. The author did a great job of showing the reader when Nikhil was conflicted and we could make educated guesses about how he was feeling. Dual pov would have helped me understand his side more. Regardless, I think this might just be a me issue because everyone else I buddy read it loved the romance so I think this is definitely worth a shot. If you're a lover of forced proximity and marriage in trouble then this book is worth a shot.

5 stars!!! I adored this book and the gamut of emotions it brought out while reading was quite a ride. This book was heartfelt, endearing, and sweet but without being chaste and boring. I absolutely fell in love with Naina’s writing and character development, and felt really invested in and part of Meena’s thoughts and feelings.

As a native Houstonian that was one of those kids begging to play in floodwaters, I especially connected with this book and all of the references really hit home for me. I was especially excited to see the Hobby Airport representation! Hands down the better airport in Houston! ;)

Now let’s discuss the love story - while this was a second chance romance, it was unique in that the characters were STILL MARRIED the entire time. I appreciated this spin on this favorite trope, and thought the MCs time apart being several years really helped bring the story together in that both MCs grew so much in that time and were able to reflect on themselves and their relationship.

In all, I really enjoyed reading this book from cover to cover and I am so glad I got the chance to read this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley, Naina Kumar, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the eARC of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review after reading.

I loved this book. Thank you for the arc!

This wasnt the usual light hearted romance. This book is heartfelt, serious and realistic. A real look into real relationships. As a Floridian, the hurricane issues and preparedness that went into it was also very realistic and so that made the story believable.. like you could be reading the love story of two friends. Nikhil was a gentleman, tender and just fantastically written, Meena was realistic and worked through her complex feelings. I loved this! Cant wait to read more from this author.

4.25⭐️

This was a Sweet Home Alabama reimagining and delivered on those vibes, but also had more depth. As a lifelong fan of Sweet Home Alabama, I was so excited to read this book! I really enjoyed this re-imagining! I enjoyed the author’s writing style! I found it engaging and relatable. I had a hard time putting this book down!

I was obsessed with the MMC from the first chapter. You can’t help but fall for him. He’s so sweet and caring and capable. He clearly never stopped loving her. He just wanted to be worthy of her and struggled to realize that he had been all along. 🥹 I did get frustrated with both Nikhil and Meena at times…which makes sense. They were frustrated with each other too. It was part of their struggle and their growth so I think we are meant to feel some of that frustration with them (though, admittedly, I did get a bit more frustrated with Meena). The main characters were both complex, flawed, and realistic.

It is written from Meena’s POV in the present day, but we get glimpses into their past through her memories. I thought that the flashbacks were smoothly incorporated and perfectly juxtaposed with the present day story (though, I would’ve loved a dual POV or dual timeline).

Second chance romance can be really good if done well and this one was done deliciously. While I acknowledge that this one did rely heavily on the miscommunication trope, as many second-chance romance books do, I will also add that I felt like it was done better in this one than in many other books. In this case, the author explores the insecurities and core beliefs that led to the miscommunication and the experiences from their upbringing that caused this (as opposed to just stubbornness as a personality trait or plain misunderstanding/not communicating well). As a couples therapist, I appreciated the added complexity to the miscommunication trope in this one as it highlighted the importance of communication, perspective-taking, and vulnerability in a healthy relationship.

While it wasn’t super prominent in the story, I thought the incorporation of Indian-American cultural influence was thoughtfully incorporated as a way of shaping their inner narrative and core beliefs which ultimately impacted their relationship.

Many times, when a couple gets together at the wrong stage in their lives or met “too young” or whatever, there are changes and challenges that can overwhelm and sink the relationship. Without willingness to be vulnerable and communicate and lean on eachother through those things, even people who are perfectly suited can find their relationship falling apart. This book highlights that and kind of lets the characters answer the “what if” question of what if we met a little older when we were in a better/more established place in life and have grown into more mature individuals (or the “what if” question of what if we had handled this better and talked it out and worked through things together back then?). While they did not get to grow together as a couple over the years, they were both able to grow a lot as individuals while they were apart, and were able to come back together stronger for it.

My only complaints: (may contain spoilers)
With second chance romance, a big thing I tend to struggle with is the time they missed out on. I grieve for that time with them in a way. I wish they hadn’t let 6 years pass and find it difficult to believe that they wouldn’t have communicated at all in that time period (when they both still have so much love for eachother) simply based on miscommunication and insecurity . I feel like 2 or 3 years may have felt more believable than 6. I also find it a little annoying that she blamed him for not reaching out to her all that time or fighting for her, but the phone works both ways and she could have tried to reconcile things sooner as well.

I didn’t love that she was willing to give up her goals and dreams for him in the end while he lived out his dream (luckily Nikhil continued to push her to pursue her own goals and not sacrifice them for him or a family). Meena showed a lot of growth with how well she was able to handle a big career setback rather than being tossed back into an anxious rut and believing herself to be a failure. It seemed that she and Nikhil learned to lean on each other more and communicate better and created a HEA for themselves.

I will say that you do have to suspend disbelief a little in this story…like how would a smart person like a lawyer not know there was a hurricane where she was heading because she’d disregarded the articles and new clips she’d seen? Also would the airport still even be allowing flights into there? Or would they not be updating its passengers on the situation? Also would her stubbornness really override her self-preservation as far as sleeping in a room with big windows by herself during a hurricane versus the closet with him in a potential life or death matter? Doubtful. Would the neighbor who works for NASA really be that unprepared for a big storm? (While I enjoyed his character for the comedic relief, I did not find his character very believable).

****
Overall though, this was a really great read that I could not put down! I enjoyed it so much that I actually pre-ordered a signed copy for my shelves with the art print! I’ll recommend this book to others who enjoy an angsty second-chance romance full of tension and mutual pining.

Thank you to Naina Kumar, NetGalley, and Random House Publishing Group for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Flirting with Disaster is a tender and raw second chance romance following Meena, a high-powered attorney ready to move on with her life and finally divorce her husband, Nikhil. Determined to get the papers signed, Meena flies down to Houston and discovers she couldn't have arrived at a worse time with an impending hurricane on the horizon. With no other choice but to stay with her husband, Nickhil and Meena are pulled back in time and slowly forced to confront why their marriage fell apart.

This was such an emotional roller coaster of a read! The utter devastation of Nikhil and Meena's failed marriage was so brutal and unfair, I was absolutely crushed every time they kept going back and forth with their miscommunication and avoidance. It was both annoying and completely necessary for them to find their way back to each other. While the second chance was so pivotal throughout the story, I loved the flashbacks of their previous relationship and the glimpses into their love. The tenderness and care was so sweet and needed to balance the impending divorce. This was an overall great read, full of tension, angst, yearning, unresolved feelings, and so much love to soften the bitterness!

A romance book where the weather brings rhe couple back together? And the weather is pretty accurately represented?! Yes please. I really enjoyed this book. Meena has a lot to learn and go through to figure out what she wanted and I really enjoyed that journey. I liked the idea that love can work, even apart. An adorable story all around.

This is everything I want in a second chance/estranged spouses story! The humor and angst are balanced wonderfully. The breakup and subsequent distance between Meena and Nikhil felt believable, and I loved seeing them work through their own long-standing emotional baggage and misconceptions of each other to reach their HEA. This was so tender and hopeful. I’m a forever fan of Naina Kumar!

Flirting with Disaster is a beautiful, gut-wrenching second chance romance. I think this will turn out to be one of my favorite romances this year, and I could barely put it down. Meena and Nikhil are such compelling and complex characters, and Naina Kumar does a beautiful job painting a picture of these two people grappling with the history they share. Their interactions and Meena’s inner monologue were realistic and mature - they felt like real, smart, adult people, and I can’t resist that in a romance. I’m sure I’ll reread this, and will be thinking about them for a long time.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. And thanks to Naina Kumar for tearing my heart to shreds and then putting it back together again.