I love Sweet Home Alabama and this gave me some serious Sweet Home Alabama feels!
Very similar to that movie, I had a hard time loving the FMC right away but she grew on me 😝

"I open my eyes to a face entirely too close to mine."

And so begins Naina Kumar's latest novel. Marketed as a Sweet Home Alabama reimagining, I can definitely see the likeness!

Meena is a high-powered lawyer on Capitol Hill, in a relationship with another lawyer, Shake, and looking to run for a seat in MD. The problem - she's still married. When Shake breaks up with her and tells her to figure things out, she travels to her home in Texas to get Nikhil to sign the divorce papers. What she thought was going to be an in and out trip takes a turn for the worse when a hurricane heads right towards them. Forced to shelter in the home they built together, Meena starts remembering what drew her to Nikhil in the first place. But things make place with Shake and she's going to stick to her plan. Right?

I enjoyed this book but didn't love their miscommunication. If they had jut talked to each other AND listened, things would have been different. I appreciated that they did finally get a chance to communicate with each other due to the storm. I'm just not sure though. I love that they are getting a second chance but still hard to believe that they stayed married for 6 years without speaking to each other once.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Naina Kumar, and Dell for the chance to read an ARC of this book!

Gosh, this is such a gorgeous, thoughtful book. Naina Kumar hits all the right notes of a second chance romance, and she does it exceptionally well. I am so in love with Meena and Nikhil, I’ll be thinking about them for the foreseeable future. Naina Kumar is a force to be reckoned with in the romance genre, and I can’t wait to see where she goes next!

This second chance romance has strong Sweet home Alabama vibes - but make it Indian and replace wedding planning with forced proximity to survive a hurricane

After a wild Vegas celebration, Nikhil and Meena wake up married - surprise!
It may not have been planned, but they are both in love and feel like that’s where they were headed anyway sooooo they decide to make a go of it

Fast forward a year and things aren’t working out. She leaves him behind in Texas to start a new life for herself in DC

Fast forwards six *more* years, and she’s headed back to get the divorce papers she hasn’t gotten him to return finished and filed so she can truly move on
She didn’t plan for the oncoming storm delaying her in and out trip any more than she planned for the feelings she thought were gone coming back

I can understand why they didn’t work out the first time. Married well before they would have planned, having dreams but not knowing they would go. They didn’t communicate well - at all - and that’s the big one.

I think this story could have been devastating in parts were it told from Nikhil’s POV, that he fell harder. And that even though Meena didn’t truly lose her feelings for him, he was still clinging to them.

Being trapped to ride out the hurricane gave them some much needed closure, and I appreciated that they finally communicated. Shared the pressure the were under (ambition, familial pressure and self doubt) and where they thought things went wrong
And while part of me thinks those talks should have happened years before, another part suspects they needed the years of growth while apart to get to where they could do that

The one thing that kept this from five stars from me is that I’m not sure I’m convinced that (without significant one sided sacrifice) they can make it the second time around either. I do believe they love each other and I *want* them to work out, but…
I was left hoping for the best though!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for the arc

3.5⭐️ Thank you to Dell Publishing & NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

As a native Houstonian, I’d like to thank Naina for portraying our city so well. Like yes, hurricanes and humidity absolutely suck, but there truly is so much diversity and magic here. You did H-Town good girl!

The premise of the romance was so unique and brought back some (not so fun) memories of evacuation, power outages, flooding etc., but painted them perfectly against the backdrop of a couple struggling to make sense of their marriage. The romantic pacing was easy to follow, but I did find myself skimming through some of the inner dialogue that seemed a bit superfluous. And while this is a second chance romance, I struggled to understand how it was so hard for two adults to communicate with one another.

Overall, I found ‘Flirting with Disaster’ to be very enjoyable and also a great representation of Indian-American culture, and any culture really, where children struggle to reconcile their identity with that of their parent’s. If you’re looking for a romance with diverse character representation, add this to your TBR!

Sweet second-chance romance between estranged spouses, stuck together in their marital home during a hurricane.

Meena (the first person protagonist) is a great character, both ambitious and vulnerable. Her husband, Nikhil, is appealing in a realistic way, and I could imagine these two as a successful couple. Plus, Meena has an interesting, relatable backstory that makes her more sympathetic without her history becoming the focus of the plot.

While trapping Meena and Nikhil together in a hurricane was a great way to push them together, it meant we didn't see much of their lives - especially Meena's - under normal conditions. This made it easy for me to root for Meena and Nikhil, even though it meant she had to give up her new city (and apartment and job and sort-of-boyfriend). But it felt empty, and a little bit unfair to Meena's (fictional) regular life and the people in it, to simply keep them offstage so they'd be easier to give up.

I really enjoyed the experience of reading this book. It was well-paced and drew me in quickly, and the storm was intense enough to keep things exciting without ever feeling overly tense or thriller-ish. I was rooting for Meena and Nikhil to get their happy ending, and I'm hoping Meena's grumpy, straight-shooting big sister might get a book of her own.

Meena's life is going exactly as she's always planned. She's a high power lawyer, living and working in DC. She has a partner who understands her goals and supports her, plus they plan to run for office together. All her life plans are falling into place. There's just one hurdle, her husband Nikhil. She hasn't seen him in years, but until he signs the divorce papers, she can't move forward with her life. She decides to confront him face to face and get the papers signed no matter what. Mother Nature has other plans. Now she is stuck with her "ex" during a severe hurricane, in the home they lived in together. Old memories, hurts, and feelings are all brought back and causing conflict between logic and emotions.
This book was so different from the usual second chance rom-coms. There was so much emotion and internal turmoil involved. Meena and Nikheel's relationship was complex. I understood Meena's struggle to follow her heart and yet want to make a logical decision. The relationship with her sister and parents, while not touched on too much, was so understandable as a South Asian. The pressure to not repeat mistakes and gain approval sometimes becomes one's identity, and it's hard to differentiate between the real you and the person who wants to please everyone. I think this book will really resonate with a lot of immigrant children. It was not mentioned a lot in the story, but the weight of it was felt throughout. I really appreciated the author's take on this struggle.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing-Ballentine for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to root for the romance in this so bad, but I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t find a reason for Nikhil and Meena to be together. After all the time apart and each of them growing independently, they still couldn’t communicated with each other open up willingly. I think the hurricane vibes were depicted perfectly, loved the neighbors, and Meena’s interactions with her sister. If this story was just Meena’s journey to figure out her life next steps it would’ve been a five star.

Meena returns to Houston to confront her estranged husband and demand a divorce after Nikhil ignored all other requests from her lawyer. When a hurricane grounds all flights, Meena is forced to take shelter from the storm with Nikhil in the home they used to share. Memories resurface and chemistry sizzles in this tender and sweet second chance romance.

A Sweet Home Alabama reimagining?? Say less.

This book tugged at my heartstrings. There are glimpses into their shared past, illuminating their previous missteps and how those shape the present. These moments added vulnerability throughout this novel, building both tension and anticipation. What stood out most were the quiet, intimate ways they cared for each other, the small acts of kindness speaking volumes. Their relationship grew through these heartfelt gestures, making their journey all the more impactful. While there are moments of Hallmark-sweetness, this book shines in the raw moments between partners.

I recommend this book to romance readers who are drawn to stories with tender, intimate moments and characters who grow through vulnerability.

Thank you Ballantine Books and Dell for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

4.5 ⭐️

As a lifelong Sweet Home Alabama fan, I could not wait to get my hands on Naina’s sophomore novel.

This story had such a hold on me and when I picked it up to read a few chapters, the next thing I knew I was already over halfway. I love the YEARNING that comes with a second chance romance and when you throw a hurricane into the mix, well, that makes for a story that is impossible to put down.

Naina did such a beautiful job of creating a story and characters that were both realistic and deeply relatable as they navigated generational expectations, professional aspirations, challenging family dynamics, and personal insecurities. These characters were beautiful messes and I loved watching them work through the past, grow, and ask for forgiveness. I love how they both accepted and voiced the part they played in the past and worked together to regain trust, more effectively communicate, and provide the other with the kind of support and encouragement they needed.

I really enjoyed this! After loving this and Say You’ll Be Mine, I definitely consider Naina Kumar to be an auto-buy author for me! <3

Flirting with Disaster follows Meena, who returns to Houston to finalize her divorce from her estranged husband Nikhil, but a hurricane traps them together in their old house.

I did get frustrated by the amount of miscommunication between the two of them but by the end I grew to understand why the two of them acted the way they did. Meena was driven by her own ambition and her parents expectations and Nikhil had his own insecurities and always wanted to put Meena first even if it meant not going after what he wanted. They definitely needed the time apart to grow in order to be better together. I’m not a huge fan of the miscommunication trope but I think it was done very well in this book.

I loved the two of them together. Their relationship was so sweet and heart-warming. I loved how much Nikhil cared for her by putting her ambitions and career first.

I did love how Meena’s memories were used to tell the story of their first relationship and you could tell how fondly she looked back on them. This was such a beautifully written story.

This book definitely had Sweet Home Alabama vibes, which I loved! This heartfelt story is all about rekindling an old flame and two characters discovering what they want from their own lives and from each other.

In this second chance romance, Meena returns to her hometown of Houston to persuade her estranged husband, Nikhil, to finally sign off on their divorce. An unexpected hurricane forces them to shelter together and face their past.

This story was nicely written and I enjoyed the growing tension and renewed attraction between Meena and and Nikhil as they faced the challenges of the hurricane and confronted their past. While the character of Meena frustrated me at times, I appreciated her journey of self discovery and enjoyed watching her rediscover her passion in both her professional and personal lives. I had a soft spot for Nikhil and was rooting for him from the beginning. The one thing that I felt a bit frustrated by in this story was all of the miscommunication and situations that could have been avoided had these characters just told each other how they felt! Ultimately, it was pleasure to watch them find their way back to each other.

Thank you so much to Dell and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book! I’m excited to go back and read Kumar’s debut novel and look forward to future releases!

an absolute masterclass in the art of the second chance romance. Angsty, tender, emotional, and beautifully written.

✅ Meena, lawyer & Abhishek (Shake), also a lawyer & Nikhil, Meena’s husband, contractor
✅ Sweet Home Alabama vibes
✅ Meena & Nikhil separated 6 years ago, and never finalized their divorce. Meena heads back to Houston to finalize it, and get caught in a massive hurricane
✅ second chance romance
🌶️: a little

I really enjoyed this!

I have heard about this story but hadn’t read many reviews of it before so I went in blindly. The writing is addicting to where you want to know what’s going to happen next. Will they fall apart again or will their love for each other win in the end? It is not your typical forced proximity romance as there is so much more depth in what the characters are fighting for. The truths they tell each other and the lies they are telling themselves and each other that probably so many readers will be able to relate to at some point in their life. Definitely a book everyone should be checking out when it releases!

Was really happy I got to get this book early. It was truly a great read and I was beyond happy that the setting took place in Houston. I was also beyond excited to see different cultural representation. I only had wished this book would have been in Dual POV to at least see he's side of the story and history/flashbacks. Overall, fantastic feel good, second chance romance!

Thanks to Dell for an advanced copy of Flirting With Disaster by Naina Kumar, which comes out on 1/14.

I really wanted to like this book more, but this book was a second-chance romance that originally fell apart due to not communicating and honestly they didn't communicate with each other 7 years later during the book.

The plot idea was fun -- a take on Sweet Home Alabama with her in DC growing her political career and him in Houston and they are stuck together during a hurricane when she comes to get the divorce papers signed.

This was a quick read and I did like the writing style and I'll read more of Naina Kumar's books!

This was a lovely read to start 2025 with! It is a beautiful, enthralling second-chance romance. I was hooked right away and thought the author handled the miscommunication trope well - which is not something I typically find.

☝️Single POV
👩‍❤️‍👨 2nd Chance Romance
🗣️Miscommunication
📍Houston, TX
🌀 Forced Proximity via Hurricane
🇮🇳 Indian-American representation

Thanks to Netgalley and Dell Romance (Random House) for the eARC! Publishing January 13th!

Flirting With Disaster is a heartwarming, second-chance romance with a touch of stormy suspense. Meena, an ambitious lawyer, is determined to finalize her divorce from Nikhil, her ex-husband. After sending him divorce papers and receiving no response, she impulsively flies to Texas to confront him. However, a hurricane traps them together in the house they once shared, forcing the couple to face their unresolved feelings.

Meena can be frustrating at times, driven by insecurity and ambition, often making selfish decisions. Her ongoing connection with Shake, a potential new love interest, also felt unnecessary. Nikhil, however, is much more relatable, with his honesty and vulnerability making him an easy character to root for.

Despite these flaws, the book is beautifully written, exploring love, forgiveness, and self-discovery. Flirting With Disaster is a compelling, angsty, and heartfelt story about growth and second chances. A satisfying read with 4 rekindling stars!

After spending the last six years building her career as a D.C. attorney, Meena is finally returning to Houston for the sole purpose of having her estranged husband finally sign off on their divorce. But in her haste, she failed to follow the weather forecast and it isn't until she's about to confront Nikhil that she realizes she's flown right into the path of an oncoming hurricane. So now she's trapped with a man she hasn't seen or spoken to in years. Will Nikhil finally sign off on the divorce, or will Meena have a change of heart?

I loved this book. It was a bit heavy at times, weaving in Indian American cultural ideals with the general heaviness that accompanies the heartbreak associated with a first love. But Naina Kumar did a fantastic job telling Meena and Nikhil's love story with the kind of detail that makes you feel truly invested in their relationship. I fell in love with both Meena and Nikhil, and with Naina Kumar.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine Dell for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.