Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really wish I liked this one more. The hurricane aspect was a fun setting and I enjoyed the scenes where things got crazy and they had to manage but the core relationship in this book was not it for me. I didn't feel like these characters had to get together again by the end which is not the goal in romance books. Unfortunate, since I did enjoy her first book. May just not be for me.

I never knew I needed a Sweet Home Alabama retelling until I cracked open Flirting With Disaster by Naina Kumar. I was giddy with joy and butterflies while reading this book.

Meena is a lobbyist working in Washington D.C. when her ex boyfriend and political partner asks her to finalize her estranged marriage. Meena heads back home to Houston when a hurricane blows in stranding her with her husband Nikhil.

I loved Naina’s debut novel and was so excited to pick up Flirting With Disaster. The banter is out of this world and the tension between Meena and Nikhil is palpable. I can’t wait to read what Naina writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Dell for an advanced copy of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I’ve been eagerly waiting to read this book ever since finishing Say You’ll Be Mine, and it was absolutely worth the wait! This story gave me major Sweet Home Alabama vibes with a South Asian twist. Meena and Nikhil are both wonderfully complex characters, and the tension between them builds beautifully as they’re unexpectedly thrown together during a hurricane seven years after their painful separation. It was so satisfying to see Nikhil and Meena work through their issues and grow both as individuals and as a couple. As a fellow Texan and H-E-B lover, I also especially enjoyed the little touches of local flavor this story definitely made me smile!

Flirting with Disaster by Naina Kumar is a sweet and endearing second-chance romance and "Sweet Home Alabama" reimaging. Nikhil and Meena fell in love young, and got drunkly married in Vegas, but that has been years since they have seen or spoken to each other. Meena, desperate for a divorce, flies to Houston, TX, to confront Nikhil, but when she doesn't check the weather, she ends up getting stuck in their old home with Hurrican on the way. While stuck inside and even closer in a closet for safety, the walls they built up start to crumble.

Flirting with Disaster definitely has all of the major hallmarks of "Sweet Home Alabama," but I loved the contrast of the setting and angst and being "hurricaned-in" to the same house and then the same closet. My heart hurt at all of the pain these two caused for themselves in each other, and didn't love how much miscommunication happens in this novel. It felt as though the MC's were constantly misunderstanding each other and then immediately jumping to the worst conclusion before walking off. With that being said, Naina Kumar's storytelling abilities still made me want to route for Meena and Nikhil to work together and repair their relationship.

The representation in this book of the Indian American experiences and a strong woman in politics wanting to better her community and make a change at the policy level was amazing. I loved reading this book and routing the MC's to get back together for HEA! I recommend reading this book if you love second-chance romance, forced proximity, and strong women!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell for the ARC.

I am all about second chances and when I read what this book was about I knew that I needed it. Meena has come back to Texas to get her husband to finally sign the divorce papers. She thought they had given up on their marriage long ago, but maybe that isn't the case. Meena doesn't realize that there is a hurricane coming and she is stuck in her old house with her ex trying to ride out the storm. Nikhil didn't think he'd see Meena agaiin under these circumstances and he knows he hasn't signed the papaers yet, but I don't think he really believes that they are over in his heart.
You can see Meena's struggle with the life she built for herself versus what she really wants deep down in her heart. She wants to make everyone else happy but the person that makes her the happiest is right in front of her.
This story is about growing up and communication. Two things that can make or break a relationship. Meena and Nikhil got married impulsively and Meena doesn't do impulsive. She doesn't know if Nikhil and her have what it takes to make it but it is very clear that neither of them are done with the other.
I really loved the pining that we could see, especially from Nikhil, even if we didn't have his POV. It was obvious that he was just waiting for a time when he could be what she needed and he still was in love with her. It was so sweet.
Thanks to Random House, Netgalley and Naina Kumar for an early copy.

I love a good second chance romance!!! The yearning, the desire, the emotions, the loveee!!! Add the forced proximity??? I was absolutely hooked with Meena and Nikhil's story. Everything about this felt personal and relatable for me. I'm interested in the same politics and legal field as Meena, Nikhil being a super hot man in construction (my type) the fear of turning into a failure and disappointing your parents. It all just hit very close for me.
This was such a feel good story with a happy ending, I loved it soo much. One of my favorite reads this year.

I could not be more thrilled that Naina Kumar's sophomore novel was a hit (for me)! I was instantly excited/intrigued by the thought of a "Sweet Home Alabama" desi-reimagining. I think that drawing inspiration from such a pop culture classic was definitely a bold move for a second novel. Not to mention, the second chance, accidental marriage trope combo really packs its own punch. I also really love that Naina's portrayal of South Indian culture really showcases how cultural nuances (parents' expectations, younger sister relationships, etc.) can also be super relatable to other cultures as well. Even Meena and Nikhil's relationship felt so real, in the way that newly married couples who are establishing their lives and careers at the same time as navigating a marriage is incredibly difficult. Having to lean and depend on your partner physically and financially, even short term (e.g Meena failing the bar and studying to retake it) can put a strain on any relationship. gosh, I empathized so deeply for both of them and even though I knew a happily ever after was coming, I was still so stressed!! 😭

I only wish we could've had a dual POV. There were sprinkles of flashbacks in-between the dialogue but it would've been great to establish an even stronger background or foundation for these two besides the "7 years ago" prologue chapter, just for me personally. I still think Naina's growth as an author is incredible and I'm excited to see what's next for her. 🫶🏼

Many thanks to Random House- Dell publishing for the eARC! All thoughts are my own ❤️

The only thing I knew going into this story was that it was a second chance romance set during a hurricane in Texas. Second chance romances are hard because you have to help the reader understand how these two characters fell in love in the first place, what went wrong and subsequently how they can overcome all that. And the way that timeline of events happens in Flirting with Disaster is perfection. Our prologue is a quick 7 years in the past flashback to the start of Meena and Nikhil’s relationship. And in this quick chapter we are just as giddy and in love as they are! Then we are slowly revealed the details of what went wrong and where Meena and Nikhil are now. And this isn’t done in the typical past/present alternating-chapters-kinda-way that is overly used in romance. Instead, present day Meena reminisces on the past naturally while she is with present Nikhil and we easily slip into her inner brain and travel to the past with her seamlessly. This is definitely a let me show what went wrong instead of telling which I loved! The story doesn’t shy away from observing their relationship from every angle. And their separation isn’t simplified to one thing or event. It’s actually very intricate and complex and their feelings and actions are so real. Truly I feel that anyone who has been in a long-term relationship can empathize with them and these raw and personal feelings. Then add to all that the drama and tension of a horrible hurricane! Seriously it’s the prefect dramatic set up. Anyone who has experienced hurricanes I’m sure flinches the way I did with the descriptions of all the destruction. And a plus for lovers of Texas because the author really plays tribute to the strength of Texans! This is a very dialogue heavy book too! And their conversations and feelings are building up and up and up until there is an explosion of anger and frustration that comes from loving someone so deeply but knowing you both hurt each other. And recognizing the individual growth you both had to go through to get to this point of is there a second chance for us? Or not? Overall five stars for sure!!! This isn’t a rom-com so don’t be fooled by the cover it’s a rom-dram for sure!!

Thank you to NetGalley, RandomHouse Publishing Dell & Naina Kumar for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Listen- I became so engrossed in this book- that when my daughter interrupted me to ask me to take her to Target- I said "Girlfiend, no way- there's a hurricane out there!" I live in Missouri. It hasn't rained in days. I need to touch grass- but that's a good book for ya!

To me- this is a very well done Sweet Home Alabama retelling. The second chance trope is so well done in this book as it really shows that the biggest reason these two didn't work out the first time was they got in their own ways. (Sometimes a second chance isn't exactly warranted.. this time it absolutely was!) If you appreciate Gilmore Girls references and aren't triggered by hurricane stress- this book is for you!

This title is a wonderful retake on a well-loved movie. I couldn’t help rooting for Meena and Nikhil—so much chemistry! I loved seeing Meena take risks and choose her own happiness as well. Excited to see where Kumar goes next!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Dell/Penguin Random House for gifting an eARC of this book in exchange for review*

After reading the sneak peek of this book at the end of Kumar’s debut, Say You’ll Be Mine (which I really enjoyed), I was so excited to read this one as it features so many of my favorite tropes or story keystones: forced proximity, marriage in trouble, second chance, etc.; but unfortunately this was a big letdown.

Above all things, my main critique is that this book would’ve greatly improved by being dual pov, similarly to SYBM. Having two people with mountains of history between them, that often goes unsaid, and being only in one of their heads does a disservice to both the reader and the narrative because you end up spending majority of the book trying to fill in the blanks regarding what the other person is thinking, and our perception isn’t totally skewed by one character’s interpretation of things (although I’ll say it was easy to see that Meena was only processing her and Nik’s past based on how she perceived things).

At times the writing felt disjointed and like I was reading in circles, watching Meena decide and then undecide on a course of action, have a realization only to back track the next chapter, and by the end it was giving me whiplash.

My critiques:
- I would have liked to see the use of dual pov throughout the story OR flashbacks to see the early days of Meena and Nik’s relationship before things went bad. Bonus points if the flashbacks were in Nik’s pov, with the present being Meena’s pov
- Firmly establishing DC Meena in the beginning and showing the readers what she was so eager to get back to (we never see her get in contact with her office or team (that she’s the head of?) after the storm settles/she hs a phone again)
- I don’t think Meena should’ve been estranged from her sister (albeit close to her niece) because she needed a sounding board and outlet for the storm (no pun intended) constantly raging in her head. It was easy to see/predict the points of big conflict in Meena and Nik’s relationship before things had been talked about but for him to know so much about Akka and Ritu, and yet they were clueless about Nik didn’t feel well done
- At times, it felt like Meena failed to take into account that a relationship takes two, even the failure of one, so Nik was not the only one to blame for how things ended so it just felt like a lot of “i was a great partner and he was the problem” which got annoying quick
- Although, I properly guessed a lot of Nik’s issues in their past relationship, it would’ve been nice to see things through his eyes and get his internal monologue regarding things.
- I didn’t like how Meena never defended Nik to Shake. Like even after she realized she was still in love with him. Never once did she draw a boundary like “we might be friends and I’ve confided in you but you actually do not know him and everything you do know is skewed by my perception of things and my past pain which while 100% valid, doesn’t make you the scholar on a relationship you were never apart of”
- The conflict still being present at 89/91% felt drawn out and made the last 9/10% feel incredibly rushed, trying to tie everything together in a nice bow. The whole book is a third act breakup and then to actually add a third act breakup was beyond frustrating, especially when the cause of it (not talking, making assumptions, censoring oneself) was a point of contention that both characters were attempting to work through
The rushing in the epilogue involved a lot of telling and not showing and was inconsistent: Akka and Meena plan a girls trip to see Ritu and work on their relationship, in the epilogue it becomes a full family trip with their parents and Nik joining but we don’t ever see Meena have a meaningful conversation with her parents about how stifling their expectations of her were, and allowing herself to stand fully in who she is in front of them. What did Nik and her parents first meeting look like? Etc.
- Lastly, who was TX Meena? For the story to work up to a second chance not only at romance but at her dreams, and then to not see them come to fruition or read the process felt like a waste.

All of my critiques aren’t to say there weren’t sweet moments that made me smile, laugh, or tear up but overall this book didn’t meet my expectations of it, especially coming off a pretty solid and strong debut. I look forward to what Kumar releases next and if it’s a return to her previous style which I enjoyed and a story that I love

Kumar knocked it out of the park with this one. From beginning to end, I was thoroughly hooked. Meena and Nikhil were so cute and managed to work through their issues, finally, communicating in the end. I appreciated the way Kumar illustrated how difficult it can be to communicate your fears and hopes and how each person has their own perspective in a relationship.

Highlights were definitely when Meena was sick and Nikhil was helping her recover. Thinking she was hallucinating was hilarious. Alan was a great comic relief too, though going out in the storm to rescue him from his house was not great hurricane procedure. I loved that it was set in Texas and was a political book that didn't skip over the struggles that the people of Texas face in their government. If you don't want a political book, don't read this one.

I also liked that Shake was there to show that sometimes you find your platonic soulmate. Someone that you love, but you don't Love. There was a slight spice, but nothing overwhelming. Overall, I loved this and Kumar has made it to my list of favorite authors.

Second chance romances are usually hit or miss with me but this one was a hit! I however really have a hard time when the couple stupidly has sex before they talk about literally anything and this happened here and just gave me the ick. I need them to have more communication before they have sex pleaseeeee. Overall though I really liked this one.

4.25 stars

Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Okay this was so sweet!! I love how magical Kumar made their love story, and that it’s a retelling of Sweet Home Alabama?! Come on!! Meena and Nikhil have my heart! ♥️

One of the best parts of this book was how Meena and Nikhil communicate the faults on both of their parts to their estrangement with one another for the past 6 years. They BOTH are at fault, and I love how many moments we get where they are working towards being radically honest with each other. You SEE their growth in how both react to the other sharing information and feelings. Neither of them have felt good for the other, and I truly enjoyed seeing them unravel for each other. The forced proximity trope was so good. Like… they have nowhere else to go and nothing else to do but talk to each other. 😂

There were a few parts that kept this from a 5-star read for me, but I am looking forward to reading more from Kumar!!!

CW: natural disaster (hurricane), cursing, injury/injury detail, sexual content, alcohol

Started out Man v. Nature but really turned out to be Man v. Self… This novel nails the second-chance trope. The leads, Meena and Nikhil, start out with a mountain of unresolved issues. Despite a Texan hurricane and living across the country from each other, the conflict is very much internal. Leaving fear behind, going forward with trust, getting out of your own way, and all that jazz. Both, the character’s growth and sizzling chemistry, are very satisfying. The conclusion feels believable and natural to boot!

p.s. Climate disasters being so common now that it’s being used as framework for a forced-proximity trope in romance has me cry-laughing.

4.25 stars! What better realized metaphor for meeting with your estranged husband to get him to sign the divorce papers than an actual major hurricane hitting? Disasters left and right!!

What a gorgeous, heartfelt, moving story this was!! Meena and Nikhil got married on a night out in Vegas, decided to go with it, and then everything fell apart a year later. She left Texas to chase her DC dreams, and left- without an official divorce. It’s been 6 years, and to achieve her dream of running for office (MD General Assembly!! My state local election!! A body I work with frequently!! So fun to find in a book!!), she needs those papers signed- and fast. An ill-timed trip down to Houston gets Meena to Nikhil’s just in time for a hurricane to come barreling down the gulf- leaving our two confused married folks with lots of time and nothing else to do but figure out what went wrong.

I’m not always a fan of second chance romance, but the way this was done was so perfectly handled!! Meena and Nikhil got time to dissect what actually happened, finally open up about how they were (and are) feeling, and start thinking again about what a future together might look like. It’s clear they’ve both grown over time, leaving them vulnerable and willing to engage where they might not have before. Meena (our only POV) is introspective, and uses that powerful brain of hers to actually think hard about her different options- which is so refreshing in a main female character!!

Thank you so much to Naina Kumar and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

This is the kind of book that no matter how hard you try, you just can’t pry your eyes from the page. Before you know it, you’ve spent your entire day fully consumed in a story full of heartache, love, disasters, and triumphs. Flirting With Disaster is nothing short of a masterpiece. Kumar wrote a story that felt so much more than just any other romance novel: it’s gripping, touching, and each word and each compelling scene between Meena and Nikhil becomes deeply ingrained into your heart. There was no way I could stop reading without knowing what would come at the end. I cried and laughed and cried and laughed some more. Naina, thank you for sharing this story with us. For pouring so much of yourself into this work, because it shows. The love and care you put into this book is truly remarkable. I can’t wait for the world to experience this.

Despite liking the Sweet Home Alabama vibes, Flirting with Disaster wasn't my favorite read. The biggest issue I had with this book were the continuity errors. There were a lot of little things that didn't add up. For example, the power goes out but the characters are able to microwave something? It's mentioned that with no AC, the house is hot....so why are the characters sleeping in a sleeping bag? Meena also randomly gets sick without any foreshadowing. Although minor, these inconsistencies added up and made my reading experience less enjoyable. I didn't mind Meena and Nikhil's characters. I thought they were layered well. I left the book with a clear understanding of who they were. I did feel a little bad for Nikhil. That guy was pining so hard for Meena while Meena seemed to move on more easily. I wish there were some POV chapters from Nikhil. I liked the way the author used forced proximity to develop Meena and Nikhil's relationship. The miscommunication between Meena and Nikhil was crazy. It appeared that they got over that hump and learned how to better communicate with one another. I wasn't the biggest fan of how long Shake's character was involved in the story. I also wasn't thrilled about Meena willing to put her dreams aside for her relationship with Nikhil. That decision did not line up with the character I was reading about for 90% of the book. This is my second time reading a book by this author. Although she has a wonderful writing voice, I'm not sure she's for me. Flirting with Disaster was the second time I've found myself skimming her work. Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for the ARC.

I really, really enjoyed this sophomore novel from Naina Kumar that has the BEST Sweet Home Alabama vibes, features two South Asian leads who are technically still married after a Vegas Wedding years ago and end up forced to weather a Texas Hurricane together.

Full of heart and great Gilmore Girls vibes, this second chance romance featuring Meena, a strong D.C. lawyer with political aspirations and Nikhil, the man she wants to divorce in order to move on with her current boyfriend, gave me ALL the feels. When Meena travels back home to get Nikhil to sign divorce papers she discovers there are still a lot of unresolved feelings between them.

This was absolutely amazing on audio narrated by one of my favs, Soneela Nankani and perfect for fans of books like Fool me once by Ashley Winstead. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

after reading say you'll be mine, i was more than excited to read more from Naina Kumar, and i've got to say Flirting with Disaster did not disappoint! I loved Meena and Nikhil. I loved the second-chance, accidental marriage, and taking-care-of-her-when-she's-sick trope. This book was heartbreakingly tender and emotional and just so beautiful. Naina Kumar's writing is simple but packs a punch and I devoured every word. As someone who was born and calls Texas their home, but also understands the flaws in its laws and policies, I really appreciated the commentary throughout the novel. I'm so happy i was able to read Flirting with Disaster and I'm looking forward to reading more from this Naina Kumar. She is officially an auto-buy author for me!