I really wanted to like this one, but I really struggled to finish this one. The way it was described really was giving Sweet Home Alabama (the 2002 movie not the song) which I adore and have been chasing a similar high from since seeing it as a teenager. However, Meena and Nikhil had ZERO chemistry at all. Their entire relationship is one giant miscommunication and is based solely on what each person assumes about the other person. I was also expecting more drama and flair from the hurricane but it was a bit boring and really only lasted a couple chapters.

Meena returns to Texas to have her ex-husband Nikhil finally sign divorce papers so that she can move on and get re-married. What she planned to be a quick trip to close the door on this chapter of her life turns into an extended stay as Meena and Nikhil end up stuck riding out a hurricane together.

This is a very sweet second-chance-love story. Meena and Nikhil have great chemistry and even though they're a couple that probably doesn't make sense "on paper" it's clear why they were in love once upon a time and you find yourself drawn in to Meena's dilemma about what she truly wants out of her life.

I enjoyed this novel a lot and am also a fan of Naina Kumar's first novel - Say You'll Be Mine. Her characters are always well-developed and so realistic, the banter is fun, and the romantic tension is always A+. I'm already looking forward to her next novel!

Sweet Home Alabama is my all time favorite movie. You hand me a book and tell me with Sweet Home Alabama without the cheating? I'm in. This was adorable. While.I understand the parallel to Sweet Home Alabama, this book stands on its own. I loved how the author described their past but focused on the present and the connection they were making. I loved the author's first book and this was a wonderful second book. I look forward to more from this author in the future!

Naina does it again!

A modern twist, similar to the likes of Sweet Home Alabama. Such a cute book. I loved it!

thanks to netgalley for providing me an e-arc of this in exchange for a review!

this was quite sweet, a second chance romance of two people whose lives came together for a time, they perhaps got married before they were ready, and then have to figure out their lives and careers before getting back together as a hurricane bears down on houston. i found meena a little anger inducing at times, but i also completely get that she chose to put her career first and wanted to achieve all she could rather than be tied down in a relationship. i get it, but nikhil is so down to earth that it was only right she could come back eventually. a fun well written romance with a unique setup i'd never read before.

This book is a charming romance loosely based on the movie Sweet Home Alabama. Would recommend for those who enjoy the tropes of second chance romance and forced proximity. Very cute and hard to put down!

I really loved her debut book and this one left me lacking a bit. Very tropy and longer than it needed to be.

as someone who grew up experiencing hurricanes and very recently experienced flood disaster, this hit home for me. i loveee second chance romance so i was hoping to love this a little more than i did - i think this was written really well and was a quick read but i don't think the characters had enough reconciliation to deserve that happy ending. i think this probably lands around 3.75 stars for me

I habitually lie to myself thinking that I don't like second chance romances, and then I read a really good one and remember that I DO actually love them when they're well done. Like this one.

Second chance romances tend to be more emotionally heavy, just because we have to unpack all the reasons why these people fell apart the first time, and this book handles that very well, while also balancing some lighter, more humorous moments. I loved this author's debut novel as well and can't wait to keep reading more from her.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm always a huge fan of South Asian representation in romance. I read Say You'll Be Mine last year and absolutely loved it, and when I learned that Naina Kumar was writing a forced proximity / second chance story, this book immediately became one of my most anticipated reads of 2025. I'm so happy to say it lived up to my (high) expectations and I'd give it a solid 4.5 stars! Meena and Nikhil developed so well as both individuals and as a couple throughout the story, and while there were occasional elements of the stuck-together-during-a-hurricane premise that felt a little dramatic, I thought it was a unique way to explore the relationship between the two. I'm not usually a big fan of miscommunication being used for angst, but I really liked the way it was handled here as well -- thought it was very mature and realistic. Overall, I'd highly recommend, and I'm already eagerly anticipating the author's next book!

This book captured relationships in such a beautiful way, highlighting how sometimes the end of a relationship can’t really be pinned on just one person. I usually find the miscommunication trope a bit frustrating, but I actually didn’t feel any irritation with it in this book because it felt so authentic!

In most second chance romances, the protagonist’s indecision about recommitting can be frustrating. I felt this in Flirting With Disaster, but it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.

Characters

Naina Kumar definitely brought out compelling characters to drive this story forward, and I think this approach really works well for a second chance romance!

Meena is a determined woman on a mission, and her character is so inspiring! I loved reading about her meaningful work as a lawyer and her career ambitions. She comes from a South Asian family of immigrants, and faces barriers due to her upbringing which ultimately affects her life decisions such as her career and relationship. Whilst some readers might find her frustrating, I related to Meena a lot as a South Asian woman myself. There are often many factors affecting a relationship, making it difficult to reunite, even with deep care and affection.

Nikhil is the definition of a book husband who supports all women’s wrongs and rights. I loved how he never doubted his feelings for Meena, and his acts of service towards her was just so cute to read! It would have been great to have a dual perspective in this book, as it would have added an interesting layer for understanding the characters better. Even though Flirting With Disaster is primarily told from Meena’s viewpoint, we still get a glimpse into Nikhil’s feelings about their relationship and her through his dialogue.

Conclusion

Overall, Flirting With Disaster by Naina Kumar feels like a realistic, yet sweet portrayal of an adult relationship and two people trying their best to make a relationship work, despite seeming so different on paper! I’d rate the book 4 stars. It’s safe to say Naina Kumar is now an auto buy author for me, after enjoying this book and her previous one Say You’ll Be Mine so much!

I’m a sucker for second chance romance and loved Meena and Nikhil’s story. Flirting with Disaster took me on a emotional roller coaster as Meena and Nikhil worked through the miscommunications that had caused things to fester between them and the dammed up feelings that re-emerged when they were reunited after years apart. There was minimal spice, but boy was it 🔥🔥🔥. I loved the Gilmore Girls references, they were absolutely adoreable. And on a more serious note, I thought Naina Kumar did an amazing job of exploring the challenges of familial expectations, especially for children of immigrant parents, and getting married young. Would absolutely recommend

I loved this book! Maybe it's because I'm a Gulf Coast resident and could relate so much to the hurricane aspect but I was really drawn in. Miscommunication isn't usually my favorite but decided to forgo that and read based on the drama in a hurricane aspect. Also the ties to Sweet Home Alabama had me in a lock. I was invested and wanted to see this couple through it all.
Looking forward to reading more from Naina Kumar!

soooo lovely - the mmc builds furniture and wears their wedding rings on a chain around his neck and watches gilmore girls and cooks... what's not to love....

Thanks so much to Dell for the gifted copy of this book!

I am such a sucker for a marriage in crisis trope, and when I heard this was a reimaging of Sweet Home Alabama, I was totally sold! We read this for Beyond the Spines book club, and it was such a fun book to read and discuss. I loved that Meena was a woman with political ambitions and Nikhil brought us back to the small-town feel. There was a hurricane that caused forced proximity, there were cute Gilmore Girls references, and it was hard to put this one down!

Sweet Home Alabama-inspired second-chance romance, and… it was fine. The setup is great—our heroine ends up sheltering from a hurricane with her ex, who (surprise!) is still legally her husband. Forced proximity, unresolved feelings, and plenty of tension? Sounds like my kind of read.

But while the premise was solid, nothing really stood out to make me love it. I kept waiting for that moment that would make me swoon or go aww, but it never quite happened. I also think the story would have benefitted from a dual POV—I really wanted to see things from his perspective.

It wasn’t bad, just forgettable. If you love second-chance romances and a good forced proximity setup, you might enjoy this one, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Naina Kumar and Dell for the ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers copy of Flirtins with Disaster by Nania Kumar!

4.5 stars!

I loved "Flirting With Disaster" by Naina Kumar! I ate this book up so fast and could not put it down. I am not a huge fan of second-chance romances, but this one hit the spot for me for some reason. I think it's because I totally believed the connection between the two main characters, Meena and Nikhil. I love how they get thrown together in a forced proximity situation during a hurricane and they are forced to work out their unresolved issues with each other. Just note that there are *a lot* of miscommunications going on in this book, so if that's not your cup of tea, you're going to want to steer clear of this one. I found the tension and unresolved pining between the two of them enough to erase any annoyances that sprung up from said miscommunications. Their connection was so strong that it was hard to *not* root for them to work through their issues! Though the story is a little bit predictable, that did not detract from my overall enjoyment of this story. I cannot wait to see what Kumar writes next. She's two for two in greatness thus far!

Thank you to NetGalley, Naina Kumar, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Dell for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Naina Kumar did it again! Flirting with Disaster follows Meena who flies to Texas in order to get her husband to sign the divorce papers. What she doesn’t expect is for there to be a hurricane forming in the golf. Suddenly she is trapped with her soon to be ex-husband BUT will this forced proximity rekindle the love they once had for each other? Meena and Nikhil’s love story was so real and honest. It truly explored what it means to be partners and individuals in a relationship. The give and take that comes when you’re committed to someone and examining the reality of marriage vs. the expectation. My heart broke for these two. You could feel the love and hope they had when they first got married. There were tender moments between the two and glimpses into their past and although I wouldn’t say this is a sweep you off your feet romance what makes it special is how honest it is. ❤️ I loved Nikhil and Meena. 4.25⭐️

Second chance romance at its finest!!!! THE YEARNING!!!!!!!!! thats it. that’s the review. But seriously I love how deeply grounded these two are with their love and believe in each other but also the care in their community. Absolutely beautiful in every way