This book was much more serious and somber than I expected, but I’m sure that was partly due to the hurricane setting, which added a sense of distress to the entire situation. I wasn’t a fan of how things initially fell apart for Meena and Nikhil because it felt like a stereotypical miscommunication trope, which always frustrates me. However, I was very happy that they were able to work things out in the end.
Naina Kumar writes with such heart and you feel it in her characters, making them feel real and relatable. I can't wait for whatever she writes next!

Once again I was suckered by an adorable cover. This book was just not it.

Yes, there were some highlights. A very strong canoe scene, an examination of Desi culture and familial expectations, a discussion of how community bands together in the face of natural disaster. But this book was just boring. I was reading it while watching an arguably terrible movie, and I found myself more interested in the movie. It took forever for the story to get going, for chemistry to feel normal and not forced, and for Meena to feel like a real person and not just a political caricature. It took ages for the characters to be likable, if that makes sense? Maybe this book is for you, but it definitely wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.
This book is completely different from Say You’ll Be Mine. I guess it just wasnt what i was expecting. Its just a little too much a literal retelling of Sweet Home Alabama. Changing a few aspects of the story doesnt change that its basically the same story we all already know. I enjoyed reading the book but it just felt like i already knew what was going to happen. It lacked that bit of wonder you get while reading, waiting to see what happens next.

Sweet home Alabama is one of my comfort movies and I always tune in when I catch it on tv so it’s no surprise that I love this book. A fun, cozy read that I recommend to anyone.

4.5/5 ⭐️ and 1/5🌶️

I LOVED Say You’ll Be Mine, Naina Kumar’s debut novel. So as you can imagine I went into this story with high hopes and high expectations.

The tone of this book was completely different from her previously. This novel had some real raw moments as the FMC and her estranged husband of seven years try to navigate their separation/divorce. The South-East Asian reimagining of Sweet Home Alabama was a great foundation for this story. The characters were both flawed and as a reader it was easy to see both sides and to want to just rattle them and explain why they’re both right/wrong. There was very believable dynamics in the book, such as child-of-immigrant pressure that helped sell elements of the story. It also had a lot of tones. There were heavy, somber moments that broke my heart and made me feel for the characters, but those contrasted nicely with some laugh-out-loud scenes that put a genuine smile on my face.

I think I’ve found my next auto-buy author as I’ve really loved both her books. I can’t wait to see what she drafts up next!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5

*a second chance romance similar to Sweet Home Alabama
*everything is bigger in Texas, including the effects of global warming inclement weather
*miscommunication
*forced proximity
*character growth and evolution

The second chance romance aspect and the similarities to the rom-com fully piqued my interest.

I would have enjoyed reading some parts more from Nikhil’s POV but overall, I was impressed by the author’s sophomore effort and will definitely read her future work.



Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for the DRC

3 ⭐️

Thank you Dell and NetGalley for my ARC!

This is billed as a new take on Sweet Home Alabama and it’s a great comparison point. — big city gal (DC this time) comes back home down south (Houston) to get those divorce papers signed by her ex husband so she can move on with a new guy. This time, a hurricane is what keeps her stuck in Texas longer than expected and forces her to reassess what made her leave in the first place.

This was a cute story but I found myself struggling to feel attached to the main couple. There isn’t a ton that happens, but the hurricane does add a bit of excitement (who knew fire ants create a floating weapon in a flood??). While this wasn’t for me, I’m sure many will love this!

I love a second chance romance, and I was drawn to this book because of both the second chance troupe, and the hurricane setting. I found Flirting with Disaster to be relatable, so much so I even saw myself in Meena at times. Meena and Nikhal just made sense to me. I really enjoyed this read and will be recommending it to my bookish friends.

Flirting with Disaster by Naina Kumar offers a charming premise of second chances amidst a brewing storm, both literal and emotional. Meena’s return to Texas to finalize her divorce from Nikhil, only to be stranded by a hurricane, provides plenty of romantic tension. The storyline has a familiar “Sweet Home Alabama” vibe, with its mix of nostalgia and rediscovered feelings, which will appeal to fans of the trope.

However, the novel stumbles in its execution. The lack of background on the couple’s past leaves the chemistry between Meena and Nikhil feeling underdeveloped. With more telling than showing, it’s hard to fully invest in their reunion. While the reimagined plot is refreshing, the narrative feels somewhat drawn out and could have benefited from tighter pacing.

That said, the novel still offers a breezy, easy-to-read experience, and the self-reflection of both main characters during their separation adds depth. If you’re looking for a lighthearted romance with a twist on familiar themes, this book is a pleasant, though not groundbreaking, choice.

Every word in this was book was brimming with such joy and longing. I was fully enraptured by the first page! You can’t help but root for Meena and Nikhil.

I love a cozy second chance romance with a backdrop of home repair. It satisfies the romance and HGTV lover in me. This book was deeper than I expected; tackling issues of first generation Indian-Americans, family expectations, and racism. Meena and Nikhil were such layered vibrant characters. I kept rooting for them to understand they were strong enough to be brave and vulnerable. My inner voice was saying "just tell him how you feel!" It's definitely hard to figure out what you want versus what your family/community grooms you to want. I could really feel Meena's struggle. Every character in this book was guarding their heart, including Shake. It's very relatable. I liked the message that sometimes the "mistakes" you make when you are following your instincts are the best choices. Oh, and I'm here for all the Gilmore Girls live in this book from literal references to the inn and the cast of characters in the neighborhood.
4 stars. Thanks to Dell and Net Galley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Meena's career is taking off in Washington, D.C. with her sights set on running for public office. There is one thing standing in her way and that is her marriage to Nikhil, a man she hasn't seen in seven years. She flies down to Houston to get him to sign the papers, but unfortunately there is also a hurricane headed straight for Houston. Now, she is forced to hunker down and ride out the storm with Nikhil. Will he sign the papers or will they discover that their love never really died?

You had me at "reimagining of Sweet Home Alabama" with this one! I loved the overall concept and being trapped together during a hurricane created some nice tension. I was hooked from the start, but unfortunately it lost a lot of steam at the end for me. Overall, an enjoyable ride, but not the most memorable.

Please tell me why we don’t have more Sweet Home Alabama inspired romances because this was everything!! So much tension and forced proximity, and such an emotional second chance romance. I loved the chemistry between Meena and Nikhil.

There were some minor things that kept me from feeling like this was a 5 star read, but I just couldn’t get enough of this. I think this was such a strong sophomore book, and I truly cannot wait to see what Naina does next.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dell for the eARC!

An absolutely heartbreaking story with such incredibly lovable characters. There’s something so universal about the clarity that comes with time and the pain and emotional labor that comes with reconnecting with someone from your past in the future. I have such love for these characters and cannot wait to see what the author does next!

Thank you to Dell for the ARC! I read Naina Kumar's first book and loved it, so I was very excited to see this one! This book was very different than her first in that this one was not as light hearted. That thing said, I really loved this one so much! I felt that the concept behind the book was quite unique and unlike anything I have ever read before. Flirting with Disaster is a second chance love story, but it is also a story of self discovery for both of the main characters. It is beautifully written and very captivating right from the start. I absolutely devoured this book and I'm already waiting for her next book! See below for a synopsis.

Meena and Nikhil got married in Vegas on a whim and vowed to try to make it work. Seven years later, they have been apart for years but never officially divorced. Meena has moved on to a career in politics when she comes back to Houston to attempt to tie up loose ends with Nikhil. What she doesn't bargain for is the fact that a hurricane is headed right for the area. The disastrous situation forces the two to face the reasons why they separated in the first place and to see the love that still remains. This is a five star read and I recommend it highly!

I loved this. Another great twist on the marriage of convenience/second chance tropes— more authors need to do this! As someone who’s been through a lot of hurricanes, reading this was both terrifying and heartwarming. I was really rooting for Meena and Nikhil. Like any great romance, their relationship was at the heart of this book, and I was along for the ride with them.

I'm always a sucker for second chance romance, so between that and the beautiful cover I had to check this one out. This has a lot of Sweet Home Alabama vibes with our FMC returning to her hometown to ask for a divorce from her estranged husband so she can move on with someone new. Fortunately for us readers, things get complicated very quickly. I thought both our MC's were flawed, which is the best kind of character as it allows for growth. I thought the added element of family pressure as children of immigrants added a lot of depth to the characters and the story. I enjoyed the author's writing style and thought she did a good job of portraying tension and introspection. I would recommend this to readers looking for a second chance romance that has more going on than meets the eye.

“You’re my home, Meena. Out of all the places I’ve lived, I’ve only ever felt at home with you.”

Meena and Nikhil got married on a whim in Vegas seven years ago but unfortunately, they separated when Meena moved from Houston to DC to pursue her career ambitions as a lawyer. Now she’s back in Houston to finalize her divorce before she can take a big step in her career with a potential new partner. However, she gets stuck with her estranged spouse during a hurricane. Will she be able to accomplish her mission of getting him to sign the divorce papers so she can move on?

Flirting With Disaster is Naina Kumar’s sophomore novel and I absolutely loved it!

A reimagining of Reese Witherspoon’s Sweet Home Alabama, this angsty, second chance romance grabbed my attention from the first page! I devoured it in 2 days, staying up late last night because it was such a bingeable read!

I appreciated Meena’s ambition and drive to create policy change. Her complicated relationship with her family as a child of South Asian immigrants. The pressure. The expectations. It was all too relatable.

Furthermore, I loved Nikhil’s ability to repurpose and rebuild things with his architectural skills. The way he supported Meena. It was very heartwarming. I was rooting for them!

The story is narrated only from Meena’s POV but it never felt like we were missing Nikhil’s POV. I appreciated how there were no flashbacks or dual timeline - we found out about their past through Meena’s memories. Why they separated felt realistic.

I loved how the forced proximity allowed them to rediscover why they fell in love with each other in the first place. The way their past resentments came to the forefront, which allowed them to openly and honestly communicate about what went wrong in their relationship was masterfully done in my opinion.

Flirting with Disaster by Naina Kumar

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I was really excited by the premise of a second chance at love and being forced together by a hurricane—it had so much potential. However, the book fell a bit flat for me.

The main character (FMC) was stubborn and somewhat self-absorbed, which made it hard to connect with her. She didn’t seem to have a clear understanding of what she truly wanted, and it made her frustrating to follow at times. Additionally, the blend of the present and past was confusing. There weren’t clear distinctions between the time frames, which left me trying to piece things together more than I should have.

The chemistry between the characters, unfortunately, didn’t come through as strongly as I had hoped. I found it lacking, which made the romantic tension less engaging. I also wish we had the story from the male main character’s (MMC’s) perspective. It would have added more depth and understanding to his side of the story, which felt a bit one-dimensional through the FMC’s viewpoint.

That said, I did appreciate the author’s attempt to explore the challenges faced by Indian-Americans. One aspect that stood out was how the FMC initially referred to her sister, making it seem like she had gone through something tragic or shameful, like death or drug use, only for it to be revealed that she had gotten pregnant. This framing felt unnecessarily demeaning and gave the impression that the FMC thought she was above her sister—a reflection of societal pressures within some Indian-American families. The idea that if you don’t become a doctor or lawyer, you’re a disappointment, was highlighted well, but it could have been handled with more nuance.

While there were some important themes, overall, the story didn’t resonate with me as much as I had hoped.

4 ⭐️

Did you love the movie Sweet Home Alabama? Did you love the movie The Notebook? Well you've come to the right book to get a mash up story. The storyline follows a little bit of Sweet Home Alabama and The Notebook. 2 characters meet, fall in love, end up married, miscommunicate, and need to find a way to make it work.

Meena and Nikhil were young when they first got together. They had and have trouble communicating which left to their demise. Years later, Meena returns to where she and Nikhil left off to get that divorce. Mother nature has other plans which leads these 2 to having some broken conversations.

I enjoyed Meena and Nikhil but I really wanted to just bop them both. They were both saying a lot but not hearing it. They wanted to make the other person happy but wouldn't listen and ugh. I was a little exhausted by the end of the book and them not figuring out how to communicate.

This was a quick read and I did enjoy it. I think Allan was a great added character and he made me giggle. I very much enjoy a happy ending.

*thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the eArc. Review contains my own thoughts and opinions*