🌶: 2.5 out of 5
⭐️: 4 out of 5
🍿*: 5 out of 5

Thank you so much for an ARC of Flirting With Disaster by Naina Kumar!

Firstly, I was a huge fan of Naina Kumar after reading her debut novel "Say You'll be Mine" and "Flirting with Disaster" was just as good if not better!! This had almost everything I look for in a cute romcom novel. The angst of close proximity, the banter was cute and can't forget the lovers to enemies to lovers tropes. As a girl born and raised in Houston myself and only recently surviving yet another hurricane, this book hit so close to home. The nod to Hobby Airport, HEB grocery stores and Gilmore Girls had my heart. I knew I would love Nikhil when he declared he was Team Logan.

The only thing I wish was different was the spicy scenes could have been spicier. There was so much good lead up to the actual event that I was left wanting more when it happened. The flashbacks were such great teasers that the anticipation was excellently executed. As that's my only critique there wasn't much else I would change.

Meena's character was so relatable to most Asian-Americans that I know, or even any child of immigrants where their parents love feels conditional based on their success. I completely understand the author's nod to your parents only wanting a better and/or easier life than what their parents previously had. I will always be a sucker for an Asian-American story so I will definitely recommend these books to my friends and family.

*Popcorn scale is referring to how easily consumable the book is overall

this was good. it’s a small town, second chance romance between a couple with unresolved issues in regard to their past.

Solid 4 star. Naina Kumar's Say you'll be mine was the first book I read in 2024 and I loved that book so much. I laugh and I cried so when I saw that this book was available as an ARC I had to apply. Thank you so much Netgalley and Random House for letting me read this early. Let's get to this book.

We have Meena and Nikhil who got married young in Vegas (whoops!) and then Meena had moved on. They haven't seen one another in years and she finally goes to Texas to have him sign the papers. Now IDK how she did not check the forecast because girl what? She's stuck in Texas, in the house she shared with Nikhil while hunkering down during a hurricane. The forced proximity, the spin on the "one bed trope" and just the sparks between the two characters =swoon. In the first 50% of the book I was like. omg what is all this unknown because it's very clear they love one another but there was some miscommunication/misunderstanding some sort of underlying family expectations that may have driven them apart. I was like omg communicate???

Won't spoil anything, but quickly in the second half of the book I'm like oh thank god. I loved Nikhil when I first met him but Meena had to grow on me. Someone was definitely cutting onions near me because I was crying several times. I will say I think there's less of the Indian American identity/culture that was explored in Say you'll be mine, but as an Asian daughter, I could def see in between the lines of the expectations from Asian parents.

I was a little worried when I first start this book that this might not be it for me, but happily I can say this is a 4 star book for me.

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.