Flirting With Disaster

Flirting With Disaster by Naina Kumar | 320 pages | 2025

It's been years since Meena has seen her husband, Nikhil . . . years since they first laid eyes on each other back home in Texas, years since they eloped in Las Vegas and she felt true happiness. A high-powered lawyer on Capitol Hill, ready to move on (or at least, she thinks so) with another successful lawyer, Shake, Meena has returned home. This time, finally, to obtain a divorce.
But there's one thing Meena couldn't have accounted for: a hurricane forming in the Gulf, veering right toward them, giving them no choice but to hunker down in the home they had built together. Suddenly, she finds herself trapped amid gale-force winds and pelting rain with the man she once loved.
As they spend more time together, Meena begins to remember everything that drew her to Nikhil: His small-town charm, his thoughtful nature. . . his absurdly good looks. But things make sense with Shake. He’s steady and ambitious and wants exactly what she wants. She’ll stick to her plan, come hell or high water. But will her windswept heart make the right choice, when the storm settles and the eye passes over?

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)

I've never actually watched Sweet Home Alabama and only know the basic premise, so maybe that works to my advantage since I had no preconceived notions about the story. That said, I really enjoyed this! It was an interesting (and timely) look into what it can be like weathering a hurricane, there were some funny parts without detracting from the seriousness of the situation, and I love a good "stuck together" trope. Seeing Meena and Nikhil grow, both in the present and from their past selves, was really satisfying. I especially loved the evolution of Meena's relationship with her family and watching her realize how that relationship has affected her choices throughout her life. Part of me wishes that we had a chance to read Nikhil's point of view, but I at least appreciate that about halfway though he gets to share his perspective, in a manner of speaking. Overall this was a very sweet read.