Review by Booklist Review
Seven years after waking up in Las Vegas with a ring on her finger and no real memory of getting married, Meena, a D.C. lawyer with political ambitions, makes a quick trip to Houston to force Nikhil, whom she has not seen in six years, to sign divorce papers. She needs them before an imminent meeting with her current partner and the group they hope will help their political ambitions. The year Meena and Nikhil spent together was blissful as he supported her unrelenting studying to pass the bar, but as soon as she passed, she abandoned him to follow her career aspirations. Now she arrives at the home they had shared just as a major hurricane hits, and she ends up trapped in the house with him. The attraction is still there, but he wants to stay in Houston, and she is determined to become a Maryland congresswoman. Kumar (Say You'll Be Mine, 2024) makes splendid use of the opposites-attract and lost-loves-reuniting themes in this engaging, suspenseful, and tasteful love story.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
For this tender contemporary, Kumar (Say You'll Be Mine) draws inspiration from the movie Sweet Home Alabama. Meena has not seen her estranged husband, Nikhil, in over six years, and he has not responded to her emails or calls asking for a divorce. So she flies from D.C. to Houston to confront him in person and get him to sign the divorce papers, intending to return home the same day. After all, she has her lobbyist job and a promising political and personal partnership with her new boyfriend, Shake, waiting for her. But when a hurricane hits, she's stranded in Houston and must weather the storm in the house she once shared with Nikhil. As they spend several days in close quarters, they clear up some of their mutual misunderstandings and old chemistry reignites, leading to a memorable night together. Now Meena faces some tough choices regarding her political ambitions, the future of her relationship with Shake, and the possibility of happiness with Nikhil. Kumar's characters are authentic and believable and their shared culture as Desi Americans enhances the stormy love story. Romance fans will be riveted. Agent: Johanna Castillo, Writers House. (Jan.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
After a drunken night in Vegas, Meena wakes up married to her boyfriend Nikhil. The marriage lasts a year before imploding, with Meena leaving their Houston, TX, home for Washington, DC, to pursue her law career. With her professional life flourishing, she sets her sights on a joint run for office with her current boyfriend, but first she needs Nikhil to finally sign their divorce papers. Determined to get his signature, she flies to Houston and arrives on his doorstep, only to discover that a hurricane is on its way, and it's too late to evacuate. She'll have to ride out the storm with her soon-to-be ex-husband. As the storm rages, they are forced to remain in close proximity and work together to rescue a neighbor from his flooded home. In the aftermath, they begin to open up about how they felt years ago and what might have driven them apart. They are clearly drawn to each other, but their previous hurts and current ambitions may still pull them in opposite directions. VERDICT In this reimagining of Sweet Home Alabama, Kumar (Say You'll Be Mine) writes an emotion-filled, second-chance romance, perfect for fans of Kennedy Ryan.--Melissa DeWild
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