Flirting with Disaster: True Travel Tales of Fear, Failure, and Faith

by Angie Orth

Join travel blogger Angie Orth on a journey of self-discovery as she empowers readers to buck expectations, take leaps of faith, and trust that God’s plan is better than anything we think we want for our lives. 
 
Angie Orth should have at least 2.5 kids by now—everyone else back home did. Despite a successful PR career in New York, Angie was failing at the role she was born to submissive wife and grandchild incubator. Without a photogenic family and Instagrammable spirituality, folks were starting to wonder if Jesus even liked her. 
 
With her 30th birthday looming, she was at a crossroads. Should she hightail it home to find a man like a good girl or run the rat race in NYC and hope for the best?
 
Orth chose Plan escape! She quit her job, launched a travel blog, and booked a one-way ticket to the South Pacific while her Southern family gnashed their teeth in protest. But the timing couldn’t have been worse for a solo trip. She dodged tsunamis and earthquakes, revolutions, grabby men, and incessant DMs from her worrywart relatives in a journey spanning five continents. In the midst of global misadventures, Orth’s hilarious, vulnerable journey of faith and wanderlust shows that God is so much more creative than society’s expectations for women.

Buckle up for this sassy, relatable memoir about living life unscripted, yet still on mission. By the time readers turn the last page of  Flirting with Disaster , they’ll feel empowered knowing God's plan is better than anything we think we want–or are supposed to want–for our lives. And they’ll be ready to take on the world in their own way.

Genres: Travel, Biography

320 pages, Hardcover

Published March 12, 2024

Reviews

[Cathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed following Angie on her year of travel blogging. Following her over all the continents was rather thrilling as you go through several heartbreaks with her and narrowly escape natural disasters. I enjoyed her faith content, but I thought her views on yoga were questionable. How can you experience evil spirits that personally and not realize to stay away? I digress. As an 80s girl, I personally liked the reference to They Might be Giants because my mind automatically goes there when Istanbul is mentioned. I have never heard of Angie before this book was released, but I like Christian non-fiction and memoirs.

Content: 1 cuss word

[Andrea Pole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flirting with Disaster by Angie Orth takes us along on a journey of discovery with the woman behind the popular travel blog, Angie Away. Having been a follower for years, I was anxious to peek behind the curtain of what is presumably a carefully curated social media account, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the woman at the helm is every bit as transparent and relatable as one would hope.

Angie took a leap of faith as her thirtieth birthday loomed large on the horizon. Resisting a more traditional path of marriage and children, she set out to see the world as a woman on her own at a time when it was less the done thing. She relies on her faith in God to put her on the right path, staying true to her own self and divine beliefs, and takes us along for the often bumpy ride. If you love to read about travel exploits and discoveries, this personal account will certainly float your boat. 3.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Worthy Publishing for an ARC.

[Nicole Gade · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful new voice! Angie Orth's travel memoir reads like a book of adventure stories. I felt like I was exploring along with my new bestie. I loved that it wasn't presented as a picture-perfect, shiny, happy vacation, but a grand adventure filled with ups and downs, both emotional and situational. Angie's faith is inspiring and refreshing and is woven into her everyday life. I will keep reading Angie Orth!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great travel memoir. Laugh out loud funny! I felt like I was right there with her with her descriptions and background information.. I respected her vulnerability with her personal life and how it was brilliantly weaved in with biblical references into the book..

[Megan Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angie is living my childhood dream and got me thinking maybe I should quit my job and travel the world. She makes it sound so fun!
I loved her writing style. It was informal, riddled with pop culture references, and (occasionally) grammatically questionable. But it was so engaging I couldn’t stop reading whenever I picked it up. She is an imperfect and unreliable narrator (if such a thing is possible in a memoir) but she hit on some real truths that I’ve seen lots of Jesus-loving girlies struggle with. I can’t wait to start raving about this book to my people!

[Brittany Cartwright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follow along with Angie Orth as she traipses around the world in search of her purpose in life.

This was a wildly entertaining read. Orth is a wonderful storyteller. She paints vivid pictures with her words; I felt as if I was right there with her on her journey. I appreciated how she focused on all the real aspects of traveling and how difficult it can be sometimes. Her faith in God is relatable and inspiring. I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Worthy Publishing for this ARC.

[Amy Bobryk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this read - I love a travel memoir and Angie’s lighthearted way of discussing deep topics she experienced in her 20s while seeing the world was super relatable. As a long time follower of her blog, I ordered this right away and was not disappointed. I took my time reading it, though also very much a page turner because I really enjoyed taking it chapter by chapter seeing new places on her journey.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful and witty! The reader gets to travel along with Angie not only from country to country but also from adventure to misadventure. A must for anyone with a yearning to see the world in their hearts!

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! It's real and honest and not an Instagram illusion of world travel. She definitely faced more challenges than anyone would imagine during her adventurous year. I absolutely love how glimpses of her faith are weaved into the story.

This realization at the end...
"The reality for the Christian is that our heart's ultimate desire is to be in our heavenly home. How can I ever expect to be satisfied here, on this side of eternity? If it feels like no place is home, that's not a curse. It's a calling. It's THE calling. Maybe I can't stop, won't stop wandering, because I'm supposed to seek Jesus like the wise men, tell folks about him like Paul, and keep moving toward the promised land. Like Moses. No one earthly destination will ever be enough."

Ahh,YES!!! Now you're explaining me to me!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really quick read! Couldn’t put it down! I could have done with less Christianity and faith content, but I’m probably not the right audience for that.
This book made me want to head out on my own travels to have something to write about!
Angie has a great way with words and descriptions. She’s funny, you feel you’re right there with her, experiencing everything along with her.
The parts I enjoyed most were about places I’ve been so I could totally relate. But also now I want to visit several of the places she wrote about that I haven’t been!
Hoping Angie writes a second book!

[Laura Higgs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun & transparent depiction of courageous travels of the world and navigation of self within a Christian lens. Bravo Angie for keeping it real, relatable and entertaining. I was especially touched by your both your commitment to your faith and honest about the struggles that sometimes brings. This read was an encouragement to travel and to keep the faith.

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book for those who love traveling & Jesus (also the single girlies)! Was funny & inspiring

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️ rounded up because she’s a believer and refers to scripture (and because I live in FL too). I hate to criticize because it takes a lot of guts to put yourself out there, especially as one who already swims against the grain. There is some humor but I find a lot of her actions objectionable especially if young girls read this travelogue looking for answers. I feel this is one of those cases where not everyone should write a book… instead I would refer you to biographies of those who pursued the Lord diligently and don’t use scripture as an excuse for making bad decisions (multiple times) and getting sloshed in every city while sprinkling in some church. But we’ve all been there. We’ve been confused and lost. Prayers she finds where God has called her in life and is able to write her testimony with clarity and conviction.

[Ryan George · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve not yet read Eat, Pray, Love or watched its subsequent movie adaptation; but I assume Angie Orth’s book was pitched to Christian publishers as the Southern Baptist version of it. So, it makes sense that it was printed by a Nashville imprint. In my travel to thirty-some countries and all seven continents, I’ve never looked for a romantic relationship or frequented establishments built around alcohol or dancing. So, I can’t relate to the kinds of experiences, mistakes, and regrets of this travel memoir. Orth’s oft-referenced virginity creates a unique tension for this kind of story telling, though it seems like her spiritual journey could’ve used more introspection, more processing, and more nuance. This book wasn’t written for me, but the different choices I’ve made in my travels to the same or similar destinations created intrigue in Orth’s tales.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won a hard cover edition of the book in a goodreads giveaway.

Flirting with disaster is about Angie Orth's trip to 5 continents in 2011. She works in New York in PR and decides to go traveling. On her trip some of the places she goes to are New Zealand, Australia, Laos, Kenya, Greece.

I thought the most interesting destinations she went to were Laos and Kenya. in Kenya she went to a slum and on I guess it would be called a safari trip.

Reading flirting with disaster made me feel sad. Maybe it was reading about the men she had relationships with. I did not feel sad the who time reading the book as I did laugh a few times.

Reading Flirting with disaster is probably not as exciting as traveling to the 5 continents myself but, I thought it was a decent read.

[Jessica Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever thought about just quitting your job, pulling your life savings, and just leaving it all behind to travel the world? As great as that sounds, I would bet most of us would never follow through with it. Fortunately, we can live vicariously through Angie Orth as she did just that. Angie begins the book by explaining what was going on in her life at the time and what ultimately led to her decision to take off a year and travel. The stories are great and sometimes hilarious as she finds herself in unique situations that test the limits of her comfort zone. All the while promoting a positive message.

[Britteny Wykoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a working, first time mom, I need an easy read that keeps my attention. This book is just that!
Like many have said in the reviews, Angie writes in a way that feels like you are chatting with an old friend you haven’t seen in a while. My aunt says the audiobook, read by Angie, is even better! The content of the book is so relatable and yet so shocking and unexpected all at the same time. I laughed, I cringed a few times (#Voldemort), and I smiled a lot.
What a great book! I recommend anyone looking for a light-hearted, easy, yet entertaining read!

[B.A. Sise · Rating 5 out of 5]

26 Sept 2023

Angie Orth has been, for a generation, redefining what it means to be a traveler, a tourist, and a person in a changing profession and passion that seems to shift direction daily. Growing sage as she ages, here Orth does something only she can: simultaneously makes our little planet a whole lot larger, and our great big world no bigger than an intimate conversation.

[Michele Kites · Rating 5 out of 5]

More than a travel book -- so much more. Thank you Angie for blessing my soul.