This delightfully chaotic rom-com delivers everything fans of slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers stories crave—sharp banter, laugh-out-loud moments, and just enough emotional depth to keep things grounded.
Natasha's barista dreams crash and burn thanks to an online exposé (thanks, Coffeezilla), only to have her career unexpectedly rebooted by the very man who got her fired. Trent Saunders—rich, rude, and ridiculously good-looking—seems like your typical grumpy alpha male. But as their fake dating scheme unfolds, the story peels back his layers to reveal surprising warmth and vulnerability.
The setup is classic—forced proximity, mistaken identities, one bed (figuratively… for now). But what sets this book apart is its snappy writing and a protagonist with a spine of steel and a wicked sense of humor. Her inner monologue is a riot, and her chemistry with Trent crackles on every page.
Is it predictable? Sure. But it leans into the tropes with a wink and delivers a thoroughly satisfying blend of heart and hilarity.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a review.

I’m tired of men being mean to everyone except their old grandma. He’s gotta be able to talk to at least 5 other people to be a decent human. I don’t care how Me. Darcy coded he is.

Eeeek!! This book was honestly so so good! My first read from Leslie North, and the first in the triology, but I'm running out to buy the other 2 because omggg?!!? The fake dating trope is my absolute fav, and I felt like it was done really well in this book. The chemistry between Natasha and Trent? Just wow. Not overdone in the slightest and never once did any of their scenes feel cringy. I also really appreciated that the supporting characters in the book, namely Nana Dee and Stacy, added value to both the story and both Trent and Natasha.

Would recommend to all lovers of romance!

Thank you to both NetGalley and the publishers for an Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Yes yes yes! Please read this book, it gave all the feels, office setting vibes and gosh the chemistry was so much🥰🥰🥰

The story went pretty much as expected. It was a cute story.

Trent was a bit of an a**hole, but Natasha had her own issues. Both jumped to conclusions where they could have discussed it and not had a fight,

This was a brilliant book!
As soon as I saw it listed I was hoping I would be accepted! Thank you for the ARC copy of this I really appreciate it!

First, Coffeezilla torpedoes my career as a barista.
Then he dangles my dream job like a carrot on a stick.
So what do I do? Make a deal with the devil.

I learned the hard way: trust no one.
That’s why I’m stuck serving lattes in the first place.
Then Trent Saunders, aka Satan, waltzes in.

Mr Hot Shot is too busy barking into his phone to stop and read.
Is it my fault he missed the big DO NOT USE sign on the table?
Ok, maybe I shouldn’t have laughed when he spilled coffee all over himself.
But he deserved it.

And for that the Table Tyrant got me fired!
At least I got the last word. Or so I thought…

Because it turns out, this gorgeous grump is the answer to my professional prayers.
He wants me to design high-end furniture for his grandmother.
A sweet old woman who mistakes me for his girlfriend.

And does this genius bosshole correct her?
No! He asks me to play along!
Which means I’m stuck fake dating a man I loathe.

What’s even more annoying? He might not be a total villain.
He’s actually kind of sweet. Sometimes.
But I’m not about to fall for his whole “nice guy’ routine.

I mean, what kind of a woman would I be if I fell for a jerk?

Loved it.

3.75 stars
Out of the three, I think this one was definitely my favorite! Not only did we get Trent and Natasha, but Dominic got his second chance at love with Natasha’s bestie, Stacy, and I absolutely love her. To me, this book was easy to eat up, kept me hooked, and I got to see more of the other characters from the previous stand-alones. Trent and Natasha were SERVING with their enemies to lovers, faking dating, and their workplace romance was FIRE! The only thing I really didn’t like was the miscommunication the two shared and as much as I love that they got their HEA, I don’t believe that Natasha should have forgiven Trent that quickly, nor put a ring on it right after. That part seemed a little too unrealistic to me. But I was hooked and in love with every single character in this book, especially Nana Dee because come on, if she isn’t your favorite by the end of this then I’m sad.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the ARC and all opinions are my own!

You can always count on Leslie North to deliver a short and sexy punch with her spicy tales. This author has long been an auto buy for me and this was no different.

1/5 stars

DNF

I was sent this ARC but I never read it because it didn’t look like my kind of book. I decided I should at least try it. 10% in and I won’t be finishing it.

<b> Thank you NetGalley and Relay Publishing for this advanced readers copy of <i> Designed for Disaster </i> by Leslie North! Here's to my love for Hallmark-esque romances, and enemies to lovers </b>
<b><u> 3 ★★★'s </b></u>
<i> Designed for Disaster </i> by Leslie North is a fast-paced, steamy romance that hits many of the familiar beats you might expect from a contemporary romance. The story follows a strong-willed woman, a brooding, misunderstood hero, and a passionate love story that unfolds with a bit of tension and a lot of chemistry.<b> While this book delivers on the typical romance tropes-opposites attract, a sizzling attraction that can't be denied, and a big of emotion turmoil along the way- it does bring a few refreshing twists to the table that set it apart from others in the genre. </b>

One of the key features of this book is its central conflict. While many romance novels rely on the classic "miscommunication leads to drama" trope, <i> Designed for Disaster</i> leans more into the characters; personal growth and their efforts to overcome their own flaws, rather than relying solely on external obstacles. <b> I appreciated that the characters were given the opportunity to work through their issues in a more grounded and realistic way, adding an element of maturity to the story. </b>

However, as much as I enjoyed the premise and the chemistry between the leads, there were a few things that held the book back for me. the writing style was, unfortunately, a bit of a distraction at times. The verbiage felt overly simplistic and at times awkward. While the story was engaging overall, the occasional stilted sentence or clunky phrasing made it difficult to stay fully immersed in the narrative. That being said, I don't want to dwell too much on the negatives. This book still has its strengths, and fans of romance will likely appreciate the familiar tropes mixed with a bit of fresh character development.<b> It's definitely a fun read if you're looking for a light, predictable romance with a few emotional layers and some steamy moments. However, if you're particularly sensitive to writing style and prefer a more polished narrative, it might feel a bit rough around the edges for you. </b>

This one is a classic enemies-to-lovers story with a well-executed fake dating trope, and it had me hooked from the start. The main characters, Natasha and Trent, have electric chemistry. Natasha’s fiery personality and resilience make her easy to root for, especially after she loses her barista job because of Trent’s entitled attitude. Trent, at first, seems like your typical grumpy billionaire, but as the story unfolds, we see layers of his character that make him more than just a cold businessman. His interactions with his grandmother add a heartfelt touch, making his character transformation even more satisfying. What I enjoyed most was the witty banter. North has a way of writing dialogue that feels sharp, flirty, and full of tension, which kept me engaged. The fake relationship setup—while a well-used trope—felt fresh in this book because of the dynamics between Natasha and Trent. Their slow-burn romance, filled with denial and stolen moments, made the inevitable realization of their true feelings all the more rewarding.

I enjoyed this book while reading- is was quick and easy. However the two main characters fell a bit flat for me and thinking back I don’t remember too much of the story.
Although, this book fell flat for me this time, I can 100% see other people absolutely loving it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the box set that included this ARC.

Natasha is working really hard to keep herself afloat. Bustling with multiple part-time jobs and her side hustle of designing custom furniture, she definitely doesn't have time to squabble with some douche having a yelling match on his phone. But when Coffeezilla turns the table on himself and her, she finds herself with one less paycheck and an arch-nemesis. Trent just wants his parents to leave him alone. After all, they've been so good at that his whole life. He's got stuff to do and now some barista is giving him a hard time. Serves her right to get fired after treating him so badly. He just can't help but notice her though.

I thought this was cute. I definitely liked the first two books better. Trent was so unlikable for so much of the book. Even though he does have a sweet side and shows it often, he just wasn't my fave of the MMCs in this series. Natasha is okay. Again, she's not my favorite. She's spicy, but not as interesting a character as Piper and Cora. I love that Dom comes out of left field in this one and snags him a babe too. Good for him after what happened in Book 2.

💰🪚 Billionaire x Crafty girl
👯‍♀️ Best Friends dating Best Friends
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Drama

I really enjoyed this book! The FMC sticks to her guns and proves she has support herself without replying on the rich boyfriend and they work out a great relationship in the end. Hated that the MMC said those things but all good books have the typical 3rd act break up. I liked how it was resolved in the end. Good spice throughout as well. Only wish would be more drawn out tension between them.

I took the time to read the first two books before reading Designed for Disaster, as I prefer to read series in order. I hadn’t read anything from Leslie North before so that was a fun occasion to discover her work.

I would say that on its own, Designed for Disaster makes up for a quick and fun read. It’s a pretty simple and standard billionnaire romance, there is no surprise and I didn’t feel strongly about it but I did have a good time reading it. The writing is light and funny and the story goes on quickly.

The downside is that having just read book 1 and 2 beforehand, if felt very repetitive. There are too many plot points that are the same and used in similar fashion. All are weird circumstances where the MMC just needs to hire the FMC for some random reason. Designed for Disaster has fake dating - same as the first book had. Even down to tue FMC having a sex dream about the MMC or the third act break ups because the MMC is afraid are also repeated. Individually, they are all standard tropes, but at this point it just feels like a copy/paste of the outline of the book, and I just found it lacking originality.

Trent and Natalie don't get along as soon as they meet. But soon they are in a fake relationship.
It was good. Quick and easy to read. There is a small 3rd act breakup. Miscommunication trope again.

Omg 🤣😂😂😂 the book was a perfect stressbuster, entertaining and full of love life and joy!!!
I love Nana Dee so much.....she is an absolute Sweetheart 😍
Natasha definitely knows how to not back down while trent definitely lives riling her up!
I enjoyed every chapter and part of the book!!! I was laughing throughout!
I LOVE COFEEZILLA AND HELLMAT 😂😂🤣🤣

Designed for Disaster is the final book of a trilogy, but I went into this blind as a standalone. It features a ton of tropes, including enemies to lovers, workplace romance, and fake dating. Quite fun, and usually right up my alley after consuming novels like The Hating Game and The Love Hypothesis.

I feel like this book started off strong with tons of fun banter, but by the end I’d turned my brain off from some predictable scenes and the headaches I got from Trent’s dialogue. I really wanted to like this, but the resolution’s execution fell flat for me. Certainly one of the spicier novels I’ve touched, but the lack of chemistry between the main leads plus a strange imbalance between the pacing and the content felt frustrating–the romance skewed way more towards instalust and lacked the push/pull I always crave in a romcom. Even so, I appreciated the lighthearted humor and entertaining moments.

Thank you NetGalley and Relay for the ARC!

Fun end to the Manhattan Bossholes trilogy. This title can also be read as a standalone if you haven't read book one and two but I bet after readying this title you'll want to go back and catch up.