Rating: 3.5
Spice: 2.5

A fun and easy read - I read it in one day!

This book is the third in the Manhattan Bosshole series but my first book in the series.

The story follows Natasha, a barista and aspiring bespoke furniture designer, and the wealthy Trent, CEO of Saunders Furniture. Following a not so cute, meet-cute at the coffee shop where Natasha works - earning Natasha the nickname of Hellcat and Trent Coffeezilla - Natasha is fired. When Trent unknowingly commissions Natasha for a custom piece for his Nana Dee, the twos paths cross again. Unfortunately Nana Dee is suffering from congestive heart failure and to keep her happy (I won't go in to detail and spoil the story) Trent asks Natasha to be his fake girlfriend and given his business, it also presents Natasha with a great career opportunity. But the two can't deny the sparks they really feel.

I like a fiesty female character and an MMC who has more to him than meets the eye. In addition, Trent and Natasha have good banter and great chemistry. You can feel the sparks which I loved however I would have liked to feel more of the emotional connection.

My favourite part was absolutely the secondary characters- they have so much warmth and personality. And bring a lot of depth to the story.

This book has a lot of tropes but they work well for the story.
💘 Enemies to lovers
💵 Billionaire boyfriend
💑 Fake dating
💻 Work place (boss/employee) romance
🫂 Forced proximity
👨‍👦‍👦 Family drama
6️⃣ An unknown 'six degrees of separation'

... and it also includes my least favourite and the most frustrating trope (across all mediums), miscommunication which leads to unnecessary drama.

This was well written and I do like the way the chapters alternate between Trent and Natasha's perspectives. Whilst predicable it was a warm, fun and easy to read story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Relay Publishing for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

A Meet Mantrum Moment

From tantrum to together Trent and Natasha bring a fresh twist on the family furniture business while fake dating.

I love the continuation of the Lost Boys friend group. I was personally frustrated with the tension between the 70% to 85% points within the book, but overall happy with how things end.

Trent and Natasha are a great example of two different backgrounds. It was kind of refreshing seeing the MMC have the crappy parents. Overall I really enjoy this world as it expands.

I received a free copy of this book from Leslie North and Relay Publishing. I am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions are my own.

Designed for Disaster is the first book that I have read by Leslie North. I liked getting to know Trent and Natasha and the rest of the gang. Though their start is a rocky one followed up by a few bumps along the way, the chemistry between the two of them is off the charts. So if they will stop making assumptions about one another and communicate clearly with each other, then everything will be fine, but are they capable of doing that? Read Designed for Disaster to find out.
This was a good and fast read filled with interesting characters. It easily pulls you into Trent and Natasha’s world full of trust issues, family drama, and money problems and refuses to let you go till the end. What a great way to escape reality.

4.5 stars.
I totally enjoyed this book! It was well written and clever in the telling of its story. I enjoyed Trent and Natasha's enemies to lovers romance. I was pleasantly surprised by the back and forth of their banter and dialogue.
I would love to read more by this author!

Open door sex scenes and foul language, no violence.

Fun, easy read full of snark and entertainment! Typical enemies to lovers with some fake dating thrown in. I enjoyed their banter and the bits of spice. I can't wait to see the rest of the lost boys get their stories.

Un grumpy/sunshine muy muy divertido ideal para los libros con boss/employee. Es cierto que me ha faltado un poco de grumpy por parte de él pero ha sido un verdadero entretenimiento

⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is a fun, fast-paced enemies-to-lovers read with loads of witty banter. Natasha is an extremely talented furniture designer, which felt like a refreshing job choice, and she gets into it with Trent at her job in a coffeeshop. She gets fired (unjustly! in my opinion) and it turns out one of her pieces has been greatly admired by Trent's beloved grandma and they connect again, this time with a job offer at the family company. We've got fake-dating, forced proximity, and a grumpy/sunshine dynamic that makes this is a light, but entertaining read.

Read this if you're looking for:
- an empathetic, extremely competent heroine
- spicy times in the office
- a mmc who has an emotionally supportive group of friends

Special thanks to NetGalley and Relay Publishing for a complimentary ARC copy in exchange for this honest review.

3.5 ⭐⭐⭐.✨
I love me a good grumpy x sunshine workplace romance. This one was super fun, I was giggling and kicking my feets throughout. I literally dnfed 3 books before this one because I was just not feeling it but here the vibes were there, very easy to get into. It got me out of my reading slump.

Their meet cute was everything. Natasha is working multiple part time jobs to make her furniture making dreams come true and Trent is the CEO of the top furniture making company in the city. It sets of the tone of the book when Natasha is working in a cafe as her part time job and tries to warn Trent about not using the broken table but our grumpy Trent doesn't listen and ends up getting coffee all over himself and gets her fired. Her nickname for him is "Coffeezilla" and he calls her "Hellcat" HOW CUTE IS THAT!!

However the only part I didn't like were their love scenes, they felt forced and unnecessary. Also abit cringy, I skipped those parts mostly. And Natasha was very nosy getting into things which she knew nothing about which ended up causing conflicts between them.

If you are looking for a quick read, definitely give this one a go!

I picked this Arc copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you for allowing me to review!

This type of book is my “guilty pleasure” type of read. Just an easy, fun time!

I didn’t read any of the other books in the series, I felt this could be read as a standalone but I would be interested in reading the others after reading this one.

Designed for Disaster is an enemies to lovers and grumpy/sunshine romance between Natasha and Trent. Trent gets Natasha fired from her job and ends up hiring her to work for him. We get good banter, workplace setting, fake dating, good chemistry…

If you’re looking for your next workplace romance, look no further!

This was a fast-paced contemporary romance about a woman who does furniture commissions and a businessman who wants prices commissioned for his grandmother who’s health is going downhill. It has the grumpy/sunshine trope along with fake dating. I loved that there was an interesting family dynamic for both Trent and Natasha that added a lot of depth to the story.

It is part of a series of interconnected standalones. I read this book first and had no problems or spoilers for the other books other than knowing they must have had HEAs since they are referenced.

I will say this wasn’t as strong of a “grumpy” MMC as you normally see in the grumpy/sunshine trope. Trent was snarky, but obviously cared deeply for his grandma and friends. I also really like Trent because his grumpiness seems rooted in actual reason with his character motivations explained well. He pays attention to her and notices little things she doesn’t vocalize. It’s swoon-worthy. I also loved how quick witted, feisty, and snarky Natasha is. Again, her character motivations were well-rooted and rationalized by her background. They had really great chemistry, and it really felt like they genuinely built a good relationship together.

The pacing was great, and at no point did I feel bored. It didn't feel like there was much fluff at all which was highly appreciated. Side characters seemed realistic and added a lot to the story, especially Dee.

The cover is so cute! It has a similar look to other grumpy/sunshine millionaire boss books and it is exactly what you are looking for if you are trying to read that type of book.

I liked a lot of this book. The writing was good and it was very engaging, and the main couple, Trent and Natasha, had good chemistry. I particularly enjoyed the early parts of the book when they were at loggerheads – I think this author writes that sort of dynamic very well and that was quite entertaining. The pacing of the romance was a little off for me – it switched a bit too quickly from antagonism to romance.

However, I felt like the final conflict between them was very forced, and to be honest, both of the characters acted badly. He completely overreacted, but I also didn’t get why her character made the decisions she did. It felt like she was being very obtuse over it and it didn’t make a lot of sense to me.

But the book as a whole was quite a fun, easy read nonetheless, and I would recommend this to anyone looking for a hate-to-love, boss/employee romance. I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.

Warnings: Death of a parent, grief, congestive heart failure (side character), references to heart surgery, toxic relationship with parents. on-page sex, rough sex, oral sex, fingering, semi-public sex, infidelity / cheating (not between MCs, MMC’s parents (in past).

Natasha is a barista at a coffee shop, one of her three jobs as she designs and makes furniture. She has a run in with an obnoxious customer, Trent, who gets her fired. Trent is CEO of Saunders furniture and devoted to his grandmother Nana Dee. She needs heart surgery and Trent believes that if he can get a few pieces to match one already custom designed in her house, it will make her happy. Trent is shocked when the designer is Natasha. When he learns Natasha is interested in sustainable furniture, the newest trend, he decides to hire her. He also tells Nana Dee that Natasha is his girlfriend. I loved the friends Trent surrounds himself with when his parents disregard his worth. I loved the banter back and forth as Trent and Natasha developed feelings for each other. The story is about love and trust, which both Trent and Natasha have trouble doing.

What a cute read! I love both workplace romances with a sprinkle of enemies to lovers.

Things I enjoyed:
Trent and Natasha’s chemistry
The banter
Side Characters: Nana Dee

Things I didn’t love:
Natasha not understanding boundaries with Trent’s parents.
Immediate engagement after getting back together.

Thanks NetGalley for my Arc copy

This book had it all - an independent female character, a grumpy male character, toxicity from the past that skewed perspectives, love that blossomed, and found family. Once pieces began to fall into place and the characters began to let each other in, I couldn’t help but to devour this book. My heart wrenched for each character at different points in the story and I couldn’t help peeking ahead to see if things worked out.

2.75★

This book is third in Manhattan Bossholes series, which follows our third Lost Boy, Trent Saunders and Natasha Dryer. Leslie north has always the hilarious first interaction which end up making me crack every time. Same happened in this book too, their first "meet-cute?" of spilled coffee with a mix of "Why were the hot ones always mega assholes?" and "The gorgeous ones are always complete hellcats" first impression, resulting in her losing her job at coffee shop. Stuffs happens and they were forced to fake a relationship to make Trent's grandmother Nana Dee happy due her poor health, even they can't stand each other and eventually she got hired for their furniture company.

I loved their banters and back-forth. The key highlight of this book was other couples cameo, i adored Vincent-Piper, Aiden-Cora, Paul-Chloe moments. Their appearances brought a different connection to the story which i couldn't help but enjoy every single second of it.

It pains me to say i didn't vibe with this book as much as i expected, Trent and Natasha physical attraction was hot but i couldn't connect with them on personal level, blame it on with how rushed things were with their relationship. Their chemistry lacked depth and add miscommunication into the mix? It is a recipe for disaster, but not in a good way.

Wish i could get Dominic book, cuz single dad romance never disappoints.

Overall a cute, fun time read.

Tropes:
☞ Enemies to Lovers
☞ He’s a Billionaire
☞ Found Family
☞ Coffeezilla x Hellcat
☞ Chronic illness rep(family member)
☞ Fake Dating
☞ Insta Lust

Special thanks to NetGalley and Relay Publishing for complimentary ARC copy in exchange of honest review.
#NetGalley #DesignedForDisaster

Natasha is a struggling furniture designer. She is currently working multiple jobs to make ends meet. That is until a grumpy customer gets her fired from her job as a barista. Trent runs his family’s furniture empire. He has a lot of weight to carry. Imagine his surprise when he orders a piece of custom furniture for his grandmother only to discover that the barista he got fired is the artist! They fake a relationship to keep his grandmother happy but maybe it will turn into something more.

This is a cute story. Natasha had loving parents until they died in a house fire. She loves making bespoke furniture pieces but it just doesn’t pay the bills. I like that the author gave Natasha a solid backstory. Her ex-boyfriend is a jerk. Her best friend is a fun and flirty costume designer. She feels alone most days since losing her parents. Overall, Natasha is a good, modern heroine. Trent is the character in this story that has a major growth curve. From the outside Trent looks wildly successful. From the inside his life is painful and complex. Through most of the story he waits for someone to wrong him which makes him an unstable partner. He has to hurt Natasha in order to begin dealing with his horrible childhood. All of Trent’s friends make an appearance. Trent’s grandmother is a huge part of the story.

If you have been reading this series you might note that this in ANOTHER fake relationship story. Fear not! The characters address the issue directly. I guess the author realized that readers might question why one series would have two fake relationship stories.

This is a contemporary romance. Both of the main characters are adults with complicated backgrounds and busy careers. The author sets up the next story in the series in this book (if I’m wrong about that, I’ll be shocked). I will definitely read more from this author in the future.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️ 2 Spice

If grumpy-sunshine dynamics and fake dating are your thing, this book will have you swooning and laughing from start to finish.

From a hilariously chaotic meet-cute to moments of heartfelt vulnerability, this book had me hooked. Natasha is a tough, talented furniture designer with no time for nonsense, and Trent—grumpy CEO extraordinaire—secretly has a heart of gold. Watching these two clash, fake date, and fall for each other was the perfect mix of fun and feels.

✨ Why You NEED This:
• Grumpy-sunshine dynamic done right
• Banter that’ll have you cackling (hello, “mantrum”!)
• A heroine who holds her ground
• A romance full of heart and just the right dash of spice

i have to say i just didn't like this as much as the previous two books and i'm a bit disappointed by it. like i said in my last review, it feels like each story has the same plot with only a few little differences to fit the characters and such and i really felt it this time. it just gets to a point where it's not enjoyable to read about almost identical scenarios over and over again and i found myself dreading picking this up.

the characters in this story were also just really bland compared to the others in this trilogy. trent was a complete dick and his background and family life failed to make me feel sorry for him at all. the way he treated natasha was completely inexcusable and his apology to her was absurd. he literally just bought her over with money after she said she didn't want him to. natasha also just felt very bland, her backstory once again didn't make me feel a thing. it's meant to be sad but it just didn't bring those emotions out, i was completely stone-faced reading about her parents dying and all of her others traumas. overall they were probably my least favorite couple of the entire series.

i loved seeing the other characters make an appearance though. vincent and piper, aiden and cora, paul and chloe, they really all bring something to the story and it's so lovely seeing their family come together when one of them is really struggling. in addition to this, stacy and dominic's relationship was super sweet and i loved their moments together. dare i say i would have rather had a book about them rather than trent and natasha...

overall it was just a pretty bland conclusion and lacked anything and everything that could possibly make it unique. however, it did have it's sweet moments that make up for the other not-so-great parts.

Thank you Netgalley and Relay Publishing for letting me read Designed for Disaster! This was such a fun book, perfect vacation read, great banter between characters. Didn’t realize it was 3rd in a series, so I guess I’ll just have to go read Leslie North’s other fun books! Weekend plans decided.

This book was such a great read! The characters were well-written, and the story kept me hooked. There were a few slow parts, but overall, it was really enjoyable. The romance was sweet, and I loved the character growth.