3.5 star

This was a quick, entertaining read that kept me hooked from start to finish. The fast pacing worked well, and I never found myself bored with the story.

The side characters were a fun addition, but the real standout for me was the main male character. He’s the perfect blend of grumpy and soft, especially when it comes to his grandma. I also appreciated how he sets boundaries with people who don’t deserve a place in his life—it made him feel grounded and relatable.

The chemistry between the main characters was great, and the spicy scenes were just right—not overdone but enough to keep things interesting. I also loved how the FMC and MMC had such opposing views on family, which created a lot of tension and added depth to their personalities.

The only downside for me was the ending. It felt a bit too rushed, and I wish the resolution had been given more time to unfold. A slower build-up would have made the conclusion more satisfying.

Cute romcom about a freelance furniture designer and a corporate CEO of a major furniture chain who fake date their way into love. Overall concept and dialogue were fun and believable. The only major plot issue i had was with how the MMC brings the FMC into his work. I'm all for serendipity and a little silliness to bring a couple together but the general hiring/firing antics were to far fetched and took me out of the story. I haven't read the other books in this series but would definitely pick up the other ones!

I’ve really loved this series. Watching all of the Lost Boys find love. There’s certainly no lack of drama and emotion between Trent and Natasha. There’s time to shed a few tears and time to hate Trent for clearly getting the assignment of running with a misunderstanding.
I was wishing there was more from these guys but I’m thinking there’s not much more to tell for Dominic and Stacy. I guess I can be content with this ending.
5 stars!!!!

This story was sweet and entertaining. Yet a lot of the plot seemed repetitive which the characters themselves even acknowledge. I will still read the next book because I really love the characters.

This book was everything I wanted and more. Typically, I’m not the greatest fan of billionaire romances but this book blew me away. Natasha and Trent were a match made in heaven. Grump sunshine is one of my favorite tropes and they brought out the best in each other. Expect some steam, a good laugh, and a couple to swoon over for days.

A really fun, light-hearted read!

Likeable characters and an interesting storyline made this an enjoyable and easy-reading book, perfect for lovers of romance/romcoms. The motivations behind each character really added to the depth and pace of the storyline, lifting this book into my four star rating!

A fun enemies to lovers fake dating romance. With plenty of humor and developed side characters, I was invested the whole time. I loved their chemistry and banter. A good read that will have you laughing....plus the perfect amount of spice.

The pace of events in this book is extremely fast, and that was something I didn't enjoy. I've read a couple books by this author in the past and I haven't given them five stars, I think they are pretty entertaining though. Not the biggest fan of this one with the miscommunication trope being dominant. I'm used to second act breakups but this one took it way too far with it feeling too plot driven. I didn't love Trent after many such instances. The highlight for me was Natasha's banter with Trent's brother. This book isn't something I strongly recommend.

This was a fun book to read! The Coffeezilla and the Hellcat. They were great characters and I loved their banter and watching their romance grow.

The Hellcat - Natasha is a furniture designer working as a barista to support herself and her designs. She's fired after an altercation with Trent, the Coffeezilla. Trent happens to run a furniture company and inadvertently hires Natasha to build something special for his Nana Dee.

Their stories are so different - Natasha grew up surrounded by love and Trent grew up in a cold home, except for his grandparents and little brother. I liked their interaction and their romance and watching their stories grow together.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

Designed for Disaster is a captivating romance that grabs your attention from the very first page. Natasha, a budding furniture designer in NYC, is working multiple jobs while struggling to overcome the challenges of her past. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she receives a tempting offer from the person she’d least expect. As they navigate their new, complicated relationship, both must confront their personal traumas and decide whether they can move forward together or let their emotional baggage pull them apart. This story skillfully blends tension, growth, and romance, creating a heartfelt and entertaining journey with just the right amount of drama.

Designed for Disaster is a book that has every trope you could possibly want, and they work together perfectly. Enemies to lovers, fake dating, Billionaire boss and boyfriend. The Manhattan Bosshole series are fun romantic comedies that are for everyone that needs a little love and spice in their life.

Thank you Netgalley for an arc of Designed for Disaster by Leslie North

Did not know this was part of a series when I received it, but it can be read as a standalone. Although I will go back and read the other ones cause I was hooked on their stories right from this one. In this book, we have a few different tropes. Fake dating enemy to lovers. Natasha works at a coffee shop and gets fired because of a customer whose name is trent. Natasha designs furniture on the side and through happenstance meets up with Trent. At his grandmas, and in order to make grandma feel better, they began a fake dating relationship and natasha ends up working for trent, who owns a famous furniture company ( natasha designs furniture.) Will they fall in love like the famous founders of the furniture company? Or will it all blow up? I think you know what happens but it was a quick fun read. I read it in about a day and a 1/2. I enjoyed it definitely gonna go back and read the first 2. Hoping the next book is more about Natasha's neighbor. I really enjoyed the secondary cast of characters in this book

Thank you, nat galley for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC!

I liked this, I love a good haters to lovers/ forced proximity/ fake dating read. Natasha is fierce & kinda bratty I loved it. Trent is jaded but you can tell he cares so much for his people. An easy, quick read! I’m looking forward to reading others in the series.

4.5 ✨️✨️✨️✨️
🌶🌶.5

Trent and Natasha blew my heart and put it together.
I know it was the book #3 and even if it's the only book i read, it was totally worth it to try as a standalone even with spoilers from the other two. i wanna read.
For starters, the found family moments were so cute.
This book was almost perfect. The dislike to love, the miscommunication, and the try to fix it was done PERFECTLY. The couple was honestly a vibe altogether
Plus the end was magical also given the impact of the last two books.

The only thing i kinda didn't put up too much was the spice (not the spice per se cause it was swoony and very good but at what point was put in) that ruined some cute moments into lust for me but i get it and so it didn't impact much.

I definitely wanna read the two previews book now :)

Thanks for the Arc from #netgalley given in exchange for a honest review (thoughts totally mine)

Fake dating & enemies to lovers are my favorite tropes, so I assumed I’d enjoy this one. Boy, was I right! This one kept me chuckling from beginning to end. I’ve never read Leslie North’s books before, so I’m really glad I found her. I’ll definitely be digging into her catalogue. This one was part of a series, but I felt immersed in the story without reading previous books. I felt like I already knew the characters, which is a tribute to Ms. North’s writing.

4.5 ⭐️

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.