Designed for Disaster

About This Audiobook

Leslie North’s *Designed for Disaster* isn’t just another enemies-to-lovers romp—it’s a razor-sharp romantic comedy where the coffee burns hotter than the chemistry. The premise is deliciously petty: a disgraced barista, still smarting from a viral takedown by a smug influencer (dubbed ‘Coffeezilla’), gets roped into a high-stakes bargain with the very man who ruined her. What follows is a masterclass in snark, simmering tension, and the kind of workplace rivalry that’ll have you cackling into your cold brew. The dual narration by Chloe Ryan and Sebastian Grove elevates the sniping—Ryan’s dry, exasperated delivery clashes perfectly with Grove’s smug, velvet-toned arrogance, making their verbal sparring feel like a contact sport.

What sets this apart from the rom-com pack is its refusal to sand down the edges. The heroine isn’t here to be *fixed*—she’s here to win, and the audiobook leans hard into her prickly resilience. The supporting cast (including a scene-stealing best friend and a villainously chic ex) adds texture, but the real star is the narration’s pacing: Grove’s performance walks the line between charming and insufferable so well, you’ll oscillate between wanting to kiss him and throw a latte in his face. For fans of slow-burn antagonism with a side of career redemption, this is your next obsession—just don’t listen while operating heavy machinery. The banter might distract you."

"review": "Okay, let’s talk about *Designed for Disaster*—because this audiobook is a vibe, but it’s not without its quirks. First, the good: Chloe Ryan and Sebastian Grove are *electric* together. Ryan’s narration sells the heroine’s exhaustion and wit with a grounded realism that makes her relatable, while Grove’s ‘Coffeezilla’ is the perfect blend of smug and vulnerable—like if Christian Bale’s Batman ran a pretentious coffee empire. Their back-and-forth in the early chapters had me rewinding just to savor the burn, and the production quality is crisp, with no awkward pauses or volume jumps.

That said, the middle act drags a *little*. The workplace sabotage plotline, while fun, occasionally feels like it’s spinning its wheels—there’s only so many times you can listen to someone micromanage a pour-over before you start side-eyeing your own coffee maker. And while the steamy scenes are well-narrated (Grove’s voice? *Chef’s kiss*), the transition from enemies to lovers could’ve used a beat or two more emotional whiplash to match the first half’s energy. Still, the payoff is worth it: the grovel is satisfying, the side characters add depth, and the epilogue? Pure serotonin. If you love rom-coms where the tension is as layered as a triple-shot espresso, this is your jam—just be prepared to roll your eyes (affectionately) at the hero’s ego a few times."

"tags": [
"enemies-to-lovers audiobook with bite