The Naughty List

Senn Annis turns *The Naughty List* into an audiobook experience that’s equal parts addictive and infuriating. On one hand, her performance elevates the story’s smoldering tension; her voice drips with a mix of restraint and wildfire desire, especially during the novel’s most charged moments. The way she paces the protagonist’s internal conflict—flipping between icy professionalism and unraveling lust—feels organic, not performative. But here’s the rub: Annis occasionally over-enunciates in quieter, character-driven scenes, which jars during moments that should feel intimate rather than theatrical. The story itself is a guilty pleasure with teeth. Cole’s world-building is tight, grounding the absurdity in a believable corporate setting where power dynamics feel as real as the sparks flying between the leads. The three love interests are distinct enough to avoid the “triple threat” trope feeling like a gimmick, and the heroine’s moral gymnastics—oscillating between empowering herself and falling into their orbits—adds weight to the escapism. That said, the resolution leans a little too hard into corporate fantasy, glossing over the practical fallout of her choices. Still, if you’re here for the kind of office romance where HR would have a meltdown, this delivers in spades.