Thank you for the eARC! This book is Nisha J. Tuli's first contemporary romance. It focuses on Trishara and Rafe who work together at an engineering firm. Trishara has been focused on advancing her career while dealing with struggles of being a woman in STEM. Meanwhile, Rafe seems to get everything handed to him. Due to this Trishara and Rafe end up becoming work place rivals/enemies over the years. This year they are both selected to participate in a company retreat in Hawaii. While there, they are forced to spend time together and get to know one another beyond the surface level-which makes it hard to deny that beneath it all the tension looks a lot more like attraction and a lot less like resentment.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this book! It was a great contemporary romance debut. Trishara was a strong and relatable FMC. She had insecurities, anxieties, and past situations (ex: bad relationship experience) that I think all women can understand. Also while depressing, the issues she faced in the workplace were REAL and probably something we have all experienced in some way. Seeing Trishara's growth and confidence improve throughout the book was great. When it comes to Rafe, I really enjoyed the tension and banter-especially when they were at odds or "fighting" it made it all that better when it finally broke. I loved the flirting and of course there was great spice. Also the way Rafe was supportive and not afraid to apologize or take extra effort was refreshing.

Overall Nisha did a wonderful job and I'm excited/hopeful for more contemporary work from her in the future!

Not Safe for Work is Nisha J. Tuli’s debut contemporary romance, and I was so thrilled to get my hands on this ARC after falling in love with her Artefacts of Ouranos series!

Tris and Rafe are workplace rivals at an engineering firm. When they’re both chosen for an exclusive work retreat, the forced proximity turns up the heat—cue mischief, banter, and so. much. tension. 🔥

This rom-com book is equal parts fun and heartfelt, with lovable characters and a thoughtful look at the challenges women face in male-dominated fields. Highly recommend! 💕📖

A great contemporary romance debut from Nisha J. Tuli!

I love Nisha’s fantasy book so when I hear about this book I was beyond excited.

I really enjoyed seeing all aspects Trish’s story unfold. We get to see her heal from her toxic past relationship, fight against unfair treatment in her workplace, and fall in love with a kind hearted man. One thing about Nisha is she’s going to write a strong FMC that does not back down! With that being said this definitely felt more like Trish’s story rather than her and Rafe’s love story, but honestly, I’m that that upset about it. I will always appreciate a resilient, bada** FMC and Nisha J. Tuli will always provide that!

The ending of this book had me CHEERING from my bed. I couldn’t be happier with the results of this book and wouldn’t complain if we got to see a sprinkle of Trishana and Rafe in a future contemporary romance from Nisha. Just a little cameo PLEASE!

Arc review

Not Safe for Work
By Nisha J Tuli

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I don’t read contemporary romance very often. And today I’m wondering why the heck not! I adored this story. I loved pretty much everything about it. It was so swoony and spicy and just so fun and real. I am head over heels for Tris and Rafe. The romance , their chemistry, their banter, everything was just so fun to read! I also loved that little Easter egg in Chapter 3! Tuli out does herself with every new book she writes and is hands down one of my favorite authors to read! I am so grateful to be able to read her stories and to read them as ARCs. I can’t wait to see what she does next!

NISHA!!! I found her through her fantasy books and stayed for this masterpiece! I got the ARC from Netgalley and read it in just over a day. This was such an angsty slow burn! Tris and Rafe were so flirty and fun! I loved the way Tris handled every hurdle thrown her way.

This was my first book by Nisha J. Tuli, and I loved it! Not Safe for Work is a workplace, enemies-to-lovers romance. Trishara and Rafe are engineers in the same firm who have worked together for years, but never gotten along. They both end up on a company retreat in Hawaii and somehow find themselves forced to room together, too. As they spend more time together, they get to know each other more and realize that being friends is better than fighting with each other all the time. They share their experiences and really become close. Trishara and Rafe have great banter and chemistry. Their attraction, even while fighting, jumps off the page. Their time together leads each individually to resolve some important issues in their lives, and clarify their goals for the future. I loved how these characters supported each other to move forward in their careers and with their personal goals.
I got really caught up in this book, and finished it in a few days. Nisha J. Tuli creates authentic, relatable characters, and built the romance between the two main characters slowly and organically. The reader can really see all the ways that these characters are drawn to each other. Tuli's description of Trishara's challenges in the workplace as a woman of color were hilariously accurate. The side characters, particularly Trishara's friend Molly, were really funny, and added depth to the story. Tuli wraps up the story neatly by the end of the book, and gives the reader a fun glimpse of the future in the epilogue.
Not Safe for Work is a great workplace romance with a diverse set of characters. The main characters' forced proximity at a company retreat has many ups and downs but is a life-changing experience for both as the book concludes. I recommend this book. It will be a great summer beach read this year.
Thank you Forever and Grand Central Publishing for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book ATE AND LEFT NO CRUMBS!!! My first book by Nisha J. Tuli and her writing is fantastic 😩 The setting was amazing and the writing was so easy to get into. So excited for everyone else to read this book because the tension between the two MCs? INSANE!!!

Oh my GOD this book was so good!!! The tension between Tris and Rafe was delicious and the one bed trope was FLAWLESS! I could not have loved their development more. They read as such real, flawed humans to me that I could see them standing right in front of me today.

In so many ways this book is just a dreamy love story. The vacation vibes and enemies to lovers paired with forced proximity and only one bed??? Chef’s kiss. It’s set in Hawaii and like Hawaii, this story will keep you warm year round.

I would be remiss to not mention how powerful the story’s focus on the treatment of women and especially BIPOC women in the workplace experience. Tris experiences a bias in her field of engineering that has been common for so many women for so long. I appreciated the honest representation of it here and am right there along with Tris in hoping and working for genuine, positive change.

Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book! I received a free advance copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I absolutely devoured this book! It was an easy read and a very welcome break from my usual fantasy books. The tension was incredible and the banter made me so giddy - I loved following these characters and their romance from work rivals to lovers.

Some of the themes hit so hard for me - particularly about being a woman in a male-dominated field, living with crippling migraines, learning to love again after a traumatic relationship, and reigniting the spark in your career when it’s lost its light. I have so many lines highlighted; the way Nisha nailed my own feelings and put them into words! I don’t know if a book has ever made me feel so seen.

My only issue was I wished the origins of their rivalry was made a little more clear. I understood the gist of it overall, but would’ve liked it have been more fleshed out on page. That being said, it wasn’t enough to bother me much and I will still come back to this book for a re-read.

PS - I would LOVE to see Tris’s Running For Your Life playlist!

Thank you to Nisha J Tuli and Forever Publishing for this eARC!

I absolutely DEVOURED this book. Like in 2 sittings, in less than 24 hours. I’m new to Nisha’s books, which is surprising because I love fantasy romance. However, I will be rectifying that immediately and reading Trial of the Sun Queen ASAP.

I identified with Tris as a woman who has struggled with migraines for years, and it’s just something that I have to live with. I also empathized with her career in STEM, as a woman in a male dominated field. Tris is hilarious, passionate, and has such a huge heart. I love her.

Rafe surprised me. As you get to see more of his personality and hobbies, it’s hard not to fall in love with him. I appreciated how he’s not only a possessive love interest, but truly cares about Tris and wants to make her feel safe and supported.

Petition to commission art of Tris and Rafe in the ballroom during the storm. Because for me, that was the pivotal moment in their story where I felt like they truly took time to notice each other for someone other than who they assumed they knew.

Not Safe for Work releases May 20, 2025. I hope you’ll pick it up!

Side note: As someone who lived in Hawaii for an extended period of time, I loved the little nods to the islands and culture. It made my heart happy 🥹

Read if you like:
Workplace romance
Rivals to lovers
Women in STEM
Banter
Tension/ Slow Burn
FMC Migraine/ Chronic Headache
Possessive MMC
Only One Bed
Forced Proximity

Books with Similar Vibes:
The Hating Game
The Spanish Love Deception

Thank you Netgalley and Forever for gifting me with an eARC, all thoughts expressed are my own.

The fastest way to this book lover’s heart is through comedy and Nisha J. Tuli definitely delivers in this hilarious yet adorable rom-com, Not Safe For Work.

Tris is a biracial woman in STEM just trying to make it in a man’s industry. Rafe is her CEO’s son as well as workplace rival. Trish is determined to make a name for herself while attending a company retreat in Hawaii but as soon as she arrives she discovers that due to a booking error she is now going to be forced to share a honeymoon suite with the man she claims to hate most. What could possibly go wrong?

The tension and banter between the two was absolutely delicious. I devoured this book in one sitting.

If you are someone who loves a good slow burn, enemies to lovers, one bed, laughing out loud while simultaneously swooning then I highly recommend adding this to your summer TBR. Not Safe For Work would make for a fabulous beach read as well.

This was not only a fun and sexy romcom, it was important. Completely aside from the romance aspect, Nisha presents a female POC in a white male dominated world who will not allow the status quo or boy’s club to dictate anything about her value, worth, or accomplishments. Tris is absolutely someone I’d want to be friends with.

Nisha is also a legend for implying that the romantasy series Tris is reading that she loves so much is The Artefacts of Ouranos, which, if Tris’s descriptions interest you, you should absolutely give a try. A bunch of Tris and Rafe’s character traits actually remind me of the MCs in Artefacts, which is super interesting to see how they play out in a different genre.

Super cathartic read for anyone looking for unapologetically vocal feminine rage put to use towards the right ends.

🌺 Workplace retreat (Hawaii)
🌺 Rivals to lovers
🌺 Women in STEM
🌺 Hidden depths MMC
🌺 Chronic condition rep (headaches/migraines)
🌺 Dessert porn (and maybe some of the other kind too)

Nisha’s debut contemporary romance is a hit! I read Not Safe for Work super quickly. It was fun and cute and sexy. Super entertaining and easy read.

Thank you so much to the publishers for this ARC opportunity!! I always love getting to read Nisha’s work.

I ate this story up with a spoon. I need it immediately optioned for a movie so I can have it playing on repeat. I have obnoxiously recommended it to everyone I've met and I do not anticipate myself stopping anytime soon. This is a fun, fast work place rivals to lovers like The Hating Game on a work retreat.

Thank you so much to Nisha J Tuli and Forever Publishing for this immensely cute and spicy break from my current fantasy reads. I received this title as an ARC but I attest that my opinions are left honestly and voluntarily.

I am obsessed with Nisha's Artefacts of Ouranos series and was shocked to receive this ARC after I got the ARC for Tale of the Heart Queen! Not Safe for Work was a fun easy romance read comparatively. I actually read it on my way to Hawaii which was so fun! I loved Rafe and Tris! It was sweet to see Tris vulnerability and how Rafe was always aware of her needs. I would recommend this to anyone who's looking for a fun, easy beach read!

“I want someone who makes me feel a little like I’m…burning in the best kind of way.”

A fun romp on a tropical island…what more could you ask for?

What I liked:

Such a fun rivals to lovers. The banter between Trishara and Rafe was so good.

We love a woman in STEM novel. I know absolutely nothing about engineering, but I enjoyed reading a little about Trishara’s job.

Very steamy. Rafe is *chef’s kiss* and the chemistry was there.

What didn’t work for me:

There were a few little things that I didn’t love, but nothing too wild.

SOOO SOO GOOD! I loved the tension and slow burn. I kept yelling at them to kiss already after every jab and smirk. I flew through this so quickly because the banter was off the charts and the heat was hot! This is a top tier rivals to friends(ish) to lovers story. This is my first Nisha J. Tuli book but definitely not my last! I am so excited to read more of her books. Also interconnected series?? Give Molly a HEA too!

eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I have read by Nisha and I enjoyed it! It is the perfect quick beach romcom. It dealt with serious matters in regards to diversity and racism in the workplace well. The romance was cute and fluffy, I loved all the tropes, especially the “one-bed trope”. Overall I would recommend!

I received an ARC of Not Safe for Work on NetGalley. I’ve read many of Nisha’s work in the fantasy realm so I wanted to dive into this one too! I enjoyed it. It was steamy- only one bed! The toxic work environment was heavily detailed in this book and clearly was stemmed from some real world experience (unfortunately). Overall an interesting, great read!

✅ Trishara (Tris) Malik & Rafe Gallagher, both engineers at a family run business. Rafe is son and nephew to two of the six people who lead the firm (nepo baby)
✅ both sent to a three week leadership retreat in Hawaii
✅ enemies (one sided, from her) to lovers. She hates him for being a nepo baby but she’s also v attracted to him bc hotness - “looks just like Henry Cavill if he was ten years younger”
✅ this book is genuinely very funny.
✅ forced proximity
🌶️: such a delicious slow burn