4 stars ⭐️ First off, I love books that have women in STEM. I wish there were more books empowering women when I was growing up. Especially women of color!

This was a quick and easy read because I loved it!
- enemies to lovers
- forced proximity
- spicy ✨

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Rivals to lovers is one of my favorite tropes. Unfortunately this fell a bit flat for me. I appreciated the representation of the difficulties women and especially women of color face in workplace.

I am astounded that this was Nisha's first time publishing a contemporary rom com, and I need more! I was utterly captivated from the first page until the last. Obviously it will be no shock to hear that I devoured this book in less than 24 hours. I could not get enough of Tris and Rafe. Their banter, chemistry and growth both as individuals and as a couple was so beautiful and empowering to read. While they both had very different circumstances, their wish to be free from the shackles of expectations and complacency is something they had in common. They both had to learn that they were worth more than they were being given, and they were able to gain the strength to realize that through each other.

Tris was such a strong and inspirational character. As someone who is about to enter a male dominated field, law, I aim to be like her and gain insight from her journey into how to handle potential sexism that might (and probably will) occur. I will 100% be keeping those receipts! Tris truly was an emblem of female empowerment and how not to just roll over and take it (both literally and figuratively). I loved that not only was she female, but also a woman of color and with migraines. Such a strong character with so many hurdles to jump through that she made look easy with her confidence and IDGAF attitude. I love her and want her to give me life advice.

Rafe is the male we all need in our life. Not only was he compared to Henry Cavill (swoon), but he also bakes and was an ex-college hockey player. Nisha definitely knew what she was doing when she threw in that hockey detail because it just made me love him more. I officially nominate Rafe for the Great British Baking Show even though he is American. I need to see him under the tent getting a Hollywood Handshake. He is such a great partner for Tris. He is there for her and supportive. He never once disparages her or looks down on her because of her gender or ethnicity. Hannah on the other hand I wanted to strangle. I need a Rafe in my life or for him to at least bake me a cake. I did not see baker coming and could not be more thrilled with that reveal.

Now onto the little things that I just loved. First of all, we all know what book Tris was reading and I cackled when she said the scene. Nadir would be proud. Second, as always Nisha gave us food porn. I swear I need to stop reading her books on an empty stomach because I always end up craving the food she describes. Third, this book had one of my favorite types of scenes which was a dress reveal that basically brings the man to his knees.

Tropes:
Rivals to Lovers
Strong FMC
They both fell at the same time but he fell harder
Only one bed
Forced Proximity
Woman in STEM
Miscommunication -- don't love this one but I understand why it needed to happen (Again, I hate Hannah)

As always, my love for Nisha remains true. This book blew me away and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next in the contemporary genre.

Thank you to the publisher and author for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Dana at Forever Publishing for sending me this ARC.

Prior to this I had only read Nisha’s fantasy novels and so I was really interested when I learned that she was writing a contemporary romance. This book completely surpassed my expectations and she did not disappoint with this genre shift. It was filled with witty banter, tension-filled romance, spice and dealt with racism and sexism.

The rivals to lovers romance between Trishara and Rafe was delicious. I loved the yearning between them. I’m truly obsessed with a MMC that is overprotective and possessive, so of course I fell in love with Rafe. I really enjoyed how Nisha portrayed his character against the ‘khakis’ and that he was constantly in Tris’ corner.

I love that despite everything Tris has gone through and dealt with she is still a smart, badass FMC who refuses to comprise her integrity and takes no shit from anyone.

I think my favourite thing about this book was that yes you get the swoony, fluffy romcom vibes but there is also a very meaningful message within about sexism and racism in the workplace and in life in general. Nisha says at the very beginning that parts of the story are based on her real life experiences and you can see in the writing how completely accurate she nailed how women and women of colour are treated in white male dominated industries. Nisha did an incredible job balancing the romance between the characters and the stark realty of corporate America.

What I found really interesting as well was how she addressed the stereotypes placed on men in the corporate world. How there can be expectations and stigma’s placed on them as well and how hard it can be for them to go against the grain.

This was a fantastic read for me and this story is perfect for fans of The Hating Game. I found this to be much better as it incorporated heavy issues within the romance.

This book is for you if you enjoy:

•Workplace Romance
•Rivals to Lovers
•Women in STEM
•One Bed
•Forced Proximity

3.5 ⭐️ thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted arc! I love this author’s Artefacts of Ouranos series, so I was super excited to be given the opportunity to receive an arc of her first contemporary romance, even though it isn’t my typical genre. This book was light and fun, and it was the perfect palate cleanser after some more intense reads.
Tris was a wonderful FMC. She had so much personality and strength and I truly loved her so much. This book did an amazing job at talking about the obstacles women of color face in the workforce. I love that she took no shit and stayed true to herself. I also ended up loving Rafe too—their chemistry and banter was phenomenal.
I think where this book lost me a little is that I would’ve loved for the book to have started during their rivalry. We were told about their years at the office being rivals, but I think the love story would’ve been better getting to actually see those interactions. I think this also could’ve done with a little less emphasis on their physical attraction to one another.
Overall, this was a fun book if you’re looking for something lighthearted and simple. There’s no crazy plot twists or anything, so it’s definitely a low-anxiety read which is honestly just what I need sometimes.

I’m usually a big fan of Nisha Tuli and have enjoyed her Artifacts of Ouranos series but this one just didn’t do it for me. Based on the summary you’ll know that Tris and Rafe are work enemies but I found the “bantering” to be juvenile and the hate between the two of them forced and unrealistic. Some other reviews have mentioned that Tris flip flops between moods on a dime and this really stood out to me as well - mercurial and stubborn would be my best descriptors for her. If you’re okay with that in a character, she’ll work well for you! As the story goes, we find out more about her rough history with men and racial/sexist abuse at work so it makes sense that she would be guarded and mistrusting.

Things improve dramatically around the 60% mark when the slow burn finally burns and Tris stops being just so mean to Rafe all the time. I personally prefer books where the main characters are actively in each other’s corners earlier in the story but if you like angst and build up, you might like this.

Ultimately, things work out and I enjoy the way both Tris and Rafe get their individually fulfilling work happily ever afters in addition to their ✨love ✨ happily ever after.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read for free!

I could NOT put this book down from start to finish. This is one of my new favorite rom-coms! Author Nisha Tuli worked her magic and created one of the best tension filled rivals to lovers stories out there.

I adored both of the main characters. Tris was fierce and stood her ground through all the obstacles she faced being a woman of color in STEM surrounded by all the “khakis” of the world. I loved seeing her confidence grow throughout the story. Rafe, was a sexy MMC with a depth that comes out throughout the book. The tension between these two characters was 10 out of 10!

Read this if you love:
-workplace rivals
-tropical setting
-FORCED PROXIMITY
-one bed
-banter and swoon
-women’s empowerment
-fun side characters

I loved this book so much! I really hope this author continues to write more rom-coms. She nailed it!

4.5⭐️ rounded up!

Thank you so much to the author, Netgalley, and the publisher for providing this ARC. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Wow! Nisha absolutely killed it with this romcom. I can easily see it being a movie!

- tropical island setting
- coworker romance
- rivals to lovers
- sloooow burn 🔥
- south Asian fmc
- women/poc in stem
- one room/one bed

I ate up the tropes in this book. I’m a sucker for a good island romance! The tension was killing me throughout the book - it’s a slow burn, and super satisfying at that.

Rafe really captured my heart. I felt giddy and smiled at so many things he said! I love that he seemed more serious at the beginning but then we got to see the really fun and flirty and *cough* dirty side of him! Their texts had me feeling giddy.

I’m glad the conflict in the book was resolved quickly and they communicated realistically!

My jaw actually dropped at some of the things people said in the book, but I totally believe those things have really been said.

Overall I really loved this book and I’d recommend it to anyone wanting a fun summery romance!

Wow. I was blown away by this book. Trishara aka Tris is an engineer stuck in a position with no upper movement because she is a woman, and more importantly a woman of color.

She had a bad experience at her previous job, and she brings the unhealed emotion and trauma from there to her current job. Because of this, she blows off any and all relationships with co-workers, even though she is attracted to her co-worker, Rafe.

Tris and Rafe end up on the island of Maui at a corporate retreat where they find themselves in the same hotel room and in the same work groups. Tris can’t seem to get rid of Rafe no matter how much she tries.

Rafe, however, has his own issues he’s also dealing with, an ex that refuses to believe that they are no longer in a relationship, and a secret hobby that he hasn’t told anyone about.

You can feel their attraction to each other as you read through the novel, and when they finally get together, it’s worth the journey.

Mahalo @NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

#trisharaandrafe #notsafeforwork #maui #coworkers #nishajtuli

ARC REVIEW - Release Date: May 20th, 2025

I have never met a Nisha J. Tuli book I didn't like. I am so used to her fantasy romances, but this contemporary romance took me by total surprise in the best way. This book was amazing. The banter, the rivals to lovers energy, the LONGING AND YEARNING, the attention brought to not only just women in the workplace, but women of color in the workplace. Everything was so beautiful in this book and you just wanted to read another 400 pages about them. It was the perfect setting, the perfect length, the perfect characters, everything.

Tris & Rafe have my whole heart. I cannot wait for everyone to be able to read this so I can YAPP!!!!

Disclaimer: Thank you to Hachette Book Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this Advanced Reader Copy. All opinions are my own.

Wow. Not Safe for Work was everything I wanted and more! As a huge fan of both the rivals-to-lovers trope and the only-one-bed trope, I was absolutely hooked from the first chapter. Nisha J. Tuli masterfully weaves together sharp banter, sizzling tension, and heartwarming moments into a story that had me grinning, swooning, and desperately turning pages to see what trouble Tris and Rafe would get into next.

And let me tell you—this slow burn? Chef’s kiss. Every moment between Tris and Rafe was layered with the kind of tension that makes you want to scream at the characters to just kiss already (but in the best possible way). Their dynamic was the perfect mix of frustration and undeniable chemistry, making every stolen glance and reluctant moment of closeness all the more rewarding. The payoff? Absolutely worth the wait.

Beyond the romance, this book was funny, sweet, and full of hope. Tris is a fantastic protagonist—strong, determined, and wonderfully relatable—and Rafe is the kind of grumpy, guarded love interest who surprises you with just how deep his emotions run. Their journey together felt so natural and satisfying, and I loved every second of it.

This was my first book by Nisha J. Tuli, but it definitely won’t be my last! I’m already making plans to dive into her backlist, because if Not Safe for Work is anything to go by, I have been seriously missing out. If you love workplace romance with razor-sharp wit, undeniable chemistry, and all the best tropes, do yourself a favor and pick this one up.

Unfortunately, when the love interest is an asshole for the first half of the story and the reader doesn’t get his POV to redeem him at all, I cannot route for the couple. So while the idea was great - good ole enemies to lovers at work - I couldn’t get on board with the execution and it overall fell quite flat

Nisha J. Tuli has decided to dive into the world of contemporary romance, and what a great decision it was!

Grab this book for the following:
***Workplace Romance
*** Forced Proximity - one room, one bed
*** Enemies to Lovers
*** Paradise location
*** Plenty of laugh out loud moments

“He’s Lucifer, wearing the disguise of a Ralph Lauren model.” So many funny moments in this book; I really enjoyed the slow burn of this one. They’ve hated each other for a long time….but not really! This was a quick and fun read, and I look forward to more books like this from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

What a fun, fast paced enemies to lovers rom com! This was the perfect time to read while I’ve been dreaming of the warm sun and sandy beaches. I’ll definitely be reading Tuli’s backlog of books now!

I really wanted to love this book but it honestly fell a bit flat for me. Was it a fun, quick read? Some good banter and angst with a good payoff? Yeah. It was. But the main characters were acting so childish a lot of the time and it was…. Not my favorite. I have loved most of Nisha J Tuli’s other books. Like a lot. So I will always recommend her as an author. But this one…. 🤷🏻‍♀️.

Review up on Goodreads

This was basically just The Hating Game in Hawaii with BIPOC representation. It was marketed as being women-in-STEM but there was very little mention of what Tris actually does. I really would have liked Rafe's POV.

I discovered Nisha from her fantasy books, particularly the Artefacts of Ouranos series. I’ve read almost all of her books now. I particularly appreciate how she addresses conflicts that arise when a biracial woman in STEM works in a male-dominated office environment. I LOVED the steamy and slow-burn romance in all of her books and this one didn’t disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am excited if she continues writing in this genre. At this point everything that Nisha writes I will read it! I know I’ll enjoy all of her books if she does.

Thank you, NetGalley and Forever, for providing me with this ARC.

I really enjoyed this book! Couldn't put it down! Banter is goals!

I adore workplace romance. As a woman in male industry it's so understandable for me, i really feel it! Trishara is fantastic!
Rafe is a good example of rivals to lovers MC, hit all the ticks! Great plot with this corporate Hawaii escape!

Slow burn was just delicious!

Tropes to be expected:
- slow burn
- workplace
- one bed
- rivals to lovers

Delightful reading, definitely will recommend it in my bookstagram. Perfect book for some tropical escape.

Thoroughly enjoyed this fun workplace romcom which offered an escape from the stress of real life. Rafe is utterly swoon worthy with just a hint of alpha hole while Tris is a fierce woman who won’t back down from her values. Perfect story for readers who enjoy forced proximity and rivals to lovers.

I loved this soooo much! The rivalry, the tension, the slow build of sexual tension! Not to mention the fact that this man is so obviously gone over our FMC and she has absolutely no idea. (one of my fav tropes). And then we get that moment where the tension finally breaks??? Amazing. Of course we end with a HEA that is soooo soooo satisfying.

Tris really is That Girl. I love that though her personal and professional growth she takes no shit from anyone. As a corporate work girlie she gets to do and say all the things I wish I could scream at the top of my lungs some days. Its just as satisfying to live vicariously through her for this as it is the romance.

Also can we talk about the little nod to her fantasy works??? Love that Tris is reading Nisha's other books though out the story!

Cannot recommend this one enough.