I adored this, devoured it, was giggling and kicking my feet the whole time. The vibes were perfect and this would be perfect to read on a beach with a drink and a snack. I could not get enough of Tris and Rafe. Seeing a smart woman take what she wants and overcome both racial and sexist stereotypes in the corporate world was amazing. I cannot recommend this book enough.
Tris is a badass woman vying for a promotion at work and instead, it goes to Rafe, her sworn rival and the boss’s son. On a work trip that Tris, to her surprise, gets selected for, she must break barriers and revamp her fire for her career while also dealing with a rooming mishap that ends with her and Rafe sharing a Honeymoon suite. Is there more than meets the eye to Rafe, or is he exactly what she thought he was? Find out what happens in Not Safe for Work by Nisha J Tuli!

I have a love/hate relationship with this book. For the most part it was so good, but there where some parts that felt so rushed...the ending being one of them. The tension and angst had me wanting more throughout the whole read. I was caught constantly saying "KISS ALREADY" lol.

The book was a fun read, but I don't feel fulfilled... If that even makes sense. I still have questions about characters, and I just have the feeling that there could have been more. Over all it was an enjoyable read. Definitely a nice pallet cleanser in between reads.

On a side note, the cover is stunning. *spoiler* but that part of the book was one of my favorite moments.

Work place romance
Rivals to lovers
Forced proximity
Only one bed
Women in STEM
Biracial fmc
Slow burn
ANGST

3.5/5
I like a rivals to lovers romance, it always creates good tension and banter. Here Trishara and Rafe had plenty of that combined with a trope I enjoy, forced proximity. Since the story takes place in the span of three weeks as they are on a work retreat everything progressed a bit fast and like certain situations where dealt with on a surface level. I will also say that the characters reactions to some of their conflicts came across as immature, they would just storm off or jump to conclusions without hearing the whole story. I think the author did a good job at showcasing what women go through in the workplace setting, specially in a STEM and male dominated field as she herself dealt with it. Overall is was a good romance with some steamy scenes and nice ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC, all opinions are my own.

3.25

I liked this. I didn’t love it as much as I thought I was going to.

The first half felt like the characters were teenagers. I didn’t really get the ‘rivals’ part of it except for a couple mentioned instances from the past that we didn’t see happen on page. Also the focus on his ‘not a smile but it’s…something’ was repetitive and got on my nerves after seeing it every other page. I understand the importance of the progression of Rafe’s smiles but this was really shoving it down our throats.

The second half of the book was a lot more enjoyable. Once they finally started opening up to each other, I liked their chemistry a lot more. Though I appreciate Tris’s fiery attitude, I didn’t like her hot and cold attitude towards Rafe; it felt like flipping a switch on and off with her which might have been an easier pill to swallow if we had more of their ‘rival’ dynamic shown beforehand. Also her interactions with Andy felt uncharacteristic considering she knows how to stand up for herself especially when he was making her uncomfortable. I felt like these scenes just gave Rafe an excuse to swoop in and save her when the whole basis of her character is one that is NOT a damsel in distress. Rafe felt very bland, very khaki, until the 70% mark which is sad because he is such a great character once you finally get to know him.

Maybe I would have enjoyed this more as a dual POV?

Overall this was a fun, spicy rom-com with very relevant and current themes of racial and sexist discrimination. The author did a fantastic job highlighting those struggles that women, especially of color, still face today. And that standing up for yourself is always the way to go.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eArc.
All thoughts are my own.

All we've ever done is argue, and maybe I'm the only one who considers that a form of foreplay.

I did like the banter and Tris putting men in their place. She kept people on their toes. I liked that she stood her ground. The main characters had some miscommunication not in their romance, but just in general how they met. It got a little frustrating at times. However, Rafe was down bad for Trishara.

2025 Book #27
Rating: 4/5
Tropes: Rivals to Lovers, Only One Room/Bed, Women in STEM, Workplace romance
Spice: 2 (Ch 22 23 24 25)
Romance: Yes
Plot: Yes
Pages: 352

This read was so fun! It features close proximity on a tropical work trip and plenty of witty banter. The chemistry and tension were sizzling. It also delivers an impactful story that tackles sexism and racism in a workplace.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This was the perfect way to spend valentines day, it was an amazing book!

Thoroughly enjoyed my time with this rivals to lovers work place romance! This is my first Nisha J Tuli book and i can’t wait to read more

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I absolutely loved this! A perfect workplace romance, filled with sharp banter, sizzling chemistry, and so many laugh-out-loud moments. Tris is such a relatable and strong heroine, and her dynamic with Rafe kept me hooked from start to finish. Their enemies-to-lovers tension was perfection, and the company retreat setting made everything even more exciting.

The humor in this book had me laughing constantly, and the romance was the perfect mix of fun, steamy, and heartfelt. I also really enjoyed how the story touched on real workplace challenges while still keeping things entertaining.

If you love clever, spicy romances with unforgettable characters, this is a must-read! I need more from Nisha J. Tuli in this genre ASAP!

“Not Safe For Work” is Nisha J. Tuli’s first contemporary romcom and I was so excited to read it.
I received an advance reader copy from Forever via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
What you can expect:
- workplace romance
- slow burn
- women in STEM
- rivals to lovers
- only one bed

I have to say that this was such a fun read that I finished it in one day. From the author’s note I expected to find personal experiences in the book and this was a good thing.
The situations that Trishara went through are relatable and were presented realistically. Women in male dominated fields need to work harder and still have to struggle with a lot.
The romance part was such a slow burn, with tension and a lot of angst. The story is told only through one POV, so we learn about Rafe through Trishara’s eyes. It was so fun to read about so many ways brown eyes can be described. Even if she doesn’t want to admit it, Tris was into Rafa from the beginning, but her insecurities kept them apart.
Rafe was such a green flag and I am glad that he managed to step up and confront his father about what makes him happy.
I did not like the miscommunication, but it showed the insecurities that they both had.

4.5⭐️

NSFW was pure fun. It’s Nisha’s first foray into romance, and it had the perfect mixture of tension, spice and outside plot to keep the story interesting. NSFW has an Ali Hazelwood style STEM/romcom vibe, while still touching on incredibly important topics about women (especially BIPOC) in STEM and the microaggressions faced.

I went from inwardly cringing at things the men said (which I have absolutely heard in the workplace), to laughing out loud half a page later and whatever situation Tris is in next.

The only part that fell flat for me was the ex girlfriend. We never saw how it got resolved, and I wish we had a Rafe POV of it. It felt like that plot ended without a real resolution.

I need Nisha to write another contemporary romance book so I can inject it into my veins.

This was a solid book!
I was excited to read this because I’ve loved all of Nisha J.Tuli’s fantasy series and she didn’t disappoint.

I’ve always enjoyed a good slow burn, where the tension is so palpable you can almost fit through the page. That’s what this book gives 1000% (or ig in the words of Rafe and Trishara: 1million/10)

My one qualm was most at the start of the book. The descriptive language was very reminiscent of fantasy books, which I guess makes sense given her past work, so it took a little to get used to that as it felt like what how a FL/ML would be described in a romantasy which was at odds with the actual modern day setting of the book.

Overall a solid 4 star read. I enjoyed it and will definitely be recommending it to friends! So excited to see how Nisha grows within the romance world!

literally 10/10. easy 5 stars.

i loved nisha’s fantasy series artefacts of ouranos and was so excited to have been invited through forever publishing to have early access to this book through netgalley.

I enjoy that she talks of her STEM job but it’s not engulfed in the whole story/ making it her whole personality. Tbh it’s more of a detail than a plot. Tris is a character that’s confident, smart and no nonsense which is needed in a male dominated field, although she is more introverted and keeps her thoughts to herself most of the time. Rafe is the ceos son, team lead of her former department and her pining nemesis.

forced proximity, one bed/ room, work retreat/ mini vacation or 3 weeks what all could happen? lots of slow burning tension that’s what ❤️‍🔥

This book 😍😍

As a female-presenting person in STEM, I can very much relate to everything that happened in this book: the blatant sexism, the feeling of being passed over for promotions despite constantly hitting or exceeding KPIs, the comments and everything. This was the most relatable book for me personally that I've read in a very long time.

I fell in love with Trishara. Her backbone. Her quiet receipt taking. The burnout and irritation. All of it was just perfect.

My only criticism is the love story, though it was the most realistic and well-written story I've read since Trishara's behavior was exactly how I'd envision her acting if she were a real person. It had nothing to do with the story itself, but my own personal feelings of not giving people a chance when they continuously show you who they are. It made a lot of sense to the storyline regardless, though!

4.5 stars rounded up
2.5 🌶️

I'm thankful to NetGalley, Nisha J Tuli, and Forever for the ARC. This was a very fun read.

I was given access to an advance reading copy (ARC) so this review will be spoiler free as I want everyone to have the opportunity to read and enjoy this wonderful story.

“To the person I was and the one I became. It’s never too late if you want it enough.”

There is something so wonderful about a perfectly timed and worded dedication. I could already tell from the first page from this dedication alone, that this book was one that many individuals, no matter the gender identity, would be able relate to. The dedication sets the tone for the novel in that is correctly reflects that just because you start in one direction, it doesn’t mean you’ll end there and that time is only a limiting factor if you make it so.

This is the first non-fantasy novel I’ve read by Tuli and I was thoroughly impressed and enjoyed myself all the way through. So let’s get into the review:

5 out of 5 stars; zero notes.

The novel sets up a relatable, clearly imaginable premise: smart, hard working, woman of color working in a white-male dominated world; what could be or go wrong? This strong, empowered woman, Trishara, has been through it all: microaggressions, sexism, racism and the age old tale of being overlooked, passed over, ignored for nearly everything for the sake of a less qualified man. But despite these serious barriers, Trishara has only finally reached the point of “burn out” after five long years and a truly heinous experience at a previous workplace; this vastly impressive but also accurate as many people are known to reassess their choices at the five year mark especially in high demand, competition driven fields. The character of Trishara is significantly relatable in this early stage of the novel largely because I myself can relate to the experience of starting a career, one you thought you wanted for the right reasons, only to learn after countless years riddled with disappointment and self-doubt that you stop and realize “What the hell am I doing?” and “Do I want this anymore?”. This is where we find Tris, considering her life choices and what her future may hold while also continuing to witness the blatant oppressive and unfair practices of a job she at one point thought she might love.

Cue fate’s intervention! It is practically at the exact moment she is ready to throw in the towel, like in real life, fate intervenes and provides her an opportunity to either reassess her situation and stick it out or be reaffirmed in her feelings and move on to greener pastures. What better place to do that than a corporate three-week long “retreat” in Hawaii?

Tris’s adventure begins when she is invited to Hawaii for a “leadership retreat” whose sole purpose is to identify the employees best suited to rise of the ranks and move into highly coveted positions. It becomes abundantly clear that despite her talent, success and credentials, she is only invited to be the diversity representation being both a woman and person of color. Despite being massively offended, and rightly so, Tris sees this opportunity as a way for her to determine if there is any future in this career and take full advantage of the corporate amenities to the fullest at the same time. Naturally, in any good rom com, high jinx ensues in the form of the one-bed, enemies to lovers, forced proximity tropes that we love sooooo much! Tris is forced to share a hotel room with the one individual she has spent five years channeling all of her disappointment and frustrations into, Rafe Gallagher…the bosses’ son and clear representation to Tris of all that is wrong with the company she works for: sexism and nepotism. Is Rafe handsome, yes; is he confident and quippy, yes; is there sexual/enemies to lovers tension that could be cut with a knife, heck yes and I am here for it! Tris and Rafe are pushy, competitive and so drawn to each other you can’t help rooting for the slow burn to hurry up! And once it does, you won’t be able to stop the stupid smile that will grace your face as you continue.

What I enjoyed most about this novel is that Tuli continues to demonstrate her strength and skill in writing humorous, strong, yet deeply flawed but complex, deep characters. Tris and Rafe are no exception. On the surface, both characters have a small bit of immaturity when it comes to the needless competition and “hate” toward one another but beyond that, both characters feel deeply toward each other, demonstrate passion and joy in their desires even if they are not accepted by surrounding characters, and recognize how wrong impressions and judgements can rob a person of valuable time and happiness. Walls come crumbling down as soon as both characters are forced to confront their insecurities, self-doubt and past choices. Tris realizes that she has been protecting herself through the erection of impenetrable walls around her heart which has prevented her from seeing Rafe for who he truly is and Rafe and respected those walls by leaning into the villain she saw him to be.

I found both characters really sweet, funny and realistic in the best sense. Both characters, although we only get Tris’s perspective, have self-doubts about themselves and what they truly want from life because of the resistance and choices of those around them. Tris closes herself off from love because of a bad experience thereby missing Rafe and Rafe continues to force himself into a career he doesn’t want because of negative judgements from those he holds dear. Tris builds Rafe to be this terrible, arrogant, villain in her mind purely as a defense mechanism because she has reason to doubt her ability to trust her heart or others. Only once they are forced to be together in close quarters, does she have a massive epiphany that she made Rafe the villain in her story because it was easier than addressing her own fear and insecurities. I found this part of the story line to be the most interesting and engaging because I am certain everyone has experience with making decisions based on fear that have significant repercussions.

Additionally, Tuli does an exceptional job describing and capturing a significant root to sexism in the workplace: women’s complacency to just accept the situation as it is; because of fear, lack of support, or exhaustion. Tris’s time in Hawaii reveals that all the women within her field and company have resigned themselves to be reduced to their physical features and ability to “give” whatever is asked of them regardless of the degrading nature of it. One particular character goes as far to encourage Tris to just “grin and bear it” as a way to get to the success she seeks even if it destroys her soul in the process. Another justifies a moment of sexual harassment by stating that Tris “is pretty for an Indian girl” which indicates that her attractiveness warrants harassment or even worse that it’s unbelievable anyone would find Tris attractive enough to even harass her in the first place! I found this subplot of the novel to be incredibly important and poignant; sexism can be attributed to bad behavior on both sides of the genders. Women are quick to drag each other down because the men in the world are constantly defining women as weak, incapable and only good for their looks or what they can do for them directly; naturally as a survival tactic it can make sense for women to fall victim to the same bad behavior to other women. Tris decides to break the cycle unlike the women around her and risks everything to break away from the complacency and resignation and stand up for herself and future women. I found myself rooting for her and so proud of a fictional woman who in my mind represents what needs to be done: women not letting this bad behavior continue to exist by drawing much needed attention to the male culprits.

Before I go, it should also be known that the sex/spiciness is on point! It is consensual, passionate, and it becomes very obvious from the first scene that both of these characters harbor unrequited love for the other and that makes the romance and intimacy even more beautiful to witness.

I strongly recommend this book because despite some of the heavy themes related to the unfair treatment of women in the workplace, the overall vibe of the book is light, sexy, passionate and empowering. I can’t wait for this novel to be released so I can recommend this to everyone I know.

This was the first book I’ve read by Nisha and I’m excited to read her other work! I loved this book and everything the FMC stood for. Watching Rafe and Trishara’s relationship bloom was beautiful, the tension could literally be cut through with a knife and I loved every second of it.

I honestly can’t think of one thing I didn’t enjoy while reading. Nisha navigated all of the topics in this book perfectly, I almost felt like I was going through all of these experiences right alongside Trishara, feeling her frustrations just as strongly. I definitely recommend this book to anyone, but especially women of color navigating a predominately male workplace!

Trishara Malik is feeling burned out. Between a blatantly misogynistic boss and a disgustingly handsome rival, who happens to be the boss’s son, Trishara is ready to throw in the towel. Until her name is thrown in the running for a promising leadership training course, taking her to Hawaii with none other than Rafe Gallagher. What starts as an easy vacation away from work dissolves to endless team building exercises, clashing opinions, and heated hearts..

This book was a stunning and hysterical romcom, workplace rivals-to-lovers, with tons of tension and longing. I appreciated the slow burn, the build up and banter between our main characters, Trishara and Rafe, and the explosive chemistry when our characters come together. Trishara’s character is extremely relatable for those who are also women in STEM. Walking the fine line of saving face for the sake of job security and calling out the double standards is a relevant conflict and I loved that the FMC stays true to herself and what she values. Rafe, like many other millennials, is caught between pleasing his family and pleasing himself. I found myself falling more and more for Rafe as he stopped hiding his talents and embraced his gift of creativity. I was rooting for this couple the entire book and fell in love with the black cat/golden retriever dynamic.

Tropes: One Bed/ Workplace Romance/ Rivals to Lovers/ BIPOC Rep/ Forced Proximity

Thank you so much to Netgalley & Forever Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read early! I absolutely ATE UP THIS BOOK! Okay, Nisha J Tuli has been on my TBR for the longest with Trial of the Sun Queen. Not Safe for Work being her rom-com debut?! Absolutely amazing. It’s an enemies to lovers, so much tension/angst, grumpy sunshine. I loved everything about it. From the beginning, I was hooked. We follow Trishara who is Indian and is an engineer at a predominately white male company. Trishara is hand picked with the boss’s son, Rafe to attend a three week retreat in Hawaii for work where they will compete for a spot in NYC to work for a year to keep broadening their opportunities at the company. Upon arriving in Hawaii, Rafe and Trish are thrown together in different exercises constantly butting heads. Rafe becomes brooding and scaring off any male who looks at Trishara in any way.

Also, can we talk about the cover of the book? GORGEOUS! I cannot wait to get my hands on it come release day.

Thank you NetGalley, Forever, and the author for the ARC! Some of my favorite authors have been posting about this book and I’ll definitely be checking out the author’s fantasy books.

This was a quick, steamy read that hit some of my favorite tropes… Workplace rivals to lovers! Forced proximity! Only one bed!

I appreciated that it did not shy away from the very real difficulties that women face in the workplace, particularly BIPOC women in STEM and other male-dominated fields. I loved that Tris was a strong, capable FMC who stood up for herself, though occasionally I did want to shake some sense into her when she went hot/cold with Rafe. The whole relationship did feel a little too insta-love for my taste (do you really love someone after 3 weeks?) but the built-up tension was so delicious that I didn’t care too much.

Also…the twist of what Rafe actually wanted to do with his life was so delightfully unexpected! Made me want some dessert real bad (and also maybe a trip to Hawaii?)

Banter, yearning, misunderstanding, forced proximity, and only one bed are a few things I enjoyed about this book. The characters were likable and I was rooting for the couple by the end.