What I liked:
•workplace romance + enemies to lovers is always a favorite of mine!
•The highlight of sexism and racism in the workplace
• chemistry between Tris and Rafe was EXCELLENT
• good friendships between characters
• loved the ending

What I didn’t like:
• repetitive points- especially how much Rafe and Hannah spoke on the phone.
• not a dealbreaker, but the industry jargon isn’t necessarily universal and my eyes glazed over a bit when reading specifics of Tris’ job

Overall loved it! Will be looking out for future books from this author :)

Not Safe for Work marks my introduction to Nisha J. Tuli's writing, and it certainly won't be my last! This engaging romance follows Tris, an Indian American engineer navigating a workplace that favors nepotism and mediocre white men. Her work nemesis, Rafe, is the epitome of everything she doesn’t like about her workplace: the annoyingly charismatic boss’s son who has the job she should have. When Tris and Rafe are both selected for a three-week training program in Maui, Tris sees a potential career opportunity. However, her plans to keep her distance from Rafe are hilariously derailed by a reservation mix-up that forces them to share a hotel suite. Tuli masterfully uses pining, witty banter, and the beautiful tropical setting to drive this delightful enemies-to-lovers story, leaving you smiling and giggling as Tris confronts her growing feelings for Rafe. I particularly appreciated how Tuli seamlessly integrated the challenges faced by women in male-dominated industries with steamy scenes that felt authentic to the characters. Tris and Rafe's journey was a joy to witness, and I'm eager to read more of Nisha J. Tuli's books.

I’m a fan of Nisha J. Tuli’s romantasy books, and I was curious about her new contemporary romance, Not Safe For Work, so I was delighted when I received an ARC.

And I’m even more delighted to say this book delivers the goods. There’s something about Tuli’s writing style that just carries me along, and it makes it so hard to put the book down. I sacrificed sleep to keep reading long after I should have gone to bed.

Trishara is smart, but she’s lost her ambition, drifting in a career that doesn’t satisfy and passed over for opportunities by people with less skill than her. The racism and sexism (and nepotism) in her workplace keep her from realizing her potential, which is why she’s shocked when she’s chosen for a leadership retreat that involves spending three weeks in Hawaii.

The opportunity would be perfect if she didn’t have to spend those three weeks with her nemesis, Rafe. To make matters worse, the hotel is booked solid, and she’s forced to share a suite with Rafe.

A suite that only has one bed.

These two both have things going on in their lives, and they have a history of antagonizing each other. Trishara is focused on her career, and not on having a family, and that’s refreshing. Rafe is a guy who, from external appearances, seems to have it all, but he’s self-conscious and discouraged because nobody’s ever seen him for who he is and celebrated his talents and interests. Over time, they slowly start to open up and Trishara finds herself fighting her feelings because she’s afraid of being hurt. She has issues from her past to resolve, and concerns about her future. Rafe is under pressure to follow his dad’s career path, and under pressure from his family and ex-girlfriend to get married.

Both Rafe and Trishara have to face their fears and their feelings if they want a chance to be happy. The tension between Trishara and Rafe is electric. There were just enough legitimate obstacles and concerns that arose throughout to impede their progress, keeping me flipping pages to find out what happened next. I love stories that feature strong, smart women, and Not Safe For Work delivers an inspiring career-driven protagonist.

The following contains slight spoilers, so you may want to stop reading here.

It was refreshing to see both characters learn to embrace themselves, their priorities, and their happiness instead of letting others limit their opportunities. I loved seeing these two inching their way towards love, and I love the fact that both Rafe and Trishara had meaningful arcs that didn’t depend on their relationship for resolution.

Highly recommended. As is everything I’ve read by Nisha J. Tuli.

1.25

Thank you to Forever Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:
Trishara Malik, an engineer, is overlooked for a promotion due to nepotism and reluctantly agrees to attend a leadership retreat in Hawaii but only to discover she'll be sharing a room and bed with Rafe Gallagher, the boss's son. The two are competing for a coveted executive training spot, and during so Tris starts to see Rafe in a whole new light.

Tropes:
-"Enemies to lovers" (not really he literally just says "I hate you" once out of no where)
-One bed
-Workplace romance

Review:
I absolutely loved Nisha's fantasy series 'The Artefacts of Ouranos', so I was excited to check out her debut contemporary romance. Unfortunately, this one fell very flat for me, and I ended up DNFing at 60%. The .25 is solely because of the scene when Rafe catches Tris reading a spicy moment from her fantasy book; that was genuinely funny.

It felt like 'The Hating Game' but in Hawaii without a plot. It was hard to get into, especially with the characters in their mid-to-late twenties acting and talking like teenagers despite being in a professional workspace. The FMC came across as overly childish, and the MMC didn't have any personality besides being grumpy and muscular. There wasn't much depth to keep me hooked.

That being said, I can see this working as a light, quick palette cleanser for someone looking for a low-stakes read.

3.5/5 ☆

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the eARC, and I appreciated the campaign to prioritize South Asian readers, women in STEM, and those with chronic illness.

This is my first novel by Nisha J Tuli and I completed it in one sitting! I enjoyed that the FMC is a strong, determined woman. The beginning took a little bit of setup but once all the characters were in Hawaii, things heated up quickly! I enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek comments about the FMC being a romantasy reader and the type of books she reads.

As someone working in medicine, I resonated with some of the themes of the book involving sexism and racial microaggressions and appreciates that the author made them a focal point in the book!

NSFW by Nisha J. Tuli has a compelling premise, particularly in its effort to highlight the struggles women face in male-dominated fields like engineering. The book tackles real and relevant issues; workplace sexism, microaggressions, and the challenges WOC often experience in STEM environments. These moments are where the book shines and Trish’s character is most likeable. For me, the strength of this social commentary was not matched by the development of its characters or romance.

Trish had so much potential but ultimately came across as underdeveloped and emotionally immature. While her professional circumstances were compelling, her personal decisions and behavior often undermined her maturity. She oscillated between criticizing Rafe and obsessing over how attractive he was, all while making choices that felt erratic or unexplained. Rafe, meanwhile, had little substance beyond being physically attractive. His actions were inconsistent—particularly his failure to set boundaries with an ex-girlfriend—and the lack of a POV from him made it hard to understand his motivations or fall for him.

Though there was undeniable chemistry between Trishara and Rafe, their relationship felt superficial. The romantic tension was largely built on miscommunication and assumptions, which felt resolvable. With minimal personal growth or depth from either lead, I didn’t feel like a relationship that would endure past the conference.

I loved Rafe and the whole story. Very swoon-worthy enemies to lovers work place romance. The only downfall was the FMC was insufferable majority of the book. But it was still a great read - perfect book to take on a tropical vacation.

When my favorite romantasy author wrote a romcom, I could not wait to jump in. I really enjoyed this one even though it was very tropey. Workplace romance, rivals to lovers, one bed, forced proximity. You name it, this one had it. But honestly, it made me laugh, it stirred emotions about a few different things and it was spicy! More proof I’ll read anything Nisha J Tuli writes.

3.5 ⭐️
2 🌶️

I heard a lot about this one so I was excited to get an advanced copy and it was pretty good! I really enjoyed reading about Tris, the FMC, who is such a bada$$ trying to make it as a minority AND a women in a male dominated field. I enjoyed how she stood up for herself multiple times during this book and didn’t take the hate. And what she did at the end of the book? Iconic. Rafe, the MMC, seemed like a great guy but he wasn’t a fully developed character as much as Tris was. This could be because it was one POV and we got a lot of how much Tris found him attractive.

I felt the chemistry between Tris and Rafe was very well done and so believable. I love an enemies to lovers when done well (aka the chemistry is constantly giving me butterflies). What I didn’t like is how fast these two went from enemies to LOVERS- I got whiplash. The story is set over a three week period if that gives any insight.

This is a fun, quick, and spicy read! Thanks NetGalley and Forever for an ARC!

So to my fellow brown girls, if you like Ali Hazelwood but want something with more spice, culture, and meaningful commentary on being a woman of colour in the STEM field then Nisha’s got you.

Nisha found a great balance of career and romance which can be a tricky thing! I work in a very male dominated field as well and some of Nisha's points really hit home. Strides have been made but there is still a long way to go and I really appreciated that our FMC held her ground and stood up for herself and others.

4.5 rounded up

I had the best time reading this. It was so fun and I loved the representation.

A workplace romance where they are rivals to lovers and there’s forced proximity?? Sign me up!

Trishara was such a great character. She’s strong, funny, and sweet. I also felt like she was relatable at times. We learn about so many of the issues she goes through in her male dominated industry and how she advocated for there to be change. She stood up for herself and did what she felt was right and true to who she is. I’m so proud of her!!

Rafe, oh how I adore you. I love this man. He was so charming and sweet. There were moments that had me swooning because of the little things he’d remember. Im obsessed.

The banter and tension was chefs kiss. I found myself smiling and swooning while reading. Their chemistry felt real to me.

This is a book you can read in one sitting because once you start you won’t want to put it down. I do wish this book was longer. I did not want it to end. Could have read 100 more pages!

The ending had my heart melting. I could see myself rereading this in the future.

Thank you Forever Pub for the arc!

The TENSION! THE YEARNING!! The BANTER!!!
I love reading about strong, intelligent women and Trishara was exactly that. Plagued by a rough working and relationship past, Tris is just trying to keep moving forward in a world that keeps trying to push women like her back. Rafe, however, is the nepo baby of the story. Natural enemies, forced to attend a three week work retreat…. What could possibly go wrong?

Tris and Rafe had such incredible chemistry, that it was truly bouncing off the page. Every interaction between the two had me giggling and kicking my feet. I gasped in excitement so many times, that my poor husband’s nerves were shot from jumping every time. The man was SWOONY okay!!!!

Though Tris’ and Rafe are the stars of the show, I think the true heart of the story is the struggle that women face versus their male counterparts. We have to work twice as hard, to get a fraction of what we DESERVE. Four times as hard if you’re a women of color. We are the backbone of so many industries, and yet frequently passed over for roles that should be rightfully ours. The author addressed this in a way that touched me so deeply, because it is a truth lived by so many of us.

If you need me, I’ll be diving into Nisha J. Tuli’s backlist.

Absolutely loved this book!! What an amazing debut in the romcom space from the romantasy world! 💥✨ This book gave me everything I want in a romance: great chemistry, witty banter, a slow-burn rivals-to-lovers arc (hello forced proximity AND one bed 👀), plus a fierce, funny, and smart heroine I was living for!!
Trishara (Tris) is such a funny and intelligent FMC, we see her navigating the challenges of being a woman of color in a white, male-dominated STEM field with grit and grace. From microaggressions to straight-up sexism, her journey felt all so genuine. Rafe is charming and the kind of MMC that surprises you—in the best way.
I really enjoyed the emotional growth of the characters as well as how the workplace dynamics are handled with such insight.Tris really knows her worth and It was great seeing her stand up for herself the way she did! If you’ve ever had to fight for your place at the table or been underestimated, Tris’s story will speak to you—and empower you.

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐫𝐞:
🧡Only One Bed
🧡Set in Hawaii
🧡Workplace Romance
🧡They’re secretly down bad but won’t admit it to themselves
🧡South Asian FMC
🧡Banter & Angst
🧡Rivals to Lovers
🧡Forearms
🧡Navigating the difficulties for women of color in STEM

Thank you so much to Forever for an advance copy of this!

This book will be coming out on May 20th.

Did I just read one of my top books of the year? YOU BET I DID!
This book was all the rage in my romance chat so when Forever had it available as a Read Now on Netgalley, I snatched it up. And BOY AM I HAPPY I DID! I was reading something on the heavier and I felt like I need a romance and this was the perfect book for that.

This book had everything I love in a romance - takes place in 1 location ✅, workplace romance ✅, enemies to lovers ✅, forced proximity ✅ and ONE BED ✅. Now this does have a trope that is one of my least favorite - slow burn. BUT GUESS WHAT THE BURN WAS BURNINGGGG AND I LOVED IT!

"There's nothing unmissable about you. That's all I meant. That there isn't anywhere you could go where everyone wouldn't notice you."

The tension between the two simmered the whole time. Trishara our fearless main character was so smart and underappreciated but when the opportunity came to go to Hawaii for a 3 week trip work retreat, she took the offer. What she hadn't expected was to be sharing a honeymoon suite with the owner's son and her enemy Rafe.

As I mentioned, the tension between the two was so good! There was so much fire between the two and I will say it was Trishara driven mostly. She had good reasons to have this chip on her shoulder when it came to him. He was the son of the owner and the nepotism was strong between him and Rafe's cousin Rory. But after sharing the suite, they started to bond over the days. And then NISHA HAD TO MAKE TRISHARA AFRAID OF THUNDERSTORMS AND A BIG STORM CAME ROLLING IN. That was a turning point between Trishara and Rafe. I WAS EATING IT UP.

The romance and the relationship with Rafe was a big part of the book. But there also was just as much focus on being a female in a male dominated world. And Trishara was in awe meeting one of her idols Diane Hart who is one of the heads of the company and also a notable best selling author about climbing the corporate ladder. There was an incident at the end that made ME SO MAD but I know happens more often than not and I was so proud of Trishara.

I'm at the point now in my review where I could really start rambling my love for the book. When I wasn't reading the book, I was thinking about the book. I had been reading this one while reading another and I just kept gravitating towards this one especially as the book went on. The book just had me giggling and punching my fist in the air.

"I'll follow you anywhere, Tris."

I cannot wait for the audio to come out because I could see myself putting myself back into this world. Plus I saw that Soneela Nankani is doing the narration and I have loved all the books that she has narrated! I know she'll be able to make Trishara come to life.

From what I had read, this is Nisha's first time writing a contemporary romance and she knocked it out of the park! I am not a fantasy/romantasy reader so I don't think I will be going to check out her other books but once she does another one of these, SIGN ME UP!

PS - I don't always pre-ordered books and just pick it up as I shop but this one I pre-ordered!

Ahh, I've read this author's other works and really love her writing. This is an office romance set at a work retreat. This was really cute and well done, especially with how it handles heavier topics, specifically talking about sexism and racism within the workplace. While also letting the romance have its own time to shine. Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher, for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

Not Safe For Work is a sexy and romantic rivals to lovers workplace romance.

Tris is absolutely done. Passed over for multiple promotions in her engineering job, she is ready to move on. But when she is accepted to a professional development retreat for three weeks in Hawaii, she is excited but cautious. The only downside, her rival and workplace nemesis Rafe, who's father is the owner of their company, is the other attendee from her branch. And when they arrive at the retreat and there is only one hotel room, things couldn't get worse. Tempers flare, and heat rises, but Tris and Rafe will need to learn to work together if they want to earn the exclusive executive training.

Ok, this book… this book!!! Ahh, I loved it so much! I love Nisha’s writing so much, it’s just so easy to fall into her stories. I absolutely love Tris and Rafe - their rivals to lovers slow burn is absolutely delicious and torturous. They are both characters with a lot of growth. They both have things they hide from their coworkers, and a lot of hurt in their past, so seeing each other in a new environment brings them closer, and they open up a bit more. It was really well done, especially how they were able to be a bit vulnerable with each other. I was super excited to read this contemporary workplace romance by romantasy queen Nisha J. Tuli and it is so, so good. And I love the little Easter eggs for Artefacts of Ouranos fans - if you know, you know! I loved this book so much!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the advanced copy of this amazing book! All opinions are my own.

The sexual tension and banter throughout this book makes it unputdownable. A page turning romance, where I was anxious to see Trishara and Rafe find their way to each other. A delightful work-trip romance which allows you to escape from your real life and follow the leads through their ups and downs. Tuli delights as always.

Not Safe For Work by Nisha J Tuli (Release Date May 20th)
✨a few kindle highlights starting on slide 2✨

When I tell you, if Nisha writes it I will read it I mean it. There were various times I was audibly laughing out loud, and the slow burn as always makes you wanna die inside but in the best way. I adored this book so much, and I’m so glad I got an opportunity to read it early! I absolutely adore them and this story, it made my heart happy 🥹

Feral Rating: 5/5 🦝🦝🦝🦝🦝
Spice Rating: 3.5/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🫑

What you can find:
- Forced Proximity
- One Bed / Room
- Rivals to Lovers
- Banter
- Slow Burn
- Work Place Romance
- Women in Stem
- Hawaii Work Retreat

Muddled Summary:

She’s been working at this job going through the motions for as long as she can remember. After being passed over for promotion after promotion by some executives family member she just stopped trying. Yet, the one thing that brought her fire and fight back to life was anything her bosses son did. He is the reason she didn’t get a promotion and add that to the whole fact that they hate each-other on principle.

She’s yet again being corralled into her another meeting where they will nominate two of their “rising stars” to attend a work retreat in Hawaii. This will be no different from the last selections, as her nemesis’s name is called, to one one’s surprise. She’s waiting for his cousins name to be read when the name read sounds awfully familiar… it’s her name. Dazed she stands and walks to the stage realizing she’s long to be in Hawaii with him. All she has to do is avoid him as much as possible in and outside of work events and everything will go smoothly. I mean… it shouldn’t be that hard they’ve got the whole island 👀

I read an ARC of this book voluntarily.
As a reader of her fantasy books, this was definitely different.
There’s good chemistry and banter between the two main characters Rafe and Tris. At times I felt like there was a bit too much hostility from Tris that was unnecessary. Luckily once things got physical between them, their interactions were much nicer ;)
I enjoyed how everything wrapped up sweetly in the end.

This was such a fun read. Love strong women in stories. Even better when they get to become who they are meant to be. Love the dynamic of two main characters; all the tension and slowly realizing how they actually feel and were able to follow their dreams. Highly recommend.