What started iffy for me ended up becoming a sweet, spicy, and swoony story. About halfway through, I stopped noticing some overused words/phrases and repeating situations and started enjoying the developing relationship between Tris and Rafe. Ended up really enjoying and would like to read more stories like this one by this author!

Not my favorite example of enemies to lovers, as it was pretty obvious from the jump that the MMC was into the FMC. I wish there had been a little more insight into what was going on for him as well. Nevertheless, a fun beach read or good if you just want to fantasize about being on a beach.

4.25 🌟
Talk about a sloooow burn! 🥵
The tension, the chemistry, the banter!!!
Love love LOVED it all and could not stop listening 😍

i loved nisha’s romantasy books, so when i heard she was writing a contemporary romance, i knew i had to read it asap! she gave us a workplace romance packed with tension and banter as well as touching on some important topics.

I had the biggest, goofiest smile on my face while reading this book, it was just that fun! From the very first page, I was hooked and completely devoured it in one sitting. It’s the kind of read that gives you all the romcom butterflies and something deeper to chew on.

I love how Nisha J. Tuli managed to balance the fluff and fun with a strong, meaningful message. Trishara’s experiences navigating sexism and racism in a corporate environment felt real and raw, and it added a layer of authenticity I really appreciated. Nisha nailed the emotional beats without making it feel heavy-handed or preachy.

Tris herself was a total badass! She’s sharp, fierce, and says the things so many of us wish we could say out loud in real life. She’s absolutely someone I’d want in my corner or just hanging out with at brunch, letting her roast misogynists and outdated office policies.

And the chemistry between Tris and Rafe was amazing! The banter, the tension, the slow-burn vibe - it was sooooo satisfying. I loved how their relationship was layered and evolved naturally against the backdrop of the leadership retreat. Rafe surprised me in the best way, and I loved watching him earn Tris’s trust.

I just wish some of the side characters or office drama had been fleshed out just a bit more. But honestly, that’s a small nitpick for a book that had me smiling, swooning, and rooting hard for its heroine.

If you’re looking for a smart, fast-paced romance with a strong, relatable lead and a setting that mixes corporate chaos with Hawaiian breezes, Not Safe for Work is absolutely worth the read.

My copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Forever for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Okay the letter??? Go off, Trish!!!

The tension carried me through this and I was begging for the ending that we ended up getting. It was everything I could ever want in a "workplace" (when the workplace carries into a Hawaiian retreat) romance.

🌸 Enemy coworkers turned lovers
🌸 Forced proximity
🌸 Only one bed
🌸 Slow burn
🌸 Boss's son

Obviously hated Hannah but I think the subtle yet grand gesture at the end made their conflict worth it.

Not Safe For Work by Nisha J Tuli
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Trishara has been working at her corporate job for five years and been passed over one too many times for promotions. When she is shocking awarded one of two spots at a retreat in Hawaii she is determined to use this to revive her career. The only downside is the other spot went to her work-nemesis, Rafe.
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What I liked:
-ALL the tropes. Enemies to lovers, work rivals, forced proximity, only one bed. I loved each new trope thrown at me.
-Trishara is not just a woman in a male dominated industry, but a woman of color. I loved hearing this story and seeing all she had to go through, yet she did not break.
-I loved how things ended.
-Rafe and Trishara had so much angst and it was excellent.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Such a well done work romance, I really enjoyed it! Do I start Trial of the Sun Queen next folks?

Not a huge fan of contemporary romances, but read this for a book club and enjoyed! Super cute, great characters and perfect for summer! Will be reading the authors other books as well

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the ARC of Not Safe for Work in exchange for an honest review.

I must admit, it’s been a hot minute since I’ve been able to devour a book in almost one sitting, which was exactly the case with Not Safe for Work. I really enjoyed the fast paced dialogue and our FMC, Tris, the strong female lead. Even though there’s a definite level of predictability here, I still enjoyed every minute of it. If you’re a fan of slow burns, then his is the book for you. When Tris and Rafe finally do come together, it’s every bit worth the wait. I especially liked the way Nisha addresses inequality in the workplace in her novel, especially areas within the STEM community. It’s giving major Ali Hazelwood vibes and I’m here for it! Her approach to the subject is tasteful yet truthful and is not addressed often enough.

The only issue I had with this entire book is not with the book itself, but a bit of a character flaw I found with Rafe. It really bothered me that the entire time he was trying to build a relationship with Tris, he was allowing Hannah (his ex) to enter the picture. Any female would feel insecure in that situation and he should have shut that down immediately. I loved Rafe’s character but I hated that he allowed her to take up so much of his time. Tris is apparently much more tolerant than I.

End game, this is a really great read and I honestly couldn’t put it down. The characters are adorable and the setting in Hawaii is pretty perfect. There is a perfect mix of slow burn and spice and I highly encourage you to pick this one up!

and Tris’ story was so much fun to follow. Work rivals turned lovers, the book follows Tris as she encounters significant workplace racism, sexism, and major HR violations while navigating her engineering career. The letter at the end was chef’s kiss!!!! I loved how Tris gained confidence over the course of the book and Rafe was a great male main character/love interest. I loved all of the little nods to Nisha’s fantasy roots and hope she continues to write more contemporary romance!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Not Safe For Work!

We’ve got all the ingredients for a swoony workplace enemies-to-lovers romcom:
- A smart, ambitious heroine with a chip on her shoulder (rightfully earned)
- A cocky but secretly sweet love interest (who just happens to be the boss’s son)
- A company retreat in Maui (cue the forced proximity and oops, one bed tropes)

Trishara Malik is easy to root for—she’s competent, frustrated, and deserves more than what her toxic corporate culture dishes out. Rafe Gallagher, on the other hand, had to work a bit harder to win me over. He starts off with some serious BDE, but his character development sometimes felt like it was fast-tracked via snarky comments and tension-filled glances rather than earned through real accountability.

The setting? Absolutely dreamy. The witty banter? Delightful in bursts. But the shift from enemies to lovers felt more like a jump cut than a satisfying slow burn. I also wanted a bit more depth in the resolution—especially considering the heavy themes around burnout, nepotism, and discrimination.

Still, there’s plenty of charm to enjoy here, and fans of steamy forced proximity and corporate hijinks will have a good time.

Would I recommend it? Sure, if you’re in the mood for something breezy with bite. Just adjust expectations, and maybe have your own tropical drink on standby.

Nisha J. Tuli is an instant read author for me. I’ve loved her fantasy works, so I was excited to see her venture into Contemporary Romance — and she didn’t disappoint!

This one has cute rom-com vibes and is the perfect beach or poolside read. Set in Hawaii, with cocktails, hot men, and TENSION… it’s pure perfection!

What I loved:
As with Nisha’s other characters, these felt well-developed and engaging — charming and real on the page. Her writing style shines just as beautifully in this genre as in her fantasy works. I’d happily read more contemporary romance from her if she chooses to continue in this genre.

What I didn’t love:
At times the pacing slowed down. It didn’t stall, but the slow burn felt a bit too slow in places. Some trimming could’ve helped, though it wasn’t enough to make me DNF.

Rating:
4 out of 5 stars — mostly due to the slower pacing and some scenes that felt a bit stretched.

Recommendation:
I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys a well-rounded chick-lit/romance with a strong female lead, witty banter, and a happy ending.

Compelling sentence:
Steamy workplace romance, enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity… all set in paradise

Honestly took a little bit to get into it - somewhat due to identifying a little too much as a woman in STEM but glad to see this represented as it is very much relevant! Of course love a rivals to lovers and seeing them out of the office and getting to know each other in a different setting! The conflict in this book is very real and was happy about how it was resolved.

Overall it definitely hit close to home but was handled very well and a realistic view of how corporate STEM jobs can feel

Coming back after listening to the audio and it’s great there as well!

4.25 stars

I loved this romance so much. Every aspect was wonderful, and every relationship had so much chemistry.

It's safe to say that Rafe is my newest book boyfriend because DAMN. This man was so thoughtful, romantic, and he YEARNED without ever stopping. It was obvious that he loved Tris, and he made it known not just with his words, but through his actions. He took accountability everytime he made a mistake, and he's just an amazing character. But, I like Tris just a little bit more. She was so complex, and I loved how she told her story about sexual harassment, misogyny, and racism that she and her coworkers experienced. The fact that that aspect is based on the real experiences of the author makes me respect Nisha J. Tuli so much. Tris is such a well rounded character, and I honestly wish there was a sequel just so I could read more about her.

This book was so easy and simple to read, without having a basic plot. The characters had distinct personalities without making them read like caricatures, and the third act breakup was the only reasonable one I've ever read.

I absolutely recommend this book to any romance lover. Period.

A huge thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Nisha J. Tuli's first contemporary romance is a fun book that would be perfect to take on a weekend vacation.

Tuli has a way of writing storylines that are easily bingeable. I found this slow-burn full of tension, workplace drama, forbidden relationships, and major beach vibes. While this was fun and entertaining in the moment, I do feel like something was missing. I don't think there was anything wrong with this story, and I will be recommending it to readers. But by the end, I wasn't in love with the characters like I was hoping for.

I'm still looking forward to anything Tuli writes and will happily pick up her next contemporary work.

Thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Not Safe For Work is a rivals to lovers workplace romance and I freaking loved it!
Tris and Rafe are both sent to their workplace’s leadership retreat in Maui. There is a booking error when she gets there and they are stuck sharing the honeymoon suite. Talk about the one bed trope! Things just get better from there! I love the banter and Rafe? SWOON!
I’ve read all of Nisha’s romantasy work and when I got a copy of her first contemporary romance I didn’t know if I would love it as much as I do her others but that was definitely NOT the case!! I devoured this book as soon as I started it!
I definitely recommend this book and if you’re a romantasy fan I also very much recommend all of her other series!!

I really liked this! Fun and spicy workplace romance, if you're a fan of Ali Hazelwood, guaranteed you'll like this!
Great representation, and always fun to read a book by a South Asian author (who lives in Canada!!)

Absolutely love this book! A cute romcom set in the Corporate world! The characters were so fun and the chemistry was sparkling off the pages! Definitely read this one as soon as you get your hands on it!

This was such a scorching book to read!! So hot but also was a slow burn! The tension was top tier and executed PERFECTLY.

It showed how challenging it is to be a woman in a man dominated career field and I loved that representation. I love my romances with a side of social issues guys!

I loved this! Thank you for the arc!

I really wanted to love this one but I thought it was just ok! Both main characters felt very immature for their age. I liked how Trishara stood up for herself in the workplace and I enjoyed the conversation about how women are treated in men dominated fields but I wish we could get strong and angry main characters without the immaturity and brattiness. The way Trishara and Rafe acted in front of others at their company on a work trip gave me second hand embarrassment a few times. I considered DNFing a few times but wanted to see where the story would go and it ultimately fell a little flat for me.