Thank you netgalley, forever and Hachette Audio for the free e-arc and alc. My opinions are being left voluntarily. This is my first Nisha tuili book and it won't be my last. I loved the character development I loved the chemistry I loved the engineering references and femmes in male places / spaces is a favorite to read. Shows strength and smarts. I didn't love the 3rd act breakup up and the lack of communication before hopping into bed or after... I will read the authors backlist immediately.

I also loved the narration I can listen to their voices all day.

4.5/5☆

I was so happy to receive this ARC. It was such a great book. I didn’t see Rafe as a baker, but omg I love that for him. I’m so happy they both got what they wanted. Also loved the side characters. It was so great to see a STEM representation in Tris. She is inspiring.

A fun romance that got me in the mood for a tropical vacation! Unfortunately, however, I got to the 50% mark before deciding to ultimately put it down for good. This was a book that I, for some reason, kept picking up and putting down because it wasn’t drawing me in. I don’t blame the book though. I think this is entirely a timing issue for me. Will still absolutely be picking this up at a later date!

4.5🌟 i actually devoured this in less than a day! i was so excited for this since i love the artifacts of ouranos series and this delivered!! rivals to lovers workplace romance and they fall in love at a work retreat in Maui where there’s only one hotel room AND ONLY ONE BED???? i loved Rafe and their banter sooo much he genuinely made it so easy for Tris to trust and fall for him. can’t wait for this to be out to have it on my shelf, thank you so much to forever and net galley for the ARC!!

My favorite part of this book was how Nisha recognized the inequities that women, especially in the STEM field encounter and the blatant sexism that continues to run rampant in the year 2025. Wake the fuck up people! This should not be happening and I hope this book not only brings people the joy of a good smutty book but the power of saying a big fat fuck you, Tris-style, to anyone who treats you or others in a similar manner. She wove this into Tris’ story in such a believable manner that I was also getting heated and was getting annoyed with the BS that was being spouted. It also hurt that Diane’s advice was just to bear it and grin. Like girl how are we supposed to pave the way if you climb to to the top and leave it be????? That makes no sense and was so disheartening but also the beginning wake up call Tris desperately needed. Unfortunately Paul’s role icked me out completely and totally gave Legally Blonde vibes when Callahan hit on Elle. DISGUSTING BEHAVIOR!!! and Sadly not just a thing in fictional works. I’m so proud of Tris for standing up and not letting them manipulate/use her to get ahead. Hannah also sucks for her line about being pretty for an Indian girl????? BITCH I’M ANGRY AGAIN. CAN TRIS CATCH A BREAK 😭

This book was fast paced and steamy and had so many funny and relatable moments, that I couldn’t help but laughing out loud at some of the things written. Tris and Rafe had CHEMISTRY (yes all caps!) and omfg the slow burn was SLOW BURNING. Only one bed for three weeks??? I would’ve caved on like day three if it were me. I’m a big forearm girly and tbh that would’ve gotten to me quicker than Rafe’s baking skills and Tris’ stunning outfits and brilliant mind. Also I genuinely fucking LOVED Tris’ development and her big email to the company. I’m so proud😪


That being said..

I think my biggest issue with this book is that Tris seems to delude herself over her attraction to Rafe. I think her feelings for the company and their unimpressive choices in promotions ran too close together for her to think straight, but it got to a point where I was like “it’s ok to say he’s hot! He doesn’t need to know yet!”. Also her and Rafe had such a hot cold relationship and like flipped back and forth from being like heated and angry to heated and lusty. I also didn’t enjoy how much Hannah had a story in the book as it took a bit away from Tristen and Rafe’s relationship from developing. Like why are you even here girl 😭 NO IS A FULL SENTENCE. but again Rafe didn’t have to pick up each call.

I think as far as a debut into the contemporary romance world, Nisha did a wonderful job!! This book was fast paced, steamy and fun and I can’t wait to see what other stories she has up her sleeve!

Thank you Forever for this ARC🥹💕

Forever eARC
This was a fun forced proximity, workplace, enemies to lovers. I adored Tris. She was sassy when needed, vulnerable, and wasn't afraid to self reflect. I always love a book with women in STEM, and I liked how the author explored Tris' environment and her decision on what she was wanting out of her job. There was also lots of fun tension here with Rafe. He was a complicated character that added lots of depth to the budding romance here. This book was fun, and it'll be the perfect book for poolside or beach reading.

Not Safe for Work by Nisha Tuli was an absolute delight! This contemporary romance had everything I love—especially the “there’s only one bed” trope and a perfectly scrumptious slow-burn romance. I was hooked from the beginning and completely charmed by the chemistry between the characters.

What really stood out to me was how Nisha Tuli tackled the challenges women face in male-dominated workplaces. Her portrayal of misogyny and sexual harassment was honest, impactful, and so important. I truly appreciated the way she wove these real-world issues into such an engaging romcom.

Nisha Tuli’s writing continues to impress me, and the audiobook version of this one is fantastic—the narrator brought everything to life so well. I read the ARC and listened to the audiobook, and both experiences were excellent. Huge thanks to NetGalley, Nisha Tuli, and Forever Publishing for the gifted ARC. This one is definitely worth picking up!

This was everything I wanted it to be and more! The tension is savory, the quips and banter are delicious and the plot/writing/pacing are delectable! (See what I did there)! Enemies to lovers, work place, forced proximity, and it’s always been you! All the stars, read this one!

This book is Taylor Swift's "The Man" personified. It's a fun and entertaining rivals to lovers romance! Trishara & Rafe wind up stuck sharing a room during their 3 week work conference in Hawaii. They hate each other except, plot twist, they actually don't!

This book had great representation of women in the STEM, diversity, and workplace sexism. I did find their rivalry to be a little too back and forth and slightly immature. But that could be because I was just ready for the slow burn to stop burning because it drags for SO long.

I think they had great chemistry, but both characters had faults I struggled with. Rafe was way too wishy-washy with his ex, and Trishara needed more direction in what she wanted beyond moving past workplace injustice. However, I do like that Trishara stood up for herself in the end but felt conflicted by her email blast. I was proud of her while simultaneously thinking it was immature.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read, with a lot of moments that will make you feel a range of emotions. I'd recommend it for your tbr!


Tags:
-slow burn
-rivals to lovers
-workplace romance
-forced proximity
-one bed
-vacation

Spice: 2.5/5

First person
Single POV

Not Safe for Work is easily an 11 out of 10!

I adored everything about this romcom: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, dreamy vacation setting — but also a workplace romance. I want to BE Tris and BE WITH Rafe.

The build-up was perfection. So much 🔥 tension! And the ending? I swooned.

Ordered a trophy copy for my shelves. More of this, please!

Thanks to NetGalley & Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever for access to the ARC!

#NotSafeforWork #NetGalley

Omg, this book is so cute! I love me a workplace romance any day of the week. This one was a fun ride, you have enemy to lovers, boss..kinda, women in stem....love her for that, we are comically underrepresented. I just had allot of fun with this one. Don't go in expecting a deep story or angst ...... This one is short, sweet and fun.

As a chronically ill Latina working in corporate USA, it was so good to see Chronic Ill rep in Tris, a chronically ill Indian woman and total icon of a character. While I very much enjoyed the romance aspects and banter and rivalry of the book, I find myself sitting here thinking about the inspiration that Tris left me with— how to feel more confident in my self, how to advocate more for my voice and the voice of others in an incredibly male dominated field, and to stick true to my values and not let that same work force change who I am as a person— and having that courage to say no and leave that environment? Thank you Nisha. Thank you.

I am so thankful that Forever Publishing sent me this arc for my honest review without having to request the book on Netgalley (which I would have!)

An incredible first step into the contemporary romance world from her usual home in fantasy! Ms. Tuli captured all the important beats of a romance, while also weaving in her personal perspective as a bi-racial woman in engineering, navigating a male-dominated feel. Although the story between the main characters is light-hearted, steamy, and a fun slow burn, her peripheral portrayal of the dark underbelly of what life for women in these roles can be like is so real and important. Beyond a great, spicy love story, I hope this book inspires the Trishara's in the world! We need you!

4⭐️
This was such a fun slow burn romance! I have heard so much about Nisha from her fantasy series but have never read them so I was excited to see how she moved into romance. I loved the tie between the rom-com feels and STEM moments (very Ali Hazelwood coded we love!!). Tris is an engineer working in a male dominated field and is often working against the male prejudice in her workplace. She gets invited to a company training retreat where she ends up having to share a room with the CEO’s son, Rafe, our MMC. I LOVED the dynamic between Tris and Rafe in this. The tension and banter between them was apparent from the very beginning and only got better as the book went on. I liked that Nisha handled harder topics and moments in this but balanced it with humor. Tris did read a bit immature at times with her behavior but nowhere enough that I didn’t like her character. Tris is such a strong badass FMC and I loved seeing her learn to stand up for herself and demand her worth by the end! The ending of this book was SOO cute and had me grinning ear to ear. I will definitely be checking Nisha’s fantasy series out now because I loved her writing! Overall, this was such a fun cute read!!

Thank you endlessly to Forever for this e-ARC! 🤎

Review: Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli
Release date: May 20, 2025

“Rafe, why did you draw me?”
“Because I draw things that are beautiful to me.”

TLDR: This was SUCH a fun RomCom, perfect for summer reading!
Rating: 4/5
Spice level: 2.5/5

This was a great, short, light-hearted but meaningful read. It addresses the FMC’s workplace struggle as a woman of colour in a male-dominated field. It was relatable in many ways and made me root for her even harder. This book mixes important topics with light-hearted fun and addictive relationship-building. The tension and build-up between the two main characters is DELICIOUS (pun intended… IFYKY).

Nisha truly nails it again! I have been obsessed with all of her fantasy series, so it’s no shock that I loved the writing but I was surprised at how easily she flowed between writing genres. At this point, she could write a grocery list and I would happily read it.

Highly recommend! Especially at the beach with a little drinky-drink. It’s the perfect summer read!

Starting this out by saying I don't typically read or enjoy contemporary romance but I love Nisha and she made me love this book! She has a way with writing main characters in love that feel like real people. I devoured this book, 4.75 stars.

Ooh, Not Safe for Work...where to even begin?! I could gush about every single element of this gorgeous book! The setting? Fabulous! The plot? Empowering! The leads? Had me on my knees worshipping their every move! I consider this a perfect romance.

We have some delicious forced proximity as rival coworkers Trishara and Rafe are forced to share a honeymoon suite whilst attending a work retreat in Maui. And there's only one bed...

When it comes to romances I do tend to favor dual POV, but I did not miss that here whatsoever. I could live in Tris’ mind forever, honestly. I love her inner monologue, her humor, and I also love and admire that she values herself assuredly as a person, never compromising her beliefs and stance for others. The romance she experiences is oh so delectable, but I also am in awe of her own personal arc. Author Nisha J. Tuli centers Tris in a male-dominated work environment to highlight the overall plight many women, especially women of color, face in such settings. I won’t give anything away, but I felt so proud of Tris, for how she resolved to stand up for herself and feel confident in her choices, actions and words. Even when hurt, her heart stayed resolute in every final decision made. Can one be proud of a fictional character? Answer: heck yes! Because I walked away from this book not simply delighted by its massively worthwhile romance, but also feeling proud of a heroine whose steps I want to follow.

This is Trishara's book and she owns it in spectacular fashion.

As she owns one of the best love stories I’ve ever read!

I was giggling over the relationship between Tris and Rafe! They may think they are exchanging icy daggers with their eyes, but it’s apparent from the onset that the only temperature in the room is scorching hot, whew! The chemistry was electric, vibrant, and addicting. I don’t know what I had a more fun time reading: these two kids poking endless fun at each other, or them finally giving into what their hearts tried to resist for so long. Something that feels an awful lot like loooove. Bah! I’m blushing and smiling just thinking back to all my favorite scenes between them! It’s such a good, good feeling.

Now! Rafe did frustrate me a bit when it came to certain phone calls, but we come to learn he is very much a people pleaser. This is where we see Rafe’s growth through Tris’ eyes as she helps bring out in him what she brings forth for herself, and that is standing up for yourself. To not live out others’ expectations, but to chase one's own dreams. To establish boundaries. To say no without guilt. It’s not just a passionate connection formed between Tris and Rafe, it’s a beautifully emotional one too. One in the making for the five years, oh how worth the wait they are for one another.

It’s just…it all worked. All of it. I had a giant ol’ grin by book’s end. I immediately rushed to preorder myself a copy. I know this is a story I not only want to keep forever but to revisit again and again.

Thank you, thank you so kindly to Forever and NetGalley for this advanced complimentary copy, I leave this honest review voluntarily.

I was initially drawn to this book for its strong premise—highlighting white male privilege, blatant nepotism, and the uphill battle women of color face in male-dominated industries. That part? I was fully on board. It’s rare to see these themes explored so directly in a romcom, and I appreciated the author’s attempt to bring attention to the exhausting reality of workplace inequality.

Unfortunately, the execution didn’t work for me. The characters, particularly the leads, felt flat and unlikeable. The FMC sometimes lacked a backbone, which was disappointing given her powerful professional setup. And the MMC? Honestly, I couldn’t tell you anything distinct about him—he left zero impression. His ongoing issues with his ex (who kept calling with no resolution) while still sleeping with the FMC felt frustrating and unnecessary. Like… my guy, the block button is right there and costs nothing.

Also, the setup—two employees accidentally booked into the honeymoon suite on a work trip? Very odd. The relationship development relied heavily on telling rather than showing, so I never really connected with their romance or felt the chemistry.

This one wasn’t for me, but I can see it working for others who enjoy workplace rivals-to-lovers tropes with social commentary. I just needed more depth, more character, and more spark.

3.25 stars.
Having read a fantasy from Nisha J Tuli before I was so excited to try a contemporary romance from her. Right off the bat, the first couple of chapters were amazing and I adored how sassy Tris was. I can really tell Nisha put a lot of thought into her. The writing style was pretty fun and I always enjoy reading about women in STEM.
I really wish the amount of care that was put into Tris was equally put into Rafe but unfortunately I just never really felt as though I knew him.

I really enjoyed the premise of the book but I feel the island setting wasn't well utilized enough as they were doing conference related activities most of the time. I also think there were some tropes in here that frankly cheapened the story (double booking the hotel room)

Something else I didn't connect with were some of the characters view's. For instance: "ladies first" one character says which is answered with "that's sexist." No its not and as a major feminist I feel like focusing on calling this sexist is silly. Another time: "you haven't gone on a date in over a year that's unusual for your age" these types of societal "rules" are so unnecessary and contribute to making us feel like we are behind in life if not followed.

And lastly, ex-girlfriend drama??? Its a personal ick for me and I couldn't look past it. Unfortunately this was a miss for me however I'm still interested in her other books.

Thank you to Forever for the eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

TYSM NETGALLEY & GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING FOR THE ARC 🫶🏽 4.75 ⭐️!!!

I haven’t read a fluffy romance that’s made me feel this giddy in a long time 🥺💗 I’m talking gasping, squealing, and kicking my feet up type giddy!!! It’s giving complete summer romance read feels in the best way possible! I LOVED Tris and Rafe’s chemistry SO MUCH! Their banter was perfect and it felt like a true rivals to lovers romance with all the right tension in all the right places. The pace of it all was timed perfectly, nothing felt really rushed, and it felt like such a delicious and satisfying slow burn. As a female POC, I thought the plot was relatable and I connected so much to not just our fmc but to the other female supporting characters as well (even Diane). The forced proximity of it all……… delectable. Chef’s kiss. My only regret is not reading this on a beach in Hawaii with a margarita in my hand. The writing felt incredibly fun and well thought out.

Cannot WAIT for this one to come out and for all of you to enjoy Tris and Rafe just as much as I did!