This was a charming and enjoyable read.
While I'll be honest and say the first half felt a little slow for me, as I struggled to connect with the characters initially, particularly Rafe, who was primarily described through Tris's repeated observations of his attractiveness, the latter half truly captivated me. I really enjoyed their evolving dynamics and the banter between them. The side characters were also a great addition, with Molly, despite her less frequent appearances, providing excellent comedic relief.

Tris wasn't my favorite character at the beginning, but I greatly appreciated her growth and how she stood up for herself, both in her interactions with Rafe and in her professional life. I did feel that her forgiveness of Rafe might have been a little quick, though I can't definitively say I wouldn't have reacted similarly (lol).

Overall, this is a sweet summer romance with a lot of angst in the early chapters.
As a side note, I absolutely loved the clever nod to Nisha's other series :).

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved "Not Safe for Work."

It was fun to read about this enemies to lovers trope set in the STEM world. As someone who is not in that world, I still found it to be relatable as a woman regardless unfortunately.

This was my introduction to Nisha J. Tuli and I am eager to read everything from her backlist and everything new going forward. I can already tell she is now an auto-buy author for me. I cannot wait to see the reception this book will receive on pub day.

Thank you Forever and Nisha J. Tuli for selecting me for this ARC.

Rivals to lovers forced to go on the same work retried, Not Safe for Work is a good entry into the romance genre for Nisha J. Tuli. I enjoyed how fierce the female lead was. I was horrified by the things she had to endure at work, knowing that is an all to real problem from many women in male dominated fields. This was a quick read that I enjoyed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the free eARC.

I have loved everything Nisha J. Tuli has written. Her fantasy books are incredibly fun but her Adult Romance? Amazing!! I love forced proximity and find myself cheering for characters when they’re forced to be around one another every day. One bed, one room, a trip to Maui with a work colleague who does nothing but make you want to strangle him? Well you have a recipe for love and disaster! I had so much fun reading this. This is the perfect holiday romance book!! I can’t wait to read this again in the summer!

First off, thank you for the early Earc I appreciate it. I gave this book 3.5 Star. This book was not bad by any means, it just wasn't my favorite romance. I really enjoyed Tris and seeing her fight for what she wanted and what was right in her career. Having a job in a male dominated filed where you have to fight and grapple for everything and still not move forward would be so frustrating. I loved the representation of migraines and headaches, which i too suffer from. I just found Tris at times to be semi annoying and when the FMC becomes annoying to be I kinda lose interest. I loved Rafe and how he was broody but with a Cinnamon roll inside. It was so predictable and lagged a bit for me in the middle. The spice level was great it was not cringe or over done which I appreciate. I did enjoy the epilogue and seeing where all the characters ended up.

“I imagine them falling in love with their new favorite place or, best of all, sharing a kiss on top of a mountain at sunset.”
I’m a huge fan of Nisha J Tuli’s romantasy series so I couldn’t wait to pick up Not Safe For Work and when this ARC arrived in my inbox, I literally squealed.
Trishara is a talented engineer who despite her achievements and capabilities is constantly being passed over for promotions. Five years later, she has given up on advancing in her career particularly after a previous workplace romance damaged her reputation significantly. Rafe is the favoured son of a senior VP and destined for greatness. Tris is shocked when she wins a place on a training retreat and when she realises that it is a nod to diversity and inclusion that WMC is being pushed on, she uses this to her advantage. However, unbeknownst to her, her negotiated perks are extended to Rafe and they end up sharing the best suite at the hotel, the honeymoon suite.
Whilst Tris is ready to end her self-imposed celibacy at the retreat, Rafe stands between her and this goal, confusing her. He’s constantly taking calls from his ex, Hannah but also, is he as bad as she thought? Rafe shows her, his true ambition and supports her when she is scared, making her realise that he is also trapped in a sense. They finally act on their attraction and it’s explosive. Hidden glances and naughty texts make this a fun read, that you fly through.
However, just when Tris thinks that she will be able to achieve her career goals with the support of her idol, Diane Hart, a director at WMC, she realises how deeply the patriarchy at WMC runs.
I love how Tris eventually takes back the power in all aspects of her life, even though its scary and difficult. Rafe is sweet and caring but I was annoyed at his interactions with Hannah. While I understand the need for it, it just felt overly drawn out and annoying. I absolutely loved the friendships in the story, supportive and uplifting no matter the odds.
Overall, an excellent rivals to lovers spicy romance that any romance lover is bound to enjoy

I cannot even begin to explain how much I love tris and rafe!!! the way that man just yearns for tris. he’s just as obsessed with her as she is with him and thus I am obsessed with the both of them. their banter was so much fun and I was low-key embarrassed reading this in public bc of how often I caught myself smiling at my kindle like a fiend!!

this book had so many tropes that I love and they’re done in a way that’s silly and fun and really works for this story. I love that even though it’s only 350 pages, the slow burn actually did feel like it burned slowly and felt like we had earned them by the time they’d gotten together.

I loved tris’ journey to figuring out who she is, what she wanted, and how she was going to get it. what she did at the end felt so satisfactory and no doubt something a lot of people from marginalized communities wished they'd been able to do. there were so many important parts to the story and they all just worked really well together. I do wish we had gotten more of their life in the epilogue or even gotten to see more of how they got to where we see them in the epilogue, but that’s just how I feel about nearly every epilogue i’ve read.

I will say, rafe’s livestreams did give me the ick but we persevered hahaha still love him I swear!!

thank you to Forever and NetGalley for this digital arc.

Looooooved this quick lil witty read! I will definitely be adding more contemporary romances between fantasy reads because this was a DAMN GOOD TIME! 👏 looooved it, Nisha! Thank you for the ARC!

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.