Nothing gets me more excited for a summer read than enemies to lovers set in a tropical location where tensions are high and the spice is even spicier. If this is your vibe, this book is perfect for you! I had a great time devouring this book in two sittings. The reader meets Tris, a competitive engineer working in Chicago at a company full of a bunch of white bros that she has (not so) affectionately nicknamed “the Khakis.” Yeah, you got the picture. The biggest bro of all is Rafe, son of one of the executive team members, of course, and her arch nemesis. When they are both chosen to go on a company-wide retreat in Hawaii, and somehow end up in one honeymoon suite, nothing bad can happen, right? What transpires is such an entertaining story! It’s enemies to lovers, it’s steamy, it’s women in STEM dealing with sexism and slight casual racism. This all sounds like a lot, but it is definitely entertaining and a perfect beach read. There were times when Tris leaned a bit immature, but then she redeemed herself and that email that she sent the company? She got me all the way back in, baby. I really enjoyed reading this one. If you need a great summer read, put this one in your cart!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

Let me tell you about my latest read: Not Safe At Work by Nisha J. Tuli 👩🏽‍💻✈️🌺

Tishara is an engineer who’s been working her way up for years, dreaming of becoming the first woman of color in a big leadership role at her company. But after constantly facing white male privilege, she’s starting to wonder if her hard work will ever truly be recognized.

Rafe Gallagher is her boss’s son and her sworn arch enemy… or so she thought. When they’re both picked for a company retreat in Hawaii and find themselves stuck in the same room with just one bed (yes, the trope we love!), things start to shift. Getting to know each other away from the office might just change everything.

Rafe completely stole my heart in this book. He’s definitely my favorite character! Tris had me a little stressed at times, but I loved how vulnerable they became with each other. The character growth was chef’s kiss.

This book is the perfect light read to kick off your summer ☀️
Bonus points for the Women in STEM rep—I don’t know why, but I LOVE when authors include that trope 👏🏼 This book is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was okay overall—nothing particularly bad about it, but also nothing that really stood out to me in a memorable way. I went in with fairly high expectations, especially knowing it was written by Nisha, whose previous work I’ve really enjoyed for its emotional depth and strong character development. Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite deliver on that front.

I found myself struggling to connect with the female main character. She felt a bit flat to me, lacking the complexity and nuance that I’ve come to expect from Nisha’s protagonists. It was hard to fully invest in her journey or choices because she didn’t feel as fully fleshed-out or emotionally grounded. Compared to other books by the same author, where the characters tend to linger with you long after the final page, this one felt a little forgettable.

That said, the writing itself was solid, and there were moments of potential that I appreciated. But in the end, it just didn’t leave a strong impression—more of a middle-of-the-road read for me.

Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

This book was HOT 🔥🥵 Full steam ahead, I absolutely blew through this book! Women in STEM? ✔️ A pining man? ✔️ Tropical location? ✔️ Fighting the patriarchy? ✔️ Office rivalry? ✔️ Only one bed? ✔️ Steamy scenes? ✔️✔️✔️

When environmental engineer Trishara winds up receiving an all expenses paid executive trip to Hawaii to further her career with the company who has been passing her up for promotion after promotion, she’s rightly a little suspicious … especially when she finds out that the coveted second spot went to the boss’s son, her longtime rival and the person who was awarded the last promotion that should have been hers. When a major mix-up happens with booking and Tris winds up having to share her suite with her Rafe for the entirety of the trip, tension builds and sparks fly!

If there’s one thing I will always gobble up, it is office rivals to lovers!!! And set in a tropical oasis? Sign me up! Tris is such a baddie fmc. She stands up for what she knows is right and has balls of STEEL. I admired her character so much, especially once I learned she was modeled after the author herself and her former career in engineering. Sexism and racism in the workplace should NOT still be a thing in the year of our Lord 2025, yet here we still are. I love how the author drew on her personal experience and attacked that cause head on. And Tris’s email … 👀 uh yeah, that’s how you get it done, girl!

Rafe was the epitome of green flags. I loved how he went all “caveman” any time some punk was trying to do wrong by Tris. I have no notes for my king, Rafe 💆🏼‍♀️ This man knew how to do pining RIGHT, as he should. The banter, the tension, the slow burn, all of it was just perfect. And don’t even get me started on the way that man can move 😮‍💨

If you’re a fan of Ali Hazelwood novels or The Hating Game, then you’ll LOVE Not Safe for Work! Chock full of all our favorite romance tropes, you won’t regret it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Nisha J. Tuli, and Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions stated are my own.

Ummm this was crazy hot. Nisha Tuli's writing style is encapsulating, and I love the tension between perceived enemies.

3.5 ⭐'s!
Thank you Forever Publishing, Nisha J. Tuli, and NetGalley for this ARC of Not Safe for Work. I'll be leaving my honest review!
I always love when authors are able to write across genres and this one was no exception. I thought this was a great introduction to what Tuli has to offer in the contemporary romance space.
I really enjoyed the chemistry between the main characters Rafe and Tris. It was evident from the get-go and created a simmering tension that could be felt through the pages (or the screen) of the book. They felt sort of inevitable.
The setting was to die for. Who doesn't want to spend three weeks in Hawaii with your hot coworker and only one bed?
I think something I struggled with though was events or actions being said and not shown. It seemed to breeze over so many topics or be so straightforward at times that it felt stiff and expository. It sometimes made the progression of their relationship seem sudden and at times a little too on the nose.
But I overall had a great time with this book! I think this is a great summer read! I loved the female in STEM and diversity woven through in all areas of this book. I loved seeing Tris find her voice at the end and stand up to the misogynistic, racially-insensitive assholes at her company.
This makes me very excited to dive back into her fantasy books!

It took about half the book for me to really get into Not Safe for Work—but once it clicked, it delivered on the slow-burn promise. The pacing might feel a little uneven at first, but the buildup pays off, especially once the romance heats up.

The FMC is an engineer in a male-dominated field, and I found the depiction of workplace sexism painfully relatable. She’s fierce and smart but clearly disillusioned—tired of being underestimated and unsure how to keep going in a job that demands so much and gives so little. Her bad luck with men (truly terrible radar!) adds to her personal frustrations, but she doesn’t let it define her.

Once the romance with the MMC starts, it gets very steamy—though I wished for a bit more depth from him. He serves his role, but it’s really the FMC’s story. I appreciated how she manages her migraines—it's just part of her life, not her whole personality—and especially admired how she consistently refuses to put up with any BS, professionally or personally.

A satisfying, spicy workplace romance with a feminist edge and a main character you’ll root for. Thanks to Forever for the eARC!

I am in awe of this book. I am such a sucker for workplace romance and while that is what drew me in, everything else kept me intrigued. Nisha does a fantastic job of building that slow burn with the angst between the two main characters. I was practically salivating for them to just hold hands or bump knees.

Trishara is what every female main character strives to be. She is intelligent, strong-willed, confident, but also is imperfect. She makes mistakes and knows that she has her faults (but not in a pick me girl sort of way). Her past trauma dictates her choices in a very realistic manner. One of the overarching plot lines is that she is a woman of color in a very white male dominated field. She is constantly facing challenges because of this.

On the outside, Rafe seems to be your typical man. He's hot, charming, and his dad is the boss so you can connect the dots. While working for the same company, the two of them spur into a rivalry. His constant smirks and goading seem to light a fire within Trishara. When the two of them are chosen to go on a three week inclusive work trip to Hawaii tensions run high. After a room mix-up, they are forced to room together in a one bed suite. What could possibly go wrong with that?

I read this book in 'almost' one sitting and I was truly devouring it. The angst was EVERYTHING! I will say that my only critique was the love confession at the end of the three weeks. While I understand that they had been harboring some feelings for awhile before the trip, it felt very rushed and insincere. The book would have been really strong even without. Regardless, the book was very well written and I will be keeping my eye out for more works by this author!

Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This booked hooked me from the beginning. I loved that the setting of the book is in Hawaii.
Trishara was a great FMC. She was strong and I loved her growth through out the book. The banter and chemistry between Tris and Rafe worked so well. I loved the rivals to lovers aspect. This is a slow burn but it's all totally worth it.
Rafe was perfect for Tris but as a reader he was a little too mysterious so it took me a while to warm up to him.
But overall this was a fun read and the work retreat with competition was creative and entertaining.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via @netgalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this, but there were a few fatphobic comments made by both main characters that left a sour taste in my mouth. But as someone with friends who are women in engineering, I really appreciated the no frills look at the sexism, racism, and microagressions experienced by the main character.

Not Safe For Work was the perfect book to get me ready for Summer. Alas, I now crave so many pastries.

If you’re looking for work rivals to lovers, sex scenes where they’re trying not to get caught, and in a hot destination, then this is the book for you.

4.25/5 stars, I would have loved to give it 5, but I wanted more from the ending of the book (more detail in the review).

I would like to start out by saying that I learned of author Nisha J. Tuli from some of her other works I have reviewed, and my admiration of her writing and her fantasy novels is what led me to this book in the first place, though I was skeptical at first.

Not Safe for Work follows Trishara Malik as she works through discovering who she is in a moment of her life where everything feels stagnant. The plot of the story begins when Trishara (Tris) is selected to represent her branch of the company she works for at a multi-week leadership retreat in Hawaii. she is one of two employees attending from the Chicago branch, and the other is none other than her work nemesis and son and nephew of the branch's big bosses, Rafe (the MMC).

Before diving into the plot of the story, I would like to take a moment to talk about the FMC, Trishara Malik. Tris is an engineer who has noticed herself becoming complacent with her position at WMC. Additionally she is hesitant to get too close to anyone romantically as a result of prior experiences, which impacts her opinion and perception of her coworkers and friends.

The majority of the book takes place during in Hawaii during the retreat. For the main characters, their time in Hawaii begins with a lot of hostility and frustration. Stuck with sharing not just a room for the entire retreat, but a honeymoon suite with only one bed, both individuals sought every opportunity to avoid the room and each other. Over time - and a series of meals on the suite's balcony - Tris and Rafe learn more about each other both inside and outside the company, but also the backstory to certain actions and reactions that have defined their work-relationship (or lack thereof) for the past 5 years. They slowly transition from enemies to friends, and then quickly from friends to something more, though that is definitely a result of the sexual tension that clings to them like the clothes on their back.

Unbeknown to our lovely main characters, a key feature in their relationship over the past five years is non other than miscommunication. As a result of one member of the pair misunderstanding the words or actions of the other, the intention behind their words and actions both before and during the trip led to many arguments and angry storm outs that could have been avoided.

This story also includes a third act breakup, however Tris and Rafe's makeup - and the entire final act of the book - was so rushed that I did not enjoy it. As readers, we spent so much time with Tris analyzing her own thoughts, actions, and reactions during the retreat, yet we were not given the same opportunity following Tris' departure from Hawaii. I loved certain aspects of the end of the book that I do not want to give away, and I loved the way Tris and Rafe made up, but I felt like it was unpolished/unfinished. It felt like the end of an essay or writing prompt where you know you have more to say but you have run out of time/pages. While the ending was neat and every loose end was tied into a bow, I would have liked a couple more pages to smooth the ending of Tris and Rafe's story.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishing company, the narrator, and author Nisha J. Tuli for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was everything i needed it to be and more! Nisha always knocks it out of the park! I just wish i could have been on the retreat with them!

𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 by Nisha J. Tuli, narrated by Soneela Konkani, #gifted by @hachetteaudio pub date 5.20.25

I know Tuli is known for her fantasy novels, and I am so happy that my intro to her writing is via this romcom that had me in stitches!

Combining a number of romance-favorite tropes, this story of work rivals who are chosen for a corporate retreat is not just funny because Tuli balances the humor and romance while also calling out the bad behaviors women in STEM constantly face.

And as far as the romance goes, it is 🔥🔥🔥! You know these two are going to hook up, but it’s that tension and the verbal foreplay that builds up and leads to only the best place! And I love that there’s more to Rafe than what meets the eye when it becomes clear that he’s been unhappy with the status quo in his professional and personal life.

Highlights:
🏝️Workplace romance, adversary-to-lovers, forced proximity, one bed
🏝️Women in STEM
🏝️Banter, text banter
🏝️Spice, open door
🏝️Family ambition vs personal ambition

Be aware of: sexism in the workplace, micro aggressions, inappropriate workplace behavior

Soneela Konkani is one of my favorite narrators. She’s so gifted at delivering sarcasm and dry humor, and nails the punchlines. I always, ALWAYS laugh out loud when I listen to her. It’s like I can see the character’s mind in motion along with their physical expressions.

This is one of my favorite romcoms this year! I was excited for any moment when I could pick it up from where I left off. I liked Tuli’s writing and I’m up for reading more from her. Definitely check this out!

Thank you @hachetteaudio for my ALC in exchange for an honest review.

4.75 stars!! I loved this so much! It was the rivals to lovers, workplace romance of my dreams! It drew me right in from the start and I didn’t want to put it down! The tension was phenomenal! Forced proximity is one of my favorite tropes and it was done so well in this! If you also love and “only one bed” moment, this one is for you! I was obsessed with Tris and Rafe’s dynamic and was so happy when they got together! They also had great banter, which made the book an even more enjoyable.

Tris was also so strong and I loved that she stood up for herself to all of the terrible people in the workplace because she dealt with way too much there! Overall, this was such a great book and I can’t wait to hopefully read more contemporary romances from this author!

What a slowwwwww burn!!!!! I’m obsessed!

This was my first Nisha J. Tuli book (thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC), and it absolutely will not be my last. I went in expecting an overly predictable office romance, but I was genuinely surprised by how layered and emotional this story turned out to be. The chemistry between Tris and Rafe builds so deliciously that by the time things finally spark, you’re fully invested and rooting for them.

Tris is a phenomenal FMC!! Confident, complex, and SO badass. I adored getting to know her. Rafe is your classic hot MMC with power, money, and forearms.... While he didn’t quite steal the show for me on his own, the dynamic between him and Tris really worked, and their relationship felt authentic and earned.

This book had me hooked with the tension and LOTS of yearning. Highly recommend for fans of slow burn, enemies-to-lovers office romances with a good amount of spice.

This book was a cute, fast paced slow-burn perfect for the approaching summer season! I loved our fmc tris who is no nonsense and very confident paired with her workplace rival rafe this was sizzling, fun, and hot! Such a fun read and introduction to this author!!

i think this book was just ok.

i really wanted to love it especially since there was asian representation, but i couldn’t read past the immaturity that was the (always) angry female mc.

like i just wanted to give tris some pot and tell her to smoke it and chill. like girl i know you’ve been through a lot but learn to take that stick out of your a** and live a little for yourself. it was SO hard to look past the immaturity.

i did like that she stuck up for herself in multiple ways, especially voicing her opinions on the injustice of women in male dominant fields and workplace discrimination (her email was her saving grace for me) - but that’s really all i enjoyed about the book.

and did she really have to attack rafe on his character left and right? when he clearly was always apologizing and always clearing things up with her. i don’t remember tris ever owning up to the harsh, untrue things she said to him (but we’re supposed to be okay with that, because what, she’s angry at the world? no. accountability sis)

and the entire plot was just messy. rafe’s cousin only shows up at the beginning of the book but then gets reamed in the end (was this just an afterthought? what was the true point?)

thank you to forever pub for gifting me this arc. it wasn’t for me, but maybe it will resonate with others!

I absolutely love Nisha Tuli. She just knows how to make you enjoy a book and be invested in the relationships. Great book!

4.25/5
This was a great summer romance! Tris and Rafe were a really fun couple to read about. They are such a fantastic example of workplace rivals to lovers. It was a treat to see their relationship develop throughout the book, from mild sabotage and tons of flirty bickering in the beginning, to being exactly what the other person needed by the end.

Nisha did a really great job representing the struggles so many women face in a predominantly male corporate setting, and she built the story really well around that. While the ending felt a bit rushed to me, overall this was a very enjoyable read with some fairly emotional moments.

ARC provided by Forever via NetGalley.