Quick Summary: A lighthearted STEM, enemies to lovers romance

My Review: Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli is a contemporary romance novel. It is scheduled for publication on 5/20/25.

About the Book: "Rival engineers dabble in personal chemistry while at a tropical company retreat..."

In My Own Words: A workplace hottie with a secret passion and a beauty with a spicy personality and a desire for more clash in a remarkable way.

What I Loved:

- Resilience of FMC...Total boss!
- Attraction between leads
- Snarky remarks
- Tension-laced innuendos
- Witty banter
- Slow burn pacing
- Steamy chemistry
- Tropical setting
- Close proximity setup
- Competitions and tests to assess leadership and personality
- Discovering the hidden parts of both leads
- Female squad friendships formed at conference (Tris, Lan, and Gabrielle)
- Best friend energy with Molly
- Shared love of yum yums

My Favorite Scenes (coded, so as to avoid spoilers):

- The Crashing
- The All Staff Communication
- The Favorite Villain

My Final Say: This story was a 50-40-10. The slow burn and nail-biting tension was like 50% steamy goodness. The kisses, chemistry, cuddles, and more were definitely 40% fire. The conflict and its resolution was like 10% yep. I loved it! If I say anything else, I would give too much away. All I can say is read it. Better yet, let's all secure a copy of what is sure to be an amazing audiobook experience. Let's go!

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status/Level: ❤️‍🔥

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever), and to NetGalley. Thank you so very much for granting access to a digital ARC of this incredible work in exchange for an honest critique. I thoroughly enjoyed reviewing this title. I look forward to reading more from this writer.

Trishara and Rafe- Rival coworkers who spend 3 weeks in forced proximity during a leadership retreat in Hawaii.

This was so cute and fun!! I loved it!

Witty banter. Rivals to lovers. Workplace. Forced proximity. One bed. Slow burn. BIPOC rep. Women in STEM. Chronic pain rep. Hits on some common workplace challenges for women, especially women of color, in a male dominated industry including discrimination, sexual harassment, and nepotism.

This was a quick and highly enjoyable read for me. I could’ve easily devoured this in one sitting. It kept me interested and was the perfect mix of serious relatable topics balanced with humor and steamy tension.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the arc!

A workplace enemies to lovers romance set on a retreat in Hawaii? Sign me up!

Trishara is working to break the mold of nepotism and white male privilege within her company. When she gets chosen for a leadership retreat in Hawaii, she finally thinks that she has a chance - until she gets stuck in a one-bed trope with Rafe, her boss’s son and work rival. The two soon find out that the chemistry that they have for one another may outweigh the hate.

This book was such an enjoyable read and from the very beginning I was sold on Trishara’s character as she stands on her values and doesn’t accept less than she deserves. This is the perfect story to get your mind off work and into vacation mode. I highly recommend this spicy romance that also discusses important issues that are rampant in white male dominated work spaces.

Thank you Forever and NetGalley for the eARC for review consideration!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this free eARC

Trishara is a smart, sexy FMC who is frustrated with the lack of advancement her career. Rafe is her hot coworker who has a massive ego who definitely has gotten where he is in his career thanks to nepotism. He also clenches his jaw in a very sexy way.

These rivals find themselves together at a work conference, and are forced to share a room...with only one bed. Will the team building exercises, forced proximity, and their undeniable hotness be enough to overcome the fact that he's been kind of a jerk and she wants to avoid him like the plague?

While the story was not particularly relatable to me, I'm certain it is to a lot of women who work in male dominated industries. I do think the pacing is a little off, and the resolution feels a little too quick and tidy. Overall I enjoyed my time reading it and would certainly be interested in reading other works by Nisha J. Tuli in the future.

Not Safe For Work is a slow burn, rivals to lovers, open door romance. 4/5 stars

4⭐

if you're looking for a fun & hot summer read, look no further! not safe for work is the epitome of a fun work rivals-to-lovers and it was so good in all its spicy glory. it was full of tension and banter and it absolutely ate it up.

the fact that rafe was so protective of tris had me kicking my feet because who doesn't love a mmc who isn't afraid to care for the fmc (even with the glowering and broodiness). i really enjoyed his backstory and how he wanted to prove himself despite his image of being a nepo-baby. i also really adored how driven tris was! as a POC girlie who also works in a field that is mostly male-dominated, i could heavily relate to tris. she worked hard to get where she is and i loved that she stood up for herself. their romance was so good, as i said, i loved the tension and their connection. both of them longing for each other was just *chefs kiss*. it was the perfect amount of spice!

pick this one up if you enjoy:
- forced proximity
- work rivals-to-lovers
- only one bed
- rom-com vibes
- he takes care of her/protective mmc

thank you forever publishing for the arc, i am so grateful!

I think I prefer Nisha’s fantasy stories more but that is just my preference. Rom com fluffier stories have never been my go to choice. But this was written well and enjoyable! I had a good time reading and I laughed out loud at times and squealed over some of the scenes 🫣🥰🫠. I loved the Women in STEM rep and the cover is 🔥🔥🔥.

Rating: 4.5/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

If you’re a fan of the following tropes you will like this book, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, work-place romance, one bed, and slow burn.

You will meet Trishara who is a brilliant engineer at a large firm, she is often overlooked for promotions and any advancement opportunities. She is now feeling the burnout of having to prove herself at her work so much, so when she gets the chance to attend a corporate leadership retreat in Maui, she is all in to make sure that she learns the most she can, shake hands and make friends. Sadly, her boss’s son Rafe is also going to be there, and she cannot stand him. Yes, he is sexy, and yes, she did have feelings for him but after seeing how he has treated her and knowing that he had a girlfriend made it easy but now that she is Maui and having to share the only room left with Rafe, she is seeing different sides to him that she never knew about.

I thought the plot was well done, and perfect for a workplace retreat romance, I found the pace of the book to be right for a romcom. The banter throughout the book was well done, and I found myself smiling or laughing at the situations that the characters would get themselves into. The romance in this book was slow burn and I mean SLLOOWW burn, but the way that Nisha writes it with all the tension between these characters it was just chefs’ kiss. I loved that throughout the book we got to know and understand the characters. I liked that once the characters started to really talk, you got to see the different layers that they hide from the world and see that just because someone seems happy doesn’t mean that they’re. I loved that Rafe was really a romance and knew what he wanted in life, but he didn’t want to disappoint his parents. I loved that we got to see the characters go for what they both really wanted and stand up for themselves.

Trishara is a sassy, confident, successful woman. She loves her work at the engineering firm, but she is not okay with being passed over and over just because she is a woman and a colored one too. I really enjoyed the scene where she stood up for herself and other women in the STEM community. She is a real GIRL Boss, and I am here for it. Rafe I was unsure if I should like this guy, and I would have loved to see him shine a little more throughout the book, but I felt as though the author did a great at making it, so the readers get to really see his true character and he is so cute. I loved that he was there for Trishara when she needed it and yes, I do think a certain act was a little much, but I enjoyed the way that Nisha wrote it, because it actually wrapped up everything nicely.

I also received the audio of this book, and I found the narrator really helped to bring these characters to life. I could close my eyes and picture the book as a movie and could feel what the characters were feeling. Soneela Nankani did a fantastic job and I would recommend this audio/book to all STEM romance lovers.

I want to thank NetGalley and Grand Central Pub for the opportunity to review this book.

This was a fun, engaging, enemies to lovers, workplace with a tropical twist romance. I enjoyed reading about these characters.


I voluntarily read an early copy.

If you’re a sucker for enemies to lovers tension, forced proximity, and sunshine drenched slow burns, this spicy romcom is an absolute must read!

Enter Trishara and Rafe…snarky, competitive coworkers who can barely stand to be in the same room, are chosen to attend a company retreat in Hawaii. Cue the *one bed* because we are out of rooms hotels debacle, awkward icebreaker activities, and one very scary storm..

What I loved most is how Nisha balanced humor with real character growth. The POC representation and women in stem… *chefs kiss*

This is a sweet contemporary romance. Tris and Rafe are coworkers at an engineering firm who have always been combative at work. They are chosen to attend a retreat in Hawaii and sparks fly. What I like about this book is the exploration of how difficult it is for women to succeed in male dominated work spaces. The author says in her intro that this is all based on things that she experienced. Tris and Rafe have a sweet relationship but I think the workplace enemies theme is a lot tired and I don't felt like there was enough in this book to really set it apart. Regardless, it was a fun quick romance read. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

This book was such a fun read! The rivals-to-lovers setup, the forced proximity, the banter — it had everything I love. Trish is such a strong, driven character, and I really liked that she was in STEM. And Rafe? Yeah, he got on her nerves, but you could tell there was something more under the surface. Once they ended up having to share a room, things really took off.

Their dynamic was super entertaining. They bickered, they flirted, and it was so satisfying to watch it all play out. I also liked that when miscommunication came up, it didn’t drag. Rafe actually explained himself instead of making things worse, which felt refreshing. Trish had a few moments where I was like, “girl, calm down,” but overall I loved her and was rooting for them both.

It gave me a little bit of everything — laughs, tension, sweet moments — and I had such a good time reading it. Solid 4 stars from me!

Not Safe for Work is a fun, tropical enemies-to-lovers setup with some promising elements, but ultimately fell short for me. I appreciated reading about (and related to) Trishara’s experience as a woman of color in a male-dominated field, but struggled to connect with the characters. Their dynamic felt immature and the romance did not feel authentic to me.

This was such a delight to read! I will never say no to a work romance and this delivered on all the delicious tension and banter! I loved that both characters made it seem like they both couldn't stand the other but secretly they had feelings that they tried to deny!

At first you go into this book thinking Rafe is just the cliche CEOs who gets everything handed to him. He appears snobby and aloof but the farther you get into the story you start to learn more about him and come to find that he is actually so sweet and struggling with not actually liking his job. Tris is such a fiery woman and I loved that she never backed down and gave just as good as she got. I related to her character so much with how she struggled with horrible migraines!

This was more than just a steamy romance. It brought attention to the real struggles that not only women in STEM deal with but also being a woman of color. Nisha really did a fantastic job of writing an enjoyable romance full of chemistry and heat but a story that opens your eyes to real life struggles for women.

My first Nisha J Tuli and most definitely not my last!! I will be reading her romantasy series asap!!

NSFW was the perfect summer vibes book. Rivals to lovers, forced proximity, THERES ONLY ONE BED.
On top of that, a female engineer clawing her way through the injustices of simply being a woman of color working in a male dominated field. YUCK.

There was heat, there was tension, will they won't they, banterrrr. My god this book really had it all! It was such a fun read while still showing what it's like for women(women of color specifically) to work in white male centered spaces.

Highly recommend picking up this book if you want a beach read this summer that's also full of female rageeee. LOVE LOVE LOVED.

Thank you Forever for the early ebook!

I love me a SPICY enemies to lovers workplace romance. Throw in a tropical training retreat, only one bed, a storm, lots of female rage against workplace injustices and a MMC who BAKES!! YES! I was so here for this one by a new to me Canadian author. Great on audio narrated by one of my favs, Soneela Nankani and highly recommended for fans of authors like Nisha Sharma or Sajni Patel. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio and digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Being a fan of Nisha’s romantasy works, I was excited to read her debut contemporary romance, and it was everything it claimed to be. This is proof that if Nisha writes it, I’m going to read it, and also a not so silent plea for more!

Trishara is doing her best to advance through the ranks at work, but as a BIPOC female working in a male dominated world, she is finding that dream harder and harder to accomplish. That is, until she is picked to go on the company’s leadership retreat with none other than her workplace rival- and secret crush- Rafe. There’s just one problem- did she really earn this opportunity, or was she simply afforded it to meet a company quota?

I was kicking my feet the entire time at how utterly perfect this book was! The banter and tension was spot on and these characters were so damn likable. I don’t think I stopped smiling the entire time I was reading. Tris was a force and I have definitely added Rafe to my list of top tier book boyfriends. I dare you not to fall for their quirky humor and smoldering chemistry.

I also loved Nisha’s take on the struggles women in STEM face on a daily basis, and how the characters handled it all in the end. In her author’s note, she points out that while some of these events and conversations may seem outlandish or over the top, they did in fact happen and yes, people really have the audacity to think and behave that way.

Thank you to Nisha, Forever, and NG for the advanced copy of this amazing book. I cannot wait to see what Nisha brings us next!

The tension, the slow burn, the banter and all with a badass FMC stuck in forced proximity with her work nemesis!!!

The book had me hooked from the very beginning, read it start to finish in one evening. It was craveable and Nisha nailed it with these tropes.

4.5/5 stars


Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli is a workplace/enemies to lovers romance featuring Trishara Malik and Rafe Gallagher. Tris is one of the few women of color in her white male-dominated career of engineers. She feels stagnant after years of microaggressions and being passed for promotions in favor of mediocre white men. However, she’s (surprisingly) been one of two people chosen to go to a leadership retreat in Hawaii, only for her to quickly figure out that she was chosen as the diverse token meant to make the Chicago branch of her company seem more progressive than they lead on. The other person chosen is Rafe, aka the boss’s son and one of the many men who was promoted over her. Tris and Rafe have been competing with each other for the last five years, only to find themselves sharing a room for the retreat due to a booking error. As their time in Hawaii unfolds, barriers are broken down as Tris learns to let go of her past fears and figure out where she stands within her engineering career.

I adored this book; it honestly might have been one of my slump busters. I read the entirety of this novel in one day, which has become really difficult for me stay focused on one book when reading with my eyes (as opposed to with my ears). But Not Safe for Work had me in a chokehold. This was probably one of the horniest traditionally published contemporary romance books I’ve ever read, and I ate it up. It was also so funny and had me legitimately laughing out loud several times.

Rafe. I love that he has always been in Tris’s corner. Much like how her inner feminist once takes a backseat to allow Rafe to caveman over her and save her from unwanted advances, I— same. LOL While Tris never necessarily *needs* Rafe to step in (nor does she want him to white knight for her), I love how he steps up to defend her and be there for her, <spoiler> especially during that storm— whew <3 </spoiler> But most of all, I love that he learns courage from Tris and ends up taking the necessary steps in order to get out of the life and career he never wanted, not only for Tris’s sake, but really for his own.

Trishara is everything I want to be when I grow up. She is strong, she knows who she is, and when faced with some really awful situations, she stands her ground and makes it possible for future women, and especially women of color, to have hope and take steps towards a better and hopefully more equitable space with more opportunities within engineering careers. I also loved that Tris (albeit very slowly) opens herself up to love despite the lies she tells herself (and the readers). Her timing certainly unravels in the way it’s supposed to, and I loved that her love story happened in the way it did because it gave her the time she needed to heal and be with herself as well as her to know Rafe in their roundabout way.

I have never been (and will likely never be) a woman in STEM. But something about reading women (especially!!! of color!!!) in STEM kicking ass, falling in love, and *being* loved is so special to me.

Nisha J. Tuli has been on my TBR for a hot minute, and reading this book has made me move her fantasy books up to my more immediate TBR. Thank you, Netgalley and Forever, for the ARC!

4.4 ⭐️

Nisha slays contemporary romance. This workplace romance meets Hawaii was unputdownable.

Rafe and Trish had so much sizzling chemistry from their banter to the tension. The slow burn was so worth it. I loved how smart and confident Trish. Rage’s character arc was so unexpected in a good way. The silent observer and admirer that he was. That man can bake! A little rivals to lovers action that was perfection.

Everyone needs to read this.

Rom com
Banter
Tension
Workplace romance
He falls first and harder
STEM
Intelligent FMC
Slow burn to spice

Add this to your TBR. Thank you NetGalley and Nisha.

This book is scorching! A slow-burn, rivals to lovers workplace/paradise/only one bed masterpiece. Nisha J. Tuli’s NSFW needs to be on your summer TBR.

Trishara and Rafe are work rivals at their engineering firm, where there always seems to be some simmering attraction buried underneath the glares and hate. When they are selected to represent their location at a tropical leadership retreat, it’s game on to see who can come out on top. But there’s a room mishap (oops), stolen glances (and touches), and maybe there’s more to each other than they expected…

I inhaled this book, it’s SO good. Romance, real life, and friendship served up in paradise. What more could you want from a book?! I received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.