5 ⭐️

Where do I even begin to express my love for Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli? This book has officially become one of my favorite romance reads of 2025, and I’m so excited for everyone to read it! I’m a huge fan of Nisha’s writing, and this book delivered everything I needed in a contemporary romance.

In Not Safe for Work, we follow engineer Trishara Malik—who also goes by Tris—who has been working incredibly hard to earn a promotion and the recognition she deserves. Unfortunately, this is challenging in a company with a long-standing culture of nepotism. Tris, a woman of color, has been excelling in her role, but unsurprisingly, she doesn’t receive the recognition she deserves in a workplace that favors white male privilege.

Surprisingly, Tris is shocked when she’s selected to attend her company’s corporate leadership retreat in Hawaii. She’s excited for the opportunity and eager to continue pushing back against the blatant nepotism within the company. What she wasn’t expecting, however, was for her rival and coworker, Rafe Gallagher, to also be selected for the retreat—and she certainly wasn’t expecting them to end up sharing the same room for the entire trip.

Rafe is her true rival, but once they arrive in Hawaii, Tris begins to see other sides of him—especially his lack of interest in the privilege and nepotism within the company.

Have I mentioned how much I love Nisha’s writing? Because this book was EVERYTHING! The tension and banter between Tris and Rafe had me blushing and drooling. Nisha’s ability to write strong female leads and male characters who yearn for them is truly extraordinary. I devoured this book in a single day and am already ready for a re-read! I highly recommend it if you’re looking for your next rivals-to-lovers, forced proximity, workplace romance!

Thank you so much to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!

I say this with love and light in my heart, every modern non-genre romance book should be 10-15% shorter.
I really liked Not Safe for Work, the characters were flawed and learned that they were the problem, the location was fun, I liked the side characters, and I love a little STEM girly-pop time. BUT all of the arguing between the main characters felt pretty forced and could have been cut down and I think I would have liked it more.
If you're an Ali Hazelwood fan I think you'll like this, and I will definitely be reading more Nisha J. Tuli now.

I’ve loved every book Tuli has written, and Not Safe for Work is no exception. She has been an auto buy author for me since I first read her romantasy series, and I love how seamlessly she was able to transition to contemporary. As a woman working in the STEM industry, this book hit hard for me on a personal level. There are scenes that people may read and think ‘that doesn’t actually happen’ only to learn, yes, yes it does. I appreciate Tuli bringing awareness to the reality of plenty of women in STEM fields. That’s not all, though. The romance is so well done. The chemistry between Tris and Rafe was off the charts. The rivalry between the two brought out their competitive nature and ultimately heightened the romantic tension. While this starts off as a slow burn, once the spark ignites, they are all in. I also loved Rafe’s surprise career passion. I loved the audiobook narration. Nankani absolutely brought Tris’s character to life. You could feel the passion, frustration, excitement, and worry that Tris experienced in Nankani’s narration. I could not stop listening to Nankani’s performance. I can’t wait to see what Tuli releases next.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️
Kindle Unlimited: No.

I had a great time with this book. I ended up staying up until 2am to finish it. Tris was sassy and funny and imperfect and Rafe was a lot of the same.

They did mess up and apologize to each other a lot, which did get a little old. But other than that, this book was the perfect blend of spice and workplace romance. I loved the addition of the “only one bed” trope and how they challenged each other and grew as people by the end of the book. This book isn’t reinventing the wheel when it comes to enemies to lovers, but it does give a slightly fresh perspective on the trope and isn’t entirely predictable which I liked.

If you’re a fan of The Paradise Problem or Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren and Love On The Brain by Ali Hazelwood, then you’ll probably have a fun time with this book too!

4.5⭐️ aw that was so good

I freaking loved this almost had me crying lolol

Gosh I wish we got his POV that’s definitely what would’ve made this a 5 for me but it was still a great read!!

Such a cute story, work rivals, to lovers, lots of forced proximity which honestly i probably didn’t care for that trope until this! Like it was so well done I was eating it up!!!

The spice was just right, the tension, the banter, holy fuck I was so in this story.

I’m not gonna lie at first I wasn’t sure if i was gonna like it or care but it really grew on me I loved the side characters and tris’s growth and even rafe’s

Ugh what a great story 🥹

Thank you to NetGalley for the EARC for an exchange of an honest review. All thoughts are 100%my own !

Book Recap: Trishara Malik feels stuck in her career. Being a woman of color working as an engineer at WMC Purcell has kept her shooting for the stars and in the same role for years, but that might be about to change. When Tris gets selected to attend the WMC’s corporate leadership retreat in Hawaii, she also has a chance to secure a spot in an executive training program. The only downside? She has to attend the retreat with her work nemesis, Rafe Gallagher…who she happens to have a crush on.

Top Tropes:
📐 STEM Workplace Romance
🛏️ Only One Bed
🔥 Enemies-to-Lovers

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️(several open door scenes, romance is the primary plot; however, spice is limited)

Let’s Talk About It…
This was my first Nisha J. Tuli book (Yes, I know I’m late to the game…) and let me tell you it did not disappoint. As a woman working in STEM, I found this book relatable from the moment I read the author’s note. Tris is an incredibly talented and hardworking employee who has been overlooked for years. This is, unfortunately, a common experience for women in STEM fields, especially those of color. Thankfully, I don’t relate to everything that Tris experienced in this book, but some of her encounters felt very close to home. I appreciated that the author took on these difficult topics head on and gave us a FMC that didn’t back down from what was right for her.
The romance in this book was perfect. I loved the banter between Rafe and Tris. I neglected more adult responsibilities than I care to admit so I could finish this book. I couldn’t put it down. I loved the added element of Tris and Rafe both having other relationships competing for their attention.
I won’t spoil the ending, but let’s just say I think there couldn’t have been a better ending to this love story!

“There’s nothing unmissable about you. That’s all I meant. That there isn’t anywhere you could go where everyone wouldn’t notice you”

Not Safe for Work is your next must-pack-for-the-beach read!! Trishara is a woman in STEM trying to thrive in a white male–dominated world, and her so-called "reward" for all her hard work? A leadership retreat… with her ultimate nemesis (and boss’s son👀) Rafe Gallagher.

I was cackling at Tris’s one-liners, swooning over Rafe’s secret sketchbook sketches, and utterly here for EVERY steamy, tension-so-thick moment. This was such a thoughtful representation of a woman of color in STEM while serving up the perfect blend of humor, heart, and spice!

Read if you like:
💼 Workplace rivals to lovers
🛏️ Forced proximity (helloooo honeymoon suite)
💻 Strong women in STEM
🌺 Tropical escapades
💪 Sexy forearms

My rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️.5

First, I wanna say that the cover for Not Safe for Work pops! This book had a lot of really good things going for it. I love representation of women in STEM and South Asian representation. I really enjoyed the FMC. She was a force to be reckoned with and sometimes I didn’t feel like the MMC was good enough for her. Overall, I I continue to enjoy Nisha J Tuli’s writing and really enjoyed this romance!

Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So Nisha J Tuli is gifted. I've read her romantasy/fantasy and now I've read her contemporary romance, and she is just so good at keeping you hooked and entertained. NSFW had me riled up, happy, frustrated, excited, and relieved by the end of it.

Trishara was a great leading lady with a character arc that I appreciated. Her hate-fatuation with Rafe was relatable and I liked how the story addressed how her own preconceptions created a nemesis in him, rather than them being true enemies. Trish throughout the whole book was very cheer-on-able, and hey, she's a woman in STEM as well for those of you who want more of those romances!

The audio was great and the narrator knocked Trishara's personality out of the park.

Thank you to Forever Publishing & Hachette Audio and Netgalley for the e-ARC and e-ALC!

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and alc!

3.5ish stars — debating on the rating because some aspects were a bit childish, but overall i enjoyed this workplace-that doesn’t really take place in the office-romance

this was my first nisha j tuli book, and while i enjoyed it, i did expect a little more regarding character development and plot expansion based on her romantasy series (which i’ve still got to read).

as for the audio, the narrator did a fine job!

This was such a fun bingeable read! I love Nisha’s writing and her ability to write a strong FMC absolutely shines in this book. The banter between the two MC’s had me kicking and giggling my feet often. If you are looking for a sloooooow burn rom com with women in STEM representation and the dreamiest setting (hello paradise), I think you’ll love this one! Thank you to Forever Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced digital copy.

Nisha J. Tuli's romcom debut is so fun!

I really enjoyed Nisha’s humor—totally infused in Tris’ inner thoughts and the banter between our leads. She also weaves in the serious topics of racism and sexism in the workplace. Tris’ strength and journey are a joy to read!

My actual rating is 4.5 stars; I knocked off .5 because Rafe's interactions with his ex frustrated me.

I will be recommending this one to friends and my community on Instagram!

Not Safe for Work is about Trishara and Rafe, who are "rival" engineers at work. Trishara is a brown women (go us!) who is tired of being passed up for promotions and Rafe is the boss's son (of course). After so many years, Trishara is tired but, she and Rafe get selected to go on a 3-week leadership work trip to Hawaii. It's her chance to revive her career, and nothing, including Rafe, will stand in her way.. Overall, this is a really solid book. The writing was easy to read. I enjoyed the representation in this book. I can appreciate Trishara's journey in this. It's hard to work in a male dominated world.

However, both Trishara and Rafe fell a little flat for me. For how strong Trishara is, she was really wishy washy about Rafe. It was a little much reading about her going for Rafe but then backing off and reminding herself she needs to stay away from feelings. Rafe gave hot energy, but I think I learned more about his family and Hannah, who he should've handled long ago, than himself. I wish I just had more from him.

The pacing of the first half of the book was good. It flowed well, but I wish the conflict resolution was a little longer. Trishara deserved more. The ending was really cute, I'm happy things turned out the way they did.

Overall? I recommend if you're looking for a smutty, easy to read romance. 3.75 stars from me,

This was my first book by this author, and had no idea what to expect, but I absolutely adored this book. The banter between the two main characters was very enjoyable and really showed the chemistry between them.

Tris was such a strong and perfect main character that didn't take anything from anyone, no matter what. As a female in a predominantly male field (and as a woman of color), she goes through a lot of discrimination. And the ending, when she had enough, was just the best and made me proud of her. She's been through a lot and found it hard to trust, and Rafe was so patient with her.

Now for the negatives. Rafe did get on my nerves the entire book with him leading his ex on and not shutting her down when he should have. Rafe was also pretty one-dimensional. There was a lot of mention of his looks, but we didn't really dive deeper into his personality or past so it was hard to care about him. Also, had to take off some points because of the constant mentioning of Rafe's type of smile that he was giving her (which was also repetitive).

Thank you to Nisha J. Tuli, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for the eARC and audioARC of this book. This is my honest review.

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!

3 1/2 stars for this delicious enemy to lovers romcom! While it's was quite predictable, I really enjoyed the banter and chemistry between Tris and Rafe. Two employees who thought they hated each other are thrown together on a company retreat. It's obvious from the beginning that their signals were crossed all those years ago. I liked the author's ability to break down the characters' shields, uncovering more depth than other romcoms. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Grand Central Publishing for providing this ARC!

⭐️ Cute premise, but I didn't like the execution ⭐️

WHAT TO EXPECT
✨ contemporary romance
✨ Maui resort setting
✨ co-workers at a retreat
✨ insta-lust
✨ rivals-to-lovers
✨ one suite/bed
✨ slow burn
✨ 3/5 spice
✨ denial of feelings
✨ MISCOMMUNICATION
✨ ex-girlfriend drama
✨ HEA
✨ FMC of Indian descent
✨ women in STEM facing discrimination
✨ complicated family dynamics
✨ single pov


My Thoughts:

I was fine with the first 20% of this story, since we were setting the stage, meeting the characters, and I was curious to see where it would all go. But once they got to Hawaii, it went downhill for me. The romance between Trishara and Rafe was way too messy, and not in a fun or meaningful way. It was heavy on the lust, but light on actual connection. I never felt emotionally invested in the couple. Their back-and-forth dynamic felt more childish than compelling, and the constant denial of feelings and miscommunication wore me out and became extremely frustrating. Then the ex-girlfriend drama, which had been brewing in the background, finally came to a head, and that was the last straw for me.

Something else that irritated me was that fairytales or romance books were mentioned quite a few times throughout the story. It started off feeling playful, but they were brought up so often that it was just too much. What was initially a cute touch ended up being overused and feeling excessive.

The only things I’ve liked about this story was that it takes place in a fun tropical setting, and the fact that Trishara is a woman of color in STEM and brings attention to/confronts how she’s been discriminated against, harassed, and passed over for less-qualified men due to nepotism.

Thank you NetGalley for providing an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.

Teetering between 3 and 4 ⭐️ for this one.
Cute, fast read that made the perfect palette cleanser. Perfect for anyone looking for an office romance slightly similar to The Hating Game (dynamic wise). The enemies to lovers trope did its job. I just feel like it could have used a smidge more of something that I just can’t put my finger on. The heroine, Trishara, had 180 reactions that were a bit confusing to me but I did love how she stood up for herself. Overall, would recommend everyone picking it up tomorrow when it releases.

I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS.

this was so so good. like, one of my favorite reads this year. i am obsessed with tris and rafe so far. the banter, the workplace rivalry, the little things, the pining, ONLY ONE BED. i love it all 😍😍

Trishara swore off romance, especially in the workplace, years ago. She’s often the lone woman in the room in a male dominated industry, but that doesn’t stop her from knowing she deserves more. Even so, nobody is more surprised than Trish when she learns she has won one of two spots on a corporate training event in Hawaii. Three weeks in paradise is just what she needs - even if she will be attending the event alongside Rafe, head of the office nepo babies and her workplace nemesis.

Not Safe for Work was such a fun romance. There are so many tropes here and I loved them all. Oh, there’s only one room at the hotel and it’s the honeymoon suite? There’s only ONE bed?! Sold. It’s clear early on that Rafe is so incredibly down bad for Trishara and I ate it up. He’s immediately protective of her, doesn’t hide when she wants him to open up, and is such a big supporter of her. Trishara was such a funny and likeable FMC. She’s strong, badass and not afraid to be herself. She was patient with Rafe, especially when it came to his ex-girlfriend and family problems. There are instances where both MCs need support from one another and I love how freely care is given, even though they were still in the “enemies” part of the story.

Read if you like:
*Workplace rivals
*Forced proximity/only one bed
*Women in STEM
*He falls first
*Henleys and gray sweatpants 😉

Thank you to Forever for a review copy. I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future!