This was so good! Highly recommend. The characters were delightful, Tris had me in the first chapter. I’ll forever be cackling at the description of the khakis.

Probably more like a 3.5/5 rounded up.

This is a sizzling workplace rivals to lovers romance set in Hawaii. Trishara (Tris) is stuck at a stagnant job at an engineering firm 5 years after her romance at an environmental start up left her burned. She has been passed up for several promotions, but none have hurt as much as when Rafe Gallagher, the unfortunately hot son of one of the firm's executives, is selected to lead the division when really it should have been Tris. Ever since, she and Rafe have butt heads at work. When the firm announces a retreat for 2 "rising star" engineers out of each office in Hawaii, with 5 spots for an exclusive executive training program in New York City up for grabs, Tris is shocked when she is selected...along with Rafe, of course.

Three weeks in Hawaii with a bunch of your coworkers including one that you hate? And the executives including his father and uncle? And of course a terrible mix up by the company and the resort means that Rafe and Tris are stuck sharing a honeymoon suite with (gasp) one bed! Rafe and Tris let their competitiveness flare up and the sizzling tension and chemistry leads to more. Rafe assumes that Tris hates him, and he's keeping secrets about the way the company has been treating Tris. Meanwhile Tris isn't sure if she can open herself up again and isn't sure if she's willing to risk her career even though she's not sure if her heart is in it.

Overall I think there were two main weaknesses for me: Rafe was very hot and cold with Tris for truly like 60-70% ish of this book? It was giving me major whiplash. Second, the book is tackling a serious issue: the treatment of women, particularly women of color, in the corporate workplace. What really grinds my gears is that Rafe didn't come clean with Tris and he didn't speak out and act like an ally. No, not a savior, that's not what I'm talking about. But being a woman in a corporate job myself, women are still vastly outnumbered. It's an unfortunate truth that women like myself still have to hope and rely on our male allies to speak up. Not to save us, but to stand next to us, and stand up for something when it isn't right when you notice mistreatment in the workplace. Rafe straight up did not do that. And Tris essentially shrugs her shoulders and says well I guess he did what he could. DID HE? I certainly don't think so.

Nevertheless, this was an enjoyable romance with a fun setting in Hawaii and great chemistry between the leads.

I don’t usually read contemporary romance, but I read everything that Nisha J. Tuli publishes. I got an ARC copy (thank you!) at the perfect time, because university is kicking my butt and it was a perfectly light and well-paced read that kept my attention the whole time. I couldn’t wait to unwind at the end of the day with Not Safe for Work. I can’t read to read more of Nisha’s books!

"My heart stops. Literally stops. I hold my own funeral on the floor of a hotel bathroom covered in threadbare carpet, hideously patterned to hide a decade of coffee stains. Rafe Gallaher just told me my ass is hot. I know it is. I bought this skirt expressly for how hot it made my ass look. But he just said it out loud, and the result is an exhale on the tightly knotted bow we've been keeping on this package."

I LOVED IT SO MUCH. Just immediately. I ran off and pre-ordered a shelf trophy before I even got 60 pages in. It’s classic Nisha writing, unleashed to its full potential (though I can’t wait for her to dive back into the romantasy side of things, contemporary writing really lets her voice shine). It FEELS like a tropical vacation with your rival-to-lover – sassy and sexy and light and biting and fun and full of anticipation.

Tris is a great FMC - extremely skilled and competent, but suffering from a feeling of stagnation in her life at the outset. The book is set in a world inspired by the author’s own pre-author life, as a woman of color in a male-dominated field, and her deep frustration with how she was treated comes through so well on the page and adds dimension to the story beyond the romance. And y’all, about that romance. The slow burn here is agonizing (though, thankfully if you’ve read her other work, this is a standalone so you don’t have to wait multiple books), but so hot and fun the entire time. And once that spark ignites – whew! *fans self* Rafe is a dreamboat of an MMC - as someone coming from primarily romantasy reading, I wouldn't necessarily categorize him on the morally grey-to-cinnamon roll spectrum, but he combines being a charming sweetheart with thoroughly embodying Tris' villain fantasies. How can you not?

Rating: 5/5
Spice: 3/5

Tropes:
- Rivals to lovers
- One bed
- Forced proximity
- Touch her and... well maybe not die since this is corporate America but definitely get heavily intimidated by a very large man
- Banter
- Slow burn to spice
- Contemporary romcom

Thank you to NetGalley and Dana with Read Forever for the chance to read an advanced copy.

Such a cute RomCom!

*Enemies to Lovers
*One bed
*workplace
*slow burn

Their antics had me cackling many times. I hope you guys read this book and love it as much as i did 🤍 Releases May 20th!!

This ARC sucked me in from the first page and didn’t let me go until I was finished. The biggest thank you to NetGalley and Forever for introducing me to this book and author. This is my first book from this Nisha J. Tuli, and it was such a fun introduction to her writing. I’m very curious to dive in her fantasy works next.

In Not Safe For Work, Trishara Malik has the honor of being an incredibly smart woman of color living in a white man’s world. She was top of her class and expected to continue that success in her career, but now she feels stuck in a dead end job. She’s been in the same position for 5 years, and keeps getting passed up for promotions by her nepo baby counterparts. She grows more and more frustrated, until finally it feels like the tides are changing. She gets picked as one of the best and brightest of the company (complete with a company work retreat where she can compete for a prestigious training program), but as it turns out—she was just selected for diversity... words that came straight from her boss’s mouth. So now she’s on her way to the retreat with the boss’s son, AKA the man who stole her promotion.

I devoured this book in one sitting. As a brown girl myself, I was rooting for Trishara the entire time. I loved the way it handled the topic of diversity in the workplace. Tris is frustrated by circumstances at work, and has a LOT of strong opinions… Some not always accurate, but it was such a realistic depiction of that feeling. I could empathize with her anger, and understood her assumptions about her coworker Rafe.

He’s basically her nemesis. But even worse, he’s hot. It was so funny watching these two go head to head with their banter. They had such a funny dynamic. She hates everything he stands for, meanwhile he’s just floored by how pretty she is. Tris’s witty jibes had me laughing out loud. Especially whenever Rafe would jump to her rescue, and it would just make her more mad.

The tension between them was great. It’s a slow burn, but I was hooked by their steamy chemistry. I enjoyed getting to know Rafe more as the story went on. By the end, I was rooting for him too. I especially loved getting his perspective to all the events that shaped Trishara’s opinion of him. They’re the cutest little goobers.

It was so easy to read and very funny. There’s a simpleness to it that left me smiling from ear to ear. I found myself laughing out loud so many times! I feel like this is going to be a great read for Spring/Summer. The setting just gives the perfect vacation vibes and made me crave a cold drink on the beach. It’s delightfully fluffy, and I loved every minute of it.

There's so much I can gush about for this book. The first contemporary romance from the author, this is a workplace rivals to lovers that occurs over a couple week span during a company retreat in Hawaii. I love Nisha's fantasy romances and new that I needed to read this one. This book gave me FEELINGS! All of the feelings. I squealed, I cried, I giggled, I smiled, there was even a face palm or two throughout my reading. I devoured this story and could not get enough. Trishara is an incredible character. She is flawed but knows her worth. I loved seeing her growth from page one and how she has to navigate the world as a women of color in STEM. A singular POV, we are in Trishara's head the entire novel and I think that really helps us se her growth. Additionally, Trish has chronic headaches/migraines and while not the focus, it's woven seamlessly into the story in the way those of us (hi, I'm us) experience headaches and migraines. Assessing the severity, determining the appropriate meds and then keep going. I haven't read many books with this representation and I felt super seen in the experience.

Rafe is, gah, I love him! He's caught between not upsetting the apple cart and going after what he wants. The only critique I could give is that being in Rafe's head would've made me lose my mind (in the best way). You can tell he has fallen hard for Trish in his actions. There is communication, there is comfort and caring, and finally finding strength to go after what you want. I loved watching their relationship morph from "hey we verbally spar" to "hey I want you" to "hey I love you" and all the feelings those encompass. The tension was tensioning and I cannot say enough good things about this book and cannot continue to revisit in the future!

Clearly, I loved this book and I cannot wait to get my hands on my pre-ordered print copy to underline my favorite lines! Content warning for sexual harassment and sexual assault (not from Rafe) and a crap ton of misogyny. This book is publishing in May 2025 and you should absolutely pick it up!

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy!

Super cute and quick read. I appreciated more serious topics of sexism, racism, workplace harassment/issues, etc being covered in a rom com type book. I liked the main characters and the romantic tension was great.

I think my only criticism would be that Tris seemed immature or over the top at points in her internal monologue when it came to her attraction for my personal taste. But, not a big issue that detracted from the book being enjoyable.

I did like the storyline but it didn’t quite catch me as I hoped it would. I felt like the chemistry was there but it was also very superficial and not as deep as I would have liked.

If you love a good workplace rivals-to-lovers romance with tension so thick you could cut it with a knife, this book delivers in every way. Set against the backdrop of a work retreat, the slow-burn romance between Tris and Rafe is as frustrating as it is addictive—in the best way possible. Their banter, laced with snide jabs and unspoken desire, feels like foreplay, making every interaction between them charged with anticipation. And when that first kiss finally happens at 59%? Worth. The. Wait.

Tris can be a tough character to love at times, with her defensive walls and sharp edges, but Rafe’s patience and kindness balance her.

The book tackles some heavier topics like racism, sexism, mental health, and chronic illness. The author handles them with care. Despite these heavier themes, the overall vibe remains very rom-com, with plenty of cute, funny moments to balance the steam.

What a cute, fast-paced romcom! The FMC, Trishara, was witty, determined, and relatable. The MMC, Rafe, was cute! The banter between them was cute. This made me feel like I was watching one of the old quintessential romcoms like You’ve Got Mail- and that’s a good feeling!!

I feel like Rafe’s character could have had a bit more depth. Trish could be a little less… immature when it comes to open communication, especially because she’s a full-fledged 30-something year old adult. BUT this was a romcom so miscommunication is almost required.

This is the first full length romcom I’ve read. I was not disappointed. If you love witty work-place romance, this book is for you!

Thank you Forever for the eARC!

Cute book overall! Love a good workplace rivals to lovers story especially when there’s only one bed involved. The romance was spicy and satisfying but I especially loved the commentary on being a minority woman in a male dominated field. Very relatable and the Hawaii setting makes it perfect as a beach read. Solid contemporary romance debut and I’m excited to see more of her works.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved everything about this story! While it had similarities to some other currently popular rom-coms, it had lots of unique touches that really made it stand out. I fell in love with the FMC almost immediately and really enjoyed the fact that we only got her point of view, as it kept me guessing about what the MMC’s next moves were going to be.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the free eArc in exchange for my honest review.

This workplace romance follows a woman in a male-dominated STEM field who is chosen to attend a company leadership retreat … for three weeks in Hawaii … but of course her longtime rival, Rafe, is also chosen to attend. The forced proximity leads to undeniable chemistry.

While I enjoyed the dynamic, this book didn’t capture me quite as much as Tuli’s fantasy novels. Some of Rafe’s personality quirks felt a bit stretched and I never quite understood the conflict he has to face toward the end, but the story was still engaging. A solid 3.5-star read for fans of workplace rivals-to-lovers.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“With you, I’m always a million out of ten.” 💚

I absolutely loved this book and Nisha outdid herself with this one!!! No way could you tell this was her first rom-com because it was fantastic!

The way Rafe and Tris were equally obsessed with each other had me giggling and kicking my feet. Their bickering was top-tier and they served enemies to lovers so well! Also, Rafe in his jealous era was hilarious. That man was down bad for Tris.

The slow burn was worth the wait even though no joke I think I screamed “just kiss already” to myself at least three times. I really thought it was gonna happen when Rafe whispered in her ear in the gym. That scene was just so full of tension.

If you love enemies to lovers, forced proximity, only one bed, and a workplace romance set in Hawaii during a work conference, then do yourself a favor and read this book! Not Safe for Work releases on May 20!

Thank you so much to Nisha J. Tuli, Forever Publishing, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

**3.5 stars**

This was pretty good. I liked the storyline. The pace was good. It's a slow burn. Does bring up quite a few issues that women have in male dominated workplaces. I thought that was very well done, and unfortunately, still accurate today. My main hangup was on the main characters. They weren't exactly the most likable. I felt like there wasn't a lot of depth to them either. It was still an entertaining read and I did enjoy it overall.

I just finished Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli, and it was a fun, steamy workplace romance with a little more depth than I expected. Trishara is a smart, determined woman navigating a male-dominated industry, and her banter-filled rivalry with Rafe, the CEO’s son, makes for an engaging slow-burn romance. The forced-proximity setup during a company retreat adds just the right amount of tension, and their chemistry is undeniable.

I also really appreciated how the book tackled real workplace issues like sexism and racism without feeling too heavy-handed. Trishara’s struggles felt authentic, and her friendships added warmth to the story. My only complaint is that the pacing dragged in some spots, and I wished for more development on Rafe’s side. Still, it’s a fun, addictive read with a mix of humor, heart, and heat. A solid 3.5/5 stars!

I really enjoyed the slow burn! I thought the tension was extremely well done.

I like how Nisha tackled the layers of being a woman in a male dominated career/field. It’s unfortunately still so relevant in today’s age.

We absolutely need more women in STEM and Nisha did a wonderful job highlighting this issue, especially for women of color.

Firstly thank you so much to Forever and Nisha (and her Team!) for an e-arc of this book! It was such an anticipated read this year!

Not Safe For Work by Nisha J. Tuli was absolutely just what I needed to read. It was full of banter, spice, and a badass female lead that absolutely healed something in me. I always love Nisha’s characters and Tishara was no exception.

I mean a woman who was like I’m done with all this bs and can recognize the toxicity in the workplace? Heck yes. But as a woman, it felt all to recognizable to be looked down upon and passed over. It was like being seen, and when Tish was like enough is enough. I wanted to shout it from the rooftops! Get your trip to Maui girl!

I also really enjoyed Rafes character 😍 I mean we get it mainly from Tish’s POV so we hate him with her… until we don’t 🫣👀. I was here for it when he was so caring and thoughtful but also he had some growing up to do and when he finally put his big boy pants on and did it. I was beyond sold! I mean standing up for himself, dealing with his ex, and then putting his dreams and his girl first?! Love.

I think this Contemporary Romance was just what I needed. The representation, the female badassery, and of course the swoon worthy MMC, it was like female empowerment in a book and I couldn’t put it down.

Definitely recommend if you need a feel good Contemp. romance with characters that are just as real and flawed as we all are.

All I want to do right now is gush about everything about this book. The characters. The yearning. The tension. The feeling of invisibility being a woman in a male-dominated feeling. All of it.

I have literally never laughed harder while reading than I did when I read this. I swear, I would have been institutionalized if I was reading this in public because I was spontaneously erupting into an array of different laughters, snorts, and “NOOOOOOs” of disbelief.

Tris and Rafe are such a fun couple to follow. Their dynamic as rivals (in Tris’ mind, her mortal enemy) only heightens the tension between them. Being told from Tris’ POV, it is so entertaining to see how she’s literally the only person that doesn’t see Rafe’s attraction towards her. And she thinks she’s subtle in her attraction to him, which, let’s be real, is extremely relatable.

If I keep talking, I’m going to spoil it and you don’t deserve that. It is such a fun ride and there are so many moments that, while the plot might not be spoiled, you need to experience it on your own.

As someone that works in a male-dominated field, so many parts of this book resonated in my bones, and not just being passed over for promotions and opportunities. Nisha hits on things that happen day to day, such as being expected to be the one to take notes or having your ideas echoed by a man that instantly becomes the hero or it being assumed you’re not the one leading the meeting. I’m lucky that I’ve not experienced anywhere close to the level of sexual harassment that’s depicted and alluded to, but it’s a harsh reality of many women.