thank you to forever for the e-ARC

3.75 rounded up

this was overall a very enjoyable romcom with some believable and needed commentary on workplace sexism a la ali hazelwood steminist books. a fun concept, relatively likable leads, and not too much of annoying tropes to dissuade my overall enjoyment. the plot was extremely predictable, but this is not really a bad thing in the genre. my gripes are to do with the portrayal of our FMC’s feelings towards her workplace nemesis/love interest. for me, it crossed the line of believability to be consistently told how lust-worthy he was to the extent that our FMC could not control herself or focus. and we got so many descriptions of how he looked and smelled, which for me was a bit much. but I’m not sure this would be a problem for everyone.

Thank you for Forever and NetGalley for opportunity to read this eARC! This review is my honest opinion and spoiler-free.

‘I rub my face with my hands and groan. Why are men?’
Yesss, Trishara! I found myself constantly rooting for her during aggravatingly relatable male interactions. Loved the representation of a strong female in the STEM field. Tuli always has a badass lead in her romanatsy series; I’m so glad that translated over to romcom!

The banter was great, the situations so relatable, the spice was on point. The transition from rivals to lovers was a little quick, but that’s pretty typical for the genre.

Overall this was a fun read, great vibes, 4/5 stars!

Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for the gifted eARC! I always appreciate the opportunity to read early. All reviews are always my honest opinion!

Not Safe For Work falls into an overlap of tropes that I’m not usually a fan of - contemporary enemies to lovers and workplace romance. But with all the hype and some trusted friends’ love of Nisha J. Tuli, I picked up this ARC. I am SO glad I did!

The usual pitfalls in these tropes weren’t present, and that was made clear very early on. Our FMC Tris has a number of reasons to be on guard with our MMC Rafe, from past workplace romance-turned-trauma to current workplace micro-aggressions, nepotism, and sexism under Rafe’s father and uncle’s leadership. Rafe, thankfully, is likeable and the conflicts between them definitely seem more like bickering and pranks than anything substantially hurtful. Rafe is a good guy and it shows very early on that regardless of their specific dynamic, he respects Tris and women in general.

Our main point of conflict (Hannah. Rafe’s ex) became something cyclical, as did the general mistrust Tris had towards Rafe even as he started to open up and be vulnerable (often at her request). What I did appreciate was the fact that at every step of the way, Tris would (albeit internally) admit her hypocrisy where necessary and question her own attachment to her grudges. Rafe eventually admits that his own habits of avoiding Hannah, trying to appease people, etc were a problem, but in my opinion it took far too long. These things were the main points that brought down my rating.

What I appreciated though, was the overall story’s look at how women are treated not just in STEM but in corporate America. How even with an older mentor-like woman “supporting” them, women are encouraged to accept certain amounts of mistreatment to “succeed”, and are told to put aside a desire to change the status quo. This paired with the journey that Tris finds herself on, the tug of war between wanting to succeed in a place where she has invested so much time and knowing she deserves better, really spoke to me. Rafe’s role as “one of the good ones” but being unable to fix the issues at play for Tris was also so realistic. I appreciated that there was no magical “fix” for the environment Tris was in, because truly that is the way it is in real life, especially with “DEI” being demonized in American political culture right now. Sometimes the best thing someone can do for their health and safety and success, is leave for somewhere more aligned with their values.

The romance in this story was a bit too fast paced for me, which is a typical issue in Enemies to Lovers in contemporary - the pacing is either too slow and the book too short, or too fast with a third act break up. In this case it was the latter, but I did enjoy the tension and appreciate the specific hang-ups that Tris still had from her last relationship. It did make sense why even when the sexual tension boiled over, she was hesitant, especially with Hannah at play. I just wish there was more book, that the trip truly felt like three weeks of drawn out forced proximity boiling over - at some points it felt a tad rushed.

All in all, I really enjoyed this read, I rated this 4 stars. I can’t wait to pick up more of Nisha J. Tuli’s work, I hope she continues to write more contemporary romance in addition to fantasy!

This was my first book by this author, and I can't wait to dive into more of her work! Her witty banter and hilarious inner dialogue had me laughing out loud multiple times. I love a fierce FMC who stands her ground, and the dynamic between her and the MMC made for some fantastic dialogue. The representation of women in the corporate world was also a highlight—Trishara’s resilience, even in moments of doubt, was truly inspiring. This book had everything I look for in a great rom-com: humor, tension, a solid plot, and a strong, determined heroine.

Enjoyed the MMC. The FMC left a lot to be desired. There was a disconnect between her being presented as a smart, independent, and driven woman, but that didn't show in the characters choices. There were threads completely dropped in the narrative that didn't line up with how I thought the FMC would pursue or investigate them. Couldn't get a grasp on the FMC's race until it was explicitly stated almost at the end of the book, although it's clear she is a Woman of Color throughout and her identity is a main part of the plot. She experiences racism and sexism both at her job, but other than her skin being described as brown and then another character identifying her as Indian very late in the book, her race doesn't play a role in her character development other than how people treat her poorly because of it. Otherwise this was a very slow burn with a lot of tension and the MMC was exceptional.

4.5 This was a great read. Nisha J Tuli can definitely write an amazing rom-com. She is so good at the slow burn and the banter was excellent. Also, finally some love for forearms!! I loved the vacation setting and even though it was predictable (like most rom-coms) I did enjoy the badass FMC and her courage she showed.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. This was a fun, giggle worthy romance that was filled with enemies to lovers, and was such a devour-able little read.

Trishara has been passed over for every promotion she's applied for at her engineering company for the last five years. The major last straw was when her sworn enemy and son of the boss, Rafe Gallagher, was given the promotion she was sure she deserved. From day one, Rafe and Trish have been at each other's throats, their rivalry growing to full on hate. When the company announces a three-week training retreat for two of their most promising employees, Tris is sure Rafe and his cousin will win the coveted spot and is absolutely floored when her name is announced alongside Rafe's. And when they arrive in Maui, Tris and Rafe find themselves unfortunately sharing a honeymoon suite with only one bed.

This is my first Nisha J. Tuli book, though I've been interested in picking up her romantasy novels. Tuli fits easily into the rom-com genre; NSFW is a fun, light read with an entertaining premise. Who doesn't love the "only one bed trope" combined with the banter of enemies-to-lovers? I flew through this book mostly in one day and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Tris is a endearing character who pushes through the challenges presented to her and stands up for herself, while also enduring her own fears. The book tackles important topics like racism and microaggressions, misogyny, nepotism, and sexual harassment in the workplace. It also makes a statement about the upheaval of the status quo in corporations. The romance is spicy amped up by all the enemies-to-lovers tension. I echo other reviewers when I say that Rafe could've been fleshed out more personality-wise, because we don't get to really know him outside of his role in his family and work and his secret hobby.

The book itself is fun but light on the plot. The majority of the book is spent on the retreat and our main characters enduring their forced proximity. The conflict simmers but doesn't come to a head until about 90% in - maybe two chapters from the end of the book. So be aware that this is a romance heavy romp meant to be taken lightly.

Overall I enjoyed the read and look forward to picking up more Tuli novels in the future. Thank you to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for my arc!

3.75 stars rounded up

Nisha hits it out of the park again!! At this point, I will happily devour anything she writes because she can do no wrong. I can’t wait to get a trophy for my shelf ☺️

NSFW is a must read romance that incorporates heavier themes of harassment and micro-aggressions in the workplace. It’s perfectly paced and I was able to read surprisingly fast for someone with a 3 week old newborn. I also loved the subtle nod to her romantasy series in this book!

(fwiw it took me more time to make this post than it did to read the book seeing as my newborn is now 4.5 weeks old 😅)

Tropes:
🩷 Rivals to lovers
💻 Workplace romance
🛏️ Only one bed + forced proximity

Pub date May 20, 2025. Thank you to Nisha’s assistant, Dana, for blessing my inbox with this ARC and thank you to Forever and NetGalley as well!

4.5 stars!
I have read several fantasy books by Nisha J. Tuli and I am a big fan so I was excited to give this romance a shot. She never fails to get me laughing out loud with her hilarious writing.

There was so much to love with this one. Some of my favorite tropes included are rival coworkers to lovers, slowburn, forced proximity, and one hotel/bed(always a big fan of this one)!

I really loved the FMC and MMC. Trishara, our biracial FMC, has had to put up with a lot of workplace bullshit that has worn her down over the last 5 years. Through a workplace retreat, she starts to find herself again and figure out what she wants moving forward. Her inner dialogue had me laughing out loud SO hard. Rafe, our MMC, is the boss’s son and has struggled to stand up to his dad and follow his own passion.
Three weeks in Maui brings a lot of fun, friendship, flirting, and growth for both Tris and Rafe. The tension and banter is so well written! I got frustrated with the miscommunication at times, because they were both on the same page but second guessing it. But the ending pulled it all together in a scream-worthy way!!

I also LOVED that Tris was reading about a certain broody fae prince that we know and love! This little addition made me so happy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Grand Central Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My first ARC read, absolutely got all the giggles from this book. Great banter and enemies to lovers * chef kisses

Thank you for the eARC! This book is Nisha J. Tuli's first contemporary romance. It focuses on Trishara and Rafe who work together at an engineering firm. Trishara has been focused on advancing her career while dealing with struggles of being a woman in STEM. Meanwhile, Rafe seems to get everything handed to him. Due to this Trishara and Rafe end up becoming work place rivals/enemies over the years. This year they are both selected to participate in a company retreat in Hawaii. While there, they are forced to spend time together and get to know one another beyond the surface level-which makes it hard to deny that beneath it all the tension looks a lot more like attraction and a lot less like resentment.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this book! It was a great contemporary romance debut. Trishara was a strong and relatable FMC. She had insecurities, anxieties, and past situations (ex: bad relationship experience) that I think all women can understand. Also while depressing, the issues she faced in the workplace were REAL and probably something we have all experienced in some way. Seeing Trishara's growth and confidence improve throughout the book was great. When it comes to Rafe, I really enjoyed the tension and banter-especially when they were at odds or "fighting" it made it all that better when it finally broke. I loved the flirting and of course there was great spice. Also the way Rafe was supportive and not afraid to apologize or take extra effort was refreshing.

Overall Nisha did a wonderful job and I'm excited/hopeful for more contemporary work from her in the future!

Not Safe for Work is Nisha J. Tuli’s debut contemporary romance, and I was so thrilled to get my hands on this ARC after falling in love with her Artefacts of Ouranos series!

Tris and Rafe are workplace rivals at an engineering firm. When they’re both chosen for an exclusive work retreat, the forced proximity turns up the heat—cue mischief, banter, and so. much. tension. 🔥

This rom-com book is equal parts fun and heartfelt, with lovable characters and a thoughtful look at the challenges women face in male-dominated fields. Highly recommend! 💕📖

A great contemporary romance debut from Nisha J. Tuli!

I love Nisha’s fantasy book so when I hear about this book I was beyond excited.

I really enjoyed seeing all aspects Trish’s story unfold. We get to see her heal from her toxic past relationship, fight against unfair treatment in her workplace, and fall in love with a kind hearted man. One thing about Nisha is she’s going to write a strong FMC that does not back down! With that being said this definitely felt more like Trish’s story rather than her and Rafe’s love story, but honestly, I’m that that upset about it. I will always appreciate a resilient, bada** FMC and Nisha J. Tuli will always provide that!

The ending of this book had me CHEERING from my bed. I couldn’t be happier with the results of this book and wouldn’t complain if we got to see a sprinkle of Trishana and Rafe in a future contemporary romance from Nisha. Just a little cameo PLEASE!

Arc review

Not Safe for Work
By Nisha J Tuli

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I don’t read contemporary romance very often. And today I’m wondering why the heck not! I adored this story. I loved pretty much everything about it. It was so swoony and spicy and just so fun and real. I am head over heels for Tris and Rafe. The romance , their chemistry, their banter, everything was just so fun to read! I also loved that little Easter egg in Chapter 3! Tuli out does herself with every new book she writes and is hands down one of my favorite authors to read! I am so grateful to be able to read her stories and to read them as ARCs. I can’t wait to see what she does next!

NISHA!!! I found her through her fantasy books and stayed for this masterpiece! I got the ARC from Netgalley and read it in just over a day. This was such an angsty slow burn! Tris and Rafe were so flirty and fun! I loved the way Tris handled every hurdle thrown her way.

This was my first book by Nisha J. Tuli, and I loved it! Not Safe for Work is a workplace, enemies-to-lovers romance. Trishara and Rafe are engineers in the same firm who have worked together for years, but never gotten along. They both end up on a company retreat in Hawaii and somehow find themselves forced to room together, too. As they spend more time together, they get to know each other more and realize that being friends is better than fighting with each other all the time. They share their experiences and really become close. Trishara and Rafe have great banter and chemistry. Their attraction, even while fighting, jumps off the page. Their time together leads each individually to resolve some important issues in their lives, and clarify their goals for the future. I loved how these characters supported each other to move forward in their careers and with their personal goals.
I got really caught up in this book, and finished it in a few days. Nisha J. Tuli creates authentic, relatable characters, and built the romance between the two main characters slowly and organically. The reader can really see all the ways that these characters are drawn to each other. Tuli's description of Trishara's challenges in the workplace as a woman of color were hilariously accurate. The side characters, particularly Trishara's friend Molly, were really funny, and added depth to the story. Tuli wraps up the story neatly by the end of the book, and gives the reader a fun glimpse of the future in the epilogue.
Not Safe for Work is a great workplace romance with a diverse set of characters. The main characters' forced proximity at a company retreat has many ups and downs but is a life-changing experience for both as the book concludes. I recommend this book. It will be a great summer beach read this year.
Thank you Forever and Grand Central Publishing for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book ATE AND LEFT NO CRUMBS!!! My first book by Nisha J. Tuli and her writing is fantastic 😩 The setting was amazing and the writing was so easy to get into. So excited for everyone else to read this book because the tension between the two MCs? INSANE!!!

Oh my GOD this book was so good!!! The tension between Tris and Rafe was delicious and the one bed trope was FLAWLESS! I could not have loved their development more. They read as such real, flawed humans to me that I could see them standing right in front of me today.

In so many ways this book is just a dreamy love story. The vacation vibes and enemies to lovers paired with forced proximity and only one bed??? Chef’s kiss. It’s set in Hawaii and like Hawaii, this story will keep you warm year round.

I would be remiss to not mention how powerful the story’s focus on the treatment of women and especially BIPOC women in the workplace experience. Tris experiences a bias in her field of engineering that has been common for so many women for so long. I appreciated the honest representation of it here and am right there along with Tris in hoping and working for genuine, positive change.

Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book! I received a free advance copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I absolutely devoured this book! It was an easy read and a very welcome break from my usual fantasy books. The tension was incredible and the banter made me so giddy - I loved following these characters and their romance from work rivals to lovers.

Some of the themes hit so hard for me - particularly about being a woman in a male-dominated field, living with crippling migraines, learning to love again after a traumatic relationship, and reigniting the spark in your career when it’s lost its light. I have so many lines highlighted; the way Nisha nailed my own feelings and put them into words! I don’t know if a book has ever made me feel so seen.

My only issue was I wished the origins of their rivalry was made a little more clear. I understood the gist of it overall, but would’ve liked it have been more fleshed out on page. That being said, it wasn’t enough to bother me much and I will still come back to this book for a re-read.

PS - I would LOVE to see Tris’s Running For Your Life playlist!

Thank you to Nisha J Tuli and Forever Publishing for this eARC!