I am honestly OBSESSED with this book - I flew through it. I’m a huge fan of Nisha’s romantasy books and was so excited to give this contemporary a try! Exceeded my expectations and had all my favorite tropes!! Truly loved both of the MCs so much and the banter/spice was on point.

Read if you love:

💃🏽 Women in STEM
💃🏽 Rivals to lovers
💃🏽 Workplace romance
💃🏽 Only one bed
💃🏽 Alllllll the banter

Genre/type: Contemporary Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Series or standalone: Standalone
Tropes/themes: Women in STEM, Workplace Rivals to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Only One Bed, Only One Room, BIPOC Rep, Banter, Slow Burn, Open Door Romance

An absolute master class in STEM romance! This book had so many of my favorite tropes; forced proximity, he fell first (and so much harder), inn with one bed, and I sure as hell ate up every second of it.

The main character is such a badass, and I love her so much. She’s a walking reminder that just because we’ve had to put up with shit in the past doesn’t mean we have to keep doing it. Nisha J. Tuli absolutely delivered with this one, and I couldn’t put it down, in fact, I read it in literally one sitting. Thank you to Net Galley, Forever Pub, and the author for the advanced copy!

Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed!
I love Nisha's fantasy series Artefacts Of Ouranos but you guys...
Not Safe For Work was pure PERFECTION
I lived for the workplace rivals, enemies to lovers, Slowwwwww burn + so much chemistry it hurts! The banter 🤌🏻 The spice 🥵 So many happy tears shed & and the ending 💖💖
Thank you for this!

I had the opportunity to read a free advance review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Not Safe for Work was an enjoyable read that kept me interested until the end. We follow Tris, who is a woman of color working in a male-dominated industry. It really dives into some toxic workplace behavior that can be pretty eye-opening. I enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers romance that develops, even though some aspects of the situation seemed a bit hard to believe (coworkers forced to share a room with one bed). The fighting between them felt a little unprofessional at first, but I enjoyed the characters getting to know each other better as the story progressed. It's a bit of a slow burn for a while, but it eventually turns up the heat. Plot-wise there wasn't anything all that surprising and things pretty much went the way I expected them to, but it was still a fun escape.

After reading Nisha J Tuli’s Artefacts of Ouranos series and really enjoying it, I was really excited to hear she was writing a non-fantasy romance in Not Safe for Work. Something I love about Tuli’s work is her ability to interweave important, real-world topics into her fictional work.

NSFW follows coworkers Tris and Rafe, two sworn enemies, as they find themselves on a work training retreat in Maui. Tris is an BIPOC, female engineer in a field dominated largely by white men, and we see the way sexism and racism affect her in the workplace. I love the exploration of this topic, and I’m glad Tuli is using her own experience to speak out about this.

Tris suffers from migraines, and while I enjoyed that Tuli incorporated this struggle with invisible chronic pain, it felt like Tris taking painkillers was done in a weird way throughout the book.

Of course, I loved the HEA, but I wish the scene where Rafe comes to confess his love for Tris wouldn’t have been done for his whole Instagram-feed?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I absolutely *loved* this book—an easy five stars! It had everything I could want: an addictive office enemies-to-lovers dynamic, the always-iconic *only one bed* trope, and characters I couldn’t get enough of. The tension, the banter, the chemistry—it was all *chef’s kiss*.

And of course, Nisha’s writing is just *magic*. She has such a way of making characters feel real, relationships feel electric, and every moment feel like it *matters*. I already know I’ll be rereading this one! If you love romance with heart, heat, and all the best tropes, this is a must-read.

This was an amazing book!! Tris is such a strong take no crap girl and I love it!! Rafe was the calm in her storm and I fell for him too. Another amazing book from Nisha 🫶🏻

Not safe for work has an ironic title, because I feel that with this being marked as enemies to lovers, it’s light on the “enemies”. However, as a romance, I enjoyed this. Force proximity business trip that takes place in Hawaii. Our FMC is tired of being overlooked and undervalued, so she comes up with a plan how to stand out. Her rival is also on this business trip, and well… you can imagine how well that goes for her. If you’d like a quick palette cleanser of a romance novel, I think this fits the bill perfectly. Stop being sad. I do wish that the attractiveness of the characters wasn’t mentioned as often. And I do feel the plot was rather simple, I would have loved to seen a little bit more tension between our FMC and MMC.

4.5/5
This was a fun slow burn/enemies to lovers to read!!! This book surrounded empowering women in STEM- Trish KILLED it with her email. I enjoyed the banter between Trish and Rafe!

WOW WOW WOW WOW

This was so good! I couldn't put it down. The angst between Tris and Rafe is *chef's kiss*
Even though this is single POV, I could still feel the way Rafe was obsessed with Tris!

the banter - omg the banter. It was everything. It was beautiful. I could not put this down even if I tried.

OMG, so good. I also liked how Nisha covered sensitive topics like workplace harassment and favoritism in the workplace.

Nisha's writing is so captivating and funny. A perfect rom-com

Nisha J Tuli continues to be an instabuy author for me. She has knocked it out of the park with her romantasy series, and with this work she ventures into RomCom. This is such a fun and fast read. It will hook you in immediately and keep you engaged til the end.

I’d rate this book an 11 out of 10.

Not Safe for Work is about two rival colleagues who find themselves not only on awork trip together for 3 weeks, but forced to share a room thanks to a booking mishap.

Nisha J. Tuli really took me on a ride with this book and can really write a wonderful romcom. I could really feel the tension between Trishara and Rafe and was rooting for them from the first smirk. This story if perfect for fans of a workplace drama, tension you could cut with a knife, and banter.

On a personal note, one aspect of this book really stuck with me. As much as I hate the rating scale for anyone because it’s solely based on looks, the first things I ever said to my now husband was “what would you rate me?” After all my male friends around had given me 8’s, he looked and me and said “definitely a 10”

Thank you NetGalley and Forever publishing for the chance to read this early. Not only am I a fan of Nisha’s Fantasy books, I’m now a fan of her romcoms and can’t wait to read more in the future.

This was such a fun read! It reminded me of the hating game. I found the FMC’s inner monologue funny, and the MMC sounded very attractive/sweet. I will say that while Trishara was funny, I found her attitude to be a little off-putting. She was unprofessional, and I wasn’t surprised that she was passed up for promotions based on her reactions on the trip.
The OW drama also had the potential to be a little more gut wrenching (ideally through misunderstanding rather than actual OW) & I feel like more groveling was warranted.
Overall, a good read, though!

Thank you so much to Forever for granting me this E-ARC! It was one of my most anticipated reads, and it surely did not dissapoint! While I haven't read Nisha's fantasy series (yet!), I had heard so many wonderful things about her writing, and this contemporary introduction was everything I wanted it to be! Witty, smart, wonderful tension and banter. Absolutely swoon-worthy! Definitely made a quick fan out of me. I can't wait to reccommend in store!

Thank you Nisha J. Tuli and NetGalley for the ARC! I loved this rival co-workers to lovers, but make it Hawaii. The slow burn was sooo good, and there was just the perfect amount of tension.

4.5⭐️//2🌶️

Oh, how I loved Tris and Rafe's story! Full of banter, teasing, witty remarks, and all the tension. While feeling dejected about the progression of her career at her current job, Tris gets selected to attend a leadership training program along side her work rival/nemesis/boss's son/office hottie. When they arrive in Hawaii, Tris and Rafe realize they have been accidentally booked to stay in the honeymoon suite, where - you guessed it - there is only one bed! The stolen glances, the seething jealousy, the fierce protectiveness -- loved all of it, but also, please give me more. The way Nisha created these two characters - chef's kiss. How Tris and Rafe slowly learn more about each other, and how different their perceptions of one another was prior to this trip. How the close proximity forces them to acknowledge the feelings they were harboring, and how sparks of attraction were hidden under this assumed rivalry. And can we also talk about what an absolute lover boy Rafe is for Tris?? I am obsessed!!

A special shoutout for the way Nisha does not skitter away from the difficult conversation regarding discrimination and sexism, especially in male dominated occupations. Her take on it is much needed and appreciated, it brings awareness to how predominant favoritism, but particularly nepotism is alive and thriving in certain workplaces. This discussion, combined with the one on the feelings of never being enough (in both Tris and Rafe) was an eye opening insight on the reality of being an adult working in careers that are often unfulfilling and soul-crushing.

Favourite scene: wedding crashers
Favourite 🌶️ scene: Lecture break 🤭

5/5

Nisha J. Tuli’s Not Safe for Work is an engaging contemporary romance that combines humor, heart, and important social themes. Trishara, a woman of color in STEM, has long been overlooked for promotions, so when she’s selected for a leadership retreat in Hawaii with Rafe, her boss’s son and rival, she hopes for recognition. But a mix-up leaves them sharing a suite with one bed, and the tension between them skyrockets, sparking undeniable chemistry.

Tuli strikes a perfect balance between the romantic elements and the real-world challenges Trishara faces in a sexist, nepotistic workplace. Her frustration is raw, and the author’s own experiences make these moments even more poignant. Trishara’s sharp wit and HR dream status make her a strong, relatable character who stands up for herself.

Rafe is protective and supportive, and the forced proximity between him and Trishara creates a slow-burn romance that is both fun and steamy. The Hawaiian setting adds to the charm, creating a perfect backdrop for their growing connection.

With witty writing, engaging characters, and a smart mix of humor and real-world issues, Not Safe for Work is a standout read. I can’t wait to see what Tuli writes next, whether in romance or beyond. If you love sharp, heartfelt romances, this book is a must-read.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!

After reading both Artefacts of Ouranos and the Nightfire Quartert, I was beyond excited when Forever invited me to read an eARC of Not Safe for Work. Nisha has become one of my favorite authors over the past year. Her female leads are the type of women I would love to be best friends with, and that rings true for Tris as well.

While I don't have much experience in the corporate world, the experience of being a woman and trying to navigate this world and behavior from men that society had deemed "typical male behavior" up until recently is a universal experience. I applaud Nisha for addressing this topic head on while showing the intricacies of why some women might not speak up. While it has become easier and women are being believed more and more, it is still an issue that deserves all the attention, even and especially in a Romantic Comedy book. Not Safe for Work provides a safe space for women to feel seen and, hopefully, realize that they don't have to put up with anything that makes them uncomfortable and/or settle for a job that might not give them the respect they deserve.

Another aspect of the story I appreciated was the natural progression of Tris and Rafe's relationship. There were moments between them that felt authentic to getting to know someone that you thought you already knew. Their forced proximity felt as though it could genuinely happen which made their rivals-to-lovers story line that much more plausible. I don't want to give any specific details away, but the scene from the cover of the book may be one of my favorites in any Romantic Comedy book.

There were moments that felt as though the book was heavy on the "telling" of the story instead of the "showing" which brought me out of the story a little bit; however, this was definitely a fun book filled with self-discovery, growth, and love. I will highly recommend it to everyone I know.

Not Safe for Work has a good premise in that it deals with workplace tension and the uneven playing field for women. It establishes solid ground for the "enemies" part of the enemies-to-lovers trope, but the animosity between Tris and Rafe overpowered any potential chemistry they could have had, so couldn't become invested in them becoming a couple. The writing was descriptive, but sometimes to a distractinge degree. At one point Rafe holds Tris back by her waist to stop her from getting up from her chair which she describes as a shooting pain in her scalp caused by his "scalding arm" that feels like an "inferno of heated flesh".

A solid start for this being Nisha’s first contemporary romance! As someone who’s read one of her completed romantasy series, I was intrigued to see how this change in genre would be. While I do feel the characters were flat at times and full of cheesy moments throughout the book I still FLEW through it and really enjoy the last half of the book. Also the ending of this book was perfect, it was sweet and to-the-point which made such an impactful punch.

When he’s a ten, but he’s been your competition at work for five years and you now have to share a room for three weeks…

Absolutely nothing to worry about 👀

Welcome, Nisha, to the wonderful world of contemporary romance! Pls don’t ever leave <33

One thing about Nisha is she’s going to write a strong as hell FMC and did she ever with Tris. Tris represented so many powerful things within her character: a woman of color working in STEM who is unafraid to stick up for herself with a healthy dose of emotional intelligence to steer her through every challenge.

Heavier elements such as sexual harassment (off-page) and racial micro aggressions are explored in this book but carry a truly compelling and redemptive spirit that makes the FMC so easy to cheer on to succeed. Those last few chapters gave me chills and an internal fist was definitely pumped in the air :’)

I loved Rafe as a love interest (those freaking forearms cmonnnn)! It would’ve elevated the story to see more on page emotional connection between the two leads but I loved seeing how demonstrative they were in their actions and their chemistry is absolutely undeniable!

*for anyone familiar with this Nisha’s other works, you might appreciate some subtle easter eggs here and there 🤭

Thank you, Forever Team, for remembering how much I loved Nisha Tuli’s previous books and sending an arc of NSFW! Can’t wait to buy a copy <3