A workplace enemies to lovers romance that really hit the spot and was such a fun read. I loved the setting and the banter between the characters

Fantastic summer read!

Trishara is sassy, strong, and willing to speak up for herself in tough situations. She has been dealing with nepotism and privilege in her coworkers, and then gets invited to a three week conference in Hawaii! One hotel room, one bed, lots of characters to hate. Enjoyed the premise and strong FMC!

I really loved the biracial FMC in this and love that the setting was picturesque and based on a STEM corporate outing. I also enjoyed the humor because cheesy romance is just that and can be written too seriously sometimes. I think I was expecting this to be closer to her well-known writing so it was a bit of a disappointment, but it was an entertaining rom-com!

It’s a good story. I appreciated addressing DEI matters head on and acknowledging micro-aggressions in the workplace. The author initially used too many cliched romantic analogies in the first half of the book but toned it downed in the latter half.

This was a fun book, the tasks and the setting were so fun! I enjoyed the romance and the characters. I felt that this was a perfect fit for a summer read.

This was a blast. Perfect beach read for Summer. I think this has the potential to be a hit. Love the characters!

I loved Nisha's writing and storytelling in this book. Writing a FMC with character, depth, emotion, and passion can be challenging but Nisha seamlessly interwinds these threads throughout the plot (thank you for no info dumping!) Give us more NISHA!

Tris has spent 5 years as an engineer with WMC getting passed over for promotions, dealing with misogynistic coworkers, and fueding with Rafe, the spoiled and entitled son of their boss. When she and Rafe are both chosen to go on a 3-week corporate retreat in Hawaii, she's convinced she will simply avoid him as much as possible.

Upon arrive, that plan unravels when a booking error ends with her sharing the Honeymoon Suite (with only one bed, of course) with Rafe. Over the course of the retreat, she discovers that Rafe may not be quite as entitled and spoiled as she thought and must reevaluate whether their mutual hatred has always been so straightforward.

Not Safe for Work was a fun romance that also dealt with the serious issues women, and especially women of color, can face in male dominated fields. There was some genre-typical miscommunication and denial, but the relationship progression was satisfying and it felt like both Tris and Rafe grew a lot over the course of the retreat.

Thank you Netgally, Nisha, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Stars: 3.5 ⭐️ (round up to 4)
Spice: 🌶️

I really loved this book. I had such a good time reading it and loved the tropical setting. We have Trishara, and Rafe who seemingly hate each other who get sent on a corporate retreat to Hawaii. It's a simple setup and story but the way the tension builds up was amazing! I giggled at the mention of how Tris is reading the Artefacts of Ouranos! The banter between them was so fun and learning their histories and stories was a great time. Oh, and also Rafe's muscles hehe. It was cute, a great summer read for me.

We have so many tropes:
Enemies to lovers
BIPOC
Touch her and die
Workplace drama
Women in STEM
Slow Burn
One Bed
Forced Proximity
No cheating by MMC or FMC
Witty Banter
RomCom

This was such a fun ride! A workplace enemies-to-lovers set in Hawaii? Yes, please. I ate up the forced proximity and the one-bed suite situation—it delivered on the tension and then some. The MMC was such a caretaker in the best way (the tropical storm scene?? I was melting). I also really appreciated how the author weaved in real conversations about DEI and the challenges women of color face in STEM—it added so much depth without ever feeling preachy. Spice was there, swoon was there, I just wish the pacing had been a tiny bit tighter in the middle. But overall, SUCH a satisfying romcom read!

This was a super cute enemies-to-lovers book. I was in a reading slump, and this book kept me returning for more. The SPICE was Spicy!!!! I will be recommending this to a lot of friends!

Can two workplace rivals survive a luxury retreat in paradise without falling in love (or killing each other)?

Thank you so much to Nisha J. Tuli and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was my first time reading anything by Nisha J. Tuli, and imagine my surprise when I found out this is her first true contemporary romance novel. While she’s no stranger to fantasy romance, writing something that plays like a full-blown rom-com in your head is a skill I wish more authors had (and Tuli nails it).

Engineer Trishara “Tris” Malik is one of the few women of color at WMC Purcell, and after years of being overlooked for promotions, she’s officially hit her limit. So when she’s chosen for a prestigious three-week leadership retreat in Maui, it feels like a long-overdue chance to prove herself and finally crack that glass ceiling (and milk her boss for some luxury luggage). The only downside? She has to share the experience, and a suite, with her workplace nemesis, Rafe Gallagher, who also happens to be the boss’s infuriatingly hot son.

The tension between Rafe and Tris is intense from the start, and every moment they share is charged with banter, friction, and a couple sneaky glances. I’m usually an easy sell when it comes to a “rivals to lovers” story, but this one? Tuli knocked it out of the park. The chemistry is off the charts, and the slow burn of watching them gradually trust each other and dismantle their assumptions was soooooo satisfying.

What I especially appreciated was how seamlessly the story weaves in themes of women, particularly women of color, navigating and succeeding in male-dominated, often sexist workplaces. Tris is smart, resilient, and determined. Her decisions, especially the hard ones, felt realistic, and I can only imagine how many women will see themselves reflected in her story.
My only gripe? The pacing dragged a bit in the middle, and the third-act conflict (mild spoiler alert if you know, you know: why did we have to be on Instagram Live for that!?) didn’t quite land for me emotionally.

Still, this is a perfect summer read, fun, smart, and hot. If you're a fan of workplace romances with sizzling chemistry and meaningful themes, I highly recommend picking this one up.

If you're looking for a smart, zippy rom-com that will keep you grinning from start to finish, you've found it! This book was an absolute blast and exactly what I needed. Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC & ALC. I definitely loved reading and listening to this story and the narrators do an EXCELLENT job bringing the characters to life.

The story drops us into the world of Trishara Malik, a brilliant engineer who's had it up to here with the corporate ladder. When her nemesis (and the boss's son), Rafe Gallagher, snags a promotion she was gunning for, she's ready to scream. But then, plot twist! They both end up at a corporate leadership retreat in Hawaii, and thanks to a booking error, they're stuck sharing the honeymoon suite. Cue the forced proximity, the sparks, and a whole lot of hilarious tension as they compete for a coveted executive training spot.

The pacing in this book was just fantastic. It moved along so nicely, always keeping me intrigued and flipping pages to see what Trishara and Rafe would get into next. And speaking of the characters, they were truly great. Rafe, in particular, was charming and definitely an “eleven” (IYKYK)!

Now, I will say, Trishara's constant reminders about the struggles of being a woman in the workforce did get a little tiring at times. Yes, we get it, it's tough out there, but I didn't need to be hit over the head with it every other chapter. It's a small gripe in an otherwise delightful read though!

But honestly, the fun far outweighed any minor quibbles. The banter was on point, the chemistry was undeniable, and the way everything unfolded was just so satisfying. And her "revenge" at the end? Chef's kiss! Absolutely loved it. I do not think I could ever be this brave.

If you're in the mood for a tropical getaway in book form with a healthy dose of romance, wit, and some truly memorable characters, pick this one up. You won't regret it!

Troupes: forced proximity, rivals to lovers, work romance, tropical getaway
Spice 3/5
Plot 4/5
Pace 4/5
Character Personality 4/5
Character Growth 5/5
Writing Style 5/5
World Building 5/5

I did enjoy this book. I love a STEM FMC and really related to the main character/similar experiences in engineering.

I don’t usually read contemporary books that aren’t sapphic, but a friend recommended this to me. I really enjoyed it! I loved the FMC being in STEM and the MMC wasn’t an arrogant walking red flag. I will definitely check out other books by this author in the future.

If Nisha J. Tuli writes it, I’m going to read it. I ate this UP! Thank you, NetGalley, for a copy of this eARC!

Nisha can do no wrong in her writing, and I absolutely loved this book! I loved seeing the professional women in a male dominated field. What sucks is knowing this was most likely Nisha's experience from her corporate job history. Can't recommend enough!

Add this to all my friends, especially my women that are in an engineering. I am just so happy that they were represented in this book so wildly and the struggles that they face. I really appreciate the author for putting this out there..

I have been a fan of Nisha for awhile and I was so excited to get an early copy of this title and it did not disappoint. I loved this book......the banter between the characters was amazing and I loved the chemistry they both tried so hard to deny (especially the FMC). I like how the author used some of her own experience to really bring the unfairness in the workplace setting justice and showcase how it is still a problem for women and people of minorities. This ended up being such a a sweet story and I will definitely be recommending it to people. Thank you to NetGalley and Nisha for the opportunity to read and review this book

OMG loved this book! I was sold on the title and cover and went into reading this book blind and glad I did!
This book has a bunch of tropes that set it on fire with reading it.
Enemies to lovers, forbidden love, forced proximity and the build up on tension of the main character’s Rafe & Trishara was lit!
Awesome story to read!