I think the narrator did a great job bringing our FMC to life but I am still unsure on how to feel about this book? It’s either that or I’m just now realizing that I don’t fully care for rom-coms?
This book is definitely rivals to lovers, funny, hits on some heavy topics that women who work in STEM deal with and just a quick read! A book with a beach setting is always gonna make me wanna be at the beach instead of at home. And that cover??? CHEFS KISS. It’s so good!!!!!!
But yeah still deciding how to feel about this one! I think the potential is there but fell a little flat?

Anyways thank you thank you for the arc!!! Much appreciated!

THIS is how you write a romance story! Nisha J. Tuli absolutely nails it with Not Safe for Work, a whip-smart, slow-burn rivals-to-lovers romcom that had me hooked from page one. Trishara Malik is the kind of heroine you instantly root for: ambitious, sharp, and fed up with the systemic nonsense holding her back. And Rafe? Let’s just say the smolder level is off the charts.

The enemies-to-lovers dynamic is written with perfect tension, layered with wit, chemistry, and so much heart. I loved watching Tris and Rafe navigate their forced proximity in paradise (hello, honeymoon suite!), career ambitions, and messy emotions with vulnerability and maturity. Their banter? Electric. Their growth? Earned. And the payoff? So satisfying.

Tuli’s writing is fresh, funny, and full of insight into workplace dynamics, gender politics, and personal ambition, without ever losing the spark of romance. Highly recommend if you love clever dialogue, strong heroines, and a love story that simmers until it absolutely sizzles.

This is my first read by Nisha J Tuli and is absolutely not my last. Not Safe for Work was a delightful read and a HR nightmare. It balanced on a fine line between lighthearted rom-com and the everyday struggles of a woman of color in STEM, without getting too far to one side or the other. I read a note from the author about how some of the struggles the FMC faces are taken from her own experiences, which makes them all the more frustrating that these types of abhorrent behaviors exist in the workplace and not just in fiction.

Trishara has hit a point in her career where she is no longer trying to be the star performer. As one of the few women of color, and one of the few women in her company, she has frequently been overlooked for promotions and recognition. Only other underperformers, mainly men connected to company leadership, receive recognition and promotions ahead of her. Chosen for a three-week leadership retreat in Hawaii alongside her rival Rafe, her boss's son, she hopes to finally earn the recognition she deserves.

Rafe is… hot. He is also protective, supportive, and full of surprises. When Trishara and Rafe arrive in Hawaii, they find out there was a mistake with the reservation and instead of two rooms, they have been reserved a suite… together… with one bed. Without another possibility available at the resort, they opt to make it work.

Initial reaction, this would never happen for a work function, and if it did, another solution would be provided. It does make for some good tension though. This book really highlights the struggles of being a woman in STEM, let alone a woman of color, in a company rife with nepotism, bigotry, and sexism. These harder topics are balanced out with a healthy amount of banter and, oh the spicy spice. Trishara also has a backbone. She does not just accept bad behavior and is an HR dream with her documentation of these instances and calling it out in the moment.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I plan to read more from this author and hope she continues to explore rom-coms, along with her celebrated fantasy books. Honestly, I would read other genres by this author. The dialogue is smart, the characters are engaging and relatable, and the storyline is entertaining.

The narrator, Soneela Nankani, brought these characters to life. While I usually prefer duel or duet narration, Soneela Nankani handled the narration duties in a way I didn’t even notice the difference. This was a fun listen all around.

Thank you to Nisha J Tuli, Hachette Audio | Forever, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

Unfortunately, this was a miss for me and after DNFing the author’s Artefacts of Ouranos series at book 3, I think this is the last time I try this author.

Let me start with the audio narration: 3/5 stars is what I would probably rate it. The author had a nice voice and articulation was great. However, 1x speed felt so insanely slow and not natural at all. I ended up speeding it to 3x by the end and still kept up with no issues. I also think would have been enhanced by being a duet narration as I didn’t love the narrator’s “male” voice. Overall, I’m glad I at least listened to it instead of trying to physically read it.

Now for the book itself. If you have no problem with your main characters acting like bratty children in a work setting, you might be okay reading this. I can get behind some petty office rivalry when done right but the level of immaturity I felt from these characters was a whole different story. I could practically see Tris stomping her foot in my head in multiple instances. And while yes, getting passed up for promotions due to sexism/nepotism is awful and frustrating, there is no version of reality where someone in real life could demand first class, a suite and brand new designer luggage to make up for it and get away with it.

I also felt zero chemistry with these characters. The only reason they seemed to “love” each other is because of their hotness and lust. There was no depth to them at all and any the author tried to create fell extremely flat because nothing was flushed out. The ending was so rushed and Rafe barely even apologized or explained before he was forgiven. Just so unsatisfying.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC!**

I loved this book—every slow-burning, spicy, feminist second of it. Nisha J. Tuli knows exactly how to build tension while telling a story that actually matters. The romance was on point, but what really stood out was the representation of women in engineering and the very real challenges they face. The characters felt honest and human, and the writing was sharp, thoughtful, and full of heart.

Now let’s talk narration: Soneela Nankani is a force. Her voice is smooth, melodic, and deeply engaging. She nails both male and female characters without making it feel awkward or performative—it’s seamless. Truly, she could narrate my grocery list and I’d be riveted.

This is one of those audiobooks that gets everything right: the story, the representation, the heat, and the voice behind it all.

This was my first Nisha J Tuli book and it will definitely not be my last. I LOVED this book. It was such a fun time!

The tension between Rafe and Trishara was delicious. These two were circling one another like vultures the entire time. They really delivered on the whole, I've convinced myself I hate you but I'm actually obsessed with you vibe.

It's single POV and I typically prefer dual POV but when one of them has projected their own feelings onto the other, single POV works so well. Like Rafe secretly rooting for Trishara the whole time was perfection. Also the way that man was the sweetest cinnamon roll.

Both the relationship and character development arcs were so enjoyable to read! The growth, support and understanding of one another was perfection. I genuinely just loved these two together.

The Hawaiian setting really sealed the deal for me.

Also, the woman in a corporate world difficulties Trishara was up against was super relatable. She is definitely a strong woman willing to stick it to the man and I love that.

The narrator did such a fantastic job of portraying Tris' character! She nailed the sassy and disgruntled woman in STEM while seamlessly transitioning to the woman swooning over Rafe's forearms. She also did a great job of capturing Rafe's personality and desire and support of Tris.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Hachette Audio for the ALC.

What a time was had! I loved every bit of this audiobook. I throughly enjoyed it. I can't wait until I get this book in hand.

Not Safe for Work is messy, spicy, and unexpectedly full of heart. Think chaotic workplace dramatic comedy meets steamy situationship with a feminist edge. There’s sex, sabotage, and just enough emotional vulnerability to make you care. The main character is a disaster, but in a way that feels relatable — like she’s spiraling and self-aware at the same time. It’s fast, funny, and spicier than you’d expect for a book that also tackles toxic culture and burnout. A little unhinged, a lot entertaining.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars rated R for language, explicit sexual content, workplace chaos, and emotional damage.

The audiobook of Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli was an absolute treat -- fun, fiery, and completely immersive from start to finish. Huge thanks to Forever Publishing for the #gifted copy! This one hits shelves on May 20, and if you’re an audiobook lover, it’s a must-add to your listening list.

The narrator perfectly captured Trishara’s sharp wit and Rafe’s smoldering charm, making their slow-burn enemies-to-lovers dynamic even more electric. The forced proximity setup, with these rival engineers sharing a honeymoon suite in Maui, made for some incredible tension and laugh-out-loud moments, and the open-door spice? Chef’s kiss.

I loved hearing Tris’s journey as a woman in STEM trying to navigate ambition and burnout in a male-dominated field—it felt empowering and real. And Rafe? Let’s just say his voice on audio made him even more irresistible. This story had great pacing, a fantastic balance of humor and heat, and a depth that made it more than just a workplace romcom.

If you enjoy audiobooks with strong characters, great banter, and chemistry you can feel through your headphones, do yourself a favor and listen to this one!

I really enjoyed this book! I liked the setting. I liked the plot. I loved the characters. I loved the women in stem and POC representation. I loved so much! There were a couple of things I didn’t enjoy as much (miscommunication trope is never a fav) but loved the forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and single bed tropes. Wasn’t a big fan of him staying in contact with Hannah the whole time. Overall it was a good book! Would have been shorter if not for all the miscommunication but the character arcs and the tension made up for it! Overall a solid read!

A fun vacation read that’s a great slow burn, work rivals to lovers - we love the tension🤌🏻. It's the kind of story that needs to be read by the pool, sunglasses on, and a delicious drink in hand so you can soak up all the vibes. While still a romance it does deal with some heavier topics such as multiple toxic work environments and workplace harassment especially in male dominated fields but it feels absolutely relatable (unfortunately). Overall a great contemporary romance debut for Nisha and wonderful on audio!

I was so excited for this audiobook but it is not for me.
I found the narrator hard to listen to, and the story wasn't reeling me in.
I ended up DNFing the book.

Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli is a romance novel that contains tropes such as: rivals-to-lovers, slow-burn, office romance, single POV, and forced proximity. I read the audiobook version of this (narrated by Soneela Nankani) and thought that the narration was done really well. Sometimes slow burns move way too slowly for me, and I feel like maybe this could have moved a little quicker, but overall I enjoyed this!
I also adored the leads, Rafe and Trishara. Trishara is healing from a previous toxic office relationship, so it was so lovely to watch her fall for a kindhearted man who adores her (AND is an awesome baker- I need to eat a lemon tart ASAP). This romance brings attention to the different kinds of sexism and racism that are heavily prevalent in the workplace, and in this book, within STEM fields.
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars!

Side note- Ok but what if: a romance novel for Lan and Gabrielle? And a novel for Molly with someone??

Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli. My comments are an independent, honest review.

Firstly, thank you so much to Hachette Audio for giving me an advanced reader copy of this book via audiobook.

When I tell you my curiosity on this book was at an all-time high, I mean it. I had just read a fantasy series by the same author, and so I wanted to see how it measured against it. All I can say is that Nisha J. Tuli THRIVES in romance. Not only was this a fun palette cleanser, it revealed how much Tuli understands the content they're writing. From the work dynamics to the realism in the characters to the serious discrimination that occurs in workplaces, this was exactly what I needed.

I am a huge fan of their writing style, and in this book, the story flowed well, great pacing, and the ending was satisfying.

I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a workplace romance.

A solid enemies-to-lovers romance with a refreshing take on what it means to be a woman navigating toxic workplace dynamics. I really appreciated how the story didn’t shy away from showing the subtle (and not-so-subtle) challenges women face professionally. It added depth to the romance and gave the book more weight than your typical office drama.

The progression of the story felt natural, and the pacing of the relationship between the leads was really well done, slow burn without dragging. While the female main character is someone you’ll grow fond of, I have to admit there were moments where her behavior felt a bit childish or overly harsh, in her interactions with Rafe. Still, the chemistry between them keeps you hooked, and her growth by the end makes it worth the ride.

I listened to the audiobook version and have to give a big shoutout to the narrator, who brought so much personality and emotion to the characters. It definitely enhanced the experience!

Overall, a fun, slightly messy, but ultimately enjoyable read.

3.5⭐️
This is my first Nisha J. Tuli book and I really enjoyed it! Our female main character, Trishara is a woman of color in a male dominated field who is constantly getting passed up for promotions and opportunities even after five years at her company. The author mentions at the beginning that she drew inspiration from her own experiences as an engineer and I think that helped this romcom stand out and fell more organic when commenting on workplace harassment and other problems women face when working in male dominated fields. I listened to this book and I really enjoyed the narration by Soneela Nankani. I’ve actually listened to a ton of her work and I enjoy her a lot as a narrator!
This was a fun romance, with good chemistry between the two main characters and a fresh perspective on a workplace romance.


Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Forever for the advance audio copy!

I love this narrator so much! And she only made this book even better! Loved this enemies to lovers work place romance! So much fun with the vacation setting! Perfect summer read!

I could not stop listening to this book.

I’m fairly new to the audiobook scene as in the past I struggled to not be irritated by the narrators, especially when they were voicing the opposite gender. I was too easily pulled out of the story. However, Soneela Nankani absolutely NAILED her performance in this book. I honestly don’t think anyone else could have done better. Now to the story.

I am a sucker for work rivals/idiots to lovers. I love a woman who says it how it is, and this book DELIVERED that for me. Once I started I couldn’t stop, because the two idiots were circling each other, and I was kicking my feet because I love banter like that. I typically love a “rough around the edges” FMC who’s angry and jaded because she’s just repeating my inner monologue, therefore I love Trishara. And the tension and banter between Trishara and Rafe set in a competitive work setting but also in Hawaii, well just check all my boxes why don’t you?

This book reminded me why I love contemporary romance, and romcoms, and idiots to lovers. I can’t wait to see what Nisha writes next!
Thank you Forever and Hachette Audio for the gifted ALC!

Thank you ReadForever Pub for the ARC! I read this epub version in February.
Thank you Hachette Audio for the Audiobook! I was fortunate to listen to this book after reading the eARC. My review remains unchanged.
The audiobook is well produced and I had so much fun reliving Rafe and Tris’s story.

Summary:
Trishara Malik is feeling burned out. Between a blatantly misogynistic boss and a disgustingly handsome rival, who happens to be the boss’s son, Trishara is ready to throw in the towel. Until her name is thrown in the running for a promising leadership training course, taking her to Hawaii with none other than Rafe Gallagher. What starts as an easy vacation away from work dissolves to endless team building exercises, clashing opinions, and heated hearts..

My Opinion:
This book was a stunning and hysterical romcom, workplace rivals-to-lovers, with tons of tension and longing. I appreciated the slow burn, the build up and banter between our main characters, Trishara and Rafe, and the explosive chemistry when our characters come together. Trishara’s character is extremely relatable for those who are also women in STEM. Walking the fine line of saving face for the sake of job security and calling out the double standards is a relevant conflict and I loved that the FMC stays true to herself and what she values. Rafe, like many other millennials, is caught between pleasing his family and pleasing himself. I found myself falling more and more for Rafe as he stopped hiding his talents and embraced his gift of creativity. I was rooting for this couple the entire book and fell in love with the black cat/golden retriever dynamic.

Nisha is so talented and I am smitten with her writing in her debut contemporary romance!

Tropes:
One Bed/ Workplace Romance/ Rivals to Lovers/ BIPOC Rep/ Forced Proximity/ Migraine Rep

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC!
~the audio~ despite my rating for this book the audio was super good and even though I appreciate a dual pov audio I didn't feel like it was lacking.
Now despite my audio experience this book was lacking in just about every way to me. This book follows Tishara and Rate, lishara works in stem which is notoriously male dominated. After a traumatizing work encounter with her ex she decides to stop trying to climb the corporate ladder and kinda stay behind the scenes until one day she get selected to go on a work trip to Hawaii with her nemesis Rafe ( the bosses son) the rivalry between them is literally non existent and they are enemies for no good reason. It felt extremely childish and I felt so annoyed with Tishara. I didn't feel any chemistry between the two and I felt like the book being purely Tisharas POV didn't help me get to know Rafe and it just felt lacking. For these reasons I didn't love the book.