Many thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Audio and the author for the ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Did I listen to this book in 2 days - a rom-com? Yes, but was it the best? No

Now listen here, I enjoyed this book; however, this could have been so much better - there was so much potential! And as much as I enjoyed this book, I was also annoyed by it.

Books need to be publicised better in my opinion. This whole trope-based marketing is not working. Mostly because it seems like people don't even understand tropes anymore because this was not enemies to lovers; this was barely even rivals to lovers. It was more like two-people who-are-constantly annoyed-at-each-other because-they-suck-at communicating-while-pining-for-each-other-and-being constantly-annoyed-at-the fact-that-they-are-attracted-to-each-other to lovers.

See, that is not enemies to lovers. Not to mention I could not deal with how much thirsting after the MMC was happening from the very beginning of the book; I literally was thinking to myself, This girl needs to calm down! To top that, the smut wasn't it at all!

Another part that annoyed me without fail was the ex and how she kept popping up, creating more and more communication issues between these two! The whole competition thing did not make any sense at the end, as expected!

Now that I've complained about everything I didn't like, let's talk about the things that I liked! I love the fact that, being a brown woman in a white-male-dominated industry, the FMC did not shy away from speaking up even when she herself was shocked at what she had just said. The representation was on point, be it diversity for the sake of diversity or how family connections are worth more in corporate most of the time than actual talent and grit! This is much appreciated, even from a personal standpoint! The misogyny, the sexism, the microaggressions, the sexualisation, and the fetishisation were all very well portrayed, but there was so much more opportunity to put out a more impactful storyline. By which I mean, from just the dedication in the beginning of the book, I expected this book and story to focus a bit more on these elements than on how much the FMC is attracted to the MMC! That could have been so much more impactful than this absolutely freaking gorgeous, talented, beautiful, amazing brown woman lusting after the white man! I wanted her to get her head out of the gutter and focus on what she was trying to do, which was to create a space, to take up space to prove her worth beyond her existence as a woman and, more importantly, as a woman of colour, and that too in engineering - and we are, in fact, a very, very small number! Another thing I really wanted to see was this woman having conversations about engineering and about the environment, like, come on!

Now this might be a very niche complaint, but honestly I do believe that you cannot have an Indian main character and not have their family involved in the story, especially when everything is going as seriously as it is. Now I would understand if the family was cut off or was unapproachable; then it would make sense for them not to have any page space. However, Trishara's family was noted as very supportive and proud of her

The fact that the story was set up in a way that the man's family got more page space than the woman's family did did not sit right with me. Maybe in a way it makes sense, but not to me. That's probably just me complaining about things that I want to complain about.

I guess reading back on my own review, the thing that's stood out to me is that as a first-generation female Indian engineer who works in the environmental field in a primarily white male-dominated company in a white country, I expected myself to be more reflected in Trishara; however, there was so much disconnect that it was shocking. Now knowing that this book has taken a lot of inspiration from the author's own career, maybe it's just different times and hence different ways how things worked. I'm nobody to take away anybody's lived experiences, just that it doesn't represent mine.

The narrator was brilliant and made this a really good listen - I probably would have DNF'ed if I had sat and read this myself.

This is such a cute, fun, and steamy contemporary romance. I love a good forced proximity trope, and NSFW has it, along with heaps of chemistry between the FMC, Tris, and MMC, Rafe. These two have worked together for a couple of years at an Engineering firm around Chicago. They both are chosen for a highly coveted leadership retreat in Hawaii for three weeks, where attendees not only mingle and schmooze, but learn and compete against one another to be chosen for a training program in NYC. 

When Tris finds out she's been chosen for this prestigious opportunity, she's surprised, since she's been passed over continuously by white men, typically related to their fearless leaders, for so long. However, when she arrives to her tropical destination, she finds that there was a huge mixup by the executive assistant, and now she and Rafe are stuck sharing a suite together. However, being around each other constantly makes it very easy to learn more about one another and realize the competition isn't always a bad thing.

Tris is smart as a whip and stands up for herself, which I love to see in my FMCs. Still, she is realistic and has fears and worries, and insecurities about certain things. Rafe's character was a surprise to me. Outwardly he's a beautiful man that is smart and successful, but he has so much more happening beneath the surface, so it was fun to see that slowly come out in his interactions with Tris. I absolutely loved the chemistry and banter between these two. They are fun and flirty, but they're on a work trip, so they have to remain professional in public at the resort. 

This was my first book by Nisha Tuli, and I absolutely loved it. I will for sure be picking up other books of hers to check out. A big shout-out to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ALC that I devoured.

Thank you to Hachette Audio for the ALC!

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook and the narrator Soneela did a fantastic job. She made Trishara’s personality come alive and even at 1.5x, it delivered a pleasant experience.

Coming to the book itself, Trish was a great lead and her experience in a male-dominated field are certainly relatable for many of us. Rafe was a good lead as well, but Trish was certainly the more fleshed out character.

That pace of the audiobook delivered and I breezed past it in about 2 days. Overall, a solid read especially in the audiobook format.

I know I’m a bit late posting my review but I’m so happy I finally got around to reading it! I loved Trishara’s character so much she’s a confident, smart, and unapologetically strong woman navigating a workplace that doesn’t always know how to handle her brilliance. The slow burn romance with Rafe was exactly my kind of vibe: full of tension, sharp banter, and that classic enemies to lovers energy, but with real emotional depth.

The spice level was pretty mild, which honestly worked perfectly for the story it let the characters and their growth shine without overshadowing the plot. There were some little things that felt slightly repetitive or predictable, but overall I had such a good time reading this. The representation of chronic migraines and subtle microaggressions felt really thoughtful, too. As someone who suffers from migraine aura, this part of the book really touched me 🥹 it’s rare to see something so personal reflected so naturally in a story.

I laughed, I rooted for Tris, and I closed the book feeling like I just made a new fictional best friend

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this arc.
This was a fun one. I liked the vacation setting and the dynamic between the mcs. Im so glad the fmc stood up for herself because wow how absolutely shitty can people be? Its disgusting!! I didn‘t really enjoy the back and forth but they were kinda cute in the end! The baking? Adorable!! Loved how he was there for her and stood behind her decisions and also that email was perfect!
I‘m pretty sure I would have loved this more if I had read the ebook or the physical copy because I didn‘t really warm up to the audiobook narrator. Still enjoyed the book and had a fun time!

Perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood, a workplace romance in a male dominated field, Not Safe for Work is a spicy, enemies to lovers, forced proximity romance that will have you kicking your feet.

Tris and Rafe work for the safe engineering company. They are both chosen to go on an exclusive corporate work retreat set in Hawaii. However, due to a booking issue, they have to share the honeymoon suite. And the other catch? They can't stand each other.

Tris is a really strong lead. Not only is she a female in a male dominated field, but she is also representing women of color. She was outspoken and didn't tolerate any BS which I appreciated. She was written more maturely than Ali Hazelwood's FMCs which I appreciated. The way the author writes Rafe gives me butterflies. He sounds dreamy and irresistible and will have you swooning.

Thank you so much to Hachette Audio and Netgalley for the ALC! Out now.

This is the kind of workplace romance I'm looking for! It's set in an industry and with a dynamic that is (occasionally unfortunately) very relatable to me personally - for those that haven't read the blurb or the book yet, that is the male-dominated field of engineering - and one that I don't get to see in books, especially lighthearted ones like romcoms, as often as I'd like. The author did an excellent job of setting up the conflict in a realistic and believable way, in the types of scenarios I've seen myself and heard from others over the years while keeping the romance plot fun and lighthearted. The tropes in the story felt fresh and authentic, and the setting really helped liven things up and keep the pace of the book quick, where I've often found standard workplace romance settings often cause a slowdown making them harder to get through.
A good story with lots of moving parts to help hold the reader's interest and keep them wondering without becoming too chaotic to follow. Overall a very enjoyable read!
I would also like to note that I read this as an audiobook and the delivery of the narrator was really well performed and engaging, while still keeping it clear and easy to follow. It's not my first book read by Soneela Nankani, and it definitely will not be my last!

This was OK. I found the FMC to be a bit much, and the MMC was trying to be broody but just came off as flat.

Thank you so much to Hachette Audio for the complimentary ALC!

This book is out now!

I have been waiting to revisit this book via audio pretty much since I finished reading it and the perfect opportunity came! The romance book club that I participate in chose it for their July book which honestly was a great selection for the middle of summer. This book gave me all the feels all over again - it was spicy, it had banter, it gave me the swoons. It just has everything I love and want in a romance. And doing a re-read of it, just made me love it even more.

I have to give it up to the queen Soneela Nankani for giving another wonderful narration! I truly love when I see she is a narrator because I know that I will be getting a knockout performance. And mixed with Tuli's writing, it just was all worked out for me.

I feel like I have not seen this book around the book community enough and I just highly recommend it if you love workplace romance, enemies to lover, the best kind of slow burn and just ultimately a fun time! And plus majority of the attendees at book club enjoyed it as well.

Thank you Net Galley and Hachette Audio for giving me this ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Tris & Rafe are coworkers and rivals from the start but everything changes at the summer work retreat they both were selected to attend. They both ask themselves, Is this what they wanted or where they wanted to be at this stage in life?

This is a great read if you’re looking for a sun soaked summer romance. It has beachy vibes, yearning & forced proximity. Quick, fast read.

My biggest critique is that the characters feel younger than they are in the book. They act more immature and inexperienced with life than someone in their late 20s would be. I believe if they were written as early twenties in the book it would have been more realistic.

This was a fun listen! Not too serious but not to fluffy. I would definitely recommend as a nice sweet and spicy palette cleanser after reading something heavy, dark or traumatizing. I love Tris and her banter. I love the rivals-to-lovers and one-bed troupes. The narration was great!

This book is a perfect vacation or summer beach read considering how light and fun it can be. There are moments when the main character, Tris, could get annoying so this is definitely a story you’d want to read when you’re already in a really great mood (thus the vacation read!) and especially if you can read or listen to it all in one sitting.

I really enjoyed Nisha J. Tuli’s writing and found myself constantly highlighting unique phrases and sentences that had me wondering who would even think to write that (in the most positive of ways!). Her writing made me want to read all of her backlog and future releases because I highly appreciate creative writing.

The narration was easy to follow along with and helped me breeze through the book quickly.

If you’re looking for a quick and engaging story that will make you laugh just as much as you want to throw the book at some of the people Tris has to work with, you should give this book a listen!

If you’re in the market for a fun rivals-to-lovers in the workplace summer read, this one has tension and banter for DAYS, and an audiobook narrator that made this a fun, immersive listening experience.

Tris and Rafe are feuding co-workers in a field where Tris, as a brown woman, has double to overcome — engineering. And while they have sizzling physical chemistry and excellent back-and-forth-banter, I struggled a bit with the ‘workplace’ of it all. Enemies (or even rivals!) to lovers rarely works in a way that feels organic in contemporary romances, and with this being a workplace romance, I found it impossible to suspend my belief that adults are actually behaving this way in an office. HR would NEVER!

The best parts of this book are the women in STEM representation, Tris’ burn-it-all-down, take-no-shit energy toward horrible men in the office (and the women who enable them!), Soneela Nankani as the narrator (LOVE her!), and also all of the baked goods. A++++ baked goods content.

If you don’t mind a little immaturity for the plot, have ever had a hot coworker who irritated you, and you want to feel empowered to take the non confrontational exclamation point out of your e-mails, listen to this one on your next hot girl walk home from the office.

I absolutely loved this book. I listened to the audiobook and was hooked right away. The story is fast-paced, fun, and had the perfect balance of heat and heart. What really stood out to me were the characters - everyone felt so real, with voices and personalities that were fresh and believable. I didn’t want to stop listening and kept looking for any excuse to keep going. Their backstories and the way everything was woven made me feel as if I'd interrupted a work meeting and then accidentally tagged along on the trip!

The ending was especially satisfying. It didn’t feel rushed or forced, and it gave the characters the closure they deserved while still keeping things emotionally grounded. I finished it with a huge smile on my face and a little bit of that bittersweet feeling you get when you’re not quite ready to say goodbye. If you love smart, sexy romances with great banter and a strong emotional payoff, this one's a must.

This took me a minute to get into, I think in part due to the narrator. While she did a good job I personally found her inflection on certain words and phrases came off whiny and intern made me view the FMC as more juvenile than she was. I did feel as though the premise, felt fresh compared with other boss/employee books I’ve read. I will
Definitely pick up this authors next book!

Not Safe for Work
Nisha J. Tuli
★★★.75
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This was such a fun workplace, enemies to lovers, forced proximity romance!! I loved Rafes character and how much he stood up for Trishara!! The book touches on a lot of the discrimination that woman can face in male dominated fields, and I thought it was very well articulated!! Overall this was a fun read and I will never not love the one bed trope.
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The audio book was perfectly paced and the did a great job of bringing the story to life. Thank you @netgalley for the ALC!!! I loved the narrators and I found it to be a fun book to listen to.
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***3.5 STARS***

THE 411...

A STEM Contemporary Romance with a woman of color as the lead? Yes please. Tris is an Engineer who has been working at WMC Purcell for years without career growth or much acknowledgment. That changes when she gets invited to a work retreat in Hawaii where she will have the opportunity to compete for a highly coveted spot in an executive training program. This comes as a surprise, Tris knows the company she works for is saturated with white male privilege and nepotism. The invitation is suspicious but who would turn down 3 weeks in Hawaii and the possibility of winning this competition? Our girl was OUT on the first plane to the island but first, she made sure to negotiate the terms and conditions. 

Rafe is the boss's son and Tris's biggest work rival, he also was given the other spot in WMC Purcell's competition in Hawaii. Their first big test is when they're met with a hotel mix-up that introduces the one bed trope. A true gentleman, Rafe leaves all the heat for the team building exercises where things do get heated between the two. We definitely get more of Rafe's backstory and family life than we do with Tris. He may be a nepo baby orrrrr he might actually have some depth to him. Keeping it spoiler free but I LOVED Rafe and just how into Tris he is while still maintaining a competitive energy!

THOUGHTS...

Audiobook narrator Soneela Nankani brought the fun, competitive energy, and banter you'd want in an enemies to lovers rom-com. Fast paced and atmospheric with island vibes to set the mood, this was an easy read. Our female MC loves the skin she's in and I just loved seeing her get excited over the outfits she was packing. Tris is a force and Rafe, well he is the King to her Queen! We saw some chronic pain representation (mild but still on the page) and the ugly side to working in a mostly white male led field. While misogyny did rear its ugly head a few times, our girl Tris wasn't having it! This journey was about self-worth and knowing when you're blocking your own blessings. I think we can all relate to this, it was cool seeing Tris come into this realization while as a bonus also having the support of our male MC. The only thing I was missing from this story was a little backstory on her family life, we get mentions but it's not as deep as it gets with Rafe's story. It didn't take away from the story's enjoyment, if Island getaways + bad a** female MC's breaking past glass ceilings checks off your boxes then this one won't disappoint!

2.75 ⭐

I was really intrigued by the premise of this book and went in hoping to be swept away by the story. While the setup had promise and there were some enjoyable moments—especially from the supporting cast—I struggled to stay connected, mostly due to the female main character.

Unfortunately, I just didn’t connect with her. Her inner thoughts often felt emotionally distant, and I found it hard to understand her motivations or root for her decisions. That disconnection made it difficult to become fully invested in her journey or the romance, which lacked the spark I was hoping for. The chemistry never quite landed for me, and some of her actions felt inconsistent or overly dramatic without enough emotional payoff.

That said, the side characters were a highlight. They added some needed levity and warmth to the story, and the setting was vivid and atmospheric. I found myself more engaged in scenes that didn’t center on the FMC, which was a bit disappointing given she drives the narrative.

Overall, while I can see how this might appeal to readers who connect better with the heroine, it didn’t quite work for me. A promising idea that, unfortunately, didn’t land emotionally the way I hoped it would.

A decent contemporary romance. Features some delightful tropes: rivals to lovers, only one bed, he'd give everything up for her, and more. I struggled a little bit with some of the talk around food and exercise - it came off very diet culture. I also wasn't crazy about the MMC's consistent communication with an ex. But, overall I found this to be pretty charming book. It certainly hit the spot as a nice palette cleanser between heavier books for me. It does get an extra 1/2 star from me for having the marvelous Soneela Nankani as a narrator!

Not Safe for Work follows Trishara Malik, a female engineer who's been passed over for promotion many many times, and Rafe, her boss's son and workplace rival, as they spend a few weeks in Hawaii on a work retreat competing for a highly coveted trainee role within the company. Tris is a diversity hire and feels like shes only there to make the company look good so is determined to spend as much money of theirs as possible and enjoy her time in paradise whilst avoiding Rafe. Unfortuantely (but fortunately for us) theres been a mix up and they've been booked in to the honeymoon suite where theres only one bed! Who will win the role? Will Tris be able to stay out of Rafe's way long enough to not fall into his arms?

I really really wanted this to be a five star listen as it hits so many tropes I enjoy but unfortunately it just missed the mark. Tris' behaviour is so childish at times and the feud between her and Rafe doesn't feel authentic. I enjoyed the yearning and tension between them before they fell into bed together but felt that said tension was unresolved. The romance scenes are well written although I did wonder where Rafe's dominant streak had been hiding considering how submissive he was to his father and ex-girlfriend!

Soneela Nankani did an excellent job with the audiobook and I enjoyed the way she voiced the characters, the female characters were easy to differentiate between which I always appreciate in a single narrator audiobook.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ALC.