I adored this story! Trishara was such a bad ass and I enjoyed watching the relationship between her and Rafe. I enjoyed each and every trope, the representation, and the conclusion. Loved how Trishara resolved her issues and the HEA was adorable!
Thank you to Netgalley, Nisha Tuli and the publisher for the chance to read this early!

Not Safe for Work is a laugh out loud funny romcom about being stuck with your work rival on a tropical vacation. Trishara Malik is an engineer working in a male dominated field and once dreamed of being the first woman of color to break through the glass ceiling at her company. But after years of being passed over for promotions, witnessing white male privilege, and seeing the company’s blatant nepotism, she’s ready to give up. But then she’s chosen to attend the corporate leadership retreat in Hawaii and she starts to hope again.

There’s just one huge catch, she has to go with Rafe Gallagher, the boss’s son, her work nemesis, and an unfairly attractive jerk. She plans to ignore him for three weeks, but there’s only one hotel room and they keep getting put together during team building exercises. As they spend more time together, Trishara realizes that she misjudged Rafe and comes to realize what a great guy he is.

This book has romance, humor, a fun setting, and it tackles the challenges women face in male-dominated workplaces by portraying the misogyny, sexual harassment, and racism against women and especially women of color. It was a very honest, impactful book, and I think it’s an important read.

The audio is very well done and Soneela Nankani voiced Trishara perfectly. She made the book so entertaining to listen to, and really embodied all of the sarcasm, anger, banter, and flirting that exists between Trishara and Rafe. I had a blast listening to it.

Thank you to Hachette Audio, Forever, Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Book Group, Nisha J. Tuli, and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC.

📔Not Safe for Work
✏️ Nisha J. Tuli
📆 May 20, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

READ IF YOU LIKE:
🏝️work rivals
🏝️she hates him
🏝️forced proximity
🏝️only one hotel room
🏝️tropical company retreat
🏝️banter

Have you ever unexpectedly won a work trip with your enemy coworker and had to share a bed and pretend like you’re not super attracted to him?
Me neither, but man oh man was I LIVING for our FMC getting the chance to. I’ve never been a ✨corporate girly✨ but I’ve heard plenty of horror stories from my corporate friends and Nisha nailed this.

First off, I really LOVED and ENJOYED this books so much! I have no critique at all about the story. This being the first I've read by Nisha J. Tuli, makes me want to read other books of theirs!

I listened to Not Safe For Work on audiobook, and give it 5/5 overall! This narrator always does above and beyond effort, and I can really tell. Something I'd like to point out is that this narrator is a female voice, and during dialogue when a male is speaking, instead of her trying to make herself have a masculine voice, she simply lowers her tone to create a distinction between the 2 main characters. I WAY prefer this over trying to make a whole new male voice that sounds awkward. The narrator is extremely engaging. It almost feels like a as close to a graphic audio without it being one.

The last piece of feedback I'll give about the audiobook, and this is not a critique-make sure you listen on an app that allows you to increase the speed. I listened on 2x (which is pretty fast for me) in order to feel like I was hearing a normal speaking speed.

I liked the book, I got to listen to the audio. But the overall plot was missing something. The plot was more focused on the inadequacies for women, especially women of color, in male dominated fields. I think the representation was great! But this book wasn't exactly for me.

The narrator did a fantastic job! She really pulled me into the story.

So much fun, kept me interested the whole way listened to it in less than two days. The narrator was awesome nice natural soothing voice that was so easy to listen to.

supppppppppper cute!!! really enjoyed this, was easy to listen to. easy to follow. not quite a 5 star. i enjoyed the girls in male dominated careers aspect as well. not sure how i felt about Rafe’s profession though haha

Thank you very much for the eALC!

I read anything and everything and was very excited to be able to read this! I love a good work place/rivals romance, and this did not disappoint!

Tropes:
- Workplace rivals
- Enemies to Lovers
- One Bed / One Room
- MMC Yearning
- He Fell First
- No Third Act Break Up
Usually, with workplace romances, you have a simple formula, and this one does not disappoint.

Trishara Malik is a strong, confident woman who constantly has to live through the glass ceiling. Rafe Gallagher is the boss's son and her workplace rival. These two get selected to go on a work retreat in Hawaii and get stuck in the honeymoon suite together! The best part, there are no more rooms available!

Throughout the entire retreat, the two are constantly put together, and Trishara starts to learn that things are not exactly what she thought they were. This is a great palette cleanser read, or if you just want something a little spicy with a lot of the MMC yearning for the woman he loves!

This title and the setting in Hawaii totally grabbed my attention. Tris and Rafe are coworkers that don't get along and Tris is frustrated with her engineering job that is male dominated. She and Rafe are chosen to do a 3 week retreat in Hawaii.

Workplace romances are so fun especially with the addition of Rafe being the boss's son. I liked that the author drew on hers and others experiences in the workplace to make it relatable. It's so sad as well as I know these type of behavior still happens.

The story is fun but I did find Tris seems to act a bit immature at parts. I would have liked to see Rafe and Tris develop a relationship rather than rely on lust.

The story is narrated by Soneela Nankani and told in Tris' perspective. She did a great job with bringing the story to life but I always prefer a dual POV with romances.

Thank you @hachetteaudio @readforeverpub for the audiobook.

I liked how Tuli tackled head on self confidence and drive. I love how the FMC handled herself in navigating through the issues.It’s so satisfying when the FMC does what the reader wants them to do.
I think that the issues in the book are very realistic and relatable.
The book did drag on a bit but other than that, I enjoyed the story.

I don’t read many workplace romance novels but I enjoyed this trope along with the enemies to lovers narrative. The book highlighted some of the harassment and blatant disrespect/disregard that women and minorities experience in the workplace. I love how the FMC handled herself in navigating that. It’s so satisfying when the FMC does what the reader wants them to do. Lol. I really enjoyed this story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"Not Safe for Work" by Nisha J. Tuli is a total win! If you are a romance vibes reader, this is the book for you!

I absolutely loved this book and am officially obsessed with Nisha J. Tuli’s writing—she knows exactly what she’s doing, and I can’t wait to read more from her. The writing was sharp, engaging, and so well done. ✍️📚

Soneela Nankani’s narration was a perfect match for Tris, the FMC. She brought her to life in a way that felt incredibly real and nuanced. I was hooked on Tris from the beginning—she’s relatable, flawed, and so compelling. Seeing an authentic portrayal of a woman navigating a male-dominated STEM field added real depth to the story. I have a friend who’s an engineer, and so many of Tris’s experiences echoed the stories I’ve heard from her—this representation matters. 👩‍💻💥

The romance had a bit of a predictable arc, but that didn’t take anything away from the experience—it was more about the journey than the destination. Rafe didn’t quite grab me at first (he's a bit icy in the beginning), but once things warmed up between him and Tris around the 40% mark? Whew. The slow burn is real, and the forced proximity moments were scorching. 🔥 I especially appreciated how Rafe was able to break out of the "nepo hire, privileged white guy" stereotype the book initially gives him. He turned out to be much more layered than expected, which ties in beautifully with one of the book’s strongest themes: people are always more complex than what we see on the surface. 👀✨

Reading this book felt like belting your favorite song in the car with the windows down. 🎶🚗 10/10 would recommend!

What an amazing audiobook! I love Nisha J Tuli’s writing, and Soneela Nankani really brings it to life.

I really enjoy Tuli’s romantasy, and this was such a great contemporary romance read! Sad to say that the workplace really hasn’t changed all that much for WOC 🥲

I also love that in NSFW Tris is reading Rule of the Aurora King!

🏝️Not Safe For Work by @nishajtwrites 🏝️

I needed this book and knew it would be incredible the second I heard Nisha wrote a romance. Her fantasy writing is immaculate. So I was truly eager to listen to this one.

Tris has been working at WMC Purcell for 8 years. She’s been a consistent contributor there and is starting to wonder if she’s going to ever get the recognition she deserves. She’s about ready to pull the plug on her career when she’s given a chance to go to a leadership conference, 3 weeks in paradise doesn’t sound too bad. But when she realizes she’s stuck going with Rafe Gallagher, her apparent work enemy and the CEO’s son, she’s not sure about anything. Does she allow him to dull her shine, or do sparks fly that takes this retreat to another level?

Rafe and Tris are hot. End of. Their banter is all I need to mention.

I liked a lot but to gush about the specificities would actually spoil the book. So I shall leave it vague.

The narrator is Soneela Nankani and she is wonderful. I am currently listening to her narrate the Artefacts of Ouranos series also by Nisha, and loving every minute.


A big thank you to @hachetteaudio, @netgalley and @readforeverpub for providing me this ALC.

Check this one out on May 20th

Review: Not Safe For Work by Nisha J. Tuli (Audiobook ALC)

Thank you to Hachette Audio for the advanced listening copy of this title.

Not Safe For Work is a fun, flirty, and empowering workplace romcom that delivers exactly what romance fans love: enemies to lovers, tropical vibes, witty banter, and a heroine you can root for. Engineer Trishara Malik is ambitious, capable, and all too familiar with the challenges of being a woman of color in a male dominated industry. When she’s selected for a leadership retreat in Hawaii, she’s shocked to find herself paired with her longtime office rival, the boss’s son.

This audiobook was a cute and enjoyable listen. It follows a fairly predictable romance arc, but in a way that feels comforting and familiar. What stood out to me most was how it uplifted women in tech and highlighted the everyday challenges they face. Tris’s perspective felt authentic, and her ambition and frustration were easy to relate to.

The chemistry between Tris and Rafe grows naturally throughout the story. Their forced proximity situation adds just the right amount of tension and humor, and as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Rafe may not be the enemy Tris always believed him to be.

Overall, Not Safe For Work is a lighthearted and meaningful story that balances workplace tension, personal growth, and romance. A great pick for anyone looking for an easy listen with heart and a strong female lead.

I really enjoyed this book!
I liked how Tuli tackles self confidence, discrimination, and drive in a romantic novel. I think that the issues represented in this book were well written.
The book did drag but other than that, I loved it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (4.5/5 stars)

Synopsis
In this sharp and sunny romcom, engineer Trishara Malik is furious when her long-overdue promotion is handed to her rival, the boss’s son—Rafe Gallagher. Sent to a leadership retreat in Hawaii, she’s ready to fight for her future, until a booking mishap lands her in a honeymoon suite with the man she can’t stand (but can’t stop noticing). As competition turns to connection, Tris must decide if trusting Rafe could be the key to both her career and her heart.

Thoughts
Smart, sizzling, and surprisingly tender—this workplace romcom brings the heat and the heart.

Plot & Premise
Engineer Trishara Malik is tired—of being overlooked, underestimated, and professionally sidelined despite her brilliance and hard work. When her long-deserved promotion is handed to her arch-nemesis Rafe Gallagher, the CEO’s golden-boy son, she’s understandably furious. The surprise invitation to a leadership retreat in Maui should be her chance to shine. The catch? She has to share it with him—and, due to a logistical hiccup, also share a honeymoon suite. Classic.
What follows is a slow-burning, tropey delight that manages to be more than a romcom. As Tris and Rafe are forced into close quarters—literally and emotionally—their relationship moves from hostile snark to genuine respect, understanding, and eventually, something deeper.

What Works
🟢 Tris is a force. A fully realized character who’s not just “ambitious” in a vague sense, but deeply driven by personal and cultural stakes. Her frustration with the micro-aggressions and biases she faces at WMC Purcell is portrayed with nuance and authenticity. Her voice is sharp, witty, and believable.
🟢 Rafe breaks the stereotype. He’s the privileged white guy, yes—but the novel takes time to peel back layers and explore how he struggles under a different kind of pressure: the weight of legacy, expectations, and being dismissed as a nepotism hire. Rafe’s growth isn’t performative—he listens, adapts, and earns his redemption.
🟢 Dialogue that zings. The banter between Tris and Rafe is consistently excellent—equal parts spicy and snappy. There’s real chemistry here, and their progression from rivals to lovers feels hard-earned, not rushed.
🟢 Social commentary with a romcom heart. This book doesn’t shy away from real issues—gender politics, racism in STEM, corporate toxicity—but it weaves them into the narrative without turning into a lecture. Instead, these challenges are lived and felt by the characters, deepening the emotional stakes.

A Few Small Stumbles
🔶 The retreat setting, while fun and escapist, sometimes stretches believability (three weeks for a corporate program with aptitude tests and beach bonfires?). A few plot contrivances—like the shared honeymoon suite—feel a bit too convenient, but they’re forgivable in the context of the genre.
🔶 Side characters occasionally fall into archetype territory (especially Tris’s “quirky” best friend and some cartoonishly awful executives). More texture here would have strengthened the overall realism.

Final Thoughts
Not Safe for Work is a standout workplace romance that respects both the genre and the intelligence of its readers. It’s funny, flirty, and fierce—a story that acknowledges how hard it can be to thrive in spaces not built for you, while still celebrating joy, love, and unexpected partnerships.
Perfect for fans of Aparna Verma’s humor, Ali Hazelwood’s STEM romances, or Helen Hoang’s character-driven storytelling, this one belongs on your TBR—preferably paired with a piña colada and a sun hat.


Tropes:
- Enemies to Lovers
- Forced Proximity
- Only 1 Bed
- Workplace Romance
- BIPOC women in STEM
- Set in Hawaii

Not Safe for Work was such a fun, swoony slow burn with all the right enemies-to-lovers vibes! Trishara is an engineer who's been working twice as hard for half the credit, and watching her try to survive burnout while stuck on a corporate retreat in Maui—with the boss’s golden boy son Rafe—was chef’s kiss. The forced proximity (hello, honeymoon suite mix-up), the banter, the “I hate you but also maybe I don’t” tension… it was giving giggle and kick-your-feet energy the whole time. The audiobook made it even better—the narration totally brought their dynamic to life.

What really stood out, though, was how the book balanced the workplace commentary with a genuinely sweet and satisfying romance. Tris’s struggles in the corporate world felt so real, and I was absolutely rooting for her the whole way. And Rafe? The more we saw of him, the more I loved him. He wasn’t just the “hot rival”—he was layered, supportive, and quietly rooting for her even when she couldn’t see it. Yes, the miscommunication drama tested my patience a bit, and the side characters added some chaos I wasn’t totally here for, but honestly? Still had such a great time. Would 100% recommend if you’re in the mood for workplace drama, tropical vibes, and slow-burn gold.

3.75⭐️ Firstly, thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an audiobook copy of this book! In this book, we follow Trishara and Rafe, who go on a tropical company retreat while they don’t like eachother and have to be around eachother all the time. This book was such an easy read. It was fast-paced, and I really liked the characters' relationship. I liked the way they grew to know we eachother, and I also liked our FMC and how she handled everything that came her way. She was funny and quirky, which I enjoyed. Overall, I highly suggest this book when you need something easy and also just want a cute read! Thank you again to the publisher and NetGalley for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

Some people collect seashells on vacation; Trishara Malik collects grudges—specifically one grudge in a perfectly tailored suit named Rafe Gallagher. In Nisha J. Tuli’s Not Safe for Work, our engineer heroine flies to a corporate retreat in Maui determined to win a promotion… and avoid her boss’s golden-boy son at all costs.

Cue the hotel-reservation gods cackling: Congratulations, rivals—you’ve been upgraded to the honeymoon suite. One room. One bed. Zero chill.

Reading Trishara’s journey felt like flipping through a slightly spicier diary entry of my own past life in STEM. I, too, once clocked in at a “progressive” tech company—think artisan-coffee taps, meditation pods, and the annual ritual of gifting shiny Apple gadgets—yet still got steam-rolled by casual sexism and promotion politics. Watching Tris wrangle the exact same double standards (hello, performative diversity initiatives) was painfully familiar, but wildly satisfying. She doesn’t just survive the boys’-club nonsense; she drags it into the sunlight, out-engineers every ego in the room, and discovers that the last person she expected to trust might actually be her biggest ally. Seeing her reclaim her ambition, demand her worth, and still make room for swoony, enemies-to-lovers sparks gave me the guilty-pleasure wish fulfillment I didn’t know I needed. Long story short: if you’ve ever been patted on the head while a less-qualified bro sailed past you, Trishara’s mic-drop moments will feel like a victory lap—served with a side of tropical heat and cheeky banter.

Why you’ll speed-read it under a palm tree;

STEM Queen vs. Trust-Fund Dream – Tris wields wrenches and wicked sarcasm; Rafe counters with charm, killer abs, and the shocking ability to actually respect her brain.

Tropical forced proximity – Rope courses, tiki cocktails, and “accidental” sunscreen assists take enemies-to-lovers from simmer to full boil.

Burnout vibes, big dreams – Tris’s glass-ceiling angst is real, but so is the swoony joy of someone who believes you belong in the C-suite (and in his arms).

Battle of the spreadsheets – Aptitude tests have never felt so spicy, proving KPIs can, in fact, stand for Kiss Potential Incoming.

All payoff, zero angst hangover – Tuli keeps things breezy, steamy, and satisfyingly feminist—no dark clouds on this beach read horizon.
Minor wish? A few more boardroom mic-drop moments back home. But honestly, I was too busy giggling through lei puns to care.

Verdict: If you crave a rom-com that mixes STEM smarts, enemies-to-ohana heat, and the most delicious one-bed dilemma since the dawn of HR policies, pack Not Safe for Work in your carry-on. Mahalo, Nisha J. Tuli, for turning office politics into a vacation fling we can write home about.

Thank you NetGalley and Hatchette Audio, Forever Publishing and Nisha J. Tuli for this toe curling, giggling into my pillow ALC! I absolutely had such a wonderful weekend listening to this!