Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of Not Safe for Work in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book. From start to finish, it was an absolute delight. I devoured it in a single day. Trishara is unapologetically herself: bold, brilliant, and brimming with personality. Watching her navigate her world with confidence and humor was refreshing, and I especially loved how Rafe never tried to dim her light. Instead, he fully supported and adored her for exactly who she is.

This story is packed with swoony, fan-favorite tropes that had me grinning like a fool: workplace tension, forced proximity, and just the right amount of steam. Nisha J. Tuli delivers the kind of banter, heart, and heat that romance readers crave, and I can’t wait to read more from her.

If you love fierce heroines, cinnamon-roll heroes, and stories that celebrate authenticity and passion, Not Safe for Work needs to be on your TBR.

It’s no secret that I’m a HUGE HUGE HUGE fan of Nisha’s work and I was super excited to be able to read and listen to the book early!
NSFW overall is a super easy and quick read. I think it’s the perfect summer romance to bring along on vacation!

I giggled, gasped and SCREAMED through this entire book.
NSFW is full of sarcasm from Tris fueled by every bit of feminine rage and racial discrimination and I am here for it 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Tris is the culmination of every woman who’s been told they’re too much, too loud, too whatever and stayed loud and bold anyway. Honestly, I’m so stoked at the balance of h0rny and fighting inequity that Tris holds. 💅🏻

The narrator for this also did a great job in bringing this book to life!

Not Safe for Work was everything I love in a workplace romance. Funny, competitive, and absolutely electric with chemistry. Nisha J. Tuli delivers a perfect nemesis-to-lovers story. The tension between the characters kept me grinning.

I absolutely adored the FMC, she was so funny and relatable. I absolutely crackled when she described the MMC by saying, “Fine, Rafe is a fucking elven out of ten. The catch, and isn’t there always one, is Rafe’s personality.” Iconic! She even compared him to Thor 😏.

And speaking of Rafe… he turned out to be such a cinnamon roll. I loved watching his walls come down and seeing just how sweet he truly was.

Between all the laughs and fierce competition, Tuli brings in meaningful conversations about sexism and racism in the workplace. It gives the story extra depth without ever feeling heavy, making it even more authentic and impactful.

If you love sharp-tongued characters, fierce rivalry, and romance that makes your heart race, Not Safe for Work is a must-read!

🎧 I listened to the audiobook and absolutely loved it! The narration brought the characters (and their banter) to life perfectly.

Thank you Hachette audio and Nisha J Tuli for the ALC, this is my honest review.

This was just the fun romcom I needed to get me out of my reading slump. Rivals to lovers stuck in the honey moon suite on a work retreat! I mean…….does it get better than that? This book has me giggling right from the start.

From the moment I heard the Authors Note I was locked in, and full well knew I was going to I love this book. Its representation, story, highlighting what it’s like to be ethnic, and work in a male dominated environment was very on point.

As a racing driver, South East Asian, and having been in an environment like that I felt completely seen and also found myself nodding along, rolling my eyes and also shocked (but not really surprised) by things that were said.

I just thoroughly enjoyed the story, loved the characters and all around just fell in love with this book. Even with all these themes (that I don’t think are truly that heavy I just noticed them because of my background and it really resonated), it’s the perfect summer romance and I would highly recommend.

Thank you to the author for writing this book, and for yourself and NetGalley providing me an advanced listener copy for my honest review.

R E V I E W

Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli

Narrated by Soneela Nankani

☆☆☆.5

Advanced Reader Audio Copy provided by Hachette Audio | Forever via Netgalley

I wasn't sure what to expect of this one. I was already familiar with the author's fantasy work, the Artificacts of Ouranos series, and wasn't a huge fan but decided to give her debut romance book a chance all the same.

Not Safe for Work was a decent enough read, made better by some strong narrating, but like Tuli's previous writing, it shared some similar issues.

The premise of this book is an enemies-to-lovers office romance whereby the main characters are both chosen for a Hawaiin work retreat and, unsurprisingly, end up sharing a room.

There were a lot of tropes at play here, and whilst that would not ordinarily bother me, the immature writing style (particularly shown through Tris and Rafe's verbal sparring) meant these could be spotted a mile off. Furthermore, as a result of the single POV narration, the reader knew from the outset that Tris never really hated Rafe at all, since she spent an awful lot of time waxing poetic about his abs and his hair. If I had a pound for every time Tris used the word 'hot' in this narrative, I'd probably be a wealthy lady.

As for Rafe himself, up until the 'slow burn' finally relented, his character was pretty one dimensional. Having his own POV chapters might have rectified this, but instead, we had to wait for Tris to stop being horrible to him to finally learn what he was about.

This author seems to pride herself on her slow burn writing, but for me, the constant two steps forward and one step back approach seemed to make the story drag and failed to build the desired tension. When Tris finally got her head out of her ass, I was relieved though Rafe's sudden turn about face from stalwart colleague to dirty-talking lothario wasn't the smoothest of transitions. We spent about 80% of this book listening to Tris complain about the man and the final 20% watching as they sleep together on every surface and space they can find like horny teenagers.

Aside from the romance aspect, this book does attempt to dip into deeper topics like racism and gender inequality in the workplace. We also have a female in STEM, since Tris is an engineer, and a male baker, so a little traditional role reversal depiction too.

Not Safe for Work by Nisha J Tuli. Is an unexpected adventure with ups and downs, but a HEA for all!

Tris, has worked so hard to be where she is in her career. Only to be runner up in promotions to white male privilege and blatant nepotism babies…. Especially by Rafe. The Boss’s Son.

Tris has proven time and time again she is the women for any job thrown at her. And now is her chance. To prove herself one final time at her company’s leadership retreat in hopes to earn a seat at the executive training program.

Nisha has created the amazing, spunky powerful business women in Tris. Someone any young girl would dream to become! I know I wished I was. Beyond being all of those things, she is also posed. For how much sexism she has faced like any woman in the real world can attest too! I stand with tris. I cheered every second of every page for her to achieve and prove she is better than all the male ego’s collages at this retreat with her.

That was tell Rafe. Rafe, is a mystery. He seems sharp and witty. Always ready with a come back. But also ready to shut down any man wanting to talk down and demean their female counterparts. Which we love a feminist book boyfriend!

As barriers come down and truths come out. Things are not all rainbows and nepos. Tris and Rafe, see different sides and grow closer…. But will they make it work with a single seat on the long?

From the very first book I read by her, I absolutely loved Nisha J Tuli’s writing and this book was no exception. The way she writes the romance specifically is just perfect. The build up, the banter, the tension, and the foundation she lays for their relationship to be long term is just unmatched. This book had such a great balance of beachy fun romcom and harsh realities of being a woman in corporate. I also really enjoyed watching the friendships form throughout the book. I just had a phenomenal time with this book and I absolutely recommend it to everyone.

Officially: Nisha J Tuli can write the heck out of a contemporary romcom.

I loved everything about this book, it’s truly the perfect summer read. The story is light in premise and execution- an office rivals go on a work trip to paradise with a dash of there’s-only-one-bed. It’s written with humor and lots of sexy slow burn tension but still carries a surprising weight with its context that makes it feel very real and relatable. The FMC is a woman of color working in STEM and faces lots of ingrained bigotry and systemic brick walls blocking her career, contrasted with an MMC who’s a company nepo-baby. The tensions and misunderstandings feel understandable and well deserved and both characters are well rounded and emotional, More than just knowing that they were working towards an inevitable HEA, the characters really do grow together despite the initial animosity.

The audiobook specifically: 4/5 I loved the narrators speaking voice, and especially the way she places emphasis as she’s reading. It brought lots of energy and life to the recording. I’d have liked a bit more variety in voices for dialogue as on occasion I felt I was loosing who was saying what. Overall a wonderful listen!!

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

I thoroughly enjoyed Not Safe For Work, Soneela Nankani's narration was exceptional, bringing depth and authenticity to the characters, especially Trishara Malik.

The story offers a refreshing take on the enemies-to-lovers trope, set against the backdrop of a corporate retreat in Hawaii. Trishara and Rafe's dynamic is filled with witty banter and palpable tension, making their evolving relationship engaging and heartfelt.

What stood out to me was the honest portrayal of the challenges faced by women in general, but specifically women of color in male-dominated industries. The references to racial microaggressions and sexist behavior in the workplace added depth to the narrative, making it both relatable and thought-provoking.

Overall, Not Safe For Work is a compelling blend of romance, humor, and social commentary. It's a must-listen for fans of contemporary romance who appreciate stories that tackle real-world issues with grace and authenticity.

Uuuuuuuugh! Despite my soul of deep obsidian, I ADORE a good romcom. Audiobooks have been my favorite platform for them, especially when in dual narration. This wasn't, but the narrator did well and kept me engaged in the story. I loved the push and pull between Rafe and Tris, it was the perfect balance and not to angsty.

There was interaction with side characters that kept the story from falling stagnant and even though the story may have tropes that we've seen before, the it stood unique. The heat was a slower build, but worth it. Tuli knows how to build a story! I will absolutely be visiting her catalogue again.

Not Safe for Work is a solid rivals to lovers, workplace romance. The tension between the main characters was palpable and the release was very well written. Both main characters had great backstories (thank you for trigger/content warnings) that motivate them throughout the book. The side characters add both depth and comedy to the story.
Tuli is a great descriptive writer. I could picture every scene, outfit, and character perfectly.
My only issue is that the miscommunication, or misunderstanding surrounding the ex-girlfriend dragged on a bit too long and became unbelievable to me.

The narrator and production quality were very good. This was a quick ans easy audiobook to listen to.

I gave this book 4 stars because I really enjoy the story, but I really do not like the audio. I’m hoping to do a reread with the physical book and hopefully my rating will go up with that.

I enjoy the story line and the premise of the book… I just find the audio hard to follow at times… with this book I learned I cannot do audiobooks.

⭐4.5 stars⭐
Just finished listening to an advanced copy of a book that is being released on May 20th called, Not Safe For Work. This was a fun read that is perfect for summertime. This is about Tris, she is chosen to go to her work's corporate leadership retreat in Hawaii... Along with her rival, the boss's son Rafe. When they get there they find out they are booked in the same room, for the next three weeks, and the resort is completely booked up. As they spend time around each other and actually get to know each other as people rather than coworkers, they realize there might be feelings underneath this work rivalry between them. Tris is independent, witty, smart, and driven. Rafe is competitive, funny, sweet, and protective. I do wish this story would've been dual POV so we got more of Rafe's side and his thoughts throughout the whole story. This book was filled with humor, banter, tension, chemistry, rivalry, and of course romance! I truly enjoyed these characters and this book so much, it was such a fun and entertaining read with all the summer/tropical vibes! 💛📚

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this audio ARC of Not Safe For Work, in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I have read by Nisha J. Tuli and I loved it. I cannot wait to go back and read more of her work.

The title of Not Safe for Work made me think it was going to be a little more kinky, but it was so much more than book smut. I loved Tris' line of work and the story behind her closed heart. Rafe was a little immature in the beginning, but I'm glad he got his head out of his butt before the end of the book.

I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of the audio book and the narrator was awesome. This was also the first I have listed to of hers and I have already done an audio book search for Soneela Nankani to add some to my collection.

Thank you for the copy, this is my honest opinion. Please be aware of any trigger warnings, as your mental health is most important.

This is not just another workplace romance! And not just because it takes place on a company retreat.

Starting from the fact our FMC is a non-white woman working in STEM to all the ways that misogyny, sexism and racism are brought up and tackled. This FMC doesn't need saving. She doesn't even trust the MMC to save her. But once they get to know each other better, she learns he is more, better, than she thought. And that maybe she could let him close enough to see her vulnerabilities.

The audiobook is read by one narrator and she does a fantastic job! With some narrations I have an issues with "making voices" for other characters (especially of the opposite gender), but definitely not here.

Thank you for the ALC to Hachette Audio, Nisha J. Tuli and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars⭐️

I love that the FMC Trishara was very ambitious and had a goal for herself. This book did a good job showing the struggles that minorities go through trying to succeed in their work.

The part I wasn't a huge fan of was the MMC Rafe's ex-girlfriend storyline, and the way it got over the enemies-to-lovers trope.

Overall, I think this book was a nice read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an audiobook arc.

the whole going on a getaway and ah there’s only one hotel room trope will always be loved by me and i’m not sorry.

i loved the narration and the narrator’s voice, it felt really immersive, you could just feel the emotions and the nuances of every part of the story so so well. so thankful i got the audiobook because it made the experience even better.

there are never enough stories about intelligent, strong women who take what they want, so this one hit the mark for me. i loved trishara and related to her so much, as someone in a field that’s very male-dominated, i was rooting for her the whole way through.

the twist of rafe being a baking influencer honestly sent me into a laughing fit. like okay, a gorgeous man who bakes? i’m absolutely here for it. the banter between them was great, really enjoyed the development of their relationship and how soft rafe was for her.

the writing did feel a bit repetitive at times, especially when describing rafe and most smut in romance books are usually corny to me, though in this it was tolerable enough. also wish the conflict had happened a few chapters earlier, just so we could’ve seen more of their relationship outside of hawaii. still, i loved the writing style and will definitely pick her other books asap

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC — opinions expressed in this review are my own.

If you like • banter • workplace romance • enemies to lovers • forced proximity • slow burn • only one bed • women in STEM - then this is for you! It is a great rom-com and there were parts that had me just cheesing. I loved the banter between the two MCs. Also the MMC having a whole other passion, which he ultimately pursues, was a nice layer/dimension to the character.
I think the narrators did a great job of bringing the story to life. As I listened to the book it was almost like watching it as a movie in my head. I also inhaled this story.
Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the advance copy of the audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Short Synopsis:
Trishara has been her butt off to smash the glass ceiling at her engineering company, only to be faced with white male privilege, blatant racism and company nepotism. But to her complete shock she is sent to a training program in Hawaii. The catch? Rafe - the boss’s son will be tagging along.

My Thoughts:
I’ve read Nisha’s Artefacts of Ouranos series and was excited to try her romance debut. And this was just so much fun!! I truly enjoyed NOT SAFE FOR WORK. Workplace romance is a trope I tend to struggle with - a lot of the times it comes with power dynamics or competition and I didn’t feel that with this one at all. (There’s completion on the beach but like healthy competition.) Rafe and Trishara were perfect. The banter was exceptional. The chemistry was sizzling. And it was beautifully written with a focus on a FMC of color in STEM.

The second half was a bit steamy for me. (I know, I know. The title is literally NSFW. But I thought it was a clever play on words. Whoops. 😆)

But truly enjoyed this one and had a great time with it. I did the audiobook and honestly highly recommend it that way. The narrator was phenomenal!

Also. Hannah needed to take a hint. 🙃

What You’ll Find:
Workplace romance
Enemies to lovers
Hawaii setting
Only one bed
BIPOC woman in STEM