The way I fell in love with Tris and Rafe!! They were constantly trying to one up each other without realizing they were both hiding feelings. All it took was a work trip where they’re stuck sharing a room to realize there’s more to their competitiveness. Ahhh, the slow burn was SLOW but sooo good! And Tris being a badass in the end - girl that email was perfect 👏🏼 I honestly loved how this book showed how it is being a woman of color in a male dominated field.

I also listened to the audiobook that’s narrated by Soneela Nankani. And let me tell you she did an amazing job! I love how she brought forth all of Tris’s emotions to life. The way she portrayed Tris was perfect and I also liked how she handled Rafe’s dialogue. Can’t wait to listen to more audiobooks by her.

Not Safe for Work
Nisha J. Tuli

1.5 stars

🗣️ single pov
🏝️ set in Maui
💼 workplace romance, enemies to lovers
❤️‍🔥 hot & breezy read

the audiobook narration was great!
I wanted the badass stem girlie but instead we have an immature ditzy one… There are moments of cheeky banter but there aren’t any character developments that make us love a character any further. There were too many “and it’s… Rafe” moments!!!

yeahhh I don’t think workplace romance is for me

I ALWAYS love a workplace romance... throw in some smart and sexy main characters, a tropical location, one bed trope and a dirty mouth?... chef's kiss (no pun intended!)
The author did a fantastic job creating the tension and slow burn between these two characters... as well as developing a strong, funny FMC and a walking 💚 flag MMC. She explores the difficulties that women and POC face in corporate America and the stick-it-to-the-man moment was awesome! 👊🏼
Thoroughly enjoyable rom-com!! 4.5*

Thank you to Net Galley and Hachette Audio for an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fast paced workplace rom-com. I enjoyed this book and listened to it in one day. There was some miscommunication but it wasn’t an excessive amount and was solved fairly quick. It was a slow burn, but not in an annoying way. I enjoyed the narrator of the book as well.

Not Safe for Work features Tris and Rafe, both engineers at a firm. They are both chosen to go on a leadership retreat in Hawaii. Of course, the forced proximity, shared hotel room and one bed situation lead them into realizing how perfect they are for each other.

This was really fun to read, and I devoured the audiobook in two days. The narration was so well done. I enjoyed the story as well, I’m the biggest fan of a dislike to love situation. The banter between Rafe and Tris was fun, but it teetered a little too close to the edge of mean for me, at points.

I really loved how strong Tris was and how protective her shell was. I completely understood, but also side eyed her a little for her low blows sometimes. Rafe was really delicious, I have no complaints except for wanting more of him. Being inside his head would have been the best!

Overall, so fun, such a great audio!

This delivers everything! Enemies-to-lovers, workplace romance, one-bed (at a work retreat) and a strong woman in STEM! I absolutely ate this up! Trishara is a very relatable character who has gone through a lot. She is trying to make it in a male-dominated industry to the best of her ability. There are some tough themes to be mindful of but the author handles it in a very sensitive way. Rafe is such a smooth talker that literally made me kick and scream multiple times! And he is such a layered character! When these two finally get together it’s electric!

This is definitely a slow burn but when the spice hits…have a fire extinguisher ready!

Trishara Malik is a smart, competent engineer who is constantly getting passed over for promotions despite her stellar work record. She works hard but is tired of seeing newbies and nepos get the titles she rightfully deserves. And then there's Rafe Gallagher, one of the nepos who happens to be incredibly hot.

When the company announces they're sending two employees to a three-week leadership retreat - in Maui - Tris is shocked to find that she is one of the chosen. But so is Rafe. To make it worse (or better?) there is a snafu at the hotel and they're forced to share a bedroom.

Forced proximity, there's only one bed, enemies to lovers - despite all the tropes this book hits, it was frustrating to read. Tris is the only fully developed character - Rafe is hot and protective of her and is attracted to her despite how she treats him, but we don't really get to know him. The side characters are pretty two-dimensional, and Tris, who is said to be a brilliant engineer with years of experience, etc. behaves so immaturely at times that I wanted to shake her. Some of the situations in the book are not very realistic at all, and the insta-lust and communication issues were definitely a minus.

The audiobook of Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli is a glorious feminist fantasy narrated with heart. Readers, picture yourself on a three week work trip to Hawaii, all expenses paid, staying in a luxury resort, in the honeymoon suite, accidentally sharing the room with your sexy rival, and there's just one bed. You are in a romance novel, so there is plenty of will-they-won't-they tension, but rest assured you will have the vacation sex of your dreams with your work nemesis, who actually turns out to be lovely. Then top it off with a burn the house down moment where you stick it to the corporate Old Boys Club before running off into the sunset. This is wish fulfillment at its finest and I loved it!

Dnf’d at 60%. I might just be in a mood, but I couldn’t take the FMC any longer.

I’m sure this will be great for others - just not for me.

Thank you Hachette audio for my gifted copy.

"Not Safe for Work" delivers a breezy, tropical escape with a familiar enemies-to-lovers trope, landing it squarely in the three-star category. Nisha J. Tuli sets up a compelling premise: ambitious engineer Trishara "Tris" Malik, consistently overlooked at her company, finds herself begrudgingly sharing a Hawaiian retreat – and a honeymoon suite! – with her professional nemesis, the privileged Rafe Gallagher.
The initial conflict stemming from workplace politics and perceived unfairness is relatable, and Tris's frustration with the corporate environment resonates. The forced proximity in a picturesque setting naturally creates opportunities for their dynamic to shift, and the author teases the possibility of a deeper connection as they navigate leadership challenges.
However, while the promise of a steamy romance in paradise is present, the development of Tris and Rafe's relationship feels somewhat predictable. The journey from animosity to attraction follows well-trodden paths, and while there are glimpses of Rafe's hidden depths, his transformation from antagonist to potential love interest could have been more nuanced.
Ultimately, "Not Safe for Work" offers an enjoyable, lighthearted read, perfect for a beach vacation (ironically). It hits the expected beats of a rom-com, but readers looking for a truly groundbreaking or deeply complex exploration of workplace dynamics or romantic entanglement might find it falls a little short of a five-star experience. It's a solid, entertaining read that delivers on its core premise, even if it doesn't venture too far outside the genre's comfort zone.

The first half of the book is all miscommunication trope, which I don't like. I'm glad I finished it because the second half was excellent.
Initially, I got vibes similar to the Spanish Love Deception. There are some similarities, but then it takes a different turn. It would have been a solid 5 stars except for the stretched-out miscommunication part.
The narrator, Soneela Nankani, did a phenomenal job. I would love to listen to her narrating other romance books. I rate her 5/5.

📚✨ This book is for you if...
🔥 You love enemies-to-lovers
💼 Can’t resist office drama and forbidden attraction
👩‍💼 Need a fierce, career-driven character
💬 Crave witty banter and steamy moments

This reminded me a lot of The Love Hypothesis. Woman in STEM, dark grumpyish MMC, conference...

I really liked Tris as a main character! She's intelligent and driven, yet knows how to be goofy when the time is right. I liked Rafe a lot as well, but mostly I liked how he was open to listening to Tris and adjust his behaviour and beliefs accordingly. Sigh, if only I could find a real man that does that. The romance was perfectly paced and believable, and the spice well-written and not over-the-top.

I really liked how Tuli dove into the struggles of women, especially women of colour, in (white) male dominated fields. I myself am a woman in STEM and have been lucky enough not to face much of what Tris (and Tuli) have since my branch of STEM is more female domaniated, and also I'm white. I really appreciated getting a look into what some of my STEM sisters may be experiencing. It riles me up and makes me want to smash the patriarchy even harder.

Anyway, this was a quick, fun read that I would recommend to Ali Hazelwood fans!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I think anyone who loves the enemies to lovers trope, will love this book. I did. Plenty of banter and angst in this book. Plus it's set in a workplace. 5 stars

Many thanks to Net Galley and Hachette Audio for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for a free copy of "Not Safe For Work" for review purposes. All thoughts are my own.
This was incredibly funny. I found myself giggling out loud. It's a really good read to kick off your summer! The narration was exactly how I envisioned Trishara's voice. She also killed it doing Rafe's narration!

So, think dream (work) vacation with your office nemesis, but make him a 10 out of 10. Sprinkle in some forced proximity and a whole lot of tension, and there you have it! This book. 💥
While this is a rom-com, I think it really puts into perspective how women feel in a male-dominated workplace, especially women of color. I love how Trishara "stuck it to the man" and took no shit from those chauvinistic men she called her bosses.
Rafe was a really good man. The biggest green flag. 💗 You should just read and see for yourself.

This was a fun enemies to lovers book that also touched on a lot of social issues. I love that our FMC stayed true to her self and was strong throughout. She worked through some fear and self doubt while still being herself and not changing to fit in.

The narrator was great to listen to! There are parts that had me laughing out loud. When she had to do voices for other characters, her small changes were just enough and it was not over the top or unbelievable. She was perfect for the main character.

Yes! This is exactly what I'm looking for when I want an enemies-to-lovers rom com. I want funny bickering and chemistry-filled flirting. I mean there was a sentiment early on that just tickled me - "I'm not obsessed with Rafe. I'm totally obsessed with Rafe. [...] My obsession was forged in the hell fires of acrimony." This was wonderful. I also liked the "women in the workplace" feminism. It wasn't too heavy handed or overly dramatic. It was a pretty realistic take on what a lot of women face in the business world. But also not in a way that made the book a total downer. Like I don't want to hate men while I'm supposed to be rooting for the FMC to fall in love with one. (I'll stick to hating them when I read the news.)

I had requested this because I adore Soneela Nankani. Does anyone have a more lyrical, melodic, pretty voice? She was perfect in this. I wasn't familiar with the author, Nisha J. Tuli, before seeing this on NetGalley. From what I can tell, she usually does fantasy romances and that this may be her first contemporary rom com? I hope there are more to come, but I'll definitely be checking out her other books in the meantime.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

I could not put this book down. I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it and went into work almost an hour later than normal to make up the sleep. And I have no regrets. This book was SO good and so worth it.

The audiobook was incredibly well done. Soneela Nankani did a great job with the narration. I felt like she really evoked the character of Tris well with her performance. She expressed all the emotional depth Tris experienced throughout the book and had fantastic range and tone. Her vocal changes for various characters were all also well done and never felt overdone or like caricature voices, particularly for her male voices.

I loved Tris. I could relate to Tris. I work in an engineering adjacent field and with engineers, however, we (women) are thankfully much more appreciated here than in Tris’s company. Despite that, I recognize how easily it could be different in such a male-dominated field. I understood how Tris found herself feeling stagnated and uninspired, and how the culture of her company contributed to that. I felt proud of her for recognizing it and realizing she didn’t owe them her continued loyalty simply because they took a chance on her. But I also felt proud of the way she took charge with the opportunity they granted her and found a way to gain from their less-than-genuine motivations for finally recognizing her talents. All this and I haven’t even gotten to the romance of it all yet.

The spark and tension and push-pull between Tris and Rafe was electric. Their dynamic was addictive to me and part of why I couldn’t put the book down. I wanted to see how they were going to face off next and what hidden side of each other that would reveal to them. Everything about their dynamic felt so genuine and authentic, and I couldn’t get enough of the two of them.

Throughout it all, I also loved seeing Tris regain her own spark and the stands she found the strength to take whenever the time came for those moments. I loved her.

Thank you to Forever via NetGalley for the eARC and to Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5

Absolutely obsessed. The perfect enemies to lovers, one bed, workplace romance. The rampant sexism in the corporate world and how some of this is based off of the author’s real experiences? My jaw was on the floor at some points

Audio Narration: 4/5 Solid narration. The pace at which the narrator speaks is a little on the slow side. 1x sounds slowed down, not a huge deal since speeding up is always an option but ideally 1x would sound/feel a bit more natural. More importantly the pausing feels natural and inflictions aren't overdone. Easy to listen and one I would definitely recommend.

<b>Nisha J Tuli's first contemporary romance and she absolutely nailed it! </b>

I’ve been a fan of the author’s writing since reading the <i>Trial of the Sun Queen</i> in 2023 - <i>“that bitch took my soap”</i> will forever be one of the best opening lines - I was so excited when she announced she was writing a contemporary romance!

<i>Here is what I think you should know…</i>

I had a smile on my face the ENTIRE time I was reading this book (well except for the few shocking moments, Hannah, I’m looking at you, in the bathroom… why are people like that?)!

I read this in a single day - started in the afternoon, hunkered down of the sofa and devoured 70% of it, realized it was time for bed, hopped under the covers and kept on devouring!

Sometimes when I binge a book in a day it tends to drag at some point, usually around the 60% mark as I hit exhaustion, <i>BUT THIS BOOK</i>?
<b>NO LULLS, just perfect pacing from start to finish. </b>

The tension and banter in this book are so top tier! I needed them to kiss already! This is SLLLLLLOOOOOOOWWWW burn and if I’m being completely honest I kinda wanted it to be slightly less so - but i’m a greedy b*tch and wanted as much banging as possible from Nisha J. Tuli, as she writes some of the best spice I've read!

I loved the workplace dynamics and the addition of real-world aspects relating to the struggles of a woman of color in STEM. I’m a sucker for a STEM FMC.

This has some of your favorite tropes/microtropes and its executed with such skill in a way that doesn’t feel overdone.
<i>(skip the next chunk if you think tropes are spoilers…)</i>

Only one bed
Rivals-to-lovers
He takes care of her/makes her feel safe
forbidden love
obsessive and possessive MMC
forced proximity

Oh! I loved the meta nod to Trial of the Sun Queen. It made me giggle!

<i>With all the spectacular this book has to offer there were a few things that weren’t my favorite… </i>

There is a heavy focus on physical attraction in this book and usually this is a huge turnoff for me, but I will say it’s done in a way that doesn’t feel overly lusty - it’s balanced with non-physical attraction and tender moments of getting to know each other. It feels pretty realistic, because you know, sometimes a person is just that f-ing hot. That said it’s still heavy on physical attraction and some may find this skews a bit insta-love. minor spoiler <spoiler>I would have preferred they didn’t say I love you at the end of this book, it’s only been 3 weeks and the story would have been just as strong, perhaps stronger, without those three little words.</spoiler>

Some might also find some of the relationship dynamics and lack of communication at times, frustrating - but again, there has to be drama in a romance to save it from being boring. I just prefer my drama to come from areas not related to lack of communication.

And the most minor silly thing that drove me nuts about this book is… The obsession with him not smiling at her - it was excessive. but me even mentioning it is just petty so take that as you wish.

🌶️ - Damn this author knows how to write some spice! It’s pretty mild in this though, definitely explicit language but the scenes are all fairly short. Ch 22, 23, 24, 25.

This is a cute workplace romance- enemies to lovers, forced proximity, one bed.

Trishara is an engineer and one of the only women in a male dominated field, her bitter rival at work is Rafe Gallagher, the boss's son. She has been passed over for a promotion 3 times in 5 years. When she is selected for a leadership development program, she is thrilled to spend 3 weeks in Hawaii even though it is work. She is less than thrilled to learn that the other person selected for the program is Rafe. Because she has had difficult and traumatic experiences with workplace romance in the past, she has sworn off getting too personal with anyone in the office.

I really enjoyed the drama and the overall plot of this romance, I felt a lot of chemistry between Tris and Rafe and as she got to know him better it was apparent they were falling for each other. The misogyny in the office was apparent and definitely angering at times, but this met a really satisfying conclusion. The setting of Hawaii was glorious, this book is a lot of my own private fantasies rolled into one- telling off the boss, finally being seen as the leader you are, being desired.

In parts, Tris seemed a little spoiled- you should not even JOKE about burning Louis Vuitton luggage- but overall she was a likeable heroine that was easy to root for. Rafe was not a one dimensional MBA bro, as we learn more about him the reader sees him more clearly as Tris is seeing him more clearly- she has judged him due to her own insecurities and not as things really are. There were several really humorous chapters and definitely some spicy ones.

Audiobook review- all one narrator, this book doesn't switch into Rafe's POV so we have all Tris. I appreciate Hachette audio and in choosing a narrator that has south asian heritage. Her performance was snarky, fun and light hearted. The pacing was perfect for audio.

thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ARC. Book to be published May 20, 2025