Thank you NetGalley, Hachette Audio and Nisha J. Tuli for my copy of Not Safe for Work in exchange for my review.
This book was overall pretty good. Slow at the start but once it started getting into the nitty gritty it was fantastic. A great mix of slow burn, enemies to lovers and spice. It does have a miscommunication trope which is usually not my favourite but works for this story. I enjoyed the narrator for this audiobook so much too and will be keeping an eye out for more of her stuff.

FMC/MMC- 28/29
Spice- 🌶️🌶️
Enemies to lovers
Workplace romance
Women in STEM
Forced Proximity
Tropical getaway

Format: Audiobook
*Audiobook feedback listed under the main story review.

Tris and Rafe are workplace enemies at an Engineering firm where Rafe is a bit of a nepo baby. We later find out they both felt an instant connection when they first met, but became rivals over a misunderstanding. Miscommunication trope is my least favorite and enemies tropes is my second least favorite so I was off to a great start😂 However, what I dislike about enemies is the duration and level of animosity most authors write for the sake of what they deem “tension”. This book doesn’t have that and although it’s a tension filled slow burn, there are a lot of really great moments as the relationship starts to change. They also have pretty good banter. I liked both characters a lot. I felt myself wishing one character would say something and they did, or act a certain way and then they would. It was very rewarding. The last hour of this was a dramatic emotional ride and probably my favorite of the whole book. If you’ve ever wanted to verbally light a job you hated on fire 🔥 as you walked out, chapter 28 is for you! 💕

Although not something I felt very strongly about, check trigger warnings if you’re sensitive to themes of sexual harassment, cheating or micro aggressions. It’s not gratuitous and important to the story for sure.

The only thing I was annoyed at in the story itself was what some would consider Other Woman Drama. Nothing physical ever happens and Rafe doesn’t hide it (mostly), but as their relationship continues to grow he still communicates with his ex. She calls and texts him multiple times..he steps out to speak with her, etc. He says they are broken up but because she’s been a longtime family friend he hasn’t set firmer boundaries and wants to wait until they get home to do so. Although explained, and did lend additional drama to the story it was sort of annoying given that he knew how much Tris’ trust was betrayed with a cheating ex. I got over it in the end though and would still recommend.

Audio feedback: this book is single narrated and I did actually like this narrator. I listened mostly at 1.5 speed and that was perfect for me as when I first started I felt like she may have been a bit slow. I didn’t give it long before I switched though so you may not feel the same. There isn’t a large difference between the female characters of the story and the same for the males, but I was still able to clearly follow them all and it didn’t bother me at all. I don’t like if the MMC sounds too much like other male characters but this one had enough slight difference it didn’t bother me. The only thing that I didn’t enjoy as much was that Tris has a spunky and sometimes snarky personality (loved!) especially in interactions with Rafe and often times she would have internal dialogue that was narrated that I actually couldn’t tell if it was said out loud or in her head. Sometimes I would realize it was in her head and wish she’d said it out loud LOL. It definitely dwindled as the book went on so that was good.

Overall a super cute romance with some real life themes that I found enjoyable to listen to on audiobook and would recommend if that’s your cup of tea.

Thank you to Hachette audio and NetGalley for early access to provide an honest review. I actually checked this book out from my library in physical copy and didn’t need the ARC but I saw a couple reviews that mentioned that even though this is single narrative (I know everyone loves dual narration for romances and I’m usually the same) that it was a really good narration and even better on audio so I thought I would request it instead of physical read.

The Narrator was great!

DNF 37%

The biggest reason: I could not get over the 3 WEEK work conference IN HAWAII. I know we usually suspend reality when we read these cute little books that make us happy, but that unrealistic plot point was hard to get past. 3 weeks?!?! For a work conference for one company with 106 people attending??? Absolutely not.

Also, This girl. She's got a chip on her shoulder and assumes the worst about Rafe, our MMC. She hates him, but is obsessed with him. And she has to say this out loud multiple times:

My mouth opens. “I am not obsessed with you. I cannot stand you.”

Surrrre lady.

The outloud hating on Rafe but then the internal lusting after Rafe got old really fast.

Maybe it's my fault. I don't like Enemies to Lovers, I should have been more aware and maybe not picked it up.

But I also thought the authors writing was very repetitive and used WAY too many similes and metaphors.

This story was equal parts amusing, sweet, and gratifying. I love Tris as a strong FMC working in STEM and navigating the difficult road for women in her field, where men forget their manners and applaud her (and the author) for putting them in their place. The banter between Tris and Rafe was fun and their chemistry leapt off the page. I loved the equal time given to their romance and her workplace woes, showing that workplace balance is possible in life. This was a quick, fun read!

This was such a fun listen. The witty banter and the storyline made it a fun and refreshing listen. The narrator was fantastic and made me not want to put it down.

This was a true slow burn!
I'm a sucker for a one bed troupe as well as a work place troupe!
Trips and Rafe had their own struggles throughout this book and I love that they found themselves along the way and how they had no idea how the other felt about each other!
The way he draws her....
SWOON!
Thank you NetGalley for this ALC!

I adored Not Safe for Work. I listened to it as an audiobook and ate it up!!

Our romcom follows Trishara and Rafe, two rivals at work who end up in Maui together on a company retreat. They each think the other person hates them, are fueled by constant competition and banter, and are, ironically, head over heels for each other--they just don't know it yet. Our FMC, Tris, is tired of the BS at work: blatant nepotism, sexual harassment, and racial microaggressions, just to name a few. Our MMC, Rafe, is stuck in life, both professionally and personally. They're both going through it in different ways, but one constant is Rafe's ability to be there for Tris no matter what. The way he loves her, even before he knows it, yet WE ALL KNOW IT because it's so clearly evident in his actions--ugh, gotta love Rafe. My only complaint is that I wish we were able to witness more of his personal development (b/c we all know he's a big softie for her, but we don't get to see much of who he is beyond the unfortunate family dynamics and his insatiable lust for Tris, lol). It's a veryyyy slow burn that gets steamy around 75% and a bit more spicy at the 90% mark (according to the audio version) and by the time it ended, I wish we had more.

[CW: sexism, racism, racial microaggressions, sexual harassment, leaked photos, blackmail]

Thank you Hachette Audio, Forever, and Net Galley for the ALC! I regret taking so long to get to this ALC (if you're also an ARC reader, then you know, life happens) and wish I had started it sooner. I'd read it again on paperback as I think it's a great summertime read :)

**I received this book as an audio ARC via NetGalley**

Overall I enjoyed this book! The narrator did a great job, I’m not typically a fan of single POV romance, but I didn’t mind with this one.

Tris was a strong and confident female lead. Rafe was a bit disappointing to be honest, and their banter at times came across less enemies/rivals and more adolescent bickering. But, once they get past that, it was a more enjoyable read.

This book checked a lot of diversity boxes, with the biggest being Tris as a woman working in a male dominated field. The author’s note connecting this story with her personal life, gave the book more depth as she was able to pull from her own experiences

I would recommend this book, but I would definitely consider it more of an average read. I enjoyed it, but the storyline and Rafe’s character could use some work

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Hachette Audio, and Nisha J Tuli for providing me with an ALC of this story in exchange for an honest review.

Narration: single narrator
The narration was well done. I felt the emotion of Trishara throughout the story. The audio quality was good and clear.

Mainly set on a dreamy Hawaiian work retreat, Not Safe for Work is a workplace rivals-to-lovers romance with a lot of slow burn tension. It’s fast paced and overall a lot of fun! I really liked Trishara’s character - she is ambitious, smart, and so over the boys’ club culture at her engineering firm. Watching her fight for the recognition she deserves was incredibly satisfying, even when it hurt. I will always love STEM representation and this story dove into some ugly truths when women try to navigate through some of these male-dominated industry politics. As for the romance, I loved the unravelling vulnerability between Trishara and Rafe during their forced proximity. The banter was highly entertaining and the chemistry between them was definitely steamy.

*Some spoilers ahead* I wasn’t a fan of Rafe and his ex-girlfriend that kept constantly causing issues for Trishara and Rafe’s relationship to progress. The explanation Rafe provided had me scratching my head and then I feel like all of a sudden everything was resolved. Also, some of the things he said to Trishara made me feel that at first he wasn’t over his ex-girlfriend, but then he turned out to be... I just had a harder time rooting for him with all this confusion.

I enjoyed Not Safe for Work. There were some really satisfying moments both romance- and career-wise. While it delivers sexy, entertaining banter and chemistry, the story also highlights important aspects of career ambitions, morales, and self-worth.

The book is deep, it's emotional, it's funny, and had me swooning for the male lead. What an adorable, swoony, real, adult, no miscommunication nonsense, fantastic rom com book! The character seem so real and genuine the story adorable and the emotions deep!

It's perfect, five stars from me.

'not safe for work' was my first read by nisha j. tuli, and i had a lot of fun with it. however, some things were lacking.

it was definitely a slow burn, and overall, a fun and cute read. i'm glad the author raised awareness about the issues that women, sadly, still face in male-dominated fields - like women in STEM and the injustices in the workplace, including sexism, especially toward women of color.

the story follows tris, who's selected for WMC's corporate leadership retreat in hawaii - a golden opportunity to revive her stagnant career and compete for a spot in an elite executive training program. and three weeks in paradise doesn’t hurt, either. the only problem? she has to attend with rafe gallagher. tris intends to avoid him, but upon arriving in maui, a booking mishap forces them to share the honeymoon suite.

this book had a few clichés, which i usually enjoy if they're done well. but if i'm being honest, the one-bed/sharing-a-hotel-room situation didn't bring anything fresh to the story. it just felt like it relied too heavily on tropes.

the characters at times felt a bit too immature for my liking. i expected more communication between them.
i found it hard to connect with both characters - they acted quite childish, and when the story shifted to romance, it kinda fell flat for me.

rafe lacked depth and there wasn't much to him. he's hot - okay, and what else?
i did love the addition of his hobbies outside of work though, but i think the book would've benefited from including his pov to understand him better.
i really appreciated how tris didn't put up with the inappropriate remarks from the men and how she always spoke her mind.
still, i feel like both of them could've been developed more.

also, the book is marketed as enemies to lovers, but i didn't feel much tension and both were simping to each other from the start.

the narrator - soneela nankani - did a good job. she managed to keep me interested throughout and really brought the characters' emotions and wit to life. i truly had a lot of fun listening to this.

to sum up, i appreciate the author's effort in highlighting important workplace issues, but the book wasn't the most unforgettable one for me. but still, read it because, well, women in STEM. need I say more?
ultimately i enjoyed this one and would recommend it if you like workplace romance, forced proximity trope and strong female leads in STEM fields ♡



*thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Audio and Nisha J. Tuli for providing me with an audio ARC of this book!*

I read this as an audiobook and the narrator was really great! I love that the main female character, Tris, is a woman in STEM because we need more of that rep! And Rafe was a great 'enemies to lovers' love interest. This book made me want to travel to Maui, in part because of that gorgeous cover! There were some perfect romantic moments and this book is very 'quotable' - if you love work place romances with chaotic energy, this should be on your radar, add it to your TBR! Also, the banter? Chefs kiss!

DNF. I usually an a fan of workplace romance but the vibes of this are not really hooking me to the story.
The audio is great, the FMC is great. But i don’t see myself ending up loving the book.

wo workplace enemies find themselves in close proximity on a tropical company retreat that challenges their assumptions—and just might make them to fall for each other.

I love Nisha J. Tuli as an author. Her book are incredible and this book is no different. The characters were unique.

This is a book that I'll want to experience again! This was a digital audiobook from NetGalley, I will absolutely go find the book to re-read this enemies to lovers workplace romance.

I tried to take notes as I read but found myself just listening so intently, I was caught up in the banter between Tris and Rafe. Their pre-conceived notions, tension and individual journeys of personal growth felt authentic and left me wanting to just experience their story..

Rafe was such a sweet and salty MMC! Rough around the edges one minute, and incredibly sweet and vulnerable the next. His hobby surprised me, then delighted me, and then I just wanted more of his story!

Every woman can related to Tris, the -isms in this book are very real examples of female experiences in the workplace. Add marginalized experience into the mix, this book told a story that needs to be out there, on repeat. I’m pretty sure I was already standing but I would have stood up and cheered in one scene (no spoilers!).

The narrator did an amazing job, the different characters shone through her narration. I could feel Tris’s outrage, second guessing and angst!

Thanks for @NetGalley and @HatchetteAudio for the ALC.

4 stars!

I really enjoyed this one! Nisha J. Tuli delivers a rivals-to-lovers romance filled with tension, chemistry, banter, a refreshing look at corporate dynamics, and a heroine you can’t help but root for. Trishara (Tris) is such a strong fmc; she is driven, witty, and painfully relatable as she battles the frustration of being constantly overlooked in a system stacked against her.

Tris is caught off guard when she’s selected to attend a leadership retreat in Hawaii - and even more so when she finds out she’ll be sharing a room with Rafe, the guy who stole her promotion (and just so happens to be her boss’s son).

I especially appreciated how the story thoughtfully explored themes of bias, privilege, and career stagnation. Tris’s personal growth felt authentic, and her dynamic with Rafe was the perfect mix of tension, humor, heat, and heart.


A heartfelt thank you to Forever Pub for the ARC & ALC! I switched between the eARC and the audiobook and I really enjoyed the narration - getting to hear the characters come to life made me love them even more!

Thank you Hachette Audio | Forever for the ALC!

This was my first by Nisha J Tuli and I am stoked to dive into her backlist since this was a win in my opinion!

We have all the elements to make up a fun and steamy story! Work trip, forced proximity, ONLY ONE BED. Sign me up please!

The characters were great in this one, I had a lot of fun with them and their chemistry was great. Knowing Tuli is a fantasy writer made the little nods to fantasy books that much cuter.

Also, the narrator did a great job! I’m looking forward to listening to her work more.

Looking forward to checking out her other books now!

First, thank you so much NetGalley for the chance to listen to this audiobook for free, in exchange for my honest review.

The story:
Tris and Rafe will be living in my head rent free. This was a really sweet "rivals" to lovers with a dash of he falls first. I loved the character's growth in the story, independently and as a couple.
It gave me Ali Hazelwood vibes, but in the corporate field instead of STEM and I'm not mad about it. The FMC is a strong woman, but at times her actions just didn't make sense to me.

Audio:
The only thing that would have made this audio book better would be a duet narration. Other than that I think the narrator did a great job conveying the various emotions happening in the book.

Not Safe for Work is a angsty, slow burn, workplace romance.
The storyline was fantastic and I really loved the highlight of issues women face in male dominated fields. I adored Tris who was an amazing fmc. She was strong, brilliant and knew her worth. I loved that she stood up for herself and knew what she deserved! She was the backbone of the entire story and I am obsessed with her. Rafe is a secret softy but I felt like he really fell flat and needed more personality. We learnt his family drama and small snippets of his personality but I feel like he could have shone more through out the storyline. Although the chemistry between Tris and Rafe was definitely there. The slow burn was great and really built up to the spice.
The narrator Soneela Nankani did a brilliant job at this and really brought the characters to life.
I definitely enjoyed this one but it was quite a 4 star for me.

After reading some of Nisha J. Tuli's fantasy works, I was super excited to dive into this summer romance!

Trishara is a bad ass corporate FMC. She speaks her mind and she takes no shit- which is refreshing, especially in a workplace romance. Rafe is moody and broody and secretly a very horny cinnamon roll MMC.

The banter was filled with humor, yearning, and snark. The slow burn was tension filled, and the island/work background was original and fun. The conflict felt very real and natural to the couple, which I appreciated. I absolutely loved the way Trish handled each conflict, both relationship and work related- and it had me rooting for her even more. She stood her ground and I'm genuinely elated that her character developed in that direction for the entirety of the book.

The only real frustration I had with this book was the pacing. The conflict happened very late into the story and it felt like the transition from work rival to lover was not as smooth as it should've been.

As for the audio, i absolutely loved how Soneela Nankani brought the characters to life. Each character has a distinct voice and were all individual in their own right. Trish's inner monologue and outer dialogue was expressive and immersive, making it easy to connect to her and understand her experiences. If you're looking to pick up this book, I would highly recommend the audiobook!

Thank you to Hachette Audio, Forever, and NetGalley for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.