I love a rom com that touches on real life issues. This one touches on racism and sexism in the work place.

Our FMC is a woman of color working in a male dominated field. She ends up on a work trip with her crush/enemy. What could possibly go wrong?

I really enjoyed this story. I love the personal growth from our FMC. I received an audio copy and the narration was done really well. Super easy to follow at an increased speed.

Not Safe for Work was a fun listen full of witty banter & steamy tropes in this workplace rivals-to-lovers romance. Trishara is a motivated engineer fighting against the patriarchy and slowly losing the drive to continue climbing the ladder as she’s faced with sexism, racial micro-aggressions & losing out on promotions due to nepotism. It’s infuriating to read the very real things she’s dealing with and she throws it all in when picked to attend a corporate leadership retreat in Hawaii. She’s quick to call out why she was picked (filling their quota to bring a woman of color) and makes sure to ask for all the perks she can if she’s going to attend. The only thing? She can’t seem to stop running into her workplace rival, Rafe, the boss’s son that she’s secretly lusted after while simultaneously loathing. When they arrive at the resort they discover there’s been a mixup and they’ve been booked in the honeymoon suite… together 👀

This book had its great moments and I’m glad I listened to it. Trishara had satisfying scenes where she stood up for herself against her toxic workplace. I had a hard time with the lines she crossed (unnecessary eavesdropping on Rafe) & didn’t find Rafe to be all that dimensional outside of being the hot love interest who doesn’t want to follow in his fathers footsteps. Some of the spice was on point, but there were 🌶️ scenes that fell flat for me. I also personally can’t vibe with this narrator. Soneela is why I ended up DNFing the 2nd book of the Artefacts of Ouranos series… the whiny pitch she has when her characters are facing problems is too much for me.

*Thank you NetGalley & Hachette Audio for the ALC of Not Safe for Work in the exchange for an honest review.*

I judged this book by the title. That was enough to spark my interest. Alright, I also judged it by the cover, which is also hot. Basically I couldn't wait to read Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli (a new author to me)!

Tris is a brilliant engineer in a male-dominated field. She's experienced some effed-up-shiz over the years (including a total douche of an ex who violated her trust and privacy bad enough to scar), and she is thisclose to being completely fed up and leaving. She's been passed over for promotions she was clearly the best candidate for and glossed over time and time again. So when her name was called to go to a professional development retreat in Hawai'i, she almost couldn't believe it. When it became clear she was just a diversity pick, she decided to make a few extra demands of the company's money. What she couldn't wiggle out of is who else is going on the three-week retreat: Rafe Gallagher, the boss' son and her personal nemesis.

Let's start with the good stuff. I found Tris to be such a refreshing character. She is smart and spunky in a sassier way than what I typically find. I was proud of her multiple times in this story for speaking up for herself and not taking less when she deserves more. Rafe is such a sweetheart. He always had his heart in the right place and was so easy to root for. Such a cinnamon roll! Also all the tropey stuff you expect in a book like this was done well and I was locked into the story all the way through. Plenty of swoony moments!

Then there were a few things that got under my skin: I put Tris' sass under the good category, but she really took it too far on multiple occasions. Even as she was saying something she'd be thinking 'why did I say that, why am I ruining this moment?'. Maybe if it only happened once that would be okay, but it was multiple times, which brings me to the next flaw in this story...there is way too much repetition! Work retreats can obviously be a lot of the same stuff, but man I couldn't have picked out one night among the others with all the same people there, the same arc of chemistry then sass then a ruined moment capped by having to go back to the same suite (*raises eyebrows suggestively*). It was too repetitive to ignore how repetitive it was, if you get what I mean. Aaand, if I'm going to list those things, I might as well throw in the fact that I didn't feel Rafe's feelings for Tris were quite justified enough for the depth of them once they're discovered. Professional admiration only takes you so far, as does general hotness. I was left wanting more on that front.

Obviously with a rating from me of 4 stars the bad was nowhere near outweighing the good, and I absolutely recommend this book for romance lovers. This would be an awesome read poolside or on a beach somewhere. It just didn't quite reach my stratospheric 5 star criteria.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a fun listen. The narrator did a great job. Slow burn and so super sweet. As a women in a predominantly male corporate job, this resignated hard with me. I had the exact moment the MFC towards the end of the book. And it made me cheer for her. Would definitely recommend this one.

thank you to netgalley and hachette audio for providing me with an ARC audiobook! i enjoyed this book! very classic contemporary romance with tropes on tropes! enemies to lovers, workplace romance, hotel room with one bed. rafe is sooooo boyfriend! i loved being able to listen to this book unfold. this book also tackles the struggle for diversity and inclusion in the workplace on top of the romantic plot. the narrator was a delight to listen to as well! can’t wait to hear what everyone else thinks once it’s released.

I really enjoyed this book and the narrator was perfect for the story too. The main character was super relatable. I love workplace rivals to lovers. The fact that they were on a work trip to Hawaii made it even better. It was definitely a fun, steamy read with a bit of humor thrown in. I appreciated how the book balanced the romance with the workplace drama. My only slight issue was that I felt some of the plot points were a bit predictable, but it didn't take away from the overall enjoyment. Overall an entertaining read. I was laughing one minute and hating most males the next.

first time Listening to a book by Nisha, so this was a new author to me since I began reading/Listening to Romance Books!

Thanks to Netgalley and Hatchet Audio I was able to listen to this audiobook before release.

One Of my favorite tropes, since I began reading romance since I began reading romance became Enemies to Lovers and Forced Proximity, which I know is many people as well! And this book was just that and it was perfect! Even their names are so unique and perfect for this Book, Trishara and Rafe. Workplace Enemies are sometimes off for me because it is usually due to jealousy or just being a Woman or Man kinda difference. And even though this does have to do with her being a Woman in the stuffy workplace, it wasn't in that sense for them. Just with all other suits in that business. So I am glad, she was able to change their thinking in some sort of way and it was perfect! Plus getting her happily ever after worked! Kinda need a part 2, please!

This vacation, work place, rivals to lovers romance was so good!! It was single POV and I loved the FMC. She is processing some past relationship trauma. She is trying to break through the glass ceiling at her workplace. She is at that place in her life where she is questioning whether she should stay where she is at or move on and start new. It was super relatable.

LOVED the MMC. Their relationship arc was great. The tension and banter was 🤌🏼 All in all this was just a very entertaining read and super sexy! Great standalone rom-com with depth.


I was lucky to get gifted the audio ARC from Hatchet audio via NetGalley. It was a single narrator, Soneela Nankani. She was really good! I also listened to the audiobook for Nisha’s series The Artefacts of Quaranos and she was the same narrator for that. Sometimes her inflection doesn’t fit the dialog, in my opinion. But I like her male voice and that is hard to get right! I really enjoyed this audiobook!

What to expect:
- rivals to lovers
- work retreat island vibes
- dirty talking MMC
- strong, smart FMC
🔥spice level: 🌶️🌶️
⚠️ check triggers

If you love a good workplace rivals-to-lovers romance with tension so thick you could cut it with a knife, this book delivers in every way. Set against the backdrop of a work retreat, the slow-burn romance between Tris and Rafe is as frustrating as it is addictive—in the best way possible. Their banter, laced with snide jabs and unspoken desire, feels like foreplay, making every interaction between them charged with anticipation. And when that first kiss finally happens at 59%? Worth. The. Wait.

Tris can be a tough character to love at times, with her defensive walls and sharp edges, but Rafe’s patience and kindness balance her.

The book tackles some heavier topics like racism, sexism, mental health, and chronic illness. The author handles them with care. Despite these heavier themes, the overall vibe remains very rom-com, with plenty of cute, funny moments to balance the steam.

If you love a good workplace rivals-to-lovers romance with tension so thick you could cut it with a knife, this book delivers in every way. Set against the backdrop of a work retreat, the slow-burn romance between Tris and Rafe is as frustrating as it is addictive—in the best way possible. Their banter, laced with snide jabs and unspoken desire, feels like foreplay, making every interaction between them charged with anticipation. And when that first kiss finally happens at 59%? Worth. The. Wait.

Tris can be a tough character to love at times, with her defensive walls and sharp edges, but Rafe’s patience and kindness balance her.

The book tackles some heavier topics like racism, sexism, mental health, and chronic illness. The author handles them with care. Despite these heavier themes, the overall vibe remains very rom-com, with plenty of cute, funny moments to balance the steam.

3.5 rounded to 4
✨ workplace rivals to lovers
✨ Vacation / work retreat
✨ One suite / one bed
✨ Women in STEM
✨ Indian origin FMC
✨ Going to gym together 💪
✨ MC has a secret IG account
✨ Wedding crashing and other shenanigans
✨ Spice rating 3/5

It was funny and steamy. I loved the golden retriever-ish MMC and the feisty FMC.
Trishara's interactions with Rafe, her friends and others were so lively, I really liked the narration.
I love how the author unapologetically presented the hardships faced by women in STEM and basically every workplace. The book shows how internalized the discrimination is, and how authorities turn a blind eye towards such issues and refuse to bring any modifications unless absolutely necessary and sometimes for the wrong reasons.
If you like The hating game or the unhoneymooners , definitely give it a try.
I didn't feel there was much tension in the beginning apart from Tris lusting after Rafe.

Solid office romance set in a luxurious Maui resort, that also deals with more serious topics such as sexism in workplace, especially against women of colour. In general, it's light-hearted and sexy, funny and sweet, a bit of a mix of "The Hating Game" and "Unhoneymooners", involving the best tropes possible such as forced proximity and one bed. And I'm absolutely certain that the main reason for devouring this audiobook in one sitting is due to fantastic narration by Soneela Nankani, who did amazing job both with male and female characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ARC of this book.

Thank you so much for the chance to listen to the audiobook.

The FMC is childish and very immature. I appreciated the insight and the author’s experience of women in STEM, but the FMC speaks so poorly of men. I understand if they were to be entitled or full of male ego, but they weren’t.

I felt like there was nothing to make the reader feel connected to the FMC. (I’ve read books of women in STEM but they had qualities that stuck out to readers.) Which is why I’m DNFing.

I enjoyed the narration and how the Narrator voiced male characters. In many audiobooks that can be a big hit or miss.

Not Safe for Work
By Nishi J. Tuli
Format: audio
Rating: 4
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Release Date: 5/20/2025
Publisher: hachett audio
Narrator: Soneela Nankani

Trishara is a hard working engineer and deserves a promotion, along with a trip to Hawaii. Rafe, the bosses son, does not. But they end up together, in Hawaii, on a work trip, sharing a suite and the sparks fly!

The narrator has a great voice as a female and it wasn’t awful as a male either.

Cute story but incredibly slow burn.

Tropes:
- Enemies to lovers
- Work place romance
- Forced proximity
- Only one bed
- Slow Burn

4.25 stars This was my first read by Nisha J. Tuli — and even though she’s best known for her fantasy novels, her first venture into contemporary romance completely won me over! Not Safe for Work hit all the marks I look for: it was engaging, easy to get lost in, and fun from start to finish.

I had the pleasure of listening to this as an audiobook ARC, and the narration by Soneela Nankani was absolutely fantastic. She brought Trishara’s strength, wit, and vulnerability to life perfectly, making the story even more immersive.

We follow Trishara Malik, a smart, talented engineer who’s still carrying the weight of a traumatic experience from her previous job — a so-called “progressive” startup that turned out to be anything but. Now, five years into her current role, she’s offered the chance to attend a work retreat in Maui, Hawaii. The catch? She’ll be stuck with her longtime rival, Rafe Gallagher — who just so happens to be the boss’s son.

And if that wasn’t enough, a booking mishap means there’s only one room… with one bed.

The story is a slow burn in the best way — the chemistry builds naturally, and when the spice finally hits, it’s tasteful and perfectly placed. I stayed entertained the whole way through, and the writing made it such an easy, enjoyable read.

Overall, Not Safe for Work was a delightful surprise. I’ll definitely be picking up more from Nisha J. Tuli, both her fantasy and contemporary works!

Side note Mrs. Tuli, that letter at the end was utter perfection! 👏🏼 👏🏼👏🏼

I would like to thank NetGalley, Hachette Audio and the author for allowing me to listen to an Arc and allow me to provide an honest review.

The STEM romance gods are blessing us again and this one is bound to be a smash hit. With work place enemies to lovers set in a work retreat that has an edge of competition, it’s the perfect setting for their collision, especially with only one hotel room. Our FMC Trishara is a bright, bold firecracker I mean truly, get out of her way, this woman is powerful and smart and reading to roundhouse kick that glass ceiling wide open. An Engineer who gets the shock of her life when she gets picked for a work retreat in Hawaii, unfortunately she’s paired up with the crush she hate loves, her enemy in lusting, her bosses son. The sparks fly whilst the claws come out and let me just say they hate each other bad, bad bad, I mean these two are down bad and it is DELICIOUS! So much sexual tension this book might burst into flames. This is definitely for the slow burn addicts who want to see their characters fight against that “F it” moment with everything they have while be absolutely feral for each other. It’s giving Mr. Darcy’s hand flex vibes. We are being FED here!

But this is no mere steamy romance with spine cracking tension, it’s so much more. The workplace is the perfect setting to showcase real world issues that face women in STEM, women in workplaces in general and it will undoubtedly make people feel seen. It discusses nepotism, white privilege and male provide in the workplace and how that affects women every single day, especially WOC and marginalized folks. It doesn’t shy away from the very real truths of our world and I couldn’t get enough of this as someone who is retired from STEM. It felt like a thousand moments I second guessed micro aggressions and my feelings were vindicated in my heart because clearly it’s not just me experiencing these things. I also really loved the migraine rep as someone who gets them chronically. This story is honest and true, and an ode to all of the women out there kicking ass and taking names amidst a sea of khaki STEM overloads wishing us ill. It’s a breath of fresh air to have this representation and all I can say is FANTASTIC! Give me 14 more of them right now.

Narration:

Soneela Nankani’s narration is full of emotional range! Diverse voices for wide array of characters with an especially fantastic MMC voice. Great timing and pacing that can be read at any speed. Vocal changes are smooth and you forget it’s just one narrator. Her delivery of emotions on page is exactly why human voices can never be replaced by Ai narration. In my opinion this book leaps to life with this narration and truly feels like a movie playing in your head. It’s a must listen!

Thank you so much to Forever and Nisha J Tuli for sending me the physical ARC as a gift. Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fun summer read, but I also feel like it's not for me. I don't think that I'm into characters getting it on at work. It's not hot to me and the ending felt rushed. Some of the story also felt too convenient, and I didn't really feel invested in them getting together. The narrator is good though and it was an easy read. If you like office romances, and forced proximity, you might like this one!

An enemies to lovers work place romance sign me up. This audiobook was an easy quick read that I devoured in one day. I raged at all the comments, jabs and racist remarks but know they happen everyday and every women has to choose how to cope. The romance was spicing and the plot was interesting and captivating. I enjoyed the tropes in this one but don't want to spoil the plot so I won't list them. The narrator Soneela Nankani did an amazing job and I enjoyed the different voices for the different characters. This is my third book by Nisha this year and I have loved them all.

God I love it when an author switches genres and it actually hits!!!

Nisha is so talented and you can tell that so much of her own experience in the world of engineering are infused into this book. Felt very real and at times so frustrating - a male dominated workplace will do that to a woman,

Now to the romaaaance: Trisha & Rafe were so dang HOT and the dislike/haters to lovers really did work here. There was always chemistry of course and all they needed was some close proximity and a lil luxury tropical company trip to tip their animosity into passionate lurve! And they were so soft with each other - Trisha to Rafe with his real career goals and Rafe to Trisha with her past shitty relationship (& fear of storms).

I hope Nisha writes more contemporary romance because I will be sat ready and waiting to consume it.

So so so impressed with the narration as well, Soneela had me so hooked I binge listened to this in a day!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author (Nisha you’re a legend) for the opportunity to listen to the ALC!

4.5

Such a fun and angsty rom com!!!!!

I honestly ate this UP! The tropes were troping and the characters are HOT. I love reading about a woman in a man dominated work field personally, they’re so bad ass.

Trish has been passed up for promotions and advances her career while her male coworkers continually succeed. When she gets picked to go on a work trip with Rafe, the CEOS son, tensions are high.

Rafe proves himself to be a good man. Despite what his appearances suggest, he’s not a career climbing nepo bang thank god. I LOVVEEED his character development and finding his happiness in his own career.

The audiobook is sooooo good. The readers voice is perfect, I could sped up to 2x and still understood her completely. I find sometimes a one person narration vs a dual can be hard to do well, but this is PERFECT.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette for the free audiobook