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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
⭐️: 4.25/5
🌶️: 2.5/5
Format: 📱
I loved this!! I read this on a plane trip day, and intended to read maybe half (short flight), and then the rest later on. Well. after my flight landed, I went and sat in my car for about an hour and a half to finish it--I literally couldn't wait the 50-ish minutes it would take me to drive home to continue reading.
This was tension-filled antagonists-to-lovers, forced-proximity romance as it's meant to be. This was an easy read, and the pace moved along quickly. It didn't get too deep, but characters did have dimension to them! The only reason the rating isn't higher is because it didn't necessarily move me emotionally, but it was just a fun read!
Tris is a female engineer in a very white-dude environment, and Tuli hit the NAIL ON THE HEAD. In the first few chapters, I had so many highlights with the note "same." I've worked in tech for over a decade, and this experience is dead on. I really liked the way Tuli described the feeling of staying in that environment:
🌶️: 2.5/5
Format: 📱
I loved this!! I read this on a plane trip day, and intended to read maybe half (short flight), and then the rest later on. Well. after my flight landed, I went and sat in my car for about an hour and a half to finish it--I literally couldn't wait the 50-ish minutes it would take me to drive home to continue reading.
This was tension-filled antagonists-to-lovers, forced-proximity romance as it's meant to be. This was an easy read, and the pace moved along quickly. It didn't get too deep, but characters did have dimension to them! The only reason the rating isn't higher is because it didn't necessarily move me emotionally, but it was just a fun read!
Tris is a female engineer in a very white-dude environment, and Tuli hit the NAIL ON THE HEAD. In the first few chapters, I had so many highlights with the note "same." I've worked in tech for over a decade, and this experience is dead on. I really liked the way Tuli described the feeling of staying in that environment:
"There was a time when the idea of smashing through glass in a male-dominated field was thrilling. But over the years, it's just left me as wrung out as a threadbare dishcloth."
"The Swan and Rooster--the nearby pub favored on Friday afternoons--where we all pretend happy hour with our coworkers is a viable substitute for meaningful relationships."
Tris struggles against things that so many women experience, including sexual harassment, racism, microaggressions galore, and the fear of retaliation that makes you keep a list in your notes app about the things you're experiencing. This story was rooted in the exasperation of that experience, and I related to it hardcore. Tris, as a narrator, is irreverent and at times, a bit glib. There was no preachy prose, and while there were some beautiful phrases I loved, it wasn't a difficult read.
The romance with Rafe was clear from the start, and there were very few surprises. Tris's experience being harassed and trying to heal from major harassment (honestly, assault) was really what drove the plot, and it was compelling, even though the relationship is absolutely the main star. I did like Rafe, and at times I definitely gave a little 👀 emoji to him, but Tris was the main reason I stuck around.
With a dash of sapphic romance for side characters and nods to the growing need for diversity in tech spaces, this had me hooked, and I highly recommend!
Other quotes I loved:
The romance with Rafe was clear from the start, and there were very few surprises. Tris's experience being harassed and trying to heal from major harassment (honestly, assault) was really what drove the plot, and it was compelling, even though the relationship is absolutely the main star. I did like Rafe, and at times I definitely gave a little 👀 emoji to him, but Tris was the main reason I stuck around.
With a dash of sapphic romance for side characters and nods to the growing need for diversity in tech spaces, this had me hooked, and I highly recommend!
Other quotes I loved:
"We've spent years as drifting tectonic plates working our way against each other's edges. If we keep shifting, could we fit together?"
"Physically, I am the happiest girl in the world. (Emotionally, I'm a kindergartener finger painting.)"
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
THIS COVER is absolutely stunning. Damn, both of these people are gorgeous. Can all other cover art get on this level?!
Trishara Malik is an engineer selected for a three-week all expenses paid leadership training retreat in Hawaii and after being passed up for five years’ worth of promotions that went to less-qualified men, she is all too eager to accept and wring every perk out of it that she can. She wishes her company would do better to accept, respect, and support people like her - women and people of color - and is preparing possible next moves for her career if that doesn’t seem likely. Unfortunately, the other person from her Chicago branch that was selected is Rafe Gallagher, the boss’ son and her workplace rival - someone she put her guard up against on day ONE, lest she fall for his unbelievably good looks and charm (like she did for her ex that she worked for before he broke her heart, violated her privacy, and ruined her professional reputation). Even worse than being seated together in first class on the flight is being met with the ‘only one bed’ trope upon arrival to the hotel. Through their weeks of trainings at this beautiful island resort, forced proximity, and plenty of banter, the walls she had built to keep Rafe away start to crumble. Trishara may see that there is more to Rafe than the entitled nepo-baby she thought him to be, but can she trust him with her heart as she fights to find her place in an industry determined to stick to the status quos of harassment and racial micro-aggressions? When it comes to the life-changing promotion that this program could lead to and the love she never thought she wanted, Tris has her work cut out for her. Can she have her cake and eat it, too? 😏
Spoilery thoughts…
I found this very similar to ‘The Paradise Problem’ by Christina Lauren and I think I liked this better - less family drama. Tris really delivered for me- she was confident, smart, bold, tired of the BS AND not afraid to face it in hopes of making change. The audiobook narrator really crushed it!👏🏼 Rafe was a gorgeous, if a little flat, MMC who was as sweet as the desserts he loved to sample and bake. She described his smiles juuuust a few too many times! Their rivals-to-lovers dynamic paired well with the slow burn (but holy moly that wait paid off with some super SPICE 🥵🌶️ from 75% on) and in my opinion all of the tropes were well-executed. In addition to the romance, I thought the female friendships were so important to the story - this brown girl boss woman in STEM deserved some strong female supporters!
The ending was okay, even if there were things I didn’t love. Despite being in their 30s, both MCs could be really immature at times. My biggest 😱 was that if the man I had fallen in love with over 3 weeks (and 5 years of office bantering) chose to stay in Hawaii with his “ex” to figure things out and then showed up at my door without a word 3 days later with his huge social media following watching the reunion via his Instagram live, I would be PIIIIIIIIIISSED. Tris excuses so many of Rafe’s red flags because he has great forearms and a cultivated sweet tooth? It’s unbelievable until you take another peek at that cover though… then it makes sense. The tall, dark, and handsome hottie with a dorito-shaped torso who is (and has been for a loooong time) kind of obsessed with you would be prettty hard to be mad at when he’s in the middle of his grand gesture/declaration of love. Disbelief was easy to suspend and while I may have wanted some more conflict resolution after Tris exposed the company’s misconduct, the epilogue was sweet and still very satisfying.
Trishara Malik is an engineer selected for a three-week all expenses paid leadership training retreat in Hawaii and after being passed up for five years’ worth of promotions that went to less-qualified men, she is all too eager to accept and wring every perk out of it that she can. She wishes her company would do better to accept, respect, and support people like her - women and people of color - and is preparing possible next moves for her career if that doesn’t seem likely. Unfortunately, the other person from her Chicago branch that was selected is Rafe Gallagher, the boss’ son and her workplace rival - someone she put her guard up against on day ONE, lest she fall for his unbelievably good looks and charm (like she did for her ex that she worked for before he broke her heart, violated her privacy, and ruined her professional reputation). Even worse than being seated together in first class on the flight is being met with the ‘only one bed’ trope upon arrival to the hotel. Through their weeks of trainings at this beautiful island resort, forced proximity, and plenty of banter, the walls she had built to keep Rafe away start to crumble. Trishara may see that there is more to Rafe than the entitled nepo-baby she thought him to be, but can she trust him with her heart as she fights to find her place in an industry determined to stick to the status quos of harassment and racial micro-aggressions? When it comes to the life-changing promotion that this program could lead to and the love she never thought she wanted, Tris has her work cut out for her. Can she have her cake and eat it, too? 😏
Spoilery thoughts…
I found this very similar to ‘The Paradise Problem’ by Christina Lauren and I think I liked this better - less family drama. Tris really delivered for me- she was confident, smart, bold, tired of the BS AND not afraid to face it in hopes of making change. The audiobook narrator really crushed it!👏🏼 Rafe was a gorgeous, if a little flat, MMC who was as sweet as the desserts he loved to sample and bake. She described his smiles juuuust a few too many times! Their rivals-to-lovers dynamic paired well with the slow burn (but holy moly that wait paid off with some super SPICE 🥵🌶️ from 75% on) and in my opinion all of the tropes were well-executed. In addition to the romance, I thought the female friendships were so important to the story - this brown girl boss woman in STEM deserved some strong female supporters!
The ending was okay, even if there were things I didn’t love. Despite being in their 30s, both MCs could be really immature at times. My biggest 😱 was that if the man I had fallen in love with over 3 weeks (and 5 years of office bantering) chose to stay in Hawaii with his “ex” to figure things out and then showed up at my door without a word 3 days later with his huge social media following watching the reunion via his Instagram live, I would be PIIIIIIIIIISSED. Tris excuses so many of Rafe’s red flags because he has great forearms and a cultivated sweet tooth? It’s unbelievable until you take another peek at that cover though… then it makes sense. The tall, dark, and handsome hottie with a dorito-shaped torso who is (and has been for a loooong time) kind of obsessed with you would be prettty hard to be mad at when he’s in the middle of his grand gesture/declaration of love. Disbelief was easy to suspend and while I may have wanted some more conflict resolution after Tris exposed the company’s misconduct, the epilogue was sweet and still very satisfying.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual harassment
A solid 4-4.5 stars.
I really liked Nisha J. Tuli’s writing style. The perspective felt refreshing and real, especially when dealing with how women, and even more so, women of colour are treated in the professional sphere.
I like that the FMC was confident and smart and dressed for her own taste and not to please others. She was unapologetically herself throughout. Even when she was less than confident, it was because she’d been burned in the past, not that she felt like she somehow deserved to be treated that way.
The “office rivals” trope is always a good one, but to then add in “only one bed” was the recipe for trouble.
This was a good book.
I really liked Nisha J. Tuli’s writing style. The perspective felt refreshing and real, especially when dealing with how women, and even more so, women of colour are treated in the professional sphere.
I like that the FMC was confident and smart and dressed for her own taste and not to please others. She was unapologetically herself throughout. Even when she was less than confident, it was because she’d been burned in the past, not that she felt like she somehow deserved to be treated that way.
The “office rivals” trope is always a good one, but to then add in “only one bed” was the recipe for trouble.
This was a good book.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated