Beta Test

De: Annabeth Albert

Narrado por: Sean Crisden

Opposites attract for two workplace rivals in this forced proximity romance from bestselling author Annabeth Albert

Player vs. Player. Fight!

Brilliant graphic designer Ravi Tandel is ahead of the game—he’s just been asked to present a top secret project at a huge conference in Seattle. All systems are go...until he learns his buttoned-up office nemesis is coming along for the ride.

Tristan Jones isn’t really the gamer type, but he knows the back end of the video game business inside out. Together, he and Ravi will give an awesome presentation. If they survive the cross-country trip first.

Tossed together in close quarters, Ravi’s shocked to see Tristan’s sexy, softer side emerge from such a conservative shell. He’s less shocked to learn his handsome colleague’s prominent family would never support an out-and-proud son. But Ravi didn’t struggle through his own coming out to hide who he is now. To be together, Tristan will have to push past his fear and ultimately decide: Does he want a future with Ravi? Or is it game over before they’ve even begun?


#gaymers
Book 1: Status Update
Book 2: Beta Test
Book 3: Connection Error

Also by Annabeth Albert:

Shore Leave
Book 1: Sailor Proof
Book 2: Sink or Swim

Out of Uniform
Book 1: Off Base
Book 2: At Attention
Book 3: On Point
Book 4: Wheels Up
Book 5: Squared Away
Book 6: Tight Quarters
Book 7: Rough Terrain

Hotshots:
Book 1: Burn Zone
Book 2: High Heat
Book 3: Feel the Fire
Book 4: Up in Smoke

Sweet

I like how simple and sweet the story is. It's a nice change of pace.

Cute

I liked this book more than the first surprisingly, Crisden did a great job again.

Another cute story in this series.

I like that the characters are in the gaming software industry, this is new for me seeing this in a gay romance. The characters are young and fun to watch them figure out their feelings and family dynamics. Also this is the first story that included an gay man from India, which I truly enjoyed. I am looking forward to the story in this series.

Entertaining and steamy book!!!

What a fantastic addition to the series this book was! I loved the competition aspect of this book when it first started between Ravi and Tristan and how they silently judged each other. What I thought was sweet was the one habit that Tristan had that totally annoyed Ravi in the beginning was the one thing in the end Ravi found endearing. The chemistry between the two was steamy as hell!! 😘 What a fantastic narrator too, one of my favorites!

So cute

As a perfectionist and spreadsheet guru myself, I related to Tristan. Loved the little bit of slow burn. Also loved how much the characters grew with each other and accepted and loved each other.

I love this series so much!

(This can be a standalone, but book one was awesome so read it first!)

Ravi and Tristan are two new employees at the game company where Adrian (from book one) works. Ravi is an artist, self confident, colorful, suave, funny, out and proud and an extrovert. Tristan is the PR/Business major, organized, anal retentive, quiet, nervous, in the closet and introverted.
When they first meet, the sparks start immediately. A total case of opposites attract. But… neither wants an office romance – or any romance at all – so it’s hands (and minds) off.

Fate, of course, has a different plan for these guys, and they end up not only working together on a project, but being responsible for driving it up to Seattle for a convention.

The two are obviously attracted to one another, but there are a world of hurdles keeping them from acting on that attraction: Tristan’s family, Ravi’s family, both of their past dating histories and … spreadsheets?

**

I adored book one (see review here) and it was great to see a couple glimpses of Noah and Adrian again, but you definitely don’t have to read book one to appreciate this story.

Tristan is an amazingly lovable character and he absolutely made me fall for this book! He’s so earnest and sweet and tries SOOOO hard to do the right thing ALL THE TIME. He absolutely needs someone like Ravi to shake things up and bring some color into his life. More importantly, he needs Ravi to show him how standing up for yourself is the right thing to do – even in the face of your family.

Ravi, on the surface, seems like he has it all together, but he’s just as full of insecurities as Tristan, they simply manifest differently. Tristan is just as good for Ravi as the reverse. I loved the anchoring presence and strength he provided and how well the two complemented one another – especially in the face of family drama.

The smexy times were super hot, but definitely didn’t overwhelm the story. I loved the gaming time – nothing like a sucker punch to make you reconsider your assumptions about a person! – and I hope we see Josiah in a story of his own in the near future!

I read through this in one sitting, totally captivated by page one and absolutely satisfied by the ending.

Highly recommended. 5 of 5 stars


Audio

Sean Crisden does a wonderful job with this narration. He gives a slight accent where needed and gives both MCs a lovely distinction and I personally really loved Tristan’s deep voice. I really enjoyed listening to this and think it’s a great way to experience this story.

5 of 5 stars

Amazing as ever!

I love beta test so much! It's an amazing story and while the enemies to lovers part is short lived, the emotions in it are raw and powerful.

Unique challenge.

It’s very refreshing to read a romance novel that has other challenges than just the usual breakup. There was still conflict, and it wasn’t easy for our couple to be together. They faced real challenges without the usual cut and run trope of romance.

This is the second book by this author that I have read and she handles the conflict of the story very well. Not just falling into the pit of let’s have them breakup. She puts though into the conflict and there is plenary of foreshadowing that makes the angst make sense.

Ravi was so lovable and Tristian breaking out of his shell was adorable. This is the exact couple we all route for. They are so different and yet so in love that you can’t help but admire how they work together to navigate those differences.

Nice, low-angst story

Nice, low angst enemies-to-lovers story but a bit predictable and reminded me a lot of Status Update.