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A review by bookish_notes
Beta Test by Annabeth Albert
4.0
This is an opposites-attract story, so I am all here for this. But let me just say that this cover pic, as good-looking as the cover models are, are nowhere close to the character descriptions in the book. Tristan is a preppy, Captain America-type who would not have his hair shaved up like this cover model. Or have those cuffs around his wrist. And Ravi is Indian, if it's not obvious from this pic (which it kind of isn't), and dresses like a hipster.
Ravi is super popular at work at the video gaming company and is an extrovert. He has tons of friends, he's flamboyant, he volunteers at the local AIDS Project, he does runs with his friends, and is basically everything Tristan isn't. Tristan isn't closeted, but he keeps his life entirely private, he's an introvert, puts his entire life in spreadsheets, and plans ahead for everything. Tristan is jealous of the easy way Ravi goes about his life, seemingly uncaring what anyone thinks.
These polar opposites get stuck together driving up from Santa Monica to Seattle for a conference to show off their game for their company. These two are super attracted to each other, even though they would rather have died than admitted it. They both have family issues, where both their families don't acknowledge their sons are gay and will do everything to avoid talking about it. Ravi has had bad experiences with romance between co-workers and would rather his and Tristan's hook-ups be kept secret. Which is fine with Tristan, because his parents would absolutely hate for anything to get out since his mom is a political figure running on a conservative ticket.
Tristan is insecure about his sex life due to a terrible ex-boyfriend, but with Ravi's urging, he does get more confident. I love how their almost loathing for one another grows into a "friendship" and then into something more. They are so cute and are really only away by their own preconceptions about what others think of them. Tristan and Ravi have some really steamy scenes together, but I feel like metaphors are dropped in that totally kills the mood. I don't remember having any issues with the sex scenes in later books by the author, but the previous book and this one have had some really awkward descriptions that were probably less sexy than it should have been. BUT the emotional connection and the story about Tristan and Ravi more than make up for that.
I like that the author doesn't hesitate to write about Ravi's Indian culture and manages to work it into his story where it never feels forced or stereotypical. Like with Connection Error, I feel like the author has done the research to know how to write a character with disabilities (in book 3) and knows how to write a character of color - with lots of research. And it shows. Ravi's ethnicity is never ignored and there are some scenes in the book that are quickly corrected and apologized for. Never once is Ravi's skin color, or any other dramatic references made to make sure we know he's not Caucasian, ever awkwardly referenced and I, personally, did not notice anything problematic about this story in regards to having a POC character.
I really enjoyed reading this book and this cute opposites-attract office romance story. I would highly recommend this for anyone wanting to read a feel-good book that ends in a HEA and especially recommend this book for having an awesome POC love interest.
Ravi is super popular at work at the video gaming company and is an extrovert. He has tons of friends, he's flamboyant, he volunteers at the local AIDS Project, he does runs with his friends, and is basically everything Tristan isn't. Tristan isn't closeted, but he keeps his life entirely private, he's an introvert, puts his entire life in spreadsheets, and plans ahead for everything. Tristan is jealous of the easy way Ravi goes about his life, seemingly uncaring what anyone thinks.
These polar opposites get stuck together driving up from Santa Monica to Seattle for a conference to show off their game for their company. These two are super attracted to each other, even though they would rather have died than admitted it. They both have family issues, where both their families don't acknowledge their sons are gay and will do everything to avoid talking about it. Ravi has had bad experiences with romance between co-workers and would rather his and Tristan's hook-ups be kept secret. Which is fine with Tristan, because his parents would absolutely hate for anything to get out since his mom is a political figure running on a conservative ticket.
Tristan is insecure about his sex life due to a terrible ex-boyfriend, but with Ravi's urging, he does get more confident. I love how their almost loathing for one another grows into a "friendship" and then into something more. They are so cute and are really only away by their own preconceptions about what others think of them. Tristan and Ravi have some really steamy scenes together, but I feel like metaphors are dropped in that totally kills the mood. I don't remember having any issues with the sex scenes in later books by the author, but the previous book and this one have had some really awkward descriptions that were probably less sexy than it should have been. BUT the emotional connection and the story about Tristan and Ravi more than make up for that.
"The key for you is what are you going to fight for? That's the whole question, isn't it? It's not what you fight over, it's what you fight for."
I like that the author doesn't hesitate to write about Ravi's Indian culture and manages to work it into his story where it never feels forced or stereotypical. Like with Connection Error, I feel like the author has done the research to know how to write a character with disabilities (in book 3) and knows how to write a character of color - with lots of research. And it shows. Ravi's ethnicity is never ignored and there are some scenes in the book that are quickly corrected and apologized for. Never once is Ravi's skin color, or any other dramatic references made to make sure we know he's not Caucasian, ever awkwardly referenced and I, personally, did not notice anything problematic about this story in regards to having a POC character.
I really enjoyed reading this book and this cute opposites-attract office romance story. I would highly recommend this for anyone wanting to read a feel-good book that ends in a HEA and especially recommend this book for having an awesome POC love interest.