What do you think?
Rate this book
Beta #1
Beta Test
Justine Chambers is adjusting to life after a divorce. To pay the bills, she is opening a side business. Meanwhile, her friend Natasha badgers her to join an online dating site or worse, let her set Justine up with a man. Justine will not deal with another Alpha male in her life like her ex-husband. Her next man will be an easy-going “Beta” male.
James Randall does not believe in long term relationships. Short term romance is his jam. After he meets Justine for drinks, he’s certain bachelorhood is it for him. Justine screams high maintenance and James is as low-frills as a man can be. What you see is what you get with James…most of the time. When co-worker calls in sick, James finds himself at Justine’s home and their chemistry ignites.
Will James take a chance on a relationship with this feisty female?
Can Justine endure another Alpha male, even if he’s disguised as a Beta?
James Randall does not believe in long term relationships. Short term romance is his jam. After he meets Justine for drinks, he’s certain bachelorhood is it for him. Justine screams high maintenance and James is as low-frills as a man can be. What you see is what you get with James…most of the time. When co-worker calls in sick, James finds himself at Justine’s home and their chemistry ignites.
Will James take a chance on a relationship with this feisty female?
Can Justine endure another Alpha male, even if he’s disguised as a Beta?
ebook
First published February 12, 2019
50 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Karen Renee
37 books465 followersSign up for Karen's Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3VJbsAS
Karen Renee is the author of the Riot Motorcycle Club, Beta, and O-Town series of books. She once crunched Nielsen ratings data but these days she brings her imagination to life by writing books. She has wanted to be a writer since she was very young, but it’s taken the last twenty plus years for her to amass enough courage and overall life experience to bring that dream to life. Some of those life experiences came from the wonderful world of advertising, banking, and local television media research. She is a proud wife and mother, and a Jacksonville native. When she’s not at the soccer field or cooking, you can find her at her local library, the grocery store, in her car jamming out to some tunes, or hibernating while she writes and/or reads books.
Karen Renee is the author of the Riot Motorcycle Club, Beta, and O-Town series of books. She once crunched Nielsen ratings data but these days she brings her imagination to life by writing books. She has wanted to be a writer since she was very young, but it’s taken the last twenty plus years for her to amass enough courage and overall life experience to bring that dream to life. Some of those life experiences came from the wonderful world of advertising, banking, and local television media research. She is a proud wife and mother, and a Jacksonville native. When she’s not at the soccer field or cooking, you can find her at her local library, the grocery store, in her car jamming out to some tunes, or hibernating while she writes and/or reads books.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 10, 2019
This book was so horribly written. There was facts in this book that did not need to be there. There was no connection to the characters. And it repeated things so much. I did not finish this book.
February 21, 2019
First I have to say that I love Karen Renee's writing. She has an MC series that totally blew me away and that is where I was first introduced to James. I loved him right from the start. He loved his friends and he loved his life of computers. He never wanted a serious relationship because the one girl he wanted it with did not feel the same and they remained friends. So James just decided that short term relationships would be his thing.
Justine is all set with relationships and bossy alpha men. She is divorced from an alpha man and she is not looking for any romance in her life right now. She has decided she is going to get a beta man. A Man who is relaxed and not so easily wound up. A man who will fit perfectly into her crafted life.
Then Justine and James meet and things don't go so good at first but then the two of them start to fell the chemistry until one day they give in and the fire works are popping like no ones business and the two of them decide to give each other a try and do the relationship thing.
This is a must read romantic comedy that had me laughing like a crazy lady cheering these two on!
Justine is all set with relationships and bossy alpha men. She is divorced from an alpha man and she is not looking for any romance in her life right now. She has decided she is going to get a beta man. A Man who is relaxed and not so easily wound up. A man who will fit perfectly into her crafted life.
Then Justine and James meet and things don't go so good at first but then the two of them start to fell the chemistry until one day they give in and the fire works are popping like no ones business and the two of them decide to give each other a try and do the relationship thing.
This is a must read romantic comedy that had me laughing like a crazy lady cheering these two on!
Want to read
April 26, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/26/2020)! 🎁
February 13, 2019
Thanks to her marriage and divorce Justine knows what she doesn’t want in a man and that is another arrogant alpha with a superiority complex. She is convinced by her friends to go on a date with James and they didn’t get off to a great start.
There is something about Justine that draws James in. He is not looking for love but he can’t help trying to get a reaction out of her every time they are together which certainly makes their interactions entertaining.
Full of missteps, romance and humor their journey to each other was far from easy but nothing worthwhile ever is.
There is something about Justine that draws James in. He is not looking for love but he can’t help trying to get a reaction out of her every time they are together which certainly makes their interactions entertaining.
Full of missteps, romance and humor their journey to each other was far from easy but nothing worthwhile ever is.
February 12, 2019
Beta Test was a frustrating read for me, because I liked Justine and James individually, but I did not like them much as a couple. Their early dates had them sniping at one another and jumping to conclusions. The interference between James’ brothers and Justine’s sister and friends got old real fast, too. And the “sex” scenes were fade-into-dark, tepid at best. I think if the author had either inserted the incredibly intrusive family and friends OR the major issues James & Justine bring out one another, the book would have been much better (besides the fact that the love scenes need to be spiced up). My favorite parts of this book involved Zeta Jones, now she’s a keeper! 🐶😉
February 2, 2019
5 Cranky Stars
Justine is freshly single after a bitter divorce. Her two friends Natasha and Mallory are trying to get her back in the swing of dating. So, after much haranguing she agrees to go out with a guy of their choosing. When she meets James, sparks don’t exactly fly. She’s a Mac computer, and he is a Dell computer. They don’t sync at first, but when they do get together, the gigabytes fly. (sorry for the computer puns, read the book and you will understand).
I really liked the nuances of each character. Justine was flawed as well as James, and while they didn’t exactly have an endearing first meeting, it was realistic and perfectly done. There was drama, romance, misunderstandings, and miscommunication. That is what I liked the most about this book. It wasn’t love at first sight, it was real.
I liked how we got Justine and James’ take on what happened. This is so you don’t automatically assume that one is at fault. They are flawed but together they are flawsome. I really like that the story didn’t rush, the author took her time with the characters and the storyline. I will definitely recommend this to others.
Justine is freshly single after a bitter divorce. Her two friends Natasha and Mallory are trying to get her back in the swing of dating. So, after much haranguing she agrees to go out with a guy of their choosing. When she meets James, sparks don’t exactly fly. She’s a Mac computer, and he is a Dell computer. They don’t sync at first, but when they do get together, the gigabytes fly. (sorry for the computer puns, read the book and you will understand).
I really liked the nuances of each character. Justine was flawed as well as James, and while they didn’t exactly have an endearing first meeting, it was realistic and perfectly done. There was drama, romance, misunderstandings, and miscommunication. That is what I liked the most about this book. It wasn’t love at first sight, it was real.
I liked how we got Justine and James’ take on what happened. This is so you don’t automatically assume that one is at fault. They are flawed but together they are flawsome. I really like that the story didn’t rush, the author took her time with the characters and the storyline. I will definitely recommend this to others.
February 28, 2022
A book of angst and love
This is a story of a guy who had very unsuccessful relationships with two women and became closed off to relationships. The girl had an unsuccessful marriage to a guy who was waiting on his old girlfriend to get her divorce so he would then divorce. Both were leery of a new relationship but were ok with becoming friends with benefits. As fate has a way of taking over, some bad misunderstandings and some good things happened. It’s a rocky ride but these two are really likable characters and I throughly enjoyed reading this one. I hope there is more books in this series. HEA, no cheating! no cliffhanger. Sweet epilogue..love epilogues! Recommend this one.
This is a story of a guy who had very unsuccessful relationships with two women and became closed off to relationships. The girl had an unsuccessful marriage to a guy who was waiting on his old girlfriend to get her divorce so he would then divorce. Both were leery of a new relationship but were ok with becoming friends with benefits. As fate has a way of taking over, some bad misunderstandings and some good things happened. It’s a rocky ride but these two are really likable characters and I throughly enjoyed reading this one. I hope there is more books in this series. HEA, no cheating! no cliffhanger. Sweet epilogue..love epilogues! Recommend this one.
March 29, 2019
To say I loved this book would be a big understatement. I remembered James from Mallory’s book and I wasn’t so sure how this was going to play out since Mallory and Justine are friends.
Justine and James didn’t make the best first impressions and that, in my opinion, is because they really have a lot of baggage. I believe James had more because his college girlfriend and Mallory and Justine because of her asshole ex-husband. While Justine was hesitant, and understandably so given how her ex treated her, I get where she was coming from, James, no so much. He was judgmental, and while he was ready to sleep with Justine, if she was down, he had the bar set low and expected to not want to go out with her again. He thought she was high maintenance which she was but in a good way, she was too stuck up, she wasn’t. She was a cautious woman, and given that he ex did a number on her, she turned out to be a very nice person. Because of her ex, she wanted a Beta and not the Alpha asshole her ex was. However, as Justine found out with James, don’t judge a book by the cover because, he put the A in alpha.
The problem with Justine and James was trust. Neither really trusted easily and despite this, there was an underlying attraction and little by little they came together. The problem with bad previous relationships is that you’re not the only one in it, those closest to you live it with you. James’ family and Justine’s sister, all weighed in with their two cents and it was like lighting a match. Little by little, this couple started spending time with each other, but then a situation happens and it takes on misunderstanding on both their parts to send them back to their respective corners.
I have to say, I didn’t feel that Justine really did anything wrong, James on the other hand, took it to a different level. They loved each other but they had to work through. I loved the ending and the epilogue. I can’t wait to read Bobby’s book. My heart hurt for his pain even though he was a dick to Justine.
Justine and James didn’t make the best first impressions and that, in my opinion, is because they really have a lot of baggage. I believe James had more because his college girlfriend and Mallory and Justine because of her asshole ex-husband. While Justine was hesitant, and understandably so given how her ex treated her, I get where she was coming from, James, no so much. He was judgmental, and while he was ready to sleep with Justine, if she was down, he had the bar set low and expected to not want to go out with her again. He thought she was high maintenance which she was but in a good way, she was too stuck up, she wasn’t. She was a cautious woman, and given that he ex did a number on her, she turned out to be a very nice person. Because of her ex, she wanted a Beta and not the Alpha asshole her ex was. However, as Justine found out with James, don’t judge a book by the cover because, he put the A in alpha.
The problem with Justine and James was trust. Neither really trusted easily and despite this, there was an underlying attraction and little by little they came together. The problem with bad previous relationships is that you’re not the only one in it, those closest to you live it with you. James’ family and Justine’s sister, all weighed in with their two cents and it was like lighting a match. Little by little, this couple started spending time with each other, but then a situation happens and it takes on misunderstanding on both their parts to send them back to their respective corners.
I have to say, I didn’t feel that Justine really did anything wrong, James on the other hand, took it to a different level. They loved each other but they had to work through. I loved the ending and the epilogue. I can’t wait to read Bobby’s book. My heart hurt for his pain even though he was a dick to Justine.
March 21, 2019
Justine and James, not my favorite couple. They did have cute moments. Like all relationships, there are ups and downs. This couple was no exception.
Six months after her divorce, Justine is pushed into dating a guy she's never met, but her two so-called friends decide is a good choice. He's chill and laid back, just what Justine needs. Only she's not too sure about him and the first date is rough, to say the least. Second and third date, he starts to grow on her. Things progress between them and it's smooth sailing until it isn't. Justine's life crumbles all around her, even James has moved away. Can she get him back? Does she want him back?
James isn't impressed with Justine, she's not his type. Too girly girl. Too high maintenance. No thanks. Yet when he gets to know the real Justine he's smitten pretty quickly and decides that he likes being around her. Yet when she fails to tell him what he wants to know, a misunderstanding on both their parts pulls them apart. Can they heal the rift between them? Or is back to anonymous blondes filling his bed?
Justine's first husband was categorized as an alpha. He is described, he was not an Alpha, he was an immature beta male. James was the alpha in this story. The best part of this story was Miss Zeta. Love that dog!
The book was long and somethings could have been shaved down.
All in all a good book, with an amazing dog that stole the show.
Six months after her divorce, Justine is pushed into dating a guy she's never met, but her two so-called friends decide is a good choice. He's chill and laid back, just what Justine needs. Only she's not too sure about him and the first date is rough, to say the least. Second and third date, he starts to grow on her. Things progress between them and it's smooth sailing until it isn't. Justine's life crumbles all around her, even James has moved away. Can she get him back? Does she want him back?
James isn't impressed with Justine, she's not his type. Too girly girl. Too high maintenance. No thanks. Yet when he gets to know the real Justine he's smitten pretty quickly and decides that he likes being around her. Yet when she fails to tell him what he wants to know, a misunderstanding on both their parts pulls them apart. Can they heal the rift between them? Or is back to anonymous blondes filling his bed?
Justine's first husband was categorized as an alpha. He is described, he was not an Alpha, he was an immature beta male. James was the alpha in this story. The best part of this story was Miss Zeta. Love that dog!
The book was long and somethings could have been shaved down.
All in all a good book, with an amazing dog that stole the show.
February 12, 2019
As much as I loved the Riot MC men, I think James and Justine may have an even better story to tell. James appears to be more laid back to everyone, until he meets Justine and finds that his thoughts are full of her and how to get under her skin. Justine has no use for another alpha(hole) after the misery she lived with her ex, but she just can’t get James out of her mind, even if he doesn’t totally seem like what she wants in a man now. While they have a rough start, complete with lackluster first impressions and incorrect assumptions about each other, James convinces Justine to give him a chance. Together, they manage to find their way to happy...once they both learn to truly trust each other. Justine and James both overcome deep-seated trust issues (thanks to exes on both parts) and finally get their HEA.
This story has humor, romance, sibling drama, and some angst that misunderstandings bring. Overall, this series has the potential to be even better than Karen’s Riot MC men. They aren’t OTT alphas, but they sure let their women know that they aren’t to be trifled with and that they’re all about taking charge when necessary!
This story has humor, romance, sibling drama, and some angst that misunderstandings bring. Overall, this series has the potential to be even better than Karen’s Riot MC men. They aren’t OTT alphas, but they sure let their women know that they aren’t to be trifled with and that they’re all about taking charge when necessary!
February 25, 2019
Beta Test is a very original read that had me all kinds of entertained by the amazing Karen Renee. See, Justine has gone through a divorce which left a bad taste in her mouth, and while her friends are trying to get her to date again, she refuses to date any alphas, so it's only betas from here on out. Somehow she ends up on a date with James, who doesn't believe in relationships, and when he meets Justine, she comes off high maintenance, so it just reaffirms his beliefs. However, they meet again by accident, when he ends up at her house, and all of a sudden, they realize they have chemistry. Yeah, this story was entertaining, frustrating, but entertaining as hell. These two were flawed humans, but somehow it was realistic, as they represented my past dating life so well. Their interactions did keep me laughing quite a bit, and they definitely had serious chemistry. But miscommunication brought on some misunderstandings which had angst appearing along with drama. So you see, it had everything to make it a great story that I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO ALL!
April 29, 2019
Justine Chambers is starting over, she is divorced and considering her ex had dumped her faster then a hot potato once he could get the girl he really wanted he made the divorce as difficult as their marriage. Justine knows one thing she does not want to date another alpha man. However when Justine is setup with James Randall she quickly realizes she may not be ready to date at all.
James is a man who let the girl he wanted get away. When he is setup with Justine he knows within seconds it wont work, she is too prissy. However when he sees her again he sees a little more to the interesting red head. It doesn't take long before he realizes Justine might just be the girl for him but after a rocky start will the others who are involved in their lives be willing to do the same.
James is a character from the Riot series so there is quite a bit of crossover in characters. I liked this one, the rocky start had you pause a bit to see if the chemistry was there and it definitely was. Great story, curious to see who the next book revolves around.
James is a man who let the girl he wanted get away. When he is setup with Justine he knows within seconds it wont work, she is too prissy. However when he sees her again he sees a little more to the interesting red head. It doesn't take long before he realizes Justine might just be the girl for him but after a rocky start will the others who are involved in their lives be willing to do the same.
James is a character from the Riot series so there is quite a bit of crossover in characters. I liked this one, the rocky start had you pause a bit to see if the chemistry was there and it definitely was. Great story, curious to see who the next book revolves around.
April 5, 2019
3.5 stars. I was given an ARC copy of this book.
What I loved:
I loved the riot series so much, so I had big expectations for this book. It is a sweet book, good story overall. There were some funny parts too. I loved all the crossover characters and seeing more of Mallory’s crew from Unforeseen Riot! This is definitely a great read if you are looking for a light hearted chick lit type story with some great steamy scenes thrown in!
What I missed: I needed a little more spark building between these two. Because they fell hard and fast I missed the build up. I think I also missed the alpha male character that I know Karen Renee can write so well! I also really missed the drama. Karen Renee does such a great job writing intense scenes, I was really hoping for something like that.
What I loved:
I loved the riot series so much, so I had big expectations for this book. It is a sweet book, good story overall. There were some funny parts too. I loved all the crossover characters and seeing more of Mallory’s crew from Unforeseen Riot! This is definitely a great read if you are looking for a light hearted chick lit type story with some great steamy scenes thrown in!
What I missed: I needed a little more spark building between these two. Because they fell hard and fast I missed the build up. I think I also missed the alpha male character that I know Karen Renee can write so well! I also really missed the drama. Karen Renee does such a great job writing intense scenes, I was really hoping for something like that.
February 4, 2019
Holy hotness! Justine wasn’t looking for a man after her failed marriage but her friends set her up on a date with a mutual friend of theirs. Said friends promised that James was very laid back and not an alpha personality at all. Oh how wrong these women were! James does have some issues when it comes to hot bikers encroaching his territory and that makes him a bit of an ass. However the sparks fly off the charts between him and Justine. Be ready for some laughter and lots of heat from this book!
February 12, 2019
3.5 Stars
This is the first book in a new series from this author, and to be totally honest, I had high expectations for this novel as I thoroughly enjoyed this authors’ previous work; however, I struggled and was very disappointed that I could not engage with either character. Justine is newly divorced and is certainly not looking for another alpha male like her ex. James is not interested in a long term relationship. I would like to read more in this series as long as the author can up the ante more.
This is the first book in a new series from this author, and to be totally honest, I had high expectations for this novel as I thoroughly enjoyed this authors’ previous work; however, I struggled and was very disappointed that I could not engage with either character. Justine is newly divorced and is certainly not looking for another alpha male like her ex. James is not interested in a long term relationship. I would like to read more in this series as long as the author can up the ante more.
February 10, 2019
I loved the Riot MC series by this author and was really looking forward to this book. I was disappointed. I really didn't like the H or h in this book. Justine and James had constant misunderstandings. The snappy comments to each other and then the instant getting back together drove me crazy. Even the siblings were annoying with all of their negative comments. I will certainly give Karen Renee's next book another chance but I am hoping for a better love match.
November 18, 2019
LOVED IT!!!
I found Ms. Renée by accident and have not regretted one moment of her great storytelling. I have moved through several of the riot series and looking forward to the next one I took a plunge with this Beta series and this book has not disappointed me. I look forward to reading more from this author!
I found Ms. Renée by accident and have not regretted one moment of her great storytelling. I have moved through several of the riot series and looking forward to the next one I took a plunge with this Beta series and this book has not disappointed me. I look forward to reading more from this author!
February 15, 2019
Lover the author's books and the descriptiveness and winding characters from her other series into this. The h annoyed me a little bit for not standing up for herself, but all and all was a good read. Can't wait to hear Bobby's story
March 1, 2019
This book was absolutely hilarious! It’s definitely worth the read! I absolutely can’t wait for book two!
November 4, 2019
I liked this book!
It was different from the MC books that are semi connected to this book but it was definitely a good read.
It was different from the MC books that are semi connected to this book but it was definitely a good read.
April 15, 2023
It was good but not a favorite it dragged a little in some areas. But happy James got his book. I hope there a Gavin book or one in the future.
February 17, 2019
James and Justine
This book was very enjoyable. There was a good blend of humor and drama. It was great to see some of the characters from the Riot series also. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
This book was very enjoyable. There was a good blend of humor and drama. It was great to see some of the characters from the Riot series also. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews