Romance Beta Reader for Act One

I’m looking for someone to beta read Act One of my dark romance novel, A Taste of Fire. It’s around 40,000 words.

This is definitely on the darker, more mature side of romance and includes explicit sexual content, strong language, darker themes, and morally gray characters, so please only apply if you’re comfortable reading that kind of material.

I’m not looking for proofreading or line editing right now. I’m mainly looking for honest reader feedback on the story itself—what keeps you interested, what drags, what feels confusing, what you love, what you do not connect with, and how you feel about the characters as the story progresses.

One of the biggest things I want feedback on is whether the story is easy to follow and makes sense from a reader’s perspective. I want to know if anything feels unclear, if there are moments where you lose track of what is happening, or if any character decisions, transitions, or plot points need more explanation. (It's a lot going on lol).

A big focus for me is also the chemistry and tension between the two main characters. I’d love feedback on whether their attraction feels believable, whether the tension builds naturally, if the pacing works, and whether the darker and more explicit moments don't feel just thrown in for the sake of it.

I’d also like to know if any scenes feel repetitive, unnecessary, rushed, too slow, or like something is missing. Since this is only Act One, one of the biggest things I want to know is whether the ending makes you genuinely want to continue into Act Two.

Inline comments and reactions while you read are very welcome because I like seeing what a reader is thinking in the moment, along with an overall summary once you finish.

The listed budget is a fixed-price starting point, but I’m open to reasonable negotiation depending on your experience and what you include in your beta read.

I’m traveling this week, so I may not respond to every proposal right away, but I’ll be going through everything and choosing someone by the end of the week.

I’d especially love someone who already reads dark romance and is comfortable giving honest, detailed feedback without turning it into a full edit.

THANK YOU! :)

Back to blog

Other Jobs To Apply

Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...