“There’s a little bit of beast in every person. And in every beast, there’s a human heart with a story of how it got to that place...”

One of the most commendable aspects of "Beau and Bett" is its choice of protagonist. Shifting the primary narrative focus to a male teenager, Beau, is a refreshing and much-appreciated departure from the often female-centric YA romance genre. This decision allows for an exploration of vulnerability, growth, and the pressures of adolescence from a different perspective, offering a glimpse into the internal world of a young man grappling with his circumstances. This unique angle provides a solid foundation, hinting at a compelling character arc's potential.
However, the strengths quickly give way to significant weaknesses, primarily concerning the portrayal of the female lead, Bett. Despite the fresh perspective offered by Beau, Bett unfortunately falls into the trap of being a thinly sketched caricature rather than a fully realized individual. Her motivations often feel simplistic, and her personality serves the plot rather than drives it organically. This lack of depth makes it difficult for readers to connect with her or truly invest in her journey, diminishing the emotional impact of the central romance.
Beau and Bett present a promising concept with its male lead, offering a fresh voice in YA romance. However, the novel one-dimensional female protagonist and a series of contrived circumstances that bring the two main characters together hamper the plot.
While it aims to deliver a modern take on a classic tale, it struggles to build a genuine world and characters; a missed opportunity.

This is supposed to be a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but this did not hit the mark for me I was so frustrated with the characters that I couldn't even finish.

Though this wasn't for me, I do think it has an audience out there. Particularly those who seek out fairy tale retellings.

I was so excited for a modern version of Beauty and the Beast! This one took me a long while to commit to finishing though. I didn’t find myself connecting with the characters at all and I kept forgetting where the plot line was going. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was an enjoyable book.

I tried really hard to get into this book. Even with the modern take on Beauty and The Beast, the way the book is written it's hard to follow the storyline at all and I just couldn't make any connection with the characters.

Been a couple years since I received this. I am now giving my thoughts. I was intrigued because this is a modern retelling of beauty and the beast. However I felt the characters were too shallow, no depth, and the overall story was plotless. The appeal was lost on me. I would not recommend this to my viewers or friend.

A good story with good writing but the characters didn't work for me and I wasn't interested in getting to know them. I might read other books by the author because the writing was good and the cover is stunning but this one wasn't for me

I never could get into this one. It may be great but it just wasn’t ever for me.someone else I sure to enjoy this book but unfortunately it never grabbed my attention

This was a cute roll reversal beauty and the beast retelling. It was interesting to read from the male POV the entire time, I honestly wasn't not expecting that. There were some issues with development that I wish I could have seen more of, especially since it is single POV. Overall though, I would definitely recommend this to a teenager as a new view on the retelling style.

I love retellings so I was excited to get approved for this. A good retelling with a gender reversal and a plot that will keep you intrigued!

Didn't mind it. Really quick read. Didn't exactly enthrall me, but was a quick and easy retelling of a fairytale I love so much.

It was a decent modern retelling of beauty and the beast. However it was just your typical YA opposite romance trope.

I started reading this one but didn't hold my interest. even though I love BATB retellings. I though the concept was good but I wish I could have connected with the characters more.

This is a modern-day, YA retelling of Beauty and the Beast. In this instance the genders are reversed, Beauty is a high school boy, Beau (took me an embarrassing long while to get the Beau-ty thing!); Beast is a girl whose classmates have dubbed The Beast, not based on looks or really even personality - the reasons are revealed fairly late in the book. They go to different schools and live in very different worlds, but meet and a friendship develops while he works off a debt on her father's ranch. There are good lessons here about what's important in life, and why it's always important to look beyond the surface, and that all too often people who act "beastly" act that way in reaction to things that have happened to them. Beau is the first-person narrator, so things are seen from his point of view alone.
I didn't love this book, but then again I'm not the target audience. I did like it though, and will definitely recommend it to my grandkids.
My thanks to Netgalley and Amberjack Publishing for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

This book was supposed to be a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I had high hopes, but unfortunately, this book did not deliver. The similarities between Beauty and the Beast and this one seemed like a reach. I found the characters quite shallow and the story a little too plotless for my liking. It is a contemporary romance, but the appeal was lost for me.

Beau and Bett by Kathryn Berla was a unique retelling of Beauty and the Beast focusing on friendship and building trust and I can't wait to read more Kathryn Berla

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read and review this title. I will review this title at a different date.

I was so exited for this. Then I tried to read it a few times. I actually tried. But the characters didn't grip me, the story was flat for me and I'm so sorry about it.