"We all make mistakes. it's how we deal with our mistakes that really define our character."
"Can mistakes be purposeful, though? I did this very much on purpose. I knew what I was doing.
"You thought it would help you?"
I breathed in. "I did."
"But it didn't."
"What are you going to do about it?"

This book follows Finley Lucas, a teenager living on the coast of California, as she grapples with something that's turned into far more than just a high school breakup. After spending years trying to make the senior podcast, her boyfriend Jensen not only steals her spot on a whim, but humiliates her by telling the entire school she doesn't have what it takes. Cue Theo, his cute (but cocky) nemesis - helping her exact her revenge by going for his spot on the football team. The question is - is all this effort spent pulling one over on Jensen worth it? Will she be happy with her decisions in the end? And what will happen as her and Theo get closer and closer?

Maybe she'll end up with something... a whole lot better than revenge. :)

I thought this was a super cute read! I devoured it in one sitting. After reading several pretty dark books, I needed a little palate cleanser, and Kasie West came through beautifully. The romance was adorable, Finley's scenes with her grandma were so sweet, and her friends were so supportive and funny. This is the first YA romance I've read as an adult. A lot of romance-leaning books I read as a teen were on the more traumatic side, but for the most part, this was fun and light the whole way through. I think any romance lover looking for a quick, upbeat read will love this one!

Thanks to NetGalley I received an advanced electronic copy of the book to read and provide a review.

Okay, this was ADORABLE!! I gobbled it up in a day and it was a pure delight. I enjoyed this angsty YA high school revenge with cute banter and a fresh story. I also liked the layered and parallel storytelling with the Grandmother!

I mean, did Jensen deserve revenge and more? Yes! He’s the worst kind of gaslighting “good guy.” But I’ll take Finley, Theo and all the lessons they learned because they are the best.

Read for a feel good cute read!

Kasie West is one of my favorite young adult authors and I was so excited to read this book! This book is about Finley whose favorite hobby is podcasting, she’s waited for a few years to finally try out for co-host for her school’s podcast. She is in complete shock when her boyfriend Jensen tries out for the podcast and gets the co-host spot over her. Upset, she and her friends come up with a few ideas to get revenge on Jensen, her now ex boyfriend. The number one idea is to try out for the boys football team as kicker with getting help from Jensen’s rival Theo. As Finley and Theo practice football they learn new things from each other and their relationship grows. Very cute read and I just love these young adult books! Kasie West is just the best! 5 star review! Thank You NetGalley and Random House Children’s for this early copy in exchange for my honest review! Publishing date of January 7, 2025.

Probably Kasie West's best work so far. As a huge fan of her, I was thrilled to have the chance to read this as an advanced reader copy through Netgalley. I loved Finley and Theo's love story, as well as Finley's growth and her relationship with her grandmother. This was exactly what I wanted from this novel.

Finley enjoys podcasting and is hoping to be one of the hosts on her schools podcast team. After auditioning Finley finds that her boyfriend Jensen all of a sudden decides to audition for the team as well. Not only does Jensen audition for the team, but he uses one of Finley's ideas as well. Angry and hurt by his betrayal Finely decides that the best way to get even is revenge. What better way to get back at Jensen than to try out for his spot as kicker on the football team and who better to train her than Jensen's nemesis Theo.

I enjoyed watching Finley train with Theo as he helps her learn how to be a kicker. It was fun to watch Finley and Theo together and banter with each other. Theo works to help Finley prepare by setting up workout routines and fun activities, such as goat yoga. The more time they spend together the closer they become. Finley has her own personal podcast where she interviews her grandma who has Alzheimer's. Finley is determined to record her grandma's memories about her first love. Theo wants to help Finley track down a certain object that her grandma remembers fondly, it was sweet to see them work together.

Finley's ex Jensen is unapologetic about his betrayal and doesn't understand why she is upset, this helps drive Finley's desire for revenge. Finley soon finds out that Theo himself may have his own reason for helping her get revenge on Jensen.

I enjoy Kasie West's books and look forward to each new release. This was a fun, quick, cute read that I thoroughly enjoyed and shows that revenge is not the best way to move forward.

Another excellent Kasie West young adult romance! Kasie never fails to capture me with funny plots, fun side characters and sweet romances. Also, Jensen can kick rocks! Pun intended.

My teen is finally getting into reading books other than what is required for school. I read BETTER THAN REVENGE before her and I know she's going to love it.

I thought Finley and Theo's relationship was an interesting one. Each have their own baggage - Finley's ailing grandmother and Theo's injury - to overcome.

The pacing was good. I thought there were a few plot holes and the romance between the two was a bit sidetracked with the story of her grandmother's own high school romance. I would have liked more about Theo's injury and maybe just a bit more about what he was going through.

While it's not one of my favorite Kasie West books, I think BETTER THAN REVENGE will be a lot of fun for teen readers.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's Delacorte Romance for an e-copy of BETTER THAN REVENGE to review.

I rate BETTER THAN REVENGE four out of five stars.

To all my Taylor Swift book lovers out there - here’s another swiftie reference romance book that was too cute to put down.

After being betrayed by her now ex-boyfriend Jensen, Finley partners with Theo, her former flames nemesis to seek her revenge. Sounds like a perfect back story to a song Taylor should have included in Speak Now or Folklore right? While I am a Swiftie, the references to my favorite artist weren’t what drew me to request this book from NetGalley (and thank you to them and the publisher for providing and ARC for me!) What drew me into this novel (and provide such a high rating) was the fact that Finley experienced real growth, not because of a boy but because she was forced to confront the fact that she is a perfectionist. She beat herself up because what she was doing was never enough and she grew her self confidence through her attempt at revenge. The discussions between Theo and Finley and Finely and her grandmother were real without being cheesy. Not to mention the way Kasie wrote about Charolette’s battle with Alzheimer’s was gut wrenching and beautiful all at the same time. The brief breakup between Theo and Finley wasn’t due to a miscommunication (although let’s be honest I LOVE that trope) but two people falling back into old patterns and habits and the growth the two of them see in their time together was honest and adorable. Let’s face it, Kasie captured the way a great Taylor Swift song can be interpreted- layered, complex and heart warming all in one book. Trust me - this is one book you’re not gonna wanna skip.

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 High school sure has changed since I attended and I’m not sure I could keep up with the speed of kids these days but I sure can throw down and enjoy a Kasie West novel! What resonates across the generations is the heartbreaks that feel like the end of the world (spoiler alert: they aren’t), the relationships that shape you, and the dreams that inspire you. Layered beneath this adorable young adult rom com is an amazingly touching and beautiful multigenerational tale about the stories we pass down and the importance of compassion and forgiveness. Better Than Revenge is such a heartwarmingly entertaining read for all ages 💗.

Review is on Goodreads and will be posted on instagram closer to publication date and on Amazon when published!

i have read and enjoyed ALL of Kasie West's books so of course I was excited to read this, and I was not disappointed!

In this one we follow Finley after her boyfriend (now ex-boyfriend) has stolen the spot on her school's podcast team that she wanted. As revenge, Finley started training to take the spot as the kicker for the school's football team. There is no one better to help her train for tryouts than Theo. Theo has been the school's starting kicker up until recently, when an injury left him sidelined and gave Finley's ex, Jensen, the opportunity to step up.

Finley is also dealing with her grandmother's Alzheimer’s diagnosis, recording a podcast where she interviews her grandma on different stories that have happened in her life. To add to it, her grandma keeps forgetting that Finley and Jenson have broken up.

I will read anything Kasie West writes, forever.

Finley Lucas has always wanted only one thing in the world. She even quit soccer when sports began to interfere with her goals. Being part of her high school’s podcasting team was the only thing that could bring her joy. She even has her podcast (with two listeners) where she chronicles her grandmother's stories before Alzheimer’s can erase them forever. After working towards this goal for years, her boyfriend (the football star Jensen) swoops in and takes her spot. What will Finley do for revenge? Take his spot on the football team. A soccer background should make for a great kicker, right? Perhaps the best part is that learning the sport will necessitate getting closer to Theo!
As the author notes in the back of the book, the theme of “Karma > Revenge” is a powerful lesson for teens. West navigates the stereotypical gender roles in sports and how to break them beautifully in this story. Even small moments like the football coaches failing to realize that you should not only post the try-out finalists in the boys' locker room are important. The relationships culminate in passionate kissing, but no more. This book would be a boon to any public or secondary school library.

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Romance for the chance to read this eARC! ❤️

What are you even doing with your life if you haven’t read a Kasie West YA romance? I started reading her books years ago and have kept up reading every single one. This one made my favorites list: EASILY.

We have Finley, who is a beautifully messy and gifted individual. She realizes her boyfriend is a terrible person and vows to take revenge on him for stealing what should have been her spot as a podcast host for her senior year. She teams up with Theo, her ex’s “enemy”, to practice field goal kicking in an effort to take her ex’s spot on the team from him.

I loved that this book had so much nuance and depth. On top of this revenge plot, Finley is doing a podcast about her grandma’s past because she wants to get the memories down before her grandma loses them to Alzheimer’s. It’s beautiful- seeing her grandma’s past and her present coincide in this lovely story.

And our male lead, Theo? Ohhhh dear. I’m not sure you’re ready for this boy. I loved his stubbornness and sarcasm and in combination with Finley’s attitude, it was some of the best banter I’ve read in months! They’re both treasures. ❤️

Finally, and I won’t spoil things: but West is one of the most thoughtful authors I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. She takes into consideration everything and she does it SO well. Don’t be turned off by this “revenge” book… just trust her. I promise it’s worth it!

If you’ve never read a Kasie West book, here’s your sign! And if you follow her books, you will not be disappointed by this one.

Rating: 3.5 of 5

Revenge centered plot can be a hit or miss. The revenge antiques can become overly ridiculous and the MC can quickly become very unlikable. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case for Better than Revenge.

I mean sure Finley got too caught up with her revenge plans and whatnot that that was all she could focus on. It was all about Finley, Finley, Finley for most of the book. But then I realized why not? Her ex boyfriend deserved a takedown. What he did? You just don’t do that to people you claim to like. So yeah, I was Team Finley. Jensen sucked. And I think he should have groveled and apologized. (I am not counting that half ass apology we got.)

I read the Acknowledgements (I never not read the Acknowledgements actually) and Kasie West said that if there’s a lesson she would want us readers to takeaway from the book it’s this: Karma > Revenge. I’m going to need that printed on a shirt.

I want to talk about Theo Torres next. But I also don’t want to. I have mixed feelings about him. But maybe what’s important is that I like him more than I don’t.

Finley’s grandmother took the spotlight. She’s beyond adorable. She made me miss my own. I wish I had the chance to record some of my grandma’s stories. That would have been epic.

I’ve read almost all of the author’s books and Better than Revenge has secured its place on my top three favorites.

Never start a Kasie West book late at night if you want to get an adequate amount of sleep.

I was initially concerned that I wasn't going to be pulled in by a book about podcasts (not my thing). But thankfully, this was very much a character driven book (absolutely my thing).

Sweet romance, charming MCs, and the occasional character you want to deservedly punch in the facd.

Recommended.

I love Kasie West books! So getting an arc of Better Than Revenge was so exciting! This book is a fun, lighthearted story with love, laughter and emotions.
Thank you Netgalley for Better Than Revenge by Kasie West

This book is an adorable and thoroughly enjoyable read! While the main plot revolves around a revenge story, it also beautifully explores deeper life lessons such as self-discovery, pursuing dreams, personal growth, and the power of forgiveness. I especially love the inclusion of podcasting and sports as central themes which added a unique and refreshing touch. The narrative is heartwarming, featuring well-developed, realistic characters and an engaging writing style that effortlessly draws you in. Plus, the charming romance, filled with moments that had me giggling and kicking my feet, is perfectly blended with witty humor. It's a delightful mix that makes for an uplifting read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's - Delacorte Romance for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was sooo cute! Such a fun, lighthearted romance and story about growth and finding yourself. I absolutely adore the cover too!

3.5⭐️


No soy el público meta y se nota. Si lo hubiese leído en mi adolescencia lo habría disfrutado porque no hubiera encontrado infantiles las cosas que hacían los protagonistas, y no es queja, sé que es totalmente normal el comportamiento de Finley, tiene 17 años, hace muchas cosas por impulso y al final madura. Ya no disfruto de esas cosa en mis lecturas.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Are you looking for your next romance book? Better Than Revenge was a wholesome, fun romance. Don’t skip this one!

Kasie west is a favorite author of mine. She has great romcom stories with realistic characters. Fun, entertaining and life lessons along the way. Good story. These are books I reread because I love them.