He stole something she wanted, so she sought revenge! Who doesn't love a little revenge plot in a book? I absolutely adored this YA novel, and wasn't able to put it down until I finished it. The character development was great, and I found that I really enjoyed the characters, except for Jensen he really made my blood boil. Definitely pick this up if you are looking for a cute fast paced YA novel. It did not disappoint.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Better Than Revenge is exactly the kind of fun, swoony, and slightly over-the-top rom-com that can only really be pulled off in a YA book. The premise is so delightfully chaotic — Finley, a determined and ambitious aspiring podcaster, decides to get back at her ex for stealing her idea and taking her spot on the school's podcast by taking *his* spot on the football team. Naturally, this means enlisting the help of his nemesis, Theo, who is equal parts charming, cocky, and (of course) secretly a total softie.

What I loved most about this book is how much heart it has beneath all the antics. Finley isn’t just out for petty revenge — she’s dealing with disappointment, self-doubt, and the fear of not being good enough, all things that make her super relatable. Her journey of discovering her own strengths (both on and off the field) was just as satisfying as the romance. And speaking of the romance — Theo and Finley have the best dynamic. Their banter is top-tier, and the way their relationship shifts from reluctant allies to something deeper had me absolutely hooked.

Sure, the setup is a little unrealistic, but that’s part of the charm. It leans into the fun, fast-paced nature of YA romance while still delivering great character growth and swoon-worthy moments. If you love stories with playful revenge schemes, unexpected connections, and just the right amount of heart, this one is definitely worth picking up!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!

Finley has worked since her freshman year to be one of the hosts of the school podcast her senior year, but on the day of auditions, her boyfriend Jensen, decides last minute to try out- using one of Finley's ideas- and HE gets the job. Finley is outraged and sets out to steal his greatest dream as well: place kicker for the varsity football team.
During her junior year, Finley quit playing soccer to focus on preparing for the podcast position, but now that she no longer needs to spend her time there, she decides she is going to kick her way onto the football team, and she is going to enlist the help of Theo, Jensen's nemesis, to accomplish her goal. However, the more time she spends with Theo, the more she realizes that Jensen's stories of how awful he is might be exaggerated, and they may have more in common than just a desire to see Jensen suffer.
This romance was funny and brave and nostalgic and hopeful, and I loved every minute. As a former athlete and the wife of a football coach, I was hesitant to start a book where a girl is trying to find a place on a boy's football team, but once I began reading, I couldn't put it down. The approach to the football practicing was well written and believable, and the relationship that developed between Theo and Finley was heartfelt and genuine and made me root for the two of them.

This was such a cute book. I love Kasie West and this one did not disappoint. I will certainly be recommending it to my students to read in high school

Better Than Revenge is a young adult romance about a high school junior named Finley, who is navigating a difficult time. Finley loves podcasting, she has her own podcast and is trying out for her schools podcast as well. Things don’t go her way, which makes her plot revenge.

This was a cute story. Finley’s struggles were not something I necessarily related to, but that was part of the entertainment factor. Jensen, Finleys ex-boyfriend, did not feel fleshed out enough. It was a shorter book, so I can understand, but some chapters he seemed like a complete jerk, and other chapters he seemed to still care.

The best part of the story to me was Finleys grandma. She seemed very sweet and sassy. I am glad that we were able to see her story, even while having Alzheimer’s.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. I would recommend this to anyone who would want a quick and cute read.

Such a cute sports romance with a podcast thrown in. I loved this story! This was the first story by Kasie West that I have read and I can't wait to read more.

Better Than Revenge had such a great premise, but I just felt it didn't deliver as well as it could. This is a YA book, but I felt the prose was very simple, even for the target audience. The plot with the grandmother--along with the podcast sessions covering it--were a little bland, and I would have liked the dialogue to be a little more nuanced and realistic.

This book did make me laugh, however. My favorite part was when our main character showed up to Theo's house for a party, only to find out it was for his grandma's birthday party.

I gave this one a three-star rating because I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't recommend it to a friend or read it again.

In Better Than Revenge, a high school girl with dreams of being on the school podcast loses out to her boyfriend. So to get him back, she tries out to be the kicker for the high school football team since she used to be a soccer player. This book was fluffy fun. High school angst, high school friendships and relationships and high school emotions. All entertaining and fluffy. And it sort of made me wonder if my former soccer playing daughter should be a kicker.

This was a great YA book. Perfect balance of petty, positive revenge, working through adult situations and growing. Add in the great friendships, the daily mysteries life holds, and growing with family too.

#arc
#netgalley
#betterthanrevenge

I really like Kasie West and was excited to read this book. It was a cute YA novel! It’s got fake dating, revenge plots, and some sizzling kisses. The main characters show growth and definitely give you someone to root for!

I was super blessed to receive an arc of this book!


It was a super cute romance and I enjoyed it! 🫶

The synopsis seemed fun and adorable, but this was just okay. Right off the bat, I didn’t like the boyfriend, Jensen. He was absolute trash. While I like Finley and Theo together, they weren’t great characters themselves. However, it’s important to remember that this is a YA novel, but sometimes it felt a little younger. Some of Finley’s decisions are a little childish, but given what Jensen did, I’m okay with it. I loved the portions where we get to know Finley’s grandmother. She seems so awesome. A downside, however, is you don’t learn why Jensen decided to steal Finley’s dream and idea. It’s is okay. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either. I haven’t read anything from West, but this was a nice introduction.

I thought this was fun and cute with a dusting of angst. The relationship between our fmc and her Grandma was beautiful. I felt the growth of character was a win.

This book was so, so cute with a great message and extremely relatable characters. Finley and Theo are so fun together and the flirty banter between them is a delight. I flew through it in 2 days! Kasie West is so good at sweet YA romcoms that tug at your heart.

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Romance for my complimentary e-arc. All opinions here are my own.

This book was so cute!!! As soon as I saw the email about a Kasie West book tour I knew I had to sign up. I love all of her books, they’re the cutest ever and they never disappoint. And this one was no different. I found myself rooting for Finley (and Finley and Theo) throughout the book and there were so many moments that made me laugh. This was a perfect ya rom-com and so easy to get through. It’s the perfect read for a slump!

I finished this book early in the month on the 4th but I didn't get a chance to do the review bc well life....
So here it is:
5 stars I really enjoyed this book.
It was a fun book to read. So I know that this book is a YA book, but in my opinion, adults can definitely read this book and enjoy it as well. This is the 1st book that I have read from this author and after reading and enjoying this book, I am def gonna be looking out to read more books by Kasie West!
I loved the characters a lot. The story (and backstory) was great and definitely keeps your attention.

Finely has one major goal that she is working towards while in high school and it all gets messed up and by one else but her boyfriend. What a jerk!!!! She has realized that she has put up with so much from him and she is now single and out for revenge.
There is a plan being created by and her friends to get revenge on her ex-boyfriend but another person wants in on it. Do they let him in, can they trust him, what to do with all these feelings???
There is so much happening and its so much fun to watch. This also makes it super hard to put the book down, you just want to keep reading and reading to see what happens next.
Does Finely get revenge? Will she find love after this last boyfriend and the way he treated her?
Guess what you gotta go read the book to find out, And it is def worth the read :)

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and am leaving my review voluntarily. Thank you Kasie West and NetGalley!

To start, I thought the relationship between Finley and Theo was absolutely adorable. You could tell that he was falling for her as she kept her attention on getting revenge. I think I might have seen red when Jensen tried out for the podcast club and then everything that happened after that. Kasie West wrote Jensen so perfectly that everything he did just made you hate him even more.

I think this would be a great book for 13-15 year olds. As someone who reads adult books that are a little more complex, Better Than Revenge kind of fell short for me. It was a light read that didn’t have much depth to it.

Overall, I don’t think it was a bad book, but definitely made for a younger crowd.

Better Than Revenge is an absolute page-turner! As a big fan of Kasie West, I was thrilled to dive into this story, and it did not disappoint.
Although I don’t read much YA these days, every now and then, I love escaping into a cute and fun story—and this one delivered perfectly. The plot follows Finley, whose, now, ex-boyfriend Jensen steals the podcast team spot she’s been dreaming of. Fueled by a desire for revenge, Finley teams up with Theo Torres—a cocky but undeniably charming ally—to give Jensen what he deserves.
The story had me hooked from the start. Finley is a relatable and likable protagonist, and her interactions with Theo were brimming with chemistry and humor. I also loved the dynamics between Finley and her friends, and her grandmother’s story added a heartwarming and captivating layer to the book.
What truly stood out was how vividly this story played out in my mind—I couldn’t help but imagine it as a movie (seriously, it would be so good on screen!). It’s the perfect YA read: engaging, entertaining, and brimming with charm. I devoured it in no time and genuinely couldn’t put it down.
Kasie West has done it again, and I cannot wait to read more of her work! If you’re looking for a fun, fast-paced, and heartfelt story, this one is a must-read.

Super cute book! I absolutely loved Theo and Finley, their relationship, and their story. Definitely adding this one to our romance section at the library.

This was a perfect YA romance and one I will recommend for our school. Appropriate for both middle and high schools. I really enjoyed how both characters had obstacles for their dreams and worked together to find new paths. The romance was very classic and cute and had the Kasie West banter that I remember from her first few books. I can’t wait to recommend this to some students.