Absolutely loooooved this one. Did it have bouts of immaturity? Sure, they were in high school. Did it have petty drama? Absolutely. Again, they were in high school. But did it have friends? And family? And sticking true to yourself and not changing for anyone despite setbacks? Also yes! Did it have a real first true love with o e who loved the other despite all the negative? Yes!! Absolutely loved the plot development and the relationship between Finley and Theo. Sometimes once we get to know someone, our opinions change - proves listening to others isn’t always the best path. Following your heart is, though! Also loved quirky grandma. Such a great storyline!

When Finley's boyfriend (now ex) tries out for and takes her spot on the school's podcast, Finley and her friends plot revenge. Finley has decided to try out for and take her ex's kicker position on the football team. She enlists the help of the school's former star kicker and her ex's arch nemesis. This plot for revenge is juicy, but it looks like Finley may be catching too many feelings.

I had so much fun with this book. I loved the story within a story, when Finley's grandma was telling her about her first love. I liked the two main characters and their banter. I have no idea if the football stuff was correct, but the book worked for me.

9.33/10

What Worked for Me

Characters-9.5

The characters in this were great. Finley was a great character, and I enjoyed her journey throughout this story. In the end, Jensen had a redeemable arc because he did apologize, but I still felt like he shouldn’t have tried out for the podcast knowing that Finley also wanted that job. Theo was so sweet, and yes, he made a mistake, but he apologized, and was a better boyfriend for Finley. The supporting cast of Finley’s friends and her family were great additions to the

Writing- 9.5

This was my second book from Kasie West, and I will read more of her in the future. Better Than Revenge was straightforward to read, and very easy to get into. I loved the lighter moments in this story, where the characters were hanging out at the diner, or school because you got to know the dynamics of the characters. I loved the scenes with Theo and Finley training because you could see Finley getting better as time progressed. I loved the heavier moments in this with Finley’s grandmother as well.

Plot-9

Better than Revenge had a main plot, and a few sub-plots to follow along the way. I enjoyed the main revenge/redemption arc of this. The mystery with the podcast element was fun, and I loved Finley’s grandmother remembering things from when she was younger. Following the clues along with the characters was a fun element to this book. The romance in this was a slow burn, but I loved it in the end.


Enjoyment-9.5

This was a mixture of romance, redemption arc, and mystery and I enjoyed all three elements. I loved the characters, writing, and plot of Better Than Revenge. I had fun with this which was what I was looking for when I started this book.

This was everything expected from a YA romance. It was a very cute reading. The author knows what she's doing and masters the genre brilliantly.

I was raised on YA romance books, and I love them. The giddy feeling, the first kiss, the teen angst, and this one was no different. Finley is the perfect heroine protagonist, down to pulling her Elle Woods and knowing when to apologize. Her friends are great, Theo is cute, and her grandma’s the best. Would definitely recommend.

This was a cute young adult novel about Finley Lucas and her high school experience. Finley loves podcasts, she loves listening and creating podcasts. When her football-playing boyfriend tries out for her spot on the podcast team at school and makes it over her, she decides she wants revenge on him. One of his teammates is enlisted to help her to take his spot on the football team as a kicker.

Finley and Theo develop a friendship throughout the book. Meanwhile, Finley is also recording a personal podcast with her grandmother who has dementia telling her story. At some point, Theo and Finley become more than friends until she finds out that he made comments about her before they started talking.

Before I give anymore away, I'm going to stop. You need to just go get this. I loved it. It was cute, a little angsty (which comes with YA stuff, but I don't mind), and fun. It took me no time to read it and its out already since it was released on New Year's Eve! Five stars from me!

#BetterThanRevenge #NetGalley

Thank you, Delacorte Romance, for an advanced digital copy of this book!

Better Than Revenge by Kasie West is a delightful YA romance that combines high school drama, unexpected romance, and heartfelt moments into an engaging narrative. The story centers on Finley, a seventeen-year-old aspiring podcast creator whose dreams are crushed when her boyfriend, Jensen, steals her idea and lands a coveted spot on their school's podcast team. Devastated, Finley teams up with Theo, Jensen's rival and a charming football player, to take back what she believes is rightfully hers and get a little revenge.

As a longtime fan of Kasie West, I was instantly drawn in by the relatable characters, engaging plot, and how West blends real-world issues with lighthearted humor. The tension between Finley and Jensen is electric, and I particularly loved the subplot involving Finley's grandmother's love story. Her tales, shared through Finley's podcast, added a lovely layer of depth to the story. Theo's relationship with Finley grows naturally, bringing a sweet, believable romance that warmed my heart. The supporting characters, while memorable, could have been more distinct, but they still added charm to the narrative.

Although this isn't my favorite West romance, Better Than Revenge is a quick, enjoyable read that delivers a valuable message about growth, revenge, and moving on.

I got this book as an ARC from Net Galley and I loved it. I haven't read a YA in a while as it's not my current preferred genre but this one was really great. It was a super fast read and it's amazing to start the year off with a book that you can't put down.

This one has a few elements that made it really special. First, you really feel for Finley, the protagonist, as she loses a spot she worked really hard for and is publicly humiliated by someone she trusted. It makes her revenge seem really justified, especially as you start to see all the times she was gaslighted in the relationship.

The side story of her using her personal podcast to learn about her grandmother's history before it's lost to Alzheimers was also really lovely. It's easy to see why so many people begin tuning in to follow along with the story.

I only had a couple of issues with it. First - does Finley actually ever tell her parents what happened? They seem like they want to be supportive but the fact she keeps blowing them off was disappointing. Although, I think they were wrong on the day Jensen showed up at the house.
Second, I wanted a little more at the end. It would have been great to see how the sideline podcasting worked out and if Finley's work on that and her own podcast was enough to secure her the internship that she definitely deserved.

This is a cute YA romcom. The banter between Finley and Theo was very cute and sweet. Finley’s grandma and her own little romance story was a great addition to the story too! This is YA with teens so keep that in mind.
This would be a cute read for a teen girl. It is a nice story that starts as revenge but ends with peace and happiness. Simple but sweet!

I love books by Kasie West and this one is. No exception. A fun and cute book, I really enjoyed it!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this review copy

Reading this book about podcasts, as someone who doesn’t listen to podcasts, was actually kinda cool. Just reading about the main character’s podcast and her grandmother’s story. We really got 2 romances in this book instead of just the one. Her grandmother’s story had me on the edge of my seat, it was so cute ☺️. And the main character’s romance was just as cute. I read this so quick, took me a couple days, which I rarely finish a book that fast. This is a must read for any and all romance readers. The only thing I would change about this book is I wish it was longer lol. Maybe it will be considering I’m reading an arc book but we’ll see when it comes out 🤷🏽‍♀️.

Thank you Random House Children’s for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I haven’t read a Kasie West book in a while, but I saw this one NetGalley and thought it sounded cute. It was! I loved Finley and her friends and Theo was the best book boyfriend. I appreciated the nod to Taylor Swift (I prefer the OG, don’t come for me) and even the side plots were interesting.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC!

I loved this YA romance. It was so sweet and had a really good message overall. The gramma storyline in particular was very touching and I found the romance to be adorable. I think this is a great book for preteens and teens, especially girls as it does a great job of showing female empowerment. I loved it!

I loved Finley and her desire for revenge. What boyfriend does that? Jensen deserved to have his butt handed to him. Theo was cute and a good friend/helper to Finley. I would love to get another book with them in it. I loved this book so much and it might be my new favorite Kasie West.

Kasie West delivers another sweet and entertaining YA rom-com with Better Than Revenge. The story follows Finley, a high school student with a single-minded goal: to join her school’s podcast. When her boyfriend, Jensen, betrays her by using her idea to secure his spot, Finley enlists the help of his rival, Theo, to plan her revenge.

The dynamic between Finley and Theo is delightful, blending humor and chemistry in a light enemies-to-lovers trope. Finley’s growth as she navigates her feelings and discovers her grandmother’s inspiring story through her personal podcast adds depth to the narrative. However, some readers felt the writing lacked the usual polish of West’s previous works, and Finley’s initial decisions were questionable.

Despite minor flaws, Better Than Revenge is a fun, quick read filled with charming moments, a swoon-worthy romance, and Kasie West’s signature feel-good vibe. Perfect for fans of high school romances and YA stories about self-discovery and second chances.

Cute read, i needed a book like this after all the heavy books i read before hand and this was the perfect pallet cleanser!

“I’m sure some good things happened in the last month, the last year. Mistakes aren’t all-encompassing. Things aren’t only black or white.”

Finley has always wanted to become a famous podcaster, and securing a spot on her school’s senior podcast team is the first step toward that goal. When her football-player boyfriend, Jensen, uses her idea to try out for the podcast without ever showing any interest, she’s shocked and hurt. Since he stole her dream by taking the role of podcast host, Finley and her friends decide to get revenge by taking his dream: being the starting kicker on the football team. She has a knack for kicking after years of playing soccer, so she enlists the help of Jensen’s football nemesis, Theo, to train for football tryouts. The two begin to grow closer, but Finley won’t be distracted from her revenge, and Theo has secrets of his own. Finley and Theo will have to decide if love is actually better than revenge.

I finished Better than Revenge in a single day, despite going to work and coming home to laundry and dishes that needed to be done. I ignored every responsibility I had, and that should tell you everything you need to know about Kasie West’s newest romcom. I’ve been a fan of her books for years, and they never fail to make me unbelievably happy. Kasie West has cracked the code for the perfect young adult romcom. Finley and Theo had perfect banter that created an organic relationship and strengthened their connection as it steadily built throughout the book. While they were both focused on revenge, I think West did a great job showcasing how Theo genuinely wanted to help Finley succeed, with or without the revenge. We all know revenge isn’t the most noble cause, and both Finley and Theo learned lessons about what truly counts. However, those lessons didn’t take away from the humor and female rage of the book. I wasn’t a fan of the way Finley’s best friend acted at times, but she redeemed herself in the end. An aspect of the novel I really enjoyed was Finley’s grandmother’s story, which she slowly told on her own podcast. They started investigating her backstory in search of a surfboard she owned, and I loved how Finley’s life and her grandmother’s past intersected at key moments in the book. Everyone should run to the nearest bookstore the moment Better than Revenge comes out because it’s truly the perfect YA romcom.

Oh my word...all the goodness of this book. Totally loved, totally would recommend, and really hope for a Netflix series or movies from this book. Without spoiling one bit of this for anyone as I love to be a happily surprised reader, this coming of age book cover themes that are real, relatable, and educational in the least preachy way. Totally clean, great HEA, and all the teenage angst. What is not to lobe? Thanks #netgalley for this ARC copy for a honest review.

Better Than Revenge is a cute, fast book. I enjoyed Finley’s growth and know that if I would’ve read this book in high school that maybe I would’ve tried to be braver earlier because I definitely related to Finley’s struggles as a high school kid who never wanted to make a mistake, and definitely not in public.

Thank you for the arc!

I am a sucker for a Taylor Swift reference so knew I wanted to read this one just from the title. This one was really cute, but I do think I am just a little old for its intended audience. Sometimes I can do YA but this one’s better suited for teens I think. Was still super cute and would recommend to the younger group.