I love Kasie West's YA romances. They're always so sweet and swoony, and Better Than Revenge was no exception. Finley was really relatable and fierce and I loved her. Theo was charming and lovable and I enjoyed seeing their relationship play out. I also loved Finley's group of friends, and only wish there had been a bit more development on that end..

All in all, a quick, fun read that had me yearning to hit the beach!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so cute. I loved the relationship between Finley and Theo. However, I loved the relationship between Finley and her grandma more. I would've loved to have conversations like them before Alzheimers eventually took my own grandma. I will definitely read from this author again, especially a story with Grandma and Andrew!

💥💖 Book Review: Better Than Revenge by Kasie West 💖💥

Ready for a fun, smart, and totally satisfying revenge-romance? Better Than Revenge serves up wit, charm, and plenty of swoon-worthy moments as two rivals navigate love, competition, and unexpected feelings.

What it’s about:
When Olivia and Xander’s intense rivalry at work turns personal, they both set out to prove who’s better—only to find themselves tangled in a complicated game of hearts and secrets. Can they go from enemies to something more… or is revenge sweeter than love?

Tropes You’ll Love:
🔥 Enemies-to-lovers
💼 Workplace romance
💥 Rivalry turned romance
😂 Sharp banter
💕 Slow burn

Kasie West delivers a perfect blend of humor and heart, making this a must-read for fans of rom-coms with edge and warmth.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#BetterThanRevenge #KasieWest #EnemiesToLovers #RomComReads #WorkplaceRomance #SlowBurn #Bookstagram #BookReview #ContemporaryRomance

This story was SO sweet and so fun!

BETTER THAN REVENGE follows Finley Lucas, who’s dreamt for years of making the school’s podcast team for her senior year, which leads to a college internship and the future she wants in podcasting. But when her boyfriend, Jensen, decides to try out at the last minute and secures the spot using one of Finley’s ideas, Finley decides to enlist the help of Theo, the school’s starting kicker on the football team who’s graduating this year, to take Jensen’s spot as kicker as revenge.

I haven’t been thrilled with the romances I’ve read lately, so this one really took me by surprise, especially with it being YA!

The cast of characters was wonderful—I loved Finley and her friends, and her grandma of course, and though Jensen was disgusting, he made for a great villain. Of course, Theo and Finley’s romance was adorable, and their chemistry was palpable. Though the plot was a bit predictable at times, it was no less enjoyable.

I honestly don’t know which part of the book was my favorite, between the romance, the revenge arc, or Finley helping her grandma piece together moments from her past, as she struggles with memory due to her Alzheimer’s. There were sweet, somber moments with her grandma to balance out some of the more lighthearted shenanigans, and I love a contemporary novel that balances those two things, and I think West did an excellent job of that.

The lesson Finley learns along the way, while pursuing her revenge, is definitely something I would’ve related to as a teenager, and I still found meaning in it now.

I’m very glad I picked up this book and would definitely recommend it for readers of all ages—I think there’s something here for everyone.

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Romance for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a delight. Lessons were learned and emotions were felt. Finley is a strongly developed character with the most loyal of friends. Theo was a sweetheart of a heartthrob. Loved this book from page1 through to the end.

I love reading books by Kasie West and have not been disappointed.

Finley has one major goal she’s been working toward throughout her high school career: to be on her school’s podcast. She’s worked hard, and her boyfriend, Jensen, knows just how hard. He also decides to try out at the last second and uses one of her ideas.

Finley decides she needs some revenge. Who better to help her than Jensen’s rival, Theo. Theo and Finley were amazing, and I loved them together.

Kasie West delivered yet another charming, swoon-worthy YA romance with Better Than Revenge.

This was a solid YA read! While there were some parts that I found confusing, I ultimately ended up enjoying it. Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Romance for this ARC!

Cute teen romance goes bad. When a rising senior gets her dreams crushed by the one person she thought she could trust, her boyfriend, how will she seek revenge? I think the story was overall cute and charming. I would recommend to my students. It’s got enough romance and enough friendship to feel well balanced. It’s all resolved nicely in the end. I also liked how the character did have a revelation in the end and still managed to get revenge and perhaps pursue her dream in a new way. I also liked the podcast aspect and it didn’t feel like it overpowered the narrative in any way. 2/5 because I enjoyed the read and I would reccomend but I wouldn’t reread.

❝𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.❞
5 stars ★
✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

Kasie west is one of my favorite authors! This was such a cute book and a perfect read with summer coming up. I really enjoyed this one and got through it pretty quick as well (maybe 2 sittings). Let’s get into the review, shall we?

👙🌷☀️🌊🍟⚽️🏈

Better Than Revenge follows a girl named Finley Lucas, who just got brutally broken up with by the jerk that is her ex boyfriend, Jensen. Jensen betrays Finley by stealing her spot on the school’s podcast team with her idea and claiming it was his own. The cherry on top is him accidentally announcing to the whole school what a horrible podcast host Finley is. Finley decides to enact revenge on Jensen for derailing her life and college plan, and starts training to try out for the football team with Jensen’s rival, Theo.

Characters

Finley Lucas
She was a good fmc to follow. Throughout the book I found her to be very relatable. the story was sweet, showing how caring and thoughtful she is, and not to mention the growth that she went through as a person.

Theo Torres
He was a good mmc. Super kind towards Finley and he wanted to see her succeed. I also loved seeing how he grew throughout the book.

Plot
The plot was perfect! I had no issues with it.

Overall
This was a very refreshing & fast paced read! I haven’t read a Kasie West book in a while, but this definitely reminded me why she is one of my favorite authors. This was the perfect book for spring/summer. If you need a pick-me-up or a quick read, this is the book for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Romance for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own!

xo
Eveonne ♡

This book was such a fun mix of revenge, ambition, and unexpected romance! Finley is fiery and determined, and I loved watching her channel her frustration into something totally badass—like trying out for the football team. Her dynamic with Theo was full of banter, chemistry, and that slow-burn spark that makes you smile like an idiot. The podcast angle added a fresh twist, and the themes of self-worth and chasing your own dreams really hit home. It’s a little predictable in places, but honestly, I didn’t mind—I was too busy cheering Finley on and swooning over Theo. A fun, feel-good read with just the right dose of girl power!

Found myself rooting for and plotting along with Finley the whole way.
From the synopsis we know that betrayal and heartbreak are coming. I immediately found myself on Finley side and couldn’t wait to see what revenge plot she’d come up with. Along the way, as she should, Finley learns so much more than just how to get back at someone. As an adult (and parent) there were a few times where I wanted to shake her and say, “Stop obsessing over this one thing – take the opportunities that are NOW opening for you!” But, as a teenager, she needed to learn things on her own, in her own time.

VERY well-created characters. FELT the teenage heartbreak and anger.
These characters were so well created. Their very real emotions leapt off the page and evoked memories of my own high school experience. Friendship, friendship lines that get blurry, the feeling of utter betrayal, realizing some people are just not that smart… it’s all here. I love every moment of this. I also found myself looking to the characters as an adult/parent and wanting to tell them, “Oh, honey – I promise it will be okay! High school is not the high point of your life – you have so much ahead of you!”

The Final Verdict: Exciting, action-packed, and fun – with a healthy dose of learning about yourself along the way. Highly recommend!
Stars 5
Would I Recommend? Yes

I just adore all of Kasie West’s YA books! They’re so fun and sweet! This one was no exception to that! I enjoyed this book a lot! The characters are fun! I liked their story of revenge but also falling for each other too! I recommend this one for sure! I look forward for more from this author!

This was so fun! I loved the premise! We can really get caught up in the hurt and make unconsciously terrible decisions. But sometimes they can lead us to a path that is better. Like Finley, there could have been a better road… but wouldn’t have made such a great story! I loved that! Always be true to yourself and it will be fine! This was a great journey for the main characters! Enjoy!

Thanks to NetGalley for this story, all thoughts and opinions are my own!

Better Than Revenge by Kasie West is about a young teen out for revenge against her ex-boyfriend with the help of his rival. Finley has one dream: to become a famous podcaster. When she tries out for her school’s podcast team, her boyfriend Jensen, who has never shown interest before, decides to try out too using one of Finley’s ideas. Hurt and betrayed, Finley and her friends concoct a revenge plot, but they need to find a way to hurt Jensen the way he’s hurt Finley: take his place on the football team as kicker. Overall, Better Than Revenge is a sweet YA romance about a young girl navigating her first heartbreak. I enjoyed Theo and Finley’s connection as well as their competitive natures. Finley’s revenge isn’t perfect, but how it plays out is pretty close to it. If you enjoy contemporary YA or are looking for a sweet read to end the year, I highly recommend it.

I have read many books by Kasie West and I have to say, this has been by far my favorite!! It was cute and swoony, had a great story line! I loved it!!

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I love Kasie West, and this one was no exception. It was a good palate cleaner between more heavier reads. I found myself smiling while reading the interactions between the two leads, so I'm happy to read more from Kasie West in the future.

I’m obsessed!! This was so so so cute! I read it in under 24 hours! A perfect cute light hearted rom com!

This YA romance was witty, swoony and filled with feel-good vibes.

Finley's left confused and betrayed when her football player boyfriend Jensen tries out to become a podcaster by using her idea and crashes her dream. She is now determined to take a revenge on him but it seems impossible and the only other way to get back to him is football. She asks Theo a person whom Jensen dislikes, to teach her football and to be a striker. Now she just has to stop herself from getting distracted by Theo and do what she planned for.

Here are my 15 reactions to Better than Revenge by Kasie West:

1. Shock, betrayal and what a piece in the name of boyfriend.
2. The friendship dynamics are on point. I need friends like that! 🤝
3. The podcast conversations with her grandmother, they were sweet, funny, witty, hopeful and heartwarming. ❤️
4. Relatable AF 🙌 #HighSchoolDrama
5. Her grandma is getting all the brownie points. I look forward to their section 😍
6. The humor was just what I needed. 😂 Theo and Finley are so good.
7. Feeling all the feels. 💔
8. Kasie West never disappoints. The execution was beautiful 😍
9. Page-turner from start to finish.📚
10. Enemies to lovers!! Adorable! Those sweet, sweet romantic moments. 😘
11. Empowerment and revenge. Finley's sarcasm and her determination 💪 #GirlPower
12. Perfect mix of light-hearted and deep. 🌟
13. Character growth level: 100. 🌱 Can we talk about that character development? 👏
14. Couldn't put it down, lost track of time. ⏳
15. Theo's gesture, my heart is melting 🥰

A must-read for contemporary YA lovers. ⭐️📖

This was my first Kacie West, but it will certainly not be my last! I devoured this book from start to finish. I’m a huge sucker for “he falls first” and loved the execution on this one. The side plots were interesting and engaging, and the romance was so so sweet. I can’t wait to check out Kasie’s other books!