I have been an avid Kasie West fan for several years - to the point where I've read nearly everything she's published. I've loved her characters, their storylines, and the artful way she weaves real problems into a light and fluffy story.

I think Better Than Revenge is my favorite novel to date. Finley has spent her entire life preparing to be a part of the school's podcast team - a spot that is taken due to a last-minute try-out from her jock boyfriend. Crushed, Finley vows to get revenge on him by trying out for his spot on the football team. She enlists the help of Theo, fellow football kicker and nemesis to her (now) ex-boyfriend. So what if he's cute and rightfully cocky? She's too busy getting her life back on track and getting revenge to notice. Mostly

I felt that the main female character, Finley, was relatable, witty, and entertaining and that the main male character, Theo, was cocky, thoughtful, and kind. Their relationship and banter were reminiscent of a teenage entry to Darcy and Elizabeth from "Pride and Prejudice" (with her being slightly oblivious and him going out of his way to help her in the background). I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy so I can mark up some of my favorite quotes from their conversations.

If you are not a teenager (like me), you do have to remember to take this book with a grain of salt. I found that Finley often reacted in rash or juvenile ways that left me frustrated - but then I had to remember that it is a young adult book and that my own siblings who are the same age would react in a similar manner. Frustrating yes, but realistic to the age range.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of Better Than Revenge by Kasie West. I could not put this down 5 stars ✨️!
This was an absolutely adorable story about finding your footing and strength when you feel like your world has fallen apart. Finley's podcast with her grandmother was so cute and heartwarming. The banter and tension between Finley and Theo was so good! This had me giggling like a school girl. So cute!

This was a cute young adult book! It was very lighthearted and felt like I was watching an old Disney channel tv show. Finley is trying to get back at her ex boyfriend for taking her spot in the podcast show. She does this by trying to take his spot on the football team.

I liked the premise and the characters! I wasn’t too connected to the grandmother story but I wish I was. Has a lot of potential!

Forget "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." Hell hath no fury like Finley, a teenage podcaster with a stolen pitch and a grudge the size of a football field. Better Than Revenge is a chaotic symphony of teenage angst, sports drama, and just the right amount of swoon-worthy moments to make you simultaneously roll your eyes and clutch your heart.

Our heroine, Finley, dreams of podcasting stardom. She’s got her pitch, her passion, and a boyfriend named Jensen… who promptly yoinks her idea, lands her dream spot on the school podcast, and expects her to cheer him on. Big mistake. HUGE. Instead of wallowing in heartbreak like a normal person, Finley decides to channel her inner petty queen and destroy Jensen’s life. Cue the revenge montage.

Step one? Sabotage his football career. Step two? Steal his position as kicker. Step three? Enlist the help of his arch-nemesis, Theo, who’s irritatingly talented, undeniably attractive, and hiding a tragic backstory because of course he is. What follows is a delightful spiral of Finley’s increasingly unhinged schemes, awkward football practices, and a slow-burn romance so sweet it’ll make your teeth hurt.

Let’s talk about Theo. This boy is the human equivalent of a grumpy cat with a secret soft side. He’s cocky, clever, and—against all odds—actually helpful in Finley’s quest for revenge. Naturally, their banter turns into flirting, and their flirting turns into full-blown heart eyes. Meanwhile, Jensen is on the sidelines, watching his life implode and wondering why he ever thought it was okay to mess with Finley in the first place.

The plot is gloriously over-the-top in the best way. Finley’s transformation from “quiet, podcast-loving girl” to “football-kicking, revenge-plotting badass” is as unrealistic as it is entertaining. The side characters add extra spice, especially her friends, who alternate between hyping her up and questioning her life choices.

Sure, the book leans hard into its tropes (enemies-to-lovers, revenge backfiring, "oh no, we’re falling for each other"), but who cares when it’s this fun? Also, the football scenes are surprisingly engaging for someone who knows as much about sports as they do about rocket science (read: absolutely nothing).

Final thoughts? This book is like an angsty teenage rom-com with extra glitter, a dash of chaos, and a soundtrack full of girl power anthems. It’s messy, it’s dramatic, and it’s utterly delightful. Five stars for pettiness, podcasts, and a romance that proves revenge is great, but falling in love with your ex’s enemy is better.

This book was so cute! Finley’s story of revenge and developing relationship with Theo really kept me interested, and I loved the parallels in Theo/Finley and Grandma/Andrew’s stories. It was really sweet and I also thought Theo was so charming and I really enjoyed the tension between him and Finley.

A Taylor Swift song reference in the title and a new book by my comfort author?? Sign me up. I loved this story! Finley, the protagonist, has always wanted to become a famous podcaster. She even has her own podcast where she interviews her grandmother, but only her mom and her best friend ever listen to it. Finley believes that, to make her dream happen, she needs to become a host for the school podcast. To her utter dismay, her (horrible) boyfriend also auditions for the host role without telling her, stealing her dream (the absolute nerve!!)

Finley knows exactly how to get revenge--by taking lessons from her boyfriend's (cute) archnemesis so she can steal her (ex) boyfriend's starting spot as the kicker on the football team. But pretty soon, she stops falling on the field and starts falling in love...with the one person she thought she could never like. Will Finley get back at her boyfriend from stealing her dream? Or will she find out, perhaps, that some things are indeed better than revenge? ;)

Excuse the poor puns. But this really was a cute, easy read. I think I might be getting a tad too old for Kasie West because some of the characters came off a little cheesy (but I think she has an adult debut releasing soon?? Please please please??). She is forever my comfort author, though!

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Romance for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Better Than Revenge is such an adorable and fun YA romance. Finley is a junior in high school, and she is auditioning for her school's podcast. Her boyfriend, Jensen, is a football player, and he sneaks in to audition for the podcast. He steals her spot, and then, he goes on air in front of the whole school and badmouths Finley. She breaks up with him, and she vows to get revenge on him. She and her friends come up with a plan with the help of Theo. Theo is her ex's nemesis. Theo sees that Finley can kick really well, and he agrees to teach Finley how to kick a football. The plan is to get Finley to take Jensen's spot on the football team.

Theo and Finley spend time together, and she starts to see that he is actually a really great guy. He likes spend time with Finley, and he even helps her with her podcast. Finley does a podcast where she interviews her grandmother. Her grandmother has Alzheimer's, and Emily wants to have a recording of her grandmother's stories.

Theo and Finley's friendship turned romance is really sweet. Their friend group is really a tight group, and I enjoyed their dynamic. This was a fun and sweet YA romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for an ARC of this book.

What a sweet and nostalgic love story!! I loved the two plots happening throughout this story between Finley’s grandmother’s story with the surfboard and her and theo’s growth from friends to more. Perfect combo of banter and a quick enjoyable read!

Big thanks to Netgalley and the author for an early copy of the e-book! Review is my own based on my own opinions.

Star Rating: 5/5 ⭐
Spice Rating: 0/5 🌶️ (young adult / teen)
Content Warning: grandmother with Alzheimer's and active memory loss

ONE BREATH SUMMARY: When her (now ex) boyfriend swipes the coveted host position on the school podcast that Finley has been working towards for years, she enlists his enemy (football star Theo) to help her get him back, but soon discovers that the road to revenge might come with a cost.

SPOILER-FREE REVIEW BELOW:

Finley's story had me invested from the very first moment and that is 100% due to West's incredible storytelling ability. Absolutely no time is wasted getting to the meat and potatoes of why we have all gathered around these pages and—especially when it comes to YA which can sometimes meander due to our teen main character's attention spans, no hate...we've all been there!—I really appreciate that.

In addition to our main revenge plot line, we also have a couple of side quests keeping us company that never feel tiring or out of place. All the pieces of the puzzle fit together seamlessly as we continue to unbox it page by page, even with some secondary story moment paralleling the primary in a exciting, but not predictable way.

Finley and Theo's easy banter had me kicking my feet with a smile the entire way through and as someone who has lost multiple family members to Alzheimer's, I found West's depiction of Finley's grandmother to be very accurate and respectful. Every moment felt very relatable and had me easily slipping back into my teenage / high school mindset, feeling just as confident yet lost as we all know it can be.

Gave me very similar vibes to Dairy Queen by Catherine Murdock, which is one of the best YA novels ever written, in my opinion. Love seeing young athletic female representation and encouragement!

Overall, I absolutely adored this book!

I had so much fun reading this book - Kasie West always writes the sweetest and swooniest YA Rom-coms and this one did not disappoint!

Finley has had one major high school goal - to be a podcaster for the schools senior-only podcast. There's just one catch - her boyfriend has been supporting and encouraging her, but then at the last minute he decides to also enter the competition to be a podcaster also AND he uses her ideas!

So finally, Finley decides it's time to take matters into her own hands and get revenge. Theo - the biggest rival of Jensen is more than happy to join forces with her and oh how I loved their chemistry! I smiled so much as I continued to read and must say that I really enjoyed the ending!

Thank you to NetGalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest review

This was such a cute book. I'm such a sucker for sports romances and revenge plots. Her ex boyfriend Jensen made me so made! He was so inconsiderate and didn't really appreciate her. Theo comes off as standoffish, but he's really a sweetheart and he and Finley have a great dynamic. I also enjoyed her grandma's story and how they were trying to find the surf board she lost from her grandma's ex-boyfriend. My grandma had Alzheimers so I could relate to that a lot. I would definitely read more from this author.

It has been a while since I last read a Kasie West book, but they are just as sweet as I remember. She definitely did a great job capturing all the emotions of the story as well as the secondary story of beginning to lose someone to the downward spiral of Alzheimer's disease and the rush to capture the memories of that person.

I really feel as if the heart of this story was learning how to embrace change especially when it comes to finding a new way to achieve your hopes and dreams or even finding a new dream. The banter between the main characters was great (I definitely burst out laughing a few times.), but the part of this story that touched me deeply was Finley's connection to her grandmother. As someone who wishes she would have had the chance to listen to more of her grandma's memories before they were lost to even her, that secondary story and Finley's quest hit especially hard.

I now want to revisit all of West's previous books because of how much I enjoyed this one.

Thanks to @netgalley, @delacorteromance and @kasiewest for the #gifted copy of this book.

Summary: Finley's only dream has been to be the host of a famous podcast. The first step in that plan is to get a hosting spot on her high school's podcast team. What was not in the plan... her boyfriend, the kicker on the football team, trying out for that spot on a whim with her idea. Now that her dreams and plans are ruined, all Finley can think about is ruining Jensen's one true love football. Enlisting Jensen's nemesis Theo, Finley decides that the best revenge is to take his starting kicking spot on the team. But what happens when you start to have feelings for the one boy you've always thought was the enemy?

My Thoughts: This one surprised me by how much I enjoyed it. I don't typically enjoy high school-based YA stories anymore(mostly because I'm too far removed from that time in my life now), but this one was great! I loved that Finley's revenge plan included trying out to be the kicker on the football team and enlisting Jensen's self-proclaimed nemesis to help her. The banter and relationship that formed between Theo and Finley was so fun and exactly what I wanted in this story. My favorite part of this story was probably the podcast Finley hosted at home with her grandma telling her stories before she forgot them all with her Alzheimer's. What a beautiful gift for her family she was creating.

This is the perfect quick, cute read when you need a good laugh and a smile on your face.

Read if you love:
🔥Revenge scheme
🎤Podcasts
💕YA Romance
🏈Football-specifically the kickers
😍He falls first

Better Than Revenge was an adorable love story!! I loved the banter and great characters. I did think some of Finley’s choices were very stupid, thus the -.5, but other than that, I loved everything! I absolutely LOVED Theo. He’s being added to the book boyfriend list! I felt like I could relate to both Finley and Theo, too. Which is one of the major reasons why I rated this highly! Thank you Netgalley and Kasie West for an ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's/Delacorte Romance for providing the ARC.

Finley is absolutely crushed when her boyfriend of one year, Jensen, decides to audition to host the school's podcast - the very same one that Finley has worked towards for years and spent weeks with that very same boyfriend perfecting her pitch. Not only does Jensen secure the host position she has been vying for without any kind of experience, but he does so by stealing one of the ideas that she had pitched to him during her practice sessions. Not content to sit by the wayside and watch him live out her hosting dreams, Finley vows revenge by auditioning for his position on the football team, knowing that he has spent he last few years watching on the sidelines as second string. And who better to help than Jensen's nemesis - pretty boy Theo, who was the reason that Jensen spent time on the bench.

This was such a cute rom-com! Finley was such a dynamic character and it was hard not to root for her, even when she was doing things that were not exactly ideal. However, her revenge plot is highly believable. Who hasn't carefully and extensively mapped out what they would like to do to bring their ex down? And who hasn't acted on some of those ideas, to an extent. Jensen was portrayed as a typical high school boy concerned with only himself. Empathy is not strong with this one, and you will be fuming right along with Finley throughout the story as she navigates this new dynamic with her (ex) boyfriend. Theo is adorable, definitely the quiet, stoic hot guy with a chip on his shoulder. He and Finley have a very sarcastic type of banter that is quite funny.

There is a small subplot regarding Finley's grandmother and her Alzheimer's. While it doesn't really pertain to the overall plot, it does bring some warmth and heart to the story. You get to see Finley in her element and see how much joy podcasting brings her while simultaneously understanding just how deeply she cares for her family. It was a nice a touch to a book that really focused on Finley's anger towards Jensen and the situation he placed them in.

Overall, this was a solid YA read. I think teens will definitely resonate with the characters and the story.

This was such a cute and funny read!

Finley has one dream and that is to be on her school's podcast as a host but her boyfriend Jenson ( of course a J name) decides at the last minute to not only, audition but uses her idea to steal her spot. Needless to say, Finley is mad and out for revenge.. She decides to team up with his nemesis and try to take Jenson's spot on the football team as the kicker.

I could definitely get behind this revenge plot. Finley has a great cast of supportive friends cheering her on which I am always a sucker for. What can I say about Theo our MMC? He was exactly what I like to read about in an enemies to lovers romance. By the end, I really loved him as a YA book boyfriend.

Although the revenge plot was great, what stole the show was Finley and her own podcast with her grandmother. This unexpected adventure was so sweet and entertaining. I was eagerly reading these chapters to learn more about her grandmother.

This was a quick feel good romance that was funny and had lots of heart. I would recommend to anyone that enjoys a YA romance.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC.

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.

Finley is admittedly hurt throughout most of the book. It was easy to empathize with her. This is a position she has been working toward since she was in middle school. To have it taken away from her at the last minute by someone she trusted who used her idea is unforgivable. To add insult to injury, Jensen insults her, not to her face, but through the school’s intercom not realizing it was live. Can’t say I blame her for wanting a little revenge. Then enters Theo.

Theo is a year ahead of Finley and Jensen’s rival on the football team. With Theo graduating, Jensen is a shoe-in for the starting kicker position. But Finley has a good leg on her. With a little help from Theo, she’ll be able to tryout for the team and potentially take Jensen’s spot. Theo is all for helping her, training her during the week and on the weekends. The question is why is he so invested.

While the revenge scheme is the main plot of the story, I personally loved Finley’s grandmother’s story. Finley’s grandmother has been living with her family since she accidentally burned her house down. She has dementia and is slowly losing her memory. While her day-to-day memory isn’t great, she can remember her past the best. So Finley has started a podcast at home, asking her grandmother about her past. A memory about a surfboard linked to a famous local artist leads to more questions than answers and boosts the podcast, making it go viral.

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 been reading Kasie West books since I was 14 (I’m 20 now) and reading made me feel like I was reading her books for the first time.

I was giggling and kicking my feet the entire time.

This book is no literary masterpiece, but it is cute, fun, and an easy read. And it was exactly what I needed.

Kasie West continues to be my ultimate YA Romance Queen with this hilarious new book full of sizzling chemistry, a little bit of revenge, and a whole lot of self-discovery.

First of all, like ALL other Kasie West books, Better Than Revenge was full of the snarky humor and was just plain cute. Every book of West’s that I’ve read has instantly transported me back to high school full of those big feelings, swoony moments, and banter-filled friend groups. I can’t help but be happy and smiling while reading a Kasie West book, and this one was no exception.

I loved the growth we saw in FMC Finley. Starting out with nothing but revenge on her mind, she grew to recognize that she still didn’t want anything to do with the people who had hurt her, but she also let go of that hate for peace. I loved that the book promoted that the ultimate “revenge” is not really caring at all and allowing yourself to move past the event BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF LETTING SOMEONE WALK ALL OVER YOU! I also really liked the growth she had in putting herself out there and not worrying about making mistakes as much. She lived so much of her life not doing this and continuously trying to “edit” her life, that she wasn’t really living or experiencing life. I think these are such powerful messages and ones that young people likely reading this book will benefit from.

I loved how Finley’s opinion of Theo grew as time went on. From the beginning, she seemed to be sharing Jensen’s feelings about Theo, given that appeared to be her only real contact with him (through Jensen’s stories of him). I loved how as we got to know Theo, as Finley got to know Theo, her mind changed and she actually allowed herself to come to her own conclusions on him, even when it seemed those closest to her still wanted to steer her away from him.

Speaking of, I loved how Theo kept a bit of a closed off exterior but was quick to help and protect Finley whenever it was needed. He definitely fell for her first, which was obvious but made me giddy with each muttered comment he threw at her indicating his feelings from well before they started hanging out.

I also ADORED their meet cute (or rather their second meet cute). Him catching her red-handed in the men’s bathroom doing some vengeful stuff against Jensen was hilarious and adorable!

I absolutely loved the side quest running throughout the book about Finley’s podcast highlighting her grandmother’s life and the search for the stolen surfboard. I especially loved how Theo contributed so much to the search and his grand gesture at the end (shhhhh….I’m not telling you more than that!). I also loved how Finley’s grandmother’s Alzheimer’s was portrayed realistically. She had her good days and her bad days, and I loved that West did not shy away from some of the harder elements of what this could look like to a teenager.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Random House Children's | Delacorte Romance, and Kasie West for the opportunity to read this book. The thoughts and opinions expressed above are honest and my own.

4.5 stars!

What a cute, fast read! After her boyfriend steals her idea and her spot as a podcast lead at school and publicly humiliates her, Finley decides to get revenge by getting his nemesis and rival Theo to teach her how to kick for the football team and take his spot. The forced proximity in this one led to the most hilarious and witty banter between the two, and I loved how quickly I was rooting for them to be together. As the two grow closer and help Finley's grandmother, who is suffering from dementia, explore the secrets of her first love on a podcast Finley is orchestrating, they both have to learn about real, healthy communication and that karma over revenge is always best.

The podcast aspect of this novel was especially charming and showed the depths of dementia--the highs and the lows. Theo was a great compliment to Finley, and I enjoyed seeing how they both challenged each other to realize their own flaws and work through them. The grand gesture at the end was so sweet, if a bit unrealistic, and the nod to Taylor Swift through title and dedication will warm any Swiftie's heart. I can't believe this is my first Kasie West. I'll be digging into her back catalogue immediately!

Thank you to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for the e-ARC.