Finley's development as a girl who believes she wants to get revenge on her boyfriend for losing her dream was one that I liked. In order to find her voice and what truly important to her, Finley instead breaks away from her normal. This book brought back a lot of the movies I enjoyed watching as a teenager. The relationship between Finley and her grandma was my favorite, but every character enhanced the plot.

What a wonderful, light hearted novel for any YA collection. It is a welcome addition to any library that has a high circulation of romance novels. It hit the balance between being realistic without being explicit. The dedication alone would create numerous check outs.

Immediately purchased for our library - appropriate for middle school. I absolutely loved the growth of Finley, a girl who thinks she wants revenge on her boyfriend for stealing her dream. Instead, Finley breaks out of her mold to find her voice and discover what really matters to her. This is a message young women need to hear!

I loved this book! This book reminded me of so many movies I watched and loved as a teenager and I ate it up! Once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down. I loved Finley’s relationship with her grandmother best, but all of the characters added to this story. This story left me smiling and I really look forward to buying a copy for my daughters to read. If you love a spice free, romantic comedy that brings you back to those high school days, I highly recommend this ya romance.

I got this book for free, in exchange for my honest opinion via NetGalley.

I had a lot of fun and absolutely adored this story. It’s hands down, my favourite YA rom-com reads this year!

Finley has one major goal that she’s been working toward throughout her high school career: to be on her school’s podcast team. She’s worked extremely hard, and her football playing boyfriend Jensen knows just how hard she’s worked. But that doesn’t stop him from trying out at the last minute and uses one of her ideas. When Jensen gets the spot that Finley wanted, she decides to dish out some revenge. Who better to help her than Jensen’s rival Theo.

Theo and Finley were amazing, and I loved them together. They were adorable and their banter was perfect. I also really enjoyed the side story of Finley’s grandma. I loved seeing Finley make her own podcast and telling her grandma’s story through that.

The characters were loveable and charming. and West’s writing is sharp, witty, and heartwarming. I went into this book expecting a story of revenge, but got so much more! I smiled at the character and I shed a tear or two. I loved this book so much. Overall, this is a fantastic read and anyone who liked young adult rom-coms should definitely check it out.

Thank you, NetGalley and Kasie West for allowing me to review! As always, my review is my own opinion and thoughts. This review will be shared to my Instagram @what_emm_reads shortly.

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Random House Children's in exchange for an honest review.

This book is adorable! It's a PG enemies-to-lovers story with your usual YA lessons learned, romantic misunderstandings, and a grand gesture. The side story with Finley's grandma added a bit of depth that is sometimes missing from YA romance books. Team Finley & Theo all the way.

This is another cute young adult book from Kasie West. While I didn't love this as much as previous ones, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. My problem was mostly Finley and her reason for doing everything she did. She was super childish and just couldn't let things go. I am happy to say she did transform through the book and I liked her by the end. On the other hand, Theo was wonderful all throughout. Yes, there was a bit of a miscommunication between them that was mostly just them being teenagers. But, whenever Theo was on the page, I throughly enjoyed it. There are some good lessons in here. I would recommend this one especially to young adult lovers or teenagers themselves. It's clean and appropriate.

Better Than Revenge was a really cute romcom. This entire book is about Finley getting her revenge against Jensen, but I also think that deep down, it was about Finley learning just how strong of a person she is. I loved Theo's character! He's perceived a stuck-up, cocky jock by everyone at his high school, but he's really such a kind, sweet, caring guy. The banter between Theo and Finley is some of the best I've read in a YA book. Their chemistry is great, and they make the cutest couple. I love how Theo is there by her side when she needs someone. The addition of Finley's podcasts with her Grandma was such a great touch and so sweet. I loved reading about her Grandma's first love. This is a sweet bingeable romance that has me wanting to read more of Kasie West's books since this is the first I've read by her.

This was a sweet, fun, revenge filled YA rom-com. It gave exactly what it needed to give and I wasn’t disappointed.

I enjoyed the MCs and the plot, it wasn’t too deep or heavy but overall was a lightheaded read and that’s what I was wanting when I picked it up.

I liked the character growth in the MCs by the end of the book and overall it was just sweet.

Grandma was easily my favorite character. 🖤

I will never not love a Kasie West book. Finley and Theo are the absolute cutest and I love how they both helped each other other out in one way or another. Also Jensen, you suck! either way, can never go wrong with any of Kasie West’s books.

(Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy of this book. This is my honest review)

I haven’t read a book by Kasie West in a while, so when I saw this tour sign up, I jumped at the chance to review this.

I really loved this book! It was a fun, sweet YA romcom. Finley was burned by her (now) ex boyfriend, Jensen. He auditioned for the school’s podcast Finley had been working for, and he got it and she didn’t. I loved the funny things she thought of to get revenge on him. But then sometimes they backfired, and it was so funny. Then, she thinks of the one thing that could possibly work, and Finley needs help from Jensen’s football rival, Theo.

This book is so fun. Finley is a great character. She is goal driven and dealing with some hard things. I loved her podcast with her grandma and what came from that so much. I also adored Finley’s friends, and Theo! The two of them had great banter and the development of their friendship/relationship was fun to read.

I received a NetGalley link from the publisher. All views and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book! With diverse characters, the "oh no, you didn't" moment, and mysteries and surprises, I would say that the story is good and fascinating. If you like podcasts and /or football as well as YA romance, then check out Better Than Revenge!

Thank you TBR and Beyond Tours, Kasie West, Random House Children's and Delacorte Romance for a gifted copy! All opinions are my own.

📚 BOOK REVIEW TOUR BETTER THAN REVENGE
BY KASIE WEST
PUB DATE December 31, 2024

Thank you @tbrbeyondtours and @kasiewest for allowing me to participate in this tour.

YA Romance
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

For fans of 🏈
Podcasts 🎧
and Revenge

When Finley is left confused and betrayed by her boyfriend for stealing her dream of becoming a Podcaster for her school's podcast she gets with his arch nemesis and plans her greatest revenge..

💭 I really enjoyed the friends Finley had that gave her so much support. My favorite moments in the book was the relationship Finley had with her grandmother who was in early stages of alztimers. They're time together was so memorable and sweet. I loved the witty banter between Finley and Theo and how they're relationship grows.

Finley’s ex stole her podcast idea and cracked the interview of her dream job. Furious about the turn of events, Finley and Jensen (her ex’s rival) embark on a fake relationship to seek revenge on him .

Although their relationship started out for revenge, it took a nice turn in the end.

Jensen’s question whether we should do something if there was only validation resonated with me. His questions made Finley rethink about her love for Podcast and helped her rediscover herself.

She was also helping Jensen to overcome his challenges. In that way, they were complimentary to each other.

I loved reading this book. Finley’s personal growth and the romance was nicely done. I would highly recommend it to YA Contemporary/Romance readers.

Thanks to the publisher, NetGalley, and TBR Beyond Tours for the DRC of the book.

I thought this was a well written YA romance. The teenagers acted the way teenagers act. They are far from perfect but eventually see their mistakes.

If you’re looking for a clean romance this is a good one. No bad language and nothing beyond kissing. The story is also good, easy to follow but a little predictable.

This was a very cute young adult romcom. I feel like I was more enteratined by it then some YA books and it was a fun easy read.

I have been a long-time Kasie West fan. I've read 15 books by her with 3ish left unread. When you look at someone's entire catalog of work and you've read most or all of their published books, I think you can consider yourself a fan. I haven't loved every single book by Kasie West. There are a few that I didn't enjoy as much. But overall, I find her to be a consistent author with consistent content. That said, I was a little disappointed that she joined the LGBTQ bandwagon in Better than Revenge. The main characters are straight, but there's a gay secondary couple.

Basically, Finley has dreamed of becoming one of the two podcast hosts for her school's podcast. This is for two reasons. One, she loves podcasts. Two, the podcast hosts will have an internship or scholarship, I can't remember which. The only problem is that Finley's long-term boyfriend decides last minute to try out for the position, using one of Finley's ideas. An idea that he guided her away from using. And he doesn't seem to take it seriously or realize how hurt Finley is over his choice--which proves that he isn't right for her. Heartbroken, Finley breaks up with him and vows revenge.

Enter Theo. Jensen (the traitor-ex) has always had some kind of rivalry with Theo. Theo has always played first-string kicker and Jensen wants the position. Jensen always felt like he deserved the spot. And well, Finley is determined to get Theo to teach her how to kick (now that Theo is injured and out of the running for first string) to get back to Jensen for stealing her dream position. Only, Finley didn't count on liking Theo. But can she trust that Theo isn't just using her to get revenge on Jensen, also? I really liked the relationship between Finley and Theo. Theo is just a really nice guy, and he deserves an award. I also liked the message of the story. I don't want to give too much away, but is revenge ultimately satisfying? I also liked Finley's podcast with her grandma. It was so heartwarming to see her trying to preserve her grandmother's memories while she still has them. My siblings and I did something similar with my dad a few years ago (although he doesn't have Alzheimer's).

Favorite quotes:
-"That's what Jensen said...about you." "He appreciated my peak physical condition?" I shook my head. "No. He said you were full of yourself." "Who else am I going to be full of?"

-"Am I going to hurt you?" I said through my shivering lips. "You're not going to hurt me. I have you." "I don't feel had." He reached up, took me by the waist, and lifted me up and around until both my feet were on the patio next to the steps. I gasped in a cold breath of air. Oh. I was had.

-"I hope you get to it soon," he said. "I need the kiss." His smirk was back. The little punk knew exactly what he was doing.

-"Imagine," Grandma said in an ill-timed moment of clarity, "what you could've accomplished if you spent that much time and energy doing something for yourself."

-"Can mistakes be purposeful, though?"

All in all, Better than Revenge was really good. I liked the story. I liked Finley even if her motivations were misplaced. I liked her journey and the moral of the story. I liked Finley with Theo. I just plain liked Theo. I liked Grandma. But I still felt sad over Kasie West's step into woke culture. Better than Revenge gets 4 Stars. Have you read Better than Revenge? What did you think? Let me know!

Finley’s boyfriend betrays her, putting her podcasting dreams at risk.

What better revenge than training with her now ex-boyfriend’s nemesis, Theo, to get her ex’s spot as first-string kicker on the football team?

I love this premise and execution. Jensen (the ex) is exactly what so many of us have dealt with from previous boyfriends— and clueless as to how he hurt Finley.

Finley, for her part, is incredible! Determined, kind, and surrounded by friends, I adored her from the start. (Even if her plan had some flaws…)

Meanwhile, Theo is a fun pairing with Finley. She’s not afraid to call him out for being arrogant, and what starts as enemies soon turns into a sweet romance.

This is a YA romance I absolutely enjoyed!

And it was primarily for the loveable characters— I was so rooting for them, and enjoyed reading about their growth. Highly recommend!

The plot is something we might've seen before: a story of vengeance that leads to a newfound belief in respecting ourselves and discovering the things that are worth the most in our lives. West approaches this topic in subtlety, elaborating on why the vindication feels important to regain Finley's sense of autonomy, particularly on how small yet relentless actions of gaslighting could lead to this embroiling determination—it is quite the unsettling example too. West illustrates how self-deprecation and gaslighting go hand in hand without making the perpetrator look like the bad guy. In contrast, we, on the disadvantageous side, are treated like crazy people for defending ourselves. She also showcases the deeply rooted sense of envy and insecurity that pertains to the need to dumb down other people to make themselves feel better, and for me, it feels ominous because it is something that we can visibly see when it happens to other people (or in this case, fictional characters), but unable to recognize once we are the victims of the same treatment.

In return, it influences the character construction of Finley as the protagonist. West introduces us to this passionate, multi talented teenager with podcasting dreams and a sassy mouth. She is quick to banter, filled with numerous ideas, and empathetic with her friends, so much so that she knows where she is wrong. Yet, we see how Finley is also a fragile little thing—an exact figure of a people-pleaser in general that, in some cases, she painfully demonstrates her unwillingness to see the bad of people and maintains a status quo on how people are "nice" that she needs to stick around with them.

It is both sad and relatable, even for me. We've all been in similar situations where we need to grapple with any semblance of acceptance because our confidence depletes so much before we finally grow a backbone to do something for ourselves and only ourselves. As a result, the more dominant emphasis on Finley's self-discovery journey feels genuine and empathetic, fitting the purpose of the novel's title itself.

On the other hand, as the male love interest in the book, I find Theo's characterization to be quite surprising because I had assumed that he would be this typical "bad boy" type of high school jock that is usually the preferred stereotype in high school romance. Theo is still a high school jock in this novel, but he looks so normal that I can't seem to pinpoint him on a particular trope. His moments of cockiness don't seem to be so forceful that it makes him less likable; he has scenes of nerdiness and looks open to anything that is thrown his way. Even his relationship with Finley as a friend and a romantic partner never hints at ulterior motives; his kindness is just an instance of his "it is what it is" attitude—seeing things the way they are, being straightforward without anything to hide.

Their personalities are the reason why I find their chemistry to be marvelous as friends and couples. Sometimes, you don't need characters with opposite characterization or extreme miscommunication to make their relationship work. Sometimes, you need characters willing to be upfront with one another—the ones who can support you when you're on your worst days and the ones who can call you out on your bullshit, which is why Finley and Theo work tremendously together in this novel.

What about the supporting characters, like Jensen, Deja, Maxwell, and Lee? As I've mentioned before, West excels at showcasing a gaslighter who is smart enough to make himself look like a saint in a situation, which is what Jensen is in this novel. Some readers might think the resolution of Finley's conflict with Jensen may be disappointing. Still, Jensen's dejected disposition at the end of the story is good karma for Finley because it showcases how pathetic Jensen is despite his efforts to act like the best person in the room.

Deja, Maxwell, and Lee are wonderful friends of Finley. Funny enough, this group of best friends consists of characters falling on stereotypical tropes of high schoolers: there's the star athlete like Deja, the jokester like Lee, and the nerd like Maxwell, including Finley herself as the ambitious all-rounder. West's decision to create a friend group that doesn't settle on a specific type broadens the environment where these people can stay tight as a group. Yet, they are implied to have different interests that fit themselves as individuals without being judged. I genuinely appreciate West avoiding unnecessary drama to uphold a particular "spice" to ascertain Finley's self-discovery.

Going back to the plot, I find the small portion of investigation and live podcasting subplots a delight in this novel. The main plot has already tackled heavier themes. Hence, West exhibits tidbits of podcast sessions, and its preps is her displaying a lighter tone to balance the entire story—the characters are silly, curious teenagers, and most of all, shown to have the most joyful adventures.

In the end, is Better Than Revenge good? No, it is absolutely way better than I expected. The story is excellent, perfectly translating what it means to have something better than doing revenge. I'd recommend this for those who seek light young adult romance with more highlights in their character development or have been genuinely a Kasie West fan for a while.