[Review] Better Than Revenge - Kasie West

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Finley has only ever had one goal: to become a famous podcaster. This includes coming up with the perfect pitch to land her on her school's podcast team. But when her football-obsessed boyfriend, Jensen, decides to also try out—and uses her idea—she's left confused and betrayed. 

Determined to get back at him, Finley and her friends try to find the perfect revenge scheme, but quickly discover that Jensen is almost-impossible to best. Keyword, almost.  Includes an author Q&A!

By chance, Finley discovers a knack for kicking and decides to take Jensen's spot on the football team. To help her train, she recruits Jensen's cute but conceited nemeses, Theo. Soon the two discover that their connection runs deeper than football. But Finley can't let herself get distracted, and Theo has secrets of his own. Is true love really better than the perfect revenge? (Pub Date: Dec 31, 2024)

 

I love Kasie West so much! It's always a delight when a new release pops up because I know that no matter how the story itself goes, there will be a lot of flavor for me to taste along the way.

And this one was very good too!

Finley has prepared herself since forever to join the podcast from her school. And there she is, ready to interview—and amaze everyone—when her boyfriend not only steals her thunder but also her ideas and her spot. So she sets on revenge: she'll also test for his football team and get the place he could finally get now the team star got hurt.

We also get to learn her grandmother's story, which is lovely, and surely the most Kasie West this story could be. 

Now about my opinion, a part of me questioned how someone can be so self-centered to the point of doing what Finley's boyfriend did to her, was that really believable? But I remembered a couple of times I've been in her shoes and sighed. Sometimes we expect book characters to be more humane than real people. 

I also loved the romance in the book. Leave it to Kasie West to build up a good couple!

I don't know if it's the best book to be released on New Year's Eve, but this is surely one of the YAs I liked the most in 2024, so I'm glad it got done in time for that.

Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

Rating: 4 out of 5.