Blog Tour, Review & Playlist: Better Than Revenge by Kasie West

 

Title: Better Than Revenge
Author: Kasie West
Release Date: January 7, 2025

A swoony new romance from the author of Sunkissed! When her football-player boyfriend and now ex lands the podcast job she’s been dreaming of, a girl takes matters into her own hands by enlisting the help of his nemesis to get revenge.

Seventeen-year-old Finley has only ever had one 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. 

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?

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Disclaimer: I received this book at no cost from the publisher/author. I am leaving a voluntary review and all opinions are my own. 

Kasie West has written some of my all-time favorite young adult romance books so I was so thrilled when I saw this book announced. Throw in that it revolves around football and also has a breathtaking cover? I was floored.

Kasie West has a writing style that is easy to connect with. Her stories flow smoothly and the pacing is just right. I fell right into this story from the very start. The plot of this book was very compelling. I was all-in with this revenge plot and was so compelled to know how it would turn out. I also loved the secondary story surrounding Finley's grandmother. It was adorable and so enchanting. 

I loved the diverse cast of characters with unique personalities. Finley's character drove me up the wall at times with her decisions and behavior but I never disliked her character. She was still relatable. I enjoyed Theo's character but would have loved a deeper dive into his background and thought process. All of the secondary characters were delightful. I loved Finley's friend group and how supportive they were. There was so much character growth in this story and it was so glorious to see. Both main characters go through a transformation. 

This romance was just so darn cute. It was so obvious that Theo had a thing for Finley from the start. They had the best banter and their chemistry was palpable. I loved how their romance was so organic and natural. Theo's grovel at the end of the book was pretty epic and it melted my heart a bit. 

Overall, this is an adorable story full of betrayal, revenge, and personal growth. The main character goes on quite a personal journey in her quest for revenge and finds closure and love along the way. The secondary characters were a delight and the plot had me completely hooked. Pick this one up if you enjoy sweet young adult sports romance with compelling characters and a riveting premise. 

PLAYLIST

BETTER THAN REVENGE - TAYLOR SWIFT

WHO'S AFRAID OF LITTLE OLD ME? - TAYLOR SWIFT

FALLIN' (ADRENALINE) - WHY DON'T WE

SEIZE THE POWER - YONAKA

BAD BLOOD - TAYLOR SWIFT

SOMETHING THAT I WANT - GRACE POTTER

IMGONNAGETYOUBACK - TAYLOR SWIFT

MONSTER - STARSET

INFECTION - MEMPHIS MAY FIRE

DANCING WITH THE DEVIL - SET IT OFF

CAN U SEE ME IN THE DARK? - HALESTORM, I PREVAIL

VULTURES - MISTERWIVES, PVRIS

CHEMICALS - MATT HANSEN

BOIS LIE - AVRIL LAVIGNE, MGK

MY DEMONS - STARSET

LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO - TAYLOR SWIFT

WHEN THE PARTY'S OVER - UNSECRET STRING QUARTET, UNSECRET

HERE WITH ME - MARSHMELLO, CHVRCHES

WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING [REBORN] - SET IT OFF

LET YOU DOWN - NF

FEEL IT - D4VD

FALLING FROM THE SKY - KAILEE MORGUE, KING MALA

WHAT I'VE DONE - ACOUSTIC VERSION - MARIÉ DIGBY

OFF MY FACE - JUSTIN BIEBER

CAN'T KNOCK ME DOWN - PRETTY PANTHER, ANNA MAE

Kasie West is the author of many YA novels, including The Fill-in Boyfriend, P.S. I Like You, Lucky in Love, and Listen to Your Heart. Her books have been named ALA-YALSA Quick Picks, JLG selections, and ALA-YALSA Best Books for Young Adults. When she’s not writing, she’s binge-watching television, devouring books, or bury-ing her toes in the sand of the Central Coast. Kasie lives in Fresno, California, with her family. You can find her online at kasiewest.com

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