Better Than Revenge Summary, Characters and Themes
Better Than Revenge by Kasie West is a contemporary young adult novel that explores themes of betrayal, self-discovery, resilience, and empowerment.
It follows high schooler Finley James, a passionate aspiring podcaster, whose dreams are shattered when her boyfriend Jensen betrays her by stealing her podcast idea.
What starts as a plan for petty revenge evolves into a journey of redefining purpose, discovering personal strength, and embracing authenticity.
With a balance of humor, emotion, and romance, the novel captures the messy, transformative moments of adolescence and reminds readers that the best kind of revenge is reclaiming your own power.
Summary
Finley James is confident that she’s about to land her dream role as host of the school podcast, a goal she’s been working toward for years.
She prepares a strong pitch and eagerly awaits the results.
But her world is rocked when her boyfriend, Jensen, unexpectedly decides to audition using the exact same idea Finley developed—and is selected as one of the hosts alongside another girl named Ava.
Finley is pushed into a behind-the-scenes research role.
Hurt and blindsided, she confronts Jensen, only to find that he doesn’t show any remorse.
The final blow comes when Jensen mocks her abilities live on the podcast.
She breaks up with him and decides that instead of just nursing her wounds, she’s going to get even.
With the support of her close friends—Deja, Maxwell, and Lee—Finley starts compiling a list of small-scale acts of revenge.
Though the tone is humorous, her pain runs deep.
During one of her stunts, she crosses paths with Theo Torres, a former football player recovering from a torn ACL and harboring his own grudge against Jensen.
Theo catches her mid-prank but doesn’t report her.
Instead, he becomes intrigued by her boldness.
They continue to run into each other, and Theo’s guarded demeanor begins to soften.
When Finley gets the idea to try out as the football team’s kicker—essentially taking something from Jensen like he took from her—Theo surprisingly agrees to train her.
Training with Theo proves difficult but empowering.
Finley faces one failure after another but slowly begins to improve.
She attends weight training sessions with the team, builds her strength, and endures taunts from Jensen and others.
However, some teammates begin to respect her effort.
Finley’s transformation extends beyond athletics.
Her beloved grandmother, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, has a particularly frightening episode that prompts Finley to reflect on the bigger picture.
She realizes that time is precious and bitterness may be costing her more than she thought.
Amidst her physical challenges, Finley begins to reassert herself creatively, contributing bold ideas to the school podcast even though she’s not in the spotlight.
Meanwhile, her relationship with Theo deepens.
They share personal stories, frustrations, and eventually a kiss.
But cracks start to show when Deja calls Finley out for being so consumed by revenge that she’s ignoring her friends’ needs.
The confrontation stings but is necessary.
Soon after, the football coach announces a surprise tryout for the kicker position.
Finley musters the courage to show up, surprising everyone, especially Jensen.
Her performance earns her the role of backup kicker.
After tryouts, a fight with Theo leads to their temporary fallout.
He accuses her of doing everything just to hurt Jensen, not for herself.
Finley is shaken and begins questioning her motives.
A heartfelt conversation with her grandma helps her see the truth: this journey has become about reclaiming her identity, not proving a point.
With a new sense of clarity, Finley records a personal podcast episode that unexpectedly garners praise and opportunity.
In the final stretch of the story, Finley stands her ground against Jensen one last time.
Ava, seeing things clearly now, apologizes for enabling Jensen’s behavior.
Theo also returns, apologizing and encouraging her to keep pursuing what she loves.
Finley’s growth culminates in a pivotal football game where she’s called to kick after Jensen fails under pressure.
She nails it, winning the game and earning not just cheers but real validation.
The book closes two months later with Finley feeling grounded and happy.
Her podcast is gaining attention, her relationship with Theo is blossoming, and she continues training with the team.
She’s no longer driven by vengeance—she’s focused on her future, her passions, and being true to herself.
Characters
Finley James
Finley is the driving force of the novel, a complex character who begins her journey filled with ambition, hurt, and a thirst for justice. As an aspiring podcaster, she is initially portrayed as passionate, diligent, and confident in her craft.
However, when her boyfriend Jensen steals her podcast idea and wins the position she covets, her world is turned upside down. The betrayal not only wounds her emotionally but strikes at her very identity, revealing her vulnerabilities and insecurities.
In response, Finley launches into a mission of revenge, but what starts as pettiness gradually transforms into a path of self-discovery. Through her decision to train as a football kicker—a role traditionally dominated by boys—Finley begins to reclaim her confidence.
Her evolution is gradual and messy, marked by moments of doubt, conflict with friends, and a fractured relationship with Theo. Her strength, however, lies in her resilience and capacity to reflect.
By the end, Finley no longer seeks validation through retaliation. Instead, she channels her pain into personal growth, rekindles her passion for podcasting, and redefines her sense of self.
Her arc from betrayal to empowerment makes her an emotionally resonant and inspiring protagonist.
Theo Torres
Theo is introduced as Jensen’s nemesis and a reluctant ally to Finley. Initially enigmatic and aloof, Theo’s true character is revealed through his slow-burn connection with Finley.
Injured and sidelined from his role as the football team’s kicker due to a torn ACL, Theo is wrestling with his own disappointment and lost dreams. His guarded demeanor masks a deep well of hurt and pride.
His willingness to help Finley train reflects a complicated mix of motives—perhaps part revenge against Jensen, but largely a desire to see someone succeed where he couldn’t. His dynamic with Finley becomes central to the story’s emotional core.
He challenges her, calls out her real motivations, and eventually opens up about his fears and failures. Theo’s arc is a redemptive one: he begins as a brooding outsider and transforms into a compassionate partner and mentor.
His return in the final chapters, coupled with his apology and encouragement for Finley to pursue podcasting again, shows his growth into someone who values authenticity and emotional vulnerability.
Jensen
Jensen operates as the story’s antagonist, though he is not evil in the traditional sense. His betrayal of Finley is not just a romantic slight but a professional and emotional betrayal.
This fracture in trust shatters her identity and self-worth. Jensen is ambitious and opportunistic, willing to use Finley’s idea to advance his own goals without remorse.
His casual dismissal of her hurt, both in private and publicly on the podcast, marks him as emotionally shallow and arrogant. Yet, he also represents a very real and believable type of antagonist.
He is the charming, socially savvy boy who manipulates perceptions while shirking accountability. Over the course of the novel, Jensen attempts to downplay Finley’s accomplishments and reassert control.
She gradually breaks free from his influence. His downfall is not dramatic but rather quiet and internal.
By the end, his power over Finley fades not because she defeats him directly, but because she no longer needs his validation. He becomes a symbol of everything she has outgrown.
Deja
Deja, Finley’s best friend, is a grounding force in the story. She is loyal, funny, and supportive, but not without her own emotional depth.
As Finley becomes increasingly obsessed with her revenge plan, Deja serves as the voice of reason. She urges Finley to consider the consequences of her actions and how they affect those around her.
Their friendship hits a rough patch when Deja confronts Finley for being self-centered and emotionally unavailable. This conflict adds nuance to Deja’s role.
She is not simply a sidekick, but someone with her own boundaries and emotional needs. Her confrontation with Finley is a turning point.
It pushes the protagonist to reevaluate her motives and relationships. Deja represents the theme of friendship as a mirror—reflecting the truths we sometimes don’t want to see, but need to.
By the novel’s end, their friendship is mended through honesty and mutual growth. This affirms the importance of genuine connection and emotional reciprocity.
Ava
Ava starts as a peripheral character and potential accomplice in Jensen’s betrayal. She secured the co-host spot on the podcast.
Initially seen as complicit, her arc subtly shifts as she begins to question her choices. In a key moment of reconciliation, Ava apologizes to Finley for staying silent during the injustice.
This apology, though small in the broader narrative, plays a significant role in the theme of accountability. Ava’s character arc is one of quiet redemption.
She evolves from a passive enabler to someone willing to admit fault and seek forgiveness. She highlights how complicity can stem from fear or insecurity.
Her growth reinforces the novel’s message that people can change when they choose to confront uncomfortable truths.
Finley’s Grandma
Finley’s grandmother is the emotional heart of the novel. She offers wisdom and stability amid the chaos of high school politics and personal drama.
Battling Alzheimer’s, she represents memory, legacy, and the fragility of time. Her moments of lucidity are profoundly impactful.
They offer Finley clarity and encouragement at critical junctures. In particular, her advice to choose joy over resentment, and love over pride, serves as a moral compass for Finley’s journey.
The podcast interviews Finley conducts with her grandmother preserve not just personal stories but also emotional truths. These moments ground the protagonist’s actions in something deeper than revenge.
Even as her memory fades, the grandmother’s influence endures. She shapes Finley’s emotional growth and perspective on what truly matters.
Themes
Betrayal and Rebuilding Identity
Finley’s journey begins with a sharp and deeply personal betrayal when Jensen, her boyfriend, steals her podcast idea and uses it to win a position she had long dreamed of. This act not only breaks her heart but also strikes at the core of her self-image as a driven and capable individual.
What makes this betrayal particularly damaging is that it disrupts not just her romantic life, but also her professional ambitions. It challenges her sense of identity.
Finley is forced to confront the reality that someone she trusted chose ambition over honesty. This betrayal initiates a cascade of emotional responses, including humiliation, anger, and a desire for revenge.
However, as the story unfolds, what begins as an attempt to get even gradually transforms into a deeper exploration of who she really is. She begins to reshape her identity not through retaliation, but through resilience.
Her decision to train as a football kicker, an area completely foreign to her, becomes symbolic of her desire to redefine herself. Ultimately, the betrayal becomes a catalyst for growth.
By the end of the novel, Finley emerges not as someone who triumphed over her ex, but as someone who built a new version of herself. That version is rooted in authenticity, confidence, and independence.
The betrayal does not define her. Her response to it does.
Self-Empowerment and Reinvention
Throughout the novel, Finley evolves from a reactive, emotionally devastated girl into someone who takes ownership of her life and future. Initially, her drive to become the football team’s kicker is fueled by a petty desire to hurt Jensen the way he hurt her.
But the process of preparing for this challenge—the intense physical training, overcoming fear of judgment, and the quiet support from Theo—starts transforming her. Her revenge plan morphs into something more constructive and empowering.
She discovers that she has untapped potential, not just as an athlete but as a leader and storyteller. Her renewed efforts in the podcast world—especially when she begins to assert her voice again despite being sidelined—showcase her ability to reclaim space that was taken from her.
More than anything, this theme highlights that empowerment doesn’t always begin from a noble place. Sometimes it starts with anger and pain.
But as Finley works through these emotions, she finds that her power comes from within and not from external validation or romantic success. By choosing to pursue both podcasting and football on her own terms, she reinvents herself.
She doesn’t just survive adversity—she transforms because of it.
The Complexity of Female Friendships
Female friendship is another central theme in the novel, particularly as it relates to loyalty, communication, and mutual growth. Finley’s friendships with Deja, Maxwell, and Lee provide her with a safety net of support when her world is collapsing.
However, these friendships are not perfect or without conflict. The strain that develops between Finley and Deja is especially telling.
As Finley becomes consumed by her plans and emotions, she loses sight of her friends’ needs and problems. Deja confronts her, forcing Finley to reevaluate the way she’s been moving through the world.
This confrontation doesn’t immediately fix their issues. But it acts as a turning point for Finley to recognize the value of her friendships outside of her own narrative.
Likewise, Ava, initially seen as an enemy for replacing Finley on the podcast, eventually apologizes and reveals her own guilt. This subplot introduces the idea that women are not always either allies or enemies.
Sometimes they exist in grey zones, influenced by their own insecurities and choices. The healing that occurs between Finley and both Deja and Ava suggests that forgiveness and understanding are essential for growth.
The novel does not idealize female friendships—it shows their messiness and fragility. But it also honors their power to heal and ground us when we’re lost.
Romantic Growth through Accountability
Finley’s relationship with Theo introduces a kind of romantic subplot that contrasts starkly with her toxic history with Jensen. While Jensen is defined by arrogance, manipulation, and a need for control, Theo is characterized by honesty, vulnerability, and emotional challenge.
He supports Finley’s transformation, but he also calls her out when he believes her motivations are misguided. Their romantic arc is filled with friction, misunderstandings, and separation.
These elements serve a larger purpose. Rather than being a romantic fantasy, their relationship becomes a site for personal accountability and mutual respect.
Theo’s own backstory—dealing with a sports injury, losing his future plans, and being replaced by Jensen—mirrors Finley’s, creating a layered connection between them. Their bond is not just about shared pain but also about shared growth.
Theo refuses to let Finley continue a path of self-destruction disguised as ambition. Their eventual reconciliation is not about dramatic declarations but about quiet understanding and mutual recognition of each other’s worth.
By choosing to be with someone who respects her boundaries and challenges her constructively, Finley redefines what love looks like. It’s not about being rescued or validated—it’s about being seen and accepted as you are, even while you’re still becoming.
Family and Emotional Anchoring
Finley’s relationship with her grandmother serves as an emotional cornerstone in the story. Her grandmother, who struggles with Alzheimer’s, represents both a source of love and a reminder of life’s fragility.
Their shared podcast sessions become more than a creative outlet—they are moments of clarity, connection, and history. The grandmother’s lucid moments provide Finley with emotional insights that no one else can offer.
She urges Finley to choose joy over resentment and to live fully rather than remain stuck in cycles of revenge or self-doubt. In doing so, the grandmother imparts a generational wisdom that anchors Finley in a deeper sense of purpose.
Her declining memory also serves as a metaphor for time and the importance of acting before it’s too late. Finley’s decision to pursue her passions again, to reach out to her friends, and to forgive others is deeply influenced by the knowledge that life is unpredictable and short.
The novel suggests that family, especially those who truly know and love us, can act as mirrors to our better selves. Even as her grandmother fades, the impact she has on Finley is lasting and profound.
She offers a sense of continuity and emotional grounding in a world where everything else feels uncertain.