One Old, One New features two books – one old, one new, which are connected in some way. Today I am featuring two books by Kasie West.
Published by Saturday Books on September 16, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
Beloved author Kasie West's sparkling, seductive adult rom-com debut about a hopeless romantic falling for the one man she never expected. This deluxe paperback features beautiful designed edges; order now to receive it while supplies last!
Can a swipe right turn into swept away?
Margot Hart is a hopeless romantic. That’s why she wants to be a literary agent—to help bring romance books to the world. It’s also why she hates dating apps with all her romance loving soul. She wants her own love story to be just as much fun as the books she reads—a mixed up coffee order, a mistaken identity. She’s not going to tell the story that she swiped right on future husband’s shirtless pic for the rest of her life.
The problem is that her most consistent relationship over the last several years is with Oliver, a guy she keeps rematching with on the apps. They’ve only been on one date and it was a disaster…well, until the make out session in the car before parting ways. But, she keeps reminding herself, a make out session does not a relationship make. And so there will not be a date two regardless of how witty their app banter is.
When Margot gets fired from her job on the same day she meets Oliver again, her life becomes a veritable shit show. Her dream career is dying right before her eyes, and Oliver thinks she’s interested in only one thing: a repeat of the hot make out session they had three years ago so she can get him out of her system. And maybe that is all she wants from him, because she and Oliver are definitely not compatible—he doesn’t hit the snooze button, he runs five miles every morning, he reads nonfiction, and worst of all, she didn’t meet him in cute way! But in her scramble to keep her dream career alive, by opening her own agency, Oliver is there with his golden retriever energy, more steady and helpful than any man she’s ever dated. Just when she thinks she’s overcome her app bias, she realizes that maybe it’s not her who’s holding back, but him. And his reasons are more than she bargained for.
Kasie West's romantic and sexy adult debut is full of witty banter, meet cutes gone awry and, ultimately, true love.
Margot was a romantic who dreamed of having her own perfect meet-cute, but the universe never cooperated. It seemed she would have to suffer the cycle of installing and uninstalling dating apps where she continued to match with Oliver time and time again. Maybe the universe was trying to tell her something.
I must confess, I am a die-hard Kasie West fan. I was over the moon to hear she had jumped to a new age group and could not wait to read her adult debut. All the classic Kasie West elements were there - snappy banter, humor, a charming romance, and characters to root for. I wore a stupid grin on my face for most of this book. The reason this is four stars instead of five is a ME problem.
In the latter part of the book, there was a reveal that was a bit shocking, but also, a romance trope I hate. A bit of a stumble for me personally, but it could not erase the rest of the book for me. Here's what I loved!
The premise was a great one. The idea of matching with the same person, over and over again, on dating apps was one I adored, and yes, it's a meet-cute.
The friendship that developed between Oliver and Margot was a fun one. Their history may have begun with a disastrous date, but it grew into something real and stable over the years.
There was also a strong female friendship element featured in this tale. Margot's bestie was a ride-or-die, supportive, and hilarious.
Of course I adored all the bookish stuff. I especially enjoyed the research trip Margot took.
Oliver 😍 was not perfect but he was perfect for me. No, really, I loved that nerdy little golden retriever. Look, I am all about second chances and cannot resist a second-chance romance, and Oliver was worth taking a second chance on.
Overall, West's adult debut was a success for me. She definitely leaned on the comedy in this rom-com which had me laughing lots, but I also easily grew to care for Margot and Oliver as I cheered for them to find their HEA.
*ARC PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER
Published by Delacorte Romance on December 31, 2024
Age/Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
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?
After her (ex) boyfriend stole her podcasting dream, Finley set out to take something from him.
I rarely read young adult books, but I will never pass up an opportunity to read something from Kasie West. As expected, she crafted a story with a lovely focus on family, friendship, and personal growth that was warm and fun with the perfect amount of drama.
Finley had spent years honing her podcasting skills. Being selected to host the school's podcast would open doors for her future, but then, out of nowhere, her boyfriend auditions for and wins the spot. Finley was heartbroken and stinging from his betrayal. I was furious! And my heart ached for Finley, but she was so lucky to have such a dedicated squad of friends who were there to help her in any way possible.
She was also lucky that Theo agreed to coach her as her plan to claim the kicker position on the football team took shape. I adored the way these two gelled. There were a lot of misconceptions about Theo, and I delighted in watching him reveal his true self. He was a very positive force for Finley. She was feeling a bit down on herself, having lost the podcast spot and being publicly humiliated, Theo helped her see herself the way everyone else did. He encouraged her and supported her, and it was really wonderful to watch Cassie pick herself up and dust herself off.
There was a secondary storyline involving Finley's grandmother that I loved as well. Everyone knows I have a soft spot for grandmas. Finley's grandmother was being robbed of her memories, so Finley decided to make a podcast where she recorded her grandmother sharing stories about her life. Some of this story sharing led to a bit of a mystery which was fun to see play out.
Overall, this was another fantastic book from West! I enjoyed rooting for Finley and was really proud of her in the end.
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