Better Than Revenge

by Bea Fitzgerald

*** PRE-ORDER THE THRILLING BOOK FROM BESTSELLING AUTHOR BEA FITZGERALD NOW ***

Nadine Heywood is determined to be the best actress in the world.

Getting into London’s top drama school is just the first step. But there, Nadine comes head-to-head with Harper Moore. Beautiful, brilliant, effortlessly charming, she is everything Nadine isn’t. And immediately Nadine see’s her as more than just her competition.

As their worlds collide against the glitz of Hollywood, they can no longer keep their rivalry private. Splashed over the tabloids, Harper and Nadine are the public’s favourite celebrity feud.

But as the stakes get higher, they start to realise there is more to their passionate hate than meets the eye…

***

Genres: Mystery Thriller, Queer, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Adult, Lesbian

Kindle Edition

Expected publication July 2, 2026

Reviews

[clicktojointhemafia]

so what im hearing is... hot toxic sapphic rivals 😝 gimme.

[Tierney Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my! I was left a bit breathless by this super near-masterpiece! Transitioning (I have discovered) from her usual mythological retellings, Bea Fitzgerald has delivered a searing, contemporary exploration of ambition and obsession that feels both dangerously modern and timelessly operatic.

The intensity of the enemies-to-lovers dynamic is superb! The rivalry between Nadine and Harper isn’t just a plot point, it’s a visceral, all-consuming force. Their evolution from drama school competitors to global tabloid sensations captures the thin, electric line between hatred and desire with incredible precision.

But Ms. Fitzgerald also delivers an incisive critique of celebrity culture. She brilliantly portrays how the public consumes female feuds, showing how Nadine and Harper are both victims of and players in a media landscape that demands their destruction for entertainment. And both women know it and use it. There’s a layer of intellectual depth, when you sit back and think about it, underpinning this high-stakes “game.”

Prose, narrative structure (I loved the clever documentary excerpts), and pacing are flawless. The writing is sharp, witty, and deliciously nasty, maintaining a tension that never wavers. I found myself increasingly hooked as the stakes escalated from the classrooms of London to the glitz of Hollywood. This is a bold, addictive, and expertly crafted story that explores the lengths one will go to stay in someone else’s orbit. Easily one of my favorite reads of the year.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and to NetGalley for the opportunity to enjoy the glitz, the plotting, and the blood in this ARC!

[Jenna (semi-hiatus, out touching grass 🤌🌱…!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5. I’ve written a review before saying something very much along these lines (although comparing two different books), but I need to do it again here: If you read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and said to yourself, “You know, this is great and all, but juuuuasst a little too understated and subtle for me….”


(I know! — said no one ever! lol)


… then this is The Book For You!


This is Evelyn Hugo Extra: Now, with more obsession, deception, manipulation, toxicity, rivalry, envy, and repressed sapphism! It does have all the other Evelyn Hugo Hollywood type stuff as well, including lots of film premieres, awards shows, and vivid descriptions of late 90s/early aughts evening gowns. But it’s basically Evelyn Hugo if there were two of them and they were both bunny boilers fixated on one another. From the moment they meet, these starlets, Harper and Nadine, just don’t know whether they want to kill one another or … you know … fold towels together. Fetch the newspaper together. Let’s say, French braid one another’s hair.


You have to just accept certain levels of hyperbole and suspend your disbelief with this book, just as with Evelyn Hugo. Everyone and Everything is The Most, Forever, period.


The comparison to Evelyn Hugo is also apt because this book really is more of a literary fiction than a thriller, as it may appear from the cover and title. It may be an extremely over the top, dishy, campy story, but the author can write.


Now, I must admit that I wasn’t the biggest fan of Evelyn Hugo either, and so I found this book a little superlative and drawn out and exhausting as well, but I know most people adore Evelyn and so I think many will really love this one too. I really hope they give it a try!


My thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Sourcebooks/Landmark for the ARC of this book, expected for release on August 18, 2026.

[misfantasyfiction ☆ﾟ.*･ · Rating 4 out of 5]

°❀⋆ Better Than Revenge .ೃ࿔*:･

★ ★ ★ ★

‘"Harper Moore and Nadine Heywood? It was always going to end like this: with a body buried six feet under.”'

‘Thelma and Louise meets the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, a book about two actresses whose infamous rivalry has a body count.’ That’s Bea Fitzgerald’s own pitch for this book, and if that didn’t immediately intrigue you as it did me… we clearly don’t have the same taste in thrillers. Because that sounds EXPLOSIVE.

I love a thriller (or any book really) that centres around an elite sport or industry – for instance, I devoured the Favourites last year and it even made it onto my favourite books of the year. If, like me, you loved the Favourites, then I think you’d also love Better Than Revenge. Instead of the world of ice dance, we’re focusing on the equally cutthroat Hollywood. Nadine Heywood and Harper Moore’s rivalry first began when they met as teenagers at a London drama school. What started as vying for the same parts and envy coupled with insecurity has since snowballed into a decades-long feud that has kept the tabloids on their toes. From slandering each other in the press to bar brawls, it seems there is nothing Nadine or Harper won’t do to one-up the other.

The writing is so fast-paced and addictive – I felt like I would blink and I’d read 100 pages – with Nadine’s perspective interwoven with interview transcripts. It’s also deeply rooted in 90s pop culture from style and the dawn of the digital age to what the characters are listening to (Britney Spears, of course) and who’s dominating the headlines that week, which is an aspect of the book that I loved!

I did think the book leaned into some of its more hyperbolic moments, resulting in it feeling almost a bit melodramatic at times. It takes a while for the thriller aspect to kick in, but the ride there is so enjoyable that I had no complaints. Watching Nadine’s stratospheric rise to the top and Harper’s gritty ascension to fame, watching their rivalry play out on screens and behind closed doors was so fun.

If you’re someone who has been begging for the return of true enemies-to-lovers – I’m talking they can’t stand each other at first (and for a long time), look no further. Nadine and Harper’s relationship walks the line between love and hate very tenuously at times, and is so incredibly toxic! I also can’t help but think that this book would be the perfect remedy for a reading slump, as I could not put it down.

Thank you to Michael Joseph and NetGalley for the digital ARC – Better than Revenge is out July 2nd

[Ashleigh Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better Than Revenge follows Harper Moore and Nadine Heywood, who began their rivalry at drama school as teenagers. Now both successful actresses in Hollywood, they can no longer keep their rivalry private. Splashed over the tabloids, Harper and Nadine are the public’s favourite celebrity feud. But as the stakes get higher, they start to realise there is more to their passionate hate than meets the eye…

This was my first book by Bea Fitzgerald, and I ate it up! The premise of this one immediately sucked me in. I would say that this book is comparable to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and The Favourites. The mix of flashback and present day chapters, as well as interview transcripts, created great tension in the narrative. I just KNEW something was building up, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.

Nadine and Harper were both manipulative, petty, and deeply flawed. It was fascinating to follow their relationship from drama students to present day in the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Their interactions were filled with tension, and it was so entertaining to see their rivalry escalate and them both grapple to gain the upper hand. Their relationship was toxic and fuelled by obsession, but, GOD, was it entertaining to read about!

I’d recommend this to anyone looking for an addictive, compelling, and character driven read. Or, fans of Evelyn Hugo who want something a little more bloody!

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for providing me with an eARC. This review is being left voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

[Mia Meaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow what a story. The storyline of two rivalry actresses making it in Hollywood with a mysterious plot unravelling. The tension and the obsession between Nadine and Harper had me hooked. This book reminded me of the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo but with a more thrilling and mysterious take on the story.
I really enjoyed the structure of it switching between timelines and the present day timeline being in a more interview style and getting a glimpse into how other characters perceived the unravelling of events. It felt like watching a documentary of the two characters stories.
The dynamic between the two characters is so toxic and tense but sooo entertaining. It explores what people are willing to do in order to make it big in Hollywood and the environment in which evolves around the industry.
The story had me constantly engaged with well written characters and amazing writing brought to life with the events that occurred. I had no clue where the story was gonna lead to and that was such a strong element of this book. I didn’t know what to expect. There was so much depth built upon the story and characters personalities, it made the story even more rich in excellence.
I loved this book thoroughly and would recommend it to anyway wanting to read a Hollywood thriller about characters that aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty.

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this! The relationship between Nadine and Harper was so intense! They were both as toxic and obsessive as each other, i couldnt put it down because i was so invested in what they were going to do to each other next. I also loved the way it was written, a mixture of flashbacks and past tense and then the documentary style present tense made it really interesting and also built up a lot of tension. I loved how you couldnt quite tell if their rivalry was just pure hatred or if there was more to it! Definitely recommend this one its super gripping!

[SurakaJaneBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was FU**ING PHENOMENAL and yall need to read it. Back with a better review soon!

[Lizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me gripped within the first few pages, and would not let go! I devoured it like it was air. My obsession with this book is only rivalled by Nadine and Harper’s obsession with each other.

The book opens with Hollywood actress Harper Moore being arrested for murder, and then the rest of the book is told in chronological flashbacks narrated by Harper’s rival, Nadine Heywood. She takes us back to the beginning of their rivalry at drama school, which quickly escalates in the height of the late 90s, early 00s paparazzi culture of Hollywood. In between these chapters, we get transcriptions from a Netflix-style documentary made after Harper’s arrest, in which Nadine and many of their other mutual acquaintances discuss the rivalry, their history, and – crucially – whether they think Harper did in fact do it.

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The swapping of these two styles and perspectives was absolutely genius. Nadine definitely has her blind spots, which were filled in by some of the other interviewees on the documentary, but there were also things only she knew that we got to find out before anyone else. It was such a vivid way to experience this story.

The driving force of the book is, of course, the relationship between Nadine and Harper. They come in and out of each other’s lives, they know exactly how to push each other’s buttons, and they kept us on our toes the whole time. Because the book was told from Nadine’s perspective, we never had any idea what Harper’s motivations were, what she was going to do next, and while sometimes she acted predictably, sometimes she didn’t. Sometimes she caused Nadine to act unpredictably too, which was just as fun to read.

The third main character, as it were, is the paparazzi and the press. Both Nadine and Harper use the press to their advantage, both working together and against each other, but they are also at its mercy. They use it to get each other’s attention, or to distract from something they want buried, but they also – Nadine especially – suffer at the hands of the press. They were this looming presence throughout the whole novel, putting both the characters and the reader on edge.

This book took me on such a journey, and I loved every second of it! These characters will stay with me for a long time after reading this book, and I hope it has all the success it deserves.

I received a free copy for an honest review.

[Mauireadsbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

This book gave me major The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibes and since I devoured that book, the same happened here.

We know Bea Fitzgerald mostly from Greek mythology books. But it seems she's trying out other genres as well. First with 'Then Things Went Dark', a true crime thriller about reality television and now with Better Than Revenge, This is a book that can be put in various genres: crime, thriller, romance, fiction, ... it has a bit of everything and it all comes together beautifully.

In Better Than Revenge, we follow Hollywood actresses Nadine and Harper and their years long feud on and off screen. You immediately get sucked into not only this story but the rivalry between the two women. It's an all consuming kind of relationship and while the women are constantly surrounded by other people throughout their lives, the only real and constant thing they have is each other. I adored their rivalry, the tension building, the plot, EVERYTHING about this.

She also perfectly depicts a horrible reality: women will always be pitted against each other in media outlets. And it's really interesting to see how the main characters here struggle with that too. Where is the line between actually hating each other and playing a role for the cameras? Where is the line between what's real and what's pretend? Where's the line between hate and love?

The format of this book is also great. There's the actual telling of all the events that happened but between those we get excerpts from interviews. It assured that I was completely drawn into the story and had a hard time putting it down. It's one thing for an author to make you attached to characters in their story, but it's another thing when the characters are supposed to be 'real' Hollywood stars alongside icons like Britney Spears. And Bea really made me believe every word they said and everything they did. Damn!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a deliciously toxic sapphic thriller where obsession, ambition, and rivalry collide, blurring the lines between revenge and self-destruction.

I have been a big fan of Bea Fitzgerald since I first found her Greek mythology videos on TikTok years ago. She is an auto-buy author for & this is a strong contender for my top book of the year - I couldn’t put it down!

Nadine Heywood is determined to be the best actress in the world. At London’s top drama school, she clashes with Harper Moore: rich, charming, and effortlessly talented, she’s everything Nadine wants to be. Their bitter rivalry follows them from student stages to the glamour of Hollywood, where the feud becomes tabloid obsession. Things turn dangerously deadly between Nadine and Harper - and not everyone will make it out alive…

I ate this book up, it is everything I love in a story: messy drama, glitz and glamour, & a gripping narrative. Nadine and Harper were so brilliantly written - I wanted to shout at them to grow up but also to keep going! It’s a fantastic critique on the way the media consumes women and pits them against each other - Nadine and Harper are alternately using the media for their own gain, and suffering at its hands. They dance around the thin line between love and hate, and the tension really crackles. I could not tell where the story was going, and was stunned by the twists - I thought I had it worked out but was proven wrong! I loved the excerpts from interviews and headlines, which really brought the story to life and made it feel like a scandalous tell-all. The scenes were so vividly described I felt like I could picture the characters and feel Nadine’s rollercoaster of emotions.

This is perfect for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Whatever Happened to Madeline Stone? & The Favourites.

A huge thank you to Penguin Michael Joseph & NetGalley for the advance copy!

[Marie Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the structure of the novel with dual timelines and multiple narrative points of view. The combination of dramatic and narrative structural features played into the setting, content and characters of the story. What really intrigued me was the shift from Nadine's pov to the omniscient narrator, often reading like the stage directions of a play, shifting my perspective from being in the action with Nadine, to sitting behind the fourth wall, looking in. This was a really clever structural device that kept me engaged throughout the plot but also had me questioning Nadine's authenticity: was she a reliable narrator or as bad as some of the other characters portrayed her?

The writing is highly engaging, interesting and well-executed. Both Harper and Nadine's characters are brought to life through their rivalry, actions and dialogue; the detailed descriptions of the film-making industry, paparazzi and awards' ceremonies created a realistic setting for the story, heightening my enjoyment of the plot.

I genuinely had no idea where this story was headed and this is what kept me hooked. Despite so much happening between these two women, the events were believable; although I did question Nadine's motivations and choices at certain points, I still rooted for her. The most moving aspect of this whole novel though was how entwined two people's lives can be; how - despite everything - they can remain in each other's orbits, colliding, damaging, destroying each other piece by piece. And yet how simultaneously they can rely on that toxicity to keep them relevant, in the public eye, marketable. Two women, two lives, two careers converging in the best possible way.

This has been an exciting, gripping, thrilling read from the very first page to the very last. And the ending? I wouldn't have been satisfied had it concluded any other way.

[Booksta]

Thanks so much to Landmark for the free book!


I wanted to love this book. Like wanted to love it. The premise had me absolutely seated: Hollywood rivalry, messy fame, obsession, drama school flashbacks, scandal, blood… basically everything my chaotic little reader heart usually eats up. 💅🎬

But unfortunately… this one just wasn’t for me.

The story follows Nadine and Harper—two actresses locked in a feud so intense it’s basically its own love language. Their rivalry is iconic, poisonous, obsessive, and honestly? The concept is chef’s kiss. The “Thelma & Louise meets Evelyn Hugo” vibe sounded like it was going to deliver cinematic, glamorous chaos.

And it did deliver chaos…

…but for me, it didn’t deliver the emotional punch I was craving.

Instead of feeling hooked, I found myself kind of… waiting for it to hit that moment where everything clicks and you’re like “OH MY GOD.” The tension was there, the drama was there, the stakes were there—yet I never fully connected with the characters in the way I wanted to. Nadine and Harper were fascinating to watch, but not necessarily easy to root for, and the pacing sometimes felt more like simmering than truly burning.

It’s giving: ✨ glittering Hollywood drama
✨ toxic obsession
✨ scandal and ego
✨ “everyone needs therapy” energy

Which is fun, but I needed a bit more depth and payoff.

That said—if you love stories about fame, rivalry, morally messy women, and a slow-build spiral into disaster… you might absolutely devour this. It’s dramatic, sharp, and definitely has that cinematic “this would make a wild adaptation” feel.

For me though?

I closed the book like: okay… slay… but not for me. 😭💔


🎬 Best for: fans of Hollywood thrillers, toxic frenemies, slow-burn suspense
💋 Vibes: glamorous, scandalous, messy, dramatic

Have you read it? Did you love it, or did it also leave you like “wait… that’s it?” 👀📖

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better Than Revenge is a deliciously sharp, slow‑burn Hollywood thriller that revels in obsession, ego, and the kind of rivalry that becomes its own twisted love story. Nadine Heywood and Harper Moore have been circling each other since drama school, their feud so intense it’s practically mythologised — but the novel makes it clear from the start that what binds them runs far deeper than tabloid headlines ever suggest.

The glamour of Hollywood sits in stark contrast to the raw, messy emotions underneath. Nadine’s victory — sweeping every award and finally beating Harper in every category — should feel triumphant, yet it leaves her hollow, haunted by the one person she can’t seem to outrun. And when Harper appears at her door covered in blood, the story shifts into something darker, more intimate, and irresistibly tense. Is this Nadine’s chance to destroy her rival once and for all, or the moment that forces them to confront what they truly are to each other?

The structure is wonderfully addictive: flashbacks charting their infamous clashes, present‑day tension building toward a murder that cements their legacy, and interview excerpts that add a deliciously scandalous edge. It’s Thelma & Louise meets Evelyn Hugo, but with a bite all its own — a tale of two women whose ambition, envy, and fascination with each other blur every line between love and hate.

A salacious, stylish, and emotionally charged thriller about fame, infamy, and the dangerous thrill of having a rival who knows you better than anyone else.

With thanks to Bea Fitzgerald, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[CloseTheClosetDoor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woefully beautiful, desperately winding. I went in blind expecting a fluffy thriller and was delighted to discover a beautifully crafted, deeply carved story of depth.

Nadine and Harper are enemies. Friends. Rivals. Romantic flames? The depth of their rivalry spills the banks of simple relationship labels, reminding readers of that complex relationship most of us have experienced at some point of our lives either first-hand or as a witness. What is apparent from the time they first meet at their prestigious acting school is that their infatuation with each other, and their determination to each take the title as the “best” in their craft, will lead not just to an interesting book of sharp banter and verbal altercations so choreographed you’ll feel like you’re watching a boxing match, but to a relationship with will eventually spell ruin for one of them… or both of them. When Harper comes to Nadine covered in blood, Nadine seemingly holds their fates in her hands.

Better than Revenge weaves through this complex relationship with so much skill that I was hooked from page one. Far from a run-of-the-mill thriller, I was pleasantly pleased by the complex character development, the examinations of reliable and unreliable narrating experiences, sapphic love (obsession?) and the insecurities that drive us to perform.

Pacing is tight and unwrapping the characters is a delight. I rarely feel a read is completely 5 stars, but Better than Revenge pulls it off.

Thank you so much to Bea Fitzgerald, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this book. From the very first page, I was swept into the intoxicating world of Hollywood rivalry, glamour, ego, and ambition. Nadine Heywood and Harper Moore are the kind of characters who leap off the page: sharp, magnetic, deeply flawed, and impossible to look away from. Their long running feud, born in drama school and sharpened under the blinding lights of fame, is equal parts toxic and fascinating. Every scene between them crackles with tension, jealousy, and something far more complicated simmering beneath the surface. The glitz of their careers, the intensity of their relationship, and the deliciously messy world they inhabit kept me turning the pages long after I meant to stop.

What really made this story irresistible was the way it blended glamour with suspense. The structure weaving between past scandals, present day chaos, and interview excerpts for a true crime documentary created a slow burn tension that built beautifully. And when Harper shows up at Nadine’s door covered in blood, the story shifts into a whole new gear. I didn’t want to put it down for a second. The drama, the secrets, the shifting power dynamics, and the blurred line between rivalry and something deeper made this such a compulsive read. It’s scandalous, addictive, and brilliantly character driven. I absolutely loved it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are purely my own.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bea Fitzgerald is a mastermind! Better Than Revenge is a title I had been looking forward to reading for a long time just based on social media teasing and previews, and it absolutely delivered everything I hoped it would, if not more. Fitzgerald already showed her ability to write adult thrillers with Then Things Went Dark, but I believe with this novel, she truly has found her voice in this genre. The novel reads like a fever dream and keeps you in its grasp from start to finish. All the characters are awful people but in the way you just love to hate them, in the same obsessive manner Harper and Nadine hate and love each other. You think you know where the story is going, but then it turns out you do not and you need more. Just, fantastic! This is the type of batshit crazy sapphic novel I need more of in my life. Five stars is the only possible rating I can give, even if my review cannot quite do the book justice due to the adrenaline buzz just thinking about it gives me making only rambling and incoherent praising possible. So please, read it for yourself and be prepared to love (to hate) it!

Thank you, Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House | Michael Joseph & NetGalley, for providing me with the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and views expressed are my own.

[♡ Dia (semi hiatus) ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to #NetGalley and the author for my e-ARC of this book!

WOW. Just… wow. This book didn’t just have drama—it thrived on it, lived in it, paid rent in it. The tension between Nadine and Harper? I’m surprised my screen didn’t start steaming.

There is no Nadine without Harper, and honestly at this point I’m not convinced either of them could function without actively ruining each other’s lives.

The Hollywood setting mixed with sapphic energy and a generous sprinkle of rumors, resentment, and “I hate you but also I’m emotionally tethered to you forever” really elevates this to a five-star experience for me. Like… toxic, but make it cinematic.

“I don’t want to imagine me without you or you without me. Not when what we’ve created is so fascinating. So noteworthy.”

Fascinating? Noteworthy? Try concerning. Try someone get these two a therapist immediately. But also… I could not look away.

Their rivalry from drama school to Hollywood fame is absolutely unhinged in the best way. The level of codependency here? Impressive. Disturbing. Delicious. I ate it up.

Also, the structure with interviews and news articles? So fun, so chaotic, adds to the whole “watching a trainwreck in slow motion but make it stylish” vibe.

This book will hook you instantly—and then refuse to let you go, much like Nadine and Harper refuse to let each other breathe.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
'Better Than Revenge' is so dark, so twisted and runs that fine line of female rivalry and toxicity- a combination that I love. For me Nadine and Harper are not the most likeable of characters and at the 60% mark I was actually very frustrated by their entire back and forth but couldn't turn away from the story. The intensity of their rivalry is ridiculous from the beginning but once you accept it for what it is between them it really succeeds in becoming a page turner because you can't wait to see what extreme act will be coming next.
I love how Fitzgerald leans into the tabloid drama of their story but also by the end what replaced the tenderness that I wanted for them was a constant craving from each woman for the other. Their relationship is an obsession from the very beginning and once they find that in one another they are so intricately connected that one cannot exist fully without the other.
The entire book is a toxic rivalry but their story is a simmering passion, each trying to get under the other one's skin. As much as the entire concept is over the top and as bitter and low as the point scoring goes, what I loved is how Nadine and Harper are two of a kind and their relationship is impossible to look away from. Such a great summer read!

[Rebecca Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️

Let me be straight up, this isn't usually my genre but I will read anything Bea writes and I was not disappointed by this.

If there's one thing I know about Bea Fitzgerald it’s that she is exceptionally skilled in writing a complex character. Hate/Love is a very fine line and she knows how to get you to toe it. The calculated way these people circulate each other should make them cold but I found myself unable to look away.

Our FMCs are so deliciously toxic and just obsessed with each other and it really sets the tone throughout the whole book. You're waiting for the inevitable boom and when it comes it is tasty.

I loved the way the book was set out with the interview set between bits of their history. There’s a juxtaposition in what’s being said that keeps you questioning these two women until the end. I would love to get the story from Harpers POV and see what it was like in her head. Does her take match Nadine’s? We'll probably never know.

I received an advance review copy of this book, and this review represents my honest opinion. Thank you to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Better Than Revenge overall, particularly its theatrical setting and the tension created by the decades-long rivalry between Nadine and Harper. The backdrop of a London drama school was a great fit for this kind of story, giving the novel plenty of ambition, ego and simmering resentment to work with.

The book’s biggest strength is the atmosphere and sense of mystery surrounding the relationship between the two women. The story keeps the reader questioning what really happened between them and why their feud became so consuming over the years, which made for a compelling and suspenseful read.

That said, I never completely bought into the central rivalry itself. While long-held grudges can make for fascinating character dynamics, I found the original conflict less convincing than the intensity of the hatred it eventually produced. As things escalated, some of the emotional beats stretched credibility for me.

Even so, this was an entertaining psychological drama with strong pacing and a clever narrative structure. I admired the plotting and the gradual reveals throughout the novel, even if I didn’t fully connect with the emotional core of the feud.

[Nico :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to #NetGalley and the author for my e-ARC of this book!

“Revenge is what kindles in that empty space, a fire when you have nothing else to keep you warm”

WOW what a book - it’s full of drama and intense scenes between our characters Nadine and Harper.

There is no Nadine without Harper, and vice versa.

The mix of Hollywood themes along with sapphic elements and pure hatred in certain rumours really drive this book to the five star rating for me!

“I don’t want to imagine me without you or you without me. Not when what we’ve created is so fascinating. So noteworthy.”

The rivalry brewing between the two from drama school to Hollywood fame is nothing like I’ve ever read before; being so codependent on an enemy to the point of being consumed by them - amazingly delicious.

The structure of the book incorporating interviews and news articles was very unique and this book will definitely hook you the moment you pick it up!

I’ll definitely venture into more of this authors work!

[Amanda’s_Good_Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better Than Revenge
By Bea Fitzgerald
Release Date: 08/18/2026

This book feels like a classic Hollywood exposé, where interviews reveal unresolved issues and plenty of champagne. It opens with a night that involved murder and reflections from her friends and past acquaintances about who might have done it. The story is set in the early ‘90s and focuses on the rivalry between Harper and Nadine at an elite arts school. Nadine is the talented newcomer, while Harper is driven by calculated ambition. Watching their careers clash over time is half the intrigue. They experience fame in very different ways. One spirals, one adapts, both keep score. Beneath all the public drama are deeper, more complicated: two women who genuinely understand each other better than anyone else ever does. The book really shines in showing how thin the line can be between jealousy, admiration, resentment, and love.
🎬

#beafitzgerald #betterthanrevenge
#sourcebooks
#penguinbooks

[Roman Clodia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh yes, this is my favourite type of holiday reading! Nadine and Harper share one of the most twisted and toxic relationships I've read and yet this is also an intense love story.
From the time they meet at a RADA-esque drama school, the push-pull of their interactions is riveting. That the feud/connection goes on to play out in Hollywood gossip columns, the Oscars, Grammys and other award ceremonies only raises the stakes.

Think glamour, obsession, bitchiness, sex, gorgeous frocks, bad behaviour and a scattering of blood: but the book grounds all the frothy elements with characterisation based on issues of female ambition, failing parents and how women are supposed to behave. Two strong female leads still feels a bit 'alternative' - this book absolutely nails it!

Many thanks to Penguin for an ARC via NetGalley

[Stef · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️

This truly was an intoxicating read that I just couldn’t put down. Both Nadine and Harper are incredible toxic and unlikeable characters but in the best way which made this such an enjoyable read.

I also loved how this was written with the documentary style and the flashbacks as that helped to build up the tension as it progressed.

In someways this did remind me of The Favourites by Layne Fargo (mostly because of the documentary style and toxic characters) but it also felt very different and I enjoyed seeing how this book captured the layers of the Hollywood lifestyle.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Jose Bear · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5

DISCLAIMER – I received an ARC via NetGalley (many thanks) in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever wanted to read a true crime documentary? If the answer is yes, then this is the novel for you.

The dynamic between the two main protagonists did become stale for me on multiple occasions throughout the narrative; however, never for too long, and never to the point where I was begging for it to be over.

The most frustrating element, for me, was waiting for the thing you knew was going to happen from pretty much the start of the story to actually happen!

I hadn���t heard of the author prior to requesting the book, but I think I’m likely to keep an eye out for their next one and have a look at their other offerings.

[Haleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am blownnnnnn away. Wow. I’ve said it 20 times and I will continue to say it, books like these are my absolute favorite. I love alternating chapters between story/plot and interviews with the characters. Better Than Revenge follows a feud spanning from adolescence to adulthood between Nadine and Harper. Just when you think they can’t stoop lower or get worse, THEY DO. But at the end of the day I never could bring myself to hate either one of them fully. I knew the last half of the book was coming, I KNEW it had to end like that but that never stopped my interest and surprise on how everything concluded. If you love messy Hollywood drama, this is the book for you!

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sparks fly when Nadine and Harper initially meet at drama school, and the drama just keeps on coming after that! Their rivalry threatens to potentially reach the legendary heights of the Davis-Crawford Hollywood stories, bursting into the public domain once they have both hit the US scene.

But while the American audience eats it all up, there is more to this story than meets the eye - and it may well be more than either of the protagonists want brought to public attention...

This is a deep dive into celebrity culture and private passions, and an engrossing read. It gets 3.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Shannon bagnall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure how to feel about this one, the plot was clearly laid out, there was no guessing or trying to figure things out so at some points It just fell flat.

However saying that, I did enjoy it.. the characters were entertaining. It was clearly the obsession was built on love from the get go but the way it all played out was great.

There isn’t actually much to say about this book as you would have to read it to understand, which i recommend as it’s such a unique plot and well written.

Overall, a good read and who doesn’t love an enemies to lovers, even when it’s mixed with murder.

* full disclosure I was given this book in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley*

[Kristi Arends · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better Than Revenge is so much more than just a thriller. This is a story of two rival actresses obsessed with trying to ruin each other. Over the course of a decade, they turn frenemies, then turn lovers, and finally, fugitives, maybe..

Bea Fitzgerald did an incredible job writing a captivating slow burn femme thriller that kept me up late into the night reading.

If you liked the movie Thelma and Louise, then I recommend reading Better Than Revenge.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark, for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.