Harper Jenkins is the type of journalist where she can make a celebrity spill their guts. She's warm and inviting, which allows her to light up every room she's in. Although Harper loves her work, her parents do not understand her, her sister never defends her, and her boyfriend barely pays attention. Her life is thrown for a loop when her ex-fling, Ryan, begins working at her magazine. As old feelings begin to rage, Harper tries to her best to navigate their complicated relationship.

I really enjoyed the central relationship between Harper and Ryan. He was the type of man you want in your life attentive, thoughtful, supportive, but still can challenge you. Reading how their personalities clashed, but then reading how they came together was a beautiful experience. I think where I became slightly unengaged was with the overall plot. They had some communication issues that dragged on for me. Overall, the story was still fun, and if your looking for a lighter read this is perfect.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this read. This was fun. The conversations were good and Harper drive for herself was fun. It was an all around good read. It surely was slow burn but it was realistic in that sense as it took long for them to get along but it was real good time getting there.

Harper Jenkins is late. She is often late, but she has a way of being in the right place at the right time. Or maybe it’s the write time, since she’s able to score some of the hottest celebrity interviews for the magazine she works for. The actors who have been burned by the press will still open to her, because she’s just that good at her job.

However, her boss Cosmo, is not a fan of celebrities. He thinks that her pieces are fluff, not that he’s actually read any of them. So when he hires in Ryan Jansson as the new features editor, Harper is not impressed. Cosmo clearly favors him, despite her years of service to the magazine. And what’s worse, Harper and Ryan have a history that she doesn’t want to talk about or even acknowledge. That had happened when she was just starting out, as an intern. Now she’s an adult, she’s an established journalist, and she’s dating a hot guy who is starting his own talent agency.

And then there’s Ryan, sitting next to her at work with his uncluttered desk where he uses a book barrier to keep Harper’s chaos at bay. But when Cosmo insists that Ryan take over one of Harper’s interviews, one that she spent weeks jockeying for, she is livid. Ryan suggests that they go together to the interview, and Cosmo finally agrees, but Harper is still angry. And that brings up a lot of memories for her.

When Harper was just out of school and scored an internship with a newspaper, she showed up to start and found out that she wasn’t the only intern. Ryan was also there, interning alongside her and competing for the one job that would be available at the end. Near the end of the summer, they were offered an article together, a chance to get their name in print for the first time. And that went well for them. And then it didn’t.

And now he’s back, making Harper’s life more difficult and having to get the last word in their every fight. And there are a lot of fights. But having to do this interview together may give them a second chance, or at least a start of something more civil. But when Cosmo intervenes again, will Harper find a way to work through her anger, or will she have the last word with Ryan, ending their partnership forever?

Katy Birchall is back with The Last Word, an enemies-to-lovers story about two journalists who love to fight as much as they love to write. These characters leap off the page with energy and emotions, whether they are fighting, kissing, or helping a famous actor give birth in a taxi. Birchall’s writing takes a familiar romance trope or two and elevates it to a sparkling story filled with celebrities, chaos, competition, coffee, and a comped trip to Florence.

I am a huge fan of Birchall’s rom coms. I adore her characters as strong women who are flawed but endearing, and I would love to have any or all of them as good friends. But Harper is so aspirational to me. Sure, she’s chronically late and struggles with self-esteem (who wouldn’t, with those parents?), but she is persistent and takes creative risks and brings out the best in the people around her. Although there are a lot of things that are obvious about the storyline of a rom com, I still found several pleasant surprises in this one, and I loved the path that Harper made for herself at the end.

I think that anyone who loves rom coms and hasn’t yet discovered Katy Birchall’s books are missing out. The Last Word is a perfect weekend read for the pool, the patio, or the air conditioning this summer.

Egalleys for The Last Word were provided by St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.

I always enjoy a good enemies to lovers story and The Last Word didn't disappoint.

Harper and Ryan have history. They met roughly ten years before as interns and their potential love story fell apart dramatically then. Now they are working together again. No one knows about their past and Harper has decided it's easier that way. So when the barbed comments start flying, their co-workers can't help but watch their antics and wonder what drives such intense emotions. As time goes on, their old emotions surface and the hate starts looking more like it could be unrequited love. But what is Harper supposed to do with those feelings after all this time?

The chemistry between these two is off the charts. I loved their banter and back and forth bickering. It was sometimes frustrating that Harper couldn't ever see the good in Ryan even when he went out of his way to do nice things for her. She'd acknowledge it for about a second and then become side-tracked by some other work related drama where she felt slighted.

This is definitely one of those books where a lot of time and energy could have been saved if they'd only talked things through but then we wouldn't have had a book. And I wouldn't have been able to become so invested in Harper and Ryan's potential HEA.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW:: The narration was perfection. I loved the way it pulled me into the story even more that reading it, if that's possible. Also, I felt as if I could hear Harper's snakiness when she was giving Ryan trouble. Likewise, you could hear Ryan's cool and calm responses. It was quite enjoyable. 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Adorable 😍

First, already a huge Birchall fan 💖

Enemies to lovers, second chances, work place drama, and a lovable yet hot mess main?! Yep.

This was a cute read I couldn’t put down. Perfect book for all the rom-com lovers out there.

And Harper? RELATABLE. If you are not a Harper then your best friend definitely is. Mix it with Ryan, Harper’s polar opposite and it’s perfect.

Read this one.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read/review this book.

Cute office romance crossed with enemies to lovers. I did enjoy the back and forth bickering full of sexual tension. Harper grows a lot over the course of the book, both personally and professionally and Ryan is there to love her through it all!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

>>>3.5/5<<<

This was such an entertaining read. Quite fast to read, as I wanted to get to know what had happened previously with our main characters. I loved hearing about Harper's job and her life, it was always so interesting and Harper was definitely a fun character to follow. Always late but always onto the next big story. She's quite chaotic, but you can't help loving her and her passion for her job. I would have hoped this one was a dual POV, I always find it hard not knowing what is going on in the other character's head and I feel like you don't get to understand them and their actions completely without it.

I enjoyed how Ryan was different when he was with Harper, it was so cute to see him more open and more talkative. I really loved his character, he was quite discreet but always trying his best to do the right thing, so precious. It was sometimes frustrating to see how easily Harper could put the blame on him when you could tell he was so head over heels with her and definitely only doing what he thought was the good thing to do. I mean, in the end there was really no good reaction for him cause no matter what he did, Harper would have been mad, that’s for sure. She was way too fast into putting the blame on him, and it was hard to get past that. I also wished Ryan would have fought harder. But he’s not very talkative and all, I get it, but still. It’s like they did not learn from their previous mistake. (view spoiler) There were some really nice side characters that I couldn't help but love!

Overall, the story was well done and it was not too focused on what I did find a little problematic so I really enjoyed my read anyways.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and the author for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

My goodness! I loved this one! I absolutely flew through the pages wanting more of Ryan and Harper's relationship and banter. They were such a perfect couple and had me laughing out loud at their back and forth (which is very hard to do for me). I loved this one so much! It felt very reminiscent of Emily Henry's writing style.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I want to preface that I loved Katy Birchall's 'The Wedding Season' so I was excited to receive an eARC of this book and had very high expectations. Like her previous novel, this novel is an easy read and gives you all the feels with a nice mix of enemies-to-lovers and second chance romance. However, I felt that it was a bit lacking. Each character seemed fleshed out and relatable but I couldn't see the attraction between the main characters apart from being told that they were previously involved romantically. I would have appreciated more fleshed out flashbacks as I didn't really get why they previously liked each other. Additionally, the final conflict between them seemed very childish of Harper. While I preferred Birchall’s other books, this was still nice to read and had me engaged throughout.

Katy Birchall does it again! I really enjoyed her previous contemporary romance, 'The Wedding Season' and jumped on the chance to read 'The Last Word'. Pretty much every trope I love is in this book: second chance romance, rivals-to-lovers, workplace romance. The characters are witty and funny and still a little bit in love with each other. What I really liked was that Harper and Ryan are individuals, they're complete characters on their own. Getting back together doesn't complete them, it just enhances who they are and what they have. Birchall is so good at creating relationships that really let the characters shine because of each other. Excellent, excellent read!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I typically stay away from second chance romance books because I often find the author struggles with developing the characters in the past relationship and in the present. This was one of the better books of this trope I have read. This book did a really good job of developing the characters’ backstories and developing the characters as individuals. I came to like both characters independently before really getting the full picture of them together.

This was such a cute, fun read. It was a quick fun enemies to lovers with an overwhelmingly positive message of doing what makes you happy.

Harper is a workaholic who puts everything into her work (her heart included) and when her work nemesis joins her magazine, it’s all on the line.

I really liked Ryan, shy and self conscious but open and always ready to argue with Harper. Harper was so incredibly frustrating at times, but she was so real.

We have a really solid cast of characters that work together really well, and I think the pacing is just right. The flashbacks aren’t overdone which I appreciate. I’m just bored of the third act break-up, it’s so frustrating every single time.

Overall, a very solid romance and I highly recommend! Thank you to Macmillan and Katy Birchall for the review copy! All thoughts are my own.

This was such a fun, feel good story, I breezed through in a couple of days and really enjoyed it!

It has many of tropes we love that makes us kick our feet in the air and giggle like teenagers:
- enemies to lovers
- work rivals + forced proximity
- slow burn
- second chance romance
- grumpy / sunshine
- banter
- chaos

Harper is one of my favorite heroines in romcom. She is chaotic yes, but she is so smart and funny and resourcefull and a pocketful of sunshiney mess. Everyone likes her, from her readers, to colleagues, to work collaborators to celebrities. Even I, as a reader, loved her work.

All nice and cool until Ryan enters the scene. Then you get yourself a story with the vibes of The Hating Game: office rivals shenanigans, a hero who was crazy about her but too in his head to do something about it, sharp dialogue and a slow burn that can only translate into insane chemistry and sexual tension that made the art department place bets on the whens and hows.

Ryan is a cinamonroll in disguise and they complement each other so well! I loved how he always believed in the heroine, even when she didn't, even whe he thought he hated her and always showed his appreciation in small moments. They were cute and funny and had sparks flying from the get go.

If you are looking for a light, smart and funny romcom set in the journalism world, I totally recommend this for the summer!

*review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest opinion, thank you!

Harper Jenkins is a journalist at a well-known magazine, and has worked very hard to gain the position of Celebrity Editor. Her kind and caring nature make her the perfect candidate for celebrity interviews because she genuinely cares about their answers and wants to show them in their best light. Everything was going brilliantly in her career until a glimpse of her past arrived in the form of Ryan, a coworker from her early days in journalism. Ryan shakes things up for Harper in ways that she never could have expected.

A cute office romance with a little “enemies-to-lovers” trope mixed in, The Last Word is easy to get immersed in quickly. The beginning of the book really focuses on Harper and how much of herself she really invests into her career. It was nice to have so much time devoted to the Main Character and what truly makes her someone to root for. Harper immediately comes off as confident, caring and incredibly good at her job. It was an interesting juxtaposition after her confidence took a hit and she came across much whinier.

The slow build of the relationship was brilliantly done and the chemistry was undeniable in very typical Katy Birchall fashion. I’ve read a couple of her books by now and have never been disappointed by the relationships, and this book is no different. It is always wonderful to see a couple where they are always trying to build one another up to the best of their ability. There were a few situations where I didn’t agree at all with their actions, but going into detail would leave far too many spoilers.

The only part of the book that I took any issue with whatsoever was the last quarter of the book. While I know it is necessary to have conflict, I thought the method with which it was done was repetitive. The conflict broke the beautiful flow that the rest of the book had built up so nicely. It also seemed to dismiss what the characters had gone through and took away from some of their growth that had developed throughout the novel. It is always a disappointment to trip at the finish line and I think that is what has happened here.

Overall, I had a great deal of fun with the book. I flew through it, loving the characters (especially the side characters) and the tension.

3.5/ 5 stars rounded up for characters and tension.

2 Spice

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

I love the enemies to lovers trope and adding in the work place was definitely fun. This was a fun slow burn romance which made you really root for the two main characters. Their history definitely added a good spark to their timeline.

I'm a sucker for enemies-to-lovers workplace rom-coms and this one delivered! Harper and Ryan had such great banter and a love/hate relationship. This also had character depth and growth, along with some family drama. This is a great summer read!

Journalist and celebrity editor at a popular magazine, Harper has a lot of things going for her; she’s dominating the industry with her kind-hearted ability of having everyone confide in her. She loves her job, that is, until her jackass of a boss hires someone from her past. Ryan and Harper interned together 10 years ago and had a brief romance, until she found out he betrayed her. Through months of arguing and making the office feel awkward, the two are forced to work on a scoop together. The chemistry is undeniable and unresolved feelings start to resurface.

The Last Word is a fast paced, witty, and entertaining, enemies to lovers and second chance romance story. While it’s mostly based at or regarding the workplace, I enjoyed that there were other things in Harper's life to focus on. I especially enjoyed the flashbacks to the past. You may not relate to her profession but, I feel like there’s a little bit of Harper that everyone can relate to. There was barely a moment when Mimi, her best friend, didn't make me laugh. The romance was so sweet, they balanced each other out well. I really liked Ryan, and what they brought out in each other. Overall, I found it to be an adorably entertaining and funny rom com!

Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for a copy of this ARC!

Thank you for an advance copy of this book!

I enjoyed this book, and it kept me entertained (I also ready it pretty quickly, which I liked). But, it still left me feeing...a little unsatisfied? I was lukewarm on this author's last book, so I thought I would give this one a try to see if my feelings had changed. And, while I enjoyed this one, I didn't love it and probably won't purchase it of Amy shelves.

It was a SOLID three star rating for me. I never considered rating it higher, but I never once read through it thinking it was less than what it is - an engaging, cute book that serves as a great palate cleanser between reads. Even though I wouldn't buy this, I would read more by this author. These are just not re-read books for me.

Rating: 3⭐️

The Last Word by Kat Birchall is a fascinating enemies to lovers, workplace romance with second chances as the two main characters’ paths cross again. It is described as The Hating Game meets Beach Read & I can totally see that!

These two bring the heat to the enemies part of enemies to lovers. Their banter borders on bickering as their draw to one another is unstoppable.

I thought that the workplace setting revolving around journalism, & specifically celebrity based journalism, was very interesting. It aptly described the negative connotation many have with celebrity news & “gossip” as well as the necessity of moral journalists like the main character Harper & the goodness in others she brings forth. I loved the hero Ryan & his confidence & appreciation of Harper & her work. Harper’s coworkers & friendly acquaintances in her field were a delight & made for a wonderful support system. Harper went on quite the journey throughout this book & it was an interesting adventure to read along with. I also really appreciated the ending & how everything came together.

Massive thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin’s for the free arc, which I voluntarily read & reviewed

Loved this book and the interactions between the characters! Would read more by this author. Cute, relatively quick read.