I think @katybirchallauthor is becoming one of those go-to authors for me. I enjoy her character’s banter and witty commentary. I love love loved the Secret Bridesmaid. And I really enjoyed this one. I will say this has a very open-door romance scene which is the first for this author (that I’ve read) so I’d warn that going in.

I love a good enemies to lovers trope. I was very annoyed with the protagonist in this book because she’s so untrusting. But given her life (as you’ll read) it makes sense.

Special thank you!!! To @macmillanusa and @netgalley for this advanced copy! This book will hit the shelves on May 2nd so preorder or request your copy today!!

My first Kate Birchall book and I’ll be looking up more of books! I soaked this up in 2 days. Rom-Com described as The Hating Game meets Beach Read. A little too much like The Hating Game for me, however I did love that book, so I didn’t hate it. Harper is a hot mess, always late, messy but a brilliant journalist that cares about people she writes about. Unlike most journalists that write about celebrities she doesn’t write about their downfall for click-bait. Ryan is organized, neat, introverted and slightly uptight. They have a history and are forced to work together again. They banter, drive each other crazy and it’s so obvious to everyone but them that there’s chemistry. People are saying it’s enemies to friends but it’s always a second chance romance. In my head I kept picturing Emilia Clarke as Harper.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

This book started off a little slow. I struggled to get into it however I can say that I’m so glad I stuck it out.

What a great story! There was definitely romance however it felt like a secondary piece of the story. The growth of the FMC was amazing. Her resilience and ability to stand up for herself was really great. It was so nice to see.

This book hit some of my favorite tropes:
Workplace romance
Forced proximity
Grumpy vs sunshine

I’m not one for second chance romances but this one was done really well.

Super cute story. Loved it from the beginning of the book until the end. The main character was amazing and the whole story was perfect.

When I say I loved this book, I mean I LOVED THIS BOOK. I’m such a fan of Katy Birchall, but I think The Last Word is her best yet. The perfect characters (main and side), the tension (work and sexual), and the fun premise about a celebrity journalist made it a book I can’t wait to read again.

One significant aspect of Birchall’s writing that I love is her characters and their development throughout the book. I was not let down in this one. Harper went through a fantastic arc. I really enjoyed rooting for her. Then there is Ben, who didn’t have as big of an arc, but it was more of an arc supporting Harper’s journey, which I thought was really well done.

With every book that Birchall writes, I’m more emotionally attached to the characters than the last, but I still love them all! The Last Word is, in my opinion, her best work yet and the perfect escapism book to get lost in.

I discovered Katy Birchall a year ago when she published “A Wedding Season”, which was so hilariously funny and touching that I declared she would be a romance novelist superstar. I was right! This book is funny and witty and sparkling!

Since being burned by “The One” in the past, Harper has always put work over romance. And she loves her job as a celebrity editor at a weekend newsmagazine (even with the smirky narcissistic boss). She’s 3 months into a relationship with Liam, a sort of pesky freelance talent agent, and she’s trying to ignore that the ex-The-One from 12 years ago is working in semi-close proximity. Which gets way closer when he, super tidy Ryan, steps into the features editor position at the adjacent desk. They could call a truce, but there's a few things to know about Harper, including that she’s stubborn, messy, and she always gets the last word.

The witty back and forth between Ryan and Harper is told via their first chance to be together as interns and present day. Both are ambitious and because Ryan seems to always be “the winner” that hurts Harper, so she tends to lash back even as she softens on present day Ryan. Add a truly untalented,pushy, misogynist boss, Cosmo, and the chances for them to get back together seem slim. Until, well, they do, but be patient about that journey. The author really knows her characters (she was both an editor and a freelance journalist). 4 stars!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Griffin and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Audrey Abbot has hazel-green eyes and sister Juliet has green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Ryan’s mum is a gardener.

Workplace romance, enemies-to-lovers, and a second chance romance, several of my favorite tropes all rolled in to one novel.

Birchall does well with the developement of the characters. Both Harper and Ryan are total opposites, yet they are relatable characters in their own right and bringing them together makes you want to root for them as a couple. I enjoyed the flashbacks giving the background and history to the development of Harper and Ryan's relationship this time around.

The family themes and the workplace drama add just a little bit extra that make The Last Word a great read.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin, and Katy Birchall for the opportunity to read and review.

Oh my goodness! I can't even explain how much I liked this book. The romantic dynamic was wonderful; the workplace dynamic between the magazine editors was rife with tension and banter. Just absolute gold! I hope more people start talking about Katy Birchall because she is really slaying it.

I have read a novel by Katy Birchall, and loved it. This one will join it.

There is something about Birchall’s writing, or maybe its the subject, that captures a reader’s emotions and sends us through a roller coaster. The Last Word follows celebrity editor Harper Jenkins, who despite her own “Horrible Boss” is very good at her job. Then a new Features Editor was hired, Ryan, a betrayer from her past. Knowing what he did to her, Harper’s frustration mounts when Ryan charms her co-workers and her boss appears to be giving Ryan credit for her work. As they are forced to work more together, Harper realizes that she might be judging Ryan wrong. Then the rumors of possible redundacies spread, and Harper isn’t sure what to think, or even what to do.

The banter, the wit, and yes even the cringe moments made this an absolute favorite read for 2023 so far. There were moments where the miscommunication made me want to pull my hair out, but it also made the tension and kept the story moving forward.

I adored Harper’s ability to interview celebrities. While she is ambitious, she isn’t without compassion. Which is something quite a few journalists need to learn. It was gratifying to see that the celebrities also treated her with compassion, remembering how kind and sweet she was. It just exemplifies what you give out will be returned to you.

I think the ending was unique, and perfect. Just for how Harper handled the changes, after her initial reaction, would be why I think young adults need to read this. Change happens. Now make it work.

Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.

This was my 3rd read by Katy Birchall and she has quickly become a favorite of mine. I loved the enemies to lovers office romance. Fun storyline with relatable characters.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

Workplace-romance, second-chance-romance, enemies-to-lovers --- "The Last Word" has a favorite romance trope for all rom-com lovers out there. I found this book to be sweet, witty and overall enjoyable. The main character Harper was very likeable and has a troupe of entertaining friends along her side. As for the main male enemy (or maybe lover?) Ryan, he is your next book boyfriend. I enjoyed their witty banter, clear chemistry and journey as they navigated their past as interns together, to the present. This book was definitely reminiscent of "The Hating Game," and I have to say I enjoyed it just as much. While there were no big surprises, and the story was relatively predictable, I enjoyed this one from start to finish.

An enemies to lovers office romance is a major hit or miss for you. Katy Birchall really did a great job with this. The characters were messy but thats what made them more real and human. They both had good character development.

Even though the book started a little slow for my taste, but as soon as the extremely entertaining banters started, I was hooked. Along with picking up the pace, hooking me up with introduction of Ryan. The conclusion was also great. The opposites attract- office love- enemies to lovers tropes blended perfectly into story!

The Last Word by Katy Birchall is an enemies to lovers, second chance romance between Harper Jenkins and Ryan, her former beau and current rival at the newspaper they both work at. We follow the two as they navigate their relationship as they are forced to spend time with one another and confront feelings that they thought were buried a long time ago.

I enjoyed the banter between the two leads, though at times Harper seemed a bit immature during their fights. The chemistry between the two was undeniable and I enjoyed watching them grow closer as they were forced to spend time working together.

I didn't enjoy the book quite as much as I did The Wedding Season, but it was still very good and worth a read. This book is very immersive and while it leaned a bit more towards a characters emotional journey rather than straight romance, it was great and I would definitely read it again. I highly recommend this book to anyone, but especially readers of women's fiction.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book about two magazine editors with a past. Harper and Ryan keep getting thrown together in the workplace, however, there never seems to be enough work for both of them. As a celebrity editor, Harper's value to the magazine is often underestimated. Their relationship ended in the past because of Ryan's betrayal. Can he avoid making the same mistake again? This was a fun, breezy read, and I would love to read something else by Katy Birchall.


Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my ARC!

Ahh, a classic enemies-to-lovers trope, with a workplace thrown in! This is one of my most favorite romance novel tropes, so I was so excited to read this one.

Harper is a determined celebrity journalist who is well-respected and liked by everyone, except for her boss who cannot see the importance of what she does (as a part of a weekly (?) magazine). When her good friend and co-worker leaves for another magazine, she is shocked when Ryan, a blast from her past, is hired. Harper and Ryan do not get along and their arguments were pretty amusing to me. The simmering tension underneath every argument was palpable.

I knocked this down a star because of Harper and Ryan's backstory - it was just not a good enough reason for them to break up, in my opinion, and it also was not the second time it happened.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

Having read Katy Birchall's work previously, I was excited to see that she has a new book out! "The Last Word" centers around Harper and Ryan, who are both journalists who compete against each other at work. What others don't know, however, is that they have a romantic history and were the other's "one that got away." While I typically enjoy the "enemies to lovers" trope, this one just didn't seem to work as well as I would hope. The obstacle that caused them to break up originally happens again, and Ryan mishandles it the exact same way. It feels a little absurd to think that he didn't learn the first time around.

Again, I really like the idea of this story line, but something about it just didn't work for me. I did find Harper and Ryan to be likable and make you want to root for them. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Marketed as The Hating Game meets Beach Read, I settled in for some enemies to lovers with a side of too notch banter and a dash of spice.

…not so much. Listen, I enjoyed this (even if Harper’s “quirks” did grate my nerves a bit) but I think it’s less romcom and more women’s fiction. The true main character here isn’t romance, but a successful woman being confident in her career - and there’s nothing wrong with that, so let’s just come out and say that next time.

Harper is in her element as the celebrity editor for a newspaper’s weekend magazine. She’s well known and loved by interviewees and her workmates for the articles she writes. When her nemesis, Ryan, is hired in her department, work is no longer her happy place. Everyone else seems to like this quiet, cookie-baking writer but he pushes all the wrong buttons and makes her crazy!

I really enjoyed this enemies to lovers, second chance romance by Katy Birchall. I love a feisty MC and Harper and Ryan’s dialog had me in stitches. Harper’s work friends were just as funny, and the HEA was lovely.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for this ARC.

My favorite of Katy Birchall's books yet! Sizzling chemistry, fizzy dialogue, a great backstory between the main characters, real stakes, a very fun happy ending that includes some comeuppance, what's not to love? It also has one of my favorite features: a setting that the author clearly knows a lot about and is interested in representing accurately alongside the story and romance. You would be surprised how uncommon this is! Harper and Ryan are both journalists, good ones, and their jobs are depicted with both the glamour (celebrity profiles! Access!) and drudgery (budget cuts! Terrible bosses!) of the real thing.

Over ten years ago, Harper and Ryan were interns at the same paper. Something happened...something that devastated Harper to the point that the mere sight of Ryan sends her blood pressure sky rocketing. Of course this means that he gets a job at the paper she's currently working at AND in a position that requires them to work closely together.

To make matters worse, he ::GASP:: is well-liked by their colleagues for being professional and bringing in delicious, home-cooked treats! THE HORROR!

The Last Word by Katy Birchall is a sweet (and sometimes spicy) slow burn romance that allows you to watch the romance unfold while taking you back in time to when Harper and Ryan first met. I'm glad that the author didn't give their entire history at one time. Weaving flashbacks into the present made their relationship seem more three-dimensional and really punched you in the gut with the rawness of the characters' emotions.

I love a story where the male character is ready to confess his feelings first, and The Last Word certainly checks that box! Ryan was earnest and kind without being a pushover. His lack of confidence wasn't overly used as a plot point and instead rounded out his character perfectly.

I recommend this book for fans of enemies-to-lovers and second-chance romances!

I was given an e-ARC of this book for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the opportunity!