Wow! I totally and completely loved this book so much! It was the perfect blend of women's fiction and romance and I never wanted it to end! I seriously enjoyed every single second of this book.

Harper was such a fantastic main character and I really enjoyed her development throughout the book. She knew who she was and what she wanted and she owned it. Harper was so easy to root for and such a pleasure to read about! Ryan was delightfully nerdy and wonderful and I adored the way he loved Harper. Their banter was excellent- so much fun to read! This slow burn second chance romance was perfection!

I really enjoyed reading this romance. It did a great job playing up the enemies to lovers tropw. I did find the first half alittle slow but it picked up. The characters were really good, Harper was very likeable.

A fun read to cap off 2022! I love an enemies to lovers romance and this one did not disappoint. Harper is a bit of a workaholic who writes for the celebrity section of a magazine. Her days and nights are consumed with movie premieres and celebrity interviews. She would never fall in love again after the one and only time she did and it blew up in her face. She puts all her effort into advancing her career. Until the one guy she did fall for ends up as an editor at her magazine!

Is Harper really over him? Can she guard her heart this time around? Loved the strong female work oriented character of Harper! And the slow burn romance felt realistic.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Pretty darn good. While this started off as a little iffy for me, it quickly turned around. Once that happened I was all in. I loved the chemistry and witty banter between Harper and Ryan and liked the storyline even though it was a tad predictable. 3.5 stars.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin via NetGalley for the arc.

I loved this! Katy's other books were wedding focused, so this wasn't but it was more romance than women's fiction! This is a great workplace enemies to lovers and I loved this book! I will definitely be giving this another read after it gets pubbed. I loved both characters. Harper is a celebrity journalist but only shares what they want to be shared. I liked when they worked together and started getting over their differences. Really good stuff.

I loved this so so much! The Wedding Season and The Secret Bridesmaid were good, but this definitely topped those for me! I loved that this was a workplace second chance romance. I know it's kind of billed as enemies to lovers, but I don't think that really fits. Regardless, I was obsessed with this book from the start. Harper's character was so inspiring. It was so easy to love her. And Ryan. Oh, Ryan. Their clashing personalities were honestly adorable and we love a man who falls first and falls HARD. This was just such a delight. The main characters, the supporting characters, the celebrities and their stories!! Love it. Katy Birchall keeps getting better and I can't wait to see what she puts out next!

I was beyond excited when I got an arc of this one! I love Katy Birchall’s last two books & this one was no exception. Harper believes in putting work before love, because she’s learned the hard way that’s what you have to do. But now, the man who made her believe that is working right next to her & you know how they say the line between love & hate is so close - well, old feelings of both are popping back up again for her. This one was so fun - if you enjoy work place romance (the work place is a magazine place - so fun), frenemies to lovers with flashback scenes & character growth that I feel Katy Birchall is so skilled at writing, then pick this one up!!

I enjoyed this enemies to lovers story. Full of character development, witty banter and a fun plot. The chemistry between Ryan and Harper was well done without being too over the top and spicy (but there's a little spice). Harper is always looking on the bright side and made the best of her family situation while putting down boundaries-a great character development lesson. I would recommend this if you're looking for a fun rom com book.

A super cute midweek read with a heated rivalry, flirty quips and a bustling British backdrop!
Harper was such a fun MC, and reading from her point of view was refreshing. Her voice was distinct and witty, and her chaotic lifestyle made for an easy- to-read page turner.

After absolutely loving The Secret Bridesmaid and The Wedding Season, I was beyond thrilled to receive an early arc of Birchall’s upcoming release. Well, after I got over my initial disappointment that this wasn’t a wedding-centric book. But it was so funny and adorable! A complete feel-good book with wit and humor that I’ve come to expect from Birchall. Much more of a romance than her first two books, which lean more towards Women’s Fiction. This had all the good tropes: workplace enemies to lovers, he fell first, second chance romance, and opposites attract. Really enjoyable. It pains me to say this but I am SUCH a Harper. All the way down to her 20 alarms that are like 3 minutes apart, the chaotic tote bag, pettiness, and overall messiness. So to me, she was an incredibly relatable character. I loved her heart of gold and her work ethic. And Ryan was a total babe, loved him and his appreciation for Harper. Yeah, I would’ve liked if he handled some situations differently but he’s a man with strong ethics and I respect that. I also liked the found family aspect and the side characters. While I prefer Birchall’s other books, this was an absolute delight to read and had me smiling the entire time. Definitely recommend to my fellow contemporary romance fans.

I would like to start off thanking St. Martin's Publishing Group and NetGalley for gifting me an E-ARC. I am giving this review voluntarily.

I got absolutely lost in this book. It was such a fun read and who doesn’t love a good enemies to lovers contemporary romance? I loved getting to know the characters, especially Ryan, who is not all Harper makes him out to be.

This book features Harper who is the celebrity editor of Narrative. All seems to be going well until her best friend finds another job at another magazine. Harper knowing her friend wouldn’t choose someone incompetent, continues on with her work without a worry who will be working next to her from now on.

Harper isn’t the average journalist. She actually respects her interviewees and makes sure that she’s only sharing what the celebrities wants to share. Being a writer of celebrities isn’t something everyone understands. Let alone her parents and sister understands.

With all the sudden change going on and a sudden re entrance of someone who she hates in Harpers life, will she collapse under it all or will she find a way to make it out at the top? Only time will tell.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed this story. I would highly recommend it for those who loves a good office romance. I also really enjoyed Katy Brichall’s writing, I’ll definitely read another book from her.

This book was all I wanted and more. Love it all the way. I am a total fan of Katy Birchall. Must read. They had chemistry and you rooted for them.

His blue eyes bore into mine, and he adds quietly, “I remember everything.”

3/5
i am really big fan of katy birchall's previous works, the secret bridesmaid is one of my favourite reads and i absolutely enjoyed the wedding season, so i was very delighted when i got the arc for the last word. i went into it without knowing much and, as i expected, it was a nice and easy read, but i have to admit that compared to the author's other works, this was a bit of let down. i felt that there were many things happening one after the other and i personally disliked the third act conflict. i also wasn't the biggest fan of harper, the main character, in the last 20% of the book so all of this combined ruined the reading experience a bit for me. i did enjoy the bickering between harper and ryan at the beginning but it started to get a bit old towards the end. i would still recommend it to fans of second chance romance, especially of falon ballard's just my type which has a similar setting.

arc provided by netgalley and st. martin's press in exchange for an honest review.

This author consistently delivers. Harper and Ryan have a complicated dynamic, and history that seems to be repeating itself when they're forced to work together at a magazine. I enjoyed seeing Harper excel at her celebrity editor job; her personality shone through. The characters were all well written with realistic development. A fun read.

I love Katy Birchalls writing so I was beyond excited to get this one! This one was a cute story but it didn’t seem overly original or unique. Journalist & nemesis competing has been common lately. The writing is great though and the characters are likeable!!! Can’t wait for more books by Katy!

Thank you NetGalley for eARC in exchange for an honest review

“The Last Word” by Katy Birchall is a fun romantic comedy that manages to stand out in a very crowded field.

Journalist Harper is a celebrity blogger and considers herself the best in the business. Yet, like is often true, her work life might be in order, but maybe not so much her personal life. Then an old rival from over a decade ago joins the magazine and everyone but Harper loves him. Of course, Harper gets thrown together with Ryan. Can she leave the past in the past and look at Ryan in a new way?

This is cute story. If you expect more than that, you’ll be disappointed, but I cared about Harper and didn’t feel like the chemistry between her and Ryan were forced. This was an easy, breezy read and the perfect antidote after a rough week.

Three and a half stars.

Thanks to Katy Birchall, the publisher, and NetGalley for my advanced copy.

I can devour anything writing in enemies to lovers and office romance tropes! Even though this book started a little
slow till MCs’ Moonlighting series style quarrels ending with both of them say each other “Fine!” and I found heroine a little immature during their fights, my prod exceeded my cons! I absolutely enjoyed this book a lot!

I mostly enjoyed author’s realistic approach to the journalism and I loved her main character Harper Jenkins’ work ethics, her genuine approach to the people she’s interviewing. She didn’t see them as privileged A-list celebrities to get juicy gossips for writing extra sensational and scandalous articles, she sees them as people who need friend connection. Her honest approach made her a true winner!

I also loved Ryan too much. ( I have to admit I loved him more than Harper) The same guy Harper has met ten years ago and she never gets over him even though she insists she has moved on! The same guy who betrayed her trust becomes her editor she has to fight tooth and nail at each work day to make her point. Both of them are too stubborn to say the last word during their fights. But they have no idea they haven’t told their last words to each other for their unresolved romance story!

But when we learn their back story and Ryan’s point of view, we realize he’s kind, reserved, a little insecure man hiding behind his reserved good looks, extra intellectual mind. He’s my kind of geeky, sweet hero! That guy was patient enough to go shoe shopping with Harper or help celebrity to give birth at the back seat of Uber! He earned ten thousand brownie points.

I also enjoyed how Harper’s character evolved. That immature, workaholic woman finally finds her true purpose, seeing things from other people’s perspective, standing up for herself, confronting her problems about her dysfunctional family.

Even though the book started a little slow, as soon as the extremely entertaining banters started, 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!

Most hatable and ironically the funniest character is definitely the big boss Cosmo who earned ten thousand punching against the the face points!

Overall: I have amazing time and looking forward to read more works of the author in near future.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

Harper and Ryan are both journalists but that is where the similarities end. Ryan is neat and organized and Harper is messy and chaotic. Ryan laid back, Harper intense. I enjoyed the fact that Harper's emotions were always on the surface fussing at Ryan over every little thing while Ryan just sits back and gives a placid smile. While it seems like they are always fighting and that they may "hate" each other there is an undeniable chemistry between them. I think that is what makes The Last Word so enjoyable is that you know that down deep they really love each other but the path to true love never runs smoothly. Love this book!

i loved this second chance love between them. I loved that they were fighting and always having the last word. Great friends and trying to get back to each other. loved it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. I appreciate it!!

I loved this book. If you're a romance reader, go read it Now. Why are you still reading this review? Go read the book already!

This book had great main characters that I immediately fell in love with. The slow=burn romance was at a believable pace. The workplace dynamics were also very believable, and the idiot boss was so easy to hate. I enjoyed the family dynamics as well as the female friendships.

Overall, this book checked all the boxes for me and I enjoyed it a lot.