DNFed - I chose to DNF this book in the past. I am typing as a review so it doesn’t harm my %. I haven’t chose to pick the title back up.

3.5/5

This is a romance where both of the MCs are authors. It was a nice but predictable story. I like reading it but it was not my favorite book and I probably won’t read it again. However, it was nicely written and there were definitely times that I was smiling while reading.

Tropes:
Enemies to loves
Forced proximity
2nd change
Coworkers

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for the honest review.

A fun rom-com, enemies to lovers romp set in London. Harper and Ryan are both journalists in a very competitive market. Of course the competition is mostly between them! Love the banner between the MC and the quirkiest of them both. One a disorganized mess and the other a neatest freak but if they can overcome the many obstacles in live can they find their HEA?
Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #TheLastWord

I thought the story was ok, but I would also be annoyed if a guy I was interested in hurt me in the exact same way twice! I think that it was really cute that they had a byline together about picnic spots and to have it framed was so sweet. I think the story was pretty predictable, but I will say that I liked Ryan a lot more than other male leads I've read.

Alright, buckle up, audiobook enthusiasts! I recently dove into "The Last Word" by Katy Birchall, beautifully narrated by Karen Cass. Let me tell you, it's like a cozy chat with your funniest friend – entertaining, heartwarming, and an absolute delight.

Let's start with Karen Cass – a maestro of voice acting. Her narration brought life to the characters in a way that felt like they were in the room with me. Cass's delivery is spot-on, capturing the humour, the drama, and the overall vibe of Birchall's storytelling.

Now, about the story – Birchall weaves a charming tale of friendship, family, and finding your voice. Protagonist Emily is relatable, navigating the rollercoaster of life with humour and a touch of awkwardness. The supporting cast adds layers of hilarity and heart to the mix.

"The Last Word" has this magnetic quality that keeps you hooked. It's not just a story; it's a journey through the ups and downs of teenagehood with a generous dose of wit. Birchall's writing is fresh, engaging, and full of those moments that make you snort-laugh unexpectedly.

The pacing is like a well-choreographed dance – neither rushed nor slow. It lets you savour the story without feeling like sprinting toward the finish line. And the humor! Oh boy, it's the kind that catches you off guard, making you burst into laughter at the most unexpected moments.

Now, the setting – Birchall paints a vivid picture of Emily's world, making you feel like you're part of the shenanigans. From the quirky characters to the charming locales, it's a world you won't want to leave.

Work place rivals meets forced proximity meets rivals to lovers.

We have Harper who is at the top of her game in the journalism world getting even the tightest of lipped celebrities to open up to her when a blast from her past comes back to haunt her. Ryan becomes her Editor and her betrayed her once who says it wouldn't happen again?

This book is perfect for anyone who loved "The Hating Game" or any other work place rivals romance. Harper and Ryan find themselves on trips, interviews and so many other work related events its hard to not interact. Their tension is delicious and I love the storyline. It feels real and relatable without feeling like the rival bit is played up. I think their misunderstandings along the way make sense and their chemistry is fantastic.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a rivals to lover romance.

I’ve been a fan of this author from loving her previous books and was so excited to get to THE LAST WORD. While this was not my favorite by the author, due to one of the big plot points in the story, I am excited to read more from her in the future.

WHAT TO EXPECT
-themes of friendship
-relatable characters
-forced proximity

*many thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

This was such an interesting read. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it. I was entertained throughout, but it’s also a book I probably won’t remember a month from now.

Thank you to @netgalley and @Stmartinspress for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @macmillian.audio for a free download of the audiobook.

Enemies to Lovers? Workplace romance? Forced proximity? Sign me up for all three in @katybirchallauthor latest book!

Harper and Ryan met 8 years ago as interns. Despite Harper’s need to have the last word, they became so much more, until the day it all fell apart. Now Ryan is back and their competitive natures draw them back together as they fight for the same job.

It’s fun. The characters are entertaining. This is a great read for the summer!

4 stars

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #stmartinspress #macmillianaudio #ltbreaderteam #thelastword #katybirchall #smpinfluencers

The secret bridesmaid was my first, and favorite by this author. It was laugh out loud funny and I binged it because I loved the characters soo much. This felt different to me, I had a hard time getting invested in the characters and their lives, and the romance just didn’t work for me. I did like the celebrity aspect, because I’m always a fan of celebrity culture, and liked to see the MC perform well at her job and make a great name for herself.

I did really enjoy the narrator on this, she told the story very well. I did a mix of audio and physical reading and kept finding myself picking up the audio.

That being said, I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next!

I read this book following along the arc and I loved this narration. It gave good expressions for every moment.

It was very cute and easy to read the spice in the book was perfect and I enjoyed the narration that was provided with this book.

I loved Katy Birchall's previous two books, but this one was a miss for me. While was apprehensive going into the hate to love romance trope, I tried to give it a fair chance and unfortunately it just didn't pan out.

such a fun little workplace romance! thought it was a bit long but i really enjoyed the ride. loved the characters!

The Last Word
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Author: Katy Birchall

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Harper Jenkins is at the top of her game. A brilliant, determined journalist with a well-known knack for getting tight-lipped Hollywood stars to open up to her, Harper loves her job as Celebrity Editor at a newspaper’s glossy weekend magazine and has the best contacts in the business.

But when her awful boss hires talented reporter Ryan to be the new Features Editor, Harper is furious. Because the two have met before: a decade ago, they were interns at the same publication, where they fell into a whirlwind romance…until Ryan betrayed Harper, and they never spoke again.

Thrown together in a busy newsroom, their dynamic is a disaster from the start. They can’t agree on anything and bicker constantly—Ryan can’t bear how chaotic and messy Harper is; Harper finds Ryan’s condescending nature infuriating. They clash over who’s writing what article, and fight over who’s going to which event.

Yet as they’re forced to spend more and more time together, Harper realizes she may have misjudged Ryan and can’t help but feel a spark growing between them. Long buried feelings start to resurface and, when they’re thrown together on a romantic press trip abroad, their chemistry comes to a head.

But all is fair in love and magazines, and with the news that layoffs across the department are imminent, Harper is left to wonder: who will get the last word?

My Thoughts: This was a slow burn romance novel. The tropes are enemies to lovers (my favorite) and office romance.

The story is narrated by Harper and Ryan, in their respective POVs. I loved the author’s realistic and authentic approach to journalism. I really loved Harper’s ethics in journalism and can hope that more journalists carry her same work ethic. Harper was immature and a workaholic in the beginning, but she really evolves throughout the story. Ryan seems reserved and unapproachable to begin with, but when you get to know him, he is kind and compassionate. The characters were developed well with depth, had growth, witty banter, chemistry, and were creative. The author’s writing style was complex, humorous, swoony, and keeps you engaged.

The narrators in the audiobook did a great job with our MCs and other voice variations, they really gave life to the characters. I would recommend this book to other readers. I had both the digital ARC and audiobook and I preferred the audiobook.

I loooved Katy's debut novel, but have not found one I've loved as much since then. Which is a huge bummer because her writing is so wonderful.

Katy Birchall is such an underrated author that more people need to read from! I have read and enjoyed most of her books, and this one is my favorite. I love the humor, romance, friendships, and life lessons that are in her books. The relationship between Harper and Ryan was so good, but the overall life lesson of picking up the pieces after life‘s failures, sealed the deal for me. Honestly this book would have been five stars if not, for the immature conflict at the end but I still thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend! If you are a fan ofKatherine Center, you need to check this author out.

Love this freaking book!!!!!

Thank you soooooo much netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced review copy if this book💗
"I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

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This book was my introduction to Katherine Center and I have been binging her books since!

I have fallen in love with her characters over and over - they are incredibly relatable and I genuinely feel like I'm friends with them by the end of the book.

Hello Stranger is funny, romantic, dramatic and has well developed central and supporting characters. The twists and unexpected turns stole my heart here.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen, review and discover a new favorite!