Let me start by saying that sometimes I don’t always read the synopsis before starting a book as I like to know nothing. For One Last Word, I truly felt like one of the characters as we’re following Sara who created “One Last Word” which is an app used to send out your “last words.” Essentially, it’s a way for people who died to say what they feel after they’re gone.

The story begins with Sara getting fired from her job after pitching the idea and quitting so she ends up moving in with her sister and the two end up writing out messages. Of course, they somehow get sent out via a glitch. From there, Sara has to deal with the aftermath of sending things to her former crush, best friend, and parents all while explaining she isn’t dead.

Despite its short length, One Last Word isn’t afraid to tackle some hard topics as Sara has to deal with her overbearing parents, the tech industry not taking her seriously, and trying to figure out if she should pursue a relationship or give up on her fantasy. It’s a lot to take in and there are so many twists and turns throughout the entire story.

Regardless, One Last Word gripped me and I couldn’t put it down. Seeing how Sara dealt with everything was admirable and I especially loved the “twist.” While I don’t want to give away too much, I think this story will appeal to many and it definitely won’t be my last Suzanne Park. I can also see this being a solid beach read so if you’re planning a trip, bring along One Last Word.

This was a breezy read on the experience of femmes in tech. Since I am all too familiar with that world, it rang true to my own experience and I could relate to much that was highlighted. I think this would be a good book club pick!

One Last Word is a cute tech-focused romance. I love the clear effort to explore the sexism faced by women, especially minority women in the tech startup/venture capital space, and Sara is a great model for standing up for herself. That said, it’s not always as easy, or received as smoothly as Sara’s feedback is.
The true resonance here is with Sara and her startup. The romance, while sweet, plays second fiddle to Sara’s work trajectory, but is a sweet side note.

I really like Suzanne Park and was very excited for this book. I enjoyed her YA romances so much. But I found myself distracted by Sara and struggled getting into the romance. Sara is a very strong person who can't seem to get it all to line up. I wanted more from her and from Harry in their relationship

Sara Chae is the founder of the app One Last Word, which allows you to send a message to whomever you want after you pass. Safeguards are in place so the app will only send out when you’re definitely, absolutely, 100% dead, but when another Sara Chae dies and the obituary triggers the prototype to auto-send messages that Sara uploads on one drunken night—to her emotionally charged mother, to a former best friend who ghosted her, and to her unrequited high school crush Harry—she has to deal with all the havoc that ensues and reopen old wounds from the past. She applies for a venture capital mentorship and is accepted to the program, only to find out that the mentor she’s assigned is none other than her former crush and VC superstar Harry Shim, and her life goes from uncertain to chaotic overnight. Empowering and laugh-out-loud funny, One Last Word is a remarkably relatable story about a woman in tech who learns to speak up and fight for what she wants in life and love.

I found the concept of One Last Word is an interesting one. Sara spends a lot of time-fighting adversity in the tech field. It is so disheartening to see how she gets brushed off throughout the book. But I don't doubt for one second that this is most women in tech's experience. I loved that, while her parents were a bit stereotypical, they were so willing to try a different way of communicating with their daughter. Sara's relationship with her sister. was so cute They were perfect foils for each other even though there was such a big age difference. Lastly, Sara and Harry's relationship and rekindled friendship was so cute. It kept me turning the page when some of the tech stuff got too much. If you are looking for a feminist, second-chance romance with AAPI representation, I would definitely recommend this one!

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 4/16!

I have such mixed feelings about this one.

Sara is one of those characters that everything happens to, she doesn't do anything to cause any of this (eyeroll). Her and her best friend from high school (she's 34 btw) loose touch and she blames the other woman entirely, even though she says at one point that last time Naomi invited her out the last was too hard to get too, that's the lamest excuse.

She also put Harry on this pedestal, where he can do almost no wrong, her 15 year long crush making her blind to everything. She makes up a fake boyfriend because she's too embarrassed to say she's single (even though they literally just reconnected and there's no way he'd know she's been single for a long time). Then, when he confirms he's split from his ex she gets all worked up about how he doesn't wanna get married again, even though they aren't dating, haven't talked about dating, or anything, she instantly has this like "ughh why is he like that" attitude. It's understandable he might be a little gun-shy about getting married again after his marriage tohis high school sweetheart ended.

While I know this is a romance, I would have liked a lot more info on the app, not just like "ope we're working on it."

Overall, this book was fine. It's not one that I couldn't put down, often I had to make myself keep reading it and found myself skimming parts. Sara is so in her own head and always about the same things, it got really repetitive.

This entire concept and premise was SO FRESH and I absolutely loved the idea of messages beyond the grave....but oops sent way too soon!

This was fun, quirky and just hit me at the right time.

First and foremost thank you for allowing me early access to this book!
I really enjoyed that Sara decided to take a stand and pursue her dreams for once instead of fulfilling everyone else’s.
I’m not sure i really loved the idea of the app that was written about, it seemed far fetched to be so wrapped up in- maybe something similar but different overall concept would’ve made more sense to me. I found the characters to be a little stuck in the past for being in their 30s all she talked about was high school.. I understand the aspect of her life kinda going in the opposite direction and drifting from people and remembering what it was like especially after rekindling her flame with her old crush but it’s all they talked about..

This was a cute book. I like that Sara is a career focused woman in the tech industry. Her messages being sent created a snowball affect in her life that led to growth in her relationship ships.

🦇 One Last Word Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

❓ #QOTD What would you want your last words to be? ❓

🦇 Sara Chae is the founder of One Last Word, an app that sends messages to people in your life after you die. When another Sara Chae dies, her obituary triggers the prototype app to send messages Sara drunkenly uploaded; messages to tiger parents, former best friend, and unrequited high school crush Harry—who just so happens to be the mentor for the venture capital program Sara applies to. Can she win funding for her app and learn how to speak up for herself, or has the app already had the last word?

💜 Sara Chae is a messy yet strong self-aware female in STEM; the type of character we need a little more of. Our FMC is relatable and realistic as she learns how to believe in herself, speak up for herself, and mend the important relationships in her life. Her characterization is consistent, but it's her self-actualization that really makes the story refreshing. In too many books, readers are left exhausted as MCs run themselves in circles, unaware of their mistakes. Sara recognizes where she needs to grow and makes the effort. You can't help but root for her until the very end.

💙 While I loved the story's premise, the execution didn't entirely work for me. Unfortunately, there's a lot more tell than show, which causes the pacing to lag. A few of the situations (such as Sara and Henry attending a gala that's a little too much like Henry's failed wedding) seemed clunky, awkward, and unrealistic. There are a few awkward transition between the dialogue and exposition, too, which full you out of the story.

🦇 Recommended for fans of Shark Tank or Ali Hazelwood.

✨ The Vibes ✨
📱 Self-Discovery
📱 STEM Heroine
📱 Contemporary Women's Fiction
📱 Fake Dating
📱 Friends to Lovers / Second Chance Romance
📱 Closed Door Romance
📱 Miscommunication

🦇 Major thanks to the author @suzannepark and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #OneLastWord

💬 Quotes
❝ Was it that they still hadn’t even acknowledged any wrongdoing or never asked me why I felt this way or wondered why I carried all this with me till my alleged death at age thirty-four? No dialogue. No discourse. For the first time, I’d offered my true feelings toward them, using carefully worded constructive feedback, and they couldn’t handle it. ❞
❝ Yes, I knew you’d have to deal with some awkward aftermath. But it was better than seeing you live your life enveloped in Bubble Wrap. It’s worse than living in regret . . . you didn’t really live at all. ❞

First and foremost, thank you to NetGalley and Avon or Harper Voyager for my eARC. Secondly, thank you to the author Suzanne Park for creating a book that represents me as a Korean-American woman. I truly enjoy seeing diversity in books and appreciate all the BIPOC authors that write stories for us. The reason for my 3 stars was because the story lacked emotional response from me, as a reader. The only time I truly felt anything was her interactions with her parents and even then it was minimal. I’m the type of reader that likes strong character development or pivotal moments that impact the characters in a profound way. I found Sara a little lackluster and thought Jia had stronger character traits and stood out more as a well-rounded character. Harry’s issues with marriage and love just didn’t seem complete and like it was glossed over. Their first kiss scene was random and there was absolutely no set up for it. Even with these points, I still read the entire book and enjoyed it.

“I have my own issues. I’m guilty of holding people up to an ideal standard, a level of perfection that doesn’t allow room for any faults, flaws, or mistakes. And I haven’t experienced meaningful love because of it. I hide my feelings and deflect to not get emotionally hurt."

Wow, that quote resonated with me deep in my soul!!! I love reading Suzanne's book because she writes the Asian American life in a way that I can relate to. It's nice to see myself in the MCs!

“I’m more like gramping. Like your grandparents camping. I’d complain about all of it, not want to do physical activity, and go to bed early.”

Lol, this is so me. I love how One Last Word makes me laugh out loud! Sara our FMC is so relatable in that she's a woman in a man's world trying to shatter those glass ceilings. She's seriously funny! And her friend Casey was one of my fav characters in the story! The way he'd lovingly dole out tough love!! Harry is our MMC and gorgeous but dealing with his own crap. I enjoyed how naturally their relationship progressed!

"Loving someone and giving him my heart was the bravest thing in the world, and I was ready to do that now."

I enjoyed OLW and read it all in one night but for me it was missing the same magic that The Do-Over had. I'm not even sure I could pinpoint one thing exactly but I found myself not enjoying this one as much. It's still a fun read though!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC of One Last Word by Suzanne Park. This books was such a great read — an amazing cast of characters, flawed leads with great development, representation of women in tech, a second chance/slow burn romance. In my mind, the romance, while great was not the star of the show — that was the growth and journey that the characters went on. This is my second Suzanne Park novel, but not my last! Add this one to your TBR list!

Small Business BookTok ARC Reviews: “One Last Word” by Suzanne Park

Note: This ARC was given to me for free by the author and I am reviewing this book voluntarily.

In a world that wants you to be silenced, have the courage to not just get the last laugh, but one last word!

Sara Chae is the founder of “One Last Word”, an app that automatically sends the user’s family, friends, and loved ones their final words immediately after they pass away. When the system confuses Sara for someone else under the same name and immediately sends out her final words to her parents, ex-best friend, and high school crush, Harry, she soon discovers that this technological error might be the happy accident that leads her to a journey of healing and closure.

From the author that brought you “The Do-Over”, Suzanne Park delivers once again with this Contemporary Romance tale of self-discovery and claiming your voice! Sera Chae was a phenomenal heroine to follow throughout the novel as she teaches readers to never be afraid of communicating your wants, needs or feelings to the people in your lives. If you don't take time to talk things out and things are left unsaid until it’s too late, you’ll find yourself either left with regrets or thoughts of what could have been. Sara also displays a determined spirit and technological savvy and she refuses to let any naysayers or sexist coworkers silence her or crush her dreams to launch her app! And the chemistry between Sara and Harry? Incredibly wholesome! If you’re looking for the perfect Spring read with an empowering message, then don’t miss out on this book when it hits online and in-store shelves on April 16, 2024!

Rating: 5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

-Tropes to Expect: Second Chance, Friends-to-Lovers, Self Discovery, Fake Dating, Pining, Closed Door Romance, and STEM Romance.

 -Trigger Warnings: Generational Trauma, Family Conflict, Discussions of Friendships Falling Out, Discussions of Divorce, Brief Mention of Off-Page Death, and Relationship Anxiety/Separation Anxiety.

I’ve been a Suzanne Park fan since reading and loving So We Meet Again. I was very eager to see what she could do with a STEM heroine. Sara Chae was a main character you could 100% root for and I loved her snarky, no nonsense attitude and the fact that she was quick to stand up for herself in a male-dominated industry. This one had a romantic subplot and I do think that was the weakest part of the story. Bummer because that aspect had a ton of potential. I also felt a bit of a disconnect with the pacing and some of the dialogue feeling stilted. I think it would’ve been better if it was longer so it could be more fleshed out but Park did a great job with the short page count. I did love the message of this story and the strong ending, though!

Overall, highly recommend if you love women’s fiction, STEM heroines, slow burn romances with flirty tension, and overcoming tense familial relationships.

Rating: 3.5/5 
Acclaimed author Suzanne Park returns with a charming and compelling novel about an aspiring tech entrepreneur who goes on a rollercoaster journey of self-discovery after her app, which sends messages to loved ones after you pass, accidentally sends her final words to all the important people in her life—including the venture capital mentor she’s crushing on.

When Sara Chae hits her latest roadblock at work when pitching her app, it's the straw that breaks the camel's back and she ends up resigning on the spot. Being mid-thirties, now unemployed, single, and moving into her younger sister's walk-in closet to make ends meet is NOT what she imagined for herself, and is definitely not what her parents would be proud of. As Sara enters into a VC mentorship program for her app, One Last Word, she's surprised to find out that some of her "test" messages are released and sent to their recipients - including her old bosses, her parents, her high school crush, and an ex-best friend. Turns out, high school crush is the mentor she's assigned to at the venture capitalist! There were definitely things I liked and related to with this read. Sara is a workaholic, trying to find a balance between work life, friends, romance, and family. Having these messages accidentally sent out forced her to have some hard conversations with her parents, helped her speak her mind towards the sexism and racism she sees in her tech work world, and forced her to confront some of her past behaviors in regards to her friendships. There were some parts that didn't work as well though. For starters, the pacing felt a little disjointed. Sara's mentorship was to span three months and it felt like we had a big beginning and all of a sudden we were at the end with very little impact of the in-between. The romance with Harry also felt a little off? I was happy to see that Sara was having harder conversations before anything serious, but their dialogue felt simple and forced and I didn't feel a romantic connection given what we saw of their interactions. Overall, Sara is a FMC that you really root for and you love to see the growth she has in all aspects! 
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

2.5 Stars

This was my first Suzanne Park book and I was so excited for it. The premise was really different and interesting! Unfortunately it just didn’t work for me and I found the execution lacking.

The main character, Sara, was really hard to root for as I just found her mostly unlikable aside from her work ethic & ability to stand up for herself in sexist and bullying environments, which was nice to see.

The romantic relationship also seemed to have no build up and go from 0-60 waaaaay too fast. I was honestly shocked when things started happening with them (I gasped aloud) as I just felt no progression to get to that point! Harry seemed sweet & dreamy but as we got to know him and his major issues I just found myself getting the ick!

Thank you to Net Galley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC of One Last Word in exchange for an honest review.

One Last Word is an app created by Sara. The app sends out emails upon a person’s death, written by the deceased. When there is a hitch with the app, and Sara’s emails are sent out prior to her death, drama ensues.
I found One Last Word’s story build-up to be a bit slow. The love story between Harry and Sara tried for angsty but ended up falling short. The side characters, Jia and Casey, brought the comedic relief. I liked how each email that was sent out, required Sara to face a problem head-on, instead of brushing it aside. The story overall was well written and enjoyable.

A cute tale of what it means to chase your dreams in a non-conventional way. One Last Word takes the tech world and the concept of “things I wish I said” with the main character’s creation of an app that allows you to message your loved ones after you pass. An identity fluke leads to our protagonists’ messages to be sent out to a number of people in her life and hilarity ensues. Park’s tale is cute and a fun read.

I have not read any of Suzanne's books before, so I went into this pretty blind. The premise sounded interesting and different than anything I had read before. The blurb made it sound almost a little Black Mirror-esque, which was intriguing to me. Overall, however, I just didn't find myself connecting to the story. I'm not sure if it was myself (I am a mood reader), the author's writing style, the characters...something just didn't click for me.