Harper is a celebrity features editor for a lifestyle magazine in London, suffering under a misogynistic boss while also landing the best, hardest to get interviews. When Ryan, her one time flame from a decade prior, becomes the new features editor, it throws her professional and personal life into even more chaos. I loved Harper; she was so delightfully messy, smart, and fun. I also loved how truly passionate she was about her job. 10/10. I did not love Ryan - he never stuck up for her and was a bystander to all the office misogyny while giving off a ~I can’t do anything~ attitude even though it was clear he did have power and could do something. And I felt he mansplained a lot. Still a fun read with a great main character, I just couldn’t get on board with the love interest. Would definitely recommend if you like books set in London or second-chance romances.

Katy Birchall is an author whose writing I throughly enjoy and this book did not disappoint! It did start off a bit slow and the workplace enemies vibes were high in the beginning, I would say comparable to another favorite, The Hating Game. As readers get glimpses into the past and are along for the ride during the present, we get to see the characters begin to soften towards one another and it’s worth waiting for! The chemistry, banter, and professional respect they have for one another is really special and I loved their journey in this story. There are definitely bumps in the road and some miscommunication that really comes into play, but the outcome and the ways they work through it really helps to create a great romance. I love that Birchall’s romance reads are a bit more like contemporary fiction, because the storylines feel more authentic and real, which is refreshing as a reader. I will continue to be a fan of her work and am so grateful to have been given an opportunity to enjoy this one prior to pub day.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the arc copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This was a total unexpected hit!! A rare second chance romance I adored! A celebrity journalist fighting for her job is flabbergasted when her new co-worker turns out to be the guy she interned with a decade ago…who broke her heart.

These two polar opposites immediately fall back into bickering, butting heads on almost every decision. Clearly, the passion is still there and Harper starts to understand that her anger over what happened years ago may be misguided.

The writing in this is snappy and engaging! Throw in the celebrity aspect, seeing Harper connect meaningfully with her subjects, and you’ve got a five star romance

I didn't really get what they were working towards—a promotion? A specific interview? This book was lacking a lot. It just felt very blah and aimless throughout the entire story. The plot had the potential to be so much better.

Cute story! Will make for a good beach read this Summer, This is my first Katy Birchall title and I definitely plan on reading more of her!

The Last Word is an enemies to lovers office romance set in the journalism world. I really wanted to love this one, especially with the premise, but the book just missed the mark for me. I felt like there was a lot going on, but then also not much happened throughout the book. The plot was fairly predictable and I was hoping for more character growth. I didn't love the miscommunication between the two leads, which was amplified by the single POV. The Last Word was more women's fiction than romance, which I wish I would have known going in. I did enjoy the audiobook narrator, especially her accent, which kept me engaged, despite my mind wandering at times.

When I saw that The Last Word was described as being for fans of The Hating Game and Beach Read, I knew I wanted to read it! This was such a cute read and I can confirm it definitely did give off those vibes and had a ton of similar romance tropes - enemies to lovers, workplace romance, forced proximity, and second chance romance.

This book follows Harper, who is a career focused journalist, who ends up having to work side by side with Ryan, who she has a history with - ten years ago they worked together as interns and it ended in what Harper felt was betrayal. I enjoyed the flashbacks to the past that gave some of their history.

I liked Harper's character overall who was determined, a little chaotic in how she organized herself and funny, but sometimes felt that she was childish at times. One of my favourite aspects of the book was Harper's job - I loved the interviews she did as part of her job as Celebrity Editor and the trips and meetings she went on. It was hard to see how her family and her boss treated her at times, but I really enjoyed her growth throughout the book as she figured out how to balance her career with her relationships and more. I liked Ryan too and how he really knew Harper. While I found that they argued a lot, I did enjoy their banter and I loved the side characters that rounded out the story as well.

Overall, I enjoyed this one and rated it 4 stars. If you are looking for a workplace romance with the enemies to lovers, second chance and forced proximity tropes that give off The Hating Game vibes check out The Last Word!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press of the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded down. This one is a hard one for me to review, because it put me into a highly out of character reading slump, taking me 10 days to complete. The book itself just didn't hold my attention enough for me to power through, plus it was another excessively long rom-com which can be off-putting.

Harper is a celebrity features reporter at a London glossy magazine, and has a combative past with Ryan, the new hire with whom she previously interned with at another news organization straight out of college. She has held a grudge against him since he was awarded the job at the end of the internship, information he intentionally withheld from her to preserve their fledgling relationship. In the future, history repeats itself when redundancies come to their current workplace, and Harper once again finds Ryan withholding information in acts of self preservation. Set alongside a backdrop of a wanker boyfriend and family conflict, the miscommunication and lying by omission added to my frustrations while reading. I did enjoy reading about the celebrity interviews and glitzy world of London PR and liked how Harper turned a negative situation into a positive and landed on her feet using her contacts and years of hard work and effort. As a couple though, I didn't love Harper and Ryan together, and didn't like how he repeated his same mistakes over and over without showing much growth in the 11 years since first meeting.

I really enjoyed this book! Harper, a celebrity editor for a newspaper's weekend magazine, flips out when she sees Ryan in a meeting room at her job. When she finds out that he was hired as the magazine's features editor, she is appalled at the thought of having to work with him. They disagree about everything and gripe at each other constantly, but her coworkers sense the chemistry. What she doesn't tell them, though, is that she and Ryan have a past.

Fun banter and familiar tropes combine with some more serious layers of the story, such as Harper's awful parents, to create a great rom-com read. Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for a chance to read this e-arc.

I loved everything about this tempestuous charming romance. Ryan is a hot new book boyfriend and Harper is a chaotic successful mess that I would love to have as a friend. These two create beautiful sparks that finally turn into the fire I was hoping for. A new favorite for my home library!

3.5 Things Changed Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free
It is a fact that when we are young, green, and starting out in the world of careers and dreams, mistakes or misunderstandings can happen easily. And the fact people are young and easy to jump to conclusions rather than talking things out at the moment...Assumptions happen and bad feelings are created and last a very long time.

The Last Word by Katy Birchall uses this premise and runs with it. The main characters were both interns at a magazine years ago and did what young people do...had a quick relationship, fought to be recognized and promoted, and ended up having a bad taste in their mouths as to what happened back in those days.

There is quick, snappy dialogue, an easier feel for the guy vs the gal, and, in the end, a good end.

Harper is one of London’s top celebrity journalists. Currently stationed at newspaper insert Narrative, she has garnered respect from agencies, actors, and musicians through her compassionate reporting style–although her boss Cosmo thinks she’s a complete joke. When new features editor, Ryan, joins the office, she must fight harder to justify her place. Why? At the start of their journalism careers ten years ago, the two were rival interns at a newspaper, where Harper left scorned.

Was this Beach Read and The Hating Game? No, but it was an overall fun read. While it started rockily, handing the reader exposition within the first few pages, only to rescind it immediately, the pacing evened out midway as the stakes were raised, and the story got into its romcom groove. The characters were fun and well fleshed out, especially Harper’s coworkers and her uptight boss, Cosmo. Harper was a fierce character who rightfully stood up for herself, but at times she came in so unreasonably hot, it was hard to root for her.

Again, this was fun overall for anyone who is looking for a fast-paced, breezy, giggle-inducing romcom.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, SMP Romance and NetGalley for this e-ARC.

*3.5/5* I had a fun time reading this! The characters were enjoyable and I loved their slow burn romance. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys rom-com reads!

Any time a marketing plan includes "For fans of The Hating Game...", you must go in leery. This book was ok overall. I loved some of the escapism (yes, travel journalism is my dream profession!) but getting over harpy Harper is a challenge.

So often, authors try to work out a character's growth and it always saddens/irritates/bums me out that it needs to veer into annoying immaturity to get to an end apology for the hero's journey.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
SPICE: 🔥🔥

As someone who works in the journalism world, this book had some high expectations from me, and it delivered.

Harper has an uncanny ability to draw out the deepest secrets and juiciest gossip from Hollywood's A-list celebrities. Her talent has secured her place as Celebrity Editor for her newspaper, and she is living her best life. That is, until her boss hires a blast from her past.

Ryan is the new Features Editor and her boss, and he was once Harper's co-worker..and lover. A betrayal broke them apart, and Harper has been harboring a grudge ever since. Now they are co-workers once again, and it is a war in the newsroom. Harper fights him over every decision, and she drives him mad. While they keep locking horns, the dynamic between them starts to shift. Will they finally drop their guard to let a friendship -- and perhaps something more -- bloom?

This book was definitely entertaining. I love the bickering and banter between Harper and Ryan. It establishes and builds and builds the tension that has me turning the pages to see when we will get the payoff. While I prefer more spice, the natural development of their relationship was quite rewarding. I also really liked the slow progression to revealing the true story behind their feud from their previous job.

Both characters are lovable. Harper is a bit of a mess, but she is still adorable. I envy her talent for easily connecting with the people she is interviewing, allowing them to feel at ease and disclose their secrets or indiscretions. Ryan is equally charming in his own quiet way, and despite Harper's big personality, he holds his own in their moments together.

This standalone read made me laugh with their childish antics, and while they had some growing up to do, it did not distract from their character and relationship development.

If you love a good office enemies-to-lovers with lots of banter and laughs, this is definitely a great pick for your TBR.

** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to Katy Birchall, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for providing an ARC. **

Fun romance set in a magazine world with a splash of 2nd chance romance and great chemistry. As with other Katy B books, this was an enjoyable read with some genuine laugh out moments.

Our main leads Harper and Ryan could really be more different (externally). Harper is a chaos monster who never turns anywhere on time (honestly, same) but whose work ethic can’t be questioned in the slightest. She gets the work done very well in fact, and her bubbly personality makes her great at putting people at ease when she interviews them. We then have Ryan her new work neighbor, a neat, by-the-books guy and obviously clashes were set to happen. What makes it more annoying is that these 2 have a secret romantic history …

Without giving much away, as said earlier, I had fun with this book. I enjoyed the setting a lot, and the secondary characters really shined. I loved Harper’s friends and Ryan’s parents were awesome. I also enjoyed the car scene that witnessed Ryan no 2 😊

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

This book was pretty cute. I always love a good enemies to lovers book and this one was great. It's a quick and easy read with interesting characters and a fun storyline as well. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the two main characters and I thought their relationship developed really naturally. Looking forward to more books by this author!

This book was fantastic! Harper is an awesome celebrity reporter who is thrown when Ryan is suddenly hired at her magazine. They have history and can’t seem to get along now.

Harper’s character is written as a strong, independent woman who goes after what she wants and is respected in her field. Ryan sees her for who she is and really respects her talent. Ryan’s character was so honest in how he felt about Harper. His methods sometimes need med some work, but I was really rooting for these two.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book.

I actually really enjoyed this story! It was perfect for my commutes and I can see it as being a great book to read at the beach!

I felt a connection to the characters and the storyline and found myself being drawn into the story!

The Last Word features Harper, a celebrity editor for a magazine, who is now forced to work with her former fling-turned-enemy Ryan. I absolutely loved this! I typically find the work lives of romance characters boring but OMG! I was hooked on her work life and I am now oh-so-interested to read these fake celebrity memoirs she was going to press events for.
Harper was a bit ridiculous in her stubbornness at times, but as a reader, I could tell she truly believed in what she said. She was super well-rounded and is such a detailed character for a romance story where characters often lack depth. Ryan was delightful. I loved his relationship with his family, found him so sincere, and I always love a "I've wanted you the first time I saw you" moment. Birchall wrote a few moments like that which had me getting butterflies along with Harper. To top it off, we got lots of him telling the people around him how much he admires and values her. The reader (and Harper) of course don't find this out until the end, but it makes the romance even more sweet.
Overall, I loved The Last Word! It was an incredible mix of contemporary and romance. Harper's storyline was so strong and interesting, it made the romance even more enjoyable.
I received my advanced reader copy from Netgalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for my honest review.