This is an enemies to lovers story that reads like a combination of The Hating Game and Beach Read if you mixed the two together. Harper is a brilliant journalist who works as celebrity editor for a newspaper's magazine. Her boss hires her rival Ryan to be the new features editor, and soon enough their workplace becomes a fight over everything. After a romantic press trip overseas, the chemistry between them finally ignites.
This book was a little slow at first but quickly picked up. I liked the rivalry between the two, it was really entertaining to read about their behavior. Overall it was a great quick read and I enjoyed it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Harper looks like an absolute disaster - she's messy, with dubious organizational skills and ab absolute inability to be on time despite her best efforts. But she is amazing at her job as the celebrity editor of her magazine- standing out with her empathy and genuine interest in the people themselves.
Ryan is the features editor that was just brought in and he is immediately out against Harper in any way their topics may overlap. Their boss doesn't know their history but the entire office knows that when fee they're in the same room some form of explosion will happen -- sometimes cannon fire, sometimes fireworks.
When the magazine starts having issues, there are some big decisions to be made. What does that mean for Harper and Ryan?

This is a fun read, as the present plays out and the reader gets flashbacks to their intern years together. I am totally Harper so I loved the heroine being a great person who also just didn't care to hang her clothes up and easily lose things on her messy desk. It was nice to see these not being a fatal flaw, just a flaw.

#arc
#netgalley
#thelastword

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

This was not my first Katy Birchall and this book proved that I am still a fan! This book was so much fun. One of my favorite enemies to lovers in the workplace is "The Hating Game" and this gave me all the same warm fuzzies and pure adoration for the couple. The banter between Harper and Ryan was epic and Ryan is definitely book boyfriend material! The book shares snippets from the past so you little by little have the history between them revealed. Then you have the current relationship as they are thrown together in the workplace years later.

While I loved the relationship between our main characters, I also adored Harper's female friends at work and the people Harper makes connections with through her interviews. There were so many strong, wonderfully written characters, and it was easy to get invested in all of their lives. As well as a few characters who you booed loudly at every time they were on the page. (Harper's parents and Cosmo!!)

I am still smiling after turning the last page...this is one I will check out the audio version as well. :)

4.5 stars

Harper is a quirky celebrity journalist who loves her job, until she finds herself working side by side with Ryan. Ryan seems perfectly likeable, in fact he is well liked by all of the office! So it surprises everyone when Harper cannot give up her disdain for him. Slowly we’re given small glimpses into Harper and Ryan’s past: workplace competition, infatuation, and secrets. But can they work through their past and start anew?

If you loved the hating game you will love this! Great writing, and I found myself akin to Harper WAY too many times. You know when you like someone so you keep doing dumb things around them? Yeahhhhh, that’s me to a t. Highly recommend this new release from Katy Birchall!

After positively loving The Secret Bridesmaid and The Wedding Season, I couldn't wait to dive into Katy Birchall's latest! And y'all, I think this is the best one yet.

Part enemies to lovers, part they both fell first and fell hard but couldn't admit it and part second chance romance after a decade...The Last Word has it all! Plenty of banter, plenty of chemistry, plenty of heart to heart moments, longing glances, and some ultimate set ups by some of the best friends and scheming coworkers...I loved every minute of watching Harper and Ryan fall in love. When a synopsis starts with part Hating Game and part Beach Read you know it's going to be good!!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my review!

Harper is killing it at her newspaper. A top-rated celebrity journalist, she is known for getting Hollywood stars and starlets to open up to her. She is also known for her business contacts, which she worked hard to get. But things start going sideways for her when Ryan is hired as the new Features Editor. Harper and Ryan were a thing over ten years ago, and that ended in disaster when Ryan betrayed Harper. She has never forgiven him or gotten over the betrayal. But, the more time they are forced to spend together, the more Harper realizes that she might have overreacted and that her feelings for Ryan might be more profound than she admits. How will Harper and Ryan’s romance end? Will it be a happily ever after? Or will it be over before it gets a chance to take off?

I was not expecting to dislike The Last Word. Usually, these chick-lit romances are a fun, quick read for me. A light bit of fluff is a palate cleanser for my brain (I read many books with heavier content). I went into reading The Last Word expecting it to be a mildly pleasant book. It was not. Unfortunately, the main female character ruined the book for me. To say I disliked her is putting it mildly.

The storyline for The Last Word was easy to follow. Taking place mainly in London, the book follows Harper as she navigates her career and relationships. I did like the storyline. It was well written and kept my attention on the book (even with my intense dislike of Harper).

I couldn’t stand Harper. While I admired that she had worked hard to prove her parents wrong, I felt she came across as a spoiled brat for almost the entire book. I didn’t understand why she disliked poor Ryan for so long. The author kept that a secret until nearly halfway through the book. Meanwhile, Harper acted like a fool in her office (screaming at Ryan, accusing him of stealing her stuff, mocking his cookies, and freaking out about other things). I might have sympathy for her if the author had disclosed what he did (and honestly, it wasn’t a big deal). But then she did it again (when the layoffs happened), and her behavior made me sick. I did have a small amount of sympathy for her because of how her parents were. I felt that the author threw that in just for that reason.

As much as I liked and felt bad for Ryan, I wish he had stood up for himself. He let Harper walk all over him at the magazine. Listen, I get that he didn’t want to rock the boat with her at work (she did have seniority), but he turned into a freaking doormat. When the author finally divulged why Harper hated him, I got it. What he did wasn’t right, but telling Harper she didn’t get the job wasn’t his place. I also got why he didn’t tell her about the layoffs at the magazine. It wasn’t his place (it was that idiot, Cosmo). But he still let Harper blame him for everything. It got old after a while, and honestly, he should have moved on after the layoff.

There are sex scenes in The Last Word. They were non-graphic. Because of how I felt about Harper, I was a little disgusted by reading them.

The end of The Last Word was interesting. I liked how Harper took her layoff and turned it around. She could keep doing what she loved but on her own time. That was awesome. I also liked how Harper told her parents and sister off. It was long overdue. Harper and Ryan got their HEA, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. She was awful and didn’t deserve him (there, I said it). And while I liked the epilogue, it didn’t evoke the happy feelings they usually do. Instead, I felt nothing but pity for Ryan.

I recommend this book to anyone over 21. There is language, mild violence, and language.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Katy Birchall for allowing me to read and review The Last Word. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

I had the privilege of tandem reading/listening to The Last Word by Katy Birchall so my review will be the same for both the ebook and the audiobook. I can absolutely understand why this is being described as Beach Read + The Hating Game hybrid - it meets the mark while being unique from them. I love a second chance 'enemies to lovers,' opposites attract, office romance. Lovable characters, great story and great chemistry with a believable slow burn. I definitely recommend this romcom, perfect summer read!

For the audiobook, the narrator did a fantastic job (I listen at 1.75x for my own speed preference).

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ARC/ALC!

Harper and Ryan started out as interns together for the same publication. Sparks fly in the form of competition, until they fly in the form of a relationship. Then it all falls apart. Now, they are back working at the same magazine and it is a nightmare. They argue and fight about who is going to do what. Then the connection sparks again and once again, all is not as it seems.

I adored Harper. She is totally unorganized and a hot mess (especially when it comes to her shoes!) but, she is very good at her job. I related so well to this! There are a lot of times I am a hot mess too but I can get the job done in spite of that. So, she has a piece of my heart!

Ryan is a strong silent type and I found him very appealing as well. These two charming characters lit up the pages and kept the story fun and delightful.

We just recently had a very long flight. This was a great book to lose yourself in! It is so entertaining and perfect for that long ride!

Need a quick, cute romance…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

The Last Word by Katy Birchall is a fun new enemies/rivals-to-lovers romance. I just love Birchall’s humor and the way she writes her characters, and I’m also a huge fan of the enemies/rivals to lovers trope so I couldn’t wait to dive into this book.

The story follows Harper and Ryan, two journalists who crossed paths years ago when they were interns for the same publication. There was definitely chemistry between them back then but Ryan ultimately betrays her, and they haven’t spoken since. When we meet Harper, she is fully focused on her career as a successful and well-respected Celebrity Editor for a newspaper magazine. Life is good with the exception of her sexist boss. Not only does the man seem to go out of his way to be rude to her, but he also takes every opportunity to stifle her career growth. As if all of that wasn’t bad enough, now he has gone and hired Ryan to be his new Features Editor.

Needless to say, sparks fly as soon as Ryan and Harper are forced to work together. Constant bickering and disagreements eventually give way to a tentative partnership, and of course my favorite part of an enemies to lovers story – when the main characters realize that maybe they don’t hate each other after all and the trajectory of their relationship changes. I always love those moments and Birchall handles them well here.

Harper is a fantastic character. I love how she’s a real go-getter even in the face of blatant sexism that has her other colleagues shaking their heads. Harper is amazing at her job and is the go-to person when celebrities want someone who they can trust to respectfully and professionally handle their stories. Even though I went into this book craving a fun rom com, I really enjoyed Harper’s personal/professional journey as she fully comes into her own and takes the reins of her career. It took me a little longer to warm up to Ryan just because I was Team Harper all the way, but once we are finally allowed to learn the details of what happened all those years ago, my heart fully melted toward him.

The Last Word is the third book from Katy Birchall I’ve read and it definitely will not be my last!

I just finished The Last Word by Katy Birchall and here are my musings.


Harper is the very best at what she does but her boss undermines her journalistic endeavors which happens to be celebrity based.

When one of her best friends leaves the magazine, a spot opens up and her boss hires Ryan. A man she knew a long time ago. A man who betrayed her. She is furious and she cannot let go of what happened in their past.

The tension is intense and the bickering, comical. They couldn’t be more different. Both of them like having the last word but as their stories overlap more and more, Harper cannot help feeling the intense attraction that is between them and after Ryan ends up on the same press trip she is on…. Things really heat up!

Just when things start to look cozy for these two enemies, impending layoffs are coming down the pipe and who will be left standing.

I have read some amazing romcoms lately so the bar was set so very high with my expectations. This book exceeded every single expectation I had and was the best page turner I have had the pleasure of reading this year!

Harper is the very best! I mean the very best! She is messy, disorganized and ditzy! Warm, caring with a natural ability of having things come easily to her. Ryan is the polar opposite. He works hard to achieve what she does but he is organized and a type A personality type. He is sexy as all heck and the exchanges between the two were electric.

I laughed, I shed a few tears and I had my heart warmed to solar flare temperatures. This book was a genius concoction of sweet, salty caramel goodness. I wish someone could wipe my brain so I could read it again for the first time.

PLEASE RUN don’t walk to get your copy today!

5 stars! Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for my gifted copy

Katy Birchall's books are always a good time, and this was no exception. This was a second-chance, enemies to lovers romance, and the banter was top notch. It was so much fun watching Harper and Ryan reconnect. I also really enjoyed watching Harper's growth over the book in terms of accepting her parents' views of her job, as well as realizing that her job doesn't define her. This would be a perfect summer read!

The Last Word is a cute second chance romance/enemies to lovers with a dash of celebrity gossip and it was such a fun read.

Harper is a celebrity editor at her magazine and is a phenomenal journalist with a knack for putting even the grumpiest stars at ease. She loves her job, but fears her workplace is ruined when Ryan is hired as features editor. Harper knows Ryan and knows him well. Ten years ago they worked as interns at a different publication and the chemistry was undeniable. But after an amazing weekend together, Harper learns Ryan was keeping something from her, leaving her feeling betrayed and vowing to never speak to him again. Sparks fly when the two are forced to work together. Harper hates him, but why does she still feel so drawn to him… and why does he know her like no one else does?

My issue with some enemies to lovers book is that I find the reason they hate each other to be dumb, for lack of a better explanation. This story was refreshing because I totally understand why Harper felt betrayed by Ryan, but I also could understand why he made that choice. With a believable backstory in place, I really enjoyed the bickering and banter between the two as they found their way back to each other. The celebrity journalism aspect is intriguing and fun, shining a little insight into what that world might really be like. I really enjoyed this cute read, just as I did The Wedding Season by Birchall last year.

This one comes out tomorrow, May 2nd. Check it out!

Thank you to @netgalley @stmartinspress and @katybirchallauthor for the earc of this fun romcom!

This book had me from the first line of its description; The Hating Game meets Beach Read.  Those are two of my favorite books, so I was excited and intrigued, but also skeptical.  The bar was set pretty high for Katy Birchall and The Last Word, and I was not disappointed.  

I loved both of our MC's.  Harper reminded me of an Aaron Sorkin heroine; one of those talented go-getters who consistently excel and are totally bad-ass in their professional life, but a bit lacking in self-confidence in their personal lives.  The Last Word is told in single POV through Harper, and includes flashbacks to her first internship in the journalism industry, which is also the first time she met Ryan.  Ryan is the quiet, serious guy that's often seen as cold and aloof but is really incredibly thoughtful, genuine, funny, and romantic.  I liked both Harper and Ryan as individuals, but as a pair they were even better.  I had so much fun watching their relationship grow and change, their banter was on-point, the utter longing was excruciating but delicious, and I was totally shipping them from the start! The supporting characters were incredibly well-developed and include a despicable, sexist boss, colleagues-turned-best friends, delightful celebrities, and family members that cover the full spectrum from loving and supportive, to...not.  

This was my first Katy Birchall, but I thoroughly enjoyed her storytelling and her writing style and will now be reading my way through her backlist and eagerly awaiting any future releases.  
Tropes: Second-chance romance, Enemies-to-lovers, Workplace romance (a romance trifecta)
My thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press Group and Katy Birchall for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Enemies to lovers in the best way! This is such a fun second chance romance filled with chemistry, celebs and comedy (as well as misguided communication issues followed by much needed character growth!).

Harper is a phenomenal celebrity editor. She actually cares about the famous people she interviews and she lets them talk off the record instead of scoring a huge scoop, which in turn, allows her to score the huge scoop because they trust her! Ryan broke her heart years ago after a hot and heavy weekend together, so she doesn't trust him, both personally and professionally.

The barbs they toss at one another followed by sizzling stares are utterly delicious. Goodness gracious, is it hot in here or is it just Ryan and Harper?! "I can't believe he wants me as much as I want him" SWOON!!!

The supporting characters are just as fantastic. I LOVED Harper's coworkers and the celebrities she interviewed. The taxi scene had me in hysterics. Then, the picnic scene in London had me smiling with glee. This book was SO good, just like all of Katy Birchall's books. Go read them all!

I enjoyed this one, a very good slow burn, enemies to lovers second- romance that had me interested until the end. The one thing that bothered me and is usually something that throws me off a read in particular is miscommunication. Still, it surprised me how much I enjoyed this book even with the communication barrier. I would recommend this one for all of the familial aspects and witty banter.

This was a fun workplace romance! It was def a slow burn, and the anticipation killed me. Harper frustrated me at times because she just *had* to always have the last word- I know that was the point but man sometimes she just quickly assumed the worst. RYAN OMG such a fricken golden retriever man!!! I knew right from the start he loved her and he slowly but surely made it known and I just adored him. This really was comparable to The Hating Game!

Fans of enemies to lovers and second chance romances will love The Last Word! Harper and Ryan have a history and now are thrown together when Ryan is hired at Harper's newspaper. I loved the dual timelines and how the story was revealed as we learned more about both characters.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this advanced copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for a honest review

Fans of The Hating Game - you’ll love this book! I absolutely loved Katy’s style of writing. It can sometimes be tricky doing different timelines and switching back and forth but it felt like it was so effortless in this book and it really added to the progression of the story.

I loved Ryan and Harper’s banter and the fact that Ryan had been down bad for her since day one. Harper is a go getter who is career driven and independent - knowing who and what she wants in life. I really enjoyed this book!

I just finished Birchall’s The Wedding Season and I had this arc and knew it was releasing soon (May 2nd). The past books of Birchall’s were more Women’s fiction with some romance on the side. This was a full Contemporary Romance with second chance romance, enemies to lovers and office romance.
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Harper is the celebrity editor in a magazine. She interviews hot shots, goes to all the events, has a boyfriend. Life seems perfect but her family relationships is barely a ship. And her nemesis has joined their team which throws off her equilibrium.
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This started out slow for me but I did enjoy Harper and Ryan’s bickering. Harper seems to have a kindred heart when she interviews others but her lack of self respect with dumping Liam sooner was annoying. Liam was a wasted space. I think the book picked up for me at 40% then I couldn’t put it down but I would hope it doesn’t take that long for others. And maybe the checked out parents bothered me too since I had just read TWS and that seems to be a common theme Birchall. 😬
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Content: alcohol consumption by adults, some minimal language, 1 mostly open door scene, misogynistic boss
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There was great worth at the end. I’ll definitely read more of Birchall’s work. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the e-arc copy. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

This book was everything I needed!

I adored Beach Read and enjoyed Hating Game, so I knew going in that I would most likely enjoy it, and I did. Workplace romances are to die for, and this one is no exception. Enemies, Harper is mad when Ryan is hired at her job. Forced together, they bicker and fight, and dang, I'm obsessed.

This book was really good. Harper felt a little immature at times, but I loved the dynamic between Harper and Ryan, and their chemistry was off the charts. They are total opposites, which I like reading love interests like that. I really enjoyed this and recommend it 100%!