This second chance, enemies-to-lovers, workplace romance was witty and entertaining.

Harper is a journalist, an honest and honorable one. When her editor leaves, Ryan is hired as the replacement. Ryan the man that not only broke her trust, but also her heart ten years ago.  

It took me a while to get into this one.  I connected with Harper's structured chaos and her tendency to be late and messy.  I find a kindred spirit in someone who sets multiple alarm clocks to get up. Ryan is her complete opposite.  He's a little uptight and arrogant but it turns out he's a really good guy.

Despite her flaws, Harper is likable and is great at her job.  She connects and cares for the celebrities she interviews. 

The character development stood out the most. I loved the ending and seeing Harper take charge of her career and go in a new direction. 

The banter and competition between Harper and Ryan in the past and present added a lot to the story.  The story was cute with some funny scenes.

It's entertaining and well-written and does have a little spice, its definitely a slow burn. The romance and chemistry were a little lacking for me personally.  Even so, I recommend this if you enjoy contemporary fiction or women's lit with some romance mixed in.

Unfortunately this one was not for me and it was a DNF. I could not get into this writing style.

Thank you to NetGallery and St. Martin’s Griffith for this eARC.

This was a cute, fun read if you are a fan of workplace rivalries and second chance romance with strong-headed characters and good banter. This one is not as saturated in the romance and gives good character growth. I liked Harper's character arc. A little slow to start but good once it picks up.

A classic HEA story involving a enemies to lovers in the workplace story. Super cute and easy read- just gets a tad annoying when the main character keeps flip flopping from understanding to being insulted over and over. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

The following review was posted on my blog three days ago, on Tuesday, May 2nd, the day of publication. It was shared on Instagram twice and has already been posted on Goodreads. The blog post includes links to order the books and to its Goodreads page, so readers can add it to their to-be-read books.



“This job is not your be all and end all. It’s a job. It’s not who you are.”
“That just goes to show you don’t know me at all.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Deals with gaslighting, cheating, and horrible working conditions.

“The Last Word” follows Harper Jenkins, a celebrity journalist, as she tries to coexist with a new editor, Ryan Jansson, who was hired for at magazine she works at… just that Ryan isn’t too new to her—they were both interns at the same paper a decade prior, and following a whirlwind romance, have barely talked since. Will they collaborate, ignore each other, or perhaps fall into old habits? That’s for you to find out and for Katy Birchall to tell.

“The Last Word” will be amongst one of my favorite reads this year, I can feel it. It reminded me so much of one of my favorite books (“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Read), although it was following a vastly distinct story.

The use of alternating timelines kept you on your toes, and the characters, both main and secondary, were all so unique, relatable, and intriguing. Set in London’s journalism scene, I genuinely wanted to know where this story was going at all times.

With it’s second-chance, enemies-to-lovers romance, “The Last Word” will capture your heart in a beat. Also, if you enjoy workplace romances, like “The Hating Game” by Sally Thorne, I would absolutely and highly recommend this read. It’s a bit of a slow and dry burn, but the conclusion is oh-so sweet, it’s worth it.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: May 2, 2023

I loved everything about this book except for Harper’s attitude towards Ryan. Was it warranted? Maybe. But for someone portrayed as being at the top of their game professionally, her reactions to him were anything but; she was childish and immature. Otherwise, the story was wonderful. I enjoyed the immersion into the world of magazine publishing and Harper’s approach to getting her stories. Overall, a highly enjoyable read.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this!

The description gave me strong The Hating Game vibes which I adored, so I was really excited for this. I did like the character development in her own life, especially with her family. It had one of my biggest pet peeves - where a romance protagonist is in a committed relationship at the beginning and for a significant portion of the book, I want to be able to root for the main couple the whole time and not being able to because cheating sucks, well, sucks. That plus some of the other choices when it came to the main characters didn’t work for me, unfortunately.

Harper Jenkins is a hot mess. She is not only good at her job, she makes talking to celebrities easy to do. She doesn't do gotcha pieces. Her life is cruising along till there is a shake-up at the magazine. Her long time nemesis is now sitting next to her and supposed to join in on her articles/stories. Ryan Jansson is now working at the same place as Harper. He considers her the one that got away. Can they possibly get past this. Everyone in the office feels like they are watching a match. Waiting to see what each of them are going to throw at each other. Someone has to have the last word. Slowly they are finding their way to back to each other. A reorganization at the magazine leaves her without a job and in a spiral. What is she going to do? It's something her sister said that has her on edge. Could she do it? She is not only very good at what she does, Harper knows what she wants. Harper and Ryan are just so much fun and you never know who is going to get The Last Word.

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @stmartinspress and @smpromance for an early copy of The Last Word by Katy Birchall. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

The Last Word is an enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy about Harper, a Celebrity Editor who is well-known for getting tight-lipped Hollywood stars to open up to her, and Ryan, their magazine’s newest Features Editor. They’d worked together years before and fell into a whirlwind romance until Ryan betrayed her and they never spoke again until they’re teamed up together again. Harper and Ryan couldn’t agree on anything and constantly bicker - 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?

🛑Read on with caution; review may contain spoilers🛑

I definitely enjoyed Harper and Ryan’s sizzling chemistry, which is pretty strong especially whenever they argue. I love that they challenge each other, and I found Ryan so endearing and sweet as he knows all of Harper’s tells; he knows her well.

While there’s a miscommunication on both occasions where Ryan seemingly betrays Harper (lies of omission), I loved how they both grew as individuals. Harper, who’s written as this incredible journalist who can make everyone she interviews more at ease prior to the actual interview, was able to shine brighter as a journalist outside the magazine, and Ryan became more comfortable voicing out his feelings and thoughts. I also enjoyed just how they complement and bring out the best in each other.

Rating this ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5 Available to purchase from all book retailers!

I’ve been in a rough reading slump and this delightful book brought me out of it! Katy does such a great job of writing powerful friendships on top of relationships. I love Harper’s friendships with all of the other awesome ladies in this book. And I absolutely loved the banter between her and Ryan in the “enemy” phase, even if it was pretty clear this was a “he falls first” situation and not all was what Harper thought.

I’m not a big second chance romance girl but the playful enemies to lovers of it all made it for me. I loved their relationship but I also love that this was a story about Harper embracing those around her in her natural bubbly compassion and the rewards that paid for her in her low times.

Enemies to lovers is my absolute favorite romance trope, and when it's in the workplace? Even better.

These characters are a lot of fun, and I was completely invented in them right from the beginning. I also really liked the side characters; they added a lot to the story without taking the focus off the MCs. I liked Harper's character arc - it is so much more fun to read about characters who aren't perfect.

A note - it's pretty light on the spice, but it's sweet and a lot of fun.

Harper Jenkins loves her job as as a celebrity journalist for a popular magazine. She is at the top of her game and has the best contacts in the business. But when her boss hires Ryan to be the new Features Editor, Harper is furious. Because she and Ryan have met before, a decade ago. They had both been interns at the same publication, where they fell in love, until Ryan betrayed Harper. Now, a decade later, thrown together in the newsroom, they are a disaster. They don’t agree on anything and constantly argue. But, despite their disagreements on just about everything, Harper feels a spark and thinks maybe she misjudged him.

I love stories where the characters are journalists! I find the business fascinating and always enjoy that as a setting. Although this was a slow-burn romance, I found myself invested and rooting for Harper and Ryan. Overall, a fun rom-com that would make a great read for summer :)

Thank you to Katy Birchall, St. Martin’s Griffin and Netgalley for the ARC! “The Last Word” is out now.

REVIEW: The Last Word ⭐⭐⭐⭐

"You light up every room you walk into. You somehow turn everything that's great and orderly into a colorful, giant jumble. You're like this…. Chaotic, shiny star." -Katy Birchall.

When I saw this new book from Katy Birchall available, I knew I wanted to read it. I have read two other books from her, The Secret Bridesmaid and The Wedding Season, which I both absolutely loved! I was curious how this book would be since this one was not wedding themed.

One thing Birchall is really great at is developing characters. She adds so much background and personality to them that you feel like you know them personally. The chemistry of the main characters in this story was very strong. It also helped that I love a great enemy to lovers trope.

Our main character, Harper, is a very career driven journalist and is super unorganized. Our other main character, Ryan, is quiet, serious, and super organized. Working next to each other is causing some issues, especially when they have some past together. This story reminded me a lot of The Hating Game in the best way!

There were a few times that issues seemed a bit forced into the story to cause problems for the characters. They didn't feel natural so it threw it off a bit. It also got a little repetitive at times, but not enough to distract from the story.

Overall I really enjoyed the story. The Last Word is a perfect novel for anyone who loves a romance with a strong female character and an enemy to lovers trope. I enjoyed this story from beginning to end.

Oh No, not the dog...As soon as I read that just couldn't not go further. I am sad to say it just left me sad and upset and could not get past it. It's ok I did read online that the dog was oK in the end but I just couldn't read again.

Harper Jenkins is a journalist and celebrity editor at Narrative magazine. A job she absolutely adores. Her outgoing personality and sense of humor endears her to celebrities that would otherwise never speak to journalists. She just so happened to score a coveted interview with a famous actress that hasn't spoken to the public in over 15 years after a very public fall from grace. This exclusive could really make her career. Things are looking up!

That is until a new editor is hired at Narrative. Ryan Jannsen. That awful, despicable man that broke her heart 10 years earlier. Now they have to sit side by side day in and day out and... work together? Impossible!!!

These two are like night and day. She's chatty, boisterous, and unabashedly disorganized. Ryan is quiet, thoughtful, and a total neat freak. Let's just say these two rarely see eye to eye. Let the bickering begin!

This book was a hoot. The bickering banter kept me entertained from the beginning to the end. I admit that at times I felt Harper was a little bratty but then I'd laugh at something she said and all would be forgiven. Ryan was perfection through and through. I'd say this book is more *com* with the *rom* coming in at around 70%. That didn't bother me in the least because I was having so much fun reading this. Be prepared for some miscommunication which I think is a common theme in an enemies to lovers / opposites attract scenario. There also weren't many surprises to be had here, though I find most rom-coms to be fairly predictable, so I find that enjoyable characters are what make or break a book in this genre. Birchall succeeded! 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for my complimentary copy.

I was so excited to receive this as an egalley from NetGalley and St Martin's Press. I greatly have enjoyed previous novels by Birchall.
This one is for all the enemies to lovers, workplace romance readers! I love the power dynamic between Harper and Ryan. The story includes flashbacks to when they were interning together and then back to present day. The energy was great, the book was an exciting and a quick read for me.

Despite being brilliant at her job as celebrity editor for her magazine, able to get exclusive interviews from even the most elusive of stars, Harper struggles to gain respect from her boss and even her family. To make matters worse, her old nemesis Ryan has been hired on as the features editor and soon they're bickering constantly. They worked together ten years before as interns competing for the same position, giving in to their attraction for one wonderful weekend... until she found out a truth that felt like betrayal and blocked him from her life. Now those feelings are starting to resurface as she realizes she may have misjudged him. But can she really trust him when cuts at the magazine are starting to feel like déjà vu?
This was a slow burn romance with flashbacks to their time as interns that reveal why Harper dislikes Ryan so much in the beginning. I like her strong and confident, yet disorganized and scatterbrained character and how she relates to the stars she interviews. Ryan was such a cinnamon roll character, shy and awkward except with Harper, hiding his feelings so he didn't get hurt again. After a bit of a slow start, once Ryan made his appearance in the story i was hooked!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such a fun book! We have two journalists, but that’s where the similarities end. Ryan is reserved and keeps to himself. Harper interviews celebrities for a job and fits in magnificently. She is outgoing and isn’t afraid to go after what she gets. 10 years previous, they were both interns and going for the same job, but also falling fast for each other. When Harper is betrayed, she bails and leaves him in the dust. Fast forward to current day, and Ryan is hired in the same department that Harper is in.

When thrown together again, old feelings start to resurface and bygones start to be just that. Their relationship was a slow simmer but I don’t feel like it dragged. Ryan was so sweet and he just wanted to be in harpers good graces. But they butt heads and Harper brings out the worst (or best, depending on how you look at it!) side of him. He gets competitive, and they both need to have the last word. It was such a sweet story of second chances and forgiveness!!

In spite of her terrible boss, Harper loves her job. She’s worked her way up to being one of the premiere Celebrity editors in the newspaper business and is well known for her great rapport with even the most difficult actors and musicians. The only one standing in the way to her further success is the new Features editor Ryan. They are as opposite as can be but she’ll need to find a way to get along with him before she loses all her best pieces.

The Last Word is a stand-alone workplace romance. Readers know from the blurb that the MCs previously knew each other as interns but their history together is sprinkled throughout the storyline. It takes quite a while before we actually find out what caused their falling out.

I enjoyed the author’s previous books (The Secret Bridesmaid and The Wedding Season) but this one fell flat for me. The first half of the book is rather slow with a lot of background information. I’m glad I stuck with it though as the second part is much more engaging and the pacing is better.

If you’re a fan of the workplace rivals trope this may be a great fit for you. Overall, a decent read. It’s just very different than the author’s previous work.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press (St. Martin’s Griffin)!

This was a super cute romcom! The banter in this was SOO good and had me laughing for most of this book. Harper was such a fun character and I loved her enthusiasm for life and her career. Her bubbly personality really leaps off the pages and made me feel a little happier, too. I adore Ryan and how sweet he is once he opens up. He’s such a nerdy, shy, cutie pie and I actually ended up liking him more than Harper. The book was a little slow in the beginning, but it picks up quickly and flys by. I really enjoyed this and it’s perfect for a day at the beach!