I typically stay away from second chance romance books because I often find the author struggles with developing the characters in the past relationship and in the present. This was one of the better books of this trope I have read. This book did a really good job of developing the characters’ backstories and developing the characters as individuals. I came to like both characters independently before really getting the full picture of them together.

This was such a cute, fun read. It was a quick fun enemies to lovers with an overwhelmingly positive message of doing what makes you happy.

Harper is a workaholic who puts everything into her work (her heart included) and when her work nemesis joins her magazine, it’s all on the line.

I really liked Ryan, shy and self conscious but open and always ready to argue with Harper. Harper was so incredibly frustrating at times, but she was so real.

We have a really solid cast of characters that work together really well, and I think the pacing is just right. The flashbacks aren’t overdone which I appreciate. I’m just bored of the third act break-up, it’s so frustrating every single time.

Overall, a very solid romance and I highly recommend! Thank you to Macmillan and Katy Birchall for the review copy! All thoughts are my own.

This was such a fun, feel good story, I breezed through in a couple of days and really enjoyed it!

It has many of tropes we love that makes us kick our feet in the air and giggle like teenagers:
- enemies to lovers
- work rivals + forced proximity
- slow burn
- second chance romance
- grumpy / sunshine
- banter
- chaos

Harper is one of my favorite heroines in romcom. She is chaotic yes, but she is so smart and funny and resourcefull and a pocketful of sunshiney mess. Everyone likes her, from her readers, to colleagues, to work collaborators to celebrities. Even I, as a reader, loved her work.

All nice and cool until Ryan enters the scene. Then you get yourself a story with the vibes of The Hating Game: office rivals shenanigans, a hero who was crazy about her but too in his head to do something about it, sharp dialogue and a slow burn that can only translate into insane chemistry and sexual tension that made the art department place bets on the whens and hows.

Ryan is a cinamonroll in disguise and they complement each other so well! I loved how he always believed in the heroine, even when she didn't, even whe he thought he hated her and always showed his appreciation in small moments. They were cute and funny and had sparks flying from the get go.

If you are looking for a light, smart and funny romcom set in the journalism world, I totally recommend this for the summer!

*review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest opinion, thank you!

Harper Jenkins is a journalist at a well-known magazine, and has worked very hard to gain the position of Celebrity Editor. Her kind and caring nature make her the perfect candidate for celebrity interviews because she genuinely cares about their answers and wants to show them in their best light. Everything was going brilliantly in her career until a glimpse of her past arrived in the form of Ryan, a coworker from her early days in journalism. Ryan shakes things up for Harper in ways that she never could have expected.

A cute office romance with a little “enemies-to-lovers” trope mixed in, The Last Word is easy to get immersed in quickly. The beginning of the book really focuses on Harper and how much of herself she really invests into her career. It was nice to have so much time devoted to the Main Character and what truly makes her someone to root for. Harper immediately comes off as confident, caring and incredibly good at her job. It was an interesting juxtaposition after her confidence took a hit and she came across much whinier.

The slow build of the relationship was brilliantly done and the chemistry was undeniable in very typical Katy Birchall fashion. I’ve read a couple of her books by now and have never been disappointed by the relationships, and this book is no different. It is always wonderful to see a couple where they are always trying to build one another up to the best of their ability. There were a few situations where I didn’t agree at all with their actions, but going into detail would leave far too many spoilers.

The only part of the book that I took any issue with whatsoever was the last quarter of the book. While I know it is necessary to have conflict, I thought the method with which it was done was repetitive. The conflict broke the beautiful flow that the rest of the book had built up so nicely. It also seemed to dismiss what the characters had gone through and took away from some of their growth that had developed throughout the novel. It is always a disappointment to trip at the finish line and I think that is what has happened here.

Overall, I had a great deal of fun with the book. I flew through it, loving the characters (especially the side characters) and the tension.

3.5/ 5 stars rounded up for characters and tension.

2 Spice

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

I love the enemies to lovers trope and adding in the work place was definitely fun. This was a fun slow burn romance which made you really root for the two main characters. Their history definitely added a good spark to their timeline.

I'm a sucker for enemies-to-lovers workplace rom-coms and this one delivered! Harper and Ryan had such great banter and a love/hate relationship. This also had character depth and growth, along with some family drama. This is a great summer read!

Journalist and celebrity editor at a popular magazine, Harper has a lot of things going for her; she’s dominating the industry with her kind-hearted ability of having everyone confide in her. She loves her job, that is, until her jackass of a boss hires someone from her past. Ryan and Harper interned together 10 years ago and had a brief romance, until she found out he betrayed her. Through months of arguing and making the office feel awkward, the two are forced to work on a scoop together. The chemistry is undeniable and unresolved feelings start to resurface.

The Last Word is a fast paced, witty, and entertaining, enemies to lovers and second chance romance story. While it’s mostly based at or regarding the workplace, I enjoyed that there were other things in Harper's life to focus on. I especially enjoyed the flashbacks to the past. You may not relate to her profession but, I feel like there’s a little bit of Harper that everyone can relate to. There was barely a moment when Mimi, her best friend, didn't make me laugh. The romance was so sweet, they balanced each other out well. I really liked Ryan, and what they brought out in each other. Overall, I found it to be an adorably entertaining and funny rom com!

Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for a copy of this ARC!

Thank you for an advance copy of this book!

I enjoyed this book, and it kept me entertained (I also ready it pretty quickly, which I liked). But, it still left me feeing...a little unsatisfied? I was lukewarm on this author's last book, so I thought I would give this one a try to see if my feelings had changed. And, while I enjoyed this one, I didn't love it and probably won't purchase it of Amy shelves.

It was a SOLID three star rating for me. I never considered rating it higher, but I never once read through it thinking it was less than what it is - an engaging, cute book that serves as a great palate cleanser between reads. Even though I wouldn't buy this, I would read more by this author. These are just not re-read books for me.

Rating: 3⭐️

The Last Word by Kat Birchall is a fascinating enemies to lovers, workplace romance with second chances as the two main characters’ paths cross again. It is described as The Hating Game meets Beach Read & I can totally see that!

These two bring the heat to the enemies part of enemies to lovers. Their banter borders on bickering as their draw to one another is unstoppable.

I thought that the workplace setting revolving around journalism, & specifically celebrity based journalism, was very interesting. It aptly described the negative connotation many have with celebrity news & “gossip” as well as the necessity of moral journalists like the main character Harper & the goodness in others she brings forth. I loved the hero Ryan & his confidence & appreciation of Harper & her work. Harper’s coworkers & friendly acquaintances in her field were a delight & made for a wonderful support system. Harper went on quite the journey throughout this book & it was an interesting adventure to read along with. I also really appreciated the ending & how everything came together.

Massive thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin’s for the free arc, which I voluntarily read & reviewed

Loved this book and the interactions between the characters! Would read more by this author. Cute, relatively quick read.

POV: Single (Harper)
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️.5

With London as a backdrop to the fast paced life of a celebrity journalist, this book transported me across the pond and charmed me with its fun cast of characters and witty banter. While it falls under a romcom with the tropes of second chance and enemies to lovers, it really does read more like women's fiction as the romance seems to be secondary to the story and not the main focus, at least until the end.

Ryan and Harper are great characters and definitely opposite of each other with Harper being a lively people person and Ryan being quiet and reserved. I would've liked to get to know Ryan a little better, and there were times when I was frustrated with them both, but all works out in the end. There is technically an open door scene, but it is not very descriptive so it really is more like the door is opened just a little bit and not completely closed!

This is my first book from the author, and I really appreciated how she wrote Harper's character, who is strong and has no issue standing up for herself. I really loved how everything works out for her in the end!

This is being compared to The Hating Game, and I have to agree with this enemies to lovers workplace romance.  At times, Harper was a little immature in her arguing with Ryan just because she had to be right (even if she was wrong).  This, however, led to her having great growth throughout the book to truly find herself and learn to stand up for herself. 

I enjoyed seeing Harper in her element at work.  She was a go-getter and would get high profile celebrities to interview because of her character and determination. I LOVED this part of the book!  You get flashbacks of when Harper and Ryan met to learn how they came to be and how they became enemies (although I think it was more Harper holding a grudge for 10 years). The first half was a bit slow, but I adored the second half so much!

I had to laugh at myself during some scenes in the book due to Harper being so competitive because I could totally see myself doing the same thing.  She was late all the time, forgetful, and what I like to call an organized mess…which is me in a nutshell!

I read this with Andrea, and we both read it pretty quickly!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫
Do we have a new favourite author? The answer is YES! After throughly enjoying the Wedding Season and the Secret Bridesmaid, we were beyond ecstatic to get an ARC for the Last Word.

As Celebrity editor at a newspaper’s weekly magazine, Harper can score interviews with any closed off celebrity by charming the right publicist. She is a workaholic who loves her job, even though her awful boss just hired her nemesis Ryan. They interned at the same newspaper ten years ago and had a whirlwind romance until Ryan betrayed her. They clash until they’re thrown together for a romantic work trip and finally talk about the past.

Katy Birchall writes FMC’s we are invested in from the start. Her books always have the perfect mix of self discovery and romance. You see the FMC’s journey without losing her to the romance of it all.
Despite being totally opposites, Harper and Ryan’s attraction is undeniable. It’s the classic, he falls first and she doesn’t realize it, which we love! Their love story made us feel warm and fuzzy!

Many thanks to @smpromance + @netgalley for the e-book ARC in exchange for our honest review.

What we liked:
▪️Enemies to lovers & workplace romance
▪️Flashback chapters
▪️all the sarcastic banter & bickering
▪️Getting the last word in arguments
▪️loved Mimi’s commentary

What we didn’t like:
▪️Harper’s grudge against Ryan (same mistakes being repeated was a bit frustrating)

This was a fun workplace romance! Loved the dialogue between the two main characters. I enjoy a solid enemies-to-lovers and second chance romance! And I always enjoy stories with a setting involving the publishing industries. The story takes place in London and the two main characters are Harper and Ryan (total cinnamon roll) and they have some great banter! I will definitely read more from Katy Birchall! What a fun, light read!
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital copy to review! 4 stars out of 5!

Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating: 🌶️
Tropes: Enemies-to-lovers, workplace romance, second chance romance, grumpy x sunshine, slow burn

Things I enjoyed:
- The book was not heavily focused on the romance aspect
- The characters were realistic, imperfections and all
- The FMC was not constantly described as short throughout the book (big pet peeve of mine)
- How the FMC's work ethic was described using positive adjectives throughout. Typically women who are driven are "bossy and B*&chy" and men are "assertive and driven" and it was so nice to read about a woman who is very driven and also great at her job
- The banter was fantastic!!!


Things I did not enjoy:
- How the FMC was constantly described as messy and unorganized. It went into too much detail and was described way too often for my liking. About 1/2 way into the book I was like "Omg i get it, she's messy...can we move on?"
- The slow burn was too slow for me. Even though they did get together for that one kiss at his flat and then again in Florence, she broke it off right after and the characters didn't get back together until the last chapter. I was expecting more romance and a little less focus on the workplace.

In the middle:
- Cosmo...first off I did not like his name. Maybe it's a British name but in America that's more of a dog's name than a persons name so I found that odd. And I was annoyed at how obnoxious the boss was....although that is probably realistic so I will let his character slide
- I also thought the FMC was annoying how over the top her personality was with always needing to have the last word, picking a fight over a "non-issue", and refusing to see the MMC's POV, just always assuming he is "out to get her". I appreciate that the FMC was not perfect and actually had character, but toward the end I wanted to scream at how irrational her behavior was.

The Last Word is being haled as a new version of The Hating Game and that's a tall order. The Last Word lives up to the enemies to lovers troupe but it was not without it's issues. The first quarter of the book felt disjointed from the rest. It serves mostly as the background explaining Harper's career. This means the hero and heroine were barely on page together. Once they start interacting the book picked up.

Harper and Ryan have a history. The reader gets more details of that history and where things went wrong in flashbacks sporadically throughout the course of the book. Harper hasn't seen or heard from Ryan in ten years. She walks into the breakroom at work and is shocked to find Ryan. They decide not to let people know of their past association and go head to head over every minute detail. Their attraction is once again instant but Harper can't seem to get over the betrayal she felt in the past.

This was not my first Katy Birchall book and I liked it quite a bit more than the last I read, The Wedding Season. Harper was kind of insufferable the first half of the book. I found the way she interacted with Ryan immature especially when it comes out what is the past betrayal. I really liked Ryan and his parents. He seemed like such a good guy and was so sweet. I loved that he would remember the smallest details and bake desserts for work. He was gone for her from the first time they met.

Thank you to Katy Birchall, NetGalley, and St Martin's Press for an eARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
#netgalley #TheLastWord #katybirchall #stmartinspress

This was an enjoyable read. It started a little slow but picked up. The banter between Ryan and Harper kept me entertained. This is my first read by the author and I will definitely check out her backlist. The character development was on point keeping me engaged throughout the book.

I love an enemies to lovers trope, those are so fun because their chemistry build up is always great and when they finally feed into their urges its explosive. Harper and Ryan were just IT. This is so a slow burn, but they are so funny with their banter and competition. They have history, they used to date so many years back and their breakup was life changing on how Harper sees relationships. But when she realizes that he was never the enemy, she has a change of heart and BOOOMMMM!!! We finally get to the good stuff. I adored these two though.

Thanks Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Harper is a true work-a-holic, a career driven woman who is underestimated constantly by her boss based on her role as a celebrity editor. She is used to using sheer determination to get to where she is in her career and isn't going to let anything deter her, even her new co-worker, Ryan .But, Ryan isn't quite "new" to Harper. Throughout the story, we find Ryan and Harper have quite the history; a history, it seems, Harper has yet to let go of...and neither has Ryan...

This enemies-to-lovers, second chance, office romance had all the makings of a romance I would truly love but, I struggled with Harper's competitive nature. She was always skeptical of Ryan's motives as he desperately tried to make up for their tumultuous history and prove to Harper he was a changed man. A man who desperately wanted another chance I did, however, adore Ryan! His efforts to win over Harper, regardless of her attitude, were sweet and swoony. Overall, this romance fell a bit flat and the connection between the characters wasn't completely believable until the very last pages of the story

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The overall premise of the book is cute; it's a second chance/enemies to lovers' workplace romance. However, for me, there isn't enough romance, and there isn't enough personal growth or depth to the story to be a strong women's fiction. I'm never a fan when someone has a boyfriend over halfway through the book (which is not the love interest). The "first boyfriend" Liam is sort of a throwaway, and I'm not sure he really adds much to the storyline. I would have enjoyed seeing Harper and Ryan getting past their disagreements and miscommunications sooner and getting to re-know one another on a deeper level. I didn't really feel either of the characters were completely fleshed out, as they both sort of felt like caricatures of "messy, creative woman" and "type A man" with not much else. All that being said, I think if you're after a "new adult" type British workplace drama/romance, you may enjoy this! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.