Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press Group for the ARC!

The Last Word is an enemies to lovers, office work place romance that's reminiscent of The Hating Game. I really enjoyed the first half of the book and enjoyed the women's lit fic of Harper. Her career as a celebrity journalist was inspiring.

I think well fell a bit short for me was the romance. The banter/bickering was a bit immature and a bit much for my taste which made me disconnect in believing the chemistry between the two. I was actually more invested in Harper's career rather than her romantic relationship with Ryan.

Overall, a fun romcom if you're looking for a beach read this summer!

Another fun story Katy Birchall. Each book I've read has been better than the last. This is such a great second chance romance hidden in a enemies-to-friends rom-com. The whole story just made me feel good. Ryan and Harper don't seem like a great fit but they were perfect for each other. I found the story to be generally fun and heartwarming at the same time. It was a perfect balance. I totally recommend this for a mood lifting read. Get ready to fall in love with both Ryan and Harper. I did! I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

**Thank you to Katy Birchall, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to receive an ARC of The Last Word in exchange for an honest review!!** This book is so interesting! I am not a huge fan of second chance romances so it definitely took me a bit to get into the book. I really adored the relationship between Harper and Ryan. Their banter was so great!! I really enjoyed their bickering in the present. I also really enjoyed Harper's friendships with Rakhee and Mimi, it really helped that this book was moreso about Harper than it was really about her romantic relationships. Harper is definitely relatable when it comes to her behavior and her messy life. I think this is a great book if you want to see a female lead try and make her way in an intense industry!

Thank you SMP for the eARC. 💖

I've been a Katy Birchall fan since her debut adult novel, The Secret Bridesmaid, so I was thrilled to get my hands on an early copy of The Last Word.

This book was so much fun! It has some of my favorite tropes: enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract, forced proximity, and workplace romcom. It's clever, witty, charming and has fantastic banter! I also really enjoyed the depth here, as in addition to the love story, there are subplots of tumultuous family relationships, workplace issues, and a great deal of character growth.

Birchall is such a reliable author. I always know I'm going to enjoy whatever she writes. Well done. 👏🏻

I had SO much fun with this book!! I loved the pacing from the begging and getting to know Harper's character was so refreshing, ie. who she is without the love interest involved.

THE BANTER, the chaos between Harper and Ryan was hilarious. Ryan is also just hilarious and pairing the two of them together made for a great dynamic. I also love how fleshed out the supporting characters felt, especially in a workplace romance like this.

“Peace time was nice while it lasted.” Meeee too Mimi, because when it got to the slightly annoying parts of whY they kept coming back to the same argument, I was a bit frustrated with how they handled dealing with their conflict. Overall though, I had a great time with this and definitely look forward to reading more from Katy Birchall!

A cute rivals-to-lovers workplace romance—like The Hating Game with actual build-up and reasoning for the rivalry. This was a breezy, fun read with lots of traveling and banter; definitely the perfect beach or poolside romance for the summer.

To be clear, I don’t think that there’s much that sets this book apart from those with similar concepts, but I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. It’s still an enjoyable read, and if you’re a big romance reader who knows (and loves) the tropes, this will be a great comfort read to get through any slumps.

The book does feel like it drags a little at points, especially since the characters are constantly going to big events and traveling for their busy journalist jobs. I appreciate how the romance and chemistry are interwoven with the big events, but I do feel like moments could have been condensed here and there. The beginning was especially slow at times as we wait for the big reveal for why Harper and Ryan are “rivals” at all.

The protagonists, Harper and Ryan, are fine. I really wish that I had more to say about them, but that’s really all that they are. Their chemistry is decent—maybe a little overhyped at the beginning by other characters—but by the 27% mark I was rooting for them. I liked that they had a background with each other, though I do think that the circumstances are a little overblown. (I totally get why Harper was upset at Ryan for what he’d done, but eleven years of silence felt like a long time to go without much self-reflection or growth on her end. And Ryan’s undying attraction and emotion also felt pretty silly.)

Overall, this was a light, enjoyable read. I think plenty of people will love the banter and tension between the main characters, and I especially loved the messages of “working for yourself” and forgiveness at the end of the book.

actual rating: 3.5/5

I would call The Last Word a nod to classic romcoms. I predicted everything that happened, but I still had a great time reading it. It wasn’t riddled with twists and surprises, but it had plenty of funny situations that kept me entertained.

I really enjoyed seeing Harper and Ryan’s relationship grow throughout from the past to the present and the present from the beginning to the end. I appreciated the time the author took to give us personal growth for Harper apart from Ryan. Harper’s journey was really inspiring to me and came at the perfect time for me as I’m just now entering the workforce.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffith for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Word by Katy Birchall is a charming enemies-to-lovers romcom that will have readers hooked from the very beginning. Birchall masterfully weaves together a tale of two former interns who reunite as colleagues in a newsroom, where their dynamic is a total disaster. Harper and Ryan can't seem to agree on anything and their constant bickering is both infuriating and entertaining.

The enemies-to-lovers trope is executed brilliantly in this book. The tension between Harper and Ryan is palpable, and readers will be rooting for them to overcome their differences and find their way to each other. As they spend more time together, Harper starts to see a different side of Ryan and the chemistry between them grows stronger.

The Last Word is a hard-to-put-down book that will keep readers engaged until the very end. Birchall's writing is witty and engaging, and the story is both heartwarming and hilarious. The book is a solid four-star read that romance fans are sure to enjoy. Overall, The Last Word is a delightful romcom that is perfect for fans of The Hating Game and Beach Read.

I really needed something quick, funny, and upbeat after reading an exceedingly well-written but grim WW II bio, and this enemies-to-lovers romance fit the bill soooooo well.

Harper was an absolute gas of a heroine, with her twenty alarms, and her constant chaos and mess. I loved her hard-working, good-hearted self, always there with a great one-liner.

Ryan was the classic enemies-to-lovers hero--apparently a jerk at the beginning, but hot. The banter was fantastic. I loved the way the two navigated their feelings and came around. I loved the side characters. Really, it was just an overall fun read.

This is the classic case of: you know how it's going to end. The fun is in how we get there.

Looking forward to this author's next.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Ms. Birchall for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

This was billed as a readalike to "The Hating Game" and I guess it SORT of is that, although there are less pranks and little microaggressions here and more outright bickering (which I found a bit childish). Frankly, their squabbling over the last word was so frequent and so heated that it made ME a bit uncomfortable and I felt sorry for the office staff that would have to squirm while these two babies were duking it out.

Short aside: Harper is a quintessential Manic Pixie Dream Girl™, which is my personal unfavorite character type and which annoyed me relentlessly. I tried really hard to be objective about this, because it's not fair to downgrade a book because of personality differences between reader and main character, but it is what it is. Consider yourself warned, if you are also a person who strongly dislikes MPDGs™.

Anywho. I found myself more interested in Harper's career, and her personal growth in her relationship with her family members, than in her relationship with Ryan. Frankly, it's just his bad luck that he was put in an extremely awkward position, twice. Could he have handled it better? Sure. Was Harper's reaction extra Extra? Uh. Yes. (A reaction completely in line with her MPDG™ status, IMHO.) They were cute enough together but I was much more invested in Harper's podcast and her freelance career, not to mention her reestablished relationship with her sister. One thing I will say for Harper: she is CLEARLY very good at her job (a good thing, when you're a workaholic). I will admit to rooting for her to succeed professionally and to give that turd Cosmo what he deserved.

A cute, well-written story like all of Birchall's work I've read so far, but I think I personally have preferred her other books, romance-wise.

This is the third spring in a row that I've read a new release from Katy Birchall, and I've loved each book (The Secret Bridesmaid, The Wedding Season, and now The Last Word).

While her books are technically rom-coms, they aren't so saturated with romance that the plot feels predictable. I loved the characters in this book, especially Harper, and I was so happy with the ending and epilogue!

I definitely recommend grabbing this one for your summer reading.

3.75 stars

If you enjoy rivals-to-lovers with a dose of “he’s been crazy about her all along,” The Last Word is going to be a new favorite.

Typically, I like dual POV in romance because I like to have the insight into both characters. However, in this book, author Katy Birchall absolutely make the right decision and writes the entire story in Harper’s POV. As a reader, you really understand the way that Harper thinks, which can be as charming of an experience as it is infuriating. There were a couple of times during my reading when I didn’t quite see how Harper had gotten to the place that she was, but as a whole, I think the story was entertaining.

Overall, this is pretty minimal on angst, and more comedic in tone. And it definitely feels evocative of books like The Hating Game.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Set in London Harper Jenkins is a dedicated journalist covering entertainment and is a Celebrity Editor at newspaper. She is very fair to those she interviews and respectful of her sources to them. Her boss doesn’t get her or the value of celebrity news. She also is easily dismissed by her parents who are both lawyers. This seems more general fiction as so much is focused on her reporting and getting interviews. But of course it is a romance too. Enter hunky Scandinavian Ryan Jansson. He is hired on as the new features editor. She doesn’t fess up to her co-workers that they have a past. Ten years before they were interns at the same publication and competitors for the same job. They also had a steamy weekend before going their separate ways.

This has a little of the Hating Game vibe as she tries to keep Ryan from the features she is writing. Ryan is sweet and a little too tongue tied. I’d have liked him to speak up about their past earlier and I wanted him to speak out against the misogynist treatment from their boss. But overall this is entertaining and very enjoyable. I’ve previously enjoyed The Wedding Season and The Secret Bridesmaid from the author and can I will continue to look for future books.

4 stars!

I thoroughly enjoyed "The Last Word" by Katy Birchall. The story starts off a little slowly, but it gradually blossoms into an intriguing, compelling enemies-to-lovers, second-chance workplace romance that I was invested in all the way. I liked the main characters, Harper and Ryan, both together and individually. They both grow tremendously as people by the end of the book, and they have terrific character arcs from start to finish. I found their bickering to be funny and silly, but I can see why others might be put off by it. There is also a fabulous supporting cast of characters here. My one complaint is that this is a fairly predictable story. It doesn't deviate from the winning enemies-to-lovers formula much, but it's written so well that I didn't mind at all. Author Katy Birchall made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion with her quippy, entertaining writing. I also loved Karen Cass's audiobook narration! I thought she had a fantastic wit about her, which gave authenticity to these characters and made them feel more realistic than they may have otherwise. She's a fabulous narrator! Overall, I liked this book way more than something like, say, "The Hating Game," perhaps because the characters are so much more enjoyable and so much less toxic. Give this one a read ASAP!

Thank you to NetGalley, Katy Birchall, and St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin for providing me with an ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for my review.

If you’re looking for a book with an enemies to lovers, second chance office romance, then definitely check this one out!

I could not stop reading this once I started. It was amazing to see Harper at the top of her game and becoming the most highly sought after celebrity journalist, and Ryan became so funny when he came out of his shell.

But personally, Harper started to grate on me when she seemed to be constantly looking for an argument with Ryan. She would explode with every little thing instead of just taking a moment to assess the situation. And it kind of seemed unprofessional to me that she was doing this at work. I understand her boss falls into that “man who thinks a woman’s job is pointless and a man could do it better” trope, but she should have just quit and moved on.

Aside from that I really enjoyed this one. It was a slow burn romance that not only had her rediscovering her feelings, but also rekindling her relationship with her estranged sister.

I highly recommend this one!

I have been trying to read several of Katy Birchall’s previous books for a while (still sitting on Libby waiting lists), so I’m very happy I was approved for a review copy of The Last Word. I really enjoyed it now I’m very excited to read her previous works!

This workplace, second chance romance, sort of enemies to lovers was really a lot of fun, and such a unique, interesting story. I loved every minute and the dynamics of the friendships that Harper had with her coworker friends was really good. Her immense dislike of new coworker Ryan stems from a past that is explained along the way, and starts to make more sense as you read - told in a few brief flashbacks.

She is a star celebrity reporter for a magazine where the new boss didn’t understand or value what she does and how much readership her articles brought in, and constantly belittles her. He brings in her former work co-intern and fling from 10+ years ago as a new features editor and starts giving all of her assignments to him… and she sees the writing on the wall. Too bad her former attraction was coming back to the surface - but she has a boyfriend, so that’s got to be just a trick of the imagination.

The comparison (in the blurb) to The Hating Game and Beach Read is spot-on, but I’d also argue Dirty Headlines in the mix. A great mash-up feeling of these three books by three great authors, but of course it’s a unique one all its own, written by a great author and I can’t wait to get my hands on her others. I definitely recommend this to all romance readers, especially fans of her other books and those who have enjoyed the ones it’s been compared to - it was really very good! Solid 4-star.

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (St. Martin's Griffin), and this is my honest feedback.

Harper and Ryan. Classic enemies to lovers. Maybe. They profess to hate each other. But do they?

I really enjoyed Harper being a celebrity columnist. Her job clearly was very important to her and I enjoyed the behind the scenes of that.

The romance part was juts okay for me. I kept wanting something more. It dragged on so long until we got the them actually being together. But I liked both characters and their storyline outside of romance was very interesting to me.

I had both ALC and ARC copies. I found the audio more engaging for sure. I enjoyed despite the slow start and would read this author again.

Many thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio and St. Martin's Press for the ALC and ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the author, Katy Birchall, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on May 2, 2023.

Majority of the time, I try to go into a book knowing as little as possible. If I had known this was going to be more of a general fiction with a romance, I think I would’ve enjoyed it better.

The beginning was a little slow for me because we got into her work life and I wasn’t expecting it and at the time I didn’t care for it. But as the story went, her work life got more interesting and I enjoyed that.

When the romance started to come in I was enjoying the banter, but as it went, the FMC became insufferable. It got to the point where she was bickering with the MMC just to bicker with him and it came off as immature. When it came around to why they stopped talking in the past and present timeline, I was annoyed because of the miscommunication and that she was talking to at him instead of to him.

Despite that, when they were being friendly, I really enjoyed reading about that. I liked that the FMC realized that the MMC wasn’t trying to be rude or stand-offish, he was just an introvert. I also enjoyed that they finally came to understand each other even when they are complete opposites.

Harper Jenkins is at the top of her game as a Celebrity Editor focused on building relationships and getting the stars she interviews to open up to her. Her former work nemesis Ryan Jansson is hired as the new Features Editor and is a fast favorite of her boss who fails to see the value in her work. Ten years have passed since what almost was between the couple, and as Ryan and Harper continue to be thrown together, Harper realizes Ryan is so much more than she’s given him credit for.

I really enjoyed Harper coming into her own and finding satisfaction in how she values herself, rather than how she measures up to others’ expectations. I was disappointed in how the third-act break up played out and would have wanted to see more empathy from Harper. I loved Ryan’s character and that I know I would pick up more of him communicating his feelings along the way in a reread.

You’ll Find —
Enemies to Lovers
Workplace Romance
Second Chance
Forced Proximity


Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for the gifted digital review copy!

Compare it to The Hating Game and I’m gonna read it. I enjoy a good enemies-to-lovers or workplace rivals love story, and this one hits just right. Harper is a wildly successful celebrity journalist, a favorite among the stars for her sensitivity and in-depth personal interviews. When her overbearing and clueless boss hires her former work rival Ryan to join her in the newsroom, she’s taken right back to her internship ten years ago when they had a passionate love affair before he betrayed her. Determined to show him just how fine she is these days and how little he affects her, Harper and Ryan butt heads at every turn - him the uptight, condescending high-brow features writer and her the messy, chaotic celebrity editor. When they’re sent on a romantic press trip to Italy, they’re forced to admit to themselves and each other that maybe they’re misjudging the other and actually get along quite well. But when news breaks that there are potential cuts coming at the magazine, it brings back the past betrayals and the pair are left wondering if history is about to repeat itself or if they’ll manage to make it work this time around.