Read if You Like:
🥈 Second Chance Romances
🔥 Rivals/Enemies to Lovers
💼 Workplace Romances
✨ Celebrity Gossip
✍🏻 Writer MC’s

This one felt like a departure from Katy’s prior books and it just missed the mark for what I was expecting based on the way she wrote her prior books.

I found myself lacking being invested in Harper and Ryan’s story of a second chance at romance. I truly hated that the reason for their first break up was repeated into their second and felt like neither character had experienced any growth.

I did enjoy the ending and was so happy to see Harper taking control of her life and finding her place for success.

If you are looking for a solid second chance/enemies to lovers in a workplace setting I would recommend this one for that. Thanks so much to the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was so cute, I loved the characters and I loved the back and forth rapport between the characters, especially the two main characters. I think having them as journalists in the same kind or career was a bit of a different plot point I haven’t seen recently and I liked it a lot. Also, before Harper started a podcast at the end, it was actually my first thought. She would be great at a podcast. She’s great at talking with the people she interviews and really gets them to open up and establishes a great relationship with when. Actually, this great trait she has at talking with people, listening to them and giving them the benefit of the doubt is the reason why I actually really had a problem with her not giving Ryan the benefit of the doubt and allowing him enough time to explain his viewpoint or his side of things. Why is she great at that with everyone else but bad at that with Ryan? That was probably the only part that didn’t make sense to me. She was being way too dramatic about a lot of stuff related to him without thinking about how he feels. Overall, I really loved the book and would strongly recommend it.

Thank you Katy Birchall and St. Martin’s Griffin Publishing for the advanced reader copy of The Last Word.

This was a lovely read and I am rating this a 3.75 stars! This story follows our FMC Harper while she exceptionally soars within her position at the Narrative as the celebrity editor, while combating her Editor in Chief Cosmo for the importance of her role.

Enter Ryan, a previous co-worker with whom she has a tumultuous past, coming in to shake up her world, yet again. Is he going to push her for the better or for the worse?

This is a take on an enemy to lovers, workplace romance with some forces proximity. There are quite a few gripes thrown into this novel, with each one being pretty successful. The banter between our two main characters was very well written.

Overall, I found this story to be cute with some fun side characters.

Digital Advanced Copy received from the Publisher via NetGalley.

Ryan and Harper met while interning at the same newspaper and had a brief yet intense romance. Ten years later, they find themselves once again working side by side and the sparks fly as they argue their way through the day. If you’re into the Romance novel tropes, this checks a lot of the boxes (too many, for sure) but I did like the characters well enough for this to be an enjoyable reading experience.

This was such a cute and sweet read. I loved the journalist aspect I found it really interesting and fun. It starts off as enemies and lovers and workplace romance. I loved all the side characters. I didn’t love the third act break up, it felt a little immature. I loved the opposites attract vibes. Ryan was sweet but I wish he was more open about his feelings for Harper so we could have avoided some of the drama. I liked the side plot of her relationship with her sister and parents. It started off a little slow but it picked up.

Katy Birchall's notched herself firmly into an auto-read author for me. Her latest book, The Last Word, rides the line more towards romance than her previous women's fiction stories, it 5/2, and is delightful.

A decade ago, Ryan and Harper were journalist interns battling for a permanent job at a magazine. They also had a few HOT days together until the outcome of their job war and they've resented each other since. Now, Ryan's a new editor at Harper's magazine and they still banter and fight, like good co-workers to enemies to friends to lovers to enemies to coworkers do.

What I loved -
*Such good, sparky enemy banter. These two could go rounds with their barbs and sarcasm and I was here for it!

*Loved the journalism aspect. It was my middle school/high school job goal and that part was very interesting to me. I also enjoyed the celebrity journalism angle.

*Fun side characters - those meddling co-workers.

*A sexy romance balanced with harder topics - workplace equality, print vs digital media, family relationships and expectations.

*The ending. I definitely cheered.

Overall thoughts -
While this book was pretty slow to start for me, it eventually picked up and was a very enjoyable read. The first part is very focused on Harper and her job, but it does set the tone for how important her career is to her and its impact on her life and relationships. The dual timelines from past and present were a good addition to understand their past circumstances and interaction, and served to explain a lot of Harper's behaviors. There's lots of tropes - enemies, coworkers, forced proximity - are well executed. I look forward to whatever Katy writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to St Martin's Press & St Martin's Romance for an advance copy of this book!

This book will be published on May 2nd.

MY GOODNESS DID I LOVE THIS BOOK! The banter, the angst, the tension between the two characters was just perfection. Growing up I wanted to be a journalist who interviewed celebrities so that being Harper's career, I immediate gravitated towards her character.

"I will not let Ryan Jansson have the last word."

I had read The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall last year and loved it but that was more woman's fiction and not to compare but going into this I thought it was going to be the same but nope this is definitely a romance.
It definitely made me laugh and had some relatable moments (How Harper feels about Liam's snoring is equivalent to how I feel some nights with my husband) and Harper's messy desk chaotic energy.

Harper is a fantastic celebrity journalist and is constantly trying to get her voice heard by her misogynist boss. She has a way of talking to celebrities and getting their story across which plays a vital role throughout the whole book. Ryan was hired as features editor and suddenly thrust back into Harper's life. Because what no one in the office knows is that 11 years previously they had worked together as interns. This book is primarily told from present day but we do get flashback moments of when they were interns and how they came together & then eventually fell apart all in a weekend.

"My parents aren't idiots, Harper. They knew exactly who you were to me."

Ryan, Ryan,Ryan. Another book boyfriend to add to my list. Harper is such a force that poor Ryan didn't know what he was in for. He knew that she was not happy in her relationship [with Liam] and left bread crumbs of clues of how he felt. In a way I felt bad for him because he was put in some impossible lose-lose situations and Harper was the sadly the one left out each time. This was a slow burn romance but the tension and the teases kept me interested and excited to keep going ("I was crazy about you. I told you. Right from the moment we met."). I just love their chemistry and how opposite they are but yet it worked perfectly. Also who doesn't want a significant other that is a cheerleader & biggest supporter. Their relationship was gradual and selfishly I would have loved some more spicy bits but that is just because I loved them both as a couple.

Harper had a difficult relationship with her parents and she knew and accepted it even if she didn't like it. I am glad she made the decision to take a step back and do what was best for her mental health. I love that Ryan offered his support to be there with her during her family dinners. And then in contrast, I love how welcoming Ryan's parents had been to Harper. I was happy to see Harper's sister came around and that they were able to start a new relationship.

I have not read all of Katy's backlist (yet) but if they are any more like this, I need them in my life.

If you are a fan of workplace enemies to lovers such as The Hating Game & Just My Type, you will love this book!

I love Katy Birchall and her writing style so much and this was not an exception. This was fantastic and one of the few I haven’t read yet but I loved it so much and kept turning the pages.

There is no denying the chemistry between Harper and Ryan when they are forced to work together, but is it the hatred Harper believe it is or something more? This story made me giggle. A quick easy read that left me with a smile.

I read this book as part of a group promotion, which includes a buddy chat. I enjoyed the book, it was a quick read.

Katy Birchall is a favorite of mine after reading The Secret Bridesmaid and her latest did not disappoint! This second chance/enemies to lovers storyline following Harper and Ryan checked all the boxes for the perfect romance read. With Harper's role as a journalist, the British backdrop, and the wit throughout the book, it felt reminiscent of Bridget Jones in the best possible way. This was a delight from beginning to end and I enthusiastically recommend. 5 shining stars!

DNF

It's hard to say no to "enemies to lovers rom-com." I really thought this book was going to be good.

Unfortunately, I lost all interest after the first few chapters. This read like a manual for some reason. I don't know. The story just wasn't clicking with me.

A workplace enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance set in the publishing industry of London, The Last Word is a fun and entertaining read!

Harper has a really cool job, which she is extremely good at. Like, really good. She has a special way of making her interviewees feel comfortable and willing to share. The behind-the-scenes look at the publishing world was very eye-opening. Frankly, her sexist boss is a fool for not seeing how gifted Harper is. She’s met so many people in the entertainment industry, but her life isn’t as glamorous as it sounds. She is in a cutthroat industry, and between the competition, misogyny, and total lack of support from her family, she often faces the pressures by herself and with her very close friends.

I loved Harper. She’s so kind and thoughtful, and she’s a great journalist who always goes the extra mile when interviewing and working with people. And she has such a positive attitude. I can’t imagine being as upbeat as her if my livelihood was threatened, an old love became my biggest competition, and my parents always disparaged me. Harper, however, is determined and independent, and she’s learned how to stand up for herself and what she wants in life. There are a few moments, especially with her parents, where I wanted to stand up and cheer for Harper.

Ryan’s great too, and though the story is told from Harper’s perspective, I feel like you really get to know him. He’s very much Harper’s opposite. A bit more uptight and formal, he’s organized, whereas she’s messy. He’s a planner, and she’s way more impulsive and free-spirited. But they’re both caring and thoughtful people. His parents are also great and such a contrast to Harper’s elitist and demeaning ones.

Harper and Ryan have a contentious relationship, and several flashbacks shed light on what happened between Harper and Ryan and why they haven’t spoken for many years. They have a complicated past, and some of the issues they had bleed into their present relationship. It’s interesting to see how they deal with miscommunication, work pressures, and more now that they are a bit older and wiser. There were parts of the story where I wanted to shake both of them and tell them to stop their constant bickering and be more open with each other, but I could totally understand why each was so hesitant to be more vulnerable with the other. They had fantastic chemistry, and, oh my word, some of their moments together are so comical. (The scene when they are driving the woman in labor to the hospital is hysterical!!)

I enjoyed the story. It’s an entertaining contemporary romance with bickering banter, great friendships, an independent protagonist dealing with drama in her work and personal life, and some great messages about taking charge of your life, setting boundaries, and forgiving.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of the book. all thoughts are my own.

Overall I thought this was a quick read but started off very slow. I didn’t really feel the connection between Harper and Ryan and just wish there was more to this story

Reading The Last Word was a great way to spend the afternoon. I really enjoyed this book, but would definitely describe it more as a woman’s fiction book than a romance - I think the romance was one of the things I liked least about this book. Harper was an excellent main character and I loved seeing her come into her own and finally realize her self worth. It was easy to root for her and I wanted her to succeed. I thought the behind the scenes look into the publishing world was interesting and felt very authentic. I only wish we could have seen more of Harper’s relationships with her friends - I would have loved more time with Mimi and Rakhee

I would recommend this book if you like:
Strong female main characters
Slow burn
Second-chance romance
Opposites attract
A London setting

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a review copy.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and St. Martin's Press for the gifted e-book ❤️

Read if you like: Enemies to lovers, work rivals, second chances, strong female lead, London setting, slow burn

I'm a huge fan of the Hating Game and Beach Read, so I hoped that this was similar to them since it was compared to them. Not quite. Erase those books from your mind. This book was very slow. Far too slow. It takes a bit to get to the actual romance, and even then, it's not super forward. This read more like women's fiction with a dash of romance. I was left wanting more. I liked the behind the scenes of journalism. Harper was mostly likable, but she treated Ryan really unfairly at times. It would have benefited from dual POV. This just wasn't it for me. You may love it, of course.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. martin's press for the ARC for my honest review. This is my first novel by Katy Birchall. I really liked Harper, our heroine. She is great at her job as a "nice" celebrity interviewer, But, the love interest, Ryan? No thanks. I did not get any chemistry from them, and I think even taking him out as a plot point would have been perfectly fine.

This was a good book. I felt the Liam storyline may have lasted a touch too long, but I was happy when that was resolved. I am kind of over storylines where the main character is a journalist/author/editor it just feels too common. With that being said, this was not the usual story of the main character. It was nice that Harper was not all about her work through the whole book, she actually had some personality outside of that. I liked the ending of the book. It was easy to predict what would happen with Ryan and Harper, but not in a bad way. I am looking forward to reading more by Katy Birchall. I would like to thank Netgalley, Katy Birchall and St. Martin's for the ARC of this book.

I devoured The Secret Bridesmaid and The Wedding Season and this book wasn't quite that for me. This book was a lot more relationship based than other other books and I think that might be where the disconnect was for me. The Secret Bridesmaid felt more friendship based and The Wedding Season was more about finding out who she wanted to be after this relationship that spanned her entire adult life fizzled out.

This book was centered more on the relationship but she did heavily invest her time and self into her career. She was a dang good, trustworthy journalist and put people at ease quickly and did good work. Her relationships with her subjects were lovely to see and I liked seeing them pop back up as the story went along.

I'm just going to go ahead and say that I don't think what Ryan did was wrong. I think he took her anger and heartbreak on because he loves her and that wasn't fair. I feel like she needed to do some serious groveling and we never really got to see it. Since the groveling was minimal, the epilogue felt abrupt.

The narrator did a great job.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for a copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

What's it about (in a nutshell):
The Last Word by Katy Birchall is an entertaining enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy that pulls the curtain back on journalists and their approach to stories.

My Reading Experience:
Enemies-to-lovers is my favorite trope, so I happily jumped into this story. What I liked best was its behind-the-scenes look at journalism and people in entertainment. What makes Harper stand out among her peers is the fact that she doesn't take every opportunity to sensationalize stories. This approach gives her much respect in the entertainment world full of people who often find themselves humiliated in the most public ways possible because of journalism. The human aspect is forgotten in the drive to sell newspapers and magazines. I loved Harper's approach, which always kept the human factor on top and all that it brings her.

The romance grated on my nerves. Harper and Ryan just bicker all the time over nothing and end their bickering with an angry "Fine." This bickering isn't witty at all. As a matter of fact, I would even say that it's immature – like two kids fighting in the back seat of a car. I liked them as a couple, but I didn't care for the path the story took to get them there. And even though I like a happily ever after, I felt that it was too abrupt in this story. It didn't feel natural at all.

I do have a bunch of little niggles about this story, but overall, I found it entertaining and fun to read, despite those issues.

Characters:
I admired Harper. She always stays true to herself no matter what anyone says, even her parents (who are not friendly people). Her chronic lateness annoyed me as much as it did the other characters. Still, she'd unapologetically explain that it was just her and that something always managed to delay her. She lives in a creatively chaotic world and loves it.

Ryan is Harper's opposite, chronically neat and punctual, and thrives in order and cleanliness. It's no wonder they fall in love, don't you agree?

Narration & Pacing:
Harper tells this tale in first-person narration, which should make the pace relatively quick, yet it was a medium speed at best. I don't know what slowed the pace, but I would guess it was the annoying bickering.

The story is also told in dual timelines, with the current one being the most prominent. August 2012 is the second timeline, and it is when Ryan and Harper first met, fell in love, and parted in a very "I never want to see or talk to you again" manner. The second timeline explains what happened that has Harper in the snit since Ryan started being in such close proximity to her again.

Setting:
London is the setting for the story, but I felt it could have been utilized more. It could have been set in any significant entertainment hub and been the same story. Even the way the characters spoke sounded more American to me than English. Yet, neither of the main characters was American.

Read if you like:
Enemies-to-lovers trope
Entertainment industry
Mostly closed-door romances (there is one open-door scene)