The Last Word was a book that took me some time to warm up to. The first half is on the slow side of a slow burn and more enemies than lovers. Harper is complex: she driven and disorganized, a great friend and probably too nice to her interview subjects, but when it comes to her coworker, Ryan, she turns prickly and unreasonable. I wasn't sure how to feel about her, but good dialogue and the details of Harper's life kept me interested. Then came the second half of the book, and it the book opened up and transformed. Harper starts gaining good insight into herself while Ryan becomes more clear as a character and he's great, he's charming and patient, but he's not a pushover. Harper's character evolved in such a realistic way that by the end I was really rooting for her to succeed, not only in love, but with her career and family as well.

I usually find this subsect of enemies to lovers very frustrating: one person has been secretly in love with the other the whole time and the subject of their affections was only mean because they felt hated due to their counterpart suppressing their emotions. However I liked the main character here enough to push past it. Sure, Harper had her moments where I wanted to shake her but largely she seemed like a journalist with morals and a fun job. As a journalist who loves her job and has also been told I work too much to date, this was a cute read. 2.5/5

I thought this was a really cute book! I really liked that she wrote Ryan’s character in a much sweeter/softer way than a lot of love interests are written. I liked their history and how it wove in and out of the present narrative to really tie the whole thing together. I think this is a quick, feel good read and I would recommend it!

Received this book and finished it in one sitting, while neglecting every other responsibility in my life! A light hearted yet well-written Enemies to Lovers and office romance, this book had me hooked from the last chapter.
Harper, a talented and established celebrity journalist just wanted to work hard enough to be successful and recognized in her parent's eyes. After being scorned by a weekend fling with another intern 10 years ago, she has focused all of her attention back on her career and it has paid off. Enter old intern/fling though, can she really learn to forgive or will she ignore the lingering feelings that have never gone away?

i'm all about a second chance romance, give me all the pining and angst!

Harper gave me Elizabeth Bennett vibes, having already formed her opinion of ryan 12 years prior when they were interns together and not really seeing him in any other light after everything that happened between them. when they are working side by side again years later sparks are bound to fly! I loved the banter but not the bickering so much.

i really rooted for them throughout the book and i loved that it showed harper's evolution and growth as well as the romance plot.

this is my first Katy Birchall book but it won't be my last!

thank you to netgalley and st martins press for an opportunity to love this book!

The Last Word is an enemies to lovers story following Harper Jenkins, a celebrity journalist, and her coworker Ryan Jansson. Throughout the book, the reader is provided with flashbacks to what happened between Harper and Ryan 11 years ago, when they were just starting out as interns.

Harper and Ryan’s story is a great roller coaster. And while I loved both characters, I really appreciated that all of the storylines about Harper’s journalistic pursuits were equally interesting and enjoyable. The celebrity characters Harper interviews are believable and well developed.

If you enjoyed The Hating Game and Book Lovers, you’ll love The Last Word.


Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Be sure to lookout for The Last Word coming May 16, 2023.

Really a cute, fun book to read! I wish it would have been a summer book for me but it wasn't and that is ok. I would highly recommend for that purpose and it was a quick read as well. Realy enjoyable and a cute rom-com so to speak!

Top tier enemies to lovers! I absolutely ate this story up! I stayed up until 1 in the morning because I had to know what happened in Florence. Ryan and Harper are just the sweetest. I love that they had to choose one another and get out of their own way. I can’t wait to tell every one to read this book. Thank you for allowing me to read it early.

I loved this one! The relationship and banter Harper and Ryan made me LOL so many times (the "race" to the train - hilarious!) I loved her stubborn can-do, take no prisoners attitude. And I loved Ryan's soft-spot for Harper. The end dragged just a bit for me, and I was ready for them to either get together or not - but overall a fun, fast-paced read that I would definitely recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I think @katybirchallauthor is becoming one of those go-to authors for me. I enjoy her character’s banter and witty commentary. I love love loved the Secret Bridesmaid. And I really enjoyed this one. I will say this has a very open-door romance scene which is the first for this author (that I’ve read) so I’d warn that going in.

I love a good enemies to lovers trope. I was very annoyed with the protagonist in this book because she’s so untrusting. But given her life (as you’ll read) it makes sense.

Special thank you!!! To @macmillanusa and @netgalley for this advanced copy! This book will hit the shelves on May 2nd so preorder or request your copy today!!

My first Kate Birchall book and I’ll be looking up more of books! I soaked this up in 2 days. Rom-Com described as The Hating Game meets Beach Read. A little too much like The Hating Game for me, however I did love that book, so I didn’t hate it. Harper is a hot mess, always late, messy but a brilliant journalist that cares about people she writes about. Unlike most journalists that write about celebrities she doesn’t write about their downfall for click-bait. Ryan is organized, neat, introverted and slightly uptight. They have a history and are forced to work together again. They banter, drive each other crazy and it’s so obvious to everyone but them that there’s chemistry. People are saying it’s enemies to friends but it’s always a second chance romance. In my head I kept picturing Emilia Clarke as Harper.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

This book started off a little slow. I struggled to get into it however I can say that I’m so glad I stuck it out.

What a great story! There was definitely romance however it felt like a secondary piece of the story. The growth of the FMC was amazing. Her resilience and ability to stand up for herself was really great. It was so nice to see.

This book hit some of my favorite tropes:
Workplace romance
Forced proximity
Grumpy vs sunshine

I’m not one for second chance romances but this one was done really well.

Super cute story. Loved it from the beginning of the book until the end. The main character was amazing and the whole story was perfect.

When I say I loved this book, I mean I LOVED THIS BOOK. I’m such a fan of Katy Birchall, but I think The Last Word is her best yet. The perfect characters (main and side), the tension (work and sexual), and the fun premise about a celebrity journalist made it a book I can’t wait to read again.

One significant aspect of Birchall’s writing that I love is her characters and their development throughout the book. I was not let down in this one. Harper went through a fantastic arc. I really enjoyed rooting for her. Then there is Ben, who didn’t have as big of an arc, but it was more of an arc supporting Harper’s journey, which I thought was really well done.

With every book that Birchall writes, I’m more emotionally attached to the characters than the last, but I still love them all! The Last Word is, in my opinion, her best work yet and the perfect escapism book to get lost in.

I discovered Katy Birchall a year ago when she published “A Wedding Season”, which was so hilariously funny and touching that I declared she would be a romance novelist superstar. I was right! This book is funny and witty and sparkling!

Since being burned by “The One” in the past, Harper has always put work over romance. And she loves her job as a celebrity editor at a weekend newsmagazine (even with the smirky narcissistic boss). She’s 3 months into a relationship with Liam, a sort of pesky freelance talent agent, and she’s trying to ignore that the ex-The-One from 12 years ago is working in semi-close proximity. Which gets way closer when he, super tidy Ryan, steps into the features editor position at the adjacent desk. They could call a truce, but there's a few things to know about Harper, including that she’s stubborn, messy, and she always gets the last word.

The witty back and forth between Ryan and Harper is told via their first chance to be together as interns and present day. Both are ambitious and because Ryan seems to always be “the winner” that hurts Harper, so she tends to lash back even as she softens on present day Ryan. Add a truly untalented,pushy, misogynist boss, Cosmo, and the chances for them to get back together seem slim. Until, well, they do, but be patient about that journey. The author really knows her characters (she was both an editor and a freelance journalist). 4 stars!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Griffin and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Audrey Abbot has hazel-green eyes and sister Juliet has green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Ryan’s mum is a gardener.

Workplace romance, enemies-to-lovers, and a second chance romance, several of my favorite tropes all rolled in to one novel.

Birchall does well with the developement of the characters. Both Harper and Ryan are total opposites, yet they are relatable characters in their own right and bringing them together makes you want to root for them as a couple. I enjoyed the flashbacks giving the background and history to the development of Harper and Ryan's relationship this time around.

The family themes and the workplace drama add just a little bit extra that make The Last Word a great read.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin, and Katy Birchall for the opportunity to read and review.

Oh my goodness! I can't even explain how much I liked this book. The romantic dynamic was wonderful; the workplace dynamic between the magazine editors was rife with tension and banter. Just absolute gold! I hope more people start talking about Katy Birchall because she is really slaying it.

I have read a novel by Katy Birchall, and loved it. This one will join it.

There is something about Birchall’s writing, or maybe its the subject, that captures a reader’s emotions and sends us through a roller coaster. The Last Word follows celebrity editor Harper Jenkins, who despite her own “Horrible Boss” is very good at her job. Then a new Features Editor was hired, Ryan, a betrayer from her past. Knowing what he did to her, Harper’s frustration mounts when Ryan charms her co-workers and her boss appears to be giving Ryan credit for her work. As they are forced to work more together, Harper realizes that she might be judging Ryan wrong. Then the rumors of possible redundacies spread, and Harper isn’t sure what to think, or even what to do.

The banter, the wit, and yes even the cringe moments made this an absolute favorite read for 2023 so far. There were moments where the miscommunication made me want to pull my hair out, but it also made the tension and kept the story moving forward.

I adored Harper’s ability to interview celebrities. While she is ambitious, she isn’t without compassion. Which is something quite a few journalists need to learn. It was gratifying to see that the celebrities also treated her with compassion, remembering how kind and sweet she was. It just exemplifies what you give out will be returned to you.

I think the ending was unique, and perfect. Just for how Harper handled the changes, after her initial reaction, would be why I think young adults need to read this. Change happens. Now make it work.

Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.

This was my 3rd read by Katy Birchall and she has quickly become a favorite of mine. I loved the enemies to lovers office romance. Fun storyline with relatable characters.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

Workplace-romance, second-chance-romance, enemies-to-lovers --- "The Last Word" has a favorite romance trope for all rom-com lovers out there. I found this book to be sweet, witty and overall enjoyable. The main character Harper was very likeable and has a troupe of entertaining friends along her side. As for the main male enemy (or maybe lover?) Ryan, he is your next book boyfriend. I enjoyed their witty banter, clear chemistry and journey as they navigated their past as interns together, to the present. This book was definitely reminiscent of "The Hating Game," and I have to say I enjoyed it just as much. While there were no big surprises, and the story was relatively predictable, I enjoyed this one from start to finish.