Unfortunately, I forgot to download this book before it was archived. The premise of the book sounded very engaging.

A character-driven novel that takes a while to get into, I struggled to like Sara at times, but she did feel completely real. As a woman of color in tech, it was aggravating to see what she had to go through (and I 100% believe that struggle). I liked seeing her support group, and even more, I enjoyed seeing the growth and awareness her character, her friendships, and her family members have throughout the story.

Sara Chae created an app called Upon My Death that sends out messages to loved ones, friends, bosses, etc. when someone dies. The app searches the internet for obituaries and if there’s a match on the name, sends the messages. After out drinking one night, she “tests” the app out by writing messages to her parents, high school crush and her former best friend. The next morning, unbeknownst to her, the app sends the messages as it found an obit with her name. Trouble ensues but also creates an opportunity to work with her high school crush, Harry, as his mentee in a VC competition for app funding.

This was a really interesting premise for a book. I really liked the app Sara created. I think the romance between her and Harry was stilted and I didn’t read much chemistry. I enjoyed her relationship with her meddling sister, Jia. I liked reading more about how Sara navigates the app and VC world.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this eARC. One Last Word is out now.

I love Suzanne Park and all of her characters. She has a hilarious sense of humor, and her characters are well-rounded and thought out it was a very entertaining read five out of five.

I was hooked from the app pitch turned job change scene. Everything Sara did was to maximize her voice and make decisions that would help her be unstuck. I loved the growth with her parents and her self-discovery around what really mattered.

ONE LAST WORD by Suzanne Park was something of a miss for me. This biggest thing holding me back from enjoying the story or falling into the characters was the juvenile attitudes and actions of our protagonist. We're meant to believe she is a woman in her 30s when she is mentally and emotionally stuck in high school. That aspect really annoyed me and I couldn't get past in order to enjoy any other facets of the book.

Sara Chae is an introvert, typically keeping her thoughts and feelings inside instead of voicing her opinion. She comes up with the idea for an app that she calls One Last Word, which allows the user to send messages to individuals of their choosing after passing away. Safeguards are in place, but when another Sara Chae dies and the obituary triggers the prototype to send messages that Sara had uploaded, will the ensuing fallout end up being the best thing for her future? When the opportunity presents itself for Sara to apply for a venture capital mentorship, will she have the courage to come out of her comfort zone?

Sara is a young women in a STEM career field, tech savvy and creative. When the app she proposes is turned down by the company she works for, Sara takes a leap to quit and work on her idea on her own. The author takes the book from there into a more personal realm, giving the character more of a direction into personal growth than professional development. Sara decides to say more of what she wants, from her family and relationships, but she ends up deferring to them in many ways. In the biggest moment of her professional life thus far, Sara freezes and has to take direction from someone else.

Sara never really found her voice for me. One Last Word was a good concept, but the author went too far into the dysfunctional family drama. There were some good messages here, like the gender inequalities in the workplace regarding work/life balance, having courage to voice what you truly feel to the ones in your life, and standing up for what you believe, but this was not enough for me to strongly recommend the book to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to read and review this novel was entirely my own.

Park's romance is such a delight read! Sara is a fun protagonist to follow and Harry is the swoon-worthy love interest we all love to fall for!

This book tackles family issues as well as sexism in the workplace. However, the author manages to bring awareness to both these problems in an organic way, and it never makes the book feel heavy.

Quite the opposite, actually.. One Last Word is a super light and quick read, that is perfect for fans of early 2000's romcoms! ❤️

Special thanks to Suzanne Park, Avon Books and NetGalley for an ARC of One Last Word.

The premise of this story was fresh and uplifting. I really enjoyed learning about the VC and app life cycle. Park’s wonderful dialogue and secondary characters were so well written that I found it difficult to put down.

I will definitely be reading more of her books and look forward to her next.

I really liked the premise of the book, but I felt that the writing could use some polish and the plotting was clunky.

Even though Suzanne Park's debut was a bit of a miss for me, I am so glad I decided to read her again and got to experience One Last Word! This book focuses on Sara who creates an app called One Last Word which allows you to send messages to people after you die. It throws us headfirst into the world of venture capital, and as you can guess it is an area dominated by men. The romance between Sara and Harry was cute and sweet, but the main focus was on Sara and her finding her voice which I loved. All of the characters are diverse and approachable, and the family dynamics, especially between younger and older sisters, were spot on.

Catherine Ho is a great narrator, and though it felt like it took a little bit for her to find her footing with the audiobook, she eventually did, and I loved her as the voice of Sara. Women in STEM is something I haven’t read enough of, and I’m glad that’s where Park decided to take this storyline. Sara’s app and her decisiveness stole the show making this a real treat to read, and the way it all wrapped up was perfect and had me pumping my fist. One Last Word makes for an excellent summer read and how the author mixes humor, culture, romance, and fighting for what you want is enlightening and delightful!

This is one of my new favorites by an author who is an automatic purchase! This book reminded me of finally getting the courage to say my piece and advocate for myself especially with family members! I love second chance romances and the snark always gets me cracking up! Love this one!

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was fine. I didn't really think of it as a romance book though, it seemed more like a women's fiction book with a tiny splash of romance. So if you're looking for a true romance book then go elsewhere. I also wasn't a huge fan of the MMC. I didn't mind him at first but as the story went on it was almost like the author was trying to make us not like him. I almost expected them to not get together at the end and would have been okay with it if they didn't. I was more concerned about Sara making up with her old best friend.

I love how she doesn’t put this guy on too much of a pedestal…yes, she fawned over him previously but she knows she brings a lot to the table. I love the sister banter!

Sara is the founder of an app called One Last Word she is trying to get funding for and launch. The app basically allows users to send messages to people in their lives once they have passed away. Sara's messages accidentally get set out while testing the app.

The story follows her trying to get funding and launched as well as a bit of side romance with her high school crush as a result of her messages being sent. There are also a lot of multicultural pieces, feminism pieces, and family dynamics that for me were really the main points of the story.

Loved the main character as a strong lead not standing for it when she is discriminated against. I also liked that the romance wasn't the main focus. I do wish there was more about the messages she had sent or the consequences of them. Overall, 3.5/5 stars.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, Suzanne Park, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In One Last Word, Suzanne Park does what she does best: She creates relatable characters who must face their vulnerabilities, often in the most embarrassing situations. Main character Sara is already struggling to be seen and heard at work. She has created an app that allows users to create messages that will be released after their death. One drunken night, Sara scripts her post-life messages, and when a woman by the same name dies, the app is triggered to release (our) Sara's messages. Needless to say, they come unfiltered. Sara must face the truths behind them. The episode sparks the moxie Sara needs to show the world the powerhouse who's been waiting in the shadows all along. One Last Word supplies heart, a dash of romance, and Park's trademark humor. Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a preview of this novel. To hear more about this novel, tune into the Writing Table podcast for an interview with Suzanne Park.

2.5 stars, rounded up. This novel is previewed as a contemporary romance, but I must admit, it is very low on the romance side of things. At least in comparison to others I’ve read. Sparks fly, but they were desperate sparks. How does the main character still have a lingering crush on someone from 15+ years ago? A person they didn’t even date in high school, to boot… I felt like this book almost tied everything up too quickly and too nicely, and it was most definitely predictable. I will say, I enjoyed the aspect of women in STEM, and the challenges faced by women in tech, specifically.

What an interesting concept!

You die, and this new app called "One Last Word" sends out emails you've previously written to everyone and anyone. Want to tell someone off one last time, want to confess, want to let your friends/family know what you really think about them, want to let a past love know you still care, etc. So many options. However, in the case of Sara - the creator - she's written a bunch of emails on a drunken night that somehow get sent out, when the app incorrectly identifies her as deceased. But that leads to a lot of self-discovery and rumination. And the app is entered into a huge contest that could make or break it. It's such an entertaining story - of what ifs and what is.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

I knew I was going to need an uninterrupted block of time for this book so I could read it cover to cover in one sitting, and that was great planning on my part. This story is beautifully captivating as it covers so much more than just a romance. Family, friends, workplace equality, harassment, and a work/life balance are all explored as Sara negotiates finding funding and launching her new app. Harry is bogged down by an unsuccessful marriage, but there is a chemistry between them that can't be denied. I love Suzanne's writing style and was laughing out loud before I finished the first chapter. She has a way of creating very relatable flawed characters that you just can't help falling in love with, especially Sara's family in this book. I laughed, I cried, and I kept turning the pages to get to that wonderful hard won happily ever after that left me smiling on the outside and glowing on the inside. I am also a dandelion (IYKYK).

It was a cute book and an enjoyable read, but definitely lacked something that made it feel like a smooth, consistent read. I would say this book aligns more with women’s lit. Light on the romance, which is totally fine. Storyline is more focused on the tech startup aspect. I honestly think I would have enjoyed it more if it just fully dove into the tech startup side and left the romance at the door.