As a woman in corporate America, I've seen the best and the worst of people. I've had peopled who championed me to promotions, but I've seen just as many who were happy to offload their "nonpromotable work" to me because they didn't see me as anything more than admin. With that history, I was rooting for Sara. I wish her success had more of a payoff emotionally for me, but ultimately this book never clicked in for me.

Sara Chae has a one-of-a kind idea. An app where you can truly get the last word, you just have to wait until you die. One Last Word is an app designed to send messages to your loved ones (or not so loved ones) after your passing, a cathartic way to express the things you may not have been able to say on your time on earth. The problem? As a woman in tech, she's facing an uphill climb to get the funding she needs to take it from beta to live. Plus, the hill just got a little steeper now that the app malfunctioned and sent out all her drunkenly authored messages to her parents, former employers, and high school crush. Can she overcome it and land the right mentorship opportunity to make her app dream a reality?

I struggled with the stakes of this novel. Everytime a conflict came up, it felt like it never had any gravity because it was quickly resolved, and things that felt like forshading never really materialized. For example, maybe there was more to say about who Henry actually was as a person (like when Sara starts to question their HS correspondance or Naomi tells her more about Claudia), but before we knew it - he was wrapped up in a neat little love-interest bow. Everytime we got to question him as a figure in her life, the conflict was rapidly resolved. I think this had a great premise and an important message - especially when it comes to women in tech and women looking to acquire VC - but I felt it got lost in it's rapid resolution of the issues.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for this Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and freely given.

2.5 rounded up.

I loved the concept of this book where Sara was working on an app to send messages after someone's death and then everything went wrong with messages she wrote going out. Or did everything go right? It was an adventure with a bit of romance, a bit of dealing with her Korean parents expectations and dealing with the misogyny in the workplace. The book had a couple of aigoo's which totally reminded me of my husband's grandmother.. This one was enjoyable and worth picking up. Thanks to NetGalley and Avon books for the chance to read this book early in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
My hit-or-miss journey with Suzanne Park continues with her latest adult “romcom” One Last Word. As always, this is a promising book, but the promise gets a little lost in the weeds of trying to tackle too many concepts.
Sara is perhaps the best part of the book. She’s very sympathetic, dealing with the expectations of her rather demanding Korean parents, the sexism she deals with in the tech industry, and not to mention her shambles of a love life. And I really liked how initially the book set all that up with the letters, with each of them addressing her issues. And while I don’t feel the book fleshed out each of these subjects to the best degree, her character remained likable and easy to root for as she continued to navigate challenges throughout the book.
But I felt like both the tech stuff and even the family angle overwhelmed the book, to the point that it’s not necessarily a genre romance. There’s romantic elements in it, but I can’t say they’re particularly memorable. Harry is fine, but rather meh. There’s a fake dating subplot with her best friend which I actually thought seemed a lot more fun, and like a bit of a missed opportunity.
However, as disappointed as I am, I also can’t be too let down, as Suzanne Park’s books have been consistently WF-leaning…although I will say some of her romantic subplots are better than others. I’ll probably keep reading them, as I consistently enjoy her protagonists’ journeys, but just as with most of her work, definitely don’t go in expecting a more prominent romantic arc. But with that caveat in mind, I do recommend it to readers interested in contemporaries about Asian women in STEM and their professional and personal struggles.

This reads more like women’s fiction with a subplot of romance. There is dialogue on women in the tech industry and immigrant children and the family dynamics that brings but I wouldn’t pick this up if I was in the mood for romance.

This was so promising and had a strong start. I love the premise- a tech entrepreneur with an app idea that allows users to plan messages, “one last word,”that will go out after they die. I love the serendipity of her reconnecting with her high school crush who becomes her mentor. I liked the main and side characters. The dialogue and banter were fun. 

But around the halfway point, unnecessary things started happening. And I think it was just too ambitious. There were multiple half baked plot points. If just a few were more fleshed out, this would have been great. But instead of paring them down, it’s like every interesting story idea Park thought of made it in the book. I enjoyed her writing but, unfortunately, I think the plot just got away from itself.

Ratings
Quality of Writing 4/5
Pacing 4/5
Plot Development 2/5
Character Development 3/5
Overall Enjoyability 3/5

Suzanne Park's latest novel is a laugh out loud read with a touch of romance and "fake dating". As in her previous novel, Park gives her audience a peek into being a part of an Asian family, with Sara's overbearing parents and the expectation to be the "successful daughter" in all areas of life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Publishing for the opportunity to read this novel.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

I've enjoyed Suzanne Park's other novels, so I was excited to read One Last Word. The premise was interesting--an app that allows someone who's died to send final thoughts to their friends and family (and enemies)--and I found Sara to be an interesting enough character. The novel didn't end up feeling compelling enough for me to finish it but there wasn't anything that really didn't work. It just didn't have enough steam to keep up the momentum.

I was intrigued by the premise of this novel: Sara, a young woman struggling against racism and sexism in the tech industry, develops an app to send messages to anyone they want after they’ve passed away. She drunkenly composes her own messages and they are accidentally sent to her bosses, overbearing parents, high school crush, and estranged best friend. Over the course of the novel she repairs her relationships, figures out how to stand up for herself and create more of a work-life balance, and falls for her crush, Harry. It was a quick read, and Sara’s struggles as a young Korean American woman finding success in the tech industry felt realistic. There were a few romance tropes that I didn’t love, and Sara and Harry’s relationship felt a bit rushed, but overall I cheered for Sara and was glad for her happy ending. ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own. 4/15/24

Premise, book cover, and startup/app info I loved and found so interesting! But unfortunately the rest of the time I was bored. This is well written in the sense that I can really see what’s happening pretty vividly and each character feels developed and real, I particularly liked the FMC’s sister in that regard. But I’m in this for the romance and it’s very understated. There were moments happening, like I am there with them in a wild cab/uber ride but there’s no tension or chemistry between them. Just so many missed opportunities for those little points of connection or understanding. He doesn’t give much inkling that he’s all that into her and her inner thoughts are more about logistics or practicality of the situation rather than anything emotional or really much about him. And then at one point she comes up with a fake boyfriend which he definitely respects so it just kind of feels like what’s the point?? Confusing actions and conversations by the FMC.

Again, I did find her whole app development process fun and it felt so accurate to me. The way she describes at the start working through the bugs and the marketing was all interesting. I have a feeling the author did her research or has experience with VC/start up world because I’ve definitely read other books with premises like this used as a plot device but ended up being way oversimplified (as if anyone can just think of an idea and it’s quickly an app). But FMC Sara has more chemistry with the friend helping her out on the side to develop than she does the actual supposed love interest.

So I can read and like unlikeable characters but these characters aren’t even unlikeable, they are just kind of boring and I did not find myself wanting to pick this up to continue reading. I did truly want to like this because like I mentioned the inner tech world especially VC was well written and interesting and this does cover conceptually powerful topics of women in tech with the added layer of intersectionality and also family dynamics. There’s one epic part where Sara gets to say what we all wish we could say and speak up for herself in a meeting when she faces discrimination. That was probably one of my favorite parts.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for this eARC.

This one was a 3.5 star read for me. Sara Chae's rollercoaster journey with the creation of her app in the tech world was an interesting premise. Her relationship was Harry Shim - was interesting and believable. I loved the cover of the book. Sara was a likeable character and you found yourself rooting for her. Although I did enjoy this book and will recommend it to others, i just found it missing a tiny bit of oommph (for me). The writing style of the author was easy to read and relatable. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my review.

Sarah has this great idea for a new app and she pitches it to male bosses at the company where she works in middle management. After they blow off her ideas, she quits and decides to try out for a venture capitalist fund. Before she is really able to move forward, a different Sarah dies and her final messages get sent out. She now has to deal with sending her parents her true feelings while continuing to try and build her app and win funding.

While all of that is going on, the author takes time to highlight the inequities of women in the tech world in a way that feels authentic and not pushy just to make a point. The story is funny at times and while Sarah continues to grow throughout, there is a good plot related to her finding herself and her place.

I loved the concept of this book! So fun and unique.

And books with a FMC in STEM are always a hit. Love fake dating and second chance romances too!

One Last Word is my fourth novel by Suzanne Park. Her novels have great concepts, but not all of them have been for me, so far. Luckily, this novel was easy to connect with and I greatly enjoyed it. The story follows Sara Chae who developed an app called One Last Word, which allows you to send a message to people after you pass. Unfortunately, her own messages end up getting sent to her loved ones, friends, and crush. Harry, her crush, also happens to be a mentor in the venture capital program, which means Sara now faces some interesting new obstacles. The actual concept of sending messages after you pass away is interesting, especially as I can see it being a cathartic practice for some people; however, I did not quite fully understand the purpose for participating in the app. If a person receives a message, the story doesn’t seem to go into replies or what would happen on their end. Instead, it focused more on the sender and not the recipient.

Harry has been Sara’s crush for a long time, and she is afraid to let him know how she feels. When she suspects he might consider her a workaholic and unable to have a significant other, she makes up a fake boyfriend. I did not fully understand the purpose of this part of the story aside from only giving Sara and Harry’s possible romance one additional obstacle. These types of details, including the app’s purpose, all seem to be great ideas, but I am not quite sure on their execution. The story seemed to read as bullet points where a certain event needed to occur to get from the beginning to end instead of having a natural flow with explored details. If these aspects were given more depth, I think I would have connected with the writing a little more. The concept itself is what kept me interested, but the details, for me, needed a little work. Overall, I think this novel will be loved by many readers and I look forward to trying more of Park’s novels in the future.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Avon, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

I had such high hopes for this. The premise sounded intriguing, and I was really excited for it. The execution just fell flat for me. The characters seemed very one dimensional, and the dialogue was clunky. Hopefully, my thoughts are in the minority.

One Last Word is a super fun read following Sara Chae, a bipoc(!!) woman in stem(!!!). Sara is the founder of the app One Last Word, which allows the user to pre-write messages to people that will automatically send after their death. Lots of techy things involved in that, and she has her best friend Casey to help! We love Casey. We follow her journey as she faces discrimination in a white male dominated industry, but I loved how she always stood up for herself, even when it could've cost her a career opportunity.

As an Asian American, I could relate to so many events and emotions Sara went through, like constant comparisons to everyone and different (and slightly questionable) parenting techniques. Sara and Jia's (the sister) relationship also felt identical to my sister's and I, and it was very entertaining to read. Though they banter a lot and sometimes make questionable choices, they want the best for you and will always be there to support. I also always appreciate reading about food - the descriptions from when they ate at the Korean restaurant made me drool.

The romance in this book was also super unique and loveable! It had high school friends to lovers, fake dating, and also lying-about-a-fake-boyfriend-so-he-can't-make-any-moves dating. If that's a thing (I made it a thing). Just a little too much whispering for my liking. I always appreciate a good epilogue though.

One minor issue for me was with some of the conflicts seen throughout the book (the conflicts with Harry and Naomi). I would've liked to seen the resolution more in depth and addressed more as it felt like they were resolved pretty quickly in the last few chapters.

Overall, I enjoyed rooting for Sara and following her journey as an entrepreneur. Thank you NetGalley for the Arc!! My first "official" review ;))

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @avonbooks for an early copy of One Last Word by @suzannepark. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5
Release date: April 16th, 2024

Blurb: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/181109954-one-last-word?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=5TdbeJr24X&rank=1

🛑Read on with caution; review may contain spoilers🛑

One Last Word tells the story of tech entrepreneur and One Last Word founder Sara Chae, who embarks on a journey of self-discovery after the said still-in-development app, which sends messages to people you choose after you pass, accidentally sends out her messages to the important people in her life, including Harry Shim, her high school crush and venture capital mentor.

This novel just screams girl power towards the end of the story, through protagonist Sara. Of course, before all of that happy ending, Sara navigated through a series of reflections and self-discovery when her messages, though not fully intending to have them sent out, were accidentally sent out. This mishap allowed her to reconnect with people who were very important to her at one point in her life, particularly Harry and Naomi. It also made a deeper connection for her and her sister, Jia, and their parents.

I particularly liked how Sara’s story emphasizes balancing all aspects of her life, her work, and her relationships. Throughout the years, she has been solely focused on getting good grades, excelling at work, and getting a promotion and raise, that she has neglected her friends and did not even think about dating. It made me realize that while work is important as it brings food to the table, it’s the relationships that count. It’s the people you share your struggles and triumphs with that make all the hard work worth it.

Reading One Last Word felt like such a warm hug for me. It really gave me a lot of perspective when it comes to work and relationships, and taking time for myself, especially as a working adult.

This is so utterly emotionless it's almost a curiosity. I didn't hate it, i didn't even dislike it, really, I just don't understand how Park got it to be so clinically sterile you could perform surgery on it with no risk of infection.

One Last Word by Suzanne Park. Sarah Che is the founder of an app, One Last Word, which allows you to send messages to people after you die. Her messages accidentally get sent to her parents, ex-friend, and high school crush, Harry. Sarah applies for and wins a tech mentorship and is mentored by Harry. Are her Last Words a help or hindrance?

I’ve read two of Park’s previous novels, The Do-Over, and So We Meet Again. They all have the common thread of a Korean-American woman who is very capable and seems to have lost focus in her life, getting a second chance to re-prioritize and create the future she wants for herself. Sarah is a relatable first-gen eldest child; driven, mantle of responsibility, perfectionist. Many women can relate. She has looked back on her relationship with Harry in high school with rose-colored glasses, and allowed the idea of him to keep her away from trying to build a life and a romance. I appreciated the arc and development of all the main characters. Younger sister, Jia, is a hoot and could be a cliché, but Park avoids this at every turn. Some of the events in the novel are a bit contrived, but I was rooting for Sarah the whole time! It was easy to live in her skin as the reader; feel her pride, embarrassment, frustration, and hope. I’m a big fan of women in STEM novels, though I’m not sure how dude-bro it gets to know if all of Sarah’s experiences ring true. All in all a good read, even if not my favorite of hers. Read this first and then The Do-Over or So We Meet Again, you won’t be disappointed. Thanks to Net Galley and Avon Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. 3.75 stars.

This is a first by this author for me. It was good but a little slow to me. I had a hard time relating to the main character. But that’s just me. The plot is great and oh boy the header in those emails cracked me up!!

3.5 Stars I'm always fascinated by romance novels that center on women in STEM and One Last Word by Suzanne Park definitely fit the bill. The story is about Sara, who has developed an app called One Last Word, which will send custom messages to your loved ones and friends after you pass. After a night of too many drinks, Sara writes letters to her overbearing parents, her ex-best friend, and her high school crush. The letters are mistakenly sent when another woman with Sara's name dies and the app is triggered by her obituary. Sara assures everyone she's still alive, but is shocked when her high school crush, Harry, turns out to be her assigned mentor in a program she was just accepted to to develop and pitch her app for funding.

Sara was a very likeable character from the start. Usually at some point in a book about a woman in STEM, they show others (typically men) walking all over the main character before she learns to stand up for herself. That wasn't the case in this book; from the beginning, Sara wouldn't let anyone make disparaging remarks about her or treat her with disrespect just so she'd have a space in the Silicon Valley tech world. I absolutely loved this about Sara and admired her greatly for demanding the respect she was owed instead of tolerating it in order to get her app funded. Sara was insightful, kind, and a wonderful friend and big sister. The romance with Harry was cute, but I felt this novel really shined when showing Sara being a brilliant founder, CEO, and app developer.

Thank you Avon and Harper for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!