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The Last Word
"Birchall's effervescent novel combines an engaging enemies-to-lovers story line with a vibrant London setting." –– Shelf Awareness
A young journalist puts her career––and her heart––on the line when her former work nemesis is hired in her newsroom, for fans of The Hating Game and Beach Read .
Harper Jenkins is at the top of her game. A brilliant, determined journalist with a well-known knack for getting tight-lipped Hollywood stars to open up to her, Harper loves her job as Celebrity Editor at a newspaper’s glossy weekend magazine and has the best contacts in the business.
But when her awful boss hires talented reporter Ryan to be the new Features Editor, Harper is furious. Because the two have met a decade ago, they were interns at the same publication, where they fell into a whirlwind romance…until Ryan betrayed Harper, and they never spoke again.
Thrown together in a busy newsroom, their dynamic is a disaster from the start. They can’t agree on anything and bicker constantly―Ryan can’t bear how chaotic and messy Harper is; Harper finds Ryan’s condescending nature infuriating. They clash over who’s writing what article, and fight over who’s going to which event.
Yet as they’re forced to spend more and more time together, Harper realizes she may have misjudged Ryan and can’t help but feel a spark growing between them. Long buried feelings start to resurface and, when they’re thrown together on a romantic press trip abroad, their chemistry comes to a head.
But all is fair in love and magazines, and with the news that layoffs across the department are imminent, Harper is left to who will get the last word?
A young journalist puts her career––and her heart––on the line when her former work nemesis is hired in her newsroom, for fans of The Hating Game and Beach Read .
Harper Jenkins is at the top of her game. A brilliant, determined journalist with a well-known knack for getting tight-lipped Hollywood stars to open up to her, Harper loves her job as Celebrity Editor at a newspaper’s glossy weekend magazine and has the best contacts in the business.
But when her awful boss hires talented reporter Ryan to be the new Features Editor, Harper is furious. Because the two have met a decade ago, they were interns at the same publication, where they fell into a whirlwind romance…until Ryan betrayed Harper, and they never spoke again.
Thrown together in a busy newsroom, their dynamic is a disaster from the start. They can’t agree on anything and bicker constantly―Ryan can’t bear how chaotic and messy Harper is; Harper finds Ryan’s condescending nature infuriating. They clash over who’s writing what article, and fight over who’s going to which event.
Yet as they’re forced to spend more and more time together, Harper realizes she may have misjudged Ryan and can’t help but feel a spark growing between them. Long buried feelings start to resurface and, when they’re thrown together on a romantic press trip abroad, their chemistry comes to a head.
But all is fair in love and magazines, and with the news that layoffs across the department are imminent, Harper is left to who will get the last word?
384 pages, Paperback
First published May 2, 2023
99 people are currently reading
14447 people want to read
About the author
Katy Birchall
47 books716 followersKaty is the author of several young adult novels including The It Girl series, the Hotel Royale series and Morgan Charmley: Teen Witch. She is the co-author of the middle grade Lightning Girl series and Star Switch with Alesha Dixon, and the Find the Girl teen series with YouTube stars Lucy and Lydia Connell. Katy was proud to be the author of a retelling of Jane Austen's Emma for the Awesomely Austen series, a collection of Austen's novels retold for younger readers. She has also written a non-fiction book, How to be a Princess: Real-Life Fairy Tales for Modern Heroines.
Katy lives in London with her partner, Ben, and her rescue dog, Bono.
The Secret Bridesmaid is her adult fiction debut.
Katy lives in London with her partner, Ben, and her rescue dog, Bono.
The Secret Bridesmaid is her adult fiction debut.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,042 reviews
February 13, 2023
I can devour anything writing in enemies to lovers and office romance tropes! Even though this book started a little
slow till MCs’ Moonlighting series style quarrels ending with both of them say each other “Fine!” and I found heroine a little immature during their fights, my prod exceeded my cons! I absolutely enjoyed this book a lot!
I mostly enjoyed author’s realistic approach to the journalism and I loved her main character Harper Jenkins’ work ethics, her genuine approach to the people she’s interviewing. She didn’t see them as privileged A-list celebrities to get juicy gossips for writing extra sensational and scandalous articles, she sees them as people who need friend connection. Her honest approach made her a true winner!
I also loved Ryan too much. ( I have to admit I loved him more than Harper) The same guy Harper has met ten years ago and she never gets over him even though she insists she has moved on! The same guy who betrayed her trust becomes her editor she has to fight tooth and nail at each work day to make her point. Both of them are too stubborn to say the last word during their fights. But they have no idea they haven’t told their last words to each other for their unresolved romance story!
But when we learn their back story and Ryan’s point of view, we realize he’s kind, reserved, a little insecure man hiding behind his reserved good looks, extra intellectual mind. He’s my kind of geeky, sweet hero! That guy was patient enough to go shoe shopping with Harper or help celebrity to give birth at the back seat of Uber! He earned ten thousand brownie points.
I also enjoyed how Harper’s character evolved. That immature, workaholic woman finally finds her true purpose, seeing things from other people’s perspective, standing up for herself, confronting her problems about her dysfunctional family.
Even though the book started a little slow, as soon as the extremely entertaining banters started, picking up the pace, hooking me up with introduction of Ryan. The conclusion was also great. The opposites attract- office love- enemies to lovers tropes blended perfectly into story!
Most hatable and ironically the funniest character is definitely the big boss Cosmo who earned ten thousand punching against the the face points!
Overall: I have amazing time and looking forward to read more works of the author in near future.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
slow till MCs’ Moonlighting series style quarrels ending with both of them say each other “Fine!” and I found heroine a little immature during their fights, my prod exceeded my cons! I absolutely enjoyed this book a lot!
I mostly enjoyed author’s realistic approach to the journalism and I loved her main character Harper Jenkins’ work ethics, her genuine approach to the people she’s interviewing. She didn’t see them as privileged A-list celebrities to get juicy gossips for writing extra sensational and scandalous articles, she sees them as people who need friend connection. Her honest approach made her a true winner!
I also loved Ryan too much. ( I have to admit I loved him more than Harper) The same guy Harper has met ten years ago and she never gets over him even though she insists she has moved on! The same guy who betrayed her trust becomes her editor she has to fight tooth and nail at each work day to make her point. Both of them are too stubborn to say the last word during their fights. But they have no idea they haven’t told their last words to each other for their unresolved romance story!
But when we learn their back story and Ryan’s point of view, we realize he’s kind, reserved, a little insecure man hiding behind his reserved good looks, extra intellectual mind. He’s my kind of geeky, sweet hero! That guy was patient enough to go shoe shopping with Harper or help celebrity to give birth at the back seat of Uber! He earned ten thousand brownie points.
I also enjoyed how Harper’s character evolved. That immature, workaholic woman finally finds her true purpose, seeing things from other people’s perspective, standing up for herself, confronting her problems about her dysfunctional family.
Even though the book started a little slow, as soon as the extremely entertaining banters started, picking up the pace, hooking me up with introduction of Ryan. The conclusion was also great. The opposites attract- office love- enemies to lovers tropes blended perfectly into story!
Most hatable and ironically the funniest character is definitely the big boss Cosmo who earned ten thousand punching against the the face points!
Overall: I have amazing time and looking forward to read more works of the author in near future.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
May 4, 2023
Harper Jenkins is a journalist and celebrity editor at Narrative magazine. A job she absolutely adores. Her outgoing personality and sense of humor endears her to celebrities that would otherwise never speak to journalists. She just so happened to score a coveted interview with a famous actress that hasn't spoken to the public in over 15 years after a very public fall from grace. This exclusive could really make her career. Things are looking up!
That is until a new editor is hired at Narrative. Ryan Jannsen. That awful, despicable man that broke her heart 10 years earlier. Now they have to sit side by side day in and day out and... work together? Impossible!!!
These two are like night and day. She's chatty, boisterous, and unabashedly disorganized. Ryan is quiet, thoughtful, and a total neat freak. Let's just say these two rarely see eye to eye. Let the bickering begin!
This book was a hoot. The bickering banter kept me entertained from the beginning to the end. I admit that at times I felt Harper was a little bratty but then I'd laugh at something she said and all would be forgiven. Ryan was perfection through and through. I'd say this book is more *com* with the *rom* coming in at around 70%. That didn't bother me in the least because I was having so much fun reading this. Be prepared for some miscommunication which I think is a common theme in an enemies to lovers / opposites attract scenario. There also weren't many surprises to be had here, though I find most rom-coms to be fairly predictable, so enjoyable characters are what make or break a book in this genre for me. Birchall succeeded! 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for my complimentary copy.
That is until a new editor is hired at Narrative. Ryan Jannsen. That awful, despicable man that broke her heart 10 years earlier. Now they have to sit side by side day in and day out and... work together? Impossible!!!
These two are like night and day. She's chatty, boisterous, and unabashedly disorganized. Ryan is quiet, thoughtful, and a total neat freak. Let's just say these two rarely see eye to eye. Let the bickering begin!
This book was a hoot. The bickering banter kept me entertained from the beginning to the end. I admit that at times I felt Harper was a little bratty but then I'd laugh at something she said and all would be forgiven. Ryan was perfection through and through. I'd say this book is more *com* with the *rom* coming in at around 70%. That didn't bother me in the least because I was having so much fun reading this. Be prepared for some miscommunication which I think is a common theme in an enemies to lovers / opposites attract scenario. There also weren't many surprises to be had here, though I find most rom-coms to be fairly predictable, so enjoyable characters are what make or break a book in this genre for me. Birchall succeeded! 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for my complimentary copy.
May 4, 2023
2.5⭐
Publication date ~ May 2, 2023
Page count ~ 396
Audio length ~ 11 hours 8 minutes
Narrator ~ Karen Cass ~ a fine job
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ coworkers, opposites attract, enemies to lovers, slow burn, second chance, slim steamage
Harper & Ryan have a past that Harper wants to keep a secret from her coworkers.
I enjoyed Ryan's character way more then Harper. I found him to be sweet and fun.
I didn't care for Harper's grudge towards Ryan or the miscommunication that went along with it. I might have liked Harper slightly more if we had Ryan's POV too, but since all chapters were just from her it was too much for me. I was happy with her work ethic and personal growth though.
The banter was fun at times, but then that got to be a little much for me so my ears began to wander.
Overall, not a super big fan, but there are quite a few positive reviews, so don't let mine sway you.
*Thanks to the author, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
Publication date ~ May 2, 2023
Page count ~ 396
Audio length ~ 11 hours 8 minutes
Narrator ~ Karen Cass ~ a fine job
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ coworkers, opposites attract, enemies to lovers, slow burn, second chance, slim steamage
Harper & Ryan have a past that Harper wants to keep a secret from her coworkers.
I enjoyed Ryan's character way more then Harper. I found him to be sweet and fun.
I didn't care for Harper's grudge towards Ryan or the miscommunication that went along with it. I might have liked Harper slightly more if we had Ryan's POV too, but since all chapters were just from her it was too much for me. I was happy with her work ethic and personal growth though.
The banter was fun at times, but then that got to be a little much for me so my ears began to wander.
Overall, not a super big fan, but there are quite a few positive reviews, so don't let mine sway you.
*Thanks to the author, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
August 12, 2023
Eh. The enemies/rivals to lovers of it was good but the reason for breaking up?? Kinda unforgivable to me. Like even if we go for the “we were young and dumb” growth idea HE MAKES THE SAME MISTAKE AGAIN 10 YEARS LATER?? Professionalism my ass. Man’s cannot accept responsibility for his actions and did not understand why it was wrong.
June 5, 2023
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
Oh, this was fun! This is the first time I have picked up Katy Birchall’s work, and I must say I am impressed. This enemies-to-lovers, second chance, office romance was exactly what I needed. Harper and Ryan were fantastic characters and I was eager to see them figure things out so they could be together. I am so glad that I took a chance and decided to give this book a try!
Harper has made a career in journalism writing about celebrities and she really seems to have a knack for it. I enjoyed seeing her work her magic and getting a highly sought-after interview or scoop. Ryan has been hired as the new Features Editor and Harper acts like she doesn’t even know him despite their history. I thought that Harper and Ryan were great together and I loved the chemistry that they shared. They did have some things to work out but I thought that this relationship was worth fighting for.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Karen Cass did an amazing job with the story. I found her voice to be very pleasant and had a hard time setting it aside. I liked the voices she used for the various characters which really helped to bring the story to life. I am certain that her narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would definitely recommend this book to others. I found this to be a very entertaining story filled with characters that were very easy to like. I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up more of Katy Birchall’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press.
Oh, this was fun! This is the first time I have picked up Katy Birchall’s work, and I must say I am impressed. This enemies-to-lovers, second chance, office romance was exactly what I needed. Harper and Ryan were fantastic characters and I was eager to see them figure things out so they could be together. I am so glad that I took a chance and decided to give this book a try!
Harper has made a career in journalism writing about celebrities and she really seems to have a knack for it. I enjoyed seeing her work her magic and getting a highly sought-after interview or scoop. Ryan has been hired as the new Features Editor and Harper acts like she doesn’t even know him despite their history. I thought that Harper and Ryan were great together and I loved the chemistry that they shared. They did have some things to work out but I thought that this relationship was worth fighting for.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Karen Cass did an amazing job with the story. I found her voice to be very pleasant and had a hard time setting it aside. I liked the voices she used for the various characters which really helped to bring the story to life. I am certain that her narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.
I would definitely recommend this book to others. I found this to be a very entertaining story filled with characters that were very easy to like. I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up more of Katy Birchall’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press.
May 5, 2023
When her new boss begins to sideline her as Celebrity Editor, Harper Jenkins sees red. But things go from bad to worse when he promotes her arc-nemesis and former love, Ryan, to be Features Editor.
Right from the start, I knew I was going to enjoy this second chance, enemies to lovers, workplace romance. With wit and banter along the lines of Sophie Kinsella, Birchall does an amazing job at bringing these A-game tropes together in a really fun and entertaining way.
One of my favorite aspects of this story was the wonderful cast of supporting characters. I think Birchall found the perfect balance between the overarching romance and the importance of the inclusion of these deep and meaningful friendships. And of course it’s London setting made it that much more fun for me.
Read if you like:
•enemies to lovers
•second chance
•workplace romance
•forced proximity
•dual timelines
Thank you {partners} St. Martin’s Press, SMP Romance and Macmillan Audio for the gifted advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.
Right from the start, I knew I was going to enjoy this second chance, enemies to lovers, workplace romance. With wit and banter along the lines of Sophie Kinsella, Birchall does an amazing job at bringing these A-game tropes together in a really fun and entertaining way.
One of my favorite aspects of this story was the wonderful cast of supporting characters. I think Birchall found the perfect balance between the overarching romance and the importance of the inclusion of these deep and meaningful friendships. And of course it’s London setting made it that much more fun for me.
Read if you like:
•enemies to lovers
•second chance
•workplace romance
•forced proximity
•dual timelines
Thank you {partners} St. Martin’s Press, SMP Romance and Macmillan Audio for the gifted advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.
July 11, 2023
I have only read one other novel by Katy Birchall, but something makes me keep wanting to come back to her and I am glad I did with The Last Word. This is a slow-burning romance, no instalove here, and while a bit too long for me (my only real gripe), I loved that it really lets you get to know the characters and give them a nice story to play out. There are 2 timelines going on in the book, and I do have to confess that I tended to get confused about when I was in the past and when I was in the present, but I did enjoy getting to see both. Ryan 'betrays' Harper not once but TWICE in the story, and even I was saying oh no he didn't! Clearly, there are good reasons here, and it was nice getting to see Harper gain some insight and come to terms with the fact that maybe she wasn't completely in the right to get so angry. In other words - she grows!
I loved the London and magazine settings, and it was incredibly fun to watch Harper at work with the Hollywood stars and getting them to chat and open up to her. I quite liked both of the MCs and I didn't want to hit Harper over the head at all which was a huge bonus. Karen Cass was the narrator for the audiobook, and I so enjoyed her narration. Audio may have been part of the reason I was confused by past/present changes, but I don't even care because she was so fun to listen to. In my "educated" opinion, I don't think you can go wrong by listening to OR reading The Last Word. If you are so inclined, I could easily see this being a one-sitting type of read, and I really did get lost in Birchall's writing and the characters. She did a fantastic job of keeping me interested in what was going on, and if you like a good slow-burn, longish romance, I would definitely recommend this to you.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I loved the London and magazine settings, and it was incredibly fun to watch Harper at work with the Hollywood stars and getting them to chat and open up to her. I quite liked both of the MCs and I didn't want to hit Harper over the head at all which was a huge bonus. Karen Cass was the narrator for the audiobook, and I so enjoyed her narration. Audio may have been part of the reason I was confused by past/present changes, but I don't even care because she was so fun to listen to. In my "educated" opinion, I don't think you can go wrong by listening to OR reading The Last Word. If you are so inclined, I could easily see this being a one-sitting type of read, and I really did get lost in Birchall's writing and the characters. She did a fantastic job of keeping me interested in what was going on, and if you like a good slow-burn, longish romance, I would definitely recommend this to you.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
April 10, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Another fab book from Katy Birchall! The Last Word is part romance, part women’s fiction and we’re treated to the crème de la crème of tropes: enemies to lovers, workplace, and second chance!
I don’t always love second-chance romance because I usually feel so sad about the initial breakup! Thankfully, Harper and Ryan’s relationship was really well done and they were able to grow up a bit in their time apart.
If you’ve yet to experience a Birchall book I like to think of her writing as similar to Sophie Kinsella, but a bit more sophisticated. There is romance, but the heart of the story is really about Harper and her job and relationships. If I had been expecting an in-your-face love story I might have been disappointed but I was craving exactly what I got!
Read this if you’re in the mood for:
💕A London setting
💕An imperfect heroine who is a bit messy but so lovable and very good at her job
💕Fab side characters
💕Fantastic banter
💕A grumpy uptight hero who has got it bad
PUB DATE: May 2nd
Thank you to St Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for this review.
I don’t always love second-chance romance because I usually feel so sad about the initial breakup! Thankfully, Harper and Ryan’s relationship was really well done and they were able to grow up a bit in their time apart.
If you’ve yet to experience a Birchall book I like to think of her writing as similar to Sophie Kinsella, but a bit more sophisticated. There is romance, but the heart of the story is really about Harper and her job and relationships. If I had been expecting an in-your-face love story I might have been disappointed but I was craving exactly what I got!
Read this if you’re in the mood for:
💕A London setting
💕An imperfect heroine who is a bit messy but so lovable and very good at her job
💕Fab side characters
💕Fantastic banter
💕A grumpy uptight hero who has got it bad
PUB DATE: May 2nd
Thank you to St Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for this review.
May 23, 2024
The Last Word is a journalism rivalry romance with a lot of heart, passion, wit, mixed with a touch of London flare. Having just been in London only a week ago, I loved being able to visually see where these characters interacted.
Harper is a celebrity journalist who is passionate about her job, and Ryan is just the one annoying guy standing in her way. I loved the way this romance was built around current second chance scenarios and past flashbacks. It felt very much in the vein of Same Time Next Summer meets The Hating Game.
There are a lot of cute little moments and I enjoyed Ryan as a love interest as there's definitely more to him than just a competitor. Theres many wonderful romantic situations that were really sweet.
What frustrated me about the book is that the conflict repeated itself in a way that felt retroactive to the characters growth. I just didn't like how the "history repeats itself" situation was done and handled. I also felt like the book could have had a great conclusion much earlier on in the story, so the ending felt a bit prolonged.
I loved the authors writing style and sense of story, so while this wasn't a home fun, I definitely would not hesitate to read this authors next book because I did enjoy quite a few things about it.
**2 open door more mild with light strong language.
Harper is a celebrity journalist who is passionate about her job, and Ryan is just the one annoying guy standing in her way. I loved the way this romance was built around current second chance scenarios and past flashbacks. It felt very much in the vein of Same Time Next Summer meets The Hating Game.
There are a lot of cute little moments and I enjoyed Ryan as a love interest as there's definitely more to him than just a competitor. Theres many wonderful romantic situations that were really sweet.
What frustrated me about the book is that the conflict repeated itself in a way that felt retroactive to the characters growth. I just didn't like how the "history repeats itself" situation was done and handled. I also felt like the book could have had a great conclusion much earlier on in the story, so the ending felt a bit prolonged.
I loved the authors writing style and sense of story, so while this wasn't a home fun, I definitely would not hesitate to read this authors next book because I did enjoy quite a few things about it.
**2 open door more mild with light strong language.
December 18, 2022
3.5 stars
I thought this book was a lot of fun. The romance between our main character Harper and her love interest Ryan is one I was invested in from the start. It was a believable slow burn romance, and they were both characters I felt we got to know a lot about and root for independently and for them as a couple. I really enjoyed reading this and would definitely recommend it.
A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I thought this book was a lot of fun. The romance between our main character Harper and her love interest Ryan is one I was invested in from the start. It was a believable slow burn romance, and they were both characters I felt we got to know a lot about and root for independently and for them as a couple. I really enjoyed reading this and would definitely recommend it.
A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 5, 2023
I really enjoyed this one! Full of classic tropes - enemies to lovers, second chance & workplace romance, I was hooked right away and found the dual timelines equally interesting. I loved how smart, strong and determined Harper was and thought Ryan was a swoony MMC; I would have loved to have his POV! I also loved the London setting and side stories about celebrities and Harper’s family. Overall I would recommend this one!
July 31, 2023
This was such a good one! I loved the chemistry between Harper and Ryan.
October 14, 2023
2.5 stars. Harper, the main character was very, very annoying. At first her defensiveness was mildly amusing but, by the time I was about a third into this story, my main feeling was exasperation. Ryan was slightly less annoying but I became more and more exasperated with his behavior as well. I liked the premise of the overall story line and there were a couple of funny, satisfying, or sweet moments that reminded me why I love Katy Birchall's writing so much but... but... but...
So, my advice to you dear reader, is to read Birchall's prior two books: "The Secret Bridesmaid" and "The Wedding Season". I loved them both so much that I've already read them several times as well as getting the audiobook versions too! They're laugh out loud funny, heartwarming, sweet, and very satisfying.
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
So, my advice to you dear reader, is to read Birchall's prior two books: "The Secret Bridesmaid" and "The Wedding Season". I loved them both so much that I've already read them several times as well as getting the audiobook versions too! They're laugh out loud funny, heartwarming, sweet, and very satisfying.
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 22, 2023
An enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers story commendably done. I am Ryan who was driven to madness by the chaotic whirlwind of Harper. Harper has done well for herself all by herself and her determination to succeed is all that is admirable.
May 4, 2023
The Last Word follows Harper, a celebrity journalist who works for a magazine and isn’t taken too seriously. Always late, messy and high energy, she’s not always best understood by her colleagues, and she definitely, definitely does not believe in love. Harder is always choosing work over everything else. Enter Ryan, another journalist who happens to know Harper and who personally ruined her belief in love. They now have to work side by side and sort through their past history which is hard to do because they left each other broken hearted.
I absolutely love Birchall’s books, and I wished more people read and talked about them! The writing is great, the story is interesting and always hooks me and they’re funny! I really liked Harper and Ryan, they had a good connection, Harper was a tad immature at times but it definitely fit with her character. Ryan was sweet and lovely and it was frustrating how the final conflict was so similar to the earlier one. I really loved the ending, the side characters, all was really well done! The book is interesting and enjoyable, a feel good story. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free preview in exchange for an honest review. Can’t wait for the next book!
I absolutely love Birchall’s books, and I wished more people read and talked about them! The writing is great, the story is interesting and always hooks me and they’re funny! I really liked Harper and Ryan, they had a good connection, Harper was a tad immature at times but it definitely fit with her character. Ryan was sweet and lovely and it was frustrating how the final conflict was so similar to the earlier one. I really loved the ending, the side characters, all was really well done! The book is interesting and enjoyable, a feel good story. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free preview in exchange for an honest review. Can’t wait for the next book!
April 22, 2023
This started off a little slow with much of the initial setup focusing on Harper and her career as a celebrity editor for a magazine.
But with that said, it does make sense. Harper loves her job! She’s great at it. She knows its worth, despite misjudgement from others. A true workaholic whose entire sense of identity is wrapped around her career. So really, I get why much of the story highlighted the ins and outs.
I was excited when the romance started to trickle in—an enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance with the new features editor, Ryan Jansson. Being complete opposites AND having a concealed history, it was immediate fun bickering!
With flashbacks thrown in from eleven years ago, it slowly reveals the reasoning for their bitterness—or shall I say Harper’s bitterness …
As I kept reading, I was left more and more frustrated with Harper. I think her attitude towards Ryan was unfair given the circumstances, both in the past and in the present. It was tedious to see history repeating itself with these two.
There are sweet moments intermixed that definitely proved their genuine connection, but I wasn’t overly in love with this romance.
(heat level: one open-door scene, mild details)
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
But with that said, it does make sense. Harper loves her job! She’s great at it. She knows its worth, despite misjudgement from others. A true workaholic whose entire sense of identity is wrapped around her career. So really, I get why much of the story highlighted the ins and outs.
I was excited when the romance started to trickle in—an enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance with the new features editor, Ryan Jansson. Being complete opposites AND having a concealed history, it was immediate fun bickering!
With flashbacks thrown in from eleven years ago, it slowly reveals the reasoning for their bitterness—or shall I say Harper’s bitterness …
As I kept reading, I was left more and more frustrated with Harper. I think her attitude towards Ryan was unfair given the circumstances, both in the past and in the present. It was tedious to see history repeating itself with these two.
There are sweet moments intermixed that definitely proved their genuine connection, but I wasn’t overly in love with this romance.
(heat level: one open-door scene, mild details)
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 17, 2023
Engaging, charming, and sassy!
The Last Word is an amusing, feel-good, enemies-to-lovers romance that takes you into the lives of both Harper Jenkins, a young woman who loves her job as a celebrity journalist and who is determined to prove to her family no matter what that it’s a worthy career, and the reserved, handsome Ryan Jansson who may finally have a shot at expressing his true feelings to the one woman he’s loved since he beat her out of a permanent position at an internship more than ten years ago.
The writing is humorous and light. The characters are hardworking, passionate, and stubborn. And the plot is a push-pull tale full of familial strife, workplace drama, tender moments, competitive rivalry, witty banter, expectations, friendship, chemistry, and love.
Overall, The Last Word is another sweet, spirited, highly entertaining read by Birchall with characters I couldn’t help but root for and a happy-ever-after ending that left me smiling, smitten, and more than satisfied.
Thank you to SMP Romance – St. Martin’s Press for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Last Word is an amusing, feel-good, enemies-to-lovers romance that takes you into the lives of both Harper Jenkins, a young woman who loves her job as a celebrity journalist and who is determined to prove to her family no matter what that it’s a worthy career, and the reserved, handsome Ryan Jansson who may finally have a shot at expressing his true feelings to the one woman he’s loved since he beat her out of a permanent position at an internship more than ten years ago.
The writing is humorous and light. The characters are hardworking, passionate, and stubborn. And the plot is a push-pull tale full of familial strife, workplace drama, tender moments, competitive rivalry, witty banter, expectations, friendship, chemistry, and love.
Overall, The Last Word is another sweet, spirited, highly entertaining read by Birchall with characters I couldn’t help but root for and a happy-ever-after ending that left me smiling, smitten, and more than satisfied.
Thank you to SMP Romance – St. Martin’s Press for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 31, 2023
The Last Word by Katy Birchall is a cute, enjoyable romantic comedy. Part second-chance romance and part workplace love story, the novel follows celebrity editor Harper Jenkins as she tries to deal with her newest co-worker—features writer Ryan Jansson, with whom she had a fling eleven years prior when they were both interns at another publication. It’s a pretty classic use of the “opposites attract” trope. She’s disorganized and chronically late, yet warm and likable. He’s sensible and quiet, yet observant and thoughtful. They butt heads frequently over their differing approaches to work and to life in general, but they both admire each other’s talents and share a palpable chemistry. The plot is pretty straightforward and a bit predictable, but overall it’s a good comfort read.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2022
After absolutely loving The Secret Bridesmaid and The Wedding Season, I was beyond thrilled to receive an early arc of Birchall’s upcoming release. Well, after I got over my initial disappointment that this wasn’t a wedding-centric book. But it was so funny and adorable! A complete feel-good book with wit and humor that I’ve come to expect from Birchall. Much more of a romance than her first two books, which lean more towards Women’s Fiction. This had all the good tropes: workplace enemies to lovers, he fell first, second chance romance, and opposites attract. Really enjoyable. It pains me to say this but I am SUCH a Harper. All the way down to her 20 alarms that are like 3 minutes apart, the chaotic tote bag, pettiness, and overall messiness. So to me, she was an incredibly relatable character. I loved her heart of gold and her work ethic. And Ryan was a total babe, loved him and his appreciation for Harper. Yeah, I would’ve liked if he handled some situations differently but he’s a man with strong ethics and I respect that. I also liked the found family aspect and the side characters. While I prefer Birchall’s other books, this was an absolute delight to read and had me smiling the entire time. Definitely recommend to my fellow contemporary romance fans.
April 24, 2023
If you're a fan of The Hating Game by Sally Thorne or Book Lovers by Emily Henry, I think you will enjoy this "magazine workplace, rivals with a history" novel. However, this book does lean easy on the spicy side overall and is more about the backstory and workplace in the beginning. About 2/3 of the way through, romance becomes the main focus.
Usually, I want straight-up romance in my books, but I thought the magazine atmosphere and Harper's job of interviewing celebrities were both very engaging and I found myself wanting to know about those things as equally as the romance. And the romance was very cute. Definitely recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an e-arc copy in exchange for my honest review.
Usually, I want straight-up romance in my books, but I thought the magazine atmosphere and Harper's job of interviewing celebrities were both very engaging and I found myself wanting to know about those things as equally as the romance. And the romance was very cute. Definitely recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an e-arc copy in exchange for my honest review.
July 1, 2023
Celebrity journalist Harper Jenkins has a reputation for establishing strong connections with A list stars. Now if only she could make her curmudgeonly boss understand her worth, she’d be golden. Instead, she finds she’s often having to prove herself at pitch meetings, her ideas falling on deaf ears.
Things go from bad to worse when her boss hires her old nemesis, Ryan as the new Features Editor. As if his being the new clear favorite isn’t bad enough, the two are constantly at each other’s throats, the details of their deep seated feud known only to the two of them. While interning together years prior, their attraction blossomed into something more. But a falling out brought them back to square one, they’re not so simmering tension now just waiting to boil over.
Forced to spend more time together, Harper and Ryan have a harder and harder time fighting their unresolved feelings for one another. But can Harper trust her gut or is history doomed to repeat itself like last time?
The Last Word is the first book I’ve read by @katybirchallauthor and I’m honestly surprised why I haven’t seen more love for it (or her). Marketed for fans of The Hating Game, I found the comparison to be true. Also, this book had the unfortunate timing of coming out the same time as the thriller, The Last Word. To be clear, they are VERY different stories, but I digress.
While I loved the banter between Harper and Ryan, what really got me fuming was the unequal treatment of the two in the workplace, due to a chauvinistic boss. I only worked in an office setting for a short period of time, but sadly more often than than not, this is an ideology that still permeates office culture.
The Last Word is a smart romance that definitely will not be the last words I read by this author.
Things go from bad to worse when her boss hires her old nemesis, Ryan as the new Features Editor. As if his being the new clear favorite isn’t bad enough, the two are constantly at each other’s throats, the details of their deep seated feud known only to the two of them. While interning together years prior, their attraction blossomed into something more. But a falling out brought them back to square one, they’re not so simmering tension now just waiting to boil over.
Forced to spend more time together, Harper and Ryan have a harder and harder time fighting their unresolved feelings for one another. But can Harper trust her gut or is history doomed to repeat itself like last time?
The Last Word is the first book I’ve read by @katybirchallauthor and I’m honestly surprised why I haven’t seen more love for it (or her). Marketed for fans of The Hating Game, I found the comparison to be true. Also, this book had the unfortunate timing of coming out the same time as the thriller, The Last Word. To be clear, they are VERY different stories, but I digress.
While I loved the banter between Harper and Ryan, what really got me fuming was the unequal treatment of the two in the workplace, due to a chauvinistic boss. I only worked in an office setting for a short period of time, but sadly more often than than not, this is an ideology that still permeates office culture.
The Last Word is a smart romance that definitely will not be the last words I read by this author.
May 11, 2023
“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙯𝙮 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙢𝙚, 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩. 𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙡, 𝙄 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙄’𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙯𝙮 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙩𝙤𝙤. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙄’𝙢 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙯𝙮 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙤𝙬.”
___
Reminiscent of Mhairi McFarlane, I absolutely loved The Last Word and I highly recommend experiencing it in audio. The narration was absolutely fantastic! I can’t tell you how many times I laughed out loud while listening to this. The constant back and forth between Ryan and Harper was hilarious. Even when it got ridiculous, I still found myself grinning from ear to ear.
I really enjoyed the flashbacks that carefully unfolded Ryan and Harper’s past relationship and fall out. It really helped me to understand Harper better. I really related to her organized chaos and I love that she was the exact opposite of Ryan. Harper was a little difficult toward the end, BUT after experiencing one meeting with her parents, I totally understood why she acted the way she did and put up so many walls. Imagine going through that scenario repeatedly, every few months. No wonder Harper’s self worth was so low. I truly understand why she did certain things to protect herself, and I’m so glad Ryan stuck it out to be there for her. He was the perfect man to balance her out. What a doll. I just loved him so much!
I also really enjoyed Harper’s friends, and some further reconciliation that takes place at the end. This story is filled with so much heart, humor and hilarity. I’m so excited to go back and read Katy Birchall’s other books on my backlist after loving this so much!!
Thank you to Macmillan audio for an ALC and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy. My thoughts are my own.
___
Reminiscent of Mhairi McFarlane, I absolutely loved The Last Word and I highly recommend experiencing it in audio. The narration was absolutely fantastic! I can’t tell you how many times I laughed out loud while listening to this. The constant back and forth between Ryan and Harper was hilarious. Even when it got ridiculous, I still found myself grinning from ear to ear.
I really enjoyed the flashbacks that carefully unfolded Ryan and Harper’s past relationship and fall out. It really helped me to understand Harper better. I really related to her organized chaos and I love that she was the exact opposite of Ryan. Harper was a little difficult toward the end, BUT after experiencing one meeting with her parents, I totally understood why she acted the way she did and put up so many walls. Imagine going through that scenario repeatedly, every few months. No wonder Harper’s self worth was so low. I truly understand why she did certain things to protect herself, and I’m so glad Ryan stuck it out to be there for her. He was the perfect man to balance her out. What a doll. I just loved him so much!
I also really enjoyed Harper’s friends, and some further reconciliation that takes place at the end. This story is filled with so much heart, humor and hilarity. I’m so excited to go back and read Katy Birchall’s other books on my backlist after loving this so much!!
Thank you to Macmillan audio for an ALC and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy. My thoughts are my own.
May 23, 2024
Good writing enables me to forgive a lot of sins. And Katie Birchall is very good. Her narrative voice is very likable, and her effortless wit and humor are on point. The author I would most compare her to is Sophie Kinsella. Like Sophie, she has a gift for putting engaging, funny, if somewhat hapless heroines who don’t realize their own value into intriguing and entertaining situations. She has become an author I will be on the watch for. She is still library-waiting-list-level though, not a pre-order auto-buy. Yet.
This is not a dual timeline book although we do have flashbacks to 10 years earlier when the two protagonists, Harper and Ryan, first meet and develop a relationship. I listened to it on Audible which of course influenced my feelings about the characters. Our heroine, Harper, is an excellent even brilliant journalist with a genius for getting celebrities to open up to her and trust her. She is renowned and respected in the industry but discounted by her stupid boss, Cosmo. His fair-haired boy is Ryan who has just been hired as the magazine’s new Features Head Editor to Harper’s dismay. As the not-as-respected Celebrity Features Editor, Harper’s good relationship with Features is crucial. Most of the time, the romance takes second place to the workplace dynamic and Harper’s successful pursuits of getting attention-grabbing interviews with reclusive media-shy celebrities. And that was more than fine with me.
I loved the hero in this one. In our heroine’s eyes, he is uptight, cold, and looks down on her. Reading between the lines, though, the reader sees that he is just shy and socially awkward. I felt a real Darcy-Elizabeth vibe, always a good thing. It’s also pretty clear that he is absolutely smitten by the warm, upbeat, but chaotic Harper soon after their first meeting and, again, now in the present. Harper is the first-person narrator of her story so of course we get to know her pretty well. Mostly she is very charming, likable, and even admirable. But her flaws threatened to derail my ability to relate and empathize with her. First and most importantly, she acted very immaturely in both her professional life and her love life. She is very unfair to Ryan, always putting the worst spin on his behavior. She blames him for things that are not his fault and refuses to see any point of view other than her own. She reacts in knee-jerk fashion which she almost always has to apologize for later usually after a reality check from her wiser and more fair-minded best friend and workmate, Mimi. This lack of empathy for Ryan’s point of view led to their break up in the past and a leads to a crisis in their present relationship. When Ryan can not give her special treatment at two turning points in her career, she interprets it as a personal betrayal and won’t listen to him when he tries to explain. It is a bit more complicated than that and he did do wrong, but she over-reacted (as usual). I was disappointed in her, especially considering what their relationship had grown into. She breaks his heart breaking up with him. I couldn’t help but feel he might be better off despite their connection.
The second strike against her in my book was that she is a disorganized slob, which causes her to be constantly late for meetings and appointments as well as causing crisis after crisis. This was very irritating especially since she seems to be quite proud of this trait, thinking it is a sign of her creativity and individualism instead of self-involvement and bad manners. Sounds like I hated her, doesn't it? But I really didn’t. I admired and liked lots about her especially how she did her job with the highest integrity and honesty. She was kind and good at heart. We see her charisma. When she did wrong she was usually quick to admit it and would try to make things right. I suspect though, that the narrator made her more likable than what I may have found her on the written page. She funny, charming, and endearing when she wasn’t irritating the hell out of me.
That she was raised by terrible parents also made her a more sympathetic character. They are both renowned lawyers who make their disapproval of Harper’s chosen career abundantly clear. They treat her with contempt and cold disapproval, constantly comparing her with her sister Juliet, their Golden Child, who dutifully followed their prescribed path. The inevitable showdown between Harper and her parents added suspense and anticipation. I couldn’t wait until they got their comeuppance and when it came it was a great scene and well worth the wait. It was everything I hoped for but didn’t get in the The Undomestic Goddess. Her breaking free of the heavy weight that the lifelong disapproval of her parents caused and her ultimate triumph in her professional life and over her bad boss really bumped up my enjoyment of this book.
I mostly loved the prickly relationship between Ryan and Harper, their tugs of war, and ultimately, the sweet romance between them. I marveled at the levelheaded, neat, and organized Ryan’s patience with her. Unfortunately they are so different that cracks in the relationship are going to be inevitable. I can only hope that they will balance each other out in the end and they both will be the better for it.
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings....
April 30, 2023
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.
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.
August 7, 2023
The Last Word
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Author: Katy Birchall
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Harper Jenkins is at the top of her game. A brilliant, determined journalist with a well-known knack for getting tight-lipped Hollywood stars to open up to her, Harper loves her job as Celebrity Editor at a newspaper’s glossy weekend magazine and has the best contacts in the business.
But when her awful boss hires talented reporter Ryan to be the new Features Editor, Harper is furious. Because the two have met before: a decade ago, they were interns at the same publication, where they fell into a whirlwind romance…until Ryan betrayed Harper, and they never spoke again.
Thrown together in a busy newsroom, their dynamic is a disaster from the start. They can’t agree on anything and bicker constantly—Ryan can’t bear how chaotic and messy Harper is; Harper finds Ryan’s condescending nature infuriating. They clash over who’s writing what article, and fight over who’s going to which event.
Yet as they’re forced to spend more and more time together, Harper realizes she may have misjudged Ryan and can’t help but feel a spark growing between them. Long buried feelings start to resurface and, when they’re thrown together on a romantic press trip abroad, their chemistry comes to a head.
But all is fair in love and magazines, and with the news that layoffs across the department are imminent, Harper is left to wonder: who will get the last word?
My Thoughts: This was a slow burn romance novel. The tropes are enemies to lovers (my favorite) and office romance.
The story is narrated by Harper and Ryan, in their respective POVs. I loved the author’s realistic and authentic approach to journalism. I really loved Harper’s ethics in journalism and can hope that more journalists carry her same work ethic. Harper was immature and a workaholic in the beginning, but she really evolves throughout the story. Ryan seems reserved and unapproachable to begin with, but when you get to know him, he is kind and compassionate. The characters were developed well with depth, had growth, witty banter, chemistry, and were creative. The author’s writing style was complex, humorous, swoony, and keeps you engaged.
The narrators in the audiobook did a great job with our MCs and other voice variations, they really gave life to the characters. I would recommend this book to other readers. I had both the digital ARC and audiobook and I preferred the audiobook.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Author: Katy Birchall
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Harper Jenkins is at the top of her game. A brilliant, determined journalist with a well-known knack for getting tight-lipped Hollywood stars to open up to her, Harper loves her job as Celebrity Editor at a newspaper’s glossy weekend magazine and has the best contacts in the business.
But when her awful boss hires talented reporter Ryan to be the new Features Editor, Harper is furious. Because the two have met before: a decade ago, they were interns at the same publication, where they fell into a whirlwind romance…until Ryan betrayed Harper, and they never spoke again.
Thrown together in a busy newsroom, their dynamic is a disaster from the start. They can’t agree on anything and bicker constantly—Ryan can’t bear how chaotic and messy Harper is; Harper finds Ryan’s condescending nature infuriating. They clash over who’s writing what article, and fight over who’s going to which event.
Yet as they’re forced to spend more and more time together, Harper realizes she may have misjudged Ryan and can’t help but feel a spark growing between them. Long buried feelings start to resurface and, when they’re thrown together on a romantic press trip abroad, their chemistry comes to a head.
But all is fair in love and magazines, and with the news that layoffs across the department are imminent, Harper is left to wonder: who will get the last word?
My Thoughts: This was a slow burn romance novel. The tropes are enemies to lovers (my favorite) and office romance.
The story is narrated by Harper and Ryan, in their respective POVs. I loved the author’s realistic and authentic approach to journalism. I really loved Harper’s ethics in journalism and can hope that more journalists carry her same work ethic. Harper was immature and a workaholic in the beginning, but she really evolves throughout the story. Ryan seems reserved and unapproachable to begin with, but when you get to know him, he is kind and compassionate. The characters were developed well with depth, had growth, witty banter, chemistry, and were creative. The author’s writing style was complex, humorous, swoony, and keeps you engaged.
The narrators in the audiobook did a great job with our MCs and other voice variations, they really gave life to the characters. I would recommend this book to other readers. I had both the digital ARC and audiobook and I preferred the audiobook.
Read
May 1, 2023I 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.
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.
April 16, 2023
S’cute i love u Katy Birchall n ur British romcoms
January 16, 2024
This was an entertaining and sweet easy read but I think right after reading Dickens I felt a significant lack of depth even though it is supposed to be fluffy
February 17, 2023
3.5/5 ☆
If you're going into this expecting a full on romance, I would steer clear. While Harper does reunite with her crush after 10 years, I was more interested in Harper's career than her love life. A British journalist who covers celebrities and is well respected in the industry? I was immediately drawn to her personality, her fast-paced life, and can see why those who Harper interview chose her over other journalists. The Last Word also touches on Harper's problems with her parents and sister and working through that while trying to pursue her career.
Much of the back and forth between Harper and Ryan was just immature bickering and fighting to get the last word in (hence the title). Once they do get together, they were adorable. Ryan is very sweet to Harper and adores her. Soft MMCs are rare to come by!
I enjoy Katy Birchall's writing. Some parts were slow, but overall, a solid read! I'd categorize this more women's fiction than romance.
If you're going into this expecting a full on romance, I would steer clear. While Harper does reunite with her crush after 10 years, I was more interested in Harper's career than her love life. A British journalist who covers celebrities and is well respected in the industry? I was immediately drawn to her personality, her fast-paced life, and can see why those who Harper interview chose her over other journalists. The Last Word also touches on Harper's problems with her parents and sister and working through that while trying to pursue her career.
Much of the back and forth between Harper and Ryan was just immature bickering and fighting to get the last word in (hence the title). Once they do get together, they were adorable. Ryan is very sweet to Harper and adores her. Soft MMCs are rare to come by!
I enjoy Katy Birchall's writing. Some parts were slow, but overall, a solid read! I'd categorize this more women's fiction than romance.
March 30, 2023
This was just ok? Not bad but also ugh.
This is a hard review for me to get out. The Wedding Season was possibly my favorite romance book of last year and so I had very high hopes for this new book by the same author. However, this feels like the author did a full 360 and honestly it didn't feel like the same authors writing. But let's forget about the writing for a minute and talk about the story.
This book suffers from the well known and often hated trope of miscommunication. Our heroine literally did not talk to this guy for like 11 years based off something that he had no control over honestly. I don't want to spoil for those who are interested in picking this up and I encourage you all to because it's actually an ok romance and an even better friendship story.
The friendship plotlines were my absolute favorite part of the entire book. We follow two journalists who work for a major company and honestly following this woman around listening to her day of work was so cool. She meets and becomes friends with so many agents of celebrities and such because she's just that good at her job and more power to her! She rocked at her job. Her bffs all work with her or around her and they were all literal a1 friends. So supportive and caring.
Anyways, this is a good book if you go into expecting more of a women's fiction than a rom com even tho there is a romance eventually.
Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy.
This is a hard review for me to get out. The Wedding Season was possibly my favorite romance book of last year and so I had very high hopes for this new book by the same author. However, this feels like the author did a full 360 and honestly it didn't feel like the same authors writing. But let's forget about the writing for a minute and talk about the story.
This book suffers from the well known and often hated trope of miscommunication. Our heroine literally did not talk to this guy for like 11 years based off something that he had no control over honestly. I don't want to spoil for those who are interested in picking this up and I encourage you all to because it's actually an ok romance and an even better friendship story.
The friendship plotlines were my absolute favorite part of the entire book. We follow two journalists who work for a major company and honestly following this woman around listening to her day of work was so cool. She meets and becomes friends with so many agents of celebrities and such because she's just that good at her job and more power to her! She rocked at her job. Her bffs all work with her or around her and they were all literal a1 friends. So supportive and caring.
Anyways, this is a good book if you go into expecting more of a women's fiction than a rom com even tho there is a romance eventually.
Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy.
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