This is my first Sarah Adams book and I enjoyed it very much! It was very much Roman Holiday, and the small town setting was great. This was a slow burn and I enjoyed how Amelia and Noah connected. Amelia's character was very well written I related to her at times. Noah the man was a grump on the outside but a total cinnamon roll! Loved it.
I enjoyed how Sarah detailed the small town it made me what to hop on a plane and relocate lol.
Really overall such a fun, easy read!! Thank You, NetGalley for allowing me to read and give this book an honest review!!

When I was only 1/3 through, I knew this would be 5 huge stars. And it continued to live up to it.

Celebrity and commoner. Sunshine Susie and Grumpy Gus with a heart of gold (books and flowers and pie, oh my!). An adorable and protective small town full of wonderful characters.

A very closed-door romance, instant attraction but very slow burn.

The one and only weird part - for someone who owns a pie shop, Noah never ever bakes for it! So who does?!

Whew wow this was such a cute read! I went into this one expecting it to be corny/cheesy. It honestly had a really cute premise - celebrity meets small town guy/grumpy sunshine. The characters were incredibly lovable - even Noah, who came off as cold toward Amelia (Rae). I loved the dual POVs - it gave insight into Noah and Amelia's thoughts & core beliefs, which gave a better understanding of the characters for the reader. Noah & Amelia though - what a combo! The chemistry and banter between the two is unmatched. In regards to Amelia, I loved that she found her voice/independence/identity outside of being Rae Rose. As for Noah, I loved that although he was guarding his heart, he finally opened up to - and let Amelia in. This was an adorable, sweet romance, sans spice and I'm totally here for it. It put me in my feels hardcore and made me yearn for a love story like Noah & Amelia's. Usually, when I'm swooning over a romance like this, it leads to a five star rating - which this one certainly deserved! I would 100% recommend; I'd also be interested in reading more by this author!

My first by Sarah Adams and I thought this was super fun and cute! The town of Rome, Kentucky is going to be a joy to return to in future books, especially because I loved the relationship between Noah and his sisters. It was a bit cheesy and ridiculous at times, but it was the perfect fit for my mood when I read it, and is some of what I love most in small-town romances.

4/5 stars

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: When in Rome

Author: Sarah Adams

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 3/5

Spice: 1.5/5

Diversity: Black character, character with Alzheimer’s Disease

Recommended For...: romance, contemporary, Audrey Hepburn lovers, food, small town romance, famous person/normal person romance

Publication Date: September 20, 2022

Genre: Romance

Age Relevance: 16+ (cursing, alcohol consumption, romance, sexual content, parental deaths)

Explanation of Above: The book has some slight cursing and mentions of parental deaths. There is some alcohol consumption shown in the book. There is a romance in the book and there are comments of a sexual nature, but all romance is closed door and it’s mostly regulated to kisses and small romantic moments.

Publisher: Dell

Pages: 320

Synopsis: Amelia Rose, known as Rae Rose to her adoring fans, is burned-out from years of maintaining her "princess of pop" image. Inspired by her favorite Audrey Hepburn film, Roman Holiday, she drives off in the middle of the night for a break in Rome . . . Rome, Kentucky, that is.

When Noah Walker finds Amelia on his front lawn in her broken-down car, he makes it clear he doesn't have the time or patience for celebrity problems. He's too busy running the pie shop his grandmother left him and reminding his nosy but lovable neighbors to mind their own damn business. Despite his better judgment, he lets her stay in his guest room--but only until her car is fixed--then she's on her own.

Then Noah starts to see a different side of Rae Rose--she's Amelia: kindhearted and goofy, yet lonely from years in the public eye. He can't help but get close to her. Soon she'll have to return to her glamorous life on tour, but until then, Noah will show Amelia all the charming small-town experiences she's been missing, and she'll help him open his heart to more.

Amelia can't resist falling for the cozy town and her grumpy tour guide, but even Audrey had to leave Rome eventually.

Review: For the most part this was a cute book. The book was an adorable romance about a famous singer who lands in the lawn of a grumpy baker. She has to stay with him while her car gets repaired and sparks fly. The book was adorable and pretty well written. I thought the character development was good and the world building was good as well. The book is also a closed door romance, so no sexual things are shown.

However, there were some things in the book that I didn’t like. The book was Multi-POV but I think we could have done away with Amelia’s POV as Noah’s was much more interesting. The characters in this book are from Kentucky and none of them talk with an accent, except for one character. I believe the character is stated to be Black, but I could be wrong? But it was a bit weird that only one character was written to have an accent while the others were not. And if the character was Black then that opens up a bunch of ick. The time skips in the book aren’t that evident, which made reading it confusing at times. There is a lot of teasing in this book and sexual pining, but it wasn’t my favorite thing. It just felt annoying after awhile.

Verdict: It was good.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me with an eARC for my honest opinion!

4.5 ⭐️

“When In Rome” is a light hearted rom-com that feels like a hallmark movie. It has just the right amount of corny nicknames and emotional breakthroughs without high stakes. Lots of “Roman Holiday” references and cutesy small town-isms. A perfect warm hug delivered in the form of Noah, the pie maker — and yes he’s just as dreamy as Ned from “Pushing Daisies.”

SO cute! 4.5 stars!!!

Read this if you like:
•small town romance
•celebrity romance
•forced proximity
•grumpy x sunshine
•dual POV

Famous city girl falls for a small-town grumpy man, literally SAY LESS👏🏻

Not going to lie, I went into this book fully thinking this was a love story set in Rome, Italy but quickly found out it was actually set in Rome, Kentucky lol. I guess that is what you get for going in blind all the time hahaha. But I actually really loved the small-town vibes Sarah Adams created & enjoyed all parts of the quaint town.

Side note, this is a closed-door romance – with a crack. Which didn’t bother me one bit as it was written so well and the pacing just seemed right. But I think going in knowing that may be helpful!

Things I loved:
Noah and his grumpy attitude
Ameilas kind and humble personality
All the foodie elements
The Roman Holiday movie references
🥹Mabel and all her nosiness / sass
🫂Noah’s relationship with his sisters
The slow burn and tension
James and Noah's bromance
All the other meddling townspeople

Overall, this book felt like a warm hug. Huge thank you @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse for the ARC!

This one was the coziest kinda book ever. It was like one huge hug bringing you into its pages and I could not get enough of it. From beginning to end it was such a joy to read and I could not recommend it enough! The writing was simply superb and character development was just 👌

Here are the only things I should have to say in order to convince you to read this book:

🛣 immaculate small town vibes
💖 she falls first, but he falls SO MUCH HARDER
🥹 found family excellence (i mean the community in Rome, Kentucky is one of my most favorites ever)
🎤 pop star x small town boy which is a trope I don’t read enough of and it is wonderful

But I will also share some more of my thoughts with you starting with…

Amelia! I absolutely loved her as a protagonist. She was so precious, I just wanted to give her a big hug, and I loved how she was immediately welcomed by Noah’s family and the town. One of the best things about her is how she literally thrives off of Noah’s grumpiness, which makes their dynamic that much more fun.

It was SO MUCH FUN reading Noah’s perspective. His internal dialogue in all its grumpiness was pure brilliance. He was also such a sweetheart, and I could spend ages raving about my new favorite introverted bookish baker.

I ADORED Amelia and Noah’s relationship. I mean the angst? The tension? The yearning? The lack of a third act break-up? An elite couple.

If you ever wished for a version of Roman Holiday with a swoony, romantic happily ever after THAT WE DESERVED, then this book is for you.

And you’re telling me Will is getting a book? With our girl Annie? A bodyguard x flower shop owner romance??! You already know I will be seated.

Following her favorite leading lady’s example, Amelia is heading to Rome. But unlike Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday, she is driving through the night to the closest Rome- in Kentucky! After her car breaks down in a stranger’s lawn, pop superstar Amelia manages to create her own vacation with the help of local pie shop owner (hot, grumpy, and emotionally jaded) Noah. They admit that a relationship couldn’t work, but even as the two are fearful of catching feelings, they begin developing almost immediately.

I like to think of this almost as a contemporary fiction of two individuals growing and healing from past heartache and trust issues with a side of romance! Noah is stoic yet snarky, while Amelia is cheerful and a little goofy. They slowing breakdown the tough exterior of the other, helped along by Noah’s sisters and a charming town reminiscent of a southern Stars Hollow.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and the author for an advanced copy of this book! When in Rome is available now!

Wow, she does it again. I'm not gonna lie, I love smut. I tend to steer clear of closed door romances. But when I read the cheat sheet last year I was blown away by how much I didn't care that there weren't any spicy scenes. I received this book as an arc and was amazed again!!! The connection between Noah and Amelia is incredible and the sexual tension is REALLLLL. Noah is absolutely the perfect grump who cares (aka my literal favorite trope). Sarah does such a wonderful job on not only making real characters that you feel deeply for but also making you laugh/squeal/giggle/gasp hahaha pretty much every emotion. A perfect book by a perfect author!

"Care is reckless because it doesn't come with the seat belt that selfishness offers. Care has so much to lose, and almost always ends in heartbreak. Unfortunately, I'm powerless against keeping my heart in check around her anymore. There's a very short list of people in my life that I allow myself to truly care for, and it looks like I just added another name to it."
"This woman looks like a fantasy come to life. Plucked straight out of my best dreams and placed right in my living room. The audacity of her."
When Amelia, "Rae Rose" to her fans, finds herself slowly being emptied, she watches an old classic, Roman Holiday. Audrey inspires her to take a road trip and a break to help her reset. When she ends up broken down in front of Noah's house, he is the last person that wants a run in with someone famous. He treats her like a normal person, and lets her know he's not interested in having a relationship with anyone anytime soon. Noah quickly becomes a safe place for Amelia, and the town of Rome does as well. As she slowly finds herself and her love for music again, will she be able to keep her safe place or will it and her possible relationship with Noah fall by the wayside due to her fame?
I have been eagerly awaiting this new one from Sarah Adams! She is a favorite author of mine and this story didn't disappoint. I loved Amelia and Noah. They were so delightful to get to know, and I enjoyed their banter so much. This author writes romance so well, and watching these two grow in their relationship was so much fun. I loved the town of Rome and the secondary characters. I have high hopes for more stories from Rome and Noah's family! :)
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Before Reading When In Rome, I had never read any of Sarah Adams books. I had heard of her very popular book The Cheat Sheet on Booktok (TikTok) but I never made the move to go and read it. But after reading this book I will for sure be reading all of her books.

When in Rome is a dual POV between the two main protagonists, Noah and Amelia. Amelia is a pop star who is tired of the spotlight and wants to get away. Noah is a small town pie baker who has taken over the family pie shop. He has three other sisters who are all so close you will instantly get jealous of their sibling relationship and dynamic.

Spoilers ahead

We first meet Amelia as she realizes that her car is breaking down in the middle of nowhere in a town she does not know. Granted she is on a mission, a mission to get to Rome... well Rome, Kentucky. Inspired by her favorite actress Audrey Heprun she tried to get away from her very hectic life as a singer. Little does Amelia know that she has broken down in front of a grumpy pie shop owner's home. From the window of his living room he is watching a strange lady inside her car. Against his own better judgment he comes outside of his house towards the car and in the process startles Amelia who has already made the decision of sleeping in her car.

The book overall was a fast read, It had a great pace and a good plot twist. I did wish the ending didn't feel rushed.

I won't spoil the rest of the book because it is a journey for you to read but this book has everything you’ve wanted.

A Grump x Sunshine trope ✓
Small Town Romance ✓
City girl x Small town boy ✓
Only has a soft spot for her✓

I also want to give a huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This is a cute romcom done by Sarah Adams! I don't have many critiques, it just wasn't my favorite. I absolutely LOVED "The Cheat Sheet" but unfortunately I didn't love this one as much. I will continue to read the books put out by sarah adams!

In this novel we find Amelia, a popstar who is on the lam, trying to escape her high stress busy life. In a fit of probable mania and not thinking straight, she gasses up her old car and takes off towards the nearest Rome a la Audrey Hepburn. That's all fine and dandy until the old car gives out. Noah, a once scorned pie shop owner with a chip on his shoulder happens to own the yard in which Amelia's car dies. Fast forward to a romantic comedy that ensues.

You know those books that once you start, you absolutely have to cancel all plans because you have to know how the story ends? Even if that means that you have skirt all responsibility for the next few hours... or maybe that's just me. I absolutely fell in love with the writing style and the characters of this book. You wanted to cheer for Amelia, especially when she finally showed up for herself. You also wanted to just pinch Noah on the cheek, because dangit if it wasn't the perfect love interest. It was like they both were my old friends by the end, and I myself grew up in the town of Rome, Kentucky. It was an incredibly easy book to just lose yourself in. The story made my heart feel whole, and I might have even shed a tear at the end. Truly, a well written, adorable, mostly clean romance book that was just as sweet as powdered sugar.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of When in Rome. All opinions in this review are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5/5
🌶️ No spice, some tension.

Let me start off by saying that the writing style of this book was not my cup of tea. I feel that the style came off very juvenile which had me going back and forth over how I felt about the story overall. I think I just had a hard time believing that these characters were in their late 20s / early 30s. As I read, I found myself frustrated with the main characters and the way their stream of consciousness came off. Don’t get me wrong, the story hooked me and the slow burn kept me reading, but I wish there had been more.

Read if you liked:
Part of Your World 🐐
Slow burn 🔥
Celebrity/small town romance 🎤
Pancakes 🥞

When I’m Rome was published on September 20, 2022.

Thank you to Sarah Adams, Random House Ballentine, and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Well, bless my ever lovin' Audrey Hepburn pie loving heart! Adams writes a delightful grumpy/sunshine story set in a small town with one of my favorite indulgences--a celebrity vs a normal person. Gah, I love that trope!

Amelia needs a break from the high demands of performing on stage before she sets off on her world tour and turns to her idol, Audrey, for inspiration. Rome, Kentucky is a lot closer than Rome, Italy, so that's where she heads and a hilarious first meet with resident grump, Noah, is all it takes for her heart to settle and sparks to fly.

I absolutely adored the close-knit Walker family, as well as the quirky, nosy small town residents. The flowers, pie, fishing trips, and pancakes had my heart soaring. I couldn't get enough of the banter and chemistry as I watched slow changes occur within the characters. In fact, I'm ready to pack my bags and find myself a small town where you never know where your truck is because everyone just borrows everyone's. But...I could've done without the amount of language. I've been an Adams fan for years and was surprised but this turn in her latest book. Personally, I appreciated the swoony moments and that things faded to black. I love a good romantic anticipation, as that build up is so engaging. Depending on preference, the innuendo could be considered light to moderate+. I would consider this a PG-13 book.

I'm hoping to read more about the Walker family--wouldn't that be a fun series *hint, hint*? Amelia and Noah have a swoony place in my heart for sure.

Content: moderate romance (innuendo, fade to black, swoony kissing); moderate language (mild words but A LOT of them)

*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*

This was a perfect segue into fall rom com. Thank you @randomhouse for the free #gifted copy of When in Rome by Sarah Adams. This book is available now.

Amelia, aka Rae Rose, is a pop sensation that is burned out. In the weeks leading up to her international tour, she decides to peace out for a bit without telling anyone. Because of her obsession with Audrey Hepburn, she chooses to go to Rome, which is unfortunately too far, so she settles on Rome, Kentucky. Before she even arrives, her car breaks down in the front yard of Noah Walker, the very cute, and very grumpy, owner of The Pie Shop. It’s going to take two weeks to get her car fixed, so Noah reluctantly agrees that she can stay with him until then. And I’ll stop there, because #nospoilers.

Be warned, this is a closed door and slow burn rom com. It was cute and funny, but y’all know I like my 🔥🌶️ so that was really the biggest drawback for me.

Fans of this author will definitely enjoy this one, and unless you don’t like closed door romances, I think most rom com fans will like it.

3.5 stars rounded up

I absolutely loved The Cheat Sheet, but this one fell a little flat for me. Definitely cute and would suggest to read, but nothing spectacular.

I liked this book! It had some funny sarcasm and wit and was a RomCom with substance and a few scenes that made me tear up.

It was the first book in a while that I read most of it in one sitting! I’ve been so busy and in a bit of a slump the past few months.

The ending was a little weak. It seemed rushed and wrapped up too neat and tidy and the little old ladies were cheesy characters.

Overall, I give it 3.5 stars!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫