This is possibly my favorite book of the year so far.

I'm a fan of Sarah Adams anyway, but this book wrapped me in a blanket and held me tight. It is a true rom-com, with both the romance and the comedy present. I had a hard time keeping a smile off my face while reading.

Grant and Amelia are just such great characters and their relationship is just so wonderfully written. I loved Rome and its citizens. Lately I have been craving small-town romances and this one just took the cake. Or the pie.

Grumpy pie shop owner falls for pop star in this cute opposites attract, small town romance.

Noah runs his family's pie shop in Rome, Kentucky and is perfectly happy with his small town living until one night Amelia, aka Rae Rose, breaks down on his front lawn. Amelia is on the run from her celebrity lifestyle and needs a break. She ends up finding the break and friends she needs while in Rome.

There was quirky townspeople, meddling sisters and all the sweet grumpiness ini this one. I will say for a pie owner main character I wanted more time in the kitchen, more pie, more sweets a little just more something. I enjoyed this story but I did start to lose a little bit of interest halfway through.

I will say the conflict ended up being interesting to me and I could have had that play out even more. Noah and Amelia teaming up to take down the man sort of vibe.

If you like closed door, small town romances you'll enjoy this one too. I am looking forward to returning to Rome with Annie's story!

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

Entertaining, bingeable and so much fun!!

Synopsis: Pop star Rae Rose, or rather Amelia, is in need of a break and ends up in Rome, Kentucky after being inspired by her favorite Audrey Hepburn movie Roman Holiday. When her car breaks down, local pie shop owner Noah Walker comes to her rescue and lets her stay in his guest room despite making it clear that he has no time for celebrities. As the two get to know each other and break down barriers, a deeper connection forms but both are afraid to act on it knowing that Amelia's stay is temporary.

Thoughts: The "celebrity meets normal person" trope is one of my favorites, and I was glad to see the female MC is the celebrity as it's usually the opposite. While the plot itself wasn't anything unique, Sarah did a great job with all of the small details

Read if you like:
-Celebrity romance
-Grumpy/ sunshine trope
-Small town romance
-Pie shops

Thank you so much Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: 9/20

Sarah Adams knows how to write a romcom that you won’t be able to put down! When in Rome is about Amelia (Rae Rose), a pop star who needs a break from the limelight and her demanding team who have not realized that she is struggling. She takes off for and gets stranded in Rome, Kentucky after a hit of inspiration from Audrey Hepburn. Rome is a charming small town full of nosy neighbors who are in everyone’s business but who would also have your back in a heartbeat. It is also home to the local baker - Noah Walker, single and a little jaded from previous relationships. Noah offers his spare bedroom to Amelia but wants nothing to do with the pop star. What happens between the two “When in Rome?”

This was a sweet, slow burn, opposites attract rom com that had me laughing, swooning, and falling in love with the characters. Amelia is a pop star but her struggles are relatable. She’s been struggling in silence while everything around her just continues to move. I was swooning over Noah! He’s a grump but has so much love in his heart for the ones he cares about. His relationships with his sisters and the townspeople were so sweet. The nosy neighbors were hilarious and exactly what I would expect in a small town. The relationships, character growth, funny moments, and struggles all came together perfectly.

I would absolutely recommend When in Rome! It was a hit for me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Sarah Adams has done it again!! Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is such a cute romance! Fans of closed door romances and Sara Adams will love this! The heroine finally being Abel to take the time off and be herself with the hero was great!

I also loved the family rep as well as the rep of the hero owning a bakery! The small town vibes were also pretty great and sweet!

Tropes:
- Forced proximity
- Small Town
- Found Family
- Grumpy x Sunshine

Overall this was a great read and I do recommend it if you are down for closed door romances!

Than you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to review! All thoughts are my own.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

Amelia (Rae) Rose is a celebrity pop star. She became famous at 18 and is burning out. So she takes inspiration from Audrey Hepburn and takes off in the night to Rome, but the one in Kentucky. And she breaks down in Noah's yard.

Noah is so sweet. He's traditional and a gentleman. And he loves his small town and his family. He is the perfect, grumpy hero. And he is almost as addicted to coffee as I am. I really enjoyed their banter and seeing them fighting their attraction to each other.

I laughed out loud so much at the start. As the book continued, it dragged a bit for me in the middle. But overall, the book made me smile.

Sarah Adams writes the funniest, sweetest rom-coms. This felt a bit steamier than her others, which I was happy to see. And I loved Rome, all the characters, and especially Noah's family. So I am super excited for more romances in this world.

Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn is one of my all time favorite movies! After hearing that this book is loosely based on the movie, I couldn't wait to read it. I really enjoyed Adams character, the small town charm, and the meddling neighbors. I had a difficult time connecting with the main character, Amelia. I had a difficult time getting into the story.

I just finished reading When in Rome; and my brain is overloaded with so much love for this book, these characters, this town, that I cannot seem to form intelligent sentences. So let me say this, READ. THIS. BOOK. Noah and Amelia have secured themselves as one of my all-time favorite couples (and I’ve read thousands of romance books, so that is saying something). AND we are getting Annie and Will’s story next?! Honestly, bless you Sarah Adams. You are a gem, your words are addicting, and please never stop writing. 💕

Oh my word this book has all my heart!! The best yet!!! I fell in love at first chapter of this book and by the end of chapter 2 I was preordering my paperback copy.

Amelia is famous and although most people might think being famous is all that jazz, I think Amelia’s story is much closer to the truth. Exhausted and unhappy and searching Amelia finds herself stranded right outside of a little town called Rome. Immediately I felt a connection with Amelia. I have never been famous, but I think so many of us can relate to the feeling of being burnt out and stuck in our situation.

Noah is our broody, grumpy sunshine, who I promise will be your next book boyfriend. I mean how could you not love a guy who tries so hard to close himself off and protect himself, but fails miserably where Amelia is concerned?

This story could have been very predictable, but I really felt like it wasn’t and I think that is in large part due to it being a very character driven book. As the reader, I felt the emotions the characters were going through and I genuinely wanted everything to work out. I loved that the climax of the book was very natural and did not feel like it was hyped beyond reality.

So to sum it up, I loved this book so very much that I think it might very well be my new favorite Sarah Adams book. This one will be hard to top!!! Excuse me while I reread all my favorite parts!

** Please note this book is a little different from other Sarah Adams books. There is a decent amount of swearing and although technically it is closed door, it is defiantly more than implied what is happening behind that door.

This book is truly a treat, sweet as pie ;)

I don’t think Sarah Adams can write a bad book. Her books are always on the happier side and they're SO swoony. I will admit, at first I thought this book takes place in Rome, Italy (raise your hand if you never read the synopsis of books) and so when I found out it took place in Rome, Kentucky, I was I thinking I might have a hard time picturing/daydreaming about the town. But with Sarah’s descriptive writing, I totally visualized it all. What the walk might look like past the hardware store, avoiding Harriet and finally getting to the pie shop.

I liked that this was a celebrity romance, and that the woman was the celebrity. Noah was the perfect grump, so kind and charming. I would have never believed Amelia was a celebrity with how humble she was & how easily she disconnected from that life. Still, it all goes to show that when you’re really at your wits end, you’ll go into anything with an open mind (and some nerves lol). I loved the side characters, and I’m especially excited that we get Annie’s book next. I will need a James book at some point in time, so I do hope that’s to come :)

When in Rome comes out September 20th! If you’ve loved Sarah’s other books, go ahead and pre-order this now!

Thank you Random House, Dell, & Netgalley for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for my review!

This book is baked fresh with love!

International pop-star Rae Rose is burnt out and needs a break so she leaves to go to Rome in the middle of the night, much like her favorite movie, Roman Holiday. Oh, and when I say Rome, I mean Rome, Kentucky.

Right when Rae, whose real name is Amelia, arrives in Rome her old Toyota Corolla breaks down in the front yard of hometown hottie and pie shop owner, Noah Walker. Although she doesn’t trust a random man in the middle of the night, so she won’t leave her car until he calls his elderly woman friend to talk to her as a character reference.

Noah has been burned by a relationship with an out of town woman before so he knows that he can’t get attached to Amelia and makes an effort to consciously repel her. However, Amelia is relieved to be being treated like a normal person and getting to know everyone in the close-knit small town.

While there Noah and Amelia start to fall for each other and Amelia begins to learn so much about herself and her interpersonal relationships.

This was a great read; 5 stars!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dell for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Adams can do no wrong. This was a delightful read! With playful heated interactions between the main characters, and a sweet story line I truly did not want to put it down.

I loved this book! The chemistry between Noah and Amelia was great. I loved how the characters didn't push each other away and how well they communicated. Even the extra characters were so well developed and added to the story. The whole book was lighthearted and low angst, with a swoony feel that worked.

This is my first time reading a novel by Sarah Adams and I loved it! This adorable book pulls you in with butterflies and undeniable chemistry. Noah Walker is the perfect love interest and him and Amelia have great banter. The writing in this novel was really well done! The small town love story was told so well.

Thank you so much to Random House and Net Galley for the ARK!

This was a really cute read. Pop star Amelia “Rae” Rose needs a break from celebrity life. She’s lost her voice figuratively in that she can’t stand up for herself and isn’t sure who she is anymore. With a strained relationship with her mom, she goes to the next best comfort Audrey Hepburn movies. That’s how Amelia ends up in small town Rome, Kentucky where everyone knows your name and your business. She meets our hero Noah when her car breaks down on his front lawn and she’s convinced he’s a killer. But much like classic men from class movies, Noah is a gentleman and honestly the perfect guy. He has trust issues but isn’t afraid to admit it. He’s even afraid of storms!!!! Amelia is a bit of a rascal in terms of nosiness but that just makes her fit right in with the small town. I loved all the side characters and their meddling ways (that would totally drive me crazy in real life) and I loved that there was minimal drama but a nice slow burn. If you’re looking for a quick, light read that’s beautifully written, check this book out!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC :)

I am obsessed with this book! Holy cuteness Batman! This book was so good! I think I had a smile on my face the entire read! It also made me want all of the pancakes ever! This was such a great one

When in Rome by Sarah Adams
Rating: ★ ★
Genre: 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
Format: 𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤
Length: 𝟑𝟐𝟎𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 - 𝘉𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

✨Read this book if you enjoy✨
Small town settings
Grumpy/Sunshine
Lighthearted Romance

This was my first Sarah Adam’s book and I was so excited to get approved! I knew going in that Sarah Adams writes clean romances with only minor suggestions. My main issue is that the characters seem like teenagers instead of adults. I had a hard time taking their relationship seriously when they both acted so immature. One minute Noah seems like such a nice down to earth guy and the next minute he’s being mean to Amelia just because she’s from out of town. His behavior just didn’t make sense for a grown man. Noah’s family was the real hero of this book for me. His sisters and their grandmother were the only thing that made this book enjoyable for me.

I’ve been putting this off because I knew I’d love it and I didn’t want this to be over. I of course, as with all Sarah Adams books, adored this one! I spent the whole book trying to decide between savoring it and bingeing it. I loved Amelia and Noah. This was a such a sweet heartwarming story. It was a slow burn, but I loved it! I loved the will they/won’t they as Amelia and Noah are developing feelings for each other, but trying to fight these feelings. I loved all of the supporting characters and the town of Rome. I’m so glad Annie is getting her book and I hope all the other sisters do too! This will definitely be a favorite this year!

Sarah Adams is back with another adorable, will give you all the butterflies, dream of a rom-com. When in Rome has Sarah’s signature sweetness infused with Southern charm and a cast of lovable characters. A modern retelling of Roman Holiday, Amelia escapes the monotony of Hollywood and her exhausting singing carrier and travels to Rome, Kentucky where she meets grumpy baker, Noah Walker. Amelia is charming, goofy, sweet but a little bit lost from the impacts of fame. Noah is serious, guarded, supportive and a little bit jaded from a previous engagement.

I loved the small-town vibes and grumpy/ sunshine dynamic. Noah is a dream; the way he cares for his family is so endearing. Despite her career, Amelia is so down to earth and relatable. This story had some Taylor Swift inspo, I saw a lot of her in Amelia’s character. The chemistry, the pining, the tension in this was making me crazy (in the best way). I had so many butterflies reading through this story. It is closed door with the tiniest peek. The language is respectful and delicate, focused on their connection. The steamy scenes are so tender and handled with so much care. It is clear that Amelia is so precious to Noah and it was so swoony.

The cast of characters in When in Rome were delightful. I immediately pre-ordered Practices Makes Perfect, Annie and Will’s story, after finishing this one because I need more of Noah, Amelia, his sister, the nosey townspeople and especially, Mabel. Mabel might have been my favorite character. She is meddling, a total spitfire and I loved every scene where she was involved.

Another great thing about this book, there was no third act breakup, which is so rare to find in romance novels. I had a great time reading this book. It is impossible to read a Sarah Adams book and finish feeling anything but joy. Joyful, lovely, sweet and an utter delight!

Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell and Net Galley for an opportunity to read this one early!

*I will share on my IG and Goodreads closer to release date and update this review with links!
Rating 4.5 stars but rounding up to 5 on GR

Amelia is a famous pop star who is known as Rae Rose. She is obsessed with Audrey Hepburn, and watching her old movies reminds her of the special times watching them with her estranged mom. One night she is watching Roman Holiday, and is inspired to visit Rome. The closest Rome to her is Rome, Kentucky. She needs a break anyway and makes plans to stay at a B&B there.

She gets into town last one night when her car starts smoking and dies in Noah’s front lawn. She refuses to get out of the car thinking he is a serial killer, until he has his grandma’s best friend Mabel on the phone vouch for him. Amelia’s car is going to take weeks to fix, and is stuck in town. Mabel, being the meddlesome B&B owner that she is, swears that there are no available rooms and that Amelia will have to stay with Noah.

Although Noah is very grumpy, her sunshine attitude gets him out of his shell. They develop a friendship and open up to one another in a way that is so sweet and vulnerable. All Sarah Adams books are fade-to-black, but as usual I do not miss the steam. They are so tension-filled and the characters have so much chemistry between them!

4.5 stars
I received this book for free in return for an honest review.