Read this book if you like the sunshine/grump and famous/normal person tropes, Audrey Hepburn, and beach reads.

Amelia Rose needs a break before her upcoming 9 month tour, so she goes to Rome. Rome, Kentucky to be more specific. When in Rome, her car breaks down and she meets Noah. Noah (reluctantly) let’s Amelia stay at his place while her car gets fixed.

Noah had his heart broken by a big city girl before and he doesn’t want it to happen again so he keeps his distance. How does that turn out?

Another one-sitting read for me! I absolutely adored this book. I love the way Sarah Adams tells a story, and When in Rome did not disappoint. Grumpy/sunshine, which we definitely get here, has always been one of my favorite tropes, but after this one I’m also starting to realize I love a good small town romance! I definitely recommend for anyone wanting to add a sweet, heart-warming, romance to their TBR!

The absolute perfect summer read, or anytime read honestly! This was my first book by Sarah Adams, but will not be my last! I loved the small town feel, the characters, everything!! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review!

When a burnt out popstar takes a lesson from Audrey Hepburn, she ends up in Rome, Kentucky. For a book that seems like it would be straight out of Hallmark, it was so much less cheesy than I expected. Even the typically cheesy man who works in a bakery plotline was so natural. I especially loved how there was never a real conflict. There were so many potential issues I could have seen causing conflict in their relationship and I really appreciated how Sarah Adams didn't go that direction, and instead built up a very healthy relationship.

Another Sarah Adams gem. Full of humor, swoon worthy moments, witty banter and an adorable town full of characters.

My favourite quotes:
~I keep trying to tell myself it's only attraction, but I'm not sure that even I can believe that anymore. Not when she smiles up at me and it feels like my insides burst with light.
~To me, you're Amelia. Maker of shitty pancakes and a smile that rivals the sun. All I want is you.
Arc provided by @netgallery and @randomhouse💗
When in Rome by @sarahadams is a fun small town rom com which follows Amelia or Rae Rose a Grammy winner singer who needs a break from her glam life and decides to go to a small town in Kentucky called Rome where she has car troubles and end up living with the grumpy pie shop owner called Noah who wanted nothing to do with her or romantic feelings and relationship but ends up falling for her.
Oh My God! i wasn’t expecting the amount of cuteness when i read this book. The thing i love most about this book was that i didn’t know Noah was the pie shop owner i read a post on instagram about how this book was a small town romance and it had a singer and a pie shop owner as the mcs and it was such a wonderful shock😭💗

Amelia my poor baby she was one of the best female leads i’ve ever read about she’s such a pure and kind hearted person i can’t. I love her obsession with Audrey Hepburn and love why she is in Rome because she loves her movies, also i adore how she puts the sunshine in grumpyxsunshine💗💗
Noah is everything i would want in a boyfriend, i love that he’s a grump but has a soft spot for his family and kind of literally the whole town😭 his love/obsession for flowers and his tattoo about them made me want to cry so much🌻💗 also i loved how badly he wanted to stay away from her but he physically couldn’t😂🥹💗
Also i loves the whole damn town from mabel’s matchmaking skills to James’s ability to get under Noah’s skin to Noah’s sisters hanging out with Amelia all of them are such cuties🥹💗
also PANCAKES 🥞 iykyfk🥹💗
Release date- 20th September
~M☁️

I want to thank Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start by saying this book is more 3.5 than 3 stars. There were parts of this book that I really wanted to love, but I couldn't get fully invested in Noah and Amelia's story. Noah and Amelia were both really great characters, separately, but I didn't feel a spark between them and it ultimately felt a little too "insta-love" for me.

Amelia is one of the world's biggest pop stars and she just needs a break - understandable after working non-stop for years on end. I found her to be a little naive, which made since with her spending most of her life sheltered, and I really liked the person she became in Rome.

I really liked Noah and especially the fact that he owned a pie-shop. He really cared about everyone around him, from his sisters to everyone in the town. But, at times he felt a little too perfect, I'd say his one flaw was that he falls in love easily... which, if you know, you know.

The story is told from alternating perspectives - which, is one of my favorite story-telling methods. Most of the story takes place within a week of the two leads meeting each other. While I didn't dislike either character, I never really felt a connection to either one, or found myself rooting for them, separately, or together.

One thing that stood out to me was how often the main characters described, in detail what the other characters were wearing. I get why this was done, but I didn't love the execution and ended up skimming through most of that as I felt it took away from the book.

Overall, When in Rome, was an enjoyable, light read.

I read When in Rome not long after reading Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez. There were a lot of similarities that I noticed in the two stories. Two people fall in love but their “worlds” don’t go together so they try to stay apart or give themselves rules or a finite time to be together. Part of Your World is sooooo good 5/5 ⭐️’s and I absolutely adored it. When In Rome is enjoyable…..but I just felt like Part of Your World does it so much better. It’s hard not to draw a comparison when reading them so close together. I did love the supporting characters in When in Rome though especially Noah’s sisters. It’s a cute , predictable rom com but Part of your World just takes the cake for me between the two! I’d rate When in Rome 3.5 stars.

This book had a very interesting premise. An A list celebrity, Amelia, finds herself in the small town of Rome, Kentucky, where her car breaks down in front of the home of a local pie shop owner, Noah. He invites her to stay with him until her car gets fixed and during that time they start to develop strong feeling for each other. However, their lives are so different and they fear if they start something it will never work.

There was a lot about this book that I did really enjoy. The small town vibes were so cute, and the side characters always brought a smile to my face. However, I just didn’t love the couple in this one which is obviously the whole point of the book. It just annoys me when characters are trying too hard not to be together yet not really doing anything about it if that makes sense. The avoidance of the relationship seemed to drag on a little too long.

I did enjoy the ending once they did come together. The way the story wraps up was very satisfying to me. I would love to read more about the side characters, specifically Noah’s sisters. I think the author could definitely do some romances with them at the center.

Overall, I unfortunately didn’t connect with this one as much as I wanted to. Tbh this author has always been hit or miss for me but that doesn’t stop me from reading her books.

When In Rome is my first ever ARC read through NetGalley, and I definitely started on a high note. I immediately put in a request for this book after seeing @through.the.bookstagram review, and I’m so glad I did. Like her, I flew through this book!

This was a 5 star read for me, and here are some of my favorite parts of this book:
🥧small town vibes
🥧the humor! I found myself laughing and re-reading lines to laugh more
🥧the grumpy guy (but secretly sweet) vs. sunshine woman
🥧Mabel. I need a Mabel in my life
🥧I loved how relatable our main characters were. Both Noah and Amelia showed behaviors both stemming from past experiences and traumas. Even though Amelia is a famous pop star, you want to be her friend because of how real she is.
🥧 I loved the protectiveness Noah and Amelia had over each other, but also how they could always be themselves with one another.
🥧Boy did I love the part when they are talking about Noah’s pajamas when Amelia finally sees what they look like (IYKYK).
🥧I loved how Amelia was able to find herself again, and while Noah was supportive, he allowed her to make her own decisions.
🥧Amelia was able to find her voice, and advocate for herself.
🥧Although this was a slow burn, I didn’t feel impatient. I appreciated their caution through the book, but the attraction they obviously had for each other.

I had vibes of In The Weeds by B.K. Borison, so if you liked that, you should check this one out too! This book releases on 9/20/22 (my birthday, yay!) so be sure to treat your shelves/selves by pre-ordering, or getting a copy in September!

Super cute read! I tore through this in just a few days. I'm not usually a big fan of celebrity meets normal person romances, but his one really did work. I felt like Amelia was a very realistic character whose motivations made sense. I also thought Noah's hesitancy was also very plausible. Both characters had great backstories that motivated them appropriately through the story without the tension being forced. These are two people who have a strong attraction to each other but know it probably won't work out based on past experiences. Amelia's tensions with her mom and her management team was also a nice balance and added some nice complexity to the storyline. The heat was good! I took off one star because I would have preferred a more open door, but I still thought Adams brought the heat so open door only fans should still take a chance on this one. Great summer romance!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CfIHKVmJphr/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
https://www.instagram.com/p/CfIHKVmJphr/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Another sweet story from Sarah Adams. I think I enjoyed this one even more than The Cheat Sheet. The main characters felt more fleshed out, and the setting and supporting characters were charming. I especially enjoyed Noah's relationship with his sisters. I would love if Adams turned this into a series to see more of the sisters' stories!

If you are a fan of small town charm and grumpy/sunshine banter, you will love this book!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

** Pub Date: 9/20/22

This book follows Amelia, a very famous singer who, in a moment of desperation, drives to the closest "Rome" she can find, which happens to be in Kentucky. Upon her car dying, she meets Noah, a grumpy southern gentleman who helps her and lets her stay at his place, and as the days pass, their attraction for each other grows.

Please take me to the middle of nowhere to find a county man who bakes!

I was laughing out loud from the very first chapter! This book was so sweet and full of adorable moments between the couple and the town's people and his family. The found family in this story was so beautifully written. It draws you in and makes you feel like you are sitting down with them. Amelia's growth and strength from her time with Noah and the people of their town was amazing to witness. I was rooting for her from the start.

The angst in this book is top-notch; I loved it! The tug and pull between Noah and Amelia were so genuine, and even though there was instant attraction, the way they tried to fight against it helped them to believe their love for each other.

Make sure you don't read this on an empty stomach because all you will want to eat is pancakes and pies! I enjoyed the time reading this book and can't wait for the world to get its hands on it!

Flirty, funny, charming - all the perfect moments a great romcom needs! (Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!)

Sometimes I’m in the mood for something light and fluffy, but this was too light and too fluffy, and the metaphors and similes called so much attention to themselves they were distracting instead of adding to the narrative seamlessly.

NetGalley provided and advanced copy, which RELEASES SPETMEMBER 20, 2022.

When in Rome served up a bevy of sweet romance tropes nestled in a sugary, shortbread crust. This "closed door" courtship was a little too saccharine for my personal preference, but I was willing to overlook that extra dollop of proverbial syrup. This book was overloaded with quippy comebacks and nearly every sentence was sarcastic. I can understand wanting to imbue humor into the dialogue, but it starts to go overboard when it detracts from the writing. I don’t need books to be extremely funny and I don’t need jokes bombarding me on every page. My real life conversations include meme references and I have to be feeling extra zippy for my wit to match these fast paced character interactions. When in Rome featured the unique pairing of a pop princess and a pieman, but the only shortbread sweetheart I adore lives in Coeur d'Coeurs, not Rome, Kentucky.

While the romance was more tame than what I’ve grown to prefer, it certainly utilized some of my favorite tropes: Grumpy/Sunshine, Small Town Romance, Gooey Center Grump, and Close Quarters. I could go on, but it also featured a subgenre I’ve grown to despise: Celebrity Romance. Amelia was a famous singer and there were references to touring with real musicians or features in popular magazines. I would rather the author create an entirely fake Hollywood than concoct scenarios with pre-existing celebrities. It’s a weird feeling to see two worlds clash and it gives me the ick to read these alternate realities. I also unintentionally read 4 celebrity romances this month and I was feeling extra fussy. I’m sorry! At least I know what tropes I do and do not like thanks to When in Rome.

When in Rome was a very sweet romance, but I prefer some spicy jalapeno in my romance novel pie. I could have done without the “closed door crust” or the “fake celebrity filling”, but I wasn’t the author who baked this book with care. I thought it had some laudatory elements, but the book wasn’t for me. The hero was a chocolate covered marshmallow and the heroine had too lush a life to be pitied. I’m grateful for the early access, but I hope the future readers enjoy it more than I did. This may not have been my perfect pie, but you’ve got to enjoy the local flavors When in Rome.

I've been DYING to read a Sarah Adams book and this one did NOT disappoint. When In Rome is the perfect romcom for your summer. You'll love the chemistry and banter between these two. You will not regret reading this one! I can see why Sarah Adams' other books are so hyped. She creates such a beautiful and fun story that will have you swooning!

I went into this book completely blind, but was so pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it! Sarah Adams crafted the cutest rom com (a la Roman Holiday) that follows Amelia, an overworked (and frankly overwhelmed) pop star who escapes on a whim to Rome - Kentucky, that is. Here, she meets (haphazardly) Noah, a grumpy, small town business owner (also known as Wilderness Ken). Over the course of 2 weeks, Amelia and Noah’s lives continue to intersect while Amelia is staying in Noah’s guest bedroom (there’s “no room” at the Bed and Breakfast, didn’t you know 😉). As the attraction continues to build and adventure ensues, so do their feelings for one another.

The story features dual points of view (which adds so much depth to the story) and has the best secondary characters (I want to be friends with all of the Walker sisters and Mabel). Honestly, this book had all my favorite parts of a Hallmark movie. Was it predictable? Yes. Slightly cheesy? Definitely. But did it make me continuously smile and laugh out loud? You betcha.

Add When in Rome to your TBR, pronto. You won’t regret it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dell/Penguin Random House for the advanced e-book copy!

Holy cow.

5/5. Sarah Adams knocked this out of the park. This was giving me serious Taylor Swift vibes. My heart clenched throughout the book. The writing evoked emotions in a beautiful and silly sense. There was a perfect blend of cultural references and originality. Adams was phenomenal with this. Probably my favorite book of the month. I'm grateful that NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this gifted copy. P