3.5 ⭐

When In Rome is a very cutesy, grumpy vs sunshine romance about pop star, Rae Rose, who feels that for a life so fully scheduled, it seems pretty lonely. so she takes the cinematic life of Aubrey Hepburn, and runs away to Rome...in Kentucky. Enter, Noah Walker... he has no time for another big city woman to come and uproot his small town life. sadly, no amount of avoidance can cure the sweetness that is Amelia Rose

first and foremost, if you haven't watched Roman Holiday (and still plan to), do not read this as it spoils the ending of the movie; something i wish i knew beforehand :<

as easy and as fun as it was to read, I'm ngl in saying that i struggled with a few things... what i completely understand about small town romances is that people are all up in your bussiness, i get that. but what i don't appreciate is how rudely meddlesome the townsfolk were in discussing Noah's past (with a stranger), and also how i felt that they pushed Amelia onto him.
the other thing was the first kiss. they have shared no personal connection at this point so that gave me lust vibes instead of chemistry

i might just be nitpicking so take that with a grain of salt...

i did really adore Noah and his sisters though! they seemed really fun and supportive, while Noah was this reserved grump. but he always showed his care towards those he loved, and also his protectiveness towards Amelia can do things to a person's heart :')

there weren't any spice as it was fade to black but it was a slow burn with a lot of mutual pining

in the end, i did enjoy it to some extent, i just felt that it was missing that oomph...that little bit more than the usual predictability... but still highly enjoyable

*𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯-𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸*

This author can do no wrong in my eyes. All she had to do was just say she has an upcoming book and I know instantly it would be one of my favorites. Her writing style is quirky and charming with hints of awkwardness and emotions spewing from the pages. This book will have you smiling, laughing, and enamored from start to finish and when it’s over you immediately want to pick it back up and read it again.

I adore Amelia from the moment I read her first inner thought. She’s a huge start and rightfully so, but also she’s relatable, aloof, and just quirky. She feels like your best friend because she is so down-to-earth and doesn’t let fame disconnect her from reality. Noah has my heart. Why am I such a sucker for the caring, huge heart, knows the way to my heart is a delicious pie kind of man. His internal struggles and constant fighting of this instant and obvious connection just made him sexy. He’s not an alpha man nor a nonsense man. He’s a man who follows his heart but is careful who sees it.

The tension between Amelia and Noah is deliciously slow to where you savor every interaction and every moment loaded with angst. Their chemistry was playful and emotionally charged and I just ate up every chapter. What this author does well is use her words to project chemistry, angst, and tension in a way that doesn’t require the use of explicit descriptions. She slowly exposes the hearts and souls of Noah and Amelia in a way that is more intimate than any steamy open door scene. I’ve said it before and I will continue saying it, this author just excels with every new book she puts out and this book was perfection. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine - Dell for this ARC

This book was SO PRECIOUS! It was funny, emotional, touching, fun, and again, so funny! I loved ALL of the characters, the chemistry between Amelia and Noah, and the small-town setting (it gave me Stars Hollow vibes, so if you love Gilmore Girls too you'll have to check it out!).

When in Rome gave me major hallmark-movie feels, and it was so cozy. I cuddled up on my couch and had a wonderful reading day with this book. I’m definitely going to purchase a physical copy so that I can read it again! ☺️

this book was absolutely adorable! i loved the characters so much! it was a very quick and easy read. perfect vacation & beach read vibes. if you are obsessed with old movies, specifically audrey hepburn’s movies, the way i am you need this book in your life!

it took me a little to get into the book and warm up to both amelia and noah but once i got into the story i was in love. the town’s dynamic and the fact that everyone there was so supportive of amelia even though she was an outsider was very touching. i will now be endlessly yelling about this book, thankyousomuch

This is hands down Sarah Adams best book yet! I absolutely ADORED this story. This will be one of those books I re-read when I'm in a slump because I had a smile on my face the entire time.
Amelia and Noah's flirty banter is adorable and their chemistry is sizzling. I just love the dual POV so we can see what each of the MCs is thinking.

Other than the MCs I loved this small town and all the people who came with it! Noah's sisters are a hoot, as is Mabel. I love they way they treat Amelia and their relationships with Noah tell us so much more about him.

This book was absolutely 5 stars for me. It was funny, romantic, and full of the Sarah Adams charm which I love so much!

When In Rome by Sarah Adams is a cute romance set in, not Italy, but Rome, Kentucky which was honestly such a fun setting with so many lovable characters. I got to read this book in advance thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Random House Publishing in exchange for an honest review, and I have to say I really liked this book! It kind of feels like a Hallmark movie in its setting and premise, but I really like the familiarity and comfort of that type of media. Plus the leads are both amazing and the dual perspectives was great! I won’t say too much more and spoil the story for y’all though, you will just have to read it yourself! If you like pop stars, men who bake pies, and a small town romance, this book may be the one for you when it comes out this September!

This was such a cozy and cute small town vibe book. I loved the setting of “Rome” and the inspiration behind it. This was a perfect read for fans of Gilmore Girls and gave me major Stars Hollow vibes as well. Amelia is a famous singer and Noah is the perfect small town guy. The tropes in this book were some of my favorites including grumpy/sunshine and small town romance. If you’re looking for a cute romance read this one is perfect 🥰🥞
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read & review this book! I can’t wait to read more books by Sarah Adams!

Oh my gosh! I absolutely loved this book. From the minute I started reading it I already was hooked on the authors writing style. It was funny, cute & emotional all in one. If you liked It Happened One Summer, you will definitely enjoy this one! When a celebrity pop star is feeling burnt out and has a couple weeks before her next tour takes a trip to Rome, Kentucky, she finds herself broken down in her car on a man’s front lawn. Convinced he is a serial killer, their banter begins in the first 10 minutes of the book! What will happen next?

Thank you so much NetGalley for letting be read this book! Definitely will be reading her other books! I just got my copy of the Cheat Sheet to read next!

This book was magic. I love a small town romance so so much. I love grumpy/sunshine so much. It has such Gilmore Girls vibes which I LOVED. I will be purchasing this book for my book shelf so I can read it a million times.

Amelia is off to have her Roman Holiday adventure just like her favorite person Audrey Hepburn, of course Rome is actually too far, so she settles for Rome, Kentucky. She is going on tour for nine months soon and she is feeling burnt out, so now is the perfect time to get away. Until her car breaks down in Noah’s yard and quickly everything changes. He is grumpy, he doesn’t want her around, but he wants nothing more than to help her so she can be on her way. Two weeks is nothing while her car gets fixed, right? Maybe?

I love Amelia. She clearly needed the break and this is the perfect place for her to be. Rome is just like Stars Hollow and I for one love that for her. Everyone knows everyone, everyone helps everyone, everyone GOSSIPS about everyone. Noah isn’t looking for a relationship, he was hurt and he can easily see himself falling back into something with Amelia that will leave him hurting once again. But of course, she has a way of sneaking right into his heart. Also Noah is WONDERFUL. The way he takes care of Amelia and his sister warms my heart.

There was no third act breakup and I LOVED that. The villain was someone you kind of expect but also not really? It’s pretty subtle throughout and I’m glad it wasn’t a main focus, it was necessary for the ending, it tied up some things which was nice! The semi-epilogue was sweet, but since I am a FAN of epilogues I was wishing for more. Maybe there will be more books??? I’d love to see which of Noah’s sisters ends up with James (😉).

I haven’t read any other of Sarah Adams books but they’ve been on my TBR forever and they’ve officially been bumped to the top!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’ll post this in my Instagram story highlights under ARC as well as Goodreads, Bookbub and Storygraph (all will be in the attached links). I will also post an Instagram post on the day of release (September 20, 2022).

When in Rome felt like the pleasure of licking your fingers after a good meal - to put it simply.

In want of a much-needed brake from fame, Amelia, also know was Rae Rose, chooses to take a vacation in Rome. Rome, Kentucky, of course. After her breaks down she meets a handsome man named Noah who makes her doubt everything about her perfectly laid out life.

It was perfectly delectable and tooth-aching sweet.

Like in so many romance novels, the third act was quite dense. Yet, the characters are so adorable they make up for it. However, those same characters fell so easily into tropes they read like caricatures.

Overall, my lack of deep thoughts gives away that this is book is something I'm not going to think about in the long run. Although, it was a satisfying distraction.

This is my favorite Sarah Adams book to-date. This book was so well-written and full of wit and smiles. I found myself grinning throughout and laughing out loud regularly. This is the perfect sweet/grumpy trope and will fill your heart with all the feels. It took so long to read because I kept having to stop and highlight sections.

Amelia is a celebrity popstar who needs a break from her high-pressure life. Taking inspiration from Audrey Hepburn she decides to escape to Rome, but with no time to head to Italy she finds the closest Rome to her hometown of Nashville - Rome, Kentucky. On her way there, she breaks down in Noah's yard. But being broken down in a place with no cell phone service, no WiFi, and without her bodyguards, Amelia is hesitant to accept Noah's help.

This book absolutely melted my heart. Noah was surly and grumpy while also being tender and sweet. He reads, bakes, and loves & supports his family...what more could you want? I loved Amelia's journey through this book, and I think Sarah Adams did a great job with the topic of burn out and mental health here.

Things I loved:
•Celebrity herione x small town hero
•Pies, pancakes, flowers, and books
•Small town with meddling (but well meaning) neighbors
•Grumpy x sunshine
•FMC finding her way again after burnout

Thank you to NetGalley, Dell/Random House, and Sarah Adams for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Absolutely adored this book - I couldn’t put it down.

I am a complete sucker for a grumpy/sunshine pairing but these two characters had my whole heart. On top already winning me over with this class rom-com trope, there is a bit of a modern take on “Roman Holiday”, which is an Audrey Hepburn classic.

Not only did I fall in love Noah and his sisters, but the entire town is as sweet as pie. Rae Rose (Amelia) finds herself again and you just hope her and Noah have a better ending the the Hepburn movie.

This is a rom-com, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, small town romance book that is a must read for fans of this genre.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance review copy. I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

Sarah Adams definitely does not disappoint when it comes to delivering a swoony and engaging romance. Her classic comedic style that pulls you in shines in her upcoming release, When in Rome, while also creating characters you can connect with and relate to. Noah is the kind of brooding hero with a heart of gold that makes you want to add him to your list of book boyfriends.
There was a surprising amount of foul language in this book, which isn't really my cup of tea, and I personally found it to be excessive and distracting from the story. As far as sexual content, this book probably still lands in the closed-door category, though it crosses the line more than any of her previous books. I'd say it takes you to the door and gives you a listen, but you still don't see anything graphic.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Amelia “Rae Rose” is a music superstar about to embark on a 9 month worldwide tour. But lately she feels as if she’s drowning in a life that is no longer is own. After watching her favorite actress Audrey Hepburn in “Roman Holiday,” Amelia decides it’s time for her own Roman adventure. But Rome is pretty far from Nashville, so her closest escape? Rome, Kentucky. She sets out to escape, unplug, and finally make some decisions on her own. But her adventure quickly goes awry when her car breaks down in a very handsome pie shop owner’s yard.

Noah Walker has been burned before by someone just passing through. In fact, he asked her to marry him and ran off to New York with her, only to return home to Kentucky when everything fell apart. He’s not interested in starting something with someone whose life is so different from his own. But what Amelia and Noah both want and need may not be that different after all…

All the stars for this book! 🤩 Sarah Adams is now an auto-read author for me. 💯 I loved the meddling townspeople, Noah’s hard exterior but sweet heart, Noah’s nosy sisters, and Amelia and Noah’s playful banter. I also enjoyed the dual POVs and the slow burn between Noah and Amelia. Get ready for laughs and lots of swoon-worthy moments! 💖

I loved this Audrey Hepburn modern take on Roman Holiday. City girl/pop star meets country grump in a heartwarming slow-burn that left me thinking about these characters for days. The MCs are great but the side cast was absolutely adorable. Three cheers for Noah's family <3

Sarah Adams does it again! Her PG style romantic comedies are a breath of fresh air for anyone who misses early 2000s romcoms. The chemistry between Amelia and Noah was absolutely perfect! Throw in some noisy neighbors, a bunch of melding sisters with a dash of Audrey Hepburn references, and you have a swoon-worthy story that you devour in one sitting.

Okay, I absolutely adored this one and devoured it so quickly. We love a grumpy cinnamon roll with a sensitive side. The will-they-won't-they went on ever so long for me - but I ultimately loved the tension and the buildup. Just wish there was more steam (but I know that's not everyone's cup of tea to read or write).

I cannot wait for more in this series and this charming town - and hope we get Annie's love story soon!

"Everyone’s getting too damn people-ly lately and I’ve had enough of it. Sometimes a woman is just worn out and needs a break, you know?”

“That doesn’t prove that you’re weak or neglectful, it proves to all the women standing by and watching you pave the road to success that it’s okay to say no.. It’s okay to shut your door every now and then and put up a sign that says, Busy taking care of me today. Piss off.”

A small town romance, grumpy sunshine trope. I enjoy the witty banter our main characters have. I really like the way their relationship develops. Amelia and Noah's mature way of communicating is 5-star worthy for me. I slightly enjoyed the inner struggle they had in denying their feelings.

I love the closeness of every one in town and the way they gossip around it kept me laughing at times. It was a fun and easy read for me.

Available on September 20

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for the ARC

It took me a bit to get through this one. And at certain moments, I got a bit impatient for the story to move forward (read: I totally skipped around and read ahead). But I really like the setting of Rome, Kentucky and where the author is likely going with what I understand will be a series set in this cute town.

I think some of my negative feelings had to do with details the author is including to build the world and set things up for the rest of the series. And there are a number of series that I love whose opening book isn't my favorite (I think Lisa Kleypas, Ravenels, is a great example of this).

There were other things working against me here. First, I don't love stories about musicians/celebrities which is a total personal preference. But again, since nobody else seemed to even sing in the shower or anything, I might be in the clear going forward. Also, I've never seen the movie, Roman Holiday. And I wonder if seeing that first would have made me appreciate it a bit more.

So, while I can't say I loved it, I'm really optimistic for where things might be headed.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for this ARC.