HUGE THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND RANDOM HOUSE PUBLISHING GROUP FOR PROVIDING ME WITH AN ARC FOR MY FAV AUTHOR 😭❤️🎉

Make your calendars for September 20th because guys…Sarah Adams has done it again!

The absolute QUEEN of happy fluffy romcoms is back at it again with this gem of a book. Let’s be honest, I would read anything that Sarah would write but I’m happy to report that this book is just as amazing as the rest of her books.

Plot Recap: Amelia Rose AKA Rae Rose the global pop star needs a break. The girl is majorly burnt out from years of being in the spotlight. Drawing inspiration from the classic, Roman Holiday, Amelia comes up with a plan. Where better to take a lil rest and relaxation than in Rome? That is, Rome, Kentucky. Things don’t go exactly to plan when her car breaks down in the front lawn of one Noah Walker. This grump doesn’t have time for Amelia, between running a pie shop and life in a small town. Against his better judgement, he lets her stay in his empty guest bedroom while her car gets fixed and acts as a tour guide, showing all the charming things this small town has to offer.

Thoughts: This book was very very cute! I enjoyed the family dynamic with Noah and his sisters, but most important, the relationship between the two main characters! Also no unnecessary 3rd act conflict?? We love to see it! Oh and there’s a plot twist thrown in there so that’s fun too! brb hoping that james and noah’s sisters get books of their own!

Tropes(!): sunshine x grumpy, forced proximity, reluctant love, and celeb x non celeb.

Posted Review on Goodreads on 6/5/22: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4718193962

I loved this book so much, that as soon as I finished reading it I wanted to go back to the beginning and start again. Amelia and Noah were delightful characters, the story line was so sweet, and the way it mirrored(ish) Roman Holiday was great. I am recommending this read to all my friends. It was such a wonderful book!

I love this author. This Is a perfect rom com book that is a fun and easy read. The dynamic between the 2 main characters was really great and made me want to keep reading.

This was the perfect rom com that gave me all the butterflies! I went in thinking that I knew what was going to happen and why they wouldn't be able to be together because HELLO pop star and small town baker. But I will say that I was pleasantly surprised by this story and how addicting it was. I could not put it down and read it in less than 24 hours. This romance was slow-burn and absolutely perfect. I now will turn to Sarah Adams when I am in need of a heartfelt and sweet Romance book.

4.5/5 Stars

Sunny city girl meets grumpy country boy in this fresh take on the classic movie <I>Roman Holiday<I>.

Sarah Adams, the reigning queen of rom-com, has done it again! <I>When in Rome<I> is equal parts sweet and sultry and is sure to be a fan favorite.

When singer-sensation Rae Rose runs away to "Rome" in the middle of the night, the last thing she expects to happen is for her car to break down in surly pie-shop owner Noah Walker's front yard. Thankfully for romance readers, that's exactly what happens, because what follows is a story filled with witty banter, heartfelt emotion, and too many laugh-out-loud moments to count.

A few things I adored: the kissing (obviously!), the small-town setting, dual POV, Noah's quirky sisters and the townspeople, Noah (definitely a new book boyfriend), and Amelia--it was so satisfying to watch her grow. And can we just talk about the crackling chemistry between Rae (Amelia) and Noah? I swear sexual tension is Sarah's superpower because she had me chanting, <I>kiss, kiss, kiss<I>, and I'm pleased to report that this story delivered on more than occasion. One thing I've seen in other reviews is that this story contains a dash of insta-love, and well, it did, but don't let that scare you. It REALLY worked for this story because 1. a little mutual pining is never a bad thing (read above about Sarah's superpower). And 2. it's balanced with a good reason for why they can't/shouldn't be together.

I highly recommend this book!

A few things to note: This is Sarah's first National Market Romance and long-time fans may notice a few differences. First, this story is a bit spicier than her previous books but situations still fade to black in the bedroom. (To me, WIR still falls squarely in the sweet romance category, but it may offend more sensitive readers.) Second, there is language liberally sprinkled throughout the book, although none of the more graphic swears. I personally don't feel strongly about "bible swears" but readers might not want to listen to this one around children.

I fall in love with the characters Sarah Adams writes every time. I love the cute and sweet romances aspects of this book and I adore the fun humor and banter.
The book was the sweetest little pancake all wrapped up and served alongside a slice of pie. It was an interesting take on a story by dealing with a pop star and I really enjoyed that because typically in small town romances you deal with a big business person from the city, this was different and I loved that.
Noah and Amelia are great together and I not only loved them but every side character. I NEED MORE OF ALL OF THEM!! James needs his own story too!! I hope we get to see Noah and Amelia again!
Definitely check this book out if you are a fan of romance and fun stories. This book will surely leave you with a smile on your face.

This book was everything I thought it would be. I love Sarah’s books and the grumpy x sunshine didn’t disappoint 😍

I only rated it 4 instead of 5 because the beginning was very slow for me. I didn’t get sucked in till about 25%. I also predicted what was going to happen, but I actually love that in most books! I love cliches and drama in my romance books.

Im a sucker for the country trope and city girl falling for a small town guy was perfectly down, Noah is everything & more. Patient, calm, shows emotion (kinda??) and so loving and respectful. My first thoughts of Amelia was the “poor me” trope which grinds my gears but QUICKLY changed my mind when we read more of her inner dialogue. I ended this book with a big smile and absolutely loves those romcoms that leave you happy with the HEA and craving more of the authors book. Thanks for the ARC, Netgalley!

Overall, this book was very cheesy, but I loved it so much. I thought it made good use of tropes and portrayed a more nuanced look at the famous girl in a small town vibe.

THINGS I LIKED:
The beginning was super engaging!! I fell lin love with Amelia instantly.
Noah and Amelia's POVs were equally adorable yet unique
MABEL ROCKS
I love the portrayal of fame!!!
I honestly also love how protective Noah was of Amelia when it came to how he was like "you don't eat??" and also when she accidentally took one of her sleeping pills
Amelia's descriptions especially were so good- I loved being in her head.
The banter!!! I loved the banter and all the tropes

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:
I don't understand why Noah didn't call someone like the police to help Amelia instead of just standing there staring at her. I know he' s supposed to be grumpy and heartless or whatnot, but sometimes he bothered me. That's probably just because I get bothered by the dark and mysterious closed off guy who's secretly a softie?? I don't know why. For that type of character though, I will say he was written well even if I personally didn't like him at times.
Also the line "I like her eyeliner (a makeup term I know from sisters) is weird because everyone knows what eyeliner is- it's not just a fancy term. If he'd said something like described a specific look, I would've gotten it, but it would've been much better if he just knew about makeup without having to explain how.

I honestly just wasn’t a huge fan of this book. I liked The Cheat Sheet so I wanted to give this one a chance even though it wasn’t as immediately appealing to me, but I can’t help but feel disappointed. This book had grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, small town romance, will they won’t they, etc., but even a list of fun tropes couldn’t fully save it.

I really didn’t like Amelia’s character. She seemed like she never respected Noah’s feelings and the boundaries he set (even if he secretly wanted her to break them). She was also SUCH a pushover regarding her career. Also, I couldn’t understand why Noah was basically head over heels in love with this “stranger” who he thought wouldn’t stay when he repeatedly emphasized how he didn’t want a relationship with someone like that and he needed a deep emotional connection with someone (before kissing her after like a few days). I felt like Noah and Amelia acted like actual teenagers about each other, and I wanted to scream at them to act like adults the whole time. They kept going back and forth and it felt so repetitive. I couldn’t believe the bulk of the story took place in well under two weeks, it just felt so unrealistic for the relationship time period to be that short. Like, Amelia literally used the words “in love” to describe her feelings one week in. And Noah had a disaster of a relationship he constantly thinks about to hold himself back that at least involved getting to know each other over a month.

It was still cute and they clearly liked each other a lot (like, an unrealistic amount), so I still feel like a lot of my problems were it were just based on my personal preferences. I also thought the ending was really sweet. However, I can’t help but be disappointed in this book, especially considering that I liked Adams’s last release.

This book was so insanely, painfully corny. And the dialogue was just as cringey. Yet, I LOVED IT. This book is the epitome of a Hallmark movie in written form. Yes, that is a compliment. Unoriginal plot that’s been done a million times in both books and movies including supremely cringey dialogue? Absolutely. But also a guilty pleasure read? Most definitely.

First off, this isn’t normally the kind of book that I would request on Netgalley. Not to say I don’t appreciate a good contemporary every now and again, but it is rare that it is my genre of choice. I generally prefer fantasy, fairytales, or horror, books on the opposite side of the spectrum from anything close to everyday real life. However, there is a trope that is my weakness: celebrity romance. You know, normal girl falls for super famous guy, or vice versa. Call it a guilty pleasure, I dunno. Because let’s be real, who doesn’t fantasize about that? And what better way to feed into that fantasy by reading books where the impossible happens to other people?

Rae Rose is Hollywood’s pop darling and lives a lavish, glamorous life, singing and touring the world. She’s sick of the fame, very unhappy, and doesn’t even enjoy singing anymore. She escapes to Kentucky of all places (since Rome, Kentucky is the closest she can get to Rome, Italy) and that’s where she meets Noah who of course just happens to be the only person who is not a fan of Rae Rose nor does he remotely care. And in true celebrity romance trope fashion, she’s extremely attracted to the fact that he could care less.

“I’m a two-time Grammy winner and I have a signed contract for ninety million dollars with the top record label in the business, so I shouldn’t be crying. I don’t deserve to be crying. And I definitely shouldn’t be in my old car in the middle of the night driving frantically away from everything.”

If that quote made you cringe, get used to it if you plan to read this. Amelia flexes her fame in her inner dialogue a lot, and quite randomly. Also, certain details are incorrect. Such as Amelia flexing that she’s about to perform onstage at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville to 50,000 people when that arena’s entire capacity is less than half that at around 19,000. The author didn’t fully do her how to be a pop star research because I think she is mixing up arenas and stadiums.

This review is coming across as super critical so far but I overall did enjoy this book. Just like when you sit down to watch a Hallmark movie you don’t expect to watch anything near an Oscar winning movie, you go into a book like this not expecting anything to be realistic, or to even have a well developed plot and characters. Cringe dialogue is to be expected just like in any romcom (especially the celebrity ones) yet it doesn’t make you cringe any less. It’s an unrealistic, slightly annoying, yet cute, feel good read that makes you feel safe and happy, in the same way a Hallmark movie does.

Super cute read and I loved the ending. Sometimes what we need is a nice fluff celebrity romcom to read. If you’re looking for a good celebrity romance though, I personally preferred Open Road Summer over this one, but I enjoyed this too. 3.5 ALMOST 4 stars. Because it was cute!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for sending me and advanced copy in return for my honest review.

This was the first book I read by Sarah Adams, but it certainly won’t be my last. When In Rome was very well written. I loved the banter between all the characters. The book was written in both Rae and Noah’s points of view, which was done well. We could see both characters grow. An enjoyable read.

I have been singing some serious Sarah Adams love for a year now—ever since reading The Off Limits Rule—so when this arc dropped on @netgalley, I got texts from friends🥰

When in Rome is a romcom that centers around a burnt out celebrity who escapes to a small town and falls for the resident grump who—as with all perfect romcom grumps—is a big ol’ teddy bear for his girl 🤫

I haven’t read much celebrity romance, but this one immediately won me because Sarah Adams writes fantastic, witty dialogue. And it’s not just from the MCs, although the internal monologues and their banter is great! The colorful townspeople and the close-knit supporting cast are a hoot, and I hope she plans on writing more for them.

This one is out in September and available for preorder now. Fair warning: it will make you hungry 🥞🥧🍪 and have you searching for air bnbs in small towns.


#romcom #sarahadams #wheninrome #bookreview #bookstagram #arcreview #romance #romancebooks #readromance #smalltown #grumpysunshine
Thanks to #netgalley @randomhouse for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I sped through this romance in a day and incredibly enjoyed it. Amelia and Noah’s relationship is so endearing, and their support system in Rome (Kentucky) helped orchestrate several adorable setups. I loved being able to see the point of view of both main characters, and their relationship really grew in an organic way, especially for the final two-thirds of the book. Some parts of the dialogue were overly cheesy, and I think their connection was a little over-hyped in the beginning, but it was a great, fun summer read!

Amelia “Rae” Rose is a pop star looking to escape. She runs away to Rome (Kentucky) like her favorite movie heroine, Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday. There she meets grumpy local pie shop owner Noah.

This was your classic grumpy/sunshine, small town romance. While I liked it and enjoyed while I was reading, I didn’t find myself eager to pick it back up again. I also found Amelia a little too sunshine and naive for a 28 yr old.

Overall I liked it, but didn’t love it. That being said, if you’re a big fan of Sarah Adams and small town romances, I’d probably still recommend. And I’m curious to read more of her popular books in the future.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is such a fun read. It is not what you expect. There are twist and turns that you don’t necessarily see coming and you are left wondering how the love story will develop. I couldn’t stop reading to see how the characters progress and how their love story turns out.

This book gave me all the feels! I absolutely adored every character and I loved all the relationships throughout. The pop star meets small town baker story was not overdone at all and made for the perfect story! I don’t believe I’ve giggled so much at banter between the main characters in a long time. When in rome was such the perfect feel good book!

LOVED. LOVED LOVED LOVED. I read this book in a single sitting. Amelia and Noah’s banter was literally so freaking good and I always love books that are a big city to small town trope and also grumpy/sunshine! This story made me feel things, guys. I was so attached to the storyline of Amelia (aka Rae Rose), her relationship with her mom, her relationship with Noah, learning to be her own person again… ugh it was so good. And Noah’s development as a character was great as well. I loved seeing his softer side and the vulnerability he began to get comfortable with once he and Amelia became friends (and eventually more hehe). Solid 4.75/5 stars for me. Thank you NetGalley, Sarah Adams, and Random House Publishing for the ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶
When I’m Rome is Sarah Adams follow up after The Cheat Sheet, and I loved this new story SO much!

Rae, or Amelia, is a pop star in desperate need of a break from, well, everything. As a big lover of Audrey Hepburn, she follows in her footsteps to a town called “Rome” that she was able to drive to from Nashville. In that process she meets Noah Walker, a not so excited outdoorsy-independent-stoic man (who owns a pie shop). At first Noah is NOT a fan, but as time would have it - Amelia finds herself being accepted for being AMELIA. She opens up about so much that she feels, and in the process receives relief.

A feel good, slightly spicy, rom com that had me swooning through every chapter.

Out in September! Preorder now!

“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.’” -excellent advice from a wonderful character

Amelia Rae Rose, pop star and closet Hepburn fan, is burning out. She’s supposed to leave on a major tour soon, but - feeling stressed and alone - she is running on empty. She decides to do her own take on Roman Holliday as a way of getting a much needed break. Heading to the nearest Rome she can find, a remote town in Kentucky, she makes her escape from nonstop obligations, mother issues and a very pushy manager. Unfortunately instead of one of her newer reliable vehicles, she went nostalgic with her Corolla from high school and it doesn’t *quite* get her there.

That night Noah Walker, pie shop owner in that very same town, looks outside his window to see her smoking car broken down in front of his house, leaving her stranded with no way to call for assistance because they are well out of cell service range. What is a small town guy supposed to do but try his best to help?

Somewhat against his better judgement, he gives her a place to stay while her car is being repaired, and the chance to live for herself for a short while. And even though they have both - adamantly - said they are not looking for a relationship the entire town is still conspiring to get them there.

I think this is an excellent romcom. There definitely are some serious things - Her work related anxiety/stress, family strain and loneliness - His family loss and a major betrayal in his last relationship - *but* the overwhelming mood is fun, cute and sweet as powdered sugar. This is a Hallmark Movie in book form, and grumpy/sunshine done right.

Now I feel an overwhelming need to rewatch Roman Holiday (and then maybe reread this book to cheer myself back up…)

(Thank you NetGalley/Random House Ballantine for the ARC)

Amelia Rose - known to her fans as Rae Rose - is lost in her own life. She's about to leave on tour as the reigning pop princess of the world when she essentially runs away for a few days. She's a huge fan of Audrey Hepburn movies and decides to taken a Roman Holiday. So she heads to the closest Rome she can - Rome, Kentucky. She's driving her very old, beloved first car on the road trip when it breaks down in the middle of nowhere - which happens to be Noah's front yard.

Noah is pretty much the sweetest most wonderful guy. He's definitely a lovable grump. He's had his heart broken in the past by someone who came to town in a whirlwind - but he and Amelia definitely are a good fit for each other. He grounds her and supports her in the exact way she needs to find her own strength again.

This book definitely tackles some tougher topics - parental estrangement, gaslighting, parental loss, and Alzheimer's disease - but it is still light and sweet in the way Sarah Adams writes so well! I definitely recommend.

I received this via NetGalley as an ARC, but these opinions are all my own.