Cute cute cute! What a beautiful retelling of Roman Holiday.
Amelia is a pop star that needs a break. She ends up In Rome, Kentucky where Noah (a handsome pie shop owner) lives. I love a small town romance. I love the side characters.

This was a cute rom-com in parts but lacked the pizzazz I was hoping for. A bit predictable with a plot that had some promise, When in Rome is a fast read that leaves you happy for love and longing for pie!

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House for this eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Loving this book was a slow burn for me. I felt frustrated and annoyed, but it turns out, that was the brilliant author Sarah Adams’ plan the whole time. I’m fairly certain I’d like to claim Noah Walker as my newest book boyfriend and placing him in first place. For me, this book addressed a few very important things: burnout + prioritizing mental wellness, and communication. Communication between partners, strangers, friends, and family are all so important to maintaining healthy relationships instead of keeping feelings reeled in and losing yourself and those relationships. Burnout is a very real thing in any line of work and I am a firm believer that therapy is for everyone, not just those who experience loss, trauma, or mental health struggles- it’s a benefit for everyone and the ending of this book touches on that. It also reminds readers that taking a timeout is OKAY. You shouldn’t have to feel guilty about disappointing others when living through that burnout is only going to disappoint yourself. Take the time to water yourself and the world will be ready to watch you bloom when you get back to it. By the end of this book I just wanted to hold and hug it forever. Like drinking a warm cup of coffee during a light rain, snuggled up under a blanket and holding hands with a dog nestled into your lap. 10/10 recommend and will be swiftly purchasing the physical copy when this book is released on Sept 20.

When in Rome
author: sarah adams
genre: contemporary romance
pages: 320
rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
spice rating: 1/5
pub date: Sept 20

Loved this book. Would definitely recommend. This book was hard to put down. The characters were amazing & so was the storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC of When in Rome by Sarah Adams in exchange for my honest opinion.

1. I stayed up way too late to read this book!
2. I decided When in Rome is the equivalent of book crack for romcom lovers.
3. I like being an addict if I can read books that are this funny and warm-hearted!

Truly, I was sucked into this story so, so fast! I loved how Amelia and Noah interacted from the beginning. This is a dual POV so we get to see how each one is trying to resist the other. It was so delightful with the sisters and town.

This romcom has elements I love:
Grumpy & Sunshine
Small town
A baker!
Famous person & the ordinary person
Past trauma that leads to the characters' actions (and this is true for the sisters too!)
References to old movies and music! (Love this & hope to see more of it!)

Do I recommend the story? YES!!!
I loved it!
Don't walk, but run to get it!
And clear your schedule so you don't have to stay up too late to read. :)

And Sarah (yes, I'm addressing you like we know each other), please, please, please give me more books!

-Small town in Kentucky (hello hometown)
=Audrey Hepburn Vibes (who doesn't adore her?)
-All things pie (apple pie, you the real MVP)
Count this gal in!

It was a
SWEET
LIGHTHEARTED
COZY
read.

Also lets talk about my girl, Mabel. I knew so many ladies like her growing up. Felt like home. I know she has to have a huge collection of broken-in quilts and for sure makes the best biscuits and gravy.

I'll gladly read anything Sarah Adams writes. An errand list, grocery list, I'll take it.

I love Sarah Adams' books. I have read every single one. The Match still remains my favorite but this one is like a warm hug. I love the small town setting and enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes.. I don't know how she does it, but all of her books are so happy and amazing. I need more!

When In Rome - Releasing September 20, 2022

Easily my favorite Sarah Adams book. When In Rome is a grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity book that had me hooked from the first few pages. Amelia Rose is a pop star (known to the world as Rae Rose) who is about to go on tour and feels like she’s drowning under the pressure and isolation of being famous. After taking a page out of her idol Audrey Hepburn’s book, Amelia packs her car and takes off for the closest Rome she can find - Rome, Kentucky. She’s just minutes from her destination when her car breaks down. Right in the front yard of Rome, Kentucky’s resident grump, Noah Walker.

Noah is back living in his hometown of Rome after having his heart broken. He is determined to stay away from women and love in general, but when Amelia’s car breaks down in his front yard, his southern hospitality takes over, and he lets Amelia stay in his guest room. While both of them are determined to ignore the attraction to each other, knowing that Amelia will need to leave as soon as her car is ready, they can’t seem to stay away from each other.

I know a lot of people aren’t big fans of fade to black romance, but Sarah Adams is 100% a must read author for me. Sarah brings the chemistry to life in her books, and I’m so invested in her characters and plot that I don’t even miss the steamy scenes. I’ve read a few of Sarah’s books but When In Rome is easily my favorite. An absolute 5 ⭐️ read for me!

Fun and fast read. A popular singer (Rae aka Amelia) decides to escape her busy celebrity lifestyle and drive herself to a small town for a few days away out of the spotlight and away from her overbearing music manager. Of course she happens to have a road trip mishap while on her Audrey Hepburn inspired “Roman Holiday” and ends up stranded in her broken down car, conveniently on the edge of Rome (the small town — in Kentucky). The local dude Noah… kind-yet-grumpy, burned-by-his-ex, loved-his-grandma, owns-his-grandma’s-Pie-Store… comes to help this lovely lady stranded on the road in front of his house and convinces her he is a stand-up guy who will not harm her. (Oh and of course, he is attractive.) She ends up staying the night at his house. Witty banter ensues and Amelia enjoys small town protection from paparazzi media while wondering if maybe she deserves love from this unlikely man in this unlikely place. If you’re looking for a fun, fast read, put this book on your list when it’s published in September 2022. Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC opportunity.

A very light, sweet romance with some classic tropes: grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, in love with a celeb. I could easily see this being made into a Hallmark/Lifetime movie.

I absolutely loved this book! I appreciated that it genuinely made me laugh. I loved the nicknames Amelia had for Noah. Definitely recommend this book!

This is a contemporary take on Audrey Hepburn's Roman Holiday set in Rome, Kentucky with amazing side characters.

Amelia Rae Rose is a pop star named Rae Rose who is obsessed with Audrey Hepburn.
Parallel to Roman Holiday, she ran away from her life as a pop star to a small town called Rome, Kentucky.

Did she have to take her old ass car? No, but she did because she needed to meet Mr. Grumpy, Noah.
I love the people of this town especially Mrs. Mabel. This meddling old lady stole a piece of my heart.
"I changed your diapers!" You tell him Mrs. Mabel!

Amelia started with a dual personality. Rae the pop star and Amelia the lonely girl. As she found herself, she became more confident and I love her growth.

I love that instead of a 3rd act conflict between the 2 leads, we get a twist. I actually really look for this in my romance novels. Yes, Noah had to be confronted by his sister about their trauma, it was hardly a conflict.

The way Noah mentally prepares himself when he walks to his Pie Shop because of all the meddling town folks just cracks me up.
This book is the perfect wholesome summer read.
I say wholesome because if you're looking for spicy read, this is not your book. Look elsewhere.

4/5 stars overall
1/5 stars for spice

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

This is the second book I have read from Sarah Adams and it was wholesome and sweet. I felt like she did a great job of building the tension between our main characters but the payoff wasn't as great as I'd hope it would be. Not all in all a bad book, great setting and loved all the lively characters.

ACTUALLY OBSESSED

I loved this book so much. It was cute, fun, and paced perfectly. There was never a dull moment. I finished this book in less than a day, and I will be bullying people into reading this. Here are some tropes in this book: forced proximity, sunshine x grumpy, celeb x non-celeb, and reluctant love. SHOW-STOPPING.

Between Noah's tight-knit family and close community, this book had great supporting characters. They kept the plot moving. SHOUTOUT TO MY MA'AM MABEL. I love her.

There was even a PLOT TWIST in this book?! Love that for us. It made sense and brought the story together. And, drumroll please, NO UNNECESSARY 3RD ACT CONFLICT!! That's a win for anyone reading romance if I do say so myself.

Everyone in this book was just so loveable that I was rolling on the floor and low-key appreciating my own small town (even though we are not that small, at all). I loved Noah and Amelia so much. They were just the cutest. Noah in his small-town baker glory and Amelia in her pure-heart famous person looking for what she's missing ARE PERFECT.

THANKS, NETGALLEY AND ST. MARTINS FOR THE ARC, I LOVE YOU

When In Rome is a cute, modern take on Roman Holiday. From the beginning, I was getting a grown up version of the Hannah Montana movie which I love. Amelia is a pop star who desperately needs a break from her starlet lifestyle and ends up in Rome, Kentucky. There she meets Noah, a slightly grumpy owner of a pie store and several classic small town characters.

While I enjoyed this book, I wouldn’t describe it as a “must-read” to a friend. The couple had some chemistry, but there was something lacking for me in their “insta-love.” I enjoyed the support of the other characters in the small town, but felt that the events were very predictable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity yo read this eARC.

sarah adams always delivers a butterflies inducing, smile to yourself romance book and when in rome exceeds all expectations. the banter between noah and amelia was everything and i loved the slow burn build up to them!!

Who doesn’t love a Hallmark worthy rom-com about a burnt out pop star who takes an impromptu vacation to a small town, her car breaks down in a hot man’s yard, and then she’s in close proximity to said man while her car gets fixed? I’m in love. Oh, did I mention he is very grumpy, beloved by the whole town, and owns his family’s pie shop? This book made me laugh out loud (ponds, pancakes, playful banter — IYKYK) and made my heart swell with joy. The writing style was more informal and internal dialogue than I typically notice in similar books, but I dig it! It made the story more fun to read and had me wheeze laughing regularly throughout the book. This story was light, quippy, fun, and had dual POVs. The book had a lot of tension, but was not explicitly spicy; it was a sweet, slow burn that makes this book a perfect summer read.

If you've seen Roman Holiday and you think this sounds familiar? It's because it's Roman Holiday. And in case you missed it, they tell you it's like Roman Holiday. If any of that sounds like a bad thing, please stop reading now....


NOW for the rest of you. This was adorable and the interactions were great. If you enjoy stories from both character perspectives with some cute small town interactions? This is a wonderful escape and an absolute treat.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

What happens when one of your all time favorite movies and favorite authors collide? A grumpy gummy bear combo of a love story that you smile the whole way through!
I absolutely loved Noah and Amelia…loved his surly pose and her complete inability to make pancakes…and every moment between. Their story full of laughter, chemistry, adorableness, love and heart…with a cute as a button setting that makes me want to pack my bags and visit and the most fun side characters who made me wish I could join in on their games of Hearts! (I personally really hope there will be stories for his sisters and James…preferably a story about James AND one of his sisters 😆❤️)

Adams doesn’t know how to write a bad romcom and this one was another great addition to her collection. ❤️

Sarah Adams cannot write a bad book, I'm absolutely convinced.

When in Rome was a cute and quick romance read, the perfect cure for any book slump or when you need that perfect cute, small-town romance. I know others have mentioned it but this little town, where everyone knows your business is giving Starshollow vibes.

Let's talk about the basics, overworked pop star decides to take her life into her own hands and get a break from it all, her love for Audrey Hepburn leads her to Rome, Kentucky. Her car breaks down in the middle of the night in front of the grumpy/closed-off small-town guy. With a broken-down car that won't be fixed for two weeks and the local B&B now suddenly full Noah begrudgingly lets Amelia stay in his guest room.

I without hesitation recommend this book and any other book from Sarah.