Well this book was adorable!! I loved the characters and the main relationship progressed so sweetly. They both grew throughout the story and I loved how vulnerable they were with each other. The tension between them at times was fun to read, and to be honest I would have enjoyed even more steamy scenes! The book had me feeling happy while reading it, which is exactly the kind of book that I love!

Thank you NetGalley and Sarah Adams!

The writing is beautiful as always. All the characters were so dynamic and fully dimensional with great chemistry.

I couldn’t really get into it. It dragged on and on the making this the longest book where only like two weeks went by.

The insta love with the grumpy cinnamon roll was so conflicting.


Overall I appreciated the writing and characters but the plot line and pace fell flat.

From the author of the very popular "The Cheat Sheet" comes a new romance set in Rome, Kentucky. With great references to Audrey Hepburn and her movies, especially Roman Holiday, the author tells a story of a pop star's one night chance encounter with small towner Noah the pie shop owner. As the story unfolds the reader is taken on an adventure in love and challenge. The story falls a bit flat in the steam area and seems to be a bit longer than necessary but if you are looking to escape into a good beach read this one might be for you.

I've loved all of Sarah Adams' rom coms. And while I did enjoy this one too, I had a hard time getting past how different it was than the others. This one felt much more heavy than The Cheat Sheet, more drama than comedy. I do love how honest Amelia and Noah tried to be with each other about their feelings and what they were comfortable with from the beginning. I didn't love that they kept playing with fire, and that was how they realized they couldn't be without each other. I think it made the story steamier than her past books, which may have been my issue. Don't get me wrong. I love a good steamy Romance, but because it wasn't what I'd come to see from her, the steamier closed door romance was hard to focus on. See, I would normally make sure that I finished one of her books in a day. This one I was able to put down and go back to.

I'll always read her work, and I enjoyed this one...it just didn't hit the same way.

I’ve loved Sarah adams works in the past and this was clearly no exception at all. I loved everything about this. The romance to the sweet and soft development of the relationships. Seriously....I was itching to get to more from this world. 5/5 stars!!

3.5 ⭐️

Special thanks to netgalley and Random House for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m very much not the target audience for this genre much less this book in particular. Read: am a little too jaded and cynical to believe men like Noah exist 😅

That’s a broad statement so I guess I’ll try and explain what I mean by that. It’s not that I don’t believe there are any actual “good guys” (read as not the “nice guy” but the GOOD guy) out there. It’s just that I feel like Noah is written by a woman and reads like he was written by a woman. The inner dialogue rings so false. Like “I lightly tap my knuckle against her knee and regret the contact instantly.” No straight man articulates his thoughts like this.

There’s something about how awkwardly false the way she wrote from his perspective that made me feel a little cringey and like I was reading bad fanfiction.

It also has to be said that using the dual perspective style really took any suspense or bite out of the plot. Like if I know they’re into each other where’s the mystery to this novel? They’re going to end up together, ya can’t build up the suspense here…I’m not saying theres no plot but….The plot is flimsy my friends, but that’s not what you’re here for if you’re picking this up.

To be fair, she’s a woman writing for an audience of mostly women. And while I sort of wish she’d opted for a format that wasn’t first person perspective at least for Noah, I get why she did. It really does lend itself to the swoon worthyness of the book. It seems like I hated this so far lol but about halfway through I started to kinda vibe.

I didn’t expect it to change me in to an avid romance novel reader and it didn’t. But this is straight up chick lit. You go in knowing that. The expectation was that it’d be a light airy read and would perhaps facilitate some warm fuzzies. And by in large it totally delivered on that and I enjoyed my foray into Rome, Kentucky.

When in Rome was a fantastic, butterfly inducing, inedible pancake filled romantic comedy that will have you cheesy smiling. This was the first book by Sarah Adams that I have read and now I’m adding all her other titles to my TBR. 10/10 recommend running to the bookstore when this hits the shelves!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for gifting me a ARC in exchange for my honest review.

One of the best books I have ever read. Gives me grumpy sunshine, flirty banter, and amazing chemistry. The small town vibes is absolutely amazing!

5 stars for sure! Can't wait to read more Sarah Adams!!

This was such an awesome rom com, the dual POV was fun to volley between. I'm going to have to go purchase other books, because this was definitely a feel good read.

When i say i ATE THIS BOOK UP !!!! i mean it (‘:
this is the perfect book to get you out of slump and have you cheesing the whole day.

I related to Amelia so so much, she deserves the whole world and more.
And Noah?!?!?! new book boyfriend. immediately.

Seeing the way these two couldn’t stay away from each other, seeing the way they wanted to just kiss, touch each other, etc had me kicking my feet and blushing so hard.

This book gave me MAJOR it happened one summer by Tessa Bailey vibes and that’s one of my favorite books ever so this made my heart SO SO happy.

The way it was written, the banter between Amelia and Noah, or Noah with James, or just the banter between everyone was so freaking hilarious and so so wholesome, my heart was so full the whole entire time !!!!

SO SO SO CUTE !!!!

(also, i couldn’t stop thinking about Taylor Swift when reading this 🤭)

This was a really cute small town romance! Amelia is a big pop star needing a break so she decides to escape to the closest Rome to her. Amelia heads to Rome, Kentucky and ends up breaking down in Noah’s front yard. This book does an amazing job blends vulnerability with mental health and what a healthy relationship truly means. Looking forward to more from Sarah Adams!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sarah Adams for the eARC!

Sarah Adams is quickly becoming one of my go-to romcom authors! So writes the sweetest, entertaining, and charming novels and I just can't get enough! When in Rome is the perfect opposites attract romance and I'll definitely be grabbing a paperback copy when it releases!

A sweet romance about a star who escapes the limelight and finds herself in a small town romance. A really enjoyable story with fun characters and dialogue.

When in Rome by Sarah Adams is an incredibly cute and sweet small town romance.

Amelia Rose aka Rae Rose, an internationally famous pop singer, has had enough of crazy mess that is her life. Deciding to follow her gut and her Audrey Hepburn super-fan heart, Amelia decides it's time to escape to the nearest Rome. But it's not Italy it's Rome, Kentucky. Only to end up in Noah Walker’s front yard.

This story is the a a fun strangers to tentative friends to i’m-crazy-about-you type of love small town romance between a grump and a sunshine.

It was an entertaining, sweet and heartfelt book. I enjoyed every second of it!

I want to live in Rome (Kentucky, that is).

When popstar Rae Rose flees to Rome Kentucky, she is desperate to escape her life. She is lonely and tired of no one really seeing her, just her persona. As soon as she arrives in town her car breaks down in handsome Noah Walker's front yard. He doesn't want anything to do with the pop princess. She may be pretty, but he has been burned already by a big city woman passing through town. Good thing she doesn't have plans to stay long. At least she didn't until she finds out her car won't be fixed for two weeks.

As surly Noah tries to be welcoming like his grandmother taught him, he has to deal with the town being way too interested in the woman staying at his house. The crazy, but endearing, townspeople all treat Rae like she is a regular person - even calling her by her real name, Amelia. For the first time in a long time, she feels seen. Especially by Noah.

She is really starting to love Rome. Too bad she is leaving on a nine month tour for her new album.

You guys. She did it AGAIN.
I have yet to read a Sarah Adams book that doesn't give me all the feels and leave me feeling like I just got wrapped in the best hug of my life.
•
•
Amelia is feeling stuck in her life. On a last stitch effort to gain back control, she fleas just weeks before her next world tour is supposed to start. Taking a page from Audrey Hepburn, she finds herself in Rome... Kentucky. And stranded in the front yard of Noah Walker.
Noah is a grump, in all the best ways. And even with all his city girl experience and against his better judgement, he finds himself falling for Amelia.

The pining, the confessions, the jealousy. His sisters. Small town. Grumpy/sunshine. Forced Proximity. Mabel 😅 All of it. I was here for ALL 👏🏻 OF 👏🏻 IT.

When I say I was holding my breathe waiting for the conflict, but yet again, Sarah has this way to bring conflict without everything literally exploding.

& that fishing scene... IYKYK🙌🏻💁🏼‍♀️

I could go on and on about this one.. but I'll leave you with this...👇🏻

"He’s a little grumpy, there’s an edge to him that says careful, I might bite, but then his eyes whisper, but I’ll be gentle."

This is my third Sarah Adams novel. I really enjoyed her other books but this one...I L.O.V.E.
The story centers around Amelia Rose aka Rae Rose, a pop star. She's burned out on life and
finds herself in small town Rome, Kentucky. After her car breaks down, pie shop owner, Noah Walker, comes to her rescue.

The story had me pulled in from page one and honestly I didn't want to read it too fast because I didn't want it to end. The chemistry between the characters was superb. I really don't have anything negative to say about this book. The pacing, story, banter, chemistry, it's just all there.

Tropes are:
Grumpy/sunshine
Small town
Forced Proximity
Closed door
Famous/normal

I received this advanced reader’s copy from Author Sarah Adams, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley. This is a voluntary review. All comments and opinions are entirely my own.

After years of stardom, a demanding agent, and estranged mother, Rae "Amelia" Rose needs a break. She takes a page out of Audrey Hepburn's book in "Roman Holiday" by escaping her stressful life to Rome (Kentucky). She can't fly to Europe so the closest Rome and B&B will have to do. She meets Noah Walker, a man who has been burned by out of towners before...but he can't resist something about Amelia. Her car breaks down in his front yard and Noah reluctantly lets her stay with him while her car gets fixed. Sunshine girl meets grumpy boy and they're forced to live together? Yes, please!

As Amelia explores Rome, Kentucky, she finds herself drawn to the classic, but guarded Noah, breaking down his walls. Noah is a small town baker who slowly warms up to this pop star princess.

It's cute, it's charming, it's the perfect small town romance. If you want a book that makes you smile because of all the cheesy, sweet lines. This is the one for you! I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a feel good romance. Amelia gave me Hannah Montana meets Taylor Swift vibes. It did take me a bit to get into the book, I should have read the description more because I thought it was taking place in Italy. It is a closed door romance so if you like spicy, you may not like this! However the tension was excellent.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

LOVED this book!
I think this premise could be relatable for many readers, the feeling of a city girl being weighed down and wanting a break, yet on the other hand feeling like home is where the heart is and you can't leave.
Both main characters are relatable. A goofy and more vulnerable side are shown for both Amelia and Noah, making them more likeable to a reader and more personal, almost as if you can immediately think of a person like them that you know, or even seeing bits of yourself in each character.
It doesn't have a stereotypical happy-ending like a reader would expect. Instead, it shows that it can be hard for a person to trust after some damage, which is so human and real, and makes the reader love & respect even more.

I'd recommend this book without a doubt! I can see it becoming very popular and well-liked across the board.

This book is simply adorable! I stumbled across Sarah Adams a few years back via Amazon and ever since I've been delighted by each one of her books. When in Rome is no exception to that rule. The characters are believable and relatable (I found myself linking each one to someone I know in real life), the romance is adorable, and I found myself chuckling out loud several times. If you haven't read a Sarah Adams book yet do yourself a favor and pick this one up, as well as her 5 others! It's the perfect summer read.