5 stars honestly. First, Sarah Adams did it again, she made me smile, cry and laugh out loud. Her books are some of my favorite closed door romances, hands down. Definitely was grumpy-sunshine, small town, and nothing like excpected from the title, which is always fun. Her witty banter reminds me of Gilmore Girls, and it’s throughout the book with many characters remaining consistent and not just between the love interest.

I loved how surly Noah was (along the irony of such a man owning a pie shop), and his crazy sisters. I loved that there were real elements about family and struggles we all face as humans (mom issues, hard diseases, and nosey neighbors) from time to time. It isn’t just a pop star falls in love the end, it runs deeper. The theme of loniness and self preservation hit really far home for me (specifically the quote “I’m drowning and no one can see me.”), which made all the characters super relatable. When she wrote about earth shattering cries, I immediately knew what she meant, and felt physically gutted that Amelia felt that way.

Hands down the best part is when Noah broke the lamp. So hilarious, and made it funnier and more relatable.

Her references to Audrey Hepburn and Roman Holiday were lost on me, but after looking into the movie out of sheer curiosity, looks like there are some adorable parallels between the novel and the movie. It wasn’t detrimental not to know, so it was well written; it wasn’t required knowledge. I think if I would know all the parellels it would 100% click into place and give it a slightly more swoon-worthy nostalgic type of book, but it is still a great read, and would recommend to anyone who would listen.

I really enjoyed this book, this is my first Sarah Adams book and I’m excited to pick up her other books. The story picks up rather quickly and you are continually entertained with watching theses two characters interact. We get both perspectives and I love seeing the push and pull of their thought concerning one another.
The small-town aspect was beautifully done and adorable to see how much everyone in the town loved and supported Noah. As well as how they respected and protected Amelia.
The sister aspect was such a great component to the story, and I feel added a lot of depth to not only Noah’s character but Amelia and the overall atmosphere to the story.
I personally am not a huge fan of Instant attraction in my books but even though the characters do have this instant connection between on another they are not easily won over or fall too quickly they do continue to have this tension with every interaction and downplay their feelings which made me continue reading.
My one little pet peeve that did get to me just a bit was there was a lot of telling instead of showing, I would’ve loved to see more showing of Amelia’s relationship with others and how strained it is rather than told. As well as Noah’s personally I would’ve loved to see more of his reluctant, grumpy side instead of told through other characters statements.
Final Thoughts- I think this is a cute, amazing read and if you’re looking for a beach read, book to take on vacation or a book to read pool side that will give you all those warm and fuzzy feelings about this adorable new couple and a new book boyfriend to swoon for I would definitely recommend When In Rome By Sarah Adams. I feel like this will be the next romance book to take BookTok by storm.
Tropes in this novel-
 Grumpy/Sunshine
 Popstar runaway/Normal person
 Nosy small town
 Meddling Sisters
 Bucket-list
 Audrey Hepburn

Amelia Rose-- or Rae Rose, as she's known to millions of fans worldwide-- desperately needs a break before her international tour. She's burnt out and lonely, and takes her only few weeks of relative freedom to escape to Rome, Kentucky (it's as close as she can get to reenacting the decision Audrey Hepburn makes in Roman Holiday). But when her car breaks down, she finds herself needing the help of a local man. And when the woman who owns the local bed and breakfast thinks she senses chemistry between the two of them, Amelia finds herself without a room. Noah grudgingly offers his home through the weekend, and the two navigate the world of getting to know strangers you'd rather not have to interact with.

I've been a fan of Sarah Adams since reading The Cheat Sheet (my favorite book of hers), and I loved When in Rome just as much. Amelia is shockingly relatable, considering she's a mega-famous pop star, and Noah is a sweet, dependable guy dealing with a whole lot of baggage that makes Amelia seem like the exact wrong person for him on paper. Their chemistry is incredible, and their reasons for staying apart (or at least trying their best to) are understandable from both sides, which makes the tension so much more unbearable. I really loved how accepting the town was of Amelia, and how readily everyone was to help put her at ease and do what they could to protect her. I loved absolutely everything about this book.

Sarah Adams is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. He books are so sweet and really draw you into the story. I never want them to end

I’ve really enjoyed much of Sarah Adams work so I was excited to get the opportunity to read her next book through Netgalley. When In Rome joins The Match as one of her best books. I loved Amelia and Noah’s story! Their dynamic was fun to read and I loved all the side characters, especially his sisters. Grumpy and sunshine in a small town setting? You can’t go wrong. I hope Sarah makes a series out of this!

Sarah Adams is my new autoread author. She is the warm hug from your best friend that leaves you full of nostalgia . Her stories are dream sequences with banter, humor, and the boy or girl next door that you always wanted to date .
In short her books are pure magic.

When In Rome (Pub date 9/22)
Im gonna say this..mark your calendar..preorder this book
This is a freaking love song😭🔥🔥🔥
Not just any love song ..it is a Taylor Swift "all too well" mixed with a cardigan under your bed , warm apple pie
with your boyfriends hoodie..it will completely utterly enchant you.
✔ Amelia Rose ..pop star ..meets Noah ..shes burnt out and on an Audrey Hepburn adventure to Rome KY she needs a #romanholiday and breaks down in his front yard.
✔Noah ..is the voice of Ryan Reynolds..seriously his banter and quirkiness I heard in Ryan Reynolds voice. He runs his granny's pie shop ..his sisters ..three of them ..have him wrapped around their fingers. And ..as most tiny towns the old ladies line up every day to buy his pastry.
This book isnt just a love song..it is a vacation that you didnt know you needed, a grab your life ;evaluate it and make it one with all your dreams. All the stars are out for this ..i finished it in 12 hours and #netflix you need to make this your next hit.

The setting, the town , the sisters, Mabel.. i wanted to escape to Rome KY, and stay forever with Noah.

“It’s not infatuation. Not even lust. It’s the worst of all the feelings … care. Care is reckless because it doesn’t come with the seat belt that selfishness offers. Care has so much to lose, and almost always ends in heartbreak.”

Sooo I finished this book this morning. I officially have a new favorite romance… ever. Yep I said it! As if I didn’t love @authorsarahadams enough, here I am deciding this is officially the [sweetest] little book of hers.

Read if you like:
🥧 Small town romance
🥧 Forced proximity
🥧 Grumpy vs Sunshine (but really it’s Grumpy Pie Man vs Sweet Powdered Sugar)
🥧 Meddling old ladies
🥧 Opposites attract
🥧 Dual POV
🥧 Audrey Hepburn
🥧 FMC on a journey to finding herself again
🥧 Any other Sarah Adams books

This releases 9/22. Preorder now, cause you’re going to want to read this one!

Thank you @netgalley and the author for an advanced copy!

Sweet, wholesome romcoms are my drug of choice and I’M NOT SORRY. This book was so cute! I was grinning like an idiot the entire time. It gave me “It Happened One Summer” vibes, but better. This was my first Sarah Adams book and I loved her writing and can’t wait to read more by her.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’m convinced that Sarah Adams can do no wrong. Rom com perfection.

Grump + sunshine.
Enemies to lovers.
Forced proximity.
City girl + small town guy.
Burnt pancakes.
Flower shop.
Banter.
Nicknames.
Family.
The sweetest characters.
All the cozy small town vibes.
Noah + Amelia. 😍

I’m simply obsessed.

Oh Sarah Adams. Her books just always feel like a big hug. This one was no different. When in Rome gives you the same warm and fuzzies as all her other books and can be binged in one sitting. This one has a celebrity in a small town trope and reminded me of if Hannah Montana got stuck in Stars Hollow and her and Luke fell in love (age ~appropriately~ of course). It’s a closed door romance with some sweet cheesy moments and I ate it up. I’m giving it 3.5 stars rounded up to 4! I know this one is going to be a big hit this fall. Preorder now, it’s out on September 20th! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

** spoiler alert ** Five out of five stars, hands down!

Sarah Adams has outdone herself and has been catapulted into my shortlist of favorite authors. WHY have I never read her work before?!? I'll be remedying that post haste!

This book was so well done. Amelia, (because I think that calling her Amelia is an important distinction from Rae), is a lovable, relatable character, in spite of her fame. Although people assumed her life was easy and enviable, she found that she lost herself in the character she had become in the spotlight. While Rae might have the perfect life, Amelia was drowning and invisible, a feeling I'm sure that we have all shared at some point. Escaping to small town Kentucky was cathartic to her in a way that I completely understand.

Having grown up in a small town myself, I loved the portrayal of Rome, Kentucky. Noah's walk down the street of small town USA where absolutely EVERYONE knows your business and pokes their head out the door to talk about it, was so familiar. Because I'm from a town that mirrored Rome, I really identified with that aspect of the book. While you might have expected Noah to hate his town, the fact that he loved it was so refreshing. In many books, the small town is the place that no one wants to go back to and that everyone is dying to get away from. In this book, Noah begrudgingly left the town he loved for what he thought was his forever, and in doing so, lost so much of who he really was. The fact that he loves and embraces his hometown is a breath of fresh air.

One of my favorite things about the book was how Amelia was treated like she was a real person in Rome vs some star to ogle at all times. She was able to take a beat and find herself again. She had a moment just to breathe and find that she WAS capable of doing things on her own. Her relief from finally finding her center again was palpable. I felt it in my bones. I do think, for most people, there is a time in your life when you question who you are and how much you have lost of who you truly wanted to be. Amelia coming to terms with Rae and finding her own voice again was extremely powerful.

The slow-burn romance was absolutely delicious, and I really appreciated the closed-door aspect of it.

Overall, this book gave me a glimpse into a world I usually only think about from the outside looking in. It offered a fresh perspective and I enjoyed every moment of it. This is the kind of book you read with a silly grin on your face the whole time. I loved it.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this early with an eARC!

Oh Sarah Adams.... She has done it again! Just as her others have done, this one grabbed a hold immediately and hooked me in! Rae and Noah are complete opposites but their chemistry is on fire! It is a warm hearted read that was so much fun and funny too! I had high expectations as a huge fan of this author and she did not disappoint!

Thank you to Sarah Adams and Netgalley for the chance to read this for an honest review!

This story sucked me in right from the beginning and I had a hard time putting it down! I loved the chemistry between Amelia and Noah, but also really loved all the other residents of Rome, Kentucky. Amelia and Noah were both wonderfully developed characters, and while it seems as if there is no chance that they can end up together, as a reader, you really are rooting for them the entire time!

This was a really sweet book. It was a little predictable at times, most definitely, but warm-hearted and a delight. It was a far fetched premise but the characters were worth this read! The small town vibe was very sweet and readers will love it. The relationship between the main characters was a hit. I also loved the relationship between Amelia and Noah’s sisters. Amelia’s integration into the family was a nice addition to the romantic storyline. The nod to Audrey Hepburn was a fun addition to a sweet story. Fans of Gilmore Girls will love the town turns into family vibe.

First of all, thank you to Sarah Adams & co. for sending me an early copy of this book.

Sarah’s book truly just keep getting better. I kept thinking “ope that’s my favorite part” & then a few pages later, my new favorite part happened.

I have said before that her books feel like a big hug from your favorite aunt. This book felt like a big hug from my favorite aunt followed by the best sleepover with my cousins and breakfast in the morning.

Amelia and Noah are SO DANG SWEET and the tension is spot on.

Please never stop writing books, Sarah. 🥹

When in Rome is the story of an unlikely pairing in the most unlikely of places. The dual perspective framework makes the slow burn well worth the wait by making it clear why both parties made the choices they did, and their thoughts about one another are positively intoxicating. While the plot itself feels somewhat familiar, few romance novels tap into feelings of connection, desire, and love as keenly as this one.

This book is for lazy day readers who want to feel something. It has a strong twist at the end, but if strong narrative frameworks are what you are looking for, this may not be the book for you. The will-they-or-won't-they is repetitive and tired by the end, making the resolution feel less earned because of how continuously it was resisted for most of the novel. Still, the chemistry and sparks radiate off the page; and, where some plot elements falter, the characters and relationships more than make up for it.

Now I understand what all the hype is about 😍

I loved this book. I usually like my books to be a little bit steamier, but this PG13, quirky, sunshine to grumpy, pop star meets normal life romance was exactly what I was craving.

I’ve decided Noah is my book boyfriend. He cooks, he’s got a hidden library in his room, and he’s just the right amount of grumpy 😜

This book gave all of the best feels that you could want in a romance novel!! A grumpy/ sunshine, celebrity, small-town romance from Sarah Adams was exactly what I needed.

I loved these characters and loved seeing Amelia (Rae Rose) connect with all of the people in Rome. This was so well written and I would recommend it to anyone who likes romance novels!!

I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn’t get into it. I didn’t really like either of the main characters, the heroine was oblivious and the hero was frustrating. It also had an insta-love aspect that I couldn’t get behind.

The celebrity falling for a “regular” person is a favorite trope, this one just didn’t do it for me.

I was so thrilled when I received this ARC. It’s no secret I love Sarah Adams. Her books are just so great. All the good stuff that makes a perfect rom com without the open door romance. This book had a lot of layers. She gives you so much to root for. She gives her characters such life and they make the story. This book has a little more language than I’m used to in her books and more fade to black scenes than I was expecting. It was still a great read and she remains one of my very favorite authors.

Thank you so much Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC.