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.

Oh my goodness this is one of the cutest stories I've ever read!! I absolutely loved the main female character IMMEDIATELY because right off the bat, I could totally relate with her as she was talking out-loud to herself, trying to calm herself down. And the main male character was a dream!! Their chemistry together had me smiling every time they were together or thought of each other. Also YES for different point of views!! Different point of views always make the story better!

The side characters were so fun and I just loved being transported to the town of Rome, Kentucky. It had major Stars Hallow vibes from Gilmore Girls and it makes me wish I could travel there!

All in all, the story was so good, and I can't wait to read more from Sarah Adams!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I was lucky enough to to be able to read the ARC from Netgalley and I can’t say enough good things about this book! It comes out September 20th and I highly recommend pre-ordering it! It’s one of the best rom-com’s I’ve ever read and Noah is the perfect book boyfriend 😍
I don’t like to judge books by their tropes but at first I thought I was going to- the pop star meets the small town grumpy guy- but it was so much more than that and so well done.
What I loved most was their honesty with each other, instead of keeping everything inside til the very end of the book it’s pretty much all out there, the good, the bad, what’s going to cause a problem… I love that they set rules for each other and how they navigated their feelings.
I don’t want to say too much because I liked going in blind but all the characters are super lovable so it was a very enjoyable read! 😊

Thank you Netgalley and Random House publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I swear each sarah adams book I love more than the last, and this was no exception! Ameila is a mega pop star whose car breaks down in front of Noahs house in a small town in Kentucky when she is trying to escape her fame. They have an instant connection, but Noah has been hurt in the past and isnt really open to love. Amelia loves the small town of Rome, and plans to stay for two weeks while her car is fixed, and Noah offers up his guest room. The two cant kept their distance from one another and end up falling in love. Will ameila give up her for the small town of Rome and Noah? Or will Noah leave the town he grew up in and his family to follow Amelia on tour? You’ll have to read and find out!

I loved this book so much, I read it in 4 hours straight! Highly recommend, and after you fall in love with this book, I recommend you read all of Sarah Adams books!

When In Rome is a cute romcom from author Sarah Adams!

Amelia Rose (also known as Rae Rose to her pop star fans) is seeking escape. She needs to get away from the pressure from her manager and take a moment to find her love of music again. For inspiration, she turns to her favorite movie star, Audrey Hepburn and after watching Roman Holiday decides she's going to escape to the closest city named Rome she can find.

Amelia finds Rome, Kentucky and hops in her old car in an effort to run away from everything. What Amelia doesn't anticipate is her ancient car breaking down in the middle of no where in front of hunky Noah Walker's yard.

Noah likes his single life in his small town and has a strong aversion to the hustle and bustle of life in the city. So when Amelia drops in his front yard, he's none too pleased.

But as Noah gets to know Amelia, he begins to see more than a pop star with all the fancy things. Will that be enough for Noah to overcome his trust issues and fear of dating a girl who has a life that is so vastly different than his own?

I loved this story! It was a quick read that had me wanting to keep reading and avoiding my life responsibilities! Sarah Adams writes likable characters that you want to root for. I loved all of the redemption that happened throughout the story. The story shared real life examples of pain and trauma, but also had hilarious moments from small town life! I enjoyed getting to know all the characters in this book!


I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This review is my own, honest opinion.

Amelia Rose is a pop star in need of a break before a 9-month tour. She is booked at a bed and breakfast in Rome Kentucky and before she gets there her car breaks down in front of the home of Noah, the small-town grumpy pie shop owner. She is dependent on him for help and reluctantly he takes her in. The repair will take several weeks due to an obscure part that is needed and she stays in town. She is accepted and treated like a regular person rather than a star and she finds she likes that and the small-town energy. Noah's sisters befriend her and treat her like a sister. This is just the rest Amelia was looking for and she falls in love with the people and the vibe. She is also falling for Noah in spite of a relationship being impossible with their wildly different careers. This is a satisfying and heartwarming story with a slow burn and grumpy sunshine romance. Thank you to NetGalley for the early look in return for an honest review. It will publish in January 2023.

Absolutely DEVOURED When in Rome - such a good novel and a fast read. The way that Noah is written makes for a beautiful story, watching him and Amelia both learn to be vulnerable.

I couldn't really get into this book that well, the storyline and the characters both seemed a little flat. However, it was a pretty quick read and for that I liked it.

I went into this book really excited about reading it, especially since I am a huge Roman Holiday fan. The truth is, while there was plenty discussion of heavy topics, the characters felt shallow and the relationship felt forced.

Maybe this is just the case of me not being in the right headspace, or this could just be a style of writing that tells instead of shows. Either way, When In Rome did not do much for me, and I was relieved when it was over.

Reading this book felt like basking in the sun and enjoying the tiny little moments. It was really fun and sweet. I liked both the MCs especially Noah, he’s officially become my favourite grump!! Overall, it’s a full 5 stars read for me.