Sarah Adams does it again! She has a way of writing such relatable characters. I loved the character development throughout the book. I loved the grumpy meets sunshine pairing as well as a quaint hometown. This is a must read!

Thank you to Random House Publishing, NetGalley, and Sarah Adams for allowing me to read and review this book ahead of publication.

I love the premise of this book. It has some of my favorite tropes with grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, and small town love. Amelia aka Rae Rose needs a break from her pop star life and takes an impromptu trip to "Rome" except instead of Italy, she ends up in Rome, Kentucky. And instead of making it to a nice little bed and breakfast, she finds herself with a broken down car in front of Noah Walker's house. Noah, is a small town pie shop owner, with a secret obsession for flowers and major trust issues from his last whirlwind romance.

When Noah and Amelia meet, it's instant attraction and chemistry but they both know that this situation is strictly temporary and decide to be friends. (HA!)

I only really have one problem with this and it's that the author built up SO MUCH delicious tension between the characters and then pulled a *fade to black*. Maybe I'm jaded and just enjoy spice, but I feel like this would have rivaled "It Happened One Summer" if only it included some spice.

Don't get me wrong, I still highly enjoyed the story, the two MCs, as well as all the little side characters. I loved Noah's sisters most of all and their shared familial issues. It made Noah's character even more believable and lovable.

Overall 3.5 stars for this book! Definitely a fun romance read.

Ah! I loved this book so much. It has so many of my favorite tropes. I found myself smiling and laughing through out the whole book. I loved the slow burn and tension between Amelia and Noah. All the side characters (I'm looking at you Mabel!) were absolutely amazing. I really, really enjoyed this. The only thing I was missing was some spice, but, it didn't hinder the story at all.

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

Sarah Adams has a gift for creating lovable characters and stories! I eagerly devour everything she writes in one sitting, and this was no exception! However, as a longtime fan of her work, I was surprised by the amount of profanity in this book. For me, it was unnatural and distracting, even forced in some places. Overall, an enjoyable read but probably not one I will revisit as I have with so many of her others.

OBSESSED. Obsessed. I adored this small town, forced proximity, strangers to friends to lovers, forbidden love, brush with fame, grumpy/sunshine of a novel. Noah is perfect and I cannot be convinced otherwise. Amelia was so sweet and I just loved how honest the characters were with each other. It was laugh out loud funny and heart melting warm. Sarah Adams outdid herself with this one.

Hello, Sarah Adams. Once again this did not disappoint.

Amelia aka Rae Rose, the popstar princess, escapes the stress and high pressures of her career to small town Rome, Kentucky for a bit of a breather.

From day one her escape becomes a bit of a misadventure but in a completely serendipitous kind of way. The character development in this story is fantastic and the friends group is phenomenal. I fell completely in love with the Walker sisters.

I completely fell for Noah and Amelia's characters and was cheering right along side Amelia as she came to realize her own worth and self-importance. Never have I wanted a character to be MORE selfish in all my reading days but I was so excited when she stood up for herself and grew as a character.

Such a fun read. I'm sure I'll be coming back to this story over and over again. Thank you so much for the eARC copy of this book. I could barely put this thing down once I picked it up.

This is the sixth Sarah Adams book I’ve read and it might be my new favorite. I fell in love with Amelia’s and Noah’s love story! The pajama scene might be my favorite ever! I also just want to also note that for a closed door romance this book is oozing chemistry! I could feel the tension between the characters! I also really really really loved Noah’s sisters! Basically the whole town was amazing!

Highly recommend this book for people who love contemporary romance highlighting small towns, grumpy/sunshine, found family, forced proximity, and banter! Five stars all the way!

“But with Noah, I speak my mind. I’m not afraid to look silly. To fight and argue and get messy.”

I am a smitten kitten over this book and these characters. Everything about it is just pure joy! Slow burn perfection. And my new favorite Sarah Adams book!!

Amelia is an international pop star who has lost her spark and love of music… and somehow she has stayed down-to-earth even after being in the spotlight for half of her life. She is such an easy character to love! She turns to Audrey Hepburn in times of struggle, and this time Audrey led her to Rome, Kentucky.

Enter Noah. The most perfectly grumpy man with the insides of a marshmallow. He cares so deeply for his family and their town (which is quite possibly the most wholesome town ever created). Did I mention he owns a pie shop??? He’s been hurt in the past, but his connection with Amelia is so perfectly sweet.

Now, I don’t like pie… but I do love pancakes (IYKYK) and I ADORED this book. The banter in this book is everything! I kept finding myself accidentally skipping ahead to the dialogue and would have to go back!

This is a must-read for everyone!

Read if you like:
+ small town, friends-to-lovers romance
+ bingeable books
+ pancakes and/or pie
+ giving adorable nicknames (I think I flatlined when he called her Pop-Tart)
+ sassy old ladies that throw down the wisdom
+ banter!!!

Full review will be posted to www.athensbookshelf.com closer to pub day!

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Quick read, enjoyable, comforting and entertaining.

There is just something so comforting about Sarah Adams’ stories. Literally every single book she has written has not failed to put a huge smile on my face. The humor is top tier.

When in Rome is about a burnt out, lonely famous pop star, Amelia (Rae Rose). Weeks prior to her world tour she runs away in the middle of the night to Rome, Kentucky. Amelia finds comfort in Audrey Hepburn movies and chose Rome, Kentucky because of the movie Roman Holiday. While driving to Rome, her car breaks down. In Noah’s yard! Their initial interaction is HILARIOUS. She doesn’t realize she broke down in his yard and thinks he’s a murderer and refuses to get out of her car 😂🤌

Over the next few weeks there is some INTENSE pining, flirting, swooning. It was truly a pleasure to read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Can’t wait to get my paws on a physical copy of this one to add to my collection!

✨available September 2022!!✨

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for sharing this amazing book with me in exchange for an honest review!

3.5/5 ☆

Super fast and fun read! It was a super cute - the characters are fun and I always love a good grumpy/sunshine trope. Amelia is super sweet and so down to Earth that Noah can't stay away (as much as he tries to). He's a good mix of grumpy, protective, and charming. I love his jealousy scenes with his best friend and how much he cares for his sister. Men with only sisters hit different. A bit predictable towards the end, but still good! I also love a small town romance, I hope I'm not the only one who immediately thought of Rome in Europe and not Rome, Kentucky (wanted to go into this blind so I didn't read the synopsis) haha!

If you're looking for a spicy book, this isn't it. Its mostly fade to black and nothing too graphic. I didn't mind it, but I do generally read romance novels with a lot more spice.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Tropes:
-Grumpy/sunshine
-Small town romance
-Dual POV
-Famous person in hiding

Spoiler alert, this book will make you smile until your face hurts.

I went in with fairly high expectations because I love Sarah Adams books. They never fail to lift my mood. But When in Rome really went above and beyond for me.

Noah is now officially one of my favorite characters. He was flawed enough that he actually feels real and he is so sweet. Adorable. Protective in a really hot way and so grumpy (and I love a grumpy MC). Amelia was so relatable which I found strange because she's an award winning singer but her struggle with burn out and people pleasing spoke to me.

Overall, this book was a hot chocolate on a snowy morning in front of a fire. It was the first sip of ice water on a hot day. It was rainy Sunday mornings when you get to sleep in. I guess you can say I was a fan.

I would recommend this for anyone who loves a grumpy/sunshine forced proximity romance. It might just become your favorite and it will definitely make your day better.

Warning: Do not start reading this morning on a morning that you actually have things to do, because you’ll be driving around praying to hit every red light so you can get just a few more sentences in…. This book was heart-warming, and funny, and the side cast of characters were just a highlight for me.

I’ll try and be very chill about this, but NOAH IS THE BOOK BOYFRIEND OF ALL BOYFRIENDS! He’s the perfect combo of grumpy, and vulnerable, and fiercely loyal and loves his people. Try and convince me there is a blond man better than him. I will wait.

Left me with a insatiable craving to snuggle up in button up pajamas, watch my favorite Audrey Hepburn movie, and eat a whole pie.

I was so excited when I requested this book as my first ARC and was approved! I had previously read 5 of Sarah Adam's books and loved them all. I really enjoy her writing, especially the bits and pieces of humor spread throughout her books. When in Rome was fantastic! Not only did the book include small town vibes, pie and pancakes, and romance, it also showed the importance of following your heart and doing what is right for yourself, despite the opinions of other people. Run to get your copy on 9/20/2022!

*Thank you to Random House Publishing/Ballantine via NetGalley for the ARC*

Okay, Sarah Adams, “I see you.” 👀

When in Rome is admittedly my first book of hers so I didn’t have any expectations, although I’m familiar with some of her other works by name. I started this book thinking it would be a light, fluffy read….and indeed it was as fluffy as a stack of pancakes, served with maple syrup and bacon and dusted with powdered sugar (hehe)! A classic recipe for comforting perfection! It was so delectably cute, I kept setting my ebook down just to savor it otherwise I would’ve read it all in one sitting.

WiR centers around, *the* pop princess Rae (stage name) who’s about to embark on an international tour, however Amelia (real name, real persona) feels a desperate need to take a break. She takes a page out of her fav movie, Roman Holiday, and decides to flee to Rome…Kentucky. Her pre-fame beater car breaks down in front of local baker, Noah’s house. Cuteness ensues. However, Amelia didn’t realize how closely she was following Audrey’s movie script until she struggles against facing the same ending.

Look, I just love a good grumpy/sunshine and I especially enjoy a good cinnamon roll hero. It’s MY THING so I can’t help but love this book! Oftentimes I read stories about secret pining but the open pining just squeezes my heart a little bit harder in the best way. Sigh. But like a ~dreamy sigh~. I really wasn’t expecting to have so many feelings but Amelia and Noah are just so sweet together, you just want to gush along with them. The whole town is lovable and I was right there with Amelia wanting to tuck into the folds of Rome. If you’ve got a thing for small town feels, this one’s it. In fact, if you’ve got a thing for any of these, this one’s it (spoilerish): grumpy/sunshine, cinnamon roll hero, forced proximity, insta love, pining, drunk confessions, light groveling, fade to black…grandma’s boy, hot baker, flirty, bookworm, teasing, hot bod. Ok those last ones are all about my new book bf, but seriously, he’s so swoon worthy!

I’m absolutely certain When in Rome will be a fan favorite when it publishes in September ‘22. 5/5 stars cause it gave me all the lower belly feels! My only suggestion to Adams…drop the pancake recipe! 🥞

At first I was concerned that this was going to be a little cheesy because the writing style was kind of throwing me off. But once I settled into it and the book hit its stride, I really enjoyed it.

I’m a sucker for a good grumpy/sunshine + he falls first trope combo, and this is a stellar example of that.

Coming from a small town, this book totally hits the mark. We protect our own, even when they’re outsiders. We’re also nosy as hell. I loved watching this town rally around Amelia and help her relax.

I loved this book!!!! It was so cute , funny, and charming! The characters were lovable and I couldn’t put this book down! This was an easy and cute read! Once again, Sarah Adams does not disappoint!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for this arc!

Amelia is a two-time Grammy winning musician, having a breakdown. She runs away to a small town in Kentucky, Rome(!) but the old car she takes breaks down at night in Noah’s front yard. The last thing Noah wants is another fancy woman come to tempt him to leave his small town life to follow her around. Been there, done that. Noah is a 6’3” gorgeous hunk of a man who owns the local pie shop. He does Grumpy really well- largely because of his past relationship but on the other hand he slowly warms to Amelia.

One of the biggest stars in music and Mr. Small Town Pie Shop Owner. They seem to have nothing in common and no way at all to have a relationship due to her tour schedule and his responsibilities at home. Surely that’s a dead end, huh? Hmm…

This is one of the wittiest books I’ve read this year. Amelia’s internal banter alone is worth the whole book. It is hilarious and often laugh out loud funny. Noah and Amelia are charming and engaging but the townspeople are also a trip. They all want to be in Noah’s and Amelia’s business and it is driving them mad. But they come together to protect her when the paparazzi arrive. These folks are just quirky and amusing and you’ll love reading about them.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

OOOOOOH THIS WAS SO CUTE!!!!

I was really worried in the first few chapters that the characters were a bit too cliché, but they grew on me so quickly. Noah & Amelia are the absolute definition of the grumpy sunshine trope, and cheesy though it may be, I love that. Add on the meddling sisters & old ladies in the surely romantic town of Rome, Kentucky, and this book had all it needed to win me over.

Figuring out how they could possibly make this relationship work has stressed me out all day (because how could I not read this in one day?), but the loose ends of the plot were tied up nearly perfectly. Some pieces of the ending came together a little too quickly for my taste, but that’s the way of a romance novel, and I can accept that.

All I hope is that Amelia finally learned how to make those pancakes.

UM, WHAT?!
Sarah Adams NEVER disappoints. If you're looking for a happy read, a pick me up, a "feel good-never lets you down" book, pick up one of hers. And When In Rome is no different.

Noah and Amelia may be my new favorite. His grumpy to her sunshine is "cotton candy when you're a kid" kind of happiness. It's smiley and yummy, and never the wrong timing. It's like melting sugar on your tongue. You JUST WANT MORE!
I can't wait to add this one to my bookshelf and reread it a million times over! All the standing ovations!