Member Reviews
LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! Annie and Will, you have my whole heart!!!
I LOVE Sarah Adams, she is the gold standard for sweet characters, funny banter, and closed door romances that aren't juvenile!! Will and Annie's journeys as individuals and also with eachother was so well done and thought out. As a couple their dynamic was very healthy and mature, there was a fantastic open line of communication between them was so refreshing to read.
I am an eternal Sarah Adams fan :)
This book was not available on NetGalley in Canada, and I am so thankful to Sarah, Taylor Noel, and the entire team at Random House for access to this e-ARC :)
GUYS. THIS BOOK. Because it was written by the great Sarah Adams, I was fully expecting to laugh and swoon. What I wasn't expecting was to be nearly in tears by the end.
Because of the dedication in this book and the way it was marketed, I wasn't expecting to relate to Annie too much. I'm quite an extrovert, and Annie is definitely more reserved. However, I found myself connecting to her soft nature and the way she felt stuck in the box of other people's expectations. I'm also a youngest child, and my siblings absolutely keep me in that role 😂 so watching Annie break out of that box and decide to live life how she wanted was incredibly amazing.
Now, the romance. May I just say, WILL FREAKING GRIFFIN?? Completely swoony. Not just for his looks and charisma, but the way we see him slowly fall for Annie and long for a future with her. Both of these characters brought out the best in each other, and we all know those are the building blocks for the best love stories.
For my closed-door girlies, this is definitely pushing the envelope. Pretty similar to When in Rome, but with much more innuendo. Will is her dating coach, after all 🙃
Thank you to the author and @netgalley for my advanced copy, all thoughts are my own, and many congratulations for making the New York Times bestseller list!! Well deserved.
Sarah Adams is a must read author for me— I’ve read all her books and this one is no different. They’re always swooney, closed door romances that will make you want to read her other books!
Sarah Adams is a must read author for me. I’ve read every one of her books- and they just don’t disappoint. They’re closed door, happy ending, swooney books. You’ll love this book too!
This was my first Sarah Adams book and I absolutely loved it. I loved the character development, the spice, dual pov, and how their relationship grows as time goes on. I truly enjoyed this small town romance story. Made my heart smile and felt the love. Add this book to your TBR!
I also want to thank Netgalley and Random House Publishing for allowing me to read and review this beautiful book.
Finally got a copy of when in Rome so I could read Amelia and Noah's story first. So good, Annie's story was a bit more boring. Other people mentioned her seeming childish and I would have to agree. All in all though I liked will and his story of dysfunctional childhood. And I always like the townspeople of Rome, Kentucky so I'll.definitely be watching for James and Madison's story.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy.
I loved this one so much!! The chemistry between Annie and Will was off the charts and fake dating is one of my favorite tropes!! Highly recommend this one, and usually I don’t go for closed door but I didn’t even care with this one!
If you liked Mark and Lexie from Greys Anatomy, you will love Will and Annie! We’re introduced to Will in the previous book as Amelia’s body guard, well now he’s back in town and this time around he’s been enlisted to help Annie learn the ropes to dating. Will and Annie are the definition of healthy communication! They both just understood each other to the core and we’re so patient with each other. No 3rd act breakup, you really get to see their growth together.Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for the arc!
Practice Makes Perfect is a cute rom-com about a small-town, flower-loving shy woman, Annie, who is clueless about dating and the opposite sex. Annie starts to be trained in the art of dating by her brother's fiance's bodyguard, Will. Rugged, tattooed Will is against love, but he has a soft spot for helping sweet Annie.
While Practice Makes Perfect is a sequel to Sarah Adams' novel "When in Rome," I read it as a standalone book. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the characters as they lived in THIS book, without feeling like I had somehow missed a big part of their storylines. I enjoyed this book so much that I plan on going back to read "When in Rome" to meet the characters in a different light.
Sarah Adams had me laughing out loud in parts, but also yelling at the characters to communicate better and just fall in love already! This is a great beachy read that will pull at your heartstrings and root for the unlikely couple.
If your name isn't Will Griffin, I don't want you. Kthxbye.
Okay, seriously. Don't tell Nathan Donelson, but I think I have a new favorite "Sarah Adams created" book boyfriend.
Annie is the youngest Walker sibling, she's also known as the goodie good of the family. "Sweet little Annie"
After the most disastrous date, Amelia comes up with the most perfect plan. To have her bodyguard "practice date" Annie.
Will Griffin, is the most delicious, protective, tattooed bad boy. From the moment he met Annie, he was enthralled.
He doesn't truly date or settle down. But he finds himself wrapped in this practice dating with Annie, simply because he couldn't say no. Saying no meant she would find someone else. And will literally could not stand that. I LOVE THAT.
YALL. THIS MAN. Alllll the tension and banter between him and Annie. Alll the "only for her" moments. Or the possessive "mine" moments. GOLLLLLY.
I love this Annie found herself as a WOMAN. The way she literally grew into herself and learned to speak up for herself and embrace all the things that make her, her. I love that Will found a way to be true to himself but also found a way to heal his past trauma. I love that he was able to admit when he was wrong and that he stopped at nothing to tell Annie exactly what she meant to him. AND RHE CONSENT IN ALL THE WAYS. I literally couldn't tell you one thing I didn't love about this book.
& can we talk about the fact that SARAH ADAMS IS A GENIUS? This has got to be the SPICIEST CLOSED-DOOR romance I have ever read. I mean seriously, it was getting H 👏🏻 O 👏🏻 T 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 in here.
& The amount of highlights I had in this book.
It is hands down my favorite Sarah Adams book. I know I say this every time, but the girl has talent. She will forever be an auto buy for me.
Now that this is officially my longest review I have ever written. Did any of that even make sense? 🤣
If you made it this far, thank you! I hope this convinced you to read this book!
“It seems to me…that you are just waiting for someone to give you permission to be yourself out loud.”
I went into this one completely blind knowing that I already loved When In Rome, and anything set in the same town was bound to be phenomenal. But you guys… I didn’t expect to like this one even MORE!
This was a classic opposites attract romance where they become friends through fake dating lessons where Will helps Annie feel more comfortable in social settings. But she never once had any issues talking or being herself around him…
Annie has her life fairly set and doesn’t feel as though she has much wiggle room to escape the childlike view her family –and the entire town– have put on her. But with Will’s help, she’s beginning to shed the behaviors that might make her seem a bit juvenile and become more willing to chase after what –and who– she wants in life.
This book was ADORABLE. A slow burn filled with family dynamics to maneuver, a mutual pining relationship between two people who know they shouldn’t be together but can no longer stand to turn away from what they want. I honestly loved it all and I know you will too!
“I regret the things I never said way more than the things I have said.”
While this is book two in the series, both books are interconnected standalones. That said, I highly recommend reading them in order for the biggest impact! 🥰
Tropes:
- Fake dating
- Opposites attract
- Age gap
- Small town
- Meddling town
- Found family
- Mental health rep (social anxiety)
I ended up listening to this one on audiobook. I think it would have been a five star read if I had actually read the physical book. Listening to the audiobook, I ended up rating it a four. I love how wholesome the books by this author are. The main character was painted as a pristine character who didn't even like to swear. She fell in love with the bad boy with tattoos. I thought this was a great follow up to When In Rome and I really look forward to reading more by this author!
Pub date: 5/2/23
Genre: romcom (fake dating, opposites attract, small town)
Quick summary: In Rome, Kentucky, everyone thinks they know florist Annie - she's the ultimate good girl little sister. But Annie's ready to practice being someone else - and her future SIL's bodyguard Will is more than willing to help her.
Discovering Sarah Adams' books has been one of the joys of bookstagram! She dedicated this book to the softies, the sweeties, and the introverts - and wow do I feel seen. Like Annie, but I've always been seen as a good girl and struggled with how infantilizing that stereotype can be! I loved her journey and how Will supported what she wanted to do without taking over or trying to mold her into what he wanted.
This romance may be low-steam but it is high on swoon-y moments courtesy of Will. Plus she got him to read pirate romance. What's not to love? I didn't think Adams could top WHEN IN ROME, but this one really spoke to me, and I'm so excited for what she writes next.
I received an e-ARC from Dell and a complimentary audiobook from PRH Audio - I loved both, but I highly recommend the audio since narrators Will Peters and Jorjeana Marie nailed the banter.
“It seems to me…that you are just waiting for someone to give you permission to be yourself out loud.”
I went into this one completely blind knowing that I already loved When In Rome, and anything set in the same town was bound to be phenomenal. But you guys… I didn’t expect to like this one even MORE!
This was a classic opposites attract romance where they become friends through fake dating lessons where Will helps Annie feel more comfortable in social settings. But she never once had any issues talking or being herself around him…
Annie has her life fairly set and doesn’t feel as though she has much wiggle room to escape the childlike view her family –and the entire town– have put on her. But with Will’s help, she’s beginning to shed the behaviors that might make her seem a bit juvenile and become more willing to chase after what –and who– she wants in life.
This book was ADORABLE. A slow burn filled with family dynamics to maneuver, a mutual pining relationship between two people who know they shouldn’t be together but can no longer stand to turn away from what they want. I honestly loved it all and I know you will too!
“I regret the things I never said way more than the things I have said.”
While this is book two in the series, both books are interconnected standalones. That said, I highly recommend reading them in order for the biggest impact! 🥰
Tropes:
- Fake dating
- Opposites attract
- Age gap
- Small town
- Meddling town
- Found family
- Mental health rep (social anxiety)
This book easily became one of my favorites of the year!!! This book was just happiness, giddiness, and a giant hug all at once! I swear I was smiling and giggling like an idiot throughout the entire book because it was just so adorable and swoony.
Will and Annie both stole my heart immediately. They’re amazing individually and just so incredibly wonderful together. I related SO much to Annie and watching her grow and bloom (yes the flower pun was fully intended) throughout this story was honestly so incredible. I admire Annie so much and would give just about anything to have my own Will.
I know this will be a book I reach for over and over again as a comfort story because I just ADORED it.
*Thank you Netgalley and Sarah Adams for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
This book easily became one of my favorites of the year!!! This book was just happiness, giddiness, and a giant hug all at once! I swear I was smiling and giggling like an idiot throughout the entire book because it was just so adorable and swoony.
Will and Annie both stole my heart immediately. They’re amazing individually and just so incredibly wonderful together. I related SO much to Annie and watching her grow and bloom (yes the flower pun was fully intended) throughout this story was honestly so incredible. I admire Annie so much and would give just about anything to have my own Will.
I know this will be a book I reach for over and over again as a comfort story because I just ADORED it.
*Thank you Netgalley and Sarah Adams for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
Once again Sarah Adams has done it. This book grabbed me from the beginning and held on until the end.
I loved this one. I really liked Annie & Will 🥹 it was such a cute rom com and I loved the interactions between the 2 main characters. It was also so fun to be back with all the characters from When In Rome. Definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a cute small town romance with minimal spice! 🫶🏼🌸💐
Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams in the second in her When in Rome series. Annie Walker is an introverted Flower Shop owner who really wants to get married and have a family. Will Griffin is a good looking bodyguard who is happy to help Annie practice being better at dating.
I was excited to revisit Rome, Ky and enjoyed learning more about the town. The town is filled with very funny characters that had me laughing out loud. Annie is endearing and I enjoyed watching her change and figure out who is. Will is the bad boy you can’t help but love and cheer for his happy ending. The author writes characters that have depth and grow over the course of the novel which I appreciate. This was a good romance.
I received a copy from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review.
This was my first book I've read by Sarah Adams and I loved it.
Annie is your typical sweetheart - heart of gold and too good for the bad guys. I relate to her in a lot of ways. I am always a fan of the sweet girl with the hot bad boy. I love how it wasn't too spicy. I do love spice but I also love the books that leave you guessing. This one was perfect.
Thanks NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!