Member Reviews

💐 Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams 💐

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/5

Genre: RomCom
Tropes: Practice/fake dating, small town romance, grumpy sunshine, opposites attract
⚠️ TWs: Difficult childhood/relationship with parents, divorce, grandparent with Alzheimer’s, loss of parents

📖 Read if you like 📖
🥧 Small town
💐 Innocent florist + tatted bodyguard
🗣️ Nicknames
🔄 Dual POV
💬 Texts on page
🧲 Opposites attract
☀️ Grumpy sunshine
👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨 Practice/fake dating
🚪 Closed door (but steamy!!! 😮‍💨)
🔥 Slow burn

💭 Thoughts:
OMG THIS BOOK! Wowowow it was so good! I drove to target and bought it around 80% into the ARC because I just had to own it (since I got behind and it published already- oops). Will and Annie are complete opposites, but the he falls first bit coupled with grumpy sunshine was SWOONY. Especially when she got sick 🥹 IYKYK. I love how they both grew as characters throughout the book in completely different ways, and you know I love a good small town romance. I LOVED When in Rome, so going back to this setting was so fun as a reader. I highly recommend this book/series! Thank you @authorsarahadams for sharing your amazing writing with us!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

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If you are looking for a book with a woman who knows what she wants but is afraid to show others what she is looking for. And for a man who never thought he could love, but slowly learns that love with the right person is something that he never even knew he was looking for. You have found the perfect book. Annie has always lived her life in the image that her family has put upon her. She is angel Annie. So pure that when a tattooed body guard comes back to town to help protect her future sister-in-law, no one thinks that him and Annie would become an item. But Annie finds herself in need of someone to help her navigate the crazy dating world. Luckily for her with some meddling Noah finds himself being asked if he could be Annie’s coach. One thing leads to another and Noah finds that being Annie’s coach is not what he really wants to be. In fact, this once against love tough guy is finding that Annie is everything he never knew he wanted. This book is fast paced, sweet, and honest. I really enjoyed being swept up in their love story.
Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine, Dell and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.

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Literally obsessed! My first Sarah Adams book and it’s one of my top faves books for sure. The fmc is amazing. I felt like I truly related to Annie. And Will, who wouldn’t love that man.

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I cannot tell you the love in my heart I have for this book. It’s in my top 5. Sarah Adams is able to bring those rom-com moments you expect on the screen to life on the pages of her books, and it’s magic! This book is laugh-out-loud funny and also brings So. Much. Chemistry.

Annie is known as a “sweet” girl, and is so bored with her image and the lackluster dates she’s found herself on lately. It’s in the middle of one of these dates that her sister-in-law to be’s bodyguard walks in.

“Will has the kind of face that dares you to cross him because he would adore the chase—craves the adventure of it.”

Seriously. How can you not fall in love right there? These two are friends to lovers with dating lessons thrown in and some seriously hot scenes. Sarah Adams is still fade to black, but she’s found her sweet spot in bringing the heat with the feelings in this book.

5 stars. I’ll reread over & over and recommend to absolutely everyone 💕

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It was hard to rate this one…it had some really adorable moments that I loved. Some of them funny, some sweet, some romantic. I related to and loved Annie 🩷 Will was of course swoony, as all Adams’ heroes are. Mabel was as delightful as ever…and I really hope the sisters get their stories next!
That being said, I didn’t love all the innuendo and inner thoughts. It honestly felt like the first half of the book, Will just wanted to do Annie and was thinking about how hot she was. It got a little old. I’m just disappointed because it felt way more than her other books.
But, the other parts were great! ❤️
Just my two cents!

Thanks to NetGalley. This review is my thoughts and opinion alone.

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💐PRACTICE•MAKES•PERFECT💐
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Practice Makes Perfects follows Annie (Noah’s sister and florist) and Will (Amelia’s bodyguard). Annie is trying to break away from her good girl persona. Will is just the guy to coach her on all the dating ways. Too bad they both catch feelings.
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💐fake dating
💐opposites attract
💐small town romance
💐2nd in the series
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This is not a spicy book (it’s closed door) however this was still a steamy read, if that makes sense. I loved it. I’m hoping the sisters both get a book of their own!
I think you could read this book as a standalone, but reading book 1 first will add to the story in my opinion.
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Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!

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I love Sarah Adams and her writing style. I really enjoyed this book but at times felt like some of it was a trying too hard. Overall, it was adorable, sweet, and a little frustrating in the best way.

What to expect:
-bad boy bodyguard (Executive Protection Agent)
-sunshine flower shop owner
-fake dating
-friends to lovers
-funny banter

Thank you, Netgalley and Random House Publishers for this ARC.

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To be totally honest, I'm pretty devastated I only rated this 3 stars. If I'm being REALLY honest, it was almost a 2 star read for almost the first 3 quarters of the book. I struggled to connect with and really like any of the characters, even though I did like Will and found Annie fairly funny and relatable, I couldn't get into it. I found the plot very slow, overdone and mega cheesy, again if I'm being honest. However, around 65%, it really took off for me.

I will say that I loved the banter and the chemistry between the two main characters. Sarah Adams really know how to make closed door romances extra steamy! It seems that I'm pretty much the only one who didn't fall in love with this book, but I will say that the ending had me swooning and falling, I just needed so much more from the beginning. Will was absolutely amazing with Annie, and I did end up liking them both overall, but it took too long for me to get there to rate this one any higher.

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Sarah Adams has been a favorite author of mine for awhile so when I heard about this book I was so excited! I wasn’t sure she could top When in Rome, but SHE DID! This is hands down my favorite book of hers. I LOVE Will and Annie SO much. You could tell that he was gone for her immediately- he tried not to be, but he was. I love a good fake dating/ teach me how to date trope and this was done so well!

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Really enjoyed this book, thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy. I recently just read When in Rome, first book I have read of Sarah Adams. Both of these were quick, cute romance reads. Being from Kentucky I also enjoyed the small town setting. Also liked that it isn't a steamy read but still plenty of spice to make it interesting.
Will definitely be reading more of her books!

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I requested an egalley copy of this book solely based on the cover art-- it's beautiful!

Overall, I enjoyed this romance. I was a heavy romance reader from about 2018-2021, but this one was unique enough that it kept me excited to pick it up and read it every night before bed. The only way it could have been better was more spice. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being "appropriate for tween readers" and 10 being "would make a porn star blush," it's about a 2. My preferred spice level is about 6-8, so I would have liked more on-the-page sex scenes.

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Okay this was actually super adorable! Last year I received an ARC of Sarah Adams' When in Rome and thought it was a wholesome read. This one I enjoyed more! I loved the dynamic between Annie and Will - who had a good friendship dynamic that eventually, led to their feelings for one another at the end. Sometimes, these are just fun books to read when you need something sweet that also makes you feel good.

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<b>Quick Stats</b>
<i>Spice Level: 0.5/5 </i>
Over All: 4 stars
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 3.5/5

Sarah Adams’s books are the epitome of sweet, fun, and feel-good reads, and Practice Makes Perfect is no exception. Though the writing isn’t the strongest, it’s so easy to fly through this book, swooning every other chapter.
Though it isn’t strictly necessary to read When in Rome first, I highly recommend it. There are so many references, and the main characters from that book play a huge role in this one.
Annie is easy to love, Will is swoony as hell, and their story is one that will make you smile and squeal while still delving into important, emotional topics. I loved the discussions of grief, the lasting impacts of growing up in toxic family environments, and what its like to have a very set reputation that you’ve found yourself outgrowing.
This was definitely the steamiest of Adams’s books so far! The heat really started to ramp up in a couple scenes, I almost thought it might end up being open door! It’s not. It remains fade to black, and nothing more than some intense making out is shown on page, but I really enjoyed the discussions that were had about sex and relationships.
I’m crossing my fingers for more books set in Rome, Kentucky (or at least following the Walker family!) in the future.

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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 :)

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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.

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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!

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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!

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