I devoured this book and loved every minute of it. The fake dating trope is one of my favorites! Sarah was able to write it in a way that felt fresh and authentic. I can’t wait to add this to my shelf!

I am so glad Sarah Adams wrote another story set in Rome. This one is about Annie and Will and their story arc does not disappoint. Annie is cute, kind and loves flowers where as Will is a mysterious quiet man who bodyguards Annie's soon to be sister in law. I love the town, the people in the town and Annie's family because Sarah Adams tells us a little bits of each of them in each story. I hope she continues this series with one of the sisters...

The audio book was well done and the two narrators were perfect, just as I like it.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy.

I completely fell in love with this story. I didn't read the first book in the series, but was able to follow along just fine. Annie is sweet and kind and secretly passionate and longs for adventure. Will comes from a rough childhood and isn't sure if he's capable of love, but Annie challenges that idea from the beginning. They make a fantastic pairing and the honesty they have is so refreshing.

I love this little town, it reminds me of the southern version of Stars Hollow, where everyone knows everyone else. The side characters were entertaining and their meddling made me laugh. I can see why Annie is determined never to move away from Rome.

This was a lot of fun to read and I didn't want it to end!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the copy.

𝑷𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲: small town, dual POV, opposites attract, fake/ practice dating, angsty, friends to lovers, pining

”𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆... 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘅𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗶 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲"

Needless to say, this book caught my attention after this first line 😂

You hate love? Goodluck on hating it still after you’ve read this book!

\When in Rome is one of my favorite romances last year and this was such a great followup for that book! Also, can we all congratulate Sarah Adams for hitting the New York Bestseller List?? Woohoo!!! So well deserved!! 🎉

So what is this book about?

She wants marriage. He doesn’t even want to consider the thought of having feelings. 😂 Obviously, they are aware that they can never be together. Which makes Will the perfect dating coach for Annie who can’t seem to hold a conversation when out on a date. Perfect situation, right? Well, yes if the two of them didn’t secretly develop feelings for each other. I’m telling you the PINING in this book is another level! 😂

I love that Annie was a reader too. Her favorite type of book? Spicy romance books about pirates! Lol

As always, I fell in love again with the small town of Rome and loved reading about their lovely community filled with nosy neighbors 😂

See when you read a Sarah Adams book you just expect to laugh and smile and feel things! That first flower scene was so cute. And page Page 115? I’m not even into love triangles but this scene was super cute! That baseball scene had me laughing so much too!! Amelia and that fake mustache, I cannot haha. I absolute adore the times when he takes cute photos of her! And that this was all happening with the making of a wedding on the background!

I mean honestly I should stop reading her books in public! I look like a deranged human being from an outside observer 😂

Some parts can be repetitive for me and I thought they made the book longer than what is needed BUT that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this book!

💭 Any Friday plans?
☕️ I’m meeting some booksta besties tonight for an Abby Jimenez event!

"You have wrecked me in the best way I could ever imagine, and I'll never be the same. Never want to be the same."

This has become my new all-time favorite rom com!

A small-town romance with fake dating, good girl/ bad boy and hilarious dialogue. I was smiling and kicking my feet literally 20% into this book. Our main characters Will and Annie had the best chemistry that I have ever read. I literally pictured this entire book as a movie in my head, it had the best banter and even though the story was a bit cheesy at times I loved it! I could not stop reading I stayed up late at night just to get more of Will and Annie.


Also this gave Gilmore Girl vibes in the best way. I loved how the whole town was so noisy and everyone just wanted to know what was going on with everyone. It definitely made me laugh out loud!

I highly recommend you read this book if you love,
>Small town romance
>bad boy/good girl
>fake dating
>are a hopeless romantic and a softie. <3

Sigh. This book was such a warm hug. I loved returning to Rome and reuniting with these characters.⁣
⁣
I always love a bad boy good girl trope and this was perfection. The banter was amazing. Annie was sweet and wholesome, the girl next door, living in books, creating gorgeous flower arrangements. Will was ex military and is now a tattooed, emotionally unavailable, not as sin body guard who was so drawn to Annie, his complete opposite.⁣
⁣
The chemistry and banter between these two were dynamite. I loved their story so much and couldn’t put it down. The brought the best out in each other and pushed each other out of their comfort zones.⁣
⁣
This book had me laughing out loud at times and totally swooning. The open communication with these two was so refreshing. I absolutely LOVED it.⁣
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book surprised me! I’ve been a little hesitant with contemporary romances lately but this one gave me all the feels. The tension between Annie and Will was electric. I loved the deeper character development of both Annie and Will. Annie with her trying to break away from the “sweet innocent” that everyone has pegged her to be and Will coming to terms with his parents terrible relationship and moving forward with his own. Will also seemed more like a true man in his thoughts and words. I read this book in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down!

This was my first book by Sarah McAdams and it certainly will not be my last. This was funny, heartwarming, and just beautifully written. It was also relatable and just gave me all the warm feelings!

Oh this book. All the stars and heart eyes and swoony sighs.

I discovered Sarah Adams last year when I read the first book in this series, When In Rome, and absolutely loved it. I subsequently devoured the entirety of her back catalog and then anxiously awaited this next installment in the series. And it was so incredibly worth the wait.

Annie is a sweetheart, but also so very human and understandable that she doesn't want to be "Angel Annie" anymore. And Will. Oh Will. *swoons on the couch like a Victorian lady* Will is fun and flirty and sexy and also sees Annie for who she really is, not the persona everyone in the town (and her siblings) believes her to be.

Oh, and did I mention the fake dating trope? And nosy (but well-meaning) small-town folk?

I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait to see what Sarah Adams writes next.

I had no idea this was the second book to When in Rome until near the end of reading it. I liked that book, but I liked this one more. I didn't love this book though. I felt it needed a bit more of something, but it was still very enjoyable. I do think this may be a little bit of an overdone trope with the I don't know how to be in relationship, please teach me, Annie, and the I'm not looking for anything serious, Will. The dialogue was cute and the writing was well-done. I have enjoyed every book by this author.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for this advanced reader's copy for an honest review.

4 stars!

"When in Rome" by Sarah Adams was one of my favorite books last year, so "Practice Makes Perfect" had some pretty big shoes to fill. I don't think this sequel quite eclipses the greatness of its predecessor, but it's still a really cute slow-burning, forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine, small-town romance! It made me giggle on more than one occasion. I loved Annie and Will together, and I love the pretense of them "practicing." I also love how Annie grows as a character throughout the story. Will was a swoon-worthy MMC. I think there are a few slow spots within the narrative, but overall, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. More Rome, Kentucky stories, please!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Adams, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Dell for providing me with an ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for my review.

Annie is the sweet innocent angel of Rome, Kentucky who sucks at dating. Will is the bad boy bodyguard who works for her sister in law and has sworn relationships off forever. And wouldn’t ya know it, they come to an agreement that Will will teach Annie how to date.

We return to Rome, Kentucky for this fake dating rom com. The small town meddling returns with a heavy helping of denial for ALL characters. Honestly, both MCs really need a therapist.
I probably would’ve DNFed this one if it wasn’t a (late) ARC. It just didn’t keep my interest.

Read if you like:
-sweet girl/bad boy trope
-overbearing sisters
-self discovery journey
-When in Rome (previous book)

Spice level: 🌶️🌶️/5

Thanks @netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. ☻

3.5 stars
Practice Makes Perfect is the second book in the When in Rome series by Sarah Adams. This is an absolutely beloved book (and series) and I really enjoyed the first story, When in Rome. While I found Practice Makes Perfect sweet and it had a heart-warming conclusion, it had some elements I didn’t care for.

It seemed to me like the whole book had a major focus, from the get-go, on the couple’s physical attraction. It was an often repeated theme and while I understand why, given Annie’s nature and reputation, I think it would have been more meaningful, and I would have been more engaged and invested, if there wouldn’t have been so much emphasis on that aspect.

Practice Makes Perfect is about “angelic, sweet” Annie Walker and her anxieties and struggles with dating. She just wants to find someone to settle down with and have the kind of marriage her parents had. So, she accepts Will Griffin, Amelia Rose’s executive protection agent and someone she’s inextricably drawn to, as a coach to teach her how to date. He’s known as a playboy and consummate bachelor. Regardless, the two fall for each other, slowly but surely. But first, they have a lot of baggage to unpack and issues to contend with.

I loved the banter between the two, which made me laugh out loud at times. I appreciated Annie’s character development, but did find her earlier version, while understandable, quite frustrating. I enjoyed the town and the community, and the turn the story took.
I also appreciated the lessons learned, the messages shared, and the conclusion. I recommend this book to readers who love a sweet, though somewhat spicy, romance.

This book was so cute!! Annie is such a sweet character, and I really liked Will. My only issue was sometimes it veered a bit too cheesy, but still very enjoyable!

Thank you for giving me the chance to read this book! I absolutely love when authors continue a story with secondary characters, and I didn't expect this one!! It was a cute book to read on a plane, with a few unexpected twists. I adore small town stories.

This was a very sweet romcom- second in the When in Rome collection. If you enjoy fake dating/dating coach, opposites attract, sweet romance, and good girl tropes, you will enjoy this book. I had a hard time connecting with Annie as she felt a little immature, and I didn’t vibe with the virgin/no cursing trope. That being said, the character interactions were very cute. I enjoyed watching Will fall for Annie despite their dramatic differences. This book did not have any spice, but did have lots of romance.

I love Sarah Adams. Her books are so sweet and genuinely make me smile. Absolutely adorable.

Annie is shy and sweet and an over good girl. She loves romance novels and flowers

Will is tattooed, rough and seemingly gets around. He intimidates people for a living.

This is a series but can be read as a standalone

Let’s talk about Sarah Adam’s books real quick. When I read The Cheat Sheet, I was pretty taken aback by the “clean romance” thing. I didn’t read her bio, didn’t know that was her writing style, and had read this great book only to be kind of shocked by it at the end. For the record, I still don’t think it was written well in that book - BUT ALAS.

I tried my hand at Practice Makes Perfect for a few reasons. One was definitely FOMO. The other was that I thought I’d I managed expectations I would be able to enjoy the outcome much more. And it turns out that was true.

📔 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼: Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams.

📚𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲: Bodyguard romance, opposites attract, relationship lessons, small town romance.

📖 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Annie has always been known as the innocent angel. But now she’s the innocent angel who can’t find love. So she enlists Will, her sister-in-law’s bodyguard with a playboy reputation, to teach her how to date.

🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: I really enjoyed this book.

Sarah Adams wrote two very complex characters, when she could have taken the easy way out with them and made them fit their image. It was so nice to watch both Annie and Will grow past their fears. And there was only light drama to accompany them on their journey.

On top of that, I actually cackled a few times while reading this book. Annie and Will’s banter, the small town characters, and some of the scenes had me rolling.

The dual POV was really done well here - because who doesn’t love reading an emotionally damaged man discover he’s in love?

And yes, the spice is closed door. But there’s enough tension to satisfy that need and the characters do, in fact, “do it.” You just don’t get to read about it - and when the writing is this good it doesn’t matter in the long run.

📝 𝗔 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲… You can absolutely read this as a standalone, but it’s related to Adams’ other book, When in Rome.

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 1/5 🌶

I can’t get over how sweet and relatable this book is! This story is set in the small town of Rome, Kentucky and revolves around the story of Annie and Will. Annie, the resident introvert, is one of four orphaned siblings that were practically raised by the residents of that small town. She the local florist and is considered the town sweetheart and authority figures intown are overprotective of her. Will is the attractive, brooding, tattoo covered, commitment-phobe bodyguard of Annie’s soon-to-be sister-in-law who happens to be a pop star.

Annie confides in Amelia, her future sister-in-law, about her difficulty with social anxiety during her most recent date. Amelia then concocts an idea of having Will be Annie’s dating coach due to a suspected mutual attraction between the two. Following this arrangement, we see the blossoming relationship between this unlikely pair as well as their emotional growth.

Overall, I loved this book. I went from laughing out loud to getting a little misty at some emotional scenes. I enjoyed reading about the small-town dynamics and interactions that Annie and Will have with them as well as the dating coaching sessions. It’s so good and a true comfort read. I really look forward to reading more of Sarah Adam’s books.

💐 Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams🦋 I’ve been looking forward to this book for months, because I LOVED When In Rome. With a duel POV, I loved hearing from Annie’s perspective who is so shy and quiet. I loved seeing Will and Annie grow together and build trust with amazing communication. Tropes include fake dating, small town, tattooed bodyguards, and pirates. Other treasures include of Amelia and Noah, town drama, laugh out loud jokes, and all the steam (with zero spice). I read a lot of romance novels, but this is the first one I’ve ever rated 5⭐️. So few books live up to the hype, and this one did. Thank you Sarah Adams for this absolute delight. Run, don’t walk, to your nearest independent bookstore and pick up a copy!