Thank you so much to the team over at Dell for this e-ARC and to NetGalley for supplying it to me!

This book single-handedly got me out of a reading slump, and for that, I am forever grateful to Sarah Adams.

This book drops you right into an awful first date that the FMC, Annie, is on… and if you’ve been on a cringey, awkward, overall BAD first date, then you’ll definitely relate to this scene. We quickly learn that Annie is looking for her future husband, but has little to no experience in the dating world. Cue the handsome, bad-boy love interest: Will.

This book is a bit insta-lovey, but I didn’t hate it. There’s really no slow burn here, and it does have one or two fade-to-black scenes, so if you’re looking for a smutty book, this isn’t the one for you. However, I found myself routing for Annie and Will’s relationship, even if Will wasn’t the most well-developed character out there.

My absolute favorite part of this book was Annie’s journey to self discovery. I found myself relating to her a lot in the second half of the book, and I appreciated how she really turned into her own person by the end of it.

Overall, this book was a really strong three-star read for me. A little cheesy, a little quirky, but a fun and easy read.

Check out my TikTok account (@gennysbookclub) for a more thorough review on the book’s release date, May 2!

Why the heck did it take me this long to pick up a Sarah Adams book?! It’s because I’m an idiot that’s why. This book felt like eating a huge cinnamon roll and then snuggling up with a cozy blanket.

I flew through this story. Everything about it was so perfect and sweet. I loved Will and Annie so much. They will forever hold a special place in my heart. I loved how mature their relationship was and how well they communicated to each other. Getting to see how they grew into themselves as individuals and as a couple made the story a hundred times better. And we can all appreciate a sexy man who can cook!

If you love a small town romance and bad boy/good girl main characters then please I’m begging you to pick this up on release day!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a chance to read this beauty before it was released. It’s going on my favorite books of 2023 for sure.

This was perfect.

Annie and Will are perfect. That is all. I absolutely loved everything about book.

I absolutely adored this book. This is my third book by this author, and so far it’s my absolute fave. The characters felt realistic and authentic in their character wounds. I could relate to Annie and I even laughed out loud with her a few times. The banter and flirting between the two main characters had me swooning and laughing. I gave this 4.5 stars only because I like more spice (even though I know there won’t be much spice in the books)

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT brings us back to Rome, Kentucky for another fun, rompy rom-com experience, and this time it's with Annie Walker and one all-to unavailable bodyguard. I loved the set-up for this book and the way that the romance developed from friendship to more in a way that felt natural. So many books these days are billed as "rom coms" but this one truly made me laugh at times, which I appreciated.

Sarah Adams has a knack for making this *spicy* romance loving girl enjoy the softer, closed-door romantic world, and though we get some intimate scenes, I found myself not missing the spice at all.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT is so bad it’s good — kind of.

Sarah Adams introduces us to Annie Walker, a sweet and innocent girl-next-door protagonist, and Will Griffin, devilishly handsome, bad boy extraordinaire. They meet, tailor a type of arrangement where one instructs the other on the ‘art’ of romance, and an entirely predictable storyline ensues.

But the biggest drawback to this is the outdated, ultra-traditional roles our protagonists are typecast into. Between the two MCs alone is an entire trove of stereotypes and relationship characteristics that gives the book an almost late ‘90s kind of feel. And not in a good, nostalgic sort of way.

Case in point: Womanizing Will is, of course, both emotionally unavailable and covered in tattoos, while a, quite literally nicknamed ‘angelic,’ Annie doesn’t wear a lick of makeup, nor does she have the first idea on how to seduce someone. Will is a traveling celebrity bodyguard, while Annie was born and raised in a small-town — where she’s a beloved community member and, you guessed it, flower shop owner. Will has tons of experience in the bedroom, while Annie needs to be “taught” everything. (You catch my drift.)

Is this readable? Yes. (Adams is a talented writer and it shows.) Will you roll your eyes an uncountable number of times over the many *tired* tropes deployed? Almost certainly.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.*

firstly, you’re telling me this had a virgin fmc and the only sex scene we got was a fade to black? that literally should be illegal

anywho… i’m a little on the fence about how i feel. this honestly gave off ‘enchanted’ vibes, like annie and will reminded me soo much of giselle and robert, which i kind of love. annie definitely felt way too ditzy in the beginning for me though. i know she had a whole personality transformation when she realized she wasn’t happy, but even then it was a little too much for me. and will was a classic “i don’t do relationships they bring nothing but pain i’m happy on my own” mc which is lowkey getting old to me 🤧

the storyline was also pretty dragged out in my opinion, i was like really ready for this book to be done with by the end. the whole idea was that will would be “teaching” annie about dating and whatnot and i feel like that was not really emphasized on. there were a couple of scenes and that was it, but it was basically just an excuse for both to be with each other without like actually being with each other. maybe i’m kind of just growing out of the fake dating trope or something but i was just feeling pretty eh about it all. and both characters communicated, which was great, but they were both like so set in what they wanted and what they wanted was completely different so clearly they’d never work out. and neither were really that eager to like… change their wants for the other person. and sometimes i get that, but idk. to me it’s like, if they genuinely wanted to be with each other, they would’ve made it work.

obviously they did in the end, but it wasn’t really a fun journey lmao. i loved all the amelia and noah moments, they are such an adorable couple and i’m so glad their wedding was included in this! that kept me reading lol. i honestly haven’t been too big of a fan of the other sisters, so i’m not too sure if i’ll continue reading their books if they’re published. we’ll see though.

overall, this wasn’t a horrible book despite my mini rant lol. there were definitely some cute and entertaining scenes, but i guess this just isn’t what i was anticipating. which is okay! still really enjoyed my time reading it and i’m so happy i was able to read it early! <3

This book had me in its grip from page one and I loved every moment of it and could not put it down! Easily one of my top romance reads this year! This made me feel every emotion and had me kicking my feet, giggling, and screaming with the romance! I loved Annie and Will! They were great together and had such fun banter and you could feel the chemistry and tension between them! They also both learn to grow with each other and be the best versions of themselves! Also Will was in love from the first page and loved his pov!

Overall I loved this book and do recommend you read it when it comes out Tuesday!

Read if you like…
•fake dating
•opposites attract
•small town romance
•bookish mc
•dual pov

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me with an advanced reader copy of Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams!

I absolutely loved When in Rome, so I was very excited to get back to small-town Rome and be with the quirky, fun-loving characters again.

I loved Annie’s character - she was more introverted, and felt stuck acting like she thought everyone wanted her to act. Her thoughts were so relatable as she went through life and had awkward moments with others. I very much enjoyed her just speaking her mind and how open she could be with Will.

Now, WILL! He was charming, funny, and so slick 😁 I love, love, LOVED how well he communicated his feelings. He has some very big fears when it comes to love, but he never hid them from Annie. Whereas many books will use this fear as a way to cause a conflict, I appreciate that Sarah Adams didn’t let it be the thing that blew everything up.

This was very enjoyable - perfect for people who want a sweet, silly, laugh out loud, small-town romance with charming characters that will just make you feel wholesome afterward. Out May 2nd!

I loved the first novel I read by Sarah Adams (The Cheat Sheet) and this third one still doesn’t disappoint. She’s really growing on me. I once again connected with the characters and I don’t think I ever read a more tender hearted bad boy. Loved him. Loved Annie. (And Mabel and Harriet, and the whole lot.) Loved this book. It also was a treat to see Amelia and Noah again, and I really like that they were active in this story rather than relegated to wallpaper background as you sometimes see in series when their chapter is over. I have a clear picture of who’s next in the series and I’ll be waiting for them!

Of course...Sarah Adam's can do no wrong! What a perfect follow up this was to When in Rome! Loved every second of it!

Amelia is about to marry Noah so her bodyguard Will has come with her to the small town of Rome, where Annie runs the flower shop. There aren't many eligible men in Rome so Annie who is considered boring by friends and others alike is in despair for her romantic life. So of course she decides Will should tutor her on how to be a good date. And Will, the rough looking guy has a heart of gold. This is trope-y as can be but it's a light fun read that should make you smile. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good one for a rainy day.

I have read several books by this author and enjoyed them, but this one was disappointing. This was a definite turn from her usual squeaky clean romcoms. I did not appreciate the the the plentiful profanity that was included. There was also lots of innuendo and intimacy that is not something that I would consider appropriate.

The author is very talented and has a way with words, but this book was not for me.

This book was perfect! I read it in two days! Tough looking man with tattoos who is anti-relationship, but happens to be thoughtful with a soft heart? Yes. Introverted woman who is says she wants stability and a simple life, but gets nervous on dates and would rather conform to a mold than acknowledge she’s so much more? Yes. Him becoming her dating coach? Yes. Sign me up for all of it! The family dynamics in it were also great.

Annie Walker wants to find the perfect man for her. She runs the flower shop in Rome, Kentucky where prospects are limited. Add to it, that folks think she is boring. Her dates are a disaster. She thinks she needs a dating coach and she turn to Will Griffin. Will is a bodyguard for a celebrity that has come to Rome to marry Annie's brother. You can easily guess the outcome of this plot, but you will enjoy the ride.

Read it for the:
-Small town setting
-Good girl/Bad boy trope
-Dating lessons
-he falls first
-previous charater cameos

Content:
Closed door romance
Final Rating: ⅗

Sarah Adams has a talent for creating relatable characters . After When in Rome, I was excited to return to Rome, Kentucky and follow Annie and Wills story.

I liked the chemistry between Annie and Will. They understood each other and it was refreshing to see. Overall this was a light hearted read in terms of plot, and heavy on the chemistry without being explicit.

Unfortunately, this read did not excite me as I had expected. I felt there was no main conflict in the plot, or better said, it was resolved quickly and didn’t allow for that potential angst to settle in. I also felt that the romance leaned more towards the physical side rather than building on the emotional connection they had.

While I may not have enjoyed this book as much as When in Rome, I will continue the series as the rest of Annies siblings and the town of Rome have me wondering what comes next

I am so excited to be back in Rome, Kentucky! When In Rome was such a cute book last year, so I was thrilled when this book popped up. I started reading it earlier today, and just couldn't put it down. I read it in almost one sitting (two!). It's always so nice to be able to see familiar characters in a new book that isn't necessarily a sequel. Small towns, opposites attract, personal growth. I loved this book. This book has everything, and will make a light and wonderful summer read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I appreciate seeing a booktrovert like Annie find her happily ever after! If I had to recommend a fluffy romcom about a flower shop owner, this would probably be the one I recommend. It felt like there were nods to certain moments/characters in other romcoms I’ve read, like getting down in a park (reminded me of Chloe Brown haha) and the fact that she was a flower shop owner lol. Overall, the awkward moments were goofy and relatable and both characters had a lot of angst sheesh!

I would describe it as a quick beach read. Probably not my favorite romcom *ever* but really digestible and safe to recommend to your coworkers without worrying that they’ll judge your smut slutty self because it’s closed door. Or alternatively, I’d recommend this to bbs who are new to romance, so they can appreciate the message of not being ashamed of liking romance :) No one on my bookstagram/book took fam needs that reminder but for newbies!! You’re welcome!

Read this if you enjoy:
Tattooed bodyguards (oh, excuse me.. executive protection agents)
Small town romance
Instalove
Opposites attract
“When you know, you know” moments
Main characters overcoming childhood familial trauma
Forced proximity
Awkward booktroverts out in the wild, struggling on first dates
Closed-door romance lol

I loved this book. My first book I have read by the author. It was so sweet and heartwarming. I loved the main characters and the development they both went through. Not so much a change yourself for someone but rather work through what you actually want. Delightful.

This book is PRECIOUS! We follow Annie who is known as the small towns neighborhood sweetheart as she tries to branch out into the dating world. She finds that she’s pretty socially awkward around men and doesn’t know how to make a date go well. Her best friend helps her out by finding her a dating coach, but the coach ends up being an incredibly gorgeous man. And I think you know how the rest goes……

I cried several times reading this but all happy tears! I love how much I loved the characters and wanted to see Annie fall into head over heels love. I realized a little too late that I never read the previous book, but only spoiled things a little for myself. However, this book was just so cute and heartwarming. I love the small town romances and how it was a little bit of a matchmaker situation happening. I loved how easily the two main characters connected and felt comfortable around each other. It just seemed so perfect to me! I cannot wait to read more by this author……as I’m literally about the start her “When I’m Rome”….