Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams

⭐️: 4.5/5 (rounded to 5 on goodreads, NetGalley & Amazon)

You guys, this was my first book by Sarah Adams and I regret so much not reading the copy of The Cheat Sheet that’s been sitting on my shelf for literally a year! I was seriously in a mood for a cute, fluffy, closed door romcom and this one delivered just that!

This was the cutest book I’ve read all year and I loved every minute of it. It made me laugh, giggle, & cry. I was rooting for these characters so hard. I loved Annie’s slight character development and Will’s growth. They’re abilities to face their traumas and make room for each other was just beautiful! It was so refreshing to have two characters that communicated like actual adults 😂 And the side characters? LOVE THEM ALL! This was so wholesome! Definitely give it a read!

I’m off to read When in Rome which is apparently the first book in this Rome series even though it’s not a series? 😂 I can’t wait for the next book!

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine & Sarah Adams for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

A “just fine” read that brought nothing new to the table in terms of the genre of romance/fake dating, character growth and development, etc. Just like how I felt about When in Rome; it’s really like same book different font. Sarah Adams isn’t a bad writer, but her books just lack oomph.

Will I read her other books set in Rome, KY? Maybe I’m a fool. The cover is the best part of this book.

This is my favorite of all the books from Sarah Adams! It was the perfect combination of heartfelt and swoon-worthy, while still being a sweet, clean read. As someone who grew up as the "perfect angel" in the eyes of all my family and friends, I identified with Annie so much. I loved seeing her energy and spunk come out as Will pulled her out of her shell. This was one of only a handful of books that I've wanted to turn back to page one immediately upon finishing. Go grab this book now!

Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell for the chance to read and review this book prior to release.

First of all, this cover is one of the cutest I've ever seen and what sold me on the book, sorry not sorry. I actually didn't know that this was technically a sequel and it was totally fine as a stand-alone.

Right off the bat, this book was adorable and I really liked the female main character, Annie. She actually seemed down-to-earth and like a normal and nice person I'd want to be friends with (a rare find in rom coms for me, LOL). The male main character, Will was also not annoying (also rare for me)! I loved the dual perspectives!

Cute and fun and very easy to read! You'll fly through this one!

This book will be available for purchase on May 2nd.

*2.5/5
i have read and enjoyed some of the author's past works, and i was really intrigued by the premise of practice makes perfect, but, unfortunately, this book did not stick out to me and fell flat. i do think that it had its cute moments, between the main characters' relationship, and all the shenanigans of the small town happening in the background, and i definitely will read maddie's and emily's books, i just did not feel any particular emotion while reading this.

arc provided by netgalley and random house publishing group- ballantine in exchange for an honest review.

Wow I am absolutely obsessed. I didn't read the first in the series, When in Rome, but I didn't even get 30% of the way through this book before I put a request in at my library for it. I love love loved this. Adams did an incredible job following some tropes and character archetypes while also turning them slightly on their head. Plus Will and Annie are just adorable and communicative and make my heart hurt. I can't wait for the next one, which hopefully will feature a certain sister, but will likely end up rereading this before then!

Thank you NetGalley and Bantam Dell for the early review copy. All opinions are my own!

Sarah writes book that truly make me smile. They're kind and hopeful, playful and feel-good. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT was all of that in spades. Will and Annie's journeys as individuals and as a couple were healthy and mature, and I really loved seeing efforts at clear communication and therapy being championed in this story. I'm beyond delighted I had the chance to early read it.

Content notes: mentions of parental death (past, off page), mentions of toxic parental relationships and dysfunctional childhood (past, off page).

Short synopsis: Back to Rome Kentucky, Noah’s “goodie goodie” sister Annie is the owner of the flower shop. When bad boy Will Griffin (Amelia’s bodyguard) is in town to head off any super fans before the big wedding, Annie and Will make a deal so Annie can “practice” dating.

My thoughts: I loved When in Rome so much, so when this one was coming I had to jump at my chance to read it.

I adored this small town romance, and loved the bad boy persona Will gave off… when in reality he’s a huge softy! Such great “stern brunch daddy” vibes! I enjoyed the growth Annie went through as she learned who she really is and what she really wants in life.

There were many laugh out loud moments, and many sweet sappy moments. Like Will reading her pirate romance, and him taking care of her when she was sick.

I can’t wait to find out whose story we get next! I just adore this small town and all the people in it!

Read if you love:
- Small towns
- Bodyguards with tattoos
- Flowers
- Funny moments
- Exposing your truth
- Intertwined stories

Thank you so much to Dell/Random House and PRH Audio for an early copy of this book! The narration was so well done! Pub date is May 2, 2023.

[POSTED ON GOODREADS: Tora Damian]

IT’S (almost) FINALLY HERE!! For lovers of Rome, Kentucky, this book was the perfect sequel to Sarah Adam’s bright little bubble of a small town 💐💕

I’m so grateful that NetGallery sent me an e-copy arc of this dazzling small-town novel! Anything Sarah Adams is an immediate buy for me <3

Not only are Will and Annie so undeniably perfect for one another, but I loved seeing all of the supporting characters again and again and again (especially Noah and Amelia). I seriously can’t wait until Adams announces the next book in this series because I already know the next pair to get a book is going to be so sweet :) 🥲

As always: 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

https://pin.it/5hYjuUB

I don’t think I can accurately describe how much I loved this book. Annie is a girl so close to my own heart that it’s difficult to leave an objective review. And I don’t think I’m the only person who will relate so painfully to the idea of feeling like you have to act a certain way because it’s what people expect, when when you’re aching to strive for more or different things.

And Will is everything I want in a book boyfriend. His stoicism masks a huge heart, and his tattoos will make you swoon right alongside Annie. It’s an opposites attract story at first, and then, even when they’re still insisting it’s just “dating lessons,” it’s the loveliest story of watching two wonderful characters fall in love. And their chemistry? Off the charts.

Sarah Adams is the queen of writing a steamy moment without explicit open door scenes. It’s a fine balance and she manages to kill it every time. I think it’s a toss up whether people will like this book or it’s predecessor, When In Rome, better. For me, it’s Practice Makes Perfect all the way. I can’t imagine two characters who more perfectly captured my heart in a long, long time.

This book was SO cute!!! I love the town of Rome and the characters from her last book. I loved the tension between Annie and Will as well. I did want a littttttttle bit more in the details when they finally got together but I know that’s not Sarah Adams MO, so thank goodness for the chemistry!!

Thank you NetGalley for earc in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah’s writing just makes my heart smile. I’m not sure of a better way to say that honestly.
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Watching Annie come out of her shell throughout this book was a joy. And the family dynamic is such an amazing addition to these stories.
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And Will…what a great male lead! I haven’t been lucky enough to read When in Rome yet, but I’m gonna hop over the bookstore to get it asap!
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4.5/5🌟

Oh my gosh, I love love love this book! So I will start by saying I'm not usually a fan of romance books without smut, but holy crap this book is perfect without it. First of all, it has many of my favorite tropes the chief one being Fake Dating. I love a good fake dating romance and this one plays it out so incredibly well. The twist of course being that the two who are fake dating not only are already incredibly infatuated with each other but know that the other "isn't the right fit for them" or so they think.

I loved both Annie's and Will's characters. Will's background with his parents hit pretty home for me and I found myself doing some soul-searching while reading this book. And Annie's was a really great story that is near and dear to my heart as well. Annie's growth and journey as she learns to speak up for herself is important. Even though I'm not an introvert by nature, I really empathized with Annie as she struggled to get through the tough moments with her siblings. Dealing with her own grief of her parents as well as her grandmother, and even struggles with how her family and the whole town perceived her as this angelic, small-town sweetheart. I love that she comes into her own throughout the story.

Even though I would have loved to see more of Annie's struggle with her grandmother and the fact that she has Alzheimer's, I felt that this was well done. It would have added another deeper layer and it honestly might have complicated the book more if it went into more detail. But I felt like overall it still played an important part to the story and made a really good impact on Annie's character and where her journey was going to have to progress in terms of grief.

I have yet to read When In Rome, but I will absolutely be hunting it down the next time I'm in a bookstore, because the colorful characters of Rome, Kentucky live in my head now. And I'd really like to read Noah and Ameila's story. Plus... James and Maddie are next right?! I need that book ASAP!

My only regret about this book was not listening to the audio. Sarah’s funny writing would have been perfect for audio for this one. I loved Will and Annie so many. Dang it. I’m getting the audio now, too. 🤣

A list of tropes I love: Small town romance, interconnected series, friends-to-lovers, practice dating. This book has it all! Set in the same world as “When in Rome”, this novel follows Annie, the youngest sister of the MMC in Adams’s previous novel.

While connected to her previous book, “Practice Makes Perfect” can be read as a standalone.

“Angel Annie” has spent her whole life being sweet and making herself as conflict-free as possible. In order to fulfill her own predetermined steps to happiness, she decides the next item to check off her list is to get married. Unfortunately for Annie, she doesn’t have much practice in dating and is in need of a coach.

Enter Will Griffen. Playboy bodyguard (executive protection agent) of her future sister-in-law, and the ideal tutor. The more the two “practice” however, the more Annie realizes she’s tired of being seen as the angelic little sister, and the more Will realizes that maybe he isn’t as opposed to settling down in Rome, Kentucky as he thought.

I loved this book! It was full of tension and build-up, there were cameos from her previous characters, and there was no miscommunication third-act breakup. A win-win-win. Perfect for anyone needing a new comfort romance, or looking for a story about a woman finding her voice.

Listen, I love Sarah Adams. She knows how to write a feel-good romance; she just never misses. And this one is no exception! In her dedication she said that this book was for the softies, and she was RIGHT. Practice Makes Perfect made me feel so many things; it gave me butterflies and made me all kinds of giddy. I loved everything single thing about it. I don’t think that I’ve related to a character more than Annie Walker.

My favorite thing about Sarah’s writing is her ability to make you truly root for the characters. But I don’t just mean rooting for the characters to end up together but rooting for them and what they each want out of life, whether together or separately. I feel like some romances forget about the characters outside of the relationship, but Sarah makes it her mission to fully flesh out her characters and she does it so beautifully. Her books are some of my favorites and I cannot wait to read what she does next.

**My review will be published May 3rd on my sites and socials!**

THIS IS MY NEW FAVORITE.

The Off-Limits Rule has reigned supreme for awhile now. AND HAS BEEN DETHRONED BY THIS GREATNESS. Oh my goodness. I binged this book in a few hours and could not put it down. SARAH ADAMS YOU BEAUTIFUL SOUL. This was an incredible read filled with heart, finding your path, laughter and all the LOVE.

I absolutely adored Will and Annie. They had explosive chemistry from the minute they met. And DUAL POV MAKES ME FERAL. I got everything I could ask for in Will’s POV and seeing his side of the story. What a cinnamon roll. I am not going to recover from his off the charts book boyfriend status. He is next level. He is the goal.

Sweet Annie rang true to my introverted heart and I adored her character. I loved who she was, who she became and everything in between. Another amazing heroine in an Adams book is no surprise.

The way that steam was achieved without the spice sent me. I LOVE BOOKS LIKE THIS. It’s another refrain in the books don’t always have to have explicitness to be magnificent. You won’t miss it for a second because Practice Makes Perfect still packs all the heat.

READ IT Y’ALL.

Audiobook review: LOVED. I adored both narrators and I loved the way they told the story. I felt like I could see the characters and it easily made my reading experience better.

Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: light but strong
- Romance: closed door
- Violence: low
- Trigger/Content Warnings: past death of parents, toxic childhood life

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of Practice Makes Perfect.

I was looking forward to reading this but unfortunately I really did not like it. Full disclosure I did not read the first book. Honestly, I didn't even know it was a sequel. If you liked When In Rome you'll likely love this one. From what I heard it's very similar.

This just wasn't for me. I found all the characters very 2 dimensional and naïve. I absolutely hated all the townsfolk!! Why are they so nosey. I can't, its so unrealistic. They literally hold a townhall meeting to debate if the main characters should be together! Huh!? And it's really weird that a group of 30 year old's have a swear jar, like are you all 12! I hate Annie's sisters! They are completely oblivious that Annie is uncomfortable with their teasing. But, at the same time, Annie is very passive and just let's people walk all over her. I get she's introverted but it just baffles me. And I am the self appointed queen of introverts! I was very close to DNFing a few times.

Anyways... sorry for my rant. I guess if you like Sarah Adams other books, then give this a go. But for me it'll likely be my first and last.

Rating: 4.5
Crying: 2
Laughing: 4

If I had to choose one word to describe this book, it would be tender. I really loved the dedication at the end of this book, it was only the cherry on top of this sweet sweet book.

The tenderhearted sweetie is Will Griffin in a nutshell. On the outside, he seems tough with his fit body and tattoos, and on the inside, he’s sweet, supportive and endearing. I loved him throughout this book, and I think my favorite parts were when he got vulnerable with Mable and his brother. I liked Annie a lot, and I liked witnessing her journey, but I just wish it had happened earlier in her life. From the get go, I wanted to shake her a bit and say “What are you doing, you're in your 30s!!” Although I felt like she was a bit immature, it was nice to see her growth and learning how to take up space in her life.

By the end of the book, I felt all the feels that I normally feel in a Sarah Adams book. There are swoony moments, a lot of heartfelt moments, and I just found myself smiling.

Also, I think that one of the sisters is getting a book next, but I’d like to start the petition now for Mabel to get her own story. I love her so much.

Im going to be honest, I was not in love with When in Rome. I liked it, didn't feel the need to replay all of it as I do with some of Sarah's other books. Practice makes Perfect (the sequel to When in Rome) has been on replay in my head since I finished it (in two days, at 4 in the morning!)
Sarah was able to make us understand how intense someone's mind is, and shows how even the most confident people are insecure. I think the way that Annie truly found herself at the end was beautiful. That epilogue was so perfect. And I love the small town that Rome is!
Will is an amazing amazing human being. He is so gentle with Annie. He keeps her secrets but also has his own that she keeps. The supermarket scene lives rent-free in my head. I loved every minute of it.

The siblings' relationship is so cute and fun. And I will be rereading this in about 2 days. :)
I LOVE SARAH ADAMS AND SHE CAN DO NO WRONG AND SHE IS AMAZING!