I love Sarah Adams. But I could not get into this book. I wanted to love Annie and will but even the bodyguard romance couldn’t cut it for me. Maybe her next book!

Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams
Rating: 5 stars
Pub Date: 5/2

I swooned my way through this follow-up to When in Rome. This time the story focuses on Noah’s sister, Annie, as she searches for the right guy to settle down and start a family with. After hearing her date call her boring and faking an emergency to get away from her, she realizes she needs a little dating help. And there’s only one person she wants to coach her.

Will Griffin is Amelia Rose’s flirty, smokin’ hot bodyguard, and he is not the settling-down type. But if there’s one person he could see himself falling for, it’s Annie. He agrees to fake-date her and teach her a thing or two about dating, even though he’s secretly falling for her.

I loved being back in Rome, KY, with these lovable characters! There’s something about the quiet, shy, romance-obsessed bookworm ending up with the tattooed bad boy that just makes my heart swell. Their flirty banter, honest and open communication, and sizzling chemistry had me rooting for them from the very first page.

And while there is no explicit sexual content, this book turns up the HEAT! I don’t know how Adams manages to make this book so frickin’ hot, but some moments had me blushing! Will and Annie have a very deep, emotional connection that comes through in every look, touch, and conversation. There were times when it felt like I was listening to two real people, and their tender friends-to-lovers love story made every scene together feel intimate.

I loved everything about this book, including the small-town shenanigans. The townspeople are as nosy as ever, and Noah might even be grumpier than I remember! This book can be read as a standalone, but you should really read When In Rome first because it’s amazing, and it will give the past character’s cameos even more meaning.

Read if you like:
*Opposites attract
*Fake dating/dating lessons
*Bookworm references
*Steamy reads without explicit spice
*Dual POV

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Sarah Adams, and Penguin Random House for my copy to read and review.

Oh, my heart. So, so full after reading this book! I think I've just read my new Sarah Adams favorite. Sweet, tender, funny, emotional, and heartfelt. I loved it so much.

WHAT I LOVED:
• Annie is such an incredible gift to us introverts. I can't even tell you how many times I said, "yes, me too!" or "I can so relate to that!" out loud while reading.
•And Will. What else is there to say except gimmie more of this "stern brunch daddy". 🥵🫠 He has two modes: playful and serious, and I can't get enough of both!
• The banter. The tension. The chemistry!
• When he takes care of her when she's sick 🥹
• The text messages! 🥰
• Yes, this is a closed door romance. But don't let that deter you because this was hot!! 🔥 Chapters 20&21?! 🥵 Get back to me after reading that part. Lol. So good.
• And of course, I loved that we got so much of Noah and Amelia, and the rest of their small town, honestly. Mabel. 🧡

I cannot wait to be back in Rome, Kentucky for the rest of the stories!

Thank you Random House for the ARC.

Well, I finished this in a single day, so clearly Adams is doing something right!

The plot definitely kept me reading more than the writing—there's a lot of telling instead of showing, and some repetition, especially in the beginning. I also think Adams struggled to get into Will's head. His chapters and dialogue don't feel as genuine or natural as Annie's.

ALL of that being said, there's some really witty dialogue and laugh-out-loud writing throughout the story, and I appreciate seeing a character negotiate her sexuality and reputation with such thoughtfulness and care. It was a true pleasure watching Annie come out of her shell and start demanding what she wanted from the world.

There is plenty of sexual tension, but the novel as a whole is relatively closed-door, making this a perfect option for anyone that likes a bit of steam to their romance without getting all the details.

I'll definitely keep an eye out for what else Sarah Adams does!

He falls first + small town + practice dating! 🫶🏼

Annie in searching for her perfect match. But finding her dream husband is proving hard in her small town. Especially with social anxiety & being an introvert.

The perfect idea: practice dating.

Will is temporarily back in town, acting as body guard to Annie’s almost sister-in-law. His one goal in town: stay away from Annie. Until he gets roped into helping her.

Read if you love…
- 🫶🏼dual perspective
- he falls first
- small town
- social anxiety rep
- FMC flower shop owner
- practice dating
- MMC bodyguard for pop star
- opposites attract
- texts on page
- nicknames
- caretaking
- grumpy (him) & sunshine (her)
- no third act breakup
- closed door
- slow burn

THIS FREAKING BOOK! Not shocked at all that Sarah has done it again! Annie & Will are perfection! I loved every single thing about this book & could not put it down! I never wanted it to end!

The mix of tropes is chef’s kiss: practice dating + he falls first especially is a lethal combo.

The caretaking scene. I wanted to re-read it over and over because it was just absolutely impeccable!

The nicknames are top notch. I am always here for an ongoing joke between two MCs and this one did not disappoint as Annie continued to find variations of longer versions of “Will.”

The consistent cameos of Noah & Amelia and the rest of the small Kentucky town, along with alllll of the meddling, had me cackling!

Pals, put this one on your list! And go read When In Rome first, if you haven’t already, because it’ll just make this one so much better!

Trigger warnings: loss of parents, past; grandparent with Alzheimer’s; dysfunctional childhood with emotional abuse & parents divorced

Sarah Adams has done it again. She is one of my absolute favorite authors. This adorable story had me hanging on not wanting to put it down.

I am obsessed with this book. Sweet Annie and tender Will are my new favorite couple. Sarah Adams is the queen of heat and tension with no spice. I loved everything about being back in Rome.

Sarah Adams has done it again! I have fallen head over heels in love with this book. I have never connected or related so much to a character as I have with Annie Walker and I just loved seeing her story unfold in a way that had me awww-ing out loud. And also cackling out loud (I mean, the Little Leagues game, need I say more?) These types of stellar, swoony romances is what has made Sarah Adams one of my favorite authors of all time- she knows how to tell a story and how to tell it well.


Notes for Publisher: Two typos found - "whenWill" (correct to "when Will") on page 84 of 291; "breaks" (correct to "brakes") on page 155 of 291.

In this sequel to When in Rome, we get to return to the sweet little town of Rome, Kentucky and follow along flower-shop owner & town “good girl” Annie as she unwillingly falls for the New Guy in town. He’s rough around the edges, is completely her opposite, and downright wrong for her in every way…or at least it *seems* that way at first.
This reads like a true sequel, revisiting the story of Noah & Amelia and using their upcoming wedding as a story element. As someone who enjoyed When in Rome immensely, it was fun to continue to read what was going on with that OG couple!

I really like the way @sarahadams writes; she has this way of writing the main characters in a way that almost feels like they’re talking TO you as the reader, instead of merely narrating their story.
This book is full of the same witty dialogue & witty banter that fans of Sarah’s have come to love. PLUS, a few very Stars-Hollow-style town meetings that made me just giggle 🤭

Unfortunately, I did feel like I was missing out on a little of the character development for both Annie and Will. I found myself looking for a couple additional elements to their relationship beyond just physical desire. I started seeing it more near the end as they started to open up to each other, but I prefer that as the basis to a relationship instead of just physical attraction.

Thank you to Random House Publishers and NetGalley for the complimentary ebook in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Practice Makes Perfect is my first Sarah Adams book, and of course right off the bat I messed up by not realizing When In Rome takes place first until I was halfway through it.
Aside from that mishap though, I liked the book. The two characters had great chemistry, and really push each other outside of their comfort zones in the best ways.
At the start I actually wasn't sure if I would like it very much, mostly just because I really wasn't a fan of how singularly marriage focused Annie was. But as the story progresses and she comes into herself and realizes what she really wants, I began to like her a lot more.
I also LOVED that she had a love for spicy novels, and Will completely went with it with absolutely no judgement (unlike some).

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell for the gifted copy of this book!

Practice Makes Perfect takes us back to Rome, Kentucky where we met Amelia Rose and Noah Walker in When in Rome. While the books can be read as standalones, you'll want to read them both because you won't get enough of this lil town. In this book, Noah's sister Annie is a florist tired of being the sweet, angelic, super wholesome one seen as predictable and shy. She also wants to find love, but struggles with dating, so she asks Amelia's body guard, Will, for some dating practice since he's got quite some experience. Buuuuut obviously fake dating is hard when you're super into each other.

I absolutely LOVED this book. Will and Annie are clearly made for each other, and I just love when the male love interest sees something in the woman that no one else can see and makes her shine. It also doesn't hurt that he's covered in floral tattoos and absolutely gone for her. The family interaction and whole town setup with the "should these two be allowed in a relationship" was EVERYTHING and made for some really special moments. Sarah also really builds the tension in this book - she's a closed-door romance author, but is so so talented at showing the couple's chemistry without being explicit.

Super highly recommend reading this, and I will anxoiusly be awaiting Madison and Emily's stories. I think that I will ironically really relate to Emily's story since she's a kind-of bossy and particular firstborn - so I'm very interested to see her story arc.

Read if you:
- prefer closed-door romance
- love floral arrangements
- are a lil anxious and shy
- love a guy with tats
- enjoy small-town settings

If I wasn’t already a big Sarah Adams fan, I would have read this on the cover alone. 🤩

Short Synopsis:
Annie has always been the “good girl”, the “sweet girl”, the “angel.” But when tattooed body guard, Will, comes back to town, Annie learns to accept the other side of herself, even if it is different than how her family and the town views her.

My Thoughts:
Oh my heart. I loved this one. I could relate to Annie in so many ways. And Will. Will is a dream.

I have enjoyed every single one of Sarah Adam’s books, and I’m constantly blow away how each book just gets better and better. So much tension. So much love and understanding. So much happiness. It just what my heart needed and I can’t wait for this book to be out in the world for everyone to fall in love with Annie and Will.

It’s officially my favorite Sarah Adams book and I had no idea that was possible after The Cheat Sheet.

Read if You Like:
🦋 Flowers
🦋 Tattoos
🦋 Lots of tension
🦋 Introverts
🦋 Pirate romances

A cute little fake dating romance in a small town with all the hallmarks of a . . . of a Hallmark movie. Sarah Adams writes fun, swoony romances, this one combining a florist with a bodyguard. Part of a series, this story is a quick, simple read.

Oh my god I loved this so much. Will and Annie have my whole heart! Their communication was top tier. This is still a fade to black romance but it’s definitely steamier than Sarah’s other books I have read. Now I want to read a sexy pirate romance 👀

Welcome back to Rome, Kentucky--home of the Walker family, quirky small-town residents, and the temporary resting place for bodyguard (uh, um--I mean, executive protection agent) Will. Whew--Sarah Adams is on fire with this one!

Annie is the youngest of the Walker clan and the sweetest, most saintly one. Will is in town to protect her future superstar sister-in-law, and the attraction sizzles immediately. But I think what I loved the very most about this story is the character growth. Will and Annie both have insecurities and unresolved trauma from their pasts, as well as fears and boxes to escape. I adored how Annie reshapes herself and although she's in her later 20s, she comes-of-age, reconstructing her beliefs and coming into her true self. Honestly, Will does the same. These two are butterflies of the same cocoon.

My second most favorite thing, of course, is the romance. Although this book is a closed door romance, there is a lot of fiery heat and passion that seeps deep throughout the pages. Adams always does a great job of incorporating massive amounts of swoon with heartfelt and sweet moments.

I absolutely ADORE Annie so much but with Will? She's the best and most real version of herself. And we can't forget about how wonderful Will is. Soooo wonderful! There's something magical about small towns that Adams captures perfectly. They dig into your heart and soul and don't let go and when combined with an awesome cast of characters, it's purely a bouquet of perfection.

I can't wait to come back to Rome and get the rest of the sisters stories!

Content: moderate+ language (lots of swears); moderate+ romance (lots of passionate kissing/make outs and a couple of fade-to-black situations)

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*

I just finished reading Practice Makes Perfect and it is the cutest book! I couldn't put it down!

I'm not in Rome, Kentucky but I am just down the road in Bardstown, Kentucky and enjoying this beautiful evening.

Practice Makes Perfect is a friends to lovers, good girl/bad boy in the cutest small town. We met Annie Walker as the youngest sister of Noah in When in Rome and Will as Amelia's bodyguard and this book is 350 pages of amazing chemistry betwee Annie and Will.

I was laughing so hard at the pirate romance books and love that Will helped Annie see what she really wanted in life and not what others expect her to be. This had such great witty banter and sexual chemistry for a mostly closed door book.

This romance was exactly what I needed to read and I can't wait for book three, it sounds like it might be James and Maddie???

Practice Makes Perfect comes out May 2nd.Thanks to Ballantine/Dell for my advanced copy!

I just LOVE Sarah Adams. This is only my second book of hers, and she writes the most heartwarming, feel-good stories. Her books make me have the biggest smiles while reading because I am just so giddy for the characters.

I adored Annie and her introverted self. I adored how she felt comfortable around Will who was, of course, perfect for her. I adored that she eventually “stood up” to her family to break free of the mold they had put in of being the good girl. I adored the whole freaking book 🥰

Small towns settings are the best, and Rome, KY is one of my favorites. The supporting cast will have you wanting to move to Rome to be part of their town.

ᖇEᗩᗪ TᕼIᔕ Iᔕ YOᑌ ᒪIKE:
-Fake Dating/Dating Lessons
-Witty banter
-Dual POV
-Closed door romances but with perfect tension
-the perfect mixture of serious and funny moments

What a sweet romance this was!
Annie was basically the girl next door who loved reading romance novels, especially books involving pirates. Will was a Cinnamon roll hero hidden behind a tough exterior who was head-over-heels for Annie since he met her.

As much as I loved going back to the quirky town of Rome, Kentucky, the romance felt too insta-love and cheesy to me.

<i>Thank you, Netgalley, and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.<i>

Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams
Rome series, book 2
Publication date: May 2nd

Sarah Adams does it again, folks. I loved being back in Rome, Kentucky for Noah’s sister, Annie’s story. This book is a love letter to quiet + “sweet” book lovers and YOU HAVE TO READ IT. Will Griffin in Practice Makes Perfect: *making book readers dreams come true by reading her romance books and reenacting her favorite scenes*.

So many of my favorite things can be found in this book! He takes care of her when she’s sick + they talk to each other like adults + smiling at your book like a fool + dual POV.

This book gave me everything I wanted in every chapter. I never had thoughts that I usually do while reading a romance - “just kiss her!” or “just talk to each other already” - it just HAPPENED. And I loved that.

I’d definitely say this one turns up the heat compared to some of the books in this author’s backlist, but maintains a no-explicit-content policy. I’d describe it as a cracked door or closed door with a window that fades to gray (??) instead of fading all the way to black. It shows you their emotional connection without completely leaving you in the dark. This level of spice is a whole vibe that very possibly doesn’t exist yet in the romance genre and I think that there is a whole chunk of readers who are going to love it.

Perfect for you if you like:
Opposites attract
Good girl falls for the “bad” boy
Small town hilarity

Flower shop owner and a bodyguard! LOVED! They were so cute together! They had their ups and downs and it was a bit frustrating with how against love Will was but when we learned why it made sense. It was sad to see how little her family and friends really knew her but when they did it seemed like they were all very supportive of her!