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!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Dell.
First things first, Can I move to Rome Kentucky?!!
Second this book has a lot of heart in the best way possible. It also doesn't hurt that the cover is adorable. I loved that the author made healthy communication at the forefront of this book. It is a foundation a lot of romance books lack. For that and many other reasons, Sarah Adams is now on my Auto-buy list! I love that there's more books for me to read. Off to Amazon I go! Pick this book up on May 2nd! Guaranteed good time.

The cover of this book really drew me in, and the story did too. It was a fast, easy read. You get what it says on the tin, "A small-town sweetheart and an emotionally unavailable bad boy" with a fun friends to lovers trope storyline.

Practice Makes Perfect is such a cute, feel-good book. I laughed, cried, smiled like a giddy girl newly in love, and rooted for the couple throughout the entire book. The tension between them was perfect. It was such a fun, light read. It was not full of sex like some romance novels, which for me I loved. This was more about the characters and their back story as well as getting to know one another and falling in love.

5 Stars!!!!!!

I cannot express how much this one means to me. This book was so incredible. I fell asleep reading and woke up at 3:00 am one night, staying up to finish it on my Kindle. It's been 24 hours since I finished this novel and I can't stop thinking about it.

"Angel" Annie and Will are my new favorite couple. Their characterizations were lovely. The way they grow together is so realistic, and their chemistry is fantastic.

Without giving away spoilers, I love how the grand gesture was tailored to her, and he made a big move without compromising her. I don't love the "I bought this house, marry me" that can happen at the end of a quick love story, but this was handled so perfectly.

Thank you Random House Publishing and Net Galley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review of this story.

Absolutely squealing over this couple. I love a man who is so blindly down bad for the girl, and that’s exactly what we get with this story. And I really loved watching Annie come into her own and stand up for herself, her growth (and Will’s) was the depth that this sweet story needed to become spectacular. This will definitely be a read again for me.

"Practice Makes Perfect" by Sarah Adams is a charming friends-to-lovers romance set in the small town of Rome, Kentucky. The story follows Annie Walker, the owner of a local flower shop, as she seeks to become more flirtatious and fun after overhearing a date call her boring. Enter Will Griffin, a gorgeous tattooed bodyguard who reluctantly agrees to help Annie in her quest to find the perfect match.

The chemistry between Annie and Will is palpable from the start, and their banter is both witty and heartwarming. As the two fake a relationship for the benefit of the meddling town, their friendship deepens and the lines between pretend and reality begin to blur.

Adams has created a cast of lovable characters in Rome, and the small-town setting adds to the cozy and feel-good atmosphere of the book. The romance is slow-burning and sweet, with just the right amount of steam to keep things interesting.

Overall, "Practice Makes Perfect" is a delightful and charming read that will leave readers with a smile on their faces. Adams' writing is engaging and her characters are easy to root for, making this book a must-read for fans of the friends-to-lovers trope.

Go read it RIGHT NOW. If you liked the first book, THIS IS EVEN BETTER! Hot bodyguard falling in love with the town’s sweetheart and fake dating. I mean it gave me all the feels! It’s a super cute small town Romance that is a fast read!

4.5/5 - This book was a very light-hearted read. I liked the characters, the story line was great, and I found myself smiling and laughing at some of the scenes in the book. I would definitely recommend if you are in the mood for a closed door romance.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆: 
- Bodyguard x Flower Shop Owner
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Good Girl x Bad Boy
- Tattooed Men
- Dual POV
- He falls for her first

Sarah Adams has once again written an unbelievably cute and steamy semi-closed door romance. There might not be any spice but boy is the tension there and you can just FEEL IT.

Will is the 'bad boy' who doesn't do relationships and Annie is the small town sweetheart (and closeted historical romance lover) who wants nothing more than to get married and have kids. Or is that just what she feels is expected of her?

Will might come off as the bad boy but he is just a cinnamon roll hero underneath all the tattoos. I loved the dynamic between Will and Annie and they openly communicated. Top tier couple for sure.

Once again, all your favorite characters from When In Rome make an appearance with a healthy dose of Amelia and Noah. There are always laugh out loud moments when you're in Rome, Kentucky.

I describe this as a semi-closed door romance because there are no graphic details of what is happening but you're still in the room and in their heads so it's not really fade to black.

Rating: 4 ⭐️

Practice Makes Perfect was a charming and amusing read.

While, this is a standalone it does follow after When In Rome. I would recommend just reading that book first for a better reading experience.

It is dual POVs of the main characters, Annie and Will, and there are some great tropes like, opposites attract, practice dating, and a friends to lovers romance.

The overall storyline was quite enjoyable, a bit cheesy at times but still entertaining. There were some sweet and heartfelt moments as well. One of my favorite aspects was definitely all the side characters and the town’s meddling.

I will say though, there was quite a bit of repetitive dialogue and the constant back and forth between Annie and Will did get quite annoying as well.

Annie’s personal growth throughout the story was amazing though. I loved how she was able to be honest with her family and herself. While, Will’s character growth felt a bit rushed, I did like his constant and open communication. I would have liked for his family history to have been a bit more discussed with his brother though.

The relationship between Annie and Will was honestly so adorable. I loved their connection and banter. They also had one of my favorite tropes, which is when the hero takes care of the heroine when their sick. This was a closed door spice but still fun.

There really wasn’t a third act conflict, which I appreciated but the ending did feel a tad rushed. The epilogue was really sweet though.

Overall, just a fun and lighthearted read.

**ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.**

I love 🥹 reading Sarah Adams books releases happy chemicals in my brain and my heart. This has easily become a favorite series of mine.

Back in Rome Kentucky innocent sweet Annie wants to find the one and settle down. However her social anxiety makes dating awkward. Will is flirtatious, charming and doesn’t do feelings or commitment making him the perfect dating tutor. Will ( Amelia’s tattooed and gorgeous bodyguard) agrees to teach Annie how to date and ends up leaning some things about himself along the way.

Sarah Adam’s has done it again. I knew from the first page that I was going to love this book. I was so surprised how much i related to Annie. This feel good romance made me swoon and laugh out loud. While it’s a great romcom the author also dealt with some heavy subjects very well. It added depth to the characters and their love story without bringing the over all tone of the book down. Annie made me laugh, Will made me swoon and together they made me fall in love w their story. For a closed door romance book the tension and chemistry between them was 🔥🔥🔥. If your looking for a sizzling feel good romance book this is the one for you!

Thank you Netgalley for the e-Arc!
Publish date: 5/2/23