This book was a BANG! Sarah Adams is one of my favourite authors ever and is the absolute queen of closed-door romances!!!

This book was sweet, funny, charming and entertaining! I can never decide on my favourite Sarah book so it’s a tie between The Enemy, The Cheat Sheet and now Practice Makes Perfect. (If you haven’t read those other beauties then what are you even doing?)

This book follows Annie Walker— an adorable, charming, sweet flower shop owner and Will Griffin— body guard , panty-dropper and my new favourite book boyfriend.

If you’ve read When In Rome then you’ll know all about Noah and Amelia. Will is Amelia’a bodyguard who returns to Rome Kentucky to provide security till their wedding.

Will saves Annie from a super embarrassing date and through Amelia’s insistence, dating expert Will starts giving Annie coaching lessons on how to get through a date perfectly and indirectly; find a suitable husband.

But the no-touching agreement slowly fades away as the chemistry between Will and Annie is unbreakable. Soon enough, dating practice turns into kissing practice and both end up catching feelings they never planned to before.

But one doesn’t believe in love and marriage and staying in one place while the other is ready to settle, get married and start a family. Despite these differences and trying their best to resist each other, will Will and Annie get through their differences or decide they’re not what the other wants? Read to find out!

I completely DEVOURED this book. Reading this book was the only thing I was doing when I was free. I loved the characters, the story, the town, the plot, the EVERYTHING!! This book is one of the best romances out there and I will quiet literally force you to read it 😤💙

So excited for the world to read this book <3 Can’t wait for May!!

I fell in love with Rome, Kentucky in “When in Rome,” so I couldn’t wait to revisit these characters and I was giddy when I began reading this book. I definitely enjoyed this story.
These characters are delightful.Annie and Will each have some internal struggles that cause barriers to the attraction they feel for each other. And our favorite meddling town residents find a way to get involved and some of those scenes made me laugh out loud.
While for me it lacked the sparkle of the first book, overall this was a great read. 4.5 stars.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy,

Where do I even begin. This book was an absolute masterpiece as usual. I laughed so hard I cried, I cried during the more emotional scenes, and I felt every emotion the characters felt. I have never in my life related to a character so much. Annie was me to an absolute T. I felt so seen in every single way possible. The low confidence, perfectionism, taking on everyone else’s burdens, a love for pirate historical romances, being a goody goody my entire life, and desiring for more but feeling afraid to grab it. I mean the list literally went on and on. Now let’s talk about Will. He was chefs kiss. He was kind hearted, helpful, loving, strong, hot, and of course misunderstood. His backstory was heartbreaking, but something relatable for sure. The desire to be perfect in his parents eyes. Hoping if he was the “perfect” son it would make them happy. Put Annie and Will together and the chemistry/sexual tension explodes.

Now let’s talk about the rest of the book. Every character is amazing. I loved Amelia’s character and her crazy antics. I loved her relationship with Annie. Annie’s siblings were all very entertaining. Don’t even get me started on the small town antics and nosy towns people. It was all just absolute perfection and heartwarming. My favorite scene was the Tee Ball scene. I cackled!

If you love fake dating, heartwarming characters, sexual tension, small town vibes, and pirate historical romances definitely check out Practice Makes Perfect.

Holy smokes, Batman. Did I think anything could be better than When In Rome? nope. But you know what Sarah Adams did? She went and wrote a better book. Will Griffin is now the true love of my life. And AnnaBelle Walker is one of the best leads, EVER.
As an enneagram 8, I have a fierce protective spirit, and Sarah wrote Annie in such a way that I would have torn the world apart for her.

Annie is a sweet lil muffin who wants to break free but people call her Angel Annie and they don't think she can handle the "bad boy" the mmc is. And like my enneagram 8 has come to play.

The way she wrote Annie and Will and their desires and fears. Woo. She made Will a safe space for Annie and it reminded me of my husband. And then Sarah was making me chuckle and swoon and I spent maybe 3 chapters crying.

There's a specific scene between Mabel and Will which gives me serious Molly Weasley after the triwizard tournament vibes and I was a hot mess express crying.

Sarah cannot write a bad book. I screamed when I got it. Stopped reading everything else and read this. It was incredible to escape back to Rome, KY. Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Dell. But really, thank you Sarah Adams.

I truly don’t think I can adequately describe how much I loved this book! I received the ARC just this morning, dropped everything to read it, and am currently still swooning over the perfection of this story.

Practice Makes Perfect follows Will and Annie, secondary characters from When In Rome who absolutely deserved their own love story. I related so much to Annie as a fellow sweet, introverted reader and loved seeing her truly blossom and get to know herself better in this story. She and Will are opposites who start off looking for opposite things, but their chemistry and their connection prove to be too great to fight against.

The emotional connections in Sarah Adams’ books always get to me. I was teary through a whole bunch of the end at the sweet bonds between Annie and her siblings, the peeks at Amelia and Noah from When In Rome in present day, and the discussions of grief.

The connection between our main characters was incredibly strong and I loved reading their open and honest communication with each other. The intimacy is mostly closed door, but the chemistry sizzles right off the page.

Their banter is fun, the townspeople are still incredibly entertaining, and man do I love the small town of Rome, Kentucky. I laughed out loud at so many of the interactions with the people in the town. I’ll be waiting impatiently for the next trip back, which I have to believe might center on Madison and a certain best friend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine, Dell for the ARc in exchange for my honest opinion.

After adoring When in Rome, Practice Makes Perfect was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. And it lived up to expectations. Basically, I loved this book so much.

Annie and Will are, on the surface, all opposites-attract vibes. She's a shy, introverted florist and he's an impossibly cool tattooed bodyguard. She wants commitment and he wants anything but. But as they both let down their guards around each other, it turns out that they're both far more complex on the inside than they would let others believe. And their complexities are a perfect match.

Look. I loved the characters. (Annie in particular had some moments that came into my home and called me, specifically out.) I loved the setup (We love seduction lessons.) I loved the town, and the appearances by Amelia and Noah, and the sisters, and the way both characters got to grow and change without leaving their truest selves behind. This is a book about defying your own expectations for yourself and letting go of your fears. And it feels like a great big hug.

Anyway, go read this book.

5/5

Practice Makes Perfect follows Annie and Will, Noah’s sister and Amelia’s bodyguard from When In Rome.

Sarah Adams does it again with this one. Idk how she does it but she gets better and better with every book. The chemistry gets better, the banter, the emotional depth, the intimacy but keeping it closed door. And seeing Noah and Amelia 🥺 I swooned the entire time and I couldn’t get enough of these characters.

And the communication!! Literally there wasn’t an inch of miscommunication. They always communicated and knew where the other stood and I loved that.

Annie has a soft spot in my heart because I can relate to her a lot, and Will is just an angel that needs to be protected at all costs.

I loved being back in Rome, Kentucky and seeing all the characters there and I already can’t wait for the next one 🥹

If you want a book that’s going to make you happy and melt in a puddle because of how sweet it is — preorder this and read it in May when it comes out!!

I’m so honored I got to read it early and I can’t wait for everyone else to 🤍

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Dell Romance, and NetGalley for the earc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved everything about this book. Sarah Adams is one of the best writers that I have ever read from. The cover of this is perfect, the characters sweet and complex, and the small town vibes were wonderful. I don’t have enough wonderful things to say about this little perfect book. I felt like the characters were my friends and family. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

Annie is sweet, angelic, and… hopelessly awkward on dates. She would love nothing more than to settle down with a local man who is ready for a family, but she hasn’t found the right person or gotten past a first date. When her soon to be sister-in-law’s smoking hot, smooth-talking bodyguard, Will, comes back to town, they strike up a plan to fake date. Will has no intention of settling down so they think it’s the perfect plan. Unfortunately, the line between what’s real and what’s fake doesn’t take long to become blurred.

I love Sarah Adams’s books, and this one was no exception. I enjoyed this book even more than the first one! This is the second book in a loosely connected series set in Rome, Kentucky. The small town setting is quirky but fun, similar to Gilmore Girls’ vibes. There are a number of side characters who add to the story and provide that sense of small town found family. Annie is a very relatable and likable main character. Her awkward moments are laugh out loud funny, and you can’t help but smile at some of her antics. Will is a big teddy bear and his backstory makes you root for his happiness. This story will make you smile and leave you eagerly waiting for the next book in the series!

Thank you to Sarah Adams, Random House- Ballantine, and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Sarah Adams always gives me what I want! I loved Annie and Will together. The good girl/bad boy vibes were fun and I appreciated that Will had the bad boy reputation, but made Annie feel so safe. Both characters had a lot of depth and I enjoyed seeing them find out what they really want in life, instead of just what is expected of them. I laughed out loud multiple times and ended up teary eyed a couple times too. If you loved When in Rome, you will love this one too!
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 (fade to black sex scene and lots of sexual tension and build up)
I was provided this free advanced copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

For sure one of my fave romance of the year ! I wanted to read one of her books for so long and this is a good place to start
The couple makes me swoon and how cool is the cover ??

This was my most anticipated book of 2023 and man did it live up to all my expectations! It is my new favorite book and the best yet from Sarah Adams! It just was so fluffy and fun that I literally smiled the whole time reading it! Made my romcom loving heart soar! I laughed out loud at so many different parts! It was perfect on every page and I wouldn’t change a word. I freaking love Annie and Will so much! I am a sucker for heroes with tattoo sleeves and the bad boy look but who us soft and emotional on the inside so I simply fell in love with Will Griffin! As for Annie I related so much to her and loved her story and truth! I just felt like every character in this book was my best friend! And when I say I NEED more of James’s story, I truly mean that! I loved him in When in Rome and loved him so much more in this book! I home the next book features his story!!! I devoured this book! Could NOT put it down! If you love love and want just a fun, light read that makes you smile, this book is for you! I can’t say enough good things about it! Sarah Adams truly has a gift of bringing fun, dynamic characters to life and writing cheesy but unique stories that I just love so much!!

“If I waited until I felt confident to live my life and do the things I want to do, I’d never live.”

This was an absolutely adorable book. I devoured it quickly. It is kind of a second to the book When in Rome. This story is all about Annie, Noah’s sister.

I really enjoyed getting to know Annie. She was on a journey of self discovery throughout the story and I felt like I was there cheering her on. Then there is Will. He has the hard core exterior, but underneath is he so caring and attentive. I mean he even read Annie’s romance novels and didn’t make fun of her over it?! He is truly a gem of a guy. Don’t let the hard exterior and tattoos fool you.

This was a very relatable story. I really enjoy it and recommend it.

Thanks NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and Sarah Adams for the E-Arc! I loved it.

As always, Sarah Adams does no wrong. After reading the first book in the series, I couldn't wait to be taken on the adventures that are Noah's sisters' love stories. Annie's was the perfect place to start!

I truly felt like I understood Annie to her core- both because of the detailed depiction of her- both inside and out- through the words Sarah wrote, and because I related to her immensely! There were times I felt like I was reading about myself (although I am sadly still in search of my own tatted up bodyguard boyfriend, sigh).

Will was the perfect counterpart to Annie. He had a 'rough' exterior (though rough is subjective because I think his exterior was quite the dream), but we were able to learn more about him and could see how soft, sweet, and understanding he truly was when around Annie. They had excellent communication throughout each phase of their relationship too- which is hard to come by in books!

Reading this book simply made me feel giddy- there was the perfect balance between silly and serious. I felt like I had butterflies the whole way through.

I will say that I have noticed Sarah's books are getting a little more 'cracked door' with every new one she releases. I do think this one was the most open of hers that I have read, but I am not complaining!

In my ARC review of When in Rome, I mentioned hoping to see James get his happily ever after right alongside the Walker siblings. I certainly think my wish is coming true! I cannot wait to return to Rome and dive into that love story when the time comes.

Thank you to Randomhouse Publishing Group - Ballantine for continuing to allow me to read early copies of books, and thank you Sarah Adams for being an author! I adore your work.

Can I gush about a book more than I will gush about this one? Annie was the perfect MC. I loved her growth throughout the book. I loved that she took the time to find herself and be true to who she is. I loved Will and the turmoil he was trying to push through. I loved the tension and the romance. This book was SWOONY in the best way. I loved this book so much!

If you were to look up the definition of "goody goody" in the dictionary, you'd find a picture of Annie Walker. Annie has spent her entire life labeled the sweet one, the kind one, or-- much to her embarrassment-- the virginal one. All she wants in life is to find someone who perfectly complements her, but after overhearing her date call her boring, Annie realizes she needs to shake things up to reach her goals. Annie's determined to find the perfect guy to help her practice her flirting and dating skills, and she has just the tutor in mind.

Will Griffin--Amelia's flirty, tattooed bodyguard-- is temporarily back in Rome, Kentucky providing security for Amelia's upcoming wedding to Noah Walker. Aside from his bodyguard duties, Will has one other important job: to stay far away from Annie Walker. Will has spent years building a wall around himself, but something about Annie's sunny disposition causes cracks to form. Despite telling himself to stay away, Will can't say no to Annie and reluctantly agrees to help her with her ridiculous scheme. But it doesn't take long before the line between friends and something more begins to blur.

I loved When in Rome, so I was thrilled to find out Adams was making it into a series. The fact that this has the fake dating trope was icing on the cake. I immediately liked Annie when she was introduced, and I couldn't wait to see her story play out. Like in all of Adams's books, her relationships shine. I adored Annie and Will together. They're so different but complement each other so well. Annie was a bit timid but had a vibrant personality when she was around Will. It was sweet seeing how they brought out the best in one another. Adams also does one of my favorite underrated tropes in here, which is when one of the main characters makes up different names for the other, so instead of calling him "Will," Annie would call him "Wilford" or "Wilson." I don't know why I love it so much, but it makes me giggle every time. I thought this one took a few chapters to find its footing, but overall, I thought it was adorable.

NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group, you, beautiful, poetic, noble-land mermaid!!!
I cherish you forever for providing this ARC for me!

Sarah Adams is an auto-buy author. Period
I don’t even need to know the premise. I just know it SA so done-zo!

As an Audrey Hepburn loving gal who has lived-in small-town Kentucky her whole life, I absolutely love this series!!! I adored When in Rome, but I was on pins and needles to read Annie’s stories.

Practice Makes Perfect has all the makings of a great rom com story
- An honest main character who was relatable
- Fun and open characters you want to cheer on
- Great development
- All the quilts and embroidery
- Hilarious background cast
- Small town hilarity
- All the Nora Ephron vibes!!!!!
- Mabel. Simple as that. She’s my favorite and will always be. She’s a big bowl of biscuit and gravy comfort and I ADORE her.

I loved this story and the raw, reality of life. We all grow up with family baggage and I love how SA wove that within her characters. Will’s story was so honest. It made me think of many of my friends who can relate to his upbringing and fear of allowing himself to love. As for Annie, I RELATE SO MUCH. Her whole life she is being told who she is by other comments and jokes. That happened to me as well in my small town raising. Why people mean well, words matter. I loved seeing her BLOSSOM and BLOOM (see what I did there).

I love love loved this book. Maybe more than the first, but that’s a big maybe!

Friends, read this for a lovely, cozy, small-town story with characters you want to be besties with!!!!!

Sarah Adams is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Practice Makes Perfect had me swooning and smiling on every page! First of all, this book was hilarious. I was rolling laughing at the baseball date scene with Amelia and Will. Annie's interactions with the other characters and her quirkiness had me constantly giggling throughout the book. I adored Annie as a character. She was SO relatable and endearing. It was a joy watching her come out of her shell and grow as a person. Will was the perfect book boyfriend. He was so sensitive and sweet behind that hard exterior. And don't even get me started on Will taking care of Annie when she was sick. Ugh, my heart!!

I felt all the warm and fuzzy feelings while reading Practice Makes Perfect, which is everything you could ask for when reading a romance. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the advanced copy.

I was soooo excited to get another Sarah Adams ARC! This is the second book set in Rome, Kentucky…When in Rome was one of my favorites last year. This book follows Noah’s sister, Annie and Amelia’s bodyguard, Will. Will was very swoon-worthy and I honestly related a lot to Annie. Please go read all of her books. They are just perfect!

“I swear the sunlight hits this woman different than other people. It seeps into her skin, makes her glow.” 🥹

Once again Sarah Adams wrote such a magical book. It was wonderful to be back in Rome, in a silly town where everyone is in everyone’s business all the time. I knew it was going to be good and it was SO MUCH BETTER. I loved being able to see all of the Walker siblings again. They are so involved (maybe a little too involved) with each others lives. And I loved how much they were all in the book but it was still very much Annie’s story; they didn’t overtake the story. I LOVED seeing Noah and Amelia again. I cannot WAIT for Emily and Madison’s stories (I think I’ve got them figured out, or at least I’m hoping I’m right!)

Annie and Will were the very classic good girl/bad guy trope, grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract in every way. And it was PERFECT. Because they were both so soft. They were both holding onto their emotional baggage and just processing it in totally opposite ways. Which meant they were PERFECT for each other.

All Will did was talk about how he didn’t believe in love but was constantly admiring anyone who did. It was sweet. He was so closed off, he didn’t think he could be loved, he never saw a real loving relationship growing up, so he never even tried. But there was something about Annie that opened him up in the scariest way. And it worked out SO WELL.

And Annie…I love her so much. she is known as the town’s sweetheart and nothing else, she never allowed herself to be anything else. after her parents death she never wanted to rock the boat. So she bottled up all of her emotions and never let them out. And now here is Will, allowing her to feel her feelings out loud for the time and it is beautiful.

They were SO GOOD together. They had such good communication. For someone that kept a lot to herself, Annie did such a good boy of keeping things real and honest with Will. And even though Will had a hard time communicating, he did a good job of showing Annie that he was struggling to share and to open up, and she did such a good job of supporting him. And they were FUN together. Will got Annie to get out of her comfort zone, which is exactly what she wanted! She stuck up for herself with her sisters which she never would have done before. I love them so much.

Thank you so much to Random House and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!!