I think I have an obsession with rom-coms. I have been reading a lot of them recently. They’re such a heartwarming genre and I love that we as a society have moved on from hating them to actually appreciating them. Rent To Be was exactly what I wanted and needed to end a terrible reading slump I was in. I loved the characters. The main character Isla is my new favorite character. I think what I actually appreciated in this novel was the reality of the job market and how sometimes higher education isn’t the answer to all your problems.

Isla is considered a major screw-up. She has an MBA and massive debt. She gets kicked out of her apartment after not being able to pay rent for 3 months. She comes from a family that is all about hard work and not asking for help so she also has that mentality. She tries to spend her time at her bothers apartment while he’s out of town but it turns out her brother’s best friend is also staying there. From the very beginning, we see a lot of tension between Cade (the best friend) and Isla.

What I loved about this book the most is Isla’s humor. I love when characters can make me fall out of bed laughing. Her personality was a lot but it is certain that she holds a lot of love. She stands up for what is right and she cares about the people around her. I enjoyed the writing a lot because it was very engaging and fun. It was captivating and talked about the realities of life after college for a lot of people. I love how real the author depicted this through the characters because it was comforting to read about.

I 100% recommend this because it was a terrific read. This is my first book by Hartl and I’m so excited to read more of her books.

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of Rent to Be!

This book was sugary sweet, cute, fun, and flirty. It was a really good palette cleanser book! I liked the plot and the characters, and I enjoyed it while I was reading it.

But, like sugary things usually do, it didn't leave me fulfilled. I wanted more from the book, which maybe isn't fair given the book is marketed as exactly what it is.

If you're looking for a palette cleanser or something easy to read, I recommend this one! If you're looking for a romance with substance, there are other authors/books I would suggest.

Rating: 3⭐️

Super cute quick read! I semi understand why Isla felt the need to be so independent and not rely on her family for her, but if I was her I would’ve folded SO FAST for Cade. Cade was truly looking out for her best interest and pulled the fake dating scheme out to (in my opinion) just get close to Isla and be able to slightly put some moves on Isla. I love the banter between Cade and Isla and the little peeks into their past that you get sprinkled into the story. The Rainbow Bear memory is my favorite! Ends with an HEA!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Alcove Press for the chance to read a digital copy of #RenttoBe!

The description of this book caught my eye because 1 it was recommended for readers of Tessa Bailey and 2 I love a good rom-com with roommates/neighbors.
Although I did get frustrated with parts of the story - Isla's millennial nightmare hit a little too close to home and the miscommunication between Isla and Cade was sometimes unbearable, I overall really enjoyed the book.

I read this book some months ago and I actually forgot to do a review, but here I am now!!!
First of all, thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

When I found out that I had the opportunity to read this book I was super excited, its synopsis caught my attention and I was waiting to love it.
But, I didn't.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book but I wasn't able to connect with any of the characters :/ I don't know if it's because I read it at a time when I was really busy or because it just wasn't for me.
If you love fake dating and enemies to lovers I think you should give it a chance anyway, although for me, it's a book I'll easily forget.

I read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this book by the author. I've read her previous romance, and definitely enjoyed this one more. There was a lot of character development with Isla, Cade, and even Seb. Neeta, of course, is already perfect ;)
It was more heartfelt than I expected, and there was a lot more backstory with Isla and her parents which made the ending a bit sad. Besides that, the story was fun, hectic, filled with chemistry, and also realistic in relation to money woes.

Thank you to Net Galley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of Rent to Be by Sonia Hartl

Every millennial who exists should read this book. We all can relate to the main character especially during current events recently. I loved this book and I know my patrons will as well.

This was my first book by Sonia Hartl and I can't wait to pick up more books by her.

I requested the book because of fake dating and was not disappointed.

It was a very sweet yet quite serious story with great main characters. It was nice to read a book in which the main character, who is in her early 20s, has not already planned her whole life and knows exactly what she wants, but rather a young woman who is still finding out what is right for her to be happy in life .

I loved Isla as the main character and in generell I really liked all the different characters and how they were portrayed.

In some places a lot happened at once and it seemed a bit much to me, but I still liked the book very much.

I was also very surprised when it suddenly became Spicy, because I hadn't expected it at all.

Thank you for this ARC and the opportunity to read this great book in advance!

I've never read a Sonia Hartl book, but I was missing so much!!
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After being thrown out by her roommates, Isla has got one solution: living in her brother's apartment while he is away. However, what she doesn't expect is seeing Cade, her brother's best friend, living there. They have known each other since they were little and now Isla has to fake date Cade during his work functions to keep her living arrangements secret.
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This book was so funny!! Isla is such an entertaining character and her flaws are mostly due to her relationship with her parents.
The best part of his book is how Isla and Cade tease each other, and there is no boring part because of that!!

The epilogue was so cute!! I also didn't expect to be spicy scenes. There isn't a lot because this is a romcom and they aren't TOO spicy.
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Tropes:
- brother's best friend
- fake dating
- romcom

Thank you NetGalley and Sonia Hartl for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'm going to start this by saying I'm not sure I liked the MC at the beginning, which is usually a major turnoff for me in a romance, but I couldn't put this book down. I was suspicious that she was more at fault in most of her problems than she was admitting to (and I got some confirmation of some of that later) and that she was spinning things to make her seem less like the problem, but I still rooted for her, which in a romance is a VERY hard balance to strike for me, and I loved that I was so conflicted about Isla.

Isla has just been passed up for yet another promotion, in favor of someone who has less seniority and no more qualification than her. She's just been kicked out of her apartment because she's three months behind on rent. And when she gets to her brother's condo (which is supposed to be empty for the next month) she finds her brother's best friend inhabiting the room she'd hoped to crash in. But she doesn't want Cade or her family to know she's in such bad shape, so she spends the night under her desk at work--and in the morning, overhears one of her superiors in need of a housesitting. She's found the solution to her problems: she now has a place to stay, and additional income, on top of that.
For the next month, Isla house sits, and when Cade catches her and discovers what's going on, he strikes a deal with her: he won't tell her family, as long as she poses as his girlfriend at work events so his coworkers will stop trying to find him dates. But it turns out that pretending to date Cade (and having accidentally seen him naked) brings up some very real feelings she's suddenly having a hard time ignoring.

Rent To Be takes a very hard look at debt, and what we're expected by society (and our families) to do to get by--and how we're supposed to never talk about the struggles we're facing. It also provides a great reminder that we never know what's going on in someone else's life, no matter how perfect it may seem from the outside.

by this book because I usually can’t stand a story where the main character can’t seem to get his or her crap together. However, I think one can’t help but feel bad for Isla because she really is trying. Many of us were in the position of student loans, jib that doesn’t pay that well, struggling to make ends meet and living the cheap life of college but as an adult and wondering when things will get better. I didn’t love the development of the love interest berserk I always find it hard to believe no one was aware of it until now when they’ve known each other forever. I also thought the obstacle between them (&there always is one in these romances, of course) was pretty lame. I also can’t say I loved all the steamy scenes, but it was better than some of the junk I’ve read. Getting past those things, I loved her new friendship and the dynamic she was working through with her parents and brother. The book has some good things going for it in general; it was a better read than some of the other romances I have grabbed lately, and I can see the appeal for many. Cute read. FYI adult romance that has the usual love scenes and profanity and what-not

This is a very cute and quick read. Plus it helped me get out my reading slump, so thank god for that! The childhood friends to lovers really hit with this one. Especially, the first time they meet is hilarious. Watching them fall in love was amazing. The only comment I really have is that Isla was all over the place and I thought she already lost her job, but turns out she still had it 😬

Isla’s been kicked out of her apartment with not a penny to her name. Her plan is to stay at her brothers who is out of the country while she sorts her life out. Enter Cade, her brothers best friend who is staying at her brothers whilst his condo is renovated. In order to keep Cade quiet about her not ideal situation Isla agrees to pretend to be his girlfriend to get his work colleagues off his back … well we all know how that usually turns out!

I’m a sucker for a brothers best friend romance and this book didn’t disappoint! It was a super easy and quick read, perfect for that day at the beach or a weekend read!

At first I was worried I was not going to like Isla,
she is a bit woe-is-me but she puts her big girl pants on and (somewhat) gets herself together.

I enjoyed Cade, my only criticism was that it was only one POV and Cade had so much going on that we just weren’t privy too from Isla’s perspective which I felt made the character a little surface level.

The connection between Isla and Cade is evident immediately and I like we got a little insight into their relationship as kids.

Also the nickname - it shouldn’t work but it does!

A fun and quirky read that leaves you wanting more. I really loved the main characters and wanted to know what would happen next.

As a millennial buried in student debt myself, I definitely felt Isla's struggle and the familial conflicts, and I think that is something that many readers will connect with. I appreciated Cade's character, and can draw a line from his upbringing to his professional behaviors. The romantic story will have everyone rooting for a happy ending, and while I don't need spice to make a book enjoyable, I believe many romance readers will love those scenes. My only complaint (and I think this is a general complaint for all trope-heavy romance/rom-coms) is that every this is just a bit overdone, predictable, and uninteresting. I understood the conflict with her family, but what exactly was the romantic conflict? I couldn't quite figure that one out.

Fun, quick read that I'm sure will be enjoyed by many readers.

I had high hopes for Rent to Be as a fake dating trope is at the top of my favorites. However, relating to the characters was difficult for me. Isla and I would just not get along in real life. Cade was adorable but I also felt like there needed to be more talk about his trauma.

Overall a fine read but not my favorite.

I really liked the last Sonia Hartl book that I read, and I think I may have liked this even better. Isla Jane, recent MBA graduate, is having a bad week. Her job sucks, she's not paid a living wage, and she's drowning in so much debt that she is months behind on her rent. She gets home one day to find the locks changed and all of her stuff on the sidewalk. Luckily, her successful older brother Seb is out of the country for work and she can stay at his condo without anyone finding out - especially her parents, who already think she's the loser of the family. Unfortunately, her brother's best friend and her own long time verbal sparring partner Cade is already staying there, and Isla decides to lie about her situation to save face. She lucks her way into a housesitting job for one of the execs at her company, which leads to several weeks staying the homes of various super rich people and not having to worry about her next move. Cade sees her at one of her housesitting gigs because his bosses live next door, and he bargains that he'll keep the secret of her getting kicked out of her apartment if she agrees to be his fake girlfriend at a series of work events. I was impressed with Hartl's ability to blend multiple romance tropes pretty seamlessly - fake dating, brother's best friend, and friends to lovers - and I also appreciated the realistic portrayal of an early to mid 20-something trying to navigate adult life with tons of debt, very few friends, and a less than supportive family. There are some pretty scathing indictments of late capitalism woven into the narrative and it all just worked for me.

Sweet and sexy with the perfect amount of angst. This is the romance for anyone who ever had a crush on their brothers best friend.

It took me a while to warm up to this one. Isla’s life had become such a dumpster fire that it was difficult to relate to, let alone to believe. But I in no way doubted why Cade would love her, or why Neeta would become her friend. Isla May look like a hot mess, but she’s also charismatic and loving. Her parents, however - yeesh. They’re totally to be blamed for starting her dumpster fire. But like all romcoms, we arrived at a great HEA.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.