This book!!!

Sarah Adams has always been hit or miss for me but this book was just so cutesy. The banter, and all the moments shared between our main characters - held something so sweet. I love a good enemies to lovers and this just hit the spot completely!! I feel like this book would be an amazing palette cleanser or if you’re looking for a light romance, that’s easy to read and fast paced. Truly a good one!

“You are not alone Emily. I would walk through my worst memories to get to you every single time”

Ugh my heart. 10/10 would recommend!

I will literally read everything that Sarah Adams writes and this was no different. As the third installment in the Rome series, I can absolutely see how much grown that Sarah Adams has had with her books. I love the Emily and her whole personality. I loved her chemistry with Jack, their banter, their interactions - it was all perfection. The only complaint that I have is that reading the third book means that we won’t have many more left of the series. This may have been my favorite of the whole series so far.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell Publishing for the E-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I love love loved this return to Rome! I could really identify with being the sister who feels the need to take care of everyone, and then in turn feels like she can never fall apart. I am glad that our Emily Walker found someone who she would let take care of her and someone that she could show all of her messy pieces to.

4.5 Stars ★

“You think you’re unlovable, but I think I’ve never known how to love until knowing you.”

This was so cute and gave me the perfect amount of comfort that I was looking for!

Beg, Borrow, or Steal is the third installment in the When in Rome series. This easily became my favorite so far with the rivalry at every turn to the friendship and onward to lovers. This is not just a book filled with witty banter, tension, and romance. It delves into heavier topics of grief, depression, and narcissistic parent into a journey of healing. This had me giggling, kicking my feet and feeling downright sad during some moments but loving it all the same.

The story follows Emily and Jack, who have been each other's nemesis since college. A decade later, teaching at the same school they compete with each other over everything until Jack moves away. Suddenly, he is back in town after breaking off his engagement and is now Emily's new neighbor. She tries everything to get him out of town until she needs his help after sending an email mistakingly.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sarah Adams has done it again with Beg, Borrow, or Steal! This enemy-to-lovers romance is an absolute delight from start to finish. The chemistry between the main characters is electric, and their journey from antagonists to lovers is beautifully written and deeply satisfying. Adams’ ability to weave humor, heart, and heat into her narrative makes this book a standout in the romance genre. The witty banter and unexpected twists kept me glued to the pages, and the emotional depth of the characters made their story incredibly engaging. Oh, how I love this series, and I can’t wait for the last book to come out! Leave it to Taylor Swift and Sarah Adams to take care of the eldest daughter. If you love a good enemy-to-lovers trope, this book is a must-read. Highly recommend!

Okay, so I was fully invested in this book, and I did enjoy the back and forth between our main characters. I also love being back in this quirky town. Where this book fell a little short for me was our female main character. I don't know if I just didn't jive with her oldest daughter vibes or the way she reacted to situations, but I did find her a little off-putting. Definitely still a worthwhile read if you liked any of the other books in this series, but not one I would consider a favorite.

There is absolutely nothing that Sarah Adams can write that I will not read. She is an automatic read author for me and I love and adore all her books. I was so anxious to have this sisters story because she carried so much and I think Sarah gave her a beautiful story.

I enjoyed this book. It was cute! Told a lovely enemies to lovers romance plot. I appreciated the way that the characters came together. Some parts were a little corny, but overall, I enjoy Sarah Adam's writing style!

Another great addition to the When in Rome series. Perfect mix of cozy characters you'll love while dealing with topics of grief, narcissistic parenting, and the pressure you can put on yourself for family. I liked that this was a bit spicer for Sarah Adams but still extremely mild like maybe a half pepper in comparison to other books in this genre. Loved reading about the author journey as the characters are writers as well. It is evident that Sarah Adams loves her characters and when you read this book you will too.

I know it's only March, but I'm calling it early: Beg, Borrow, or Steal is my favorite romcom of 2025! I loved it so much I've already reread it. Sarah Adams has created this perfect little universe in Rome, Kentucky. Returning to Rome is like receiving the most comforting hug from a best friend you haven't seen in a while. As with the other books in the series, Beg, Borrow, or Steal is loosely based on an Audrey Hepburn movie and this time, it's one of my favorites - How to Steal a Million. And just like in How to Steal a Million, the chemistry and banter between the main characters in Beg, Borrow, or Steal is perfection! This is my favorite book of the series and I cannot wait for the next installment!

This was such a cute, enemies-to-lovers book! The idea of her as a writer and teacher was fun, but she kept it down to earth. The trope of "I need your help, therefore we fall in love" is a little overdone, and I would have liked a different angle, but overall, I enjoyed this book.

Okay, I could've written this review in January when I read it but I didn't. Here's why:
With this book I really needed time on how I was going to rate it. 4.5? 5? I didn't know. I finally came to the conclusion of 4.75 stars. You're probably asking why not just give it a 5? It's right there. Because this book was literally PERFECTION until I got to the epilogue that gave me NOTHING so out of pure pettiness I took .25 off the rating. SUE ME.

Tropes:
- Small-town romance
- Rivals to lovers
- Neighbors
- 2 Teachers

Anyway, Emily and Jack are so amazing together. I could relate to both characters throughout the story. I, like Emily, am the oldest daughter and like Jack, I have an narcissistic parent (which I feel can be SEVERLY underrepresented in the genre). I loved the banter. I loved the emotions. Truly a masterpiece.

Thank you Random House Publishing for the e-arc!

Sarah Adams has done it again. I really enjoyed this rivals to lovers romance in the small town of Rome, Kentucky. Jack and Emily were adorable. There was heart and humor and it was such a sweet romance. I enjoyed that the characters from the previous books in the series made appearances and that this book dealt with topics of grief and narcissistic parents in a respectful and meaningful way. I hope we get some more books in this series because I have really enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for my honest review!

YES YES YES, a hundred times YES!

I don't know what kind of magic was cooked into this book, but Sarah Adams has me eating out of the palm of her hand.

<i>Beg, Borrow, or Steal</i> is the perfect romantic love story of two enemies to lovers that literally belong together on such a deep level you can't help but be instantly drawn in and surprisingly jealous.

Jack is by far in my top 10 fictional men's list, and one of the few men on that list who is blond, witty, sarcastic, playful, and...perfect? Like, he's just SO GOOD!

Emily I think hits a little too close to home with a lot of her narrative, fears, and personality, which may be why I love this book so much, but she's spunky, witty, and sarcastic...wait I'm just naming off the same things for Jack. SEE? Don't they go perfectly together?

The banter was fantastic, the humor top-notch, the attraction bone-deep, and the very real emotions pulled at the heartstrings.

Not to mention Duckie - do I need a cat?

I think another part of why I love it is that it's a good pace (never felt boring) and that problems get solved and communicated through quickly, which was so nice! And it didn't feel like the story stopped going when it was fixed, it was just another pothole in the road found and filled.

Will I be dreaming of this relationship for the rest of my days? Quite possibly.

*Sigh* I need a Jack. Really, everyone needs a Jack.

Content guide
Contains brief themes of a narcissistic parent, fade-to-black intimate scenes between a couple, and deep healing emotions (like depression and grief).
Spicy: 🌶️ 🌶️ (mentions and conversation, but mostly fade to black)
Language: 🤬 (not much)
Cute Cats: 🐱

This was unexpectedly one of my favorite books in a long time. I have gushed to everyone in my life about how good it is. I want to pack a bag and move to the fictional Rome Kentucky immediately!

I truly felt so seen by this book and I think other oldest daughter, take charge, perfectionist types will be able to relate. I loved how perfectly Emily and Jackson complicated each other. Every emotion and reaction felt so realistic.

The enemies/rivals to friends to lovers trope made everything all the more fun to read. I also lived for the other unexpected tropes thrown in! I don't want to spoil anything, but I felt like I was reading the best of AO3 fan-fiction at times. There were times when I laughed aloud for uncountable minutes, many I spent holding my breath, and a few where I was sobbing along with the characters.

Though this book is a charming and cozy as the rest of the Rome Kentucky series, it felt more grounded and emotional. I loved the quiet introspective moments between Emily and Jackson, as much as the heist scene advertised in the blurb.

I can not wait to read the final book in the series, but I will be sad to close the door on this town and these people.

Thank you NetGalley for this review copy.
Like every book Sarah Adams writes, this one slaps. I thoroughly enjoyed this as much as the rest in this series.

I love all of Sarah Adams’ books but this one I especially loved being back with this family! Feels like a second home and it was so well written! Loved learning more about the characters and such a feel good story!

This book was so cute! I didn't read the series on order but that's okay, I still liked it! I liked getting to know the town and all the characters. I laughed out loud more than once. I would definitely recommend this!

This was a great rom com and probably my favorite from the series! The banter between the characters was great and such a nice slow burn! Jacks character became more lovable as the story progressed!

Such a great funny yet heartwarming read! I would absolutely recommend to my friends!

I really enjoyed seeing the characters progress in this story. The story was well paced and well written. I was hooked from the beginning and devoured it in just a few sittings.