My favorite Sarah Adam’s book to date!!
When I saw that this was book three of the “when in Rome” series I was excited but when I saw it was a rivals-to-lovers that have to team up together I was squealing!! I related to our FMC Emily so much in this book, I cried, laughed and loved during this hole book and I’m definitely going to read it again!

This third book in the When in Rome series centers around Emily Walker who is native to Rome, Kentucky. The excellent writing lets the reader experience this rivals-to-lovers small town romance as part of the series or as a standalone. When Emily hears the news that her archenemies called off his engagement and moved back into town she has mixed feelings that she hasn’t quite fully grasped yet. As the two get closer and reveal their inner secrets they realize that their rivalry was all based on attraction.

I am addicted to this Sarah Adams’ series set in Rome, Kentucky. They all read as stand-alones, so you can start with any. This latest in the series centers on two characters who have feuded since college and teach second grade in a small town’s elementary school. The banter and emails between the two are hilarious. This is definitely a rom com, but there are backstories that deal with some serious subjects. However, that just makes their journeys more interesting. Both main characters are kind and good-hearted people, even though they prank each other and cause each other distress. Still, we root for them all along the way. And, how can you not love sisters who have sister nights watching Audrey Hepburn movies?

So far, I have not read a Sarah Adams book that I’d did not love, and Beg, Borrow, or Steal is no exception.

Omg thank you so much for the E-ARC! I loved emily & jack so much. Their rivalry was written so well & we all know I’m a sucker for a second chance- this one was very well done!!

Thank you for the opportunity to review! I really enjoyed this continuation of the series, and felt like it did a great job of carrying the characters through their arcs. The town reactions felt authentic and it was a lovely family story.

Loved this next book in this series. The characters were so much fun. I also loved the relationship between the 4 sisters, probably because I have 3 sisters. LOL. I highly recommend this book and series. Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy. #BegBorroworSteal # NetGalley

This may be my favorite book in the series, and I thought Practice Makes Perfect would never be topped. I absolutely devoured this - in one sitting.

These two characters are simply perfect and perfect for each other. They match each other and compliment each other, and they have you feeling personally invested from the start.

This book seemed to be much lower spice level than PMP, and yet I have no complaints. It’s flirty and emotional and sweet.

This was everything that I was looking for from this type of book. The romance element worked well overall and was engaged with everything that I wanted. I thought the characters worked well overall and was hooked from the first page. Sarah Adams has a strong writing style and was glad everything worked together. I loved the teacher element and that it was rivals to lovers.

I AM IN LOVE!!! Sarah Adams delivered once again and I COULD NOT be anymore grateful. I am seriously debating hopping on a plane to Rome, Kentucky and trying to find my own swoons male love interest...

I adore every book Sarah Adams writes. I was so excited to get the ARC for the third installment in the “When in Rome” series. Emily and Jack’s story is more than just a romcom. It deals with some important topics that help dig into why each of them are the way they are. Adams effortlessly balances the romcom energy with the more serious topics. I appreciate she gives a heads up to the reader at the beginning of the book with parts they might want to skip depending on their preferences.

The only thing better than the banter between Emily and Jack, were the scenes that included Emily‘s family from the two previous book. The pancake scene with Amelia was so easy to imagine and it made me laugh out loud. I am split between needing the final book in the series so that I can have Maddie’s story, and not wanting the book to be released because that means the series is over.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I absolutely loved Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams! This is the third book in the When in Rome series. This book follows Emily and Jackson as their relationship changes from enemies to lovers. I have always enjoyed a good enemies to lovers story line and this one did not disappoint. Their banter was fun to read, and I even found myself laughing out loud at times. I enjoyed returning to the small town, Rome, and seeing other characters from the series. (I highly recommend that readers start the series with the first two books!)

I am already looking forward to reading the next book in this series!

Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams!

Welcome back to Rome, Kentucky - It’s time for Emily Walker’s story. An aspiring romance writer, Emily is a teacher but has been secretly writing her first romance novel. Her teacher rival, Jack Bennett, returns to town and ends up as her neighbor. Little does she know, Jack has a successful writing career under a pen name. When she mistakenly sends her manuscript to the school principal, despite their history she knows that she can count on Jack to help her get it back.

You will love this return to Rome, which is rich with our favorite characters, from the family to members of the town. Emily and Jack have such a great dynamic, as nemeses, friends, and lovers. Beyond the plot to steal back Emily’s manuscript, there is so much story playing out that will keep you engaged to the point where you will not want to put this one down. Sarah Adams does such a wonderful job building out the personalities of her characters and it has made this When in Rome series so relatable.

If you love a good frenemies/rivals to lovers and forced proximity this is a story to check out. Especially for forced proximity lovers, welcome, this is the story for you!! There is layer upon layer of forced proximity - coworkers, neighbors, and partners to steal back the manuscript.

I NEED Madison and James’s book!!!!

I knew I was going to love this story from the moment I read the dedication. Emily Walker is like looking into the mirror and wanting so hard ignore the glaring resemblance. I adored this story. Rome, Kentucky has tucked itself into my heart from the onset. It’s lovely getting to read the Walker siblings find true love and happiness and healing.

Honestly, this book was amazing for so many different reasons. I really liked Emily and Jack’s character development. I felt like you could really feel their motivations and my favorite part had to be their conversation about Emily’s characters and their motivations. It was very meta!

I really appreciated the rawness of their feelings too. From the get-go their banter is so top tier, but as you dig into those very complicated feelings they’ve both been pushing to the side you start to see so many facets to their characters. For the first time I really loved Emily as a character. I like how we pulled back the curtain to her feelings and looked at her past hurt as the guiding force on top of their perfectionist need. It was just very well done.


The ending was sweet and I loved that these two made it to this point. The lack of the third act breakup is a nice refresh but I would say that I’m shocked in this case the most because these two have a lot of work to do together, but not a deterrent. Overall, I loved this book and I swear if Maddie and James don’t end up together I’m going to be massively sad. I’m not sure I’m ready for the last Rome book but I’m eagerly awaiting it.

I read When in Rome and Practice Makes Perfect and really enjoyed them. I was so excited to get to read an advanced copy of this new book. I was already familiar with Emily's sisters and brother so it was comforting to get an update on them in this book. The siblings relationships are so loving and warm. I'm kind of jealous of their close connections. It was such a joy to read this enemies to lovers novel. I love the depth and the background on Emily and Jack. It just made the characters so relatable and realistic. I really enjoyed reading this and highly recommend if you are looking for something to curl up with and lift your mood.

**Review of *Beg, Borrow, or Steal* by Sarah Adams**

*Beg, Borrow, or Steal* by Sarah Adams is an absolute gem of a romantic comedy! This delightful story brings together Emily Walker and her legendary nemesis, Jack Bennett, in a hilarious and unexpected way. Emily, a romance writer with a penchant for crafting perfect heroes, finds her world turned upside down when Jack returns to their small town after calling off his engagement.

Their chemistry is electric from the start, and the playful animosity between them keeps the pages turning. Emily's attempts to sabotage Jack’s return only add fuel to their fiery interactions, making for some laugh-out-loud moments. When Emily accidentally sends a revealing email to their principal, her secret literary life hangs in the balance, and she reluctantly turns to Jack for help. The tension and banter that ensue are both entertaining and endearing!

Adams does a fantastic job of building their relationship, showing how their rivalry can transform into something deeper and more meaningful. The small-town setting adds a cozy charm, and the dynamic between the characters is a perfect blend of humor and romance. You can't help but root for them as they navigate their unexpected alliance and the steamy twists that come along with it.

Overall, *Beg, Borrow, or Steal* is a fun, witty read that will leave you smiling long after you turn the last page. If you’re in the mood for a lighthearted romance filled with clever banter, this book is a must-add to your TBR list! Sarah Adams has truly created a delightful story that you won’t want to miss!

I have read every Sarah Adams book and this one did not disappoint! I love all the books in the Rome series but this one may have been my favorite. It had a bit more spice than her normal writing which flowed so naturally and was written so well. Highly recommend reading it! Please make more books ASAP Sarah!

Spice: 🌶️🌶️ (2 out of 5)

This is an absolutely perfect rom-com that I flew through in 3 days. It’s laugh out loud funny, heartfelt, and HAPPY. Sarah Adams is the queen of happy reads. Even though the characters deal with trauma, loneliness, and grief, there is so much joy permeating the whole thing. I also love how creative her books are. The crazy shenanigans these characters get up to are just so unexpected and fun!!

I was hooked from the beginning - the rivalry plus the obvious attraction (that they’re hardcore in denial of) was like a lit stick of dynamite and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for it to explode. Emily and Jack were both so relatable and feel like real people I could be friends with. I also loved both Emily and Jack’s passion for teaching and empathy towards the kids. They both have a secret they’re hiding - the sense of anticipation in this book is off the charts!!

The town of Rome, Kentucky is definitely a character. You NEED to read the first 2 books in the series (When In Rome and Practice Makes Perfect) before you start this one. There are cute cameos of Amelia and Noah, and Annie and Will, plus foreshadowing to Maddie’s story!👀 The town’s reaction to Jackson’s arrival was hilarious because it was the opposite of a hallmark movie. 😂

Sarah Adams books are lighthearted while still having depth, and BBS is no exception. However, I feel like this one is a bit more grief-heavy than her others. Emily is really going THROUGH IT - grief from loss of a loved one, plus the loneliness of feeling like her siblings don’t need her anymore. Jackson also deals with a pretty intense traumatic family dynamic. I really loved seeing how these experiences shaped both of them, left them with walls up, yet they were still able to begin to heal together.

Spice warning: one short open-door scene. There are a couple of other steamy scenes too. Sarah provides a content warning at the beginning which includes which pages to skip for closed-door readers. (Love this!! Wish more authors would include!)

I loved this so much that I'm going to preorder a copy! It's so good, I don't know where to start first: the rivalry to romance, the big sister rep, a man with actual backstory. How about Sarah Adams incredible gift of writing the small moments in a way that gives you big feelings? (think of the Mr Darcy hand-flex scene and times it by a thousand).

Emily is everyone's go-to girl to get the job done. She's the eldest daughter and pseudo mother of her orphaned siblings. But no one has written an older-sister story quite like this. Emily is constantly noting the similarities and differences between them, maybe like a mother would and like I definitely have with my own siblings. She's their biggest champion but she's struggling because encouraging them to chase their dreams means allowing them to leave her behind. Rather than reach out for help, she's drowning alone.

Not that anyone notices because Emily is not the mild, down-to-earth school teacher you might expect. She's firey! And though she tries to keep it herself, all bets are off when it comes to her nemesis Jackson. He's the other second grade teacher and the two have been battling side by side since college. Pursuing the same degree, applying for the same jobs, fighting for the same coffee nook. And just when they thought the competition was at it's end, Jackson calls off his wedding and returns to Rome... permanently!

The timing of the story is perfect because their rivalry has been going on for years but you catch them right at the tipping point. When both of them realize that maybe this competitiveness is more bonding than animosity. They each have moments of vulnerability that lead to an eventual truce. And secrets they'd rather not share. This is what I would wish for as my own love story. Jack and Emily are the best kind of push-and-pull. There's a little hot neighbor next door, drunken confessions, hidden identity, motorcycle flirting and small town meddling. But the romantic relationship really outshines any single trope. I loved it so much!

SARAH ADAMS DOES IT AGAIN!!
I am so utterly and completely obsessed with this series and Sarah Adams never fails to make me love it even more. I will always be (un)patiently waiting until the next one

4/5⭐

SARAH ADAMS DOES IT AGAIN.

This story had immense amount of heart in it. Rather than being just a cutie romance, it had deep themes.

This is a book for the oldest daughters.
This is a book for those who feel like they have to carry everyone else's weight on their shoulders.
This is a book for the children who had to carry their parents relationship on their backs.
This is a story written for people that need someone to tell them they don't have to carry everyone else's burdens. That they are enough. That they can rest without feeling like the world is going to fall apart without them.

JACKSON BENNET is a new book boyfriend. Just you wait. I can't say much but his hobbies, his banter, they way he treasures Emily, the GLASSES. I adore this man so much.

The story unfolded in a beautiful way. Emily and Jack slowly transition from rivals to lovers in such a satisfying way and their COMMUNICATION WAS UNMATCHED.

I love every single Walker sibling so much and that pancake scene was perfection.

I will say that Sarah once again made this one open door with 'modifications'. In my opinion, some scenes that were not listed in that list were still too much, and I skimmed through the open door scenes because they talked about important character growth moments which I found frustrating. And there were a few other scenes that I just didn't get why they needed to be there? Like a random scene when Emily hands Jack her pen and he smokes? And another almost-chapter long scene talking about how they don't go to church/how their church's in their town is a mix of religions/denominations. Those both really bothered me because they were not necessary to the plot or the story and felt very strange.

Overall this was such a cute story that had me both crying and giggling. But I don't think it is my favorite Sarah Adams book.
I cannot WAIT for James and Madison's book!!

Thank you NetGalley, Dell Romance, and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!!