What a treat to get to visit the town and people of Rome, KY, once again. Emily and Jack's story was equally sweet and spicy!

What I loved most about this story was that it was not about finding someone who will tolerate your flaws; it's about finding someone who relates to, sees, and loves all of you, perhaps not despite your quirks and traumas but because of them.

"...She told me to find someone someday who will hug me when I'm sad and then help me look on the bright side of things when all I can see is the dark."

I've long been a fan of Sarah Adams, and her new books will always get bumped to the top of my TBR stack!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/Ballantine/Dell for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a delight. I absolutely loved the characters and the plot. The banter was so good and the enemies-to-lovers was done so well! With Adams still getting a start in spicy scenes, I didn't have very high expectations for that aspect. The tension was very good, but the spice didn't really have a ton of payoff. The book definitely made up for it in other ways, though! Such a fun read, and I can't wait for her next installment in my home state!!!

I loved this book! The theme of depression for one main character and the narcissistic parent on the other are done in a way that isn't too heavy but also is very relatable.

Oh, I am just so happy to be back in Rome!

When I tell you, I literally couldn’t put this book down. The obsession was so real. I was locked into Jack and Emily’s story and couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

It felt like Emily was constantly just taking all the thoughts in my head and saying them out loud which (how dare she) just had me deep in my feels.

This is the kind of rivals to lovers I live for. The banter, the tension, the slow burn…it all makes the payoff so worth it.

This was a love story for eldest daughters so prepare to feel seen!

Absolutely adored this book from the When in Rome series. This is one of my top favorite romance series of all times.

Each book has made me read with such giddiness along with an understanding of real life circumstances. Sarah writes in a way where you can feel seen and understood on a deeper level with the comfort of a close friend. This story is sweet and swoon worthy. Reading the books in this series is like cuddling on the couch with your favorite blanket and a cup of coffee. A million stars for this book and each on in this series!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211164792

A cute and easy to read romance! Emily and Jack hate each other, but isn’t hate just another form of love? This was a truly great “enemies” to friends to lovers. You root for the couple the whole time. This book will be a romance book club staple. It has some pearl gripping moments, but nothing that will make you feel like you need to go to confession. Truly a fun romcom that makes you feel good after reading!!

I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much while reading a book! The playful banter between Jack and Emily was pure gold!

“Just how often do you picture me, Jackson?”
“More than either of us is comfortable with.”

Beg, Borrow, or Steal is hands down my new FAVORITE Sarah Adams book!

Jack and Emily have been rivals since college where they met over a spilled coffee incident and shared much of the same ambition. They pushed each other’s buttons and competed for everything in their field until Jack moved away from the school they taught at mid-year with his fiancé. Now it’s the beginning of Summer and Jack has returned after calling off his wedding and ending his relationship. To Emilys surprise, her college nemesis is now her new neighbor.

Emily is the oldest sibling and after losing their parents, she’s sacrificed everything to love and support her siblings, but in the process closed herself off to anyone else emotionally.

“I happily take on the responsibility of everyone’s burdens because I only ever feel good when I’m being useful to someone.”

Having grown up with a narcissistic father, Jack has learned to read other people, especially Emily and although she drives him absolutely crazy, the more he’s around her the more he comes to understand the heart under all that sass.

Sarah’s ability to blend humor with emotional themes creates a perfectly balanced RomCom.

What you’ll find:
Rivals to lovers
The best banter ever written
Two teachers
Two secret writers
Red cowboy boots
He wears glasses and has tattoos

Romance content: The story is open-door with 2 scenes, but Sarah wrote the book with a closed-door modification, listing the 2 chapters to skip to make it closed-door - and it won’t affect the plot. I love that she took into consideration all readers!!

Pub Date: January 7, 2025

Thank you Dell Romance, Random House Publishing, and Sarah Adams for my #gifted ARC.

Sarah Adams is back with another charming small town romance set in the delightful Rome, KY! I accidentally read this series out of order and absolutely loved Practice Makes Perfect. Unfortunately, this story didn’t hold up to that one in my opinion, but it was still a fun, quick read and there were a few scenes I really loved (two words: scene blocking!). If you’re looking for a cute rivals-to-lovers romance between two teacher who are also secretly writers in a Stars Hollow-esque town, check this book out!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

Sarah Adams has the ability to wrap my heartstrings around characters like no other! This enemies to friends to lovers is so different from other similar tropes. The characters feel like people you know from your home town, the Walker family makes me want to join in on movie nights and Jackson… makes me want to read more thrillers 😉
Something about the way Sarah writes conversations and emotions from her characters (main and side) makes you feel like you know these people. They’re your co-workers, your best friends sister, the owner of your local coffee shop- and you fall in love with each of them.

I can’t wait to get my hands on this physical book and highlight, tab and underline the shit out of it! 🫶🏼

This is the perfect RomCom. Rome, Kentucky is charming with a touch of whimsy, and Emily and Jack are full of wit with the perfect amount of emotional depth to keep you laughing one moment and grabbing for your tissues the next. I genuinely chuckled when I read the bit about Nora Ephron movies, because I was already planning to write in my review that no book has ever managed to capture the feelings my beloved Nora Ephron films give me, but this one did it.

My heart never feels as warm fuzzy as when I get to visit the Walker family, but Emily in particular holds a special place in my heart. To those of you whose life has thrown you some rough punches making it hard to settle in and feel comfortable in your own happiness, this one's for you. Reading about Emily and Jack felt like being wrapped in a warm hug, and I'm better for knowing these characters.

I'm not going to directly quote the book because I truly recommend you go read it yourself, but as Jack said, this story took my feelings to paper in a way I didn't know I needed to read and experience. If you're finding my review before January 2, 2024, The Bookshop Nashville has a signed book preorder campaign with a bookmark and art print. I've already ordered my copy, and you should too.

Thank you to Dell Romance, Random House Publishing, and NetGalley for the arc. I got the approval email on my birthday, and it was the perfect gift!

This is her best book by far! The characters had me so invested, and I read it in a day. I already told all my friends to preorder it!

An absolute cute enemies (turned neighbors) to lovers read! Light spice. This book will have you giggling but overall a bit too cringy and sappy.

Netgalley eARC

Oh, Rome! What a fantastic example of an enemies-to-lovers with a thoughtful setting (Rome, but also schools), some spice but a lot of sweet (and spiky) banter, and a realistic depiction of the internal struggles that come for folks who have a deep desire to write (or create any other kind of art). This is the book I'll be handing folks when they say, "Who is Sarah Adams?"

Ugh Sarah Adams's best book so far. And that's saying something, because I have yet to find a Sarah Adams book that I didn't like. I devoured this book. Emily's struggle with depression and grief is so real and so raw, while mixed with Jack's issues with his narcissistic father and a mother who won't leave him paints a very realistic picture. It's not all fun and filled with joy, but it leaves you feeling hopeful about what may come. 100% recommend this to all readers. Not super spicy, but not closed door either. In the end, all I can say is that I desperately want to move to the Rome, Kentucky in this book!

Beg, Borrow, or Steal was another delightful trip to Rome, Kentucky, this time with eldest daughter Emily Walker, and her nemesis, Jack Bennett.
I loved everything about this story. Sarah Adams balances fun, heartfelt, and deeply emotional moments perfectly. She ratchets up the intensity when you least expect it, and the feels will come out of nowhere and punch you in the gd throat. Emily and Jack suit each other so well, in all the ways that they need and want.
Tearing up while writing this, but it needs to be said: this story shows you that it's OK to let people in, and that you don't have to do it all alone. And to set boundaries because your sanity is important!
Sarah Adams writes the kind of stories that make you cheer for the main characters, and characters that make you feel seen. An absolute treasure!

This book is Sarah Adams's best yet! My prior complaint with her work is that the characters have felt a little childish (they're all in their late 20s or 30s). But in this one, the characters felt more age-appropriate (i.e. the "com" part of rom-com hit a bit more).

Plus the romance itself was better paced and structured. I could see why these two characters hated each other (at first) and grew to love each other (at the end). Definitely a book worth picking up!

I love Sarah Adams. She has a way of writing that just makes me smile and as soon as I could get my hands on this book, I devoured it! I love a good enemy to lover trope and felt like this was handled really well.

Unlike her other books this is not a closed door romance, and I appreciate that she put the spicy chapters in the content warning that gave people the option to read them or not. They are not insanely descriptive or long, but they are there if you are not a spice reader.

Welcome back to Rome, Kentucky and the Walker crew! It was fun to finally get the story of Emily, the eldest sister, the caretaker, the town darling, and the nemesis of one Jackson Bennett. What started ten years ago over spilled coffee on a college campus has evolved into a rivalry for the ages that everyone knows about. When Jack buys the house next door to Emily, she devises a plan to cold shoulder him out of town; however, the more she encounters him in "authentic" situations, the more she realizes that there may be more to him than meets the eye.

I thought it was so fun to see the different ways that Jack and Emily balanced each other out and how they found each other to be the person they could be their true self with. Emily is a very complex character and it was nice to see how Adams wrote her in this novel and dove into the anxiety, depression, and trauma that she hides from everyone around her.

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital advanced copy!

Rivals to lovers! We love to see it. I absolutely love a rivals to lovers trope. I love Sarah’s book so much, this girl cannot write a bad book. I loved Emily and Jack so much. I want to visit the made up town of Rome Kentucky so bad! What a vibe this place is. This series is my favorite! Highly recommend.

Sarah Adams does it again. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book and I am so thankful for the opportunity to have read it! I love this series with my whole heart. Per usual, light on the spice meter but full of the most rom-com worthy romance. I love the way Sarah Adams writes her books. You feel completely immersed in the small town (Rome) and her character development is amazing. This book reminded me of Emily Henry’s Beach Read in the best way. Absolutely loved this book and would recommend it to anyone.