Teacher coworkers and sworn enemies, Emily and Jack, grow closer when Jack moves back to Rome, Kentucky, and they both consider that maybe their contentious feelings have morphed into romantic ones.

This book absolutely stole my heart. I love the When in Rome series, and I think this might be my favorite one! Emily was such a relatable fmc, and I especially loved her as the oldest sibling who always feels the need to look out for everyone else in the family. Emily’s vulnerability and honesty and character growth throughout the book were amazing to watch unfold, and I felt so connected to her character.

Jack was so swoonworthy, and I absolutely adored the chemistry and banter. Jack’s flirtatious comments and the way he was able to tune in to Emily’s feelings were incredibly romantic and had me flipping the pages as fast as I could to devour the romance.

These two fit together so easily and their relationship was so mature. I loved the communication!! Absolutely recommend, and I think if you’ve liked the other connected novels, you’re going to LOVE this one.

The perfect enemies to lovers rom-com! It has Sarah Adam's trademark fantastic banter and hilarious dialogue. I was rooting for Emily and Jackson immediately.

Sarah does it again!! Absolutely love this series so much. Emily and Jack were so great and I absolutely love Rome, Kentucky; I wish I could visit this made up town! Sarah is truly one of my favorite authors, not only are her books hilarious but so heartwarming.

Wow, this book absolutely lived up to the hype. Being back in Rome, Kentucky with all these characters was a big warm hug, and getting to see Emily and Jack fall in love was so so fun! They start out as rivals in college, and their banter and bickering throughout all those stories was top notch! They both have hidden so much of themselves from each other in the name of “not liking each other” but once they finally start letting their walls down, it’s really beautiful to see them become one another’s confidant, friend and eventually more. 10/10 recommend, but please please read the first 2 books before reading this, the glimpses and sneak peeks into the lives of the first 2 couples are so sweet and made this book an absolute joy to read!

I don’t know what kind of magic Sarah Adams puts in her books, but I can’t get enough of them. I am always torn with wanting to speed through her books to see what happens, while also wanting to go slow and savor every moment, hoping it will never end. Beg, Borrow, or Steal is no exception. A wonderfully charming enemies to lovers, small town romance full of sweet moments between siblings, quirky small-town people, tender emotions, witty dialogue and steamy chemistry. Rome might just be the sweetest small town of all time.

This book gives us Emily’s story, second born of the Walker siblings, but the oldest sister she has always been the caretaker of the family, and suddenly she finds herself in a new situation. No one needs her, Noah had Amelia, Annie has Will and Maddie has moved to NY for culinary school. She is all alone, sadly even getting the most snugly kitten doesn’t cure her loneliness. Then who moves back to town, to the house right next door? Her nemesis Jack! The guy who spilled his coffee on her their first day of college, the guy who got the student teaching job she wanted in HER town, the guy who is also a second-grade teacher like her, the guy who seems to charm everyone, the guy she hates.

When Emily drunkenly sends an email to the wrong person one night, Jack is who she runs to for help. As they spend more time together, it becomes clear that they might not actually hate each other after all. They both had secrets and past hurts they needed to overcome if they are going to make a relationship work. So, the question is where they willing to risk the possible failure to make it happen?

This book was an absolute delight to read, I smiled, giggled and swooned through the whole thing. As much as I don’t want our time in Rome to end, after this I can’t wait for Madison's book!

This was my first Sarah Adam’s book and I absolutely loved it. Sarah’s humor had me cackling throughout this whole story. I love a good enemy to lovers storyline- especially when you can tell there are other feelings involved from both sides. Reading Emily & Jack’s love story was like being wrapped in a warm blanket. I couldn’t wait to pick it back up again. Now I’m going back to read Sarah’s backlist!

The third installment of the When in Rome series did not disappoint. Love that we get to follow Emily the oldest sister this time. The banter is so good between her and Jack. Also, the build-up of the relationship between them is great. Love the continuing small-town vibe and the summer vibes. The heavy topics were covered well and were very relatable. Now we just need Maggie's story. Can't wait.

I'm a huge fan of Sarah Adams so I don't say it lightly that I think this is truly her best book. In Beg, Borrow, or Steal, she returns to Rome, Kentucky for the oldest sister, Emily's story. Emily is the one who has always taken care of her brother and sisters, since their parents were killed when they were young. She's the one who comforts them, solves their problems, helps out, etc. but between her parents and a heartbreak when she was graduating high school, she doesn't let anyone get too close. Jack met Emily on the first day of college, spilled coffee on her and then hit on her, which started a war between the two of them even though it's been several years and they're both adults and teachers. Jack moved away but is back and living next door to Emily....and Emily's discovering that she doesn't hate Jack nearly as much as she thought she did. The real question is if she can trust enough to let Jack in. This was so well done and I thought Emily's history and emotional trauma were really handled with care. The only thing I'm bummed about having read the ARC is that it won't be new to me when it comes out in January! A must read!

This is the third book in the When in Rome series. Emily and Jack's story of enemies to lovers is endearing. I love this troupe and also this series. Sarah Adams' books never disappoint me and are a joy to read. I highly recommend this series and this book.

My new favorite Sarah Adams book! I absolutely adored this installment of the When in Rome series.

Sarah Adams wrote the "perfect" BookTok boyfriend: tall, tattooed, rides a motorcycle, secretly in love with her the whole time. and compassionate. Jackson "Jack" and Emily have such a fun banter and dynamic. They are able to challenge each other and admit when they are wrong all while coming to terms with their childhood trauma. I loved seeing how they show up for one another during challenges and develop an emotional connection.

A truly fun and light hearted read with the right mix of our favorite characters from the first two books. Excellent set up for the final book in the When in Rome series.

I also loved that Sarah Adams included a note at the beginning of the novel indicating which chapters include intimacy scenes (25 and 32) so that you can be skipped to modify the story to "closed-door" romance.

🌶:3/ 10 on the Show and Tell Book Nook scale when including chapters 25 and 32

Thank you to Dell (Penguin Random House) and Netgalley for a review copy of this novel. I will update the review with favorite quotes after publication.

Will post review on GoodReads, TikTok, Youtube, Blog publication week.

I squealed with glee when Beg, Borrow or Steal hit my inbox. The third book in the When In Rome series takes readers back to small-town Rome, Kentucky, to hang with Emily Walker.

Everything in Emily’s life is carefully crafted. She’s the one her siblings turn to for safety and support, and her meticulousness makes her one of the best elementary school teachers. But when her nemesis and former colleague, Jack Bennett returns to town – and right next door to be exact – Emily’s life is upended.

Jack is eager to be back in Rome. He left mid-school year for Nebraska with his fiancée, but things didn’t work out, so he’s back and ready to pick up where his life left off. And that, surprisingly, involves developing an unlikely alliance with Emily. Could their rivalry end? Or could it lead to a steamy plot twist they never saw coming?

I really enjoyed seeing Emily’s vulnerability throughout the book. The gentleness that Jack offered to her was so swoony, and I loved that Emily was able to be her own person, even when it felt like she was too much for everyone. Not Jack. He embraced every inch of who she is, and I was here for all of it. Sarah is a master at her craft, with top notch banter, laugh-out-loud situations and sincere honesty. I think we could all use a little more men like Jack in our lives.

Sarah is definitely setting us up for a fourth installment of the series and I cannot wait! I’m hoping for a long-lost Walker child to be discovered in the next book so that we can have more fun in Rome. A girl can dream, right?!

Thank you to Sarah Adams, Ballantine (Random House), and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of the book for an honest review.

I love reading Sarah Adam's When In Rome series when I'm in Kentucky, so I read a highly anticipated 2025 book a few weeks ago on a trip to Kentucky (unfortunately nowhere near Rome). These books are just such a delight to read and Beg, Borrow, or Steal was such a fun enemies to lovers in a town I just adore. 

Emily and Jack were such a fun couple to root for - I loved the banter and how they both kept their writing secret for different reasons. I love seeing what all of the siblings are up to and of course Mabel. Plus the oldest sister energy. 

If you haven't read the first two books, you need to before January 7th so you can fall in love with Rome, Kentucky and these amazing books!

Beg Borrow or Steal tackles the question a lot of women ask themselves--am I too much to be loved?

Back in Rome, Kentucky for book 3, we pivot our attention to Emily, the eldest sister of the family. After her parents died at a young age, she has taken on the role of "fixer" and pseudo-parent. Now that their grandmother has passed away, amidst her grief she tackles the question, would anyone love her if they didn't need her? Now that her siblings don't seem to need her, she's flailing.

Jack Bennett has been her rival since college, and they've been circling each other ever since, eventually ending up teaching at the same elementary school. Jack recently moved back to Rome after calling off his engagement and unwittingly buys the house next door to Emily. Strangely, the two both really missed their verbal sparring matches and over time come to realize they may have just missed each other in general.

I love MMCs that make the FMC with it all together feel safe enough to fall apart. I really loved this one, and it might be my favorite of the When in Rome series. It also set up for a probably book 4 following Maddie and James and I can't wait for that!

4.5 rounded up to 5.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dell Romance for an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Beg, Borrow or Steal by Sarah Adams was an excellent addition to the “When in Rome” series. Very thankful for Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC of this book, set in a fictional small town I’ve come to adore.

As always - the witty, sarcastic, playful banter in Sarah’s writing makes me giggle every single time. I love this capability of hers to make readers laugh.

I loved the themes of overcoming childhood trauma, narcissism, and substance abuse. In a world where it’s becoming increasingly popular to receive therapy and counseling for generational issues, the inclusion of these elements in books is appreciated and goes a long way toward supporting that positive culture shift! The difficult topics were touched on gracefully, and didn’t overrun the plot.

In every well constructed love story, there has to be a fight, or moments of tension. While I’m not one for a long, slow burn during the struggle, I actually felt as though the fight/uncertainty portion of this book was a bit too short! Some more anticipation could’ve gone a long way to making the rejoining of them even sweeter.

Originally I had started reading Sarah Adams because of her closed-door writing. It’s a bit saddening to see her drift off from that. However, she did list at the beginning which chapters to skip if you’re looking to keep things closed-door and I appreciated that! Along the same lines, there were a couple of parts I felt were unnecessary to include such as the fact that none of our main characters go to church, etc.

Also, I needed more Mabel in my life in this one. I love her. This overall was a great, cutesy, fun book and I feel honored to have gotten to read it this early!

I honestly feel so lucky that I got an ARC of this book mostly because I’m sure it’s a high demand and I don’t think I have the best review history on NetGalley. I also think part of it is that I believe her last release was met with poor reviews, but I think that’s because it was an indie release and didn’t get much editing in my personal opinion.

Anyway, I enjoyed this book. I think I would give it 3 1/2 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨. There are parts of it that just felt to cringe to me, but I think that is kind of what this author is known for just too cutesy and a little vomit inducing, but I think there’s definitely an audience for that type of writing and those type of plot points.

I always have a good time with an enemies to lovers storyline even though it the premise doesn’t really make sense here, but I really enjoy this family and I’m really looking forward to the last book in the series but I’m sure it’ll be a long time before it comes out and I will have forgotten everything that’s relevant to the story by the time that final book is released and I get my hands on it.

So this book is about Jack and Emily and they are two teachers at the same school and have not gotten along since college. Jack is a closeted best-selling author and Emily is trying to wrap up and publish her first romance novel that she’s written. The book begins with Jack having left because him and his fiancée are moving to Nebraska, but then eventually he comes back And ends up being neighbors with Emily and shenanigans unfold from there.

This is obviously an author who is accustomed to publishing more PG books and I see her slowly dipping her toes into a PG-13 space.

This is adorable. I've been reading Sarah Adams since her self-pub days and this reminds me of the enemies to lovers she wrote years ago that has continued to be my favorite of hers since. Enemies to lovers is where Sarah Adams shines. It's also the best in the Rome, Kentucky, books, in my opinion. The characters are more nuanced, they have more edge, their dynamic is complicated and interesting, and there's a lot of layers to their stories. I really enjoyed this one. And I'm so glad she's not using swear words substitutes like "fiddlesticks" anymore. Honestly, this book was exactly what I needed to read amidst the haze and stress of the Halloween season. Can't wait for the next one.

I am convinced Sarah Adams can do no wrong. I have read all of her books (except her regency ones) and have yet to NOT like one. They are all 4-5 stars, EASILY. And this was no different.

I finished this in one day, and I want to go back to the beginning and read it all over again. There was something so nostalgic about coming back to Rome, Kentucky. I got happy feels seeing Amelia & Noah, and Will & Annie again. The family dynamic in this one may have been my favorite of the three books. Maybe it's because we really know them now after two books, but something about this one felt really authentic and made me fall in love with the family even more.

After seeing the perfectionist side of Emily in the last two books, I really enjoyed seeing a vulnerable side to her in this. The way this was written was beautiful, and I could really feel for Emily and the role she felt she needed to take on after her parents passed away. Watching her come to terms with the hardships this has brought on gave me all the feels.

Jack was exactly what Emily needed. Their banter was top notch, and I laughed the most I ever had I think in this book. Their digs to each other over emails and texts....😂 I loved that they were 100% honest with each other, no matter what. The space that Jack held for Emily was tender and beautiful. He knew what she needed without her even saying it. He understood her better than anyone!

Let's talk chemistry - WOW. They had serious chemistry and tension, and let's just say their first kiss was.... fire. 🔥 Sarah really knows how to write amazing chemistry with her characters!

Some of my favorite moments -
-Jack barging into Emilys house without knocking. 😆
-Amelia's pancakes.
-The found family vibes.
-The emails back and forth
-The kitten! 😍

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Content warnings:
-This book has 2 open door scenes - Sarah mentions them in the beginning of the book so they are easily skipped if you prefer closed door.
-Topics of grief, depression and a narcissistic parent.

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC copy. 🫶

I’ve read every single Sarah Adams book and this was hands down my favorite. The banter.. the quips.. it had me laughing out loud. I just adored the enemies to lovers trope; it was done so well. Will be buying a paperback once it comes out!

Sarah Adams has done it again!

Our location can hardly keep this author on the shelves, despite having many copies. I have a feeling this will be no exception.

Full review to be posted shortly.

4⭐️!

I always love to go back to the town of Rome, KY for a little bit! Was honestly in a reading slump before this & it dragged me out because I couldn’t put this book down!

There were a couple “open door” scenes in this one, but she gives a warning at the beginning and tells you which chapters to skip which I greatly appreciated. I did find myself having to skim through a couple of the other chapters too, so just a heads up there.

I don’t think anything will beat Practice Makes Perfect for me! Howeverrr, Emily & Jack had a funny & sweet story that I enjoyed throughout the entire book :) their banter was top tier and I loved every second of it.

All in all, I enjoyed reading this & I just love basically anything Sarah Adams writes🫶🏼

Thank you NetGalley for my first ever arc!!!!!