ahh!! I’ve been waiting to read this book since I read When in Rome and Practice makes perfect! Emily Walker deserves love and she got it! With none other than, her nemesis, Jackson Bennett!

Since college, Emily and Jack have been rivals. They always needed to one up the other, achieve something the other one was striving for, and bickering like no other. Since college, they became colleagues. Jack moves away to Nebraska with his fiancée… until one day a few months later he shows back up in Rome, Kentucky sitting in Emily’s table..

This book was full of laughs, cries (me & Emily), crimes were committed 🤣 and sexy scenes occurred!

Emily & Jackson’s story is one for the books! Literally!

Beg, Borrow, or Steal is the third installment in Sarah Adams’ When in Rome series. It’s a rivals-to-lovers romance featuring two elementary school teachers who are also both secretly authors!

Emily and Jack have been pitted against one another since they were in college. Their intense rivalry and apparent dislike of one another pushes them both academically and career-wise, and they eventually end up teaching at the same school in Rome, Kentucky for years, with Jack finding little ways to get under Emily’s skin, until he decides to leave mid school year one year to go off and marry his fiancée. Emily settles into a happy new routine, although she must admit that she kind of misses Jack, and is shocked when Jack returns at the beginning of the summer, and not only has he called off his wedding, but he has moved into the house next door to Emily with plans to renovate it.

This was such a fun read! There were so many hilarious antics in this story such as when Emily not only tries to sabotage Jack’s renovation efforts but she also tries to turn the whole town of Rome against him in an attempt to get rid of him. Then she drunkenly emails a steamy manuscript to their school principal instead of to an agent & recruits Jack’s help in a crazy scheme to retrieve it before her secret side hustle as an aspiring romance author is made public and her teaching job is at risk.

I just adored Jack and Emily. Whether they were trading witty barbs or having mo heartfelt conversations, they truly just had the most amazing chemistry. Both characters also have some personal issues that they are dealing with, and it’s easy to see how good they could be for one another if they team up rather than continue on as rivals.

Jack and Emily are college nemesis’ turned work nemesis’ turned neighbor nemesis’.

Jack is secretly the author of one of Emily’s favorite book series, which is written under a pen name, of course.

Emily is also secretly writing a romance novel.

When her novel accidentally ends up sent to the wrong email recipient, Jack and Emily team up to get it back.

Sarah Adams is the definition of a comfort author. Readers go to her stories looking for the guaranteed banter, the swoony men, and the happy-ever-afters that give us all the warm and fuzzy feelings.

Have no fear. Beg, Borrow, or Steal delivers everywhere we expect it to.

Along with the frienemies-to-lover's witty banter and swoony locked-in closest mishaps, Sarah gives us characters with relatable hurts and difficult family dynamics, grief, feelings of betrayal, and more. Jack and Emily handle each other's stories so gently and with such care- just as we come to expect Sarah.

Maybe the aspect I enjoyed the most in this book is the unsent drafted emails between Emily and Jack. ALL THE BEST LONGING AND PINING resides right there in their unsee notes. I could have read an entire book of these!

While this wasn’t my favorite of this connected series, I do think anyone who has enjoyed Rome, Kentucky, so far will likely enjoy this and appreciate the updates on the other Walker siblings we’ve come to know and love! My heart still has Annie and Noah in the top spot, but I am thinking James and Madison have a real shot at the top spot when their time comes?!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for this AR

This was one of my most anticipated books of 2025, and it was everything I hoped it would be and more! Beg, Borrow, and Steal brings us back to Rome, KY for a new Walker sibling's story - the oldest girl, Emily. She's a second grade teacher and her eventual love interest is her current fellow second grade teacher and rival, Jack. This story had elements of workplace romance, enemies-to-lovers, and the benefit of them becoming neighbors to boot. There were also hints of second chance as the pair had known each other since college and the story delves into their history a bit. I really enjoyed the sass and banter, and I loved the lean into epistolary format with the inclusion of email exchanges after most chapters. This book is spicier, both in language and intimate content, than the author's previous books, but she includes a guide to reduce that exposure if that's your preference. I highly recommend this book to fans of the When in Rome series and those who don't yet know what they're missing!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for gifting me with an ARC to review! All opinions are my own.

I initially thought "Practice Makes Perfect" was my favorite in the series, but "Beg, Borrow, or Steal" has taken the top spot for me—though I adore both! The banter and chemistry between Emily and Jack hooked me! I also felt like there was a bit more spice in this book compared to the earlier ones, even while keeping things closed door. The moments of intimacy between Emily and Jack had my heart racing, and I couldn't be happier! Plus, the side characters and family dynamics were just delightful. I'm utterly obsessed with this book—it's just that great!

me and emily are like this 🤞. and jack is eerily sorta just like my high school nemesis-turned-crush. the one who i swore i hated (while seemingly e v e r y o n e loved) and who the universe kept putting, incidentally, parallel to me for years. our story hadn’t ended nearly as warm and tender as this one, but that’s here nor there. “Beg, Borrow, or Steal” had me so so giddy and squealing out loud. ..a little embarrassing, but seriously it was unavoidable. sometimes though, sometimes i felt split open whilst reading. the exact thoughts, feelings, experiences, i’ve endured were on the page like a mirror. it’s a relatable yet fun romance and i just became enamored with the whole book. now that it’s over, i’m in a puddle on the floor- read. this. i’m certain you’ll be thinking of this book and the feeling it evokes for a long while, because so will i. thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and Sarah Adams for providing this eARC!

p.s. i can't wait for maddie and jamesie to give in to one another

4.5 stars

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams delivers the perfect blend of laughter, swoons, and that cozy small-town vibe we all dream about. This third book in the When in Rome series works as a standalone, though I loved catching up with familiar faces from the first two books. The story kicks off with Jack, who cancels his wedding and moves back to Rome, Kentucky, only to find himself living next door to his old college rival and fellow second-grade teacher, Emily.

Emily is determined to make Jack’s return as uncomfortable as possible—using every connection in town to sabotage his home renovations in an attempt to get him to leave. Their enemies-to-lovers dynamic is full of sharp banter and irresistible tension. The slow-burn romance, combined with their witty rivalry, had me laughing and rooting for them every step of the way. The turning point comes when Emily accidentally sends the spicy novel she’s been writing to her conservative principal. After Jack helps Emily break into her principal’s house to delete the evidence of her accidental email, she finally shares her manuscript with him. Jack begins helping her with her writing, and his advice—particularly when it comes to scene blocking—was hands down the sexiest part of the book.

Despite this being the longest book in the series, I felt like it ended too abruptly. I would've liked to see more of the follow-up on Jack's announcement and his rebuttal against his father.

Sarah Adams’ writing is effortlessly charming, and the chemistry between Jack and Emily is undeniable. Not to mention, the small town of Rome, Kentucky is so warm and inviting it makes me wish I could move there and become friends with these characters in real life.

Some of my favorite quotes/lines from the book:

♥️ I was just lonely and so my creative mind concocted a ridiculous narrative where Emily seems to mean something to me. - Jack

️‍🔥 "Absolutely not. I value my life too much to put it in your hands like that." His head tilts. "My hands are very capable Emily."

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

♥️ "I'll be so careful with you, Emily."

️‍🔥 "What if your scene was all about her instead? What what if the primary focus was her pleasure?" "That seems selfish." "I love it when a woman is selfish."

♥️ "You're not alone, Emily. I would walk through my worst memories to get to you every single time."

♥️ "And to think. you consider yourself hard to love. Loving you is the easiest thing I've ever done."

😂 "Oh god - you're never going to be able to be mean to me again, are you?"

This book follows two rivalry teachers, Emily Walker and her arch nemesis Jack Bennett. He is the exact opposite of Emily and her characters in the romanxe novels she writes. At the end of the school year she is shocked to learn Jack called off his engagement and moved permanently to Rome, KY.

Jack is happy to finally settle down but finds many obstacles in his path such as rehabbing his home, and stopped Emily's plans to get rid of him. A mistakenly set manuscript to their principle leads these nemesis to form an unexpected alliance.

This book was another great novel by Sarah Adams. It covered two amazing characters at their core who were struggling with inner and familial problems. You won't want to miss this one.

This book is for the eldest daughters who are constantly seeking out perfection in each part of their lives while continuing to fight the chronic need to hide their truest emotions as a way to protect their vulnerability from the world.

Sarah Adams, you literary genius – you did it again.

I have read several books about older daughters, and I can truly say that Emily Walker is the one that has made me feel the most seen. It may be that I too am still learning to grieve the loss of my grandfather (in comparison to Emily, who not only is processing losing her grandmother but still grieving her parents too), but something about Emily’s story and growth just felt so raw and real. All of Sarah’s characters are written with such intention and care that makes them feel so relatable, and she nailed it once again with both of her main characters in this book.

From the constant fear that someone may be able to look past the barriers she had built up, just to be scared away from what they find and the inability to face her emotional responses head on in order to not appear “weak” – Emily is not only someone I see myself in but understand her responses and reactions to certain events throughout the book. In comparison, Jack also had his own mental trauma to sort through, as he felt that he had to hide his true identity in order to protect himself from the inevitable collateral that would come if people truly knew his secrets. He also had a father who never seemed to be able to take ownership of his narcoleptic actions towards his family, which lead to resentment and heartache – affecting all of his relationships moving forward.

SHORT SUMMARY: When Jack and Emily initially met, sparks flew between the two (as in Emily breathed fire towards Jack as result of his poor timing of attempting to flirt). Their feuding and rivalry began at that moment, and 10 years down the road, these two are still butting heads with one another. But after Jack ended his engagement and moved back to Rome, Kentucky, it seems like Emily is finding new feelings emerging whenever he’s around. Why is it that she feels so comfortable opening up her true self to him? They’ve always told each other the truth before, even while as academic and professional rivals – but can she trust herself to open up her heart to him? And as for Jack, can he truly Emily with his biggest secret, or will he lose his chance to prove himself worthy of keeping her heart?

I can’t say this loudly nor strongly enough: this book is a 5-star, must-read and one of my favorite romances/series of ALL TIME. So take this as your sign to add it to your TBR immediately!!

(Review also posted on Goodreads as of 1/8/25 and will be shared on Instagram @laurynsbookshelf at a later date)

I loved this book so freaking much! I lost sleep reading this book; it was that good! I loved the characters. I loved the depth of them. This really reminded me of The Temporary Roomie with the enemies to lovers and pranks that they did on each other, which I was here for. Honestly, this is probably right up there with The Temporary Roomie for being my favorite book by Sarah Adams. Also this book was HOT. I wasn't expecting that at all, especially since I didn't really love the last one in this series, but this one was so good. If you love Sarah Adams, then this is a must read!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5)
Spice: 🫑 (0.5)
Tropes: nemesis to lovers; co-workers; neighbors; small town romance

As a romance reader, you may have read a story with the premise of “Beg, Borrow, or Steal” before. But I know you’ll still love it because Sarah Adams does a beautiful job of creating a delightful story and I was chomping at the bit for more.

Emily is a second grade teacher in Rome, Kentucky and is driven by her desire to be helpful and supportive to everyone. Well…everyone except Jack, the other second grade teacher in town. They have not so secret animosity towards each other, and now Jack is back (and living next door!) after ending his engagement.

When Emily is in a pickle, she is hesitant to ask for help, but she knows that Jack will assist no matter what. I loved how this adventure brought them together finally and allowed them to reveal their true selves.

I “beg” you to “borrow” this book immediately! (But don’t “steal” it, or Emily and Jack will be sad)

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for access to this e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

This quickly became my new favorite book by Sarah Adams. It was so real and relatable. Also, Emily and Jack were so mature! It was so refreshing to read a book with mature characters. Yes, there was bickering, but their relationship is so healthy! The way they handled certain topics with grace and humility was perfect. Also, I loved getting a glimpse of the other Walker siblings and what they were up to! Pure perfection! I can’t wait to read Maddie’s story!

"Beg, Borrow, or Steal" by Sarah Adams sets up an enticing rivals-to-lovers romance between two feuding second-grade teachers, Emily Walker and Jackson Bennett. When Jack returns to town as Emily’s new neighbor and colleague after calling off his engagement, their chemistry-fueled animosity is reignited. But when Emily accidentally sends a revealing email about her secret side hustle as a romance writer, she must team up with Jack to steal back her manuscript. What follows is a chaotic summer filled with unexpected alliances and rivalry-turned-romance.

Despite its promising premise, this book fell short for me. While the synopsis highlighted their careers as second-grade teachers, the story entirely skipped over their professional lives, as it takes place during summer vacation. I was disappointed that there were no school shenanigans and pining students against each other which could have added charm and depth. Instead, the focus shifted to their personal ambitions as writers, which lacked the vibrancy I was hoping for.

The plot itself felt scattered, with random side quests and filler content that didn’t contribute much to the story. The rivals-to-lovers arc, which I was excited about, fizzled out quickly and lacked the tension and buildup that makes the trope so satisfying. The writing often felt underdeveloped, and the struggles and resolutions wrapped up too conveniently, leaving me wanting more depth and emotional weight.

Overall, this was a forgettable read. While I appreciate Sarah Adams’ effort to craft relatable characters, the execution didn’t land for me. If you’re looking for a light, summer romance, this might work, but it’s not a standout in the genre. I’d give it 2 stars at most, though even that feels generous.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams is another excellent book in the When In Rome series. I loved this book for the main characters, for the world Adams has created, and for the adventures the MCs have. I highly recommend reading all of the books in order just so you get to know their world, but you can read them as standalones.

I absolutely devoured this book! I loved Sarah Adams and couldn't wait for this next book. It was cozy, heartwarming, and just downright adorable. There was a ton more spice throughout the book, but it still made the book work. I loved the trope being childhood friends to lovers. I can't wait to see what's next!

I absolutely love Sarah Adams books and Beg Borrow or Steal is one of my new favorites from her When in Rome series!

This is a rivals to lovers contemporary romance novel full of banter, wit and all the characters we have known to love from Rome Kentucky. I was so giddy reading this book and always love a dual point of view in a romance novel 🙌

There's just something special about Emily and Jack ❤️ I enjoyed reading about their past traumas and how they worked through it together and with the people they trust!

What I also really enjoy about these books and Sarah's writing is how she makes you fall in love with not just her main characters but all the side characters as well.

It's cheesy, it's light and heartwarming , it's an easy page turner and includes a swoon worthy MMC 😍

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review

this book had me completely in my feels. I found Emily so relatable, as I am also an eldest daughter who as trouble letting people in. I just loved the fact that she didn't really have to change anything about herself to be loved, she just had to find someone who would love her in the way she needed and deserved to be loved.

I also really admire the courage both Jack and Emily had when it came to writing, and how they really helped each other become more confident in sharing their work with the world.

Sarah Adams never fails to make me laugh and cry over fictional characters. And I cannot wait to read about the final Walker sibling finding love.

This is Sarah Adams's best work so far! Funny and heart warming, Beg, Borrow and Steal will have readers laughing and crying at the same time as they fall for both Jackson and Emily. Sarah has a knack for making characters feel like real people and fleshing out Rome KY to the point where a reader will want to move there.

I adored the characters in this book and just loved this story of enemies to lovers who teach together. The banter was fun and yet another story set in Rome, Kentucky that had me thinking Stars Hollow. There is a bit of spice but the author provides the chapters to skip if you don’t want to read it. I love all of these characters and look forward to hopefully more stories set in Rome. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced reader copy of this wonderful little love story

Just when I thought I couldn't love anyone else in Rome, Kentucky, Sarah Adams threw in Jackson Bennett and the nemesis chemistry between him and Emily Walker is delicious! I adored the first two books and FMCs but this one is definitely my favorite of the three. It is a quick, cute and fun read. Solid 4 stars for the glasses, motorcycle scene and pen names. Definitely recommend if you enjoy enemies to lovers or just need a quick escape to a cute town full of cute lovers.