One of the better titles in the When in Rome book series. Enjoyed getting to know the two lead characters with their back and forth banter a highlight in the plot. Unlike other authors, Sarah Adams was able to include more serious topics without making it the focus of the story. Overall a fun read and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Beg, Borrow or Steal is the perfect next book in the Rome, Kentucky series. Emily is an incredibly strong, capable MMC and goodness is Jack a SUPER swoony MMC! I adored their journey together and as with all of Sarah Adams's books she writes community, hope and love so perfectly! Can't wait for the next in this series!

I love Sarah Adams and this one was definitely my favorite! It was so funny and the romance was great! I love rivals to lovers and they had some great tension!

This book!!!! I can not get enough of Sarah Adams's writing style! This was so much fun to read and so relatable! Most books I read are about twenty something year olds. It was refreshing to read about someone my own age and the struggles we all go through with raising kids, divorce, career etc. I loved this book so much and I will be recommending this to everyone I know!

I never thought I would be day dreaming about a small town in Kentucky, but here we are.
I think this might be my favorite in the series thus far. This book has it all -- rivals to lovers, pining, SO MUCH BANTER, a secret identity, and a happily ever after, I loved these characters, I loved their journey, and I loved this novel.

First and foremost, I want to thank NetGalley and Dell Publishing for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. I originally finished Beg, Borrow, or Steal back in December, and even after sitting with my thoughts for two months, my feelings remain the same—I absolutely loved this book and immediately preordered a physical copy for my library.

This story delivers a delightful small-town, enemies-to-lovers, forced-proximity romance that kept me hooked from start to finish. I have never disliked any books by Sarah Adams that I’ve read. She masterfully crafts a compelling dynamic between Emily and Jack, making their journey from rivals to something more feel charming and heartfelt.

Emily is an incredibly relatable female main character. She’s witty, quirky, and deeply loyal to her family, often putting their needs above her own. I saw so much of myself in her, especially in her sense of responsibility. I loved her secret passion for writing spicy romance. Her character felt refreshingly real, and I found myself rooting for her happiness from the very beginning.

The banter between Emily and Jack is a standout aspect of the novel. Their text exchanges and emails provide a deeper look into their personalities, making their interactions even more engaging. Their long-standing rivalry since college adds depth to their dynamic, creating tension and chemistry that’s impossible to ignore.

Jack, on the other hand, is a character who is easy to love yet misunderstood. Living in the shadow of his father has forced him to project a persona that doesn’t fully reflect who he is. As he and Emily navigate their newfound proximity as neighbors, we see a more vulnerable side of him emerge. Watching their relationship develop, with both characters growing and challenging each other, was one of the highlights of the book.

Overall, Beg, Borrow, or Steal was the easiest 5⭐️ I’ve ever given. I can’t wait for Madison’s story!!!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sarah Adams does it again. BEG, BORROW, OR STEAL has just about everything you’d want out of a romance. It’s saucy, quirky, and incredibly easy to get lost in the charming world of Rome, Kentucky.

I connected so much to Emily and the development of her character! I loved being able to be a part of her love story and see her learn to be vulnerable.

Additionally, it was amazing to get updates on the rest of the family throughout the book, I can’t wait for Madison’s story next!

Unfortunately I didn't catch that this was the third in a series. Even with interconnected standalones I prefer to catch up on the others first, but couldn't do that with this one. I also just don't enjoy enemies to lovers books when the reason for being enemies is not at all realistic or significant. The two main characters come across very immature, especially for teachers, and I didn't enjoy the petty banter. I enjoyed The Cheat Sheet, but this one was a miss for me.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal was an ABSOLUTE delight! Something Sarah Adams does like no other is introducing you to two characters and keeping you tied to them the entire time. I loved seeing growth in both Emily AND Jack, and how they both realized that the other person was their safe place, someone they can tease and show their worst self too and still know that they'll be loved. Their relationship was so warm and loving, I loved them! Also a trip to Rome, KY is always a fun time, each side character is so unique and has a distinct voice. Highly recommend!

5 ⭐️

— second chance
— small town romance
— rivals to lovers
— secret writers


“Because like it or not, Jackson is my equal match in every way.”

“I want you, always. The good, the bad, and the in-between. I. Want. You.”

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

“Loving you is the easiest thing I’ve ever done.”

~~

I’ve never read a book by Sarah Adams but this one didn’t disappoint! I’ve had the other two books in the series on my tbr list for the longest time. I love Emily’s character as an oldest daughter myself and her cat.

“I’m the oldest daughter, I’m not scared of anything.”

I loved all the tropes and their rivalry between each other. I love that Jack is tattooed, wears glasses, AND rides a motorcycle. I have so many quotes highlighted, it’s hard to pick only a few for this review!


Thank you, Sarah Adams for the ARC 🤍

Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Press for the advanced copy! Thank you NetGalley and Dell for the advanced copy!
I truly loved this! The When in Rome series has been such a comfort read and I always love returning back to this small town. I loved Emily’s story and Emily as a character. She felt so relatable and real especially as someone who is also the oldest daughter.
This book had all the small town charm but had such deeper aspects as well with both Emily and Jackson’s character development and learning more about themselves and each other. The banter was so funny and I loved their dynamic. I loved seeing all the other characters and seeing more of their stories. This series will always be a favorite for me and I really enjoyed this addition to the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for the advanced copy!

What can I say? Sarah's books always hit. This is the 3rd book in the When In Rome series, following the oldest Walker sister, Emily, and her fellow second grade teacher/nemesis, Jack.

Jack has recently moved back to town and ends up living next door to Emily, who has been at odds with him since an unfortunate college mishap that ended with her becoming founder, president, and sole member of the I Hate Jack Association. Emily is an aspiring writer, Jack is secretly a famous author, and through a series of shenanigans the two end up maybe not hating each other after all.

This book was sweet, swoony, and funny, as Sarah's books always are. I loved the banter between Jack and Emily, and it's always fun to check in on the the other Walker siblings and residents of Rome. Emily definitely has that stoic, have to keep it all together, no one can ever worry about me thing going on, as many an oldest sibling does (no, she isn't technically the oldest, but she is the oldest sister, and that's kind of the same thing). Jack has his own issues to deal with, but seeing the two of them realize how much they actually have in common and the ways they appreciate and bring out the best in each other was really sweet to see unfold.

Final verdict is that if you've liked Sarah's books in the past, chances are you'll like this one too. I laughed out loud a couple of times and had a grin on my face most of the rest of the time. I also told my visiting family members that I was unavailable for socializing until I had finished the book, so make of that what you will.

I'll add that this is Sarah's most "open door" book yet, so if you're not into that just be aware. She includes content warnings and chapters to skip at the beginning of the book if you prefer to keep it closed door.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing and ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Rivals to lovers with a dash of second chance romance? I think yes!

Sarah Adams’ books always feel like a warm hug. A warm hug that makes me feel ripped wide open and forced to confront my deepest insecurities, but a warm hug nonetheless. Emily and Jack had some of the best banter I’ve read in a while and it wasn’t just banter for the sake of it. It actually led to them learning things about each other!! These teachers turned authors were clearly meant for each other and I can’t wait to see how Maddie’s story takes us! (Hopefully right back to Rome and into James’ arms 🤞)

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

When Emily Walker discovers she must not only work alongside but also live next door to an old rival, she braces herself for an unbearable experience. However, what begins as dread quickly transforms into something far more unexpected. As tensions give way to undeniable chemistry, Emily finds herself irresistibly drawn to Jack. Their sharp-witted banter and playful exchanges add depth and charm to the story, making every interaction between them a delight to read. With humor, heart, and a touch of nostalgia, Beg, Borrow, or Steal beautifully captures their journey from adversaries to something much more profound. A compelling and heartfelt read that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

A bit of a late review, but this was pretty cute! I loved to see the small town and family dynamics and I can't wait for Madison and James' book!

My new favorite Sarah Adams book! I loved the lead characters enemies to lovers storyline that featured flashbacks of their past together. I love a romance novel whose characters have rooted and complicated family lives; real issues they have to deal with, without taking the book as a whole into a dark place. Sarah tows that line so well.

Maybe there’s some reason I’d be predisposed to like a book featuring a protagonist named Emily who’s an older sister who wants to be a writer, or maybe the Rome series is getting better with every book. Or maybe it’s both. Who can say?

I will say that I remember the sex in book 2 being way hotter, though.

EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!

I have been reading Sarah Adams for years and this is her best work yet, It's heart-wrenching yet so hopeful. For all of the Emily's out there, we see you and we love you. Jack Bennett... the man that you are. thank you for your service to women everywhere by raising the bar. Their bickering and transition from enemies to friends to something more had me swooning and cheering the whole way through the book. I don't know if I personally would classify this as a "heist" book as it was marketed as much as that being a smaller element of it. Never the less, everyone should be reading this book (really this seriously, if you haven't visited Rome, KY by now like what are you doing?)

4/5 stars for me. Cannot wait for the next one!

Rivals to lovers is honestly all I needed to know. While the FMC was not my favorite (in the beginning) I ended up understanding her headspace. Her identity was caught up in being needed and when she didn't feel needed, she felt alone. Jack was the same, he felt like he had to hide himself and he never trusted anyone else to really see him. Which in turn leads to loneliness.
I adored Jack from the beginning and throughout the whole book. I ended up loving it. The tension was palpable and it was executed beautifully when the tension finally snapped.