Rating: 4.25/5 Stars
Spice: 2 Open Door Chapters, Author provides closed-door modifications

Wow, I felt seen in this book. Emily and I are kindred spirits in the fact that we've always taken care of people, but sometimes there is no-one to take care of us. She takes care of her family, her students, and the only person that she ends up letting her guard down around is Jack, her rival for over a decade. I can see myself in Emily, which always bring me joy to see her navigate that feeling of being alone.

Overall, this story was a fantastic investigation into the "oldest" sibling finding their place once everyone else finds what they need. Sarah did a fantastic job of navigating her story, and how she relates to Jack and feels seen by him.

Thanks to Dell Romance and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Beg, Borrow or Steal

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

Oh my heart this book. Jackson + Emily are everything. I adored their story and could not get enough of the banter! Their quips were top notch, their chemistry undeniable and their love story just SO MUCH FUN.

Rival second grade teachers who are now suddenly next door neighbors and accomplices. Emily mistakenly emailed her explicit romance novel manuscript to their very conservative principal, and Jack is exactly the person to help her. Spending time together in their adventure just shows how sizzling their chemistry is and ohhhh the butterflies from Jackson Bennett.

Highly recommend this one, especially if you’re looking for:
❤️ Rivals to lovers
❤️ Forced proximity / neighbors / coworkers
❤️ Amazing banter
❤️ Hilarious cast of supporting characters
❤️ Small town vibes
❤️ Open door
❤️ BUTTERFLIES

Thank you to Dell Romance for this ARC! My opinions are my own. Beg, Borrow or Steal is on shelves January 7, 2025!

Thank you so much to Sarah Adams and Dell Romance for the E-ARC of this book!! I truly cannot thank you enough for letting me read this masterpiece early! 🫶🏻

I honestly don’t know if I have the words to express how much I LOVED this book! It was so funny, and so sweet, and it was just honestly perfect!✨ I was constantly laughing throughout the book, but then there were also sweet moments that made me cry 🫶🏻 I loved that this book was about 2 teachers, because I’m in school to be a teacher, so I was able to relate to them SO much! I am absolutely gone for Jack Bennett and am already wishing I was back in Rome, Kentucky 🤍✨

Also, I’m so excited for Madison’s book! Sarah has been teasing her and James for SO LONG and I am SO READY!! The only downside is that it will be our last trip to Rome 🥲 I don’t think I will ever be ready to let go of these characters 🫶🏻

Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC.

I have a bunch of Sarah Adams books on my tbr list but this is the first one I've read and definitely won't be the last. This Author does rom-com perfectly.

This is a perfect example of Enemies to friends to lovers in a story.

This book has some of my favorite tropes:
❤️ Workplace Romance ( They work together as and grade teachers).
❤️ Forced Proximity ( After a failed engagement Jack moves back to be neighbors with Emily)
❤️ Enemies to Friends to Lovers- ( Emily and Jack met in college and have been cold and antagonizing to eachother since. When Jack returns afyer moving away they grow closer and Jack calls her his best friend ).
❤️ Family Drama ( Emily is the oldest sister to several siblings and has been a Mother figure in her siblings Drama. Jacks father is a famous author who is a raging drunk and narcissist).

Jack and Emily are both undercover writers and 2nd grade teachers. Jack is successful and Emily is hoping to get published one day. They have always had a precarious spite fueled relationship. When Jack moves away with his Fiancée and doesn't say goodbye to Emily, she's mad. When he returns to his job and moves next door she's even madder. However the more time they spend together, she becomes confused about her feelings.

When Emily accidently sends her smitten romance novel draft to her principal, she asks Jsck to get it back.

Will their teamwork lead to a realization of their feelings? I highly suggest reading 📚 to find out.

Told in 1st person , alternating povs.

Emily Walker is an independent woman who teaches second grade in her hometown of Rome. She is shocked when her college nemesis moves to Rome to also teach second grade. Jack moves into the house next door to Emily, which just annoys her!

Jack wants to renovate his house, teach second grade, and work on his next mystery novel. Instead, Emily wants to sabotage his life!

Emily accidentally sends the principal her risque steamy romance. Jack will help her, if she will stop sabotaging him. They begin to feel the chemistry.

What a great novel!

This was so stinking cute! Beg, Borrow, or Steal is a delightful romance that thrives on the sizzling chemistry and witty banter between its two main characters, Emily Walker and Jackson Bennett. The strongest aspect of the story is the back-and-forth between Emily and Jack. From their exchanges and inner thoughts throughout the book, it’s clear they share not just an attraction but a playful rivalry that makes their interactions feel fresh and engaging. The author does an amazing job at balancing the simmering tension with the tender moments of vulnerability between the two to help them learn how to trust each other. Their relationship evolves in a way that’s both heartwarming and emotional, making this novel an enjoyable and satisfying read! Thank you NetGalley & Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars!! I want to live in Rome! This was my favorite of the series so far. These two are the most well developed characters yet. It was a perfectly paced slow burn. I do wish we got a little resolution with his parents but wow did I love this!

I love it when bickering turns to bantering, feuding shifts to flirting, and enemies slowly become lovers. This was the perfect example - our heroine is convinced that her coworker has been her nemesis for the past ten years, until forced proximity changes the dynamic and they find themselves becoming friends. I loved that they truly did dislike each other for years, and yet had come to know each other in a way that no one else ever had. They were able to pick up on subtle signs that something was off about the other, and absence truly had made the heart grow fonder. I adored the feuding at the beginning, but I also loved the way they understood each other so well. It's a very slow burn from professional rivals to neighbors to friends to lovers, and each step made the journey richer. Though there are small town rom com vibes, there's also plenty of angst and emotion, particularly when it comes to the "difficult" heroine. She's always had trouble opening up to people, so her walls are sky high from the start. It's a nuanced, engaging read, and another great addition to the series.

The story follows Emily, a teacher who is feeling a little off at the start of the summer. Though she practically raised her siblings, they're all self-sufficient and finding their happy ever afters... while Emily is more alone than ever. The coworker she loves to hate, Jack, also moved out of town a few months ago with his fiancée, and that's been rubbing Emily the wrong way. So when Jack moves back to town - after calling off his engagement - and he unknowingly buys the house next door to Emily, the two teachers begin to see brand new sides of each other. Not only is it the first time they've interacted out of school, but Jack is also newly single and right next door. As Emily and Jack get to know each other in a whole new way, they form a tentative friendship that feels like it could be more.

I loved the second book in this series so much that I couldn't wait to dig into this one, and it didn't disappoint. Jack was such an absolute sweetheart, and also the perfect match for Emily. She's a prickly pear who needs to be handled with care, and he always seemed to know exactly what made her tick. They'd been enemies for so long that they'd picked up on little details about each other, and that was one of my favorite parts. They've both got insecurities that have kept them from growing close to anyone, so their path to love was never going to be without some bumps. The vibes of this were light a lot of the time, but there was a significant amount of focus on Emily's hangups. Maybe a little too much focus, though I really did love that our black cat heroine was front and center. I had no trouble bingeing this, and I was swooning by the end.

it has taken me days to emotionally process the book and to be able to sit down and write a review.

when i was approved for my arc copy, i could have literally jumped around with joy. i love all of sarah adams books, especially the ones about rome, kentucky!

beg, borrow, or steal was beautifully written, i couldn’t put the book down even after working an 11 hours shift i would read until the very last second i had to go to bed.

emily walker and jackson bennett are so beautifully complex. coworkers AND neighbors. nemesis but they can’t stop thinking.. of each other. oh okay. the FLIRTY EMAILS. ugh i could read this book again and again.

thank you netgalley for giving me an advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Sarah Adams third installment to When in Rome! Adams's writing is so wonderful and fun to read that I always get caught up in the storyline. It's hard to put her books down. With this third installment, I found the storyline to be something I could relate to since I am a teacher and this was so fun, sexy, and lovely enemies to lovers! Wonderful job once again Sarah Adams!

Every Sarah Adams book I read is better than the last! This story was such a fun and fast paced read! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

4.5⭐️ Sarah Adams you are a mastermind.

Emily is a second grade teacher and find out her rival (👀) at work, Jack, is finally moving to her small town. Emily has disliked Jack since the moment she met him, but then finds out he is not only going to have the class across the hall, but he will be living next door.

There are so many things I loved in this book, especially the chance to go back to Rome and catch up with some of my favorite book couples. Jack is a top tier book boyfriend that I need more of. Will & Annie’s story will still forever be my favorite but this is a close second. I love rivals to lovers, and I love dual POV. Warning: many of Sarah’s books are closed door but this one has 2 spicy scenes both down very well!

This was an advanced read copy I received through Netgalley so it’s not going to be officially published until January 7, 2025! But this is my honest review!

Add this book to your to read list, I promise you won’t regret it! & then let me know what you thought!

#books #bookstagram #booktok #bookrating #library #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookrecs#bookcommunity #booklovers #booksofinstagram #bookish #fivestarbooks #romancebook #kindlebooks
#kindleunlimited

It was so much fun to visit Rome, Kentucky again and catch up with the Walker siblings. ;)

If you like small town romances and rivals to lovers and witty banter, this is the book for you.

I thought Emily was so relatable, and as an oldest kid, I could see myself in her.

This book was like a warm hug, and I couldn’t help but smile while reading it.

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 YouTube on Dec 29

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

Hey, Sarah Adams, question for you: how in the world did you finish writing this book? I mean, weren't you too busy laughing?? Dear readers, do yourself a giant favor and READ THIS BOOK! It is perfection. I laughed all the way through, literally from the first page. These characters in Rome, KY will remain in my heart long after the last book in the series (and I cannot wait to see what happens with Maddie). I love this family, and each book somehow is better than the previous one. The emotions that Emily & Jack go through were so sensitively written. I could relate to Emily so much. I love how "seen" they both are to each other. The banter was *chef's kiss* and the motorcycle scenes? (fans herself) This author is an automatic read for me, I don't even have to know what the book is about. This could be considered a standalone but you'd be missing out in a big way if you didn't read the whole series. Worth more than 5 stars.

Sarah Adams has done it again! Taking a trip back to Rome, Kentucky has been such a fun experience that has left me buzzing. Emily and Jack are the stars of this book and I do mean stars because they really shine both individually and as a couple.
Emily Walker is a 2nd grade teacher who is always the first one to step up to the plate to help anyone and everyone, sometimes to her own detriment. Her life is changing as her siblings need her less and less so she turns to writing and finds that it's something she really enjoys.
Jack Bennett is the most charming man in all of Rome who is back after a failed engagement and a strange need to be close to Emily Walker. Jack was kind and caring but also complex with a little secret that has the chance to change his whole life. He helped me understand that you can ask for help and if you're truly lucky someone will help you with everything they have in them.
These two "rivals" tow the line of what being rivals means until they finally realize that perhaps that title no longer suits them and perhaps it should grow into something more. The love story in this book is so sweet and goes beyond lust in so many ways while also being a little sexy and showing exactly how much chemistry both characters really have. I loved that both characters were willing to put in the work to grow and be ready to step into something new and scary together, even when trust doesn't come easy to either of them. Beyond the romance both characters are fully formed and shine all on their own along with the broader cast of characters that really makes this book a riveting small town romance perfect for fans looking for a love story with some depth as well. I do suggest reading both other Rome books before diving into this one as it helps add to the ambiance and prevents any minor spoilers this book may reveal.

4.5⭐️

My my my, what a scrumptious trip back to our beloved Rome, KY. Thank you, Sarah Adams, for taking us back to one of our favorite fictional towns!

What I love most about our two leads is that Jack and Emily are both so unapologetically themselves. Jack is charming and likes nice things. Emily is self-proclaimed “not soft” and is a fierce protector of those she loves (AND a fixer of all hurts and problems). I also felt like Sarah handled both of their pasts and traumas with great care. Their struggles felt real and relatable and they were easy to root for. It was so sweet to watch their rivalry develop into a friendship then something more. My heart warmed at the tiny moments of connection where they opened up to each other and stepped into more vulnerability.

Having read all of Sarah’s books, dare I say this one felt the most grown up? Sarah has always been an excellent writer of banter and teasing and playfulness and this book was no different, however I felt like she was able to give Jack and Emily a depth I haven’t experienced from her before. They felt mature, communicative, and honest in such a realistic way.

Read this if you like rivals to lovers, he wears glasses, books with epistolary elements, a lot of playfulness and teasing, SIZZLING tension, when he has a nickname for her, FMCs with cats, author MCs, small towns, and dual first person POV.

Thank you thank you, Dell and NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Ahhh what a book!? I was so excited when I found out I got a chance to read this early through NetGalley that I had to start it immediately. I loved When in Rome and Practice Makes Perfect so it should be no surprise that I also loved this book. Having the 2 main characters also be teachers was a big win in my teacher heart. If you love small town vibes, enemies to lovers, found family, and some great banter, then this book is for you!

Emily and Jack are simply made for each other. Their banter and antics are the most delightful thing to read and to then see it transfer into genuine vulnerability with each other is the precise magic of Sarah Adams' voice as a romance writer. Wonderful! Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I absolutely loved Practice Makes Perfect so I was excited to get back to Rome, Kentucky! Annie and Will will always be my #1s but I really loved Jack too. A perfect silly, little romance 🩷 It has been fun to follow Sarah Adam’s journey and I really feel like she’s coming into her own as an author. Definitely an auto-read for me!