A cute enemies-to-lovers romance between two teachers - Sarah Adams continues her series about our favorite sisters, and I love how the small town bands around our FMC to support her, no matter what. I feel like here, I felt the love and romance grow more-so than with Annie - and appreciated how the two balance each other out. Excited to continue reading this series!!

This was a 5 ⭐️ read for me up until Chapter 32 (ie. Open door chapter). I was so frustrated I actually had to put the book down for a few days and pick up something else.

I LOVED Jack and Emily’s story, the rivalry, the banter…but when you have a chapter like Chapter 16 (closed door) that does such an AMAZING job with steaminess and building anticipation, it’s devastating to feel let down by the actual open door chapter.

I know Sarah Adams is lighter on the explicit scenes and I love that for those who want a closed door option (clearly not me, lol) she provides it… but I would have liked more from our main open door scene. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Sarah Adams remains an auto buy for me and I still love Rome, KY.

3.5 Stars rounded to 4. Thank you to Random House Publishing, through NetGalley, for the ARC!

I absolutely adored this book! It had me laughing and smiling the whole way through. I have not read the first two books in this series, but I did not feel like I was missing out on major plot lines. I will be reading them quickly! Overall this book was well written, and a quick, easy rom-com read. It didn't have anything that set it apart from other rom-coms but it was very enjoyable!

I loved that the scene 3 breakup was not overly dramatic and huge. It was truly realistic and spoke to how couples may process their individual trauma in relationships. I feel like Sarah delivered on her promise that difficult topics would be handled with care.

I'm SO EXCITED that I was able to get an early copy of this one! Thank you thank you thank you!

I cannot believe I'm saying this, but I think Beg, Borrow or Steal may have overtaken Practice Makes Perfect as my favorite Sarah Adams book.
Let me start with saying, my expectations for this were high but I was hesitant, because I am truly Sarah's biggest fan, and Practice Makes Perfect is one of my all-time favorite books. THIS DID NOT DISAPPOINT. It was so sweet to be back in Rome Kentucky with the Walker family so the joy picking this up was instant. Sarah's writing is effortless, witty, endearing and all the good things. It never takes me long to warm right up to the main characters, and even though I was unsure how I would enjoy the hate that there was between Emily and Jackson, as we go deeper into the story, we see deeper into their history, and their individual pasts, worries and fears, and learn that there was much more going on than their unending feuding. They were building a connection of honesty and trust and seeing that unfold as they open up to each other was so precious.

One thing that pushed this book a little above Practice Makes Perfect for me is how much I relate to Emily. I'm not a first child, but I have experienced my own versions of loss and found a lot of myself in her fear of being hard to love and of letting people know her and see her for all of her parts, even the dark ones and trusting they won't leave because of them. The way that Jack intentionally showed he wanted those parts of her too made me weepy. I am a puddle at the feet that man!

I cannot stop thinking about these two and getting emotional. I would be driving to work and listening to a song that would remind me of them and start crying. They're everything to me. Sarah has outdone herself. Every scene we get with all the Walker siblings and significant others gets better and better and this book in particular made me feel much more connected to them all. Their relationships are so sweet. I'm beyond excited for Maddie's book next, but will truly be devasted to end our time in Rome!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I don’t know how it’s possible but this series just keeps getting better and better! I love Rome, Kentucky SO MUCH. The Walker siblings are my absolute FAVORITE. This book is an absolute delight and I can’t believe I already read it! It was so much FUN! I loved Emily and Jack so much. I think they just might be favorite 🥹 every single thing about this had me literally giggling and kicking my feet! The banter and the tension and the pining!! And all the little competitions they were in with each other throughout the years! How SOFT they were with each other?? How willing they were to be open and honest and so vulnerable?! Even though they’ve been enemies this whole time?? Or have they just been their unguarded and true selves this whole time and THAT’S why whatever they’re going feel so right!!?

Emily Walker is my hero and I love her and her heart SO MUCH. She is just a girl who had to grow up SO FAST and is just a tough girl on the outside and THE SOFTEST girl on the inside. And she is a different kind soft than Annie is, and I really loved that she finally got to open up to her family too. And I love how fiercely she loves and protects her family. But finally getting inside her head was just a little heartbreaking. BUT watching her FALL IN LOVE!! With her nemesis!!! Was. The. Best.

Jack Bennett is THAT man. He was the perfect match for Emily in every single way! And not only that he was also SUCH A SWEETHEART! He actually was SO GONE for Emily kind of from the start?? And the way they were able to use all that banter and bickering and flirting throughout the years to really have such good foundation for the eventual relationship?? It made PERFECT sense for their relationship.He also was a sad little softie too and watching him struggle with his family and his own loneliness and lack of self worth was tough. But then again watching him and Emily flourish together!! It was just SO SWEET!

Thank you SO MUCH to Dell for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! They always pull through and I am so SO grateful 🥹

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I have became a Sarah Adams fan within the last year so I was insanely happy to receive an early copy of her newest in the When in Rome series! I knew going into this book that I have loved all of her other books and had high hopes for this one as well. I can happily say that Miss Sarah does not disappoint!

From the start of this book I could tell that the banter was going to be amazing between these teacher rivals. They have so much history between them and it is years in the making of their hatred for each other. In the beginning I wasn't so sure how I felt about the characters themselves but I do know that I loved their rivalry. As the book goes on, though, we learn so much more about them as individuals and by the end I had so much empathy for both Emily and Jack. The reader finds out why exactly their feud started and that it was possibly all just a bit of misunderstanding between one another.

I was also very excited to find out that Sarah Adams decided to dive into a bit of the steamy side of romances when her previous works are all closed door romances. For this being her first published work as open door, I will say that she did very good and those particular scenes were so amazing for the story as well as for the character development. I still cannot believe they tried to get together in their boss's closet! XD

Although I'm not sure that I can say this is my favorite Sarah Adams book to date (Will Griffin is very much my type of man) I still absolutely adored Emily and Jack! I cannot wait for the final book in the When in Rome series!

I loved this book! It was so much fun to be back in Rome, Kentucky! I read the first two last spring when Practice Makes Perfect released so I’ve been excited to see the other sisters’ stories! I love the Walker family, so sweet and fun!

In this book, Emily’s nemesis, Jack, moves in next door to her and she is determined to scare him off. When she needs help erasing an email she accidentally sends their principal, she asks Jack for help. They team up and find that maybe the other isn’t so bad after all.

I enjoyed the banter and teasing in this book. Emily and Jack were funny together. I loved that they had so much history together since they’d been enemies since an encounter in college. I also enjoyed how much they both grew and overcame throughout the book! I felt myself relating to Emily on a lot of aspects and it was fun seeing her walls come down and her letting someone in.

I’m very excited for Madison’s story and sadly our last trip to Rome, KY!

This review was posted on my instagram page @outdoorreadingmama and my Goodreads page on Wednesday, Nov 13. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinions!

How to Steal a Million has been a favorite movie of mine for decades so I KNEW I was going to love Emily and Jack’s story and no surprise, this latest trip to Rome, KY did not disappoint!

I adore everything Sarah writes and love how she pens such wonderfully layered stories with deeply relatable characters. Alongside discussions of grief, toxic relationships, and complicated family dynamics, Sarah encourages readers of their worth, reminds them to never diminish their accomplishments or to stop pursuing what brings them joy, and the importance of finding community, all while giving our hearts a place where we can be safe, loved, and seen. Beg, Borrow, or Steal also reads as a love letter to educators and speaks to the tremendous impact that teachers make as they bring light and hope to their students’ lives each and every day.

The dynamic between Emily and Jack was delightful and the tension so delicious. Their push and pull was playful, never mean, and I loved their quips and witty banter. And the romance… OMG who knew scene blocking could be so hot AND if you’re a fan of forced proximity, you’re in for a treat when Jack and Emily find themselves hiding in a closet.

I laughed, cried, and my heart was filled with so many warm fuzzies and rainbows!

It felt so great to be back in Rome, Kentucky, the fictional town I fell in love with back in "When in Rome"!

I don't think I have related to a character more than FMC Emily, the eldest daughter of the Walker family, who takes care of everyone and everything...except her nemesis, Jack. To everyone else in Rome, she is a steadfast second grade teacher but to Jack, she's an argumentative porcupine. The two of them have been competing in the same spaces since college and are now rival second grade teachers.

Jack and Emily's witty banter throughout the book completely makes the story and as the banter becomes ... less banter-y, their honest dialogue and heartfelt moments make you fall in love with both of them and root for them both individually and together.

This book is one of my top reads for 2024!

THANK YOU to Sarah Adams and Random House publishing for this eARC (literally I screamed when I got the email 😭🫶🏻)

This book was such a treat!!! I missed Rome, Kentucky so much. It felt like a warm hug to be back here again with our Walker crew.

Emily was such a unique fmc to me - to be so fiercely protective and motherly to her siblings and students but to be so feisty to everyone around her. Love a good rivals trope; it’s adjacent to my all-time favorite, enemies to lovers (like basically the same, right?). Usually the man is the “grumpy” in our grumpy/sunshine trope, but it was really endearing to experience in reverse (and slightly humbling as I related far too much with Emily and Jack’s dynamics - oops love you Hubby for putting up with my sass 💁‍♀️). But truly there was so much relatability to me with Emily as an older sister, her adapting to life through her grief, and the trials of young love. And Jack is 100% cinnamon roll book bf material with fantastic style. What’s not to love?!

**For my fantasy girlies: if you’re like me and couldn’t totally buy into being a Nesta stan even after her redemption arc in Silver Flames, then this will give you that full redemption that you were missing**

This is book 3 of the When in Rome Series, which can all be read standalone but I would highly recommend reading in order. I read them 2, 1, 3… which is very unusual for me to go out of order, but all that to say you can’t go wrong! 5⭐️ series all the way! Can’t wait until we get Madison’s love story!

Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5

I didn’t mean to stay up so late to read this book. I thought I would get to the spicy part and then go to bed, to finish the next night. Delightful is the first word that came to mind. I had a small smile on my face the whole time and laughed out loud a few times.

Emily Walker is the oldest responsible sister of the Walker clan. Jack Bennett is her nemesis. But, is he? Emily knows everyone loves him except her, so why is she secretly happy that he has moved to town single? This DELIGHTFUL novel explores Emily and Jack’s trauma history and how to support friends when they need you. And, yes there’s some spice.

What I Loved:
I’ve read the other books in this series, I love the town, their family, the banter, and the characters.
Emily and Jack’s conversations; they get deep and lovely.
Kindness - in general.
Surprisingly, this book made me love the thought of writing one day.
The content warning at the beginning was thoughtful.

What I Didn’t Love:
Jack’s career situation at the end felt abruptly pushed aside. I think we can assume what happened, but would have liked a little more details on what happened after. Maybe in Madison’s story!
I love the cover, but I don’t understand the title of the book. I see the Beg, but not necessarily the Borrow or Steal. Perhaps I missed it.

Overall, I loved this book. I don’t own too many books because I read very quickly and frequent my public library. This is one I would purchase and read all over again. This series is lovely and I cannot wait to see what happens next in Rome.

It is so great to be back in Rome, KY! In this book, the 3rd in the When in Rome series explores enemies to lovers, Emily and Jackson. Emily is the eldest sister of the Walker family. She is neurotic and driven to be the best sister, friend, and teacher. Jackson is a loveable guy with a taste for retro fashion. The two teach 2nd grade at Rome Elementary. They share a decade old feud. I enjoyed how both MCs grew in this book. Emily was easy to love from the beginning. Her tenacious care for her loved ones and her precision to detail make her a fearsome enemy. Jackson is voted all-around best guy. I think the pacing was an issue in the story. Some scenes seems to move slowly while others past by too quickly. The engagement scene was a snippet and made me wonder why it didn't get more attention. I love the content warning the beginning. I did skip the spicy scenes, so I cannot give much comment on that aspect. I did not appreciate the nursery rhyme in the shower scene, though-- seems a bit misplaced for the setting.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for this ARC. I cannot wait to get my hands on my physical copy in January!

Y’all. @authorsarahadams has done it again!!!

⭐️Possible spoilers⭐️

I just finished an ARC of Beg, Borrow, or Steal and my third trip to Rome, KY has been just as lovely as the first two! I was legitimately kicking my feet and giggling before chapter 1! On the surface we have two long term rival teachers, with feelings they never allowed themselves to notice, who become neighbors. Below that we start getting into Emily’s effects of eldest daughter syndrome and how that plays into trusting other people, and Jack’s secret identity as an author rooted from his narcissistic father. Sarah does an amazing job of presenting mental health struggles in a way that resonates without feeling forced. I’m sad that this release gets us closer to the end of this series, but I can’t wait to get my hands on my physical copy from @thebookshopnashville and for everyone else to read it too ❤️

Release date January 7, 2025

#bookstagram #booklover #arcbooks #arcreader #sarahadams #begborroworsteal #bbs #romance #romancebooks #romancebookstagram #rivalstolovers #romeky #wheninrome

Sarah Adams returns to her When in Rome series with Emily Walker being the main female character. Emily has been the mother hen since their parents passed away when she and her three siblings were little. Now that her siblings have all moved on with their lives and out of her house, Emily is feeling like an empty nester–all alone and not needed. In the middle of fighting waves of depression, Emily learns that her nemesis, Jack, is moving back to town right next door to her. The two have a decades-long history of “hating” each other–pulling pranks and in general just being mean to each other. Between Emily’s depression and Jack’s family secrets, this one isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. In a classic enemy to lovers tale, Adams crafts an emotional tale that will hit at the heartstrings of readers. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the e-arc. This review will also be posted on Goodreads 11-12-24.

This was absolutely lovely. I enjoyed every part of this story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this wonderful arc.

The Walker siblings from Rome, Kentucky are back, and this time it's older sister Emily's turn to find love. Emily has her carefully controlled and constructed life as a second-grade teacher all figured out. Even better, her work nemesis, Jack, is no longer around to get under her skin. That is, until he returns, and this time he lives next door! As Jack and Emily verbally spar and physically invade each's other space, they start to realize they might have more in common than they think, and maybe not all is as it seems. This swoony read is another hit by Sarah Adams!

Ok- so this book was one of my most anticipated reads for 2025. I squealed when I got approved for the ARC. And I loved it. I loved it so much. Sarah's writing makes me feel like I have been wrapped in a warm, cozy hug. I adored Emily and found myself relating to her throughout the story. I LOVED that Jack was her biggest fan. I'll be rereading this one soon.

A HUGE thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell Romance for this eARC!

A MASSIVE thank you to Sarah Adams, Random House Publishing, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of this book because it was a TREAT.

Sarah Adams’ best book for sure. 4.5 stars! We’re back in Rome, Kentucky for Emily’s story. Her rival since college and fellow second grade teacher is back in town after his wedding was called off. She will do whatever she can do to get Jack out of her town, even while drowning in the grief of losing her grandmother & her siblings lives all changing. Jack is a pathological people pleaser towards but Emily, and he’s ready to come back and keep fighting.

I love me some banter, and this book was FULL of it. I wasn’t sure if I’d like this one since Emily is a bit too type a for my usual tastes, but somehow Sarah made it work and i loved her. Emily & Jack are perfection. I love a good ole enemies to lovers, especially when they actually hate each other & it isn’t just a fun little flirty dislike. (Although these two were 10000% attracted to each other throughout the years & i love that for them)

Loved them & I loved that even when they got together they didn’t stop being bratty towards each other (that’s the downfall to enemies to lovers, too often they start being too nice to each other once they get together & it gets boring) 12/10 recommend, Mr. “I would walk through my worst memories to get to you every single time” makes an already perfect book even better.

I read this in one sitting (rip my sleep schedule) but it was worth saying up until 2 am to finish.

4.5⭐️/5

Beg, Borrow, or Steal is a thrilling novel set in Rome, Kentucky. The book explores rivalry and love between lovers, with banter, chippy remarks, epic fails, and espionage missions. The characters' connection and emotion are heartbreaking and happy, with Emily and Jack being favorites. The Walker siblings and friends' cameos are top-notch. This small town romance is fast-paced and unforgettable.


The story revolves around Emily Walker as she faces the loss of her grandmother and deals with the repercussions of her feuding with Jack, a former colleague/nemesis. Emily struggles to find purpose and Jack's unexpected purchase of the house next to Emily's, causing tension and a resurgence of their feud.

The book is highly recommended for fans of small town romance and enemies to lovers' trope.

The afflictions of the oldest sister (Emily) and the most competent man Sarah Adams has ever written (Jack) have made this my favorite in the Rome series yet! I could not put this book down. Emily and Jack's banter is so engaging and just plain fun. Once they start to acknowledge the comfort they bring to one another, their emotional and physical chemistry are downright combustible! I also enjoyed the Easter eggs given to us about Maddie's book and can't wait for its release!

Plot:
Emily Walker, the eldest daughter, takes her job seriously and prioritizes her siblings' well-being. However, she has never had to tiptoe around her college nemesis, Jackson Bennett. Jack, who moved out of their small Kentucky town with his fiancé, is now single and ready to make Emily's life a living hell. They have been trading snide remarks since their first day of college, and their proximity has fueled their bond. When Emily needs help retrieving a drunken email, Jack agrees, but he has secrets that could potentially ruin their bond. The bickering banter between Emily and Jack is entertaining and makes them both vulnerable. The series is filled with romance, but the plot is not as engaging as the romance.

Sarah is brilliant at romantic comedy and this is just further proof of that! The element of the text messages and emails was adorable. It was great to be back is Rome Kentucky and I look forward to the conclusion of this series.

(Dual POV and Spicy)