3.5 rounded down.

I liked this book a lot. Emily was such an oldest daughter and it hit so hard reading everything she was feeling. When she talked about feeling like a utility sponge, something in my heart cracked. Jack’s experiences with his father were very well written and felt real. I grew up in similar circumstances and some of the things he spoke about made me realize things about myself that I hadn’t before.

The main reason I didn’t give this a higher rating was that it lacked a certain romantical depth for me. I could tell that Emily and Jack cared about each other, but some aspects felt a little too insta love for me (especially on Jack’s side).

I haven’t read the other books in the series, but if you have you will probably eat this one up. The side characters are great and a lot of fun to become a part of.

One thing that I wish we got was content with Emily/Jack and their students. They talk about how passionate they are about teaching and how they love it, but showing that would have made it more impactful. I also wished that we got more in the epilogue - to me it was very lackluster. There may be more content with them in additional books, but I personally hate when authors do that. It feels too much like a marketing scheme to me :(

I read one Sarah Adams book a few years ago, and I honestly think her writing has improved a lot since then!

This was exactly what I wanted. It was perfect. I expected going in for it to be a bit of a slog because of the length, but it was sweet and steamy and left me a little emotional. I felt that the backstories on both the FMC and the MMC were given just the right amount of time, and I liked the way Sarah Adams balanced making her typically closed doors a little more cracked open without getting overly smutty about it.

5 stars

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

“I never take guys back to my house or my bed.” I cradle her face and run my thumb below her lip. “I don’t want to be one of the guys. I want to be yours.”

dear lord. heavens to betsy. good gracious. i am unwell. steamrolled into the floor. starfishing, giddiness! butterflies storming your stomach, guaranteed. sarah adams books are so dang charming. she’s a unique kind of drug. i love this book!

✨THINGS AND STUFF✨
-dual pov
-teacher by day. romance author by night.
-he’s also a teacher
-archnemesis to lovers
-work place romance but summer break
-emails & text messages
-unhinged bickering, verbal sparring, BANTER!!
-secret identity
-there’s only one motorcycle 🏍️
-consideration & consent
-grief & the pain of change
-#IsThisAKissingBook: what happens in the closet stays in the closet. for closed door skip 25 and 32.

so grateful for the advanced copy!

In true Sarah Adams fashion, this book was adorable and so fun to read. Jackson Bennett is exactly as described- the most competent man ever. Will is still my favorite but Jackson is a close, close second. Different from the first two When in Rome books, Beg, Borrow, or Steal has a lot of raw emotional issues that both characters work through in the story. Sarah handled them realistically and sensitively, bringing to life how our childhood baggage impacts us in our adult years. I smiled so much reading this story and it was fun to catch up with Amelia, Noah, Will and Annie. Looking forward to book 4, which I hope will be Madison’s HEA. Thanks to #NetGalley for this eARC!!!

Beg, Borrow or Steal ticks all the boxes of a satisfying enemies-to-lovers romance. The banter was on point, the characters had depth and the intimate moments were steamy. I read this book as a stand-alone which totally worked but I could tell that there were plenty of easter eggs for previous readers of the series to enjoy.

My gripes were that I picked this book up because the main characters were both 2nd grade teachers. I was looking for some amusing life-of-a-teacher moments. Instead the book takes place over summer vacation so there was none of that. At one point Emily says that she is looking forward to "finalizing my lesson plan for the coming year." What? A single lesson plan for the year that gets 'finalized'? Nope, zero points there for authenticity. Also two characters share a smile over adding Jack Daniels whiskey to their coffee. Why bother to set a book in Kentucky and then toss in a Tennessee whiskey like that? Rude. The setting did feel small-town, but in no distinctive way was it Kentucky.

Overall, I did enjoy the story and I think that many other readers will appreciate it as well.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the advance ebook of this book.

Man, do I love a Sarah Adams book. This series in particular has been such a joy, and I’m so excited we finally got Emily’s story! I can relate to so many facets of her personality that it almost hurt at times.

Jack!! Swoon! Oh, he was such a delight and I adored the connection between him and Emily.

I cannot WAIT for the last installment of the series with Maddie and James!

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

When in Rome indeed! This series focuses on the stories of 4 siblings - Noah, Annie, Emily, and at some point in another year or so, Madeline. They live in Rome, KY which is a small town where everyone knows everyone else and everyone always knows your business. Emily is the second oldest, but has been the "strong one" since their parents died when they were younger. She thinks her job is to be strong, to hold everyone else up, to help everyone in town, and in the process, she has pushed her own emotions down. She thrives on order and struggles when that order is disrupted. Enter her arch nemesis, Jack. They first bumped into each other, literally, at the start of college when she was still hurting from an exceptionally bad breakup, and have been snapping at each other ever since. She was thrilled when he left town mid-school year, they are both teachers, to move with his fiancé, but is shocked to hear that he is moving back to town and that the marriage is off.

I love this series. I was so thrilled to get an advanced review copy and inhaled the book. Emily might be my favorite of the sisters so far. She appears to have everything in control, but when changes keep happening - her sister moving away, their grandmother dying, Jack coming back to town - She is moments away from something being the straw that breaks the camel's back. The best part of this book is that the relationship between Emily and Jack is so different from many that are in romance novels. Jack and Emily thrive on pushing each other's buttons. They are perfectly polite to everyone in their lives, but snarky to each other. But they are also completely honest and both are slightly broken. They have more in common with each other than they realize and are really the only ones that can help the other become the person they are meant to be. An absolute gem!

LOVED LOVED LOVED Emily & Jack’s story. Loved the witty banter and enemies to lovers story. But mostly loved the depth of the pain both characters have gone through, and how their stories developed.

5⭐️. Sarah really outdid herself with this one. The BANTER. I connect so much to Emily in the way she handles her life and to see emotions and hardships I’ve felt so during my life so accurately depicted on screen really hit home for me. I absolutely adored this, as I do with everything I’ve read of Sarah’s so far. Jackson the man that you are. He was everything I needed to see for Emily. The absolute heartwarming wonderful nature of this man was so incredible to see. I love the support that they have each other through everything. I also just love the town of Rome, Kentucky as a whole and the Walker family all together. If you love small town, enemies to lovers (like not true enemies but still…), found family vibes this is the one for you. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Out on January 7!

୨⎯ 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒔 ⎯୧
rating: 4.25
plot: 4
characters: 4.5
writing: 4
romance: 3.5
spice level: 1.25

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

°•*⁀➷ what to expect
small town romance
enemies to friends to lovers
they're both teachers AND writers
family means everything to her
he has a mentally abusive dad
book 3 of 4 in Rome, Kentucky

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

°•*⁀➷ the rundown
Emily and Jacks were literally everything. the banter, flirting, and innuendos were my favorite though. Emily is the tough big sister (second oldest) of the Walkers in Rome, Kentucky. we already got to see Noah (oldest brother) and Annie (youngest sister) have their romantic stories and each one just gets so much better as if that was possible!?! I enjoyed every bit of this and absolutely cannot wait for Maddie's book for multiple reasons (James!!!! and because it's the end of the series UGH!)

Emily and Jackson have been rivals for a decade since their first day in college when he attempted to flirt with her but she had an awful day and ever since then they've been competing and teaching together and bickering back and forth. Emily grows a lot this summer as she starts to see Jackson as more than her nemesis, and vice versa.

"Chasing this feud doesn't seem nearly as appealing as chasing that smile."

the scene where they were acting out a scene of her book to figure out the issues.... phew! have mercy that even made my glasses steam up.

"You think you're unlovable, but I think I've never known how to love until knowing you."

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

ᯓ ᡣ𐭩 thank you so much netgalley, sarah adams, and dell publishing for the early arc!

I absolutely loved being back in Rome, Kentucky! I loved everything about this book! I am a big fan of rivals to lovers, and the author did not disappoint with Jack and Emily!
I saw a little bit of myself in Emily! I could relate to her on so many levels and it made me love her that much more!

I laughed out loud so many times! I ate up every interaction between Emily and Jack! Their banter was the best I’ve ever read! This book was just so heart warming and enjoyable!

I feel honored to have been chosen to be an ARC reviewer for this book! I love Sarah Adams so much! Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and Sarah Adams!

5/5

Beg, Borrow, or Steal burrowed its way into my heart with its small-town antics, rivals to lover's romance, and use of bickering as a love language. Adams balances the razor-sharp edge of animosity and romantic tension with a finesse that left me gleefully turning the page and hanging on to every interaction between warring teachers, Jack and Emily. I knew Beg, Borrow, or Steal was going to be romance excellence from the second I read its title and incredible premise. Anything referencing Carly Rae Jepsen and Audrey Hepburn’s How to Steal a Million is high taste and I will drop everything to read it. Happy to report my initial impression did not lead me astray. Sarah Adams continues her immensely heartwarming When in Rome series with a rivals-to-lovers story between two second-grade teachers – Emily, the eldest sister in the Walker family, and Jack Bennet her selectively charming nemesis. Jumping past the bulk of their professional rivalry in action to the summertime, Adams brings us to these rivals with their guards down forced to interact as they navigate their now-shared small town. Beg, Borrow, or Steal has all the accompaniments of a romance that would ruin me for all others and it’s re-enlivened everything I love about this genre.

My full length review is now up on my blog!

The last book I had read by Sarah Adams was The Cheat Sheet, which admittedly wasn’t my favorite. Now I’m returning to her writing in the third installment of a completely different series, and her writing has evolved remarkably! Which felt all the more fitting since this book is so much about writing, growing, and finding your voice. I’m a sucker for a romance that explores the role of trauma in relationships, and this one did an excellent job of it. The tension between Emily and Jack was delightful, and Adams does a wonderful job of building the slow growth of their friendship (and then more). The balance between comedy, drama, and emotional content was very well done. Despite not having read the previous books, I got a good introduction to the other members of the Walker family, without feeling like I was getting a complete summary. After this installment I’m eager to go back and read the previous two, and then get my hands on the fourth when it comes out! This was a warm hug of a read that kept me coming back for more.

My thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If I could live anyway in fiction it’d be Rome Kentucky. I love this world and the characters! Sarah Adams is my favorite romance author and each book has its own different feel to it. This one is for those eldest daughters and a good nemesis to lovers. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Small Town | Rivals to Lovers | Forced Proximity

Listen, I ate this UP. I don’t think I’ve ever related to a character in my entire life as I did to Emily. She was such a well written FMC - I seriously adored her through and through. And yes, I’m probably biased because of how relatable I found her. But if you told me Sarah Adams somehow knew who I was and based Emily off of me, I’d believe you.

And JACK?! I love me a man obsessed and this man was OBSESSED. Emily mentioned wanting to crawl into his skin and SAME. That man was just so comforting, funny, and COMPETENT? We all know competence is one of the sexiest characteristics a man can have and Jack had it tenfold.

The quotes in this book had me absolutely feral, too. I don’t often highlight things, but I saved at least ten.

UGH. And the way I was giggling and kicking my feet this entire book needs to be studied.

Anyways… READ THIS BOOK. It’s immediately being added to my comfort reads list. So so so good.

(Honorable mention to Ducky)

Thank you Random House and Netgalley for the ARC!

I love Sarah Adams books and this was no exception. A fun, quick, and light read. Exactly what I was looking for.

I had just finished reading The Rule Book right before I started this, which I said was my favorite Sarah Adams book and I immediately had to retract that statement. THIS is my favorite book.

Emily Walker is hands down one of the most relatable FMCs to me. As an oldest daughter who holds in her emotions, this book made me feel SEEN. Especially her fear of people she loves leaving and of never being loved.

Emily and Jack’s chemistry and banter was top tier from their first interaction. They’re both petty as hell and I love them for it. I love how competitive they are with each other and I loved how we were able to see how their original rivalry developed with the emails!

I loved being able to go back to the world of Rome, Kentucky! I missed them so much <3

I have read all of Sarah Adams’ books. Her books have become a happy place to escape to with relatable characters and happy endings. This is no exception. I loved it! I did skim and skip the steamier bits, but that was easy to do with the author’s note at the beginning. This series has been so fun to read! I’ve loved every Walker sibling’s story so far and can’t wait for the next one!
Now it’s time to go back and read all her rereleased books! 😁

Oh. My. God. This was everything. Jack and Emily have such a special story. I absolutely adored how well rounded, and real these characters were. Dare I say this was a bit spicy compared to her others👀🔥 This was such a great continuation of the When in Rome series. I saw one review say this was Second Chance… it most definitely is not - it’s closer to an academic rivals to lovers trope.

*Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

This book was made for me. If you're a type-A person who will do anything for your friends but doubt if they'd do the same for you? Yeah, buckle up baby.

It's strange to call this a second chance romance. Rather it's a rivals to lovers, "never was" romance. Between all of their barbs and pranks, those moments of tenderness hit so much harder. The unsent emails, my heart. I loved that they're both writers and the absolutely hilarious heist to retrieve Emily's manuscript draft. The steam keeps growing in this series, so keep that in mind if you don't want it to fog up your windows. But me oh my, I loved it.