Ugh, she does it again. I love this little series from Sarah Adams 👏.

We have here our third Walker sibling story and it may be my fave yet! Small town vibes, enemies to lovers, teachers, writers, emotional arcs for both. Dual POV, and slightly spicier than the previous two which I was on board with - the ‘scene-blocking’ scene anyone!? 🔥

I really loved Emily, sure she can come across as slightly abrasive but her heart is kind and I loved that Jack knew that.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to @netgalley for an ARC of this one - I believe it is out now and I will definitely be getting a copy for the shelf!

*4.75 stars

I ADORED this book. Everything from the pacing, banter and character development is utter perfection. I had high expectations after how much I loved Practice Makes Perfect and this did not disappoint! Sarah Adams is amazing at developing characters and relationships that feel so real, whilst dealing with actual problems and not just chucking the miscommunication trope in at the end which I appreciate so much.

Rome, Kentucky has truly stolen my heart, and Emily and Jack's story is bound to resonate with readers whilst making them giggle and kick their feet. I can't wait for the next book but I don't want this series to be over!!

Thank you so much to Hachette Australia and Netgalley!

*Beg, Borrow, or Steal* by Sarah Adams is a delightful romance that captures the heart with its witty banter, charming characters, and a perfect mix of humour and emotion. The story follows Emily and Jack, two rival teachers whose relationship evolves from playful enemies to sweet lovers. Set in the cosy town of Rome, Kentucky, the book offers a warm, feel-good atmosphere that is both comforting and relatable. With its engaging plot and well-developed characters, this novel is a wonderful choice for anyone looking for a light-hearted and uplifting read.

This is the first of Sarah Adams books that I have read but I will definitely be picking up more.

Emily and Jack are both 2nd grade teachers at the same school and have been nemesis since they collided with each other back on the first day of college. Now Jack is back in town and moved into the house next door to Emily.

This book is full of so many romance tropes that I tend to love including small town romance, forced proximity and enemies to lovers.

Emily and Jack are both characters that on the surface look like their have their lives together but in reality they are similar in more ways then they realise. The side characters are great and some of the couples from the previous 2 books in the series make an appearance as well as what I assume is some fore-shadowing for the 4th book.
I loved this book and read the second half in one sitting in the middle of the night because I just wanted to see how it would all play out. Can't wait to read the rest.

The queen Sarah Adams can do no wrong, this book was *chefs kiss* honestly could not put it down! I love this universe and each book just makes me fall more in love with Rome, Kentucky!

Did I stay up all night to start and finish this book in one sitting? Yes, yes I did!
Any regrets? None!

“If you let me, I’ll figure out the right balance of taking care of you and pissing you off when you want me to”

My first Sarah Adams book and I can’t believe I haven’t read her books before. If there is one thing I absolutely LIVE for in a book it is banter and boy did this book deliver. Pair that with the small-town setting and a rivals to lovers trope and you have me HOOKED. At its core, this book is a romantic-comedy but I love how the characters were able to connect and come together through their own deeper personal journey.

The MMC, Jack (or Jackson) was a walking green flag. A charming, considerate man with intelligence and sharp wit - yes please 😍 We love a self-aware King and Jack really delivered on all fronts.

The FMC, Emily, was complex and written as a 3 dimensional character with flaws and quirks that so many of us can relate to as well as find ourselves in her. As much as I got frustrated with her at times, the author really made me understand why she was the way she was. When I found myself confused by her actions, she herself was confused with her own actions so the author really put you in the FMC’s head.

The slow but steady evolution of this book is satisfying but I did find myself wanting a little more from the end which is why I couldn’t rate it higher. I found myself wanting to know how things unfolded more with certain storylines. The epilogue also sadly left me a little dissatisfied and just felt rushed.

Tropes:
✨ neighbours/forced proximity
✨ rivals to lovers
✨ found family
✨ he falls first

All in all, would recommend for a cute, fun and easy read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4.5 ⭐️
Spice: 🫑

Thank you for letting me ARC-read this book! Beg, Borrow, or Steal is another delightful romance from Sarah Adams, filled with her signature charm, humor, and heartfelt moments. The characters were engaging, the banter was top-notch, and the story had the perfect mix of swoon-worthy romance and emotional depth.

I especially loved the slow-burn romance between Jack and Emily. Their chemistry was undeniable, and watching their relationship develop over time made every moment feel even more rewarding. Sarah Adams has a way of making her stories feel both lighthearted and meaningful, and this book was no exception

Overall, I give it 4.5 stars and highly recommend it to anyone who loves a feel-good romance with plenty of laughs and heartwarming moments!

Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams is exactly what you’d expect from her—a charming, feel-good rom-com with the perfect mix of humor, heart, and sizzling chemistry.

The story follows Elena, who finds herself in a bit of a mess when she needs to "borrow" a vintage truck from her ex-boyfriend, Jack, to help her family. But, of course, Jack isn’t just going to hand it over. What follows is a delightful mix of banter, tension, and that slow-burn, second-chance romance that Adams writes so well.

Jack is your classic grumpy-but-soft-on-the-inside love interest, while Elena is headstrong, determined, and impossible not to root for. Their past adds so much depth to their interactions, making every moment between them feel charged—whether they’re fighting, flirting, or both at the same time.

This book is perfect if you love small-town romance, laugh-out-loud moments, and characters you can’t help but fall for. It’s lighthearted but still has just enough emotional depth to make it feel real. If you’re a Sarah Adams fan, you’ll definitely love this one.

This was such a great plot for a small town enemies to lovers. A very strong first half had me gripped that I ended up reading this in only a day. The second half dropped a little for me, it felt like it became a different book and that the only reason these two characters weren't confessing their feelings was because of constant interruptions but overall a very fun light-hearted book and an excellent complement to the series

This one was so cute!

I loved that Emily and Jack are each other’s nemesis. It made for such fun banter and interactions, but definitely could feel the underlying attraction! I loved seeing how they moved hating each other to realising that line is very thin. The forced proximity of them is so damn good! Their chemistry is amazing and I love that Sarah is adding a touch of steam and open door to her books! Just added that extra element!

How she handled more sensitive topics of depression and a narcissistic parent was so well done. It didn’t go too deep, but enough that you felt the impact. I loved both characters growth and awareness. Plus those message bits at the end of some chapters just gave a bit more to the story!

I loved all the side characters and the bits thrown in about the next book! Can’t wait!

Beg, Borrow, or Steal is a semi-closed-door contemporary romance about the multiple-year rivalry of two second-grade teachers and their quest to battle their evolving affection for each other.

I honestly am very speechless right now, because I did not think I would love this book as much as I did. It actually might just be my most highlighted and annotated book and I am very proud to admit that! This book was very close to perfect, and I barely had any critiques about it.

Firstly, the banter was AMAZING. Emily and Jack had a great conversational flow right from the beginning. The jokes weren't cheesy and cringe but felt so perfectly THEM. I found myself grinning in my bed whilst reading because I was having so much fun reading about their conversations. Sarah Adams wrote about the development of their relationship flawlessly. The tension was amazing, and I could clearly see the basis of a strong friendship before it turned romantic. Many authors tend to rush that "intermediate zone" of a romance book, where they aren't clearly friends but they aren't lovers either. But Sarah Adams perfectly articulated that murky area and the angst made it 1000 times better!! This book honestly has the blueprint of how I want every contemporary romance book to be paced: and that is not even an exaggeration.

One thing that always differentiates a four star book to a five star book, is how connected I feel to the characters. It is one thing to write a romance book, but it is another thing to write a romance book where the characters genuinely feel human to me. Emily and Jack had a lot more to them than just their romance with one another. They were so rounded and raw that I felt genuine emotion and empathy when reading about their lives. They were beautiful as individuals, so when they came together...UGH. I'm not ashamed to say I was teary-eyed a lot of the time whilst reading them fall in love.

I'm not an older sister, but I know a lot of older sisters would resonate deeply with Emily's character. She held so much depth to her and I felt so proud to see her be loved the way she deserved. And Jackson Bennett?!?! JACKSON BENNETTT. I honestly think I am in love with this man. He made me sob, cry and feel so alone that I wanted to extract him out of the pages and turn him into a real individual. Sarah Adams knew what she was doing and she deserves a round of applause for it too! These characters were really loveable, there wasn't a single flaw I could pinpoint.

Honestly, all the critiques I have are quite small and trivial and don't deserve to lower the five-star rating for this book. I do wish there was a LITTLE more Jack chapters (because I loved him so much) and the "cliquey small-town" trope is NOT my favourite, but I am glad that it didn't last too long in the book. And now, I will say I am very tired of reading about the main characters being authors, BUT I HAVE TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR THIS BOOK! It was executed so well, I could not hate that plot-line.

But all in all, amazing book. I loved it, and I will be purchasing the paperback to annotate once the book comes out. UGH, this was so amazing!!!!!

The first half of this book was really slow for me and then I couldn't put it down. I found Jack's early admission of falling for Emily, just undermined the enemies to lovers trope.

I really liked the exploration of grief and mental health.

Was a sweet read but I'd expect nothing less from Sarah Adams.

This BOOK!!! This book took me for a ride that I will never ever get over and one i never expected. I stayed up an entire night to finish this. Once I hit the 20% mark, i could not stop!
I had to truly sit on my review before writing this out because i fear I won’t be able to do it justice.

This has my golden ratio:
🖤 Strong characterization, including a complex and unlikable female main character
🖤 BIG BIG BIG emotions with incredible mental health representation
🖤 ANGST and banter!! CHEMISTRY PEOPLE!!!

And to top it all off, A REASON FOR ✨THEM✨

This book isn’t for everyone, but it’s for the girls like me. Maybe you have a narcissistic father or parental figure in your life. Perhaps you are petrified of being vulnerable from fear of people leaving - people no longer finding you useful. So you always make yourself useful, at the expense of yourself and your needs.

This WRECKED me. And both Jack and Emily are prefect for one another. Their strengths and weaknesses were reflected within one another in a way that made them so full of understanding and chemistry. Sometimes to their detriment. Sometimes their own trauma made them better for each other.

I wish I could go back to the start to read this all over again with fresh eyes. I never thought that this romance would turn into something so tender and kind.

I’ll be going back to read all of Sarah Adam’s books now.

Yes!! I love Sarah Adams romance, they are so sweet and swoony. This is such a great finale to the sisters finding love!

How amazing was it to go back to Rome for Emily and Jack’s book.

Emily is the eldest sister in the family and is fiercely independent. She is pretty much a boss in this small town and runs the show. Everyone adores her as their own daughter. Even though she will never admit it, life is getting quite lonely as all her siblings have grown up and don’t rely on her anymore.

Jack is now single and moving to Rome after calling off his wedding. He realised he was missing something in his life, which might just be the woman he despises.

These two have a long going feud going back to the first time they met in college. Jack fell immediately in love, but Emily being recently heartbroken pretty much threw it in his face.

The heat that develops between these two is fierce. I don’t know how she does it, but Sarah Adam’s pours so much emotion into her pages, I get goosebumps reading. The passion they both share for writing really deepens their relationship.

Once again the side characters are hilarious and add so much to the book. I love that Mable plays such a big part again.

I can’t wait to revisit this small town again. 4.5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Hachette for the ARC

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

- small town
- workplace (teachers)
- neighbours to lovers
- college rivals to lovers
- both secret writers
- black cat x golden retriever
- slow burn
- 🌶️/5 (but can be closed door)
- dual pov

Sarah Adams's books are truly a hit of serotonin. I don't know how else to explain it. Every book in this series has been five stars, and I wouldn't change a thing! Emily and Jack's romance is soft and tender, with funny banter and fun-filled moments that'll have you giggling and kicking your feet, perfectly balanced with sweeter, more poignant ones.

Emily is the quintessential eldest daughter black cat. Now that everyone has flown the coop, she doesn't feel needed and, therefore, alone. Jack comes along at the perfect time, shaking things up.

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

The tension in this book is SIZZLING because they're rivals AND neighbours. But when Emily accidentally sends her secret spicy historical romance manuscript to their boss, she enlists Jack's help to get into his laptop. Oh, and then he reads the script, and they "block" a spicy scene 🫠. I was a goner after that!

Jack is Emily's opposite, the golden retriever who's a little in love with her. But he's dealing with his own secret writing identity and a narcissistic father. I love Emily's reaction when she finds out the truth. "Turns out I didn't need long to process. I want you."

Their slow burn burns beautifully as they go from I can't stand you to reluctant friends to more. Their relationship is built on honesty, trust, and vulnerability, and it's a joy to read about.

"I guess I'm saying I don't actually want to go slow with you. I love you, Jack. I don't want to be friends with benefits. I want to hug each other when we're sad and help each other find the bright side of things when all we can see is the dark."

What else can I say but READ THIS BOOK!

Thank you to Hachette ANZ for the early copy.

Sarah Adams is one of my favourite authors. This book had some twists I didn’t see coming! Absolutely loved every second of if. Highly recommend and I will be buying the physical copy asap!

This was my introduction to Sarah Adams and it won't be my last!

Romance is not my prefered genre but Sarah Adams character development and plot makes this so much more. While you don't need to read the first two novels in the series, you do meet characters from these.

* Charming
* Small town romance
* Rivals to lovers.

Beg, Borrow or Steal centress around two characters who find themselves in a quirky and unexpected situation, leading to a series of humorous and touching moments. As they navigate their growing feelings for each other, the book explores themes of love, trust, and personal growth. I really enjoy the relatibility of the characters and that the male protagonist is a genuine person.

The writing is light, easy to read, and filled with charming moments. The plot has a nice balance of humor and emotion, making it an enjoyable read for anyone looking for a feel-good romance.

Emily and Jack are my new favourite couple from Rome, Kentucky. This is an enemies to lovers romance between two teachers, who end up becoming neighbours (a recipe for romance really). I absolutely love Emily and related to so much about her character. I fell in love with Jack immediately, THE MAN WEARS GLASSES. I can’t wait to get a paperback copy to annotate! I loved it so much that I couldn’t help but make a journal spread for it 😍

I was so excited to be transported back to my favourite small town of Rome, Kentucky with the Walker siblings. I have absolutely loved this series so far and this book was no exception.

I really enjoyed Emily and Jack’s love story, it had the perfect blend of enemies to lovers and forced proximity tropes. They were such a fun and cute couple to root for with their constantly banter and bickering to start off with and then the sweet and tender romance.

There were so many laugh out loud moments and the found family vibes in this series is just perfection. I desperately hope we get a fourth book about Madison next🤞🏼