Such a fun and sweet romance read! With some spice, this book offers it all. I loved the behind-the-scenes of what it is like a famous musician wanting to live your own private life.

Such a cute read! Perfect for those of you who enjoy watching Hallmark movies! Keep in mind though that it takes place in Kentucky, not Italy!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC. #netgalley #wheninrome

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stars for this sweet, adorable read. I don't read a lot of romance but this was certainly enjoyable! A great pace to the story and makes you want to travel and fall in love.

My god! Why did it take me so long to read this book?!

This is my first Sarah Adams book and it won’t be my last! I loved the small town romance, even if it was insta-love. The circumstances of the fast romance were totally justified given that Amelia was a broken down pop star and Noah was a once burned pie shop owner. His family ties and love for his community were so endearing! And the grumpy/sunshine couple always gets me.

I loved the pacing of this book and the banter was superb! I loved that they teased each other and were playful. They both had walls that needed to come down and it was sweet to see them form their connection.

The side characters were also perfect! Mabel was the perfect pestering grandma figure who knew exactly what she was doing when she forced Noah and Amelia together. The three sisters were a perfect combination of overly protective of their brother but fun girls you could see yourself befriending.

While there was no steam and all tension, the closed door scenes weren’t a put off. I think that this is the authors signature style and she does it really well.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to review this arc in exchange for my honest review!

When in Rome was as sweet as pie 🥧

Pop singer, Rae Rose, needs a break and lets Audrey Hepburn guide her with Roman Holiday. Rome, Italy is too far, so she picks the closest Rome on the map. Rome, Kentucky. There, her car breaks down on grumpy pie shop owner, Noah’s lawn. I loved how cheerful Rae was, without being cloyingly sweet. The perfect cherry pie: sweet and tart. I thought the chemistry of the two complimented each other so well, and I especially enjoyed Rae’s ending.
5 ⭐️s
A delicious read, perfect for the coming spring and summer months. Grab your favorite pie and a fork to dig in!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Amelia Rose needs a break. A break from her “princess of pop” image. A break from her adoring fans. A break from her jam-packed schedule and her manager. Inspired by her favorite Audrey Hepburn movie, Roman Holiday, she gets in her Toyota Corolla, the car that’s been with her since high school, and drives to the closest Rome… except her Roman holiday doesn’t quite go according to plan, starting with the fact that the closest Rome is Rome, Kentucky. That’s where Noah Walker finds Amelia: on his front lawn, in her broken-down car. Although he makes it perfectly clear that he has neither the time nor patience for Amelia’s celebrity problems, he still offers her his spare bedroom, but only until her car is fixed. But as they spend their days together, they both find out that there is more to this princess of pop and local pie shop owner than first meets the eye.

I may be one of the last people to read a Sarah Adams book, but I’m a full convert! This story had everything I wanted in a small town rom-com, and so much more, including:
🏘️ A+ small town vibes, including the most lovable, meddling-but-well-meaning side characters (those Walker sisters? 🙌)
☀️ Grumpy sunshine, celebrity-meets-southern-boy, forced proximity, slow burn, dual pov… all the best tropes
👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨 Flirty banter but also honest conversations
💐 A flower shop! A pie shop!
❤️‍🩹 Heart-wrenching, but beautiful backstories
💖 Sappy romance that rivals the best Hallmark movie you’ve seen

This story was so heartwarming! Amelia was such a likeable character and I was so glad that she was able to reconnect with her mother after learning of her manager's sabotage. She was able to find a new home and group of people she could consider family in the small town of Rome, Kentucky. Noah was a good fit for her, although I did think he was a little too standoff-ish at the beginning like his friends kept telling him. Once he came out of his shell though and let Amelia into his life, he became everything that she needed.

This was really cute. A forced proximity work romance that highlights gender spectrum. It also talks about sexuality. Very cute and while it touches on some very heavy topics and unfortunately includes transphobic characters, the whole book is very light, so overall it's still uplifting. Really enjoyed.

Why was this my first Sarah Adams novel??? This was f*ckin adorable!! A grumpy MC usually turns me off, but I thought it was well done and I loved Amelia and Noah. The small town vibes were also immaculate. I’m also happy to say this may have been one of the first rom coms I read where there’s no miscommunication problem between the MC’s and I am HERE for it.

I can’t wait to read more Sarah Adams and I already had 2 sitting on my shelf 🫢

It was a fun cute read! I enjoy all of Sarah Adams books, so this one didn’t disappoint! It had a little bit of an insta love feel, which isn’t my favorite, but the cute banter and setting really drew me in.

Small town + grumpy/sunshine + slow burn + romcom

Pop tarts. Pancakes. Button up pa-ja-mas. Scrabble. Reading together & out loud. James + Noah banter. Her stealing his sweatshirts!!! The sisters. Some serious Gilmore Girls vibes. The small town gossip & family. This was so cute! Laughed out loud a few times.

I cannot wait for the next book & to get back to Rome, KT.

Clever and witty writing. Loves me characters! Addictive. I could not put it down. Love a dual POV!

Sarah Adams - ILYSM! Grumpy/Sunshine, enemies to lovers, small town, celebrity romance. Amelia (sunshine celebrity) breaks down outside of Noah’s (grumpy pie shop owner) house in the small town of Rome, Kentucky… she’s escaping and he’s not looking for love… there are cute & meddlesome townsfolk, fun sisters, and a manipulative manager. Like all of Sarah Adams’ books, the chemistry is amazing and the characters are so lovable. This might be her best yet and I cannot wait for the next in the series!

Eek! I loved this romance (and as a Kentuckian, I loved the setting!) Loved the opposites attract trope, and oh Noah..swoon :)

I love Sarah Adams writing style so much! She is my go to author when I want to feel what I am reading down to my core.

Adams builds the most beautiful characters that you can’t help to fall in love with along with bringing the heat (even with it being closed door!)!

When in Rome gave me all the warm cozy feelings and was the perfect book to read to pull me out of a slump!

If Adams writes it, you can guarantee I will read it as you should too!

Sarah Adams does it again! This book had the perfect small town setting, had the best side characters, and Noah and Amelia falling for each other was the perfect mix of swoon and sass! I can’t wait for the next book!

Thank you NetGalley, Random House, and Ballantine for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A really fun read about getting down to what is most important. I love Rome and wish I could visit the bakery!

Such an amazingly cute read. I absolutely love everything Sarah Adams has ever written and I will continue to read all of her work!

This book has been everywhere. I was excited to receive an advanced copy. I felt like I was reading a Hallmark movie. It was a cute read about a pop star who is trying to escape the spotlight and crashes someone's lawn. He takes her in while her car is being repaired. She falls in love with the town and her prince in shining armor and his family. I'm sure you can guess what happens. Cute.

Such a cute story. I fell in love with the characters. The grumpy/sunshine is my favorite trope. I will definitely be on the look out for more from this author.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book! This is one of my favorite reads of the month maybe the year. I absolutely loved this story and can’t wait to read the follow up novel. Sarah Adams is now a must buy for me!