I really, really enjoyed this book! It was captivating and it hooked me from the very first chapter! I was glued to my seat! Such a romantic and sweet story. Love Sarah Adams!

When this book became available on netgalley I was so eager to have a chance to read the next Sarah Adams story and I was even more excited when I was approved to read an advanced copy!

This story is all about Amelia, a pop star who's decided to take a break from her hectic life and Noah, the grumpy pie shop owner who's forced to help Amelia out if she's stranded in his hometown. The last thing that he wants is to go out of his way for her, assuming she's arrogant and entitled because of her fame and status. As the two are forced into one another's company however, they quickly realize there's a lot more to each other than what meets the eye. With their time running short, they need to decide what their future will look like and discover if a happily ever after is worth fighting for.

Read this book if you love:
🧡 Grumpy sunshine
🧡Opposites attract
🧡 Small town
🧡 a hero that resembles Luke from Gilmore Girls
🧡 Forbidden romance and forced proximity

In addition to a great set of main characters, this story has a vast array of unique characters with all types of entertaining personalities. I enjoyed getting to know Noah's sisters, his best friend James, Mabel and all of the rest of the shop owners in town. They made for a humorous and entertaining supporting cast. Is it too much to hope that maybe Nick's sisters will get their own stories one day? 😏

While this book stated off as a slow burn, I did get swept up in the small town vibes and cheered Amelia and Noah on as they strived to find a happy ending for their romance story. Many thanks to Sarah Adams, Dell, and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this story. All thoughts are my own.

Content: abandonment, grief, closed door romance (fade to black)

When in Rome

“ Maybe … just maybe this adventure wasn’t a mistake after all.”

Sarah Adam’s is one of my favorite closed door romance writers. She makes relevant and funny connections all throughout her books! When in Rome features pop star Rae Rose (aka Amelia) and down to Earth Noah. While these two may be from different worlds that can’t deny the immediate connection they both feel. I love seeing Amelia transform throughout this story. I love a good heroine who’s stands up for herself. This story is a must read!

Boy, do i love a good romance! I absolutely blew through this book, I couldn’t put it down. This book was such a pleasure to read. This was my first Sarah Adams book and I’m looking forward to reading more from the author. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the arc.

Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for this arc.

Amelia is a huge celebrity that goes by Rae Rose. When she’s had enough she takes an impromptu trip to Rome.. Rome, Kentucky that is. She needs some space from it all to get her mind together and get her passion for music back. When her car breaks down in front of a handsome strangers house her life takes an even bigger turn. Will she give it all up for love or follow her dreams?

This book was very cute. If you’re looking for a wholesome love story than this would be right up your alley. I wish it was a little steamier but this would be perfect for the YA genre or for those who prefer not to read more erotic things. It does have potential to have more books through other characters but the ending leaves you satisfied.

“𝘐 𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳—𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘴.” 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘨𝘶𝘴𝘵, 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩. “𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 … 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳. 𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘺𝘳𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘰𝘯.”

YES SARAH!!! I AM HERE FOR IT!!!! All OF IT!👏👏👏
I always know that picking up one of Sarah's books means; cheek hurting smiles, countless belly laughs, swoon-worthy tender moments, & all the feels for days after are sure to come. AND When In Rome did NOT disappoint! Sarah - You. Are. A. QUEEN. 👑

When in Rome is like sweet tea on a hot summer day. ☀️ It's a delicious slice of homemade apple pie. 🥧It's warm, fluffy pancakes on a Sunday morning. 🥞 You won't be able to put this one down. Think Gilmore Girls meets Audry Heberns, Roman Holiday. Small town vibes & the family love alone had my heart gushing. Then add the banter, the flirtatiousness, the looks, & the tender moments - It's all too good, My heart couldn't take it!

Amelia Rose - Pop Star Princess, lover of all things Audrey Hepburn, maker of shitty pancakes, and a smile that rivals the sun will capture your hearts with her witty comments & lovable personality. 💕 Noah Walker- Mr. Hillybilly Joe or more like Wilderness Ken. Mr. Classic Man. Mr. Grump. Mr. Romantic - will have you swooning endlessly with his grump-like demeanor but truly cinnamon roll heart! 😍

Sarah's OTP will have you daydreaming for days to come! So... for the love of sweet bread & butter on Christmas morning, if you know what's good for you pre-order this one NOW! 🫶

Overall, I enjoyed this read. I thought the characters were fairly well-developed and complex. I found their hesitance to engage romantically pretty realistic, given both of their personalities and past experiences. I was expecting a little more steam and actual romance, but the book was mostly about them getting to know each other.

One thing that bothered me about the book was that I felt Mabel was written in a very stereotypical way. I noticed it throughout the book.

This book is literally a Hallmark movie in book form. So sweet, funny, with just the right amount of depth and heart. Amelia & Noah are so well written and the way they get together is perfectly paced, complete with a little frustration at times. Sarah Adams wrote a wonderful & cute book! Loved it!

Okay, the cutesy premise had me hooked - a Grammy-winning soulful pop sensation looking for her own Audrey Hepburn escape from reality, ala Roman Holiday, high-tails it to Rome, Kentucky where she finds herself stranded in a remote smaller-than-small town and lodging with the town's perpetual bachelor, a grumpy pie shop owner whom she catches feelings for. I had high hopes, but unfortunately, this floundered for me.

I loved Amelia, she was the only redeeming factor in this book for me. While the "celebrity whose every actions and thoughts are controlled by a team" trope has been done to hell, her genuine innocence and struggle for autonomy and an identity is immediately worth rooting for. There was perfect groundwork for a kick ass transformation at the end and, while it did happen, it didn't feel as cathartic as it should have been. It didn't feel like it came from her, it felt forced which, ironically, everything in the book felt overly orchestrated by the author and nothing felt natural.

The first act is solid, the second act is wobbly, and the third act just fell apart completely. The conflict in the first and third act is identical, and it's all half-heartedly resolved in the blink of an eye for the sake of racing to a HEA. Personally, I'm not a fan of Adams' writing style, it's too juvenile for me, so it made for a more challenging read.

It's a perfect light autumn read and ideal if you want to shut your brain off and enjoy something cute. If you want something with depth or strong storytelling, skip this.

Thank you to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5

When young pop star Rae Rose finds herself on the verge of a pre-tour breakdown, she trusts her Audrey Hepburn-loving roots and heads to Rome. She doesn't have enough time to visit Rome, Italy so she goes for the next best thing: Rome, Kentucky. After a car breakdown and AirBnb mishap leave her stranded, she finds help in the surliest of small town neighbors: Noah Walker.

Noah's own romantic past keeps him aloof. This is easy to do by hiding out as much as possible at the pie shop he owns in town. He does what he can to establish and maintain a clear boundary between his temporary roommate and himself. It doesn't take long before Amelia "Rae" Rose breaks down his walls. Noah can't help himself; he quickly learns to enjoy making the most of their time together.

A sweet-as-pie romance with characters who are easy to root for.

**I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review

If your looking for the perfect summer read, look no further. The slow burn chemistry between Amelia and Noah leaves you reading all night just to finish. If you love Emily Henry or Christina Lauren you will love Sarah Adam’s. “When in Rome”. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the arc.

The way my smile simply did not leave my face as I read through this book.

I loved it.

Surprisingly so, as it features one of my least favorite tropes: insta-love/lust. Usually, that's a turn off in reading, but here it's a major strength. Because rather than denying their feelings, Amelia and Noah acknowledge them but try to stay pragmatic about their different worlds, and, in turn, try to stay apart.

Easier said than done, ha!

I felt so happy reading this one. So happy. The chemistry between our leads is undeniable and incredibly believable. Their love story is one I'll remember fondly and one I absolutely will revisit.

This is beautiful read. I 100% will be purchasing it upon its release. It's so worthwhile.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I found the beginning of the book intriguing. It does have the similarities of other romance books but I find that I like the similarities. I will be buying this book when it comes out.

I only recently read my first Sarah Adams book, and then I quickly followed it up with 3 more. She has quickly become my go-to feel-good romance author. She knows how to write tension in a way that is so palpable and spicy, even with fade-to-black scenes.

Overall, When in Rome has the same heartwarming yet sexy feel I have loved in other books by Sarah Adams. Both main characters were instantly likable, and although it involves several different tropes, they were well balanced and not overdone or too contrived. Would definitely recommend and will likely read again when my heart needs another burst of heart achingly sweet romance.

Amelia Rose is an award winning pop star. She is burned out and in desperate need of a break. She takes a cue from her favorite film, Roman Holiday and heads to the nearest Rome- Rome, Kentucky.
Her car breaks down in the front lawn of Noah Walker. He finally agrees to allow her to stay in his guest room until her car is fixed.
Over time Amelia falls not only for the small town but also Noah Walker.

I absolutely loved every minute of reading this book. This was my first time reading a book by Sarah Adams. I think I have found a new author to add to my list of favorites. I loved her writing style.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

When In Rome is hilarious, and beautiful and shows that there is more to someone than meets the eye. Amelia needs to get away from her life as a pop star and decides to head to the closed city named Rome that she can find, which happens to be in Kentucky. There she runs into town grump with a broken heart, Noah, who helps save her from being stranded on the side of the road and gives her a place to sleep for a short while.

I personally think this is Adams best yet! I was smiling ear to ear so much! This story is not just cute, but FUNNY. This book is full of so many one liners that I want to reread just so I can read the funny parts again. The chemistry between main characters is to die for, the residents of Rome are so funny and classically small town, and the BANTER is perfect. Amelia and Noah both grow so much through the entire story both in their personal lives and with each other. I'm so excited for every rom-com lover to get their hands on this one!

I’m so happy i got the opportunity to read this amazing book!! it’s so comforting and i absolutely love everything about it. Noah Walker is such an amazing character, i absolutely love a man that has a soft spot for his girl and supports her through every. single. thing. she. does!!!

the only criticism i have is that there isn’t enough of Noah and Amelia being a official couple and it’s very insta-love which isn’t usually my jam but i think the way this book is layed out makes it definitely seem like it’s not one!! The development of both characters and seeing the growth of Noah and his feelings towards Amelia are very cute, i love it.

sypnosis: Amelia Rose, known as Rae Rose to her adoring fans, is burned-out from years of maintaining her “princess of pop” image. Inspired by her favorite Audrey Hepburn film, Roman Holiday, she drives off in the middle of the night for a break in Rome . . . Rome, Kentucky, that is.

When Noah Walker finds Amelia on his front lawn in her broken-down car, he makes it clear he doesn’t have the time or patience for celebrity problems. He’s too busy running the pie shop his grandmother left him and reminding his nosy but lovable neighbors to mind their own damn business. Despite his better judgment, he lets her stay in his guest room—but only until her car is fixed—then she’s on her own.

Then Noah starts to see a different side of Rae Rose—she’s Amelia: kindhearted and goofy, yet lonely from years in the public eye. He can’t help but get close to her. Soon she’ll have to return to her glamorous life on tour, but until then, Noah will show Amelia all the charming small-town experiences she’s been missing, and she’ll help him open his heart to more.

Amelia can’t resist falling for the cozy town and her grumpy tour guide, but even Audrey had to leave Rome eventually.


4/5 stars, it’s amazing and heartwarming!!


Thank you netgalley for the amazing opportunity to read this eARC 💗💗

When in Rome by Sarah Adams is a really fun read with a slow-burning romance between Amelia and Noah. This whole book is filled with cute and funny moments, by both of our main characters and the people of the town.

Amelia Rose is a burnt-out popstar looking for a break when she inconveniently lands in the front yard of a grumpy Noah Walker. After a few major setbacks, she finds herself using the guest bedroom at Noah's house for the foreseeable future. Little by little, Noah and Amelia begin to get each other to open up in ways they haven't been able to in so long.

I loved how sweet and simple this book was. It was so easy to read and move through. I was able to feel the loneliness of the characters and how scared they both were to open up. I think Noah's sisters were a great addition to the book as well. This felt like a really sweet and more detailed book version of a hallmark movie. I enjoyed every second of it.

I was really looking forward to reading this book because it sounds so cute and the premise of a popstar ending up in a small town is so intriguing. Unfortunately, this book ended up being aggressively fine. It wasn't terrible by any means, but I don't think I'll be recommending it to my romance-reading friends.

Amelia "Rae" Rose is a loveable character from the start, and thankfully, that doesn't change throughout the book. She's cute, she's quirky, and despite being a wealthy popstar, she is completely relateable.

Noah Walker certainly grows on the reader throughout the book, but he has so many contradictory personality traits that left me a bit confused and unhappy with his development. He has sisters he loves, was raised by his grandmother, and claims to be secure in his masculinity, and yet, in multiple scenes, he finds himself embarrassed by his "feminine" thoughts or actions.

Overall, it was a sweet story, but the romance was a bit too instalove for my taste. Having an epilogue always helps in these cases, but having them fall in love within two weeks was too much for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for my honest review!

She’s done it again! Sarah Adams wrote a magically crafted romance taken after the movie Roman Holiday. This novel is so fun! The slow burn got to me a little, and I almost DNFd it but pushed through. The ending was worth it! I loved Noah’s sister the most and from the beginning I disliked Susan. So Sarah created good character arch’s for each type villains and heroes that you could relate more to. Highly recommend, I still think The Cheat Sheet is her best work!