Sarah Adam just blew me completely away. I was expecting this to be good but not THIS good. Amazing and incredible.

The amount of chemistry and affection Annie and Will had for each was honestly so cute. I had a blast, Rome is such a delight. I love the main characters, the side characters, the background characters, I loved everything.

I also loved Annie growth all throughout the book, it was so special and I’m so happy to have read it!

Well that just may have been the cutest dang book I've ever read! Seriously, I nearly immediately fell in love with Annie, Will, and all of the funny, unique characters who lived in Rome, Kentucky. I want to go there and I could have read so much more of Annie and Will!

Read If You Like:
-Dual POVs
-Small Town Romance
-Opposites Attract (Bad boy/good girl)
-Fake Dating
-Date Lessons/Practice
-No Third Act Breakup
-Great Communication!
-Clean Romance

This was my first time in Rome, Kentucky and I will absolutely be going back to read When in Rome. And perhaps a Maddie/James story is in our future? 🥰 Definitely recommend!

Audiobook Review: 3.5/5. I really liked the narrator for Annie, but I wasn't a fan of the narrator for Will. He just wasn't giving sexy, pirate, bad boy to me and I didn't look forward to his chapters. I'd recommend reading the physical book if that's an option for you.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 💚 I'm excited to go get my own physical copy.

I enjoyed Practice Makes Perfect. I rated it 3.5 and rounded to 4 stars. It was a cute romance.

Synopsis:
Will reluctantly agrees to coach Annie on how to go on dates after one of her dates ended badly. Throughout the coaching they realize things about themselves and eventually realize they love each other.

I loved how they slowly learned how to love each other while figuring themselves out. They were always very open about how they were feeling.

And don’t forget about the town of Rome. It’s definitely its own character. And sometimes the antics of the people of Rome made me laugh.

Thanks to Netgalley and Dell for a copy of Practice Makes Perfect in exchange for an honest review.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

4.5 stars

Practice Makes Perfect was sooo much better than When in Rome!! They can be read as standalones but I would recommend reading When in Rome first just to get the full background. I really enjoyed the first book but I absolutely loved Annie and Will. They both communicate so well with each other and Annie just really shines. It’s such a feel good book and I don’t think I could recommend it enough! I’m really looking forward to the next one!

One of my bookish friends described Sarah Adams books as 'being like a hug,' and YESSS, this book was exactly like that for me. This love story is just purely wholesome and I loved it.

Annie is her small town's little angel and Will is a big city bad guy but they don't say opposites attract for nothing - because everyone has deeper layers once you get to know them and these two found out they had more in common once they were able to gain each other's trust.

I love a dual POV and I absolutely jumped for joy when once of POVs was Will! I don't normally read books that have the male perspective and I've always wanted that. Will and Annie were so mature in their ability to communicate their thoughts and feelings to one another and that was great to read. I would honestly read another book about their 100% wholesome, not-at-all dysfunctional relationship, as they navigate their new love. *Hint, hint* Sarah Adams :)

I really enjoyed this book! I loved how hard Will and Annie fought not to catch feelings for each other even though it was just no use! The pining and flirtation were top notch! I also loved Sarah's witty, clever writing! I always feel like I need to read every word in her books (and even go back and re-read) so that I don't miss anything! The opposites attract and forced proximity tropes were great in this story!

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book!

(4.5/5 stars rounded up to 5/5 stars)

I love Sarah Adams and really enjoyed Practice Makes Perfect! I didn't read When In Rome yet, but I didn't feel like I was missing too much. I love how the author, while writing closed door romances, still gives the hot tension and sexy vibes. solid 4.5/5!

THIS BOOK.

All the feels. I devoured it. Sarah Adams always writes everything I never knew I needed.

The characters. The details. Every single thing was perfect about this book.

My review for this was posted on 5/9 on my instagram (Bookmarkedfavs)

I read this book a few days ago and I am still SWOONING over it!
To all my contemporary romance readers this book is a MUST READ. Just trust me, please!! Sarah just won herself a spot on my list of auto buy authors because I cannot stop thinking about this book.

Let me start by saying that this was a very fun and easy read. Sara did amazing at developing the chemistry between the two main characters. Both POV were fun to read and I loved that they helped me understand the feelings of both characters. There was never a point where I felt something was missing in the story. I related to Annie so much and part of the book was honestly therapeutic in a way. I loved how we get to know a little bit about all the member of the town which helps create that “small town” vibe. This book will make you laugh, cry, and any other feeling you can think of. It is seriously so cute and refreshing. I hope all my followers give it a try! ✿

Thank you to Random House publishing and Netgalley for gifting me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

“It’s just me. You can’t mess up because there’s nothing to mess up. I’m your practice person, remember?” He holds my gaze. “You’re safe with me.”

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to get this ARC, I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own…… Spoiler’s Ahead so be warned!

There is SO much I can say about this book and absolutely NONE of it is bad! This book is probably the BEST book I've read this year. As the "introverted, tenderhearted, head in her book" girl I related so much to Annie who just wants happiness, love, marriage....the things she knows her parents who passed away when she was very little had. Annie's brother is getting married, to a famous rockstar, in their small town of Rome, Kentucky and as the wedding draws closer Amelia's security enters to obviously make sure there's no risks and dangers to ruin the wedding. Enter, Will Griffin, Amelia's bodyguard, sorry "Executive Protection Agent", your typical grumpy, no fun, "work is my life", "don't talk about my past" guy. After a brief encounter with Annie, who's on a failed date, Will discovers he may be a little bit (maybe a lotta bit) enamored with Annie. After their meeting, he gets a call from his brother who tells him he's getting married. Shocked, Will can't fathom the idea of getting married due to how difficult their childhood was with their parents.

Shortly after, while Annie, Amelia and her sisters are having movie night, the topic of Will comes up and Amelia comes up with a plan, a plan only she knows of at the time. She has Will drop a note off to Annie at her flower shop to read "with Will present" asking Will to be her dating coach, similar to the Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn movie they watched the night before. Hesitant at first, because, ya know.....he's in love ( but don't tell him yet bc he doesn't know lol), begrudgingly he agrees, but this is only after seeing Annie interact with her "brother from another mother" James. Annie and Will begin doing their “practice dates” and as time goes on Annie also realizes that she does indeed have the same feelings for Will that he’s trying to suppress.

However, small town Rome, Kentucky EVERYONE knows everyone’s business and everyone cares about everyone just ENTIRELY too much lol. The townspeople are hesitant to accept Will as he’s “quiet, tattooed and grumpy”. Eventually, that all changes….as Amelia’s wedding approaches and Will is essentially set to be relocated to another client.

Let me just tell you, the BANTER between the characters in this book is AMAZING! Annie and Will’s chemistry is amazing, the conversations between the two of them are not only heartwarming but hilarious. The conversations and interactions between the main characters and the townspeople is just *mwah* perfection!

Ultimately, Will, after speaking to his brother and some of the townspeople, realizes that his feelings for Annie, although scary are VERY real and that this is indeed this life he wants no matter how scary it may be.

All in all, if you LOVE a good rom-com, this book is right up your alley!

Thank you NetGalley for a free copy for my honest review!

Okay, well, I didn't know this was a story that was going alongside another story. But, it makes sense why I was getting "Things We Never Got Over" vibes. This definitely made me want to read the other story because I was in love with Amelia Rose and I definitely want to hear her story.

Anyways, back to Practice Makes Perfect. I felt like this book was ... fine. I didn't really connect with any of the characters although I do love Annie’s flower shop. I was hoping for a good fake dating story but it was more of a consistent "I want to be with you but you aren't ready okay got it!"

I also am just not a huge fan of story lines where someone is a virgin and the "bad boy" is going to teach the virgin a thing or two and also change his ways because she's just so pure and innocent. I don't know. Also, I was expecting some spice but we really didn't get that smut scene that I know a lot of people will want to read.

I do think this book was intriguing enough to me to make want to read "When in Rome" and I will definitely read allll of the sister's stories but I just hope they're a little more enticing than this one.

Over all, if you like the "Things We Never Got Over" vibes then I do think this series will be really enjoyable for you!

This small town romance is the perfect romance book! I could not put this down! I loved this so much. Sarah Adam's is an autobuy author for me, her books are always so good! This is in my top 5 favorites of the year.
I just reviewed Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams. #PracticeMakesPerfect #NetGalley
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To sum this review up, I'll just write one word; perfect.

The title is perfect, the cover is perfect, the characters are perfect.

Sarah Adams has magical abilities and we are just lucky to be living in her world.

Thanks to the publisher for the gifted e-copy.

Another cute romcom by Sarah Adams. I didn't realize this was a follow up to When In Rome, and I was so excited to discover that! (Maybe I should have read the synopsis) This is the story of Noah's sister, Annie, and Will, Amelia's bodyguard.

Annie is such a fun character. She's categorized by the entire town as the sweet, angelic one out of the sisters, and feels like she has to live up to that reputation. She has a lot of anxiety, which adds to that personality. Of course, as she matures, she's realizing she has some hidden personality traits that might be fun to let out. But can she actually do that?

Annie also decides that she wants to get married and settle down, but dating is a huge struggle for her. She never knows what to say or how to act on dates. She enlists Will (actually it was Amelia's idea) to help her learn how to date, but of course that doesn't go as planned once they can't deny the chemistry between them. Will has no desire to be in a serious relationship or get married, so he thinks he's the perfect person to teach Annie how to date. And of course, the more he gets to know her, the more he realizes he's in trouble.

This was a cute read, and for me, the only thing I wish was different was that it wasn't "fade to black"/closed door when it comes to the steamy bits. That's typical for this author, so I wasn't surprised, I just like more steam in my books. I loved the plot and the characters, and will definitely jump to read her next book! I hope she continues to write about the sisters and Rome!

Sarah Adams does it again. Being back in Rome, Kentucky was better than expected. Annie is so funny! Will knows exactly what he wants - and he communicates that! I just love them. Sarah writes amazing characters - and her wit pops out of every single page. I can’t wait to read more!

Although I haven’t read the first book I throughly enjoyed Practice Makes Perfect. It’s a cute fake dating, friends to lovers, that will have you with all the feels.

REVIEW FOR PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House- Ballantine, and Sarah Adams for the gifted copy!

Okay, so I was NOT a huge fan of When in Rome. I loved Amelia and Noah as characters, but I didn't buy their chemistry and I didn't feel connected to anything in the story. Ultimately it didn't make sense to me. But I understand now, that When in Rome walked so that Practice Makes Perfect could run, but I loved this book so much.

I haven't read a ton of Sarah Adam's books (really only 3 at this point), but all of her books tend to be more tame. I won't say "clean" as there are definitely inferences to intimacy and fade to black scenes, but there is always an underlaying of purity with them. I thought this would annoy me - but this was so well done that it's hard to get upset by it. And for the record just because I enjoy smut doesn't mean a cleaner romance doesn't hit the spot- and I'm not shaming anyone either. I'm simply pointing out that Sarah Adams has the ability to draw you in to her stories that you don't even realize something is "missing."

I loved getting to learn more about Annie. She was positioned in WIR as the sweet, angel baby, but there is so much more to her. Additionally, Will was always painted as the bad boy, and really he was just misunderstood. I think these two "opposites" attract were so cute together, and I loved their banter and all the things they found out about themselves during this story.

I wasn't super excited to return to Rome, Kentucky but now I can't wait for the next one!

This is going with Happy Place and the Deja Glitch as one of my favorite romances of 2023. I found the characters so charming and endearing. They are passionate, kind, a little confused, struggling through their feelings, but so genuine. In Practice Makes Perfect, a famous (for being hot) bodyguard agrees to be a dating coach for a slightly awkward, sexual novice, local florist. Our leading lady loves to read romance books, she believes the beginning of the love story has to be epic, and meeting guys on dating apps just……isn’t. But she keeps trying because getting married is the last piece of the puzzle for her to finally feel like her life is squared away. She has a job she likes and would have made her mother proud. She loves her small town and her family is close by. She has curated the perfect, angel of a little sister image to ensure she never causes her siblings grief. All she needs is her happily ever after. So why is she so attracted to the bodyguard in town to protect her future sister-in-law when she knows he’ll be leaving town after? As for our bodyguard: he’s never needed love, doesn’t particularly want it, so why is he agreeing to coach the one girl he knows he might find a reason to plant roots to be with in the dating game?
As you can imagine, sparks fly and quickly. Our introvert leading lady, who previously has had no romantic interest in the men in the book, has absolutely no problem flirting with our bodyguard. And our bodyguard who never catches feelings sure seems to spend a lot of time thinking about our sweet small town florists laugh (and sneaking candid pictures of her on his phone). Can the two figure out what they really want in time to get their happily ever after? Can our leading lady learn to just be herself? And maybe come to see that the beginning shouldn’t be the best part after all?
I love this. I love all the tropes: fake dating, small town romance, meddling friends, youngest sibling, family baggage, sunshine/grump. It’s dual POV so we get to the inner workings of both leads’ minds, which is my favorite. And all the major players in the story just come off so genuinely lovely and caring and fun. I just wanted to dive in to the story.

Sarah Adams is quickly becoming an autobuy author for me - after The Cheat Sheat and When in Rome - I was dying to read Practice Makes Perfect. While I enjoyed her other books, I absolutely ADORED Practice Makes Perfect - it's among my favorites of the year, so far.   
   
I really loved Annie as a leading lady - she was navigating the waters of dating in a small town, familial pressures, and the over involved townspeoples' preconceived notions of her (she was also one of my favorite portrayals of a romance reader I've ever read). She was clearly under a lot of pressure - but was still a hopeless romantic nonetheless. Her inner monologue was so intricate and easy to relate to - she was trying to find her place in the world and while also trying to reconcile with who she was and who she wanted to be (and how everyones perception of her was impacting her mental health).    
   
This was one of those books that thrives from having dual POV - it showed how much both characters were pining for each other (and, boy, was there a lot of pining). Reading about how Will wrestled with his feelings and tried to convince himself that he wasn't relationship material was cute as hell - I like that he was so infatuated with Annie, but wasn't about to admit his feelings to himself or Annie without a fight.  
   
Characters that grow together are my favorite kind of couples - and Annie and Will definitely helped each other grow emotionally. Not only did they have excellent chemistry (even just during their dating practice) - they also had great tension. They were also great at communicating with each other - which was such a breath of fresh air. Honestly, they might be one of my new favorite book couples - they were cavity inducingly sweet together. 
   
Practice Makes Perfect was sweet, sincere, and rendered me to a ball of goo. Annie and Will were perfect together - this will definitely be a reread later this year for me for sure! I can't wait to revisit Rome and it's residents with the next When in Rome book!

I absolutely devoured this book.

Small Town? Shy introverted girl? Bad Bodyguard Boy? Dating Lessons? Say less. I was all in right away.

I don’t think I have ever really related to a character more until I read Annie’s story, she’s shy, introverted, awkward and is just looking to find herself and where she fits. She wants a family and marriage and the whole nine yards and thinks that will fill the void she feels. Will is Amelia’s bodyguard and is back in their small town of Rome. He’s a bit closed off and always moving and has a past he doesn’t talk about. So when Amelia’s suggest Will be Annie’s dating coach it seems like a no brainer, she’s looking for forever and he’s looking for never. Simple enough? So when things get blurry and lines and feelings cross and maybe a few town meetings, whose to know what will happen. This was all of the small town feel goodness, along with laughs and swoon worthy feels that I needed. Definitely one of my favorite reads this year!

Thank you NetGalley & Author Sarah Adams for the copy.