Sarah Adams’ new small town romance novel, Practice Makes Perfect, is sugar and spice and everything nice!

You guys, I don’t know that I have ever loved a fictional setting more than the tiny town of Rome, Kentucky and its wonderful cast of quirky characters. I adored them in the author’s last book, When in Rome, and couldn’t wait to visit them again in this new book. One of my favorite parts of When in Rome was Noah’s close relationship with his sisters, so I was thrilled that this new book would focus on one of them.

Annie Walker is a shy, romance reading, bookworm, who also runs the town’s flower shop. She is the epitome of the “girl next door” and her sweet personality has led the townsfolk and her siblings to nickname her Angel Annie. While the nickname is meant as a term of endearment, it makes Annie feel like she always has to behave in a certain way so as not to disappoint anyone.

When we first meet Annie, she is on a mission to meet her perfect match, a proper respectable husband whose life will mesh nicely with her own. Unfortunately, having had little experience with men, Annie is awkward around most men her age, and according to her most recent date, she’s also downright boring. Annie knows all she needs is some practice with dating and flirting, and so she turns to the one man, who surprisingly enough, doesn’t make her nervous at all, Will Griffin, the sexy, tattooed bodyguard of Noah’s wife, Amelia, who also happens to be the town’s resident pop star.

In many ways, Will really is perfect for the job. He’s a serial dater with no interest in a real relationship, so there’s no danger of either of them forming an attachment to the other. He also clearly has plenty of experience, and the fact that Annie is comfortable around him is a bonus. There’s just one problem – Will is secretly attracted to Annie and if anyone could make him rethink his decision to be in a relationship, it’s definitely her. He can’t resist Annie’s charms though and so he agrees to mentor and fake date her.

I can’t even express how much I love the chemistry between Will and Annie. Their “lessons” were just so adorable and sexy, and I especially loved how Will sees Annie in a way that no one else in the town or even her own family sees her. As much as I enjoyed watching the romantic relationship blossom between them, it was the emotional connection between them, and especially Will’s encouragement of Annie to be who and what she wants to be that really took this story to the next level for me.

Highly recommended for fans of small town, opposites attract romances!

Read if you like:
😂 Great Opening Lines
💕 Romances
🔀 Opposites Attract
⛅️ Grumpy x Sunshine
💐 Fake Dating
🏘️ Small Town Romances
2️⃣ Dual POV

“It seems to me, Annie, that you are just waiting for someone to give you permission to be yourself out loud.”

I absolutely loved the dynamic of Annie a girl seen as perfect and angelic by everyone including her siblings in the small town and Will the sexy bodyguard, I mean EPA… who is the bad boy with a reputation for being a playboy. This is the ultimate opposites attract with grumpy sunshine vibes.

I loved how Annie was always teasing Will by calling him different variations of what Will could be short for. Their dynamic was so effortless and I loved the slow burn of their fake dating/dating teacher/student vibes.

If you are looking for a closed door but sweet and swoon worthy romance, I highly recommend picking this one up!

“But the thing about quiet people is, we’re only quiet because our brains are so busy overthinking everything.”

Thank you Random House & Dell Books for my ARC of this one in exchange for my honest review!

absolutely loved it! this book was so funny, i literally caught myself laughing out loud multiple times. and while it wasn’t my usually spicy read, it was still so good! the perfect rom-com, i felt like i was reading a movie! (does that make sense!?)
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the book follows annie & will; annie owns a local flower shop in her small town and will is a bodyguard (or epa as he likes to call it) who is assigned to guard annie’s famous sister in law. i don’t want to give away too many details but basically will agrees to help annie with her dating skills because she’s so awkward! like really i got second hand embarrassment just reading and of course they fall completely in love with each other!
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i will recommend this book from here on out to anyone who wants all the love and laughter because this book has it all. seriously annie will forever be one of my favorite characters, she was so funny! her inner monologue were just the best.
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im so glad i got the opportunity to review this book from net galley; thanks so much! & sarah i will definitely be reading more from you!
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The amount of love I have for this book is indescribable. SARAH ADAMS DOES IT AGAIN! How does she pull on my heart strings like this? I was so captivated and enthralled in this story- ugh I loved this so much. I am having a book hangover from this. I cannot stop thinking of Annie and Will.. and just the sheer perfection of this novel. I will never not recommend this to everyone- one of the best reads of 2023!

I adored Annie and Will’s love story. As a shy introvert, I felt so deeply for Annie and her struggles to be seen as a grown woman and not the sweet, docile child raised by the town. And oh boy, was Will Griffin swoon worthy! This was a really fun read.

“Heaven will undeniably be made up of flowers.”

If there is one thing that Sarah Adams is good at its writing love stories that are precious and tender. Stories about characters who deal with real and difficult things but they’re still stories that feel warm, happy, and sweet. (Nobody tell Annie I said that) And characters who are always careful with each other in a way that make her books feel good to read. Gosh, I loved this one.

I don’t really want to share any specific reasons I connected with this book because it feels too vulnerable but it’s definitely one of those books where I’ll be avoiding any negative reviews. There will inevitably be a few that say mean things about Annie and I’ll feel like they’re saying them about me. I thought I lived a lot of miles away from Sarah but based on some of Annie’s thoughts I kind of feel like Sarah might be my backyard neighbor who has been spying on me my whole life.

And Will. I loved his character arc and how he sees Annie. Actually sees her. He doesn’t see the person he assumes she is or the person he wants her to be. He just sees her. And I will love him forever for it. ♥️

Things to love:
- Dual POV
- Off the charts chemistry - 🔥 but not 🌶️
- Cinnamon roll MMC
- Good girl/bad boy
- Adorable and hilarious banter - the letter in the flower shop scene has a permanent home in my brain now

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the eARC!

Content: The romance in this one is just the tiniest bit steamier than her others and a few of my closed door only friends might find that this pushes their boundaries a little so just a heads up on that! Mild language, mentions: death of parent, abuse, dementia.

Sarah Adams does it again with a super enjoyable romcom! I found myself laughing all the time! I really liked the dynamic between the couple and the small town antics!

This book gave me Schitt’s Creek and Gilmore Girls vibes in the small town feel. It was really great to see Annie grow and mature.

Overall a great, fun romance! I will continue to read Sarah Adams romance!

I’ve been a fan of Sarah Adams for years and love her OG books so much! While I liked When in Rome last fall, it felt very different from her original writing/storytelling and, sadly, this book is more of the same.
However I know this will be a #bookstadarling so I’m definitely in the minority which is ok.


💐Minor Spoilers ahead!💐
Annie runs the flower shop in small town Rome, Kentucky and is depicted as angelic and wholesome but terrible at dating. This is obviously problematic since she wants to settle down. Amelia (from When in Rome) convinces her to practice dating with her tattooed, “bad boy” bodyguard, Will. Instead of actually fake dating they just have a major case of Insta love/ lust(?) while smothering their past hurts that keep popping up. Both need lots of therapy!

-I never felt connected to either main character and I was disappointed there really wasn’t any fake dating. There was a lot of “I don’t want to settle down.” “Well I do, so I guess we want different things” Then lots of 💋🤦🏻‍♀️
-The bad boy/good girl trope was really cliche, and it felt like Annie changed a huge part of herself for a man, which I’m never a fan of! I didn’t buy her transformation.
-There was also a dig at people who go to church (described as wearing fancy clothes and judgmental) which I didn’t appreciate.
-I know Sarah has more books planned with Annie’s sisters and I’m hoping her old spark is back with those books!

Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams is a sweet, small-town, romantic comedy that will give you all the feels. Annie, our FMC, is the epitome of sweet and innocent, and a proverbial ray of sunshine. Will, our MMC, is….. like an M&M. Hard exterior but sweet on the inside.

Annie has a date that goes horribly wrong so her soon to be sister-in-law sets her up with Will as her practice dating coach. Will is a bodyguard, I mean Executive Protective Agent (EPA), to the SIL, Amelia, and he is used to a certain lifestyle that he is not going to find in Rome, Kentucky, a town of 250. Annie has lived in Rome all her life and wants to get married and start a family. Their goals couldn’t be future apart, or could they?

I absolutely loved the sweet moments in this book. There were some tear jerkers as well that made me pull out the tissue box (read: my T-shirt) and so many lines that I had to highlight that I loved. I would definitely recommend this book! 10/10!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC! All opinions are my own!

I was given an Arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Oh my goodness! This was my first Sarah Adams book and now I want to go read all her others! This was such a light hearted feel good romance! No spice but fade to black scenes and it couldn’t have been more perfect.

Annie is the perfect youngest sister. She’s sweet and kind and everyone calls her Angel Annie…that is until a rugged tattooed bodyguard shows up and turns her world upside down in the best way!

I loved her relationship with Will. I especially loved how she finally stood up for herself and everyone loved her even more for it!

5/5 stars and I will be recommending this book!!

Yes. Just yes.

This book is the second one revolving around Rome, Kentucky, and omg I am absolutely obsessed with Annie and Will. I loved them separately and together. I loved their growth and personalities. And I’m glad I got to see some of my favorite characters again. I cannot wait until the next one!

“Practice Makes Perfect” is the perfect follow-up to “When in Rome.” This story follows sweet and introverted Annie Walker, as she is determined to fill a gaping hole in her heart. Her solution? Marriage and babies of course! Enter Will Griffin, the adventurous anti-relationship bodyguard of Amelia (from “When in Rome). Desperate to become less boring and nervous on dates, Annie enlists Will’s help. Over time, the develop a wonderful relationship. The thing I loved the most about this book, was the two main characters had such healthy communication. The “miscommunication trope” is tired and old, and it doesn’t exist in this book! “Practice Makes Perfect” is a happy, cheesy, feel-good rom-com, and I loved it! I’ve read two other books by this author and her writing and stories get better each time.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC so I could provide my review!

A return to Rome, Kentucky! I loved When in Rome, and Practice Makes Perfect is just as good. The charming town with some eclectic townsfolk, the chemistry between Will and Annie, the teasing, their friendship, the ending. Two thumbs up!

Thank you Random House/Ballentine and NetGalley for the e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The concept of this one was too good to pass up! Practice Makes Perfect is a fun, light and fast read (take this one on vacation with you, trust me) that follows a small-town florist and a tattooed bodyguard who is there to protect her future sister-in-law (this is a standalone but is connected to another book by Adams as far as I can tell). Annie is known for being the perfect, shy, angelic girl by her family and neighbors, but she's tired of feeling boxed in by this role that's been pushed on her and is ready to find a partner. Will has been hiding from connection from a young age after growing up around his parents' toxic relationship (this man needs THERAPY). When Annie decides she needs dating "practice," Will becomes her teacher, despite the sparks they both feel.
While the writing was a bit literal and cringey at times, this was a fun read! I enjoyed the small town vibes of Rome and think Annie's arc was an interesting one. Getting into Will's head in his POV chapters was great (I love a pining man, what can I say) but I wish he was a bit more self-aware. Great premise, okay execution. I audibly laughed during the little league scene.

This book was adorable! I love, love Annie and Will. I think I love them more than Amelia and Noah! I honestly don't know how Sarah Adams will be able to top this book, but I look forward to reading it!

Annie, the small-town florist with a reputation for being too sweet, meets Will, the famed bodyguard who doesn’t believe in love. What an absolute perfect combo for fake dating (ish) filled with exactly the amount of ‘Just don’t fall in love with me’ moments that you’d expect. This was my first read by Sarah Adams and it was so good – I couldn’t put it down. The communication and character growth from both MCs was so delightful and really sets this apart from other contemporary romance books. (And if you’re wondering, this is a closed-door romance!) I’d highly recommend this book to friends, family, and romance lovers alike.

Thank you Sarah Adams, Random House Publishing, and NetGalley for the chance to fall in love with these characters!

Well. This was a book. It was honestly completely my fault for reading another book by this author knowing I wasn’t a fan of her first one. It was cute, just unfortunately not my style. But if you love quirky main characters then I completely would recommend! I will not be reviewing this book on my social media platforms due to 2 star rating.

This book is Sarah Adams at her finest! Right from the start, I was drawn into the story and characters. I loved how Annie and Will contrasted each other so much initially, and with every layer of the story that was revealed, they gradually realize that they are more aligned than either could've imagined. The love wasn't insta-lovey, but slowly built from mutual attraction and good conversation. I loved how dynamic the plot is, and any story set in the landscape of Adams' Rome, Kentucky contains the perfect roots for an iconic small town romance. I love how attraction was so well portrayed for a close-door romance. I love that Sarah Adams books are a break from the spicy, and this book had the perfect amount of pining, fluff, and substance for the ideal closed-door romance. This book is probably my favorite Sarah Adams book yet, and I cannot wait to read what Adams will release next. If you are a romance lover, this book is a must read!

✨ ARC REVIEW ✨

💐 small town romance
🩷 good girl x bad boy
💐 opposites attract
🩷 bodyguard x flower shop owner

Introverted Annie Walker hasn’t had the best luck with dating…or hasn’t dated much at all, really. But now she’s ready to find her perfect someone. So when her sister-in-law’s bodyguard comes back to town, she knows the flirtatious bad boy Will Griffin would be her perfect dating coach. Not wanting to change anything about Annie, Will reluctantly agrees to help her find the love of her life. Only their practice dates and tutoring lessons prove there’s much more than friendship between these two…

Introducing one of my top reads of 2023!!! I loved everything about Annie and Will’s story 🥹 after reading When in Rome last month, I was pleasantly surprised to find out we’d be getting more of the Walker family and Rome, Kentucky. Practice Makes Perfect had me kicking my feet and giggling, and even tearing up a few times. Annie’s an introvert who struggles with social anxiety (it’s me) but has always wanted a happily-ever-after. She thought she knew exactly what she wanted in a man, and with Will’s help, she’d gain the confidence to find that man. But spending time with Will, her polar opposite, forces Annie to realize that maybe she’s had it all wrong.

Annie and Will’s passion and chemistry were undeniable from the first time they meet. Their banter and growing friendship made me giddy! Annie’s been misunderstood all her life, but Will’s the only one who truly SEES her. What I loved most about their relationship was the open and honest communication, something they both struggled to do with others. Their relationship just felt so mature and healthy, and it was refreshing to witness.

And I know this is a closed-door romance but y’all are not ready for Will Griffin 🥵 there was so much palpable tension and, as a lover of spice, I really appreciate how the author handles these scenes.

Practice Makes Perfect WAS perfect. The storyline, the tender romance, the meddling side characters and lovable small town—I ate it all up and wanted more. And thank you Sarah Adams for all the bits of Noah and Amelia 😭🫶🏼

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an ARC of PMP, which is available now!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this wonderful book! This was such a fun read! My first by this author but definitely won’t be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed the banter between these two, and found myself smiling multiple times throughout the book. My only critique is the virgin troupe. I find the perfect virgin finds a bad boy to change a little silly, but this book did accomplish it in a very cute way.