This book is sweet. That's really the best way to describe it. It is a romantic sweet walk through small town life with a swoon worthy easy romance. The definition of a feel good read. Practice Makes Perfect made me laugh at times and almost tear up at others. And I have to say, for a fade to black romance, Sarah Adams writes the lead up angst so well. I could feel the tension and attraction she was writing. If you are looking for a delightful easy read that just makes you feel good but isn't spicy, this book is for you.

My one complaint is that if I didn't let myself just get caught up in the way it felt, some things didn't add up for me. I often thought the main character seemed closer to 19 than 30. I wouldn't really describe the MMC as a bad boy. He's a cinnamon roll with commitment issues. They could both use a heavy dose of therapy and the whole sibling group is a prime example of why therapy should be a necessity when children experience loss. I'm a feeler though so I was able to set those thoughts to the side and just focus on what this book made me feel. If you are more of a thinker, setting aside your disbelief on some of their actions might be a bit harder.

I’ve been a huge fan of Sarah Adams work for some time now and this book didn’t fail to remind me why. Practice Makes Perfect is standalone but you’re introduced to the characters in When In Rome. I’m such a sucker for bad boy/good girl dynamic and Will/Annie were exactly that. Annie is the sweet girl next door while Will was the bad ass bodyguard. Their story was sweet and fun and they also had really great chemistry. Nothing felt unnecessary in this book. It’s rare to read romance books where the couple acts like proper adults so this was a refreshing read.

Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams

Pub Date May 2nd

I AM A BOWL OF MUSH.

Read this if:
The fake dating trope is your thing
Good Girl x Bad Boy
You enjoy dual POV
You love a cozy small town romance


UGH!! My HEART! I have FEELINGS!

I haven’t read a small town romance in a minute. Y’all know I sold my soul to dark romance but this left me clutching my heart and blinking back tears.
From the first page I was hooked and could not put it down. The chemistry between Annie and Will is palpable and their banter had me cracking up.
“You better put that paring knife back in the same place you found it, or Maddie will have your neck.”
“Got it, completely rearrange the kitchen drawers before Maddie gets back.”
If you need a feel good, heart vibrating book that you can curl up with, then you have to pick this up when it comes out next week. KEEP THIS ON YOUR RADAR. It’s too good to miss.

You all know I’m a huge Sarah Adams fan and this book was one of my most anticipated reads for this year. It was fun to return to the small town of Rome, Kentucky for Noah’s youngest sister’s (Annie) story. Annie runs the local flower shop and is quiet and introverted but ready to meet someone and settle down to start a family. She quickly finds herself using her soon-to-be sister in law’s tattooed, bad boy bodyguard, Will, to give her some dating lessons. The two have an obvious mutual attraction from the beginning, but Annie wants something serious and Will has no intention of ever settling down.

I wanted to love this book, but it just wasn’t quite for me. This book did not have the usual charming Sarah Adams vibes that I enjoy so much with her books. This book was edgy and while technically closed door, it was teetering close to the edge on that spice level. While it didn’t necessarily bother me too much, it was such a sudden change in Sarah’s writing and spice level and language throughout, and I’m afraid some of her fans may not be too happy about it.

Sarah has been known for her fairly squeaky clean, funny, charming romcoms and this one was not any of those things. 😕 I didn’t laugh once, I couldn’t connect with the main characters and I didn’t fall in love with the storyline. I think there was a lot of potential, but I would’ve preferred a slower burn and a mysterious MMC. The story seemed a bit juvenile at times and I had a hard time believing Annie was almost 30.

I still love Sarah’s books and continue to remain a big fan, but I hope she gets back to 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘁 vibes with her next book!

𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑾𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈: language, innuendo, and a big increase in spice level compared to Sarah Adams’ others books.

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

💐💐💐💐💐5 bouquets of flowers for this perfect book. I absolutely loved When In Rome so getting an ARC of Practice Makes Perfect made me so happy and it lives up to all my expectations. I enjoyed seeing the healing journey that both Annie & Will took to meet each other where they were at and the growth Annie showed in sharing her heart and feelings with friends and family and Will. The book was full of good pacing, perfect tension and build up and enjoyed seeing Annie’s floral and bookish dreams come to life with a bit of help from a pirate 💐

"I think something in me has known I was capable of loving him since the second I laid eyes on him."

First Thoughts
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
literally crying this was so cute my heart is so full

Review
Oh my goodness, this was such a refreshingly sweet romance! Annie is looking for a long term partner, and Will is a free-spirited body guard who has offered to give her "dating lessons." Annie is introverted and a bit adorably awkward, but with Will she is instantly comfortable. You can tell that these two have genuine, instant chemistry. There are so many cute moments in the flower shop, with pirate romances, and nosy neighbors in the small town. What I loved best about this romance though is how clearly both Annie and Will communicated their feelings throughout the whole book. The tension is created from wanting different things out of their life, but these things were never hidden from each other. I think this really made the romance feel so solidly real to me, because their situation is one that many people experience. But I love that they were able to navigate it with emotional maturity. Overall such a lovely book!

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Totally adorable. Annie is a super sweet, super quirky flower shop owner who doesn’t have the slightest clue how to date despite desperately wanting to settle down and start a family. When Will, a charming bodyguard with extensive dating experience and zero desire to commit to a relationship, agrees to be her dating coach, Annie is forced to face some difficult truths about what she really wants for herself in the future.

I just loved Will and Annie. Sarah Adams did a wonderful job incorporating the tropes that readers expect to find in a romcom without overplaying them. She gives them cute nicknames but doesn’t tack them on to the end of every sentence. They (allegedly) don’t want the same things in a relationship but they’re still open and communicative. There’s no unnecessary conflict, and a noticeable emphasis on consent. As far as spice goes, I’d give this *maybe* half a chili pepper. The tension between Annie and Will is expertly written, but I definitely had a “this is not what I ordered” moment when I made it to the final chapters and realized that the culmination of that tension was going to be a lot more wholesome than I had anticipated.. That said, I have zero regrets about staying up way too late to finish this book in one sitting.

Thanks to Netgalley & Dell for the E-ARC! I flew through this book in 2 days. Loved the romance and the characters. The chemistry was so good! I will definitely go back and read her previous book.

Oh this was such a good read!! Will is now a favorite male lead of mine! Annie was a fun and relatable character. I loved the romantic comedy trope of this book. The writing style was fun, lighthearted, witty and completely enjoyable. I really loved the closed door romance, instead of all out steamy. I think Will and Annie are completely perfect for each other, a great realistic couple. Their chemistry made this book so easy to read quickly. Can’t wait for more books from this author!

Oh Sarah, you've done it again!! Thank you so much to NetGalley, Sarah, and Penguin Random House for this ARC!

Annie is known about town as Angel Annie, Sweet Annie, Anna- Banana - cherubic, virginal, curse-tracking, and too pure and wholesome for this world. Will, on the other hand, is known as a playboy, scandalized everyone by running shirtless through town, and has a dangerous edge.
After a *very* rough date and some convincing by Amelia, one of Annie's best friends and Will's current bodyguard assignment, the two agree for Will to coach Annie on how to date. It's guaranteed to be helpful but painless, because both of them know they want different things in life. Annie is looking for the American dream, white picket fence kind of relationship that her parents had, whereas Will is leaving in a month and doesn't believe in love. It's a match made in heaven, a guaranteed way to help without worrying about getting too attached - until those pesky feelings get in the way.

I've read almost every book Sarah has out so far, and I have never once been disappointed. Practice Makes Perfect is no exception - in fact, it's my favorite so far!
Will and Annie have so much chemistry that each interaction sizzles, and their respective POVs just add to that. I loved seeing how they opened each other up and encouraged one another to be brave in the face of their pasts and the preconceived titles that have been assigned to them.
Seeing the townsfolk of Rome again was also so fun and infuriating, as usual. They're so nosy and zany, but filled to the brim with love for each other. I especially enjoyed Mabel's role as both a goofy, always watching, busybody and a more serious, kindhearted parental figure to both Will and Annie. She was exactly what they needed, and their relationships were so heartening.

I can't wait to go back to Rome with whatever goodness Sarah has cooking up next.

To me this was the perfect quick rom-com read. I loved both main characters and connected so well to both of them throughout the book. This may be an unpopular opinion but I liked this book so much more than When in Rome and really enjoyed reading this one. I found myself actually laughing out loud at some points in the book and loving all the side characters from the first book even more in this one. I really enjoyed my time in Rome Kentucky with this book and am looking forward to further stories from there. I also want to say Sarah Adams is one of the few authors who can make a fade to black scene steamy and leaves the reader wanting more. I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the digital arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgallery for providing an ARC of Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams for an honest review.

This book is what I needed right now. A warm hug, a book that made me feel giddy and excited. I loved the story and the characters. I laughed and cried. Both Will and Annie are just great for each-other.

The story is simple, not an over complicated plot. Fake dating, teach me how to date. I just think that where this book shines for me was with Annie and Will as individuals. They both found out throughout the book that maybe the things they believed they wanted were not 100% true, they grew individually and learned about themselves while yes, simultaneously falling in love. I loved their chemistry, and Will…omg he was just the cutest flirt ever. Loved their banter and how Annie purposely said Will’s name incorrectly, it never failed to make me laugh. The supporting characters like Mabel and Hariette also had me laughing.


I really really enjoyed this book and all the warm and fuzzy feelings it gave me. I had a lot of fun!

This was such a cute quick read! I absolutely adored Annie & Will. Will is definitely one of my new favorite book boyfriends. He was so supportive of Annie even if that meant putting his own feelings aside, along with Annie doing the same. I think I would’ve given 5 stars if there would’ve been more of an epilogue because I would love to see more of what their future selves are up to!

Also - I have to say the cover for this book is so cute! I’m obsessed.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

Ok, is Sarah Adams simply incapable of writing a terrible book?! I mean, just once so we know she's human...except, do you even know how that would gut me??
Anyway, now that I've been dramatic, allow me to continue to be dramatic.
I LOVED this book!! I got an early copy from NetGalley, and I was SOOO excited! It was only like a week before the release, but hey with shipping it would be like a week and a half before I actually got the book in my hands!
This has to be one of my favorite tropes in romances. The bad boy/good girl. The walking ray of sunshine/I'll snap your neck if you so much as breathe wrong in her direction. Does that paint a clear enough picture?
First off, I want to highlight the side relationships. As in, every relationship except the love story. We get more of the Walker siblings, and it's precious! Will also has a brother that we see him interact with and grow closer to (that doesn't seem like the right words, but read the book and figure it out yourself!). I live for sibling arcs! It's such a deep connection between people; and when it goes from protective sheltering to adamant support, it does devastating things to my emotions. There's also the relationship to the town and all the busy bodies in said town. They crack me up, and I love their gossip tree!
Now, the main plot line. The romance. Will and Annie. What can I say except I love them? Annie wants to get married but she's terrible at dating so Will agrees to coach her. Everyone knows where it's going to lead from the start, but hey, what's a novel if the characters don't ignore the warning signs along the way? He's a bodyguard. He lives a life of excitement and danger and adventure. She's only ever read of those things. If you don't see where I'm going with this, you should read more, and I'd suggest starting here. You'll get all you need and you'll have a damn good time all the way.
Final comments. That scene at the little league game had my stomach cramping from holding back my cackles so my family was none the wiser. They all know I'm insane; they don't need to know quite how much.

Sarah Adams is a master mind and I will never stop singing her praises. Her writing is witty I found myself chuckling out loud at several points while reading this book. Once I started Annie and Will's story I couldn't bring myself to stop. Their characters were both loveable and deep. I love the small town setting & family included in the story. Though the book was mostly closed-door, Sarah really makes you feel the sexual tension, intimacy, and yearning of the characters in such a way that you don't feel like you're missing a thing. I love all the parallels between this story and the characters favorite movie, Funny Face with Audrey Hepburn. I think that this is such a unique story to spin and I loved the subtle way it was done. This is a book I know I will find myself reading many times over.

I felt like I was smiling throughout the entirety of this book and definitely had a few laugh out loud moments. Small town girl meets celebrity bodyguard romance novel? I'm all about it. Throw in a town that is reminiscent of Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls (including the meddlesome older folks that keep watch over our main character… Love!!) and l'Il be sure to devour it in one sitting... which is exactly what I did.. I am already anxiously awaiting Emily and Madison's stories now!

I have many books from Sarah Adam's on my tbr list but this is the first one I have actually read, but I'm definitely going back and reading her rest of her books.

Annie, is a owner of a flower shop and is really trying to get back in the dating world. However, her first date in awhile ends in a disaster.

Will, is Amelia (Annie's brothers fiance) bodyguard back in town on job leading up to Ameilia and Noah wedding. He doesn't do relationships and doesn't see him self ever settling down.

Will agrees to be Annie's dating coach, with the agreement they will just remain friends as they aren't on the same page when it's comes to relationships.

However, the both end up falling one another. I liked during the evolution getting to know one another things never got messy and no third act "break up". While I love a little steamy romance and I think a behind closed doors romance was perfect for this book. High recommend this book to any romance book lover.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Ugh I was already a Sarah Adams fan but this one may be her best yet!! Such the perfect lighthearted summer read.

🤍Things I loved:
-small town romance
-fake dating
-opposites attract
-open communication (let’s do more of this please 👏🏻)
- tattooed softies
-dual pov ( love love love that we got to see both perspectives)

❌Things I didn’t care for:
- the fmc family (& the way they treated her like a child)

Delightful.
Lovely.
Swoony.
Heartwarming.
Adorable.
Happy.

Do I even need to say more about Sarah Adams's newest release Practice Makes Perfect? All of those words sum it up perfectly, but I won't leave you hanging.

I've been reading Adams's books since The Match. Each time she releases a new book I wonder how she's going to be able to top the last one and then does it. That's how it was with Practice Makes Perfect. I loved When in Rome with grumpy pie maker Noah and famous singer Amelia. Then came awkward "good girl" Annie and the "bad boy" bodyguard Will. Annie and Will are now my two favorite Sarah Adams's characters... at least until she releases her next book. 

Annie and Will were so opposite and yet so perfect for each other. Annie was this kind of shy, reserved caterpillar who wanted to break free of the cocoon of expectations her sisters and community had bound her in. Will was a man who didn't trust love and liked to constantly be on the move experiencing new places and trying new things. Will was exactly the person Annie needed to encourage her and help her grow and vice versa. I loved how they were pushed together by Amelia and how their entire romance played out. They saw each other for who they truly were, and it was so much fun to experience them working through it all. It was all so swoon worthy.

I can't end this review without giving a nod to all of the people of Rome, Kentucky who were involved in making Annie and Will's book what it was. Noah, Annie's older brother, and his fiancée Amelia had some special moments with both of the MCs. I also loved how the dynamic between Annie and her sisters was woven into the story. Same for Will's brother. Then, there was Mabel. She won my heart over in a couple of scenes. Not that I didn't love her before, but she had some big, special moments in this book. Then, there's all the other great townspeople. 

There was just so much to love about this book. It made me happy the entire time I was reading it. I could feel the smile on my face. I probably looked like an idiot while reading. Haha. I can't recommend this romance enough. It's one that should work for just about everyone - It's pretty closed door but has enough chemistry to keep those who like open door romances intrigued. It was such a lovely, sweet time.

I enjoyed this rom-com from Sarah Adams, especially the fact that the FMC is a bookworm. For me, it’s still lacking something that I can’t quite put my finger on, but it’s definitely a cute read with lots of characters set up for future stories. 4/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.