I love Rome, Kentucky. I’m a Kentucky girl and I love seeing representation of my home state (even if the town is fictional I don’t care!). I was rooting for Emily and Jack the whole way through. Their dynamic of rival teachers to allies to lovers was so fun to read. I don’t want the series to end but I also can’t wait for the next one.

I loved this story with my whole heart, Emily Walker embodies two of my favorite Taylor Swift songs You’re On Your Own, Kid and right where you left me, as an independent sibling who also has avoidant attachment issues I related to Emily’s struggles with everyone moving on without her and asking for help because she’s so accustom to being the help. Jackson fits so perfectly with her because he too is figuring out how to heal and move on from his own family trauma. The way he takes care of Emily is every avoidant attachment girlie’s dream. 4 stars for a beautifully written story ❤️ also you can’t convince me that Teddy Anderson (Lost and Lassoed) and Emily Walker wouldn’t be best friends in an alternate universe.

Sarah Adams' best work to date! I was very wary of Emily's book as she was hard to swallow in the first two books, but she burrowed her way into my heart and is now one of my favorite characters. What a beautifully complicated and prickly female character who loves so hard and deeply. The narrator for her was hands down one of the best narrators I have ever listened to and added so much to the story.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal is a contemporary romance following another Walker sibling in Rome, Kentucky. I could relate to some parts of Emily and loved the banter between the two main characters.

I received an ARC from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was cute! I didn’t realize there was a book to read before this one, but I feel like I was able to get the gist without having read it. The characters were likeable and I enjoyed their banter. I can’t say it was my favorite, and it will stick with me but, I’d recommend to avid romance readers.

Overall, this was a great addition to this series. But probably my least favorite of them so far. I don’t know why our main character always has to be so mean to the men in the series. You can be a strong, fearless woman without being mean. Overall, we saw through the ups and downs of their emotions, their past relationships, and moving forward. Thank you to NetGalley for this advance reader copy !

This was a great continuation of the series, I loved being back in the small town of Rome; this was my favorite book of the series so far, I thought the love story was the best and I feel like the best as well. I loved getting Emily’s love story and seeing her growth through out the series, Jack was such a lovable character and I thought fit Emily so well.

If you like rivals to lovers you’ll love this! 3.75

Thank you Netgally for an epub in exchange for an honest review!

Another fun and delightful book by Sarah Adams. The enemies to lovers trope was fun and well paced. It was a fantastic romantic read that I would recommend to any fans of the genre!

What’s better than one teacher? Two!!!! What’s better than two teachers? Two teachers feuding one another. I love rivals to lovers but office rivals to lovers seems a little over done. I had the biggest smile on my face when I found out Sarah Adam's was writing a book about rival teachers. This was a joy to read. When they reunite after Jack leaves years prior, it’s a recipe for disaster. And perhaps…a recipe for love too. When Jack leaves Kentucky after his engagement, Emily is filled with a plethora of emotions. How is one supposed to navigate through life just like that? After getting back on her feet again, Jack returns, and it dwindles every thing Emily has worked hard to fix. Our leading lady however, is a romance writer, and unfortunately, with a blip of a finger, her entire writing career is exposed to non other than a strict principal. But worry not. Jack saves the day! These two had so much chemistry I almost burst. I loved them so unbelievably much. I’ve adored every book in this series and with the set up we’ve gotten for the next couple, I cannot wait to see where their story goes in January 2026.

This was gorgeous, The best in this series. It made me both desperate for the 5th and final book and want to go back and reread the previous in the series. Warm, flirty and inviting. Just an absolute 5 star, one sitting type of read.

I ADORE a good rivals-to-lovers, and this scratched that itch so good. The banter? The sarcasm? I was only sad the rivals part didn’t last a smidge longer, because they were so witty and funny as rivals. The chemistry between Jack and Emily was so well crafted, and Sarah Adams created an excellent balance of humor and emotional, vulnerable themes that it blended perfectly. This was my first Sarah Adams and will not be my last!

This is the third book in Sarah Adams’ series about the Walker siblings of Rome, Kentucky. And it wasn’t my favorite.

The story centers on work rivals who unbeknownst to them are also writing rivals. One is a successful published author, writing under a different name; the other is writing her first manuscript as a release from her anxiety and fears of abandonment and HOPING to have it published.

Jack and Emily are elementary school teachers who have been antagonists since college. When Jack moves back to Rome after ending his engagement, he moves into the only available house in town, next door to Emily. When Emily accidentally sends an email to her boss that could jeopardize her job, she gets Jack’s help to break into the principal’s house to delete it from his computer. That’s about it for the excitement.

Ultimately, the story is meh, the characters just aren’t very interesting, and the writing just seems off on this one - too trite and formulaic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for the arc.

SO FREAKING GOOD! It was SO cute!! 😍😍😍 Sarah Adams continues to get better and better as a writer and she continues to be at the top of my favorite authors list!

I read this one without realizing it was part of a series, but I found it very enjoyable. This is definitely a great summer read for at the beach or a weekend read when you're curled up on the couch. I love a good rivals-to-romance trope story, and this one did not disappoint. The characters were lovable and entertaining, and the author didn't have to over-write to get the characters this way.

4 ⭐ || 2 🌶️
SARAH. MARIE. ADAMS. She clearly has been on biketok because whooweeee she fed us with this one. I very much loved Emily and Jack's story. The fake hate. The banter. The raw reality of being the oldest daughter. The hurt of familial traumas. The tenderness of peeling back all those layers.

I do not *need* spice to enjoy a book, however, Adams has once again successfully demonstrated that it can be added in such a passionate, loving, and respectful way that it truly adds to the story without being too much. I love that she incorporates intimacy in a way that's realistic and allows room to skip these scenes for those that wish. That has my absolute respect.

"I'll be so careful with you Emily." Swoooooooooooon.

The return to Rome, KY was a wonderful one and I think each book in this series is better than the last. I am beyond ready for James + Madison omg!!!

But first, Jack + Emily. These two gave me actual butterflies and I absolutely loved their dynamic from start to finish. The banter, the hidden softness, the communication!!! I saw a lot of myself in Emily (aside from sharing a name!) and I loved how Sarah wrote about a prickly, perfectionist, fiercely independent woman and the man who loves every single piece of her. It was an absolute delight. This book cracked the door open to some of the intimate scenes (the first two in the series are closed door), and it feels like a natural progression of Sarah's writing. This book and series is perfect for anyone who enjoys sugary sweet romances and small town shenanigans. Thank you to Dell Romance and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.

This completely met my expectations of another Sarah Adams book! I was always so excited to pick this back up and was constantly thinking about how much I loved both characters and related both in different ways. I love a good enemies to lovers and I loved that they had some actual history. Jack is dreamy and smart and funny and perfect. Even in his mean moments, he's not really mean. He was such a good listener and observer of everything around him, making him endearing and showing how much he really cared about Emily. Emily is the quintessential female who has her life together, takes care of others, and is just finally trying to do something for herself but can't quite seem to be fully vulnerable to it, which I 100% related to and I think a lot of women can. She was a good mix of mature but also fun. I really couldn't find anything wrong with book and think it's a true gem.
I can't wait for When in Rome #4!

Absolutely adorable. Sarah Adams had me hooked from the start. It was fun, romance read that I enjoyed and have come to expect when read a Sarah Adams book.

This was pretty mid. Which I expect from the author so my hopes weren’t too high. This is the third in an interconnected series. The love interests are initially enemies who then become lovers. The romance is closed door.

Sarah Adams continues to be a favorite, returning to Rome, Kentucky, with an enemies to lovers story that made me fall in love with this small town even more.