This book is rivals-to-lovers done right. That is a trope that I usually do not enjoy, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Emily and Jack are two feuding second grade teachers. They also happen to be neighbors now that he has come back to town. Jack is a best-selling author, but he writes under a penname because his father is also a famous mystery writer. Emily is secretly a romance author who is trying to work on her first novel and get it published. Jack and Emily have undeniable chemistry in this super cute and fun rivals-to-lovers small town romance.

cute and charming with a fun enemies to lovers story! i can always count on sarah adams to deliver a good romance and she didn't disappoint with this one! thank you netgalley for a free arc of this in exchange for an honest review!

My first book of 2025 came in strong.

This book is for you...
* if you love enemies to lovers
* teachers in action
* bantery banter

For fans of...
* Katherine Center
* Lyla Sage
* Catherine Gilmore

It's no secret that the romance genre is my favorite. But there's something truly special about a romance novel that carries so much more than a love story. Sarah Adams has a special way of turning a love story into something a little more. Jack and Emily's competitive streak kept things entertaining, It's light and sweet, making for a quick read. As the oldest sibling, I feel Emily on a spiritual level

Love, love, love this series. Very excited that Emily got her book finally - it is so fun getting to read all of these stories from each of the siblings. It made me sooo excited for the next book in the series so we can get Madison's POV and love story <3 I will admit I liked the previous book more, BUT this book was still such a fun and cute read. I loved how the book ended and how their love story was tied up. I also love that in these books we still get glimpses of the love stories from the previous books! I was so happy Annie proposed to Will at the end of the book! Overall, I loved this one and will always recommend this series to friends!! :)

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House - Ballantine, and the author for the ARC!!

This book was my favorite of the series! It was fun to read and I love an enemies to lovers trope!

I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

Wow Sarah Adams has created a gem with this book. Hands down the best book in her Rome series yet. My sweet Emily is an ode to all eldest daughters who deserve to find their own Jack. It’s classic enemies to lovers with so many deeper themes. The romance is top notch with a perfect amount of spice. 10/10 would recommend! Can’t wait for the last book in the series.

I can't help but express how much I loved this book by Sarah Adams; it’s my first read of hers after a break, and it has truly captivated me.

I appreciated how Sarah depicted Emily's and Jackson's struggles and journeys towards healing. Emily loved deeply and often felt like the only one filling everyone else's emotional cups while always being the one to help others. On the other hand, Jackson is working to heal from his family trauma.

Despite their individual healing journeys, I loved how they were able to set their struggles aside and open up to each other, ultimately cultivating a beautiful relationship.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

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.