Sweet, romantic comedy about two feuding teachers who met in college. It wasn’t until Emily needed Jack’s help getting her unpublished manuscript deleted from her conservative principals computer.
Along the way, Sarah Adams lets us into the hurt and pain both Emily and Jack have been carrying since childhood.
I liked the enemies to friends to lovers theme. It was all believable and had me rooting for the couple.
This is the second Sarah Adams book I’ve read and was not disappointed.
I liked her acknowledgements and this quote gave me all the feels. “No one should face scary feelings alone. You are loved, you are brave, you are strong...”
Thank you NetGalley.

Emily and Jack have been archnemeses since college - constantly competing with each other in every area of their lives. That is until distance between the two after Jack moves away from Rome, Kentucky really does make their hearts grow fonder. They don't know exactly what it is between them, but they both know their lives feel off without the other's presence. In the end, they find the have a lot more in common than originally thought.

I feel like I say this after each book in Sarah Adams's Rome, Kentucky series, but this one was my favorite yet! The connection between Emily and Jack is electric. You can't help but root for them through all of their antics, including an all-out email retrieval heist that concludes in breaking and entering (which seemed very off-brand for the two high-achieving rule followers).

I think it goes without saying that I recommend all of the books in the series! You could absolutely read Beg, Borrow, or Steal as a standalone feel-good romance, but you will have a deeper understanding and connection with the characters if you start with the previous two books. Also, as a native Kentuckian, it just feels good to have my home state get some positive representation.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free ARC of this new release!

I was so happy to receive this arc! I’m a Kentucky girl, so I was excited to get to return to Rome, Kentucky. I love the small town with the quirky characters. It gives me Gilmore Girl’s vibes and that is one of my all time favorite shows. I love how Sarah writes her characters with so much personality and depth and I couldn’t get enough of Emily and Jack. I also always enjoy when mixed media is included in a book, so the email exchanges were an awesome added bonus. I definitely recommend.

Another great story from Rome, Kentucky - this time focused on oldest sister Emily and her long-term enemy Jack. Each has professional aspirations in secret, as well as their perspective on their history - and in a small town you can't help but run into each other.

Great character development which kept me reading! Thank you to Netgalley and to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an ARC.

I had such a wonderful time with this book. It was so nice to see inside of Emily’s head and get to see the characters of Rome as we continue to fall in love with them. Giggled, kicked my feet, and cannot wait for the last installment.

Thanks to NetGalley, Sarah Adams, and Ballantine Books for the eARC of Beg, Borrow, or Steal in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

*ARC Review*

Sarah has done it again. Jackson and Emily are simply amazing.

We headed back to Rome, Kentucky to get the story of Emily, the oldest girl of the Walker children. She is a type A control freak, who needs everything done her way and she is always right. But under the surface, she is a lonely woman after watching two of her siblings find the loves of their lives and the other chasing her dreams in NYC. Her emotions are so realistic, and as an older sister, I could relate to her a lot.

Jackson is charming to every single person he’s ever met, except Emily. He even charms the residents of Rome even after Emily has made it clear that they should not accept him. He has a secret though, he is a bestselling mystery author, using a pen name to distinguish himself from his narcissistic father, who is also a bestselling mystery author. His charming personality is clearly a coping mechanism from his childhood and trying to deal with his father. Only Emily ever truly gets to see the real him.

Their decades-long feud was so entertaining. Their antics were so funny, and you could feel the underlying tension between them that was anything but enemy-like. When Emily needs Jackson’s help after accidentally sending her spicy manuscript from their very conservative boss, he accepts without hesitation. Their chemistry was palpable and that scene blocking was 🥵 There was a little spice, but it was very well done and not over the top. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The growth in both characters throughout the book was amazing and I can’t wait to go back to Rome, Kentucky again.

Thank you Dell and Sarah for the ARC! ❤️

Beg, Borrow, or Steal is an absolute gem of a small-town romance that delivers everything you’d want from a rivals-to-lovers story and then some. Emily and Jack’s dynamic is hilariously tense, with their decade-long “nemesis” vibes providing endless snarky banter and playful tension. Yet beneath their antics, there’s an undeniable attraction simmering, waiting to bubble over. Watching their relationship slowly transform from rivalry to partnership to something deeper was such a satisfying journey, filled with both heart and heat.

What sets this book apart is how much more it offers beyond the romance. Emily’s personal journey as an older sister grappling with her identity and learning to embrace her flaws is incredibly relatable. The story beautifully explores themes of personal growth, self-acceptance, and finding your own path, making it feel so much richer and more meaningful. Jack’s secret life as a mystery writer adds an intriguing layer to the story, and his willingness to help Emily—even while teasing her endlessly—cements him as a swoon-worthy hero who falls first and falls hard.

As an addition to the series, Beg, Borrow, or Steal is pure magic. Emily and Jack are perfectly matched in every way, and their chemistry is off the charts. Add in the charm of the small-town setting and the laugh-out-loud moments, and you’ve got a romance that hits all the right notes. This is one to cozy up with and savor!

A classic Sarah Adams read! Sweet, swoony, and a bit more steamy than her last few. I liked how Emily was represented--I feel like Sarah always does a good job of differentiating her FMCs with distinct personalities and struggles. And as an eldest daughter, I enjoyed it.

Wow!!! The way I loved this book. Thank you Net Galley for a gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In this story we follow Emily Walker and Jack Bennett, both second grade teachers and 'enemies'. We are following them in the summertime as Emily chases her dream of becoming a romance author while her nemesis Jack moves back to small town Rome, Kentucky, and ends up becoming her next door neighbor.

I've read a handful of Sarah Adams' books and felt pretty neutral about them, but I think she keeps getting better with each book she writes. I feel that her writing has really improved since the previous books I've read of hers. I was so excited for this book as someone who works in an Elementary school, I was stoked for the setting and the careers of our main characters. Once I hit 30% in this book I could NOT put it down! When I did, all I was doing was thinking about this book.

I did not care for Emily the first 30% of this book. Some of the things she was doing I could not believe an actual human would actually be so unfair to another individual. But once that side of her started to go away I could appreciate her other character traits.

The chemistry of these characters was so great and other than how Emily was acting in the first 30%, she was likable. This book had me giggling, kicking my feet, and smiling in the last 2/3. I highly recommend this book.

3.45 stars

I have read almost all of Sarah Adams books and have enjoyed most of them. Her When in Rome series is my favorite of hers, so I was glad to be back in Rome, Kentucky. While this book did make me smile a lot, there were some moments in her writing that I didn't particularly love. Some of the serious/ vulnerable moments felt glazed over and lacked some depth. While I love things ending on a happy note, I would have loved to dive more into the serious moments. The story was cute and I loved the banter and friendship between Jackson and Emily. I was worried about some tropes in this book, but they resolved themselves in a way that I liked. She did have it slightly more open door, but provided a warning at the beginning of the book if you prefer your books more closed door. All in all, it was a super cute and enjoyable read.

Another amazing read from Sarah Adams!
I love how she’s able to make characters extremely relatable while also sharing an interesting story with humor and great attention to detail.
This book had such fun witty banter between FMC and MMC, was paced perfectly to keep the reader engaged, and was written with raw feelings that were expressed in an excellent way. Can’t wait to buy a copy when the book is officially released!

Thank you NetGalley and Sarah Adams for the ARC!! Practice Makes Perfect was my favorite read of 2024, so I had high hopes for Emily & Jack’s story and it did not disappoint. Ultimately, I loved this book so much! Two second-grade teachers, whose feuding began in college ten years ago, form an alliance to retrieve a manuscript that fell into the wrong hands. Emily and Jack spit out hilarious zingers back and forth during their feuding and their chemistry is undeniable. Did I paint my nails red and whip up a candy salad while I was reading this book? Absolutely, I did.

P. S. Looking forward to Maddie’s story. Fingers crossed it’s based on Sabrina, which is my favorite Audrey movie!

We return to Rome, Kentucky, in this third installment in the When in Rome series. Emily and Jack are second-grade teachers at the same school, and they have been feuding since college, exchanging barbs with each other but otherwise keeping their distance. When Jack moves in next door to Emily, Emily can't deal with her "nemesis" being so close, so she tries to scare him off by having the town turn a cold shoulder to him (a tough act given how charming Jack is). But as they see more of each other over summer break, both Jack and Emily realize there is more to their relationship than hatred--and it may not be hate at all. If you've read and liked any of the earlier When in Rome books, I'd recommend reading this one, as it takes place in the same universe (even the same family). While you wouldn't have to read the earlier books to understand this one, there are a few spoilers. It was one I didn't want to put down, despite being not so sure about the enemies-to-lovers focus at the start. The characters grew on me as they became less caustic towards each other. Jack and Emily have a real chemistry, whether they are exchanging barbs or not. A heads up to those who have read other books by this author: this one is steamier than previous books.

Love love love. Sarah Adams has just been crushing it these past few years and this installment in the Rome, KY series is no exception. There is a fine line between love and hate and it is perfectly displayed between Emily and Jack. Emily’s struggles with accepting help, believing she’s worthy of love, and letting someone breakthrough her emotional walls was so well written it felt like I was describing my own feelings. Jack’s past with his father was somewhat predictable but still interesting to read about. I feel like we could have explored that area a bit more but this series is about the siblings and Rome, KY so I understand why we didn’t get that deep there. Despite my small qualms, this was exactly what I hoped it would be and I. Can’t wait for Madison’s story next.

I was so excited to go back to Rome Kentucky and the premise for this book made me even more excited. This book follows Emily and Jack. These two have a history that goes back to college and their very first interaction set the stage for a decade of arguing and competition. They both teach second grade and now Jack has moved in next door to Emily.

I loved getting to know Emily more in this book, her character was a bit harder to like in the first 2 books. But I understood her so much in this book and my heart broke for what she was feeling. I understood her fear of getting too close to Jack, but he just made it so hard for her to resist him. I loved the arguing between them, but I loved it even more when they started to become friends and share their secrets.

Jack is my new favorite book boyfriend. He was so sweet and funny and wears glasses! I loved how he pushed Emily's buttons, but also was there for her as soon as she needed help, no questions asked. How he was just so likable and LIVED for his arguments for Emily.

The banter in this book was so good, the chemistry between them was incredible. I could not get enough, I could've read another 100 pages easily.

This book also has so much emotional depth which I was pleasantly surprised by. They both had some emotional baggage they needed to work through and they confided in each other and I loved those scenes just as much. I felt like I really got to know these characters so deeply.

There is so much more I could say about this book I loved every single thing. I am even more excited for Maddie's story!

I honestly think this is my new favorite Sarah Adams book. (At the very least, it’s now tied with The Cheat Sheet!)

I read Beg, Borrow, or Steal earlier this month, and I loved the enemies-to-lovers romance, the red cowboy boots, and the laugh-out-loud banter.

I loved the vulnerability the characters showed one another. I also loved when they each had moments of understanding when they’d done something wrong, and owned up to their mistakes. Both main characters had a lot of growth throughout the book!

It was great to see some of the other Walker siblings again, as well as some of the other fantastic characters in the fictional small town of Rome, Kentucky!

Some favorite scenes include some careful breaking and entering to delete an email, the grocery store debacle, Jack’s conversation with Mabel, and Emily’s cry with Maddie. Oh, and the town struggling to do as Emily asked and try to avoid including Jack. It was hilarious!

Some super sweet and super fun moments. I gave this book four stars, and I highly recommend it! I’m going to have to reread The Cheat Sheet to see if it’s been beat or not!

An enemies to lovers story. I liked how it was told from both points of view. Looking forward the next book in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this eARC!

I absolutely adore Sarah Adams, especially her When in Rome series and I feel like they just keep getting better and better. She has created the cutest, tight-knit small town that makes you want move in and live with the characters each time you pick up a book in the series.

This romance truly helped take me out of a weeks long reading slump with its fun banter, cute email/text exchanges, and chemistry. The meddling community aspect was so prevalent and funny in this book which is a part of Rome, Kentucky we all know and love. But our main characters Jack and Emily really sold me on this book.

They are 10 year long rivals to lovers after a small mishap when they started college, but getting to see/hear how Jack actually felt during all that time, making sure she didn't leave the library alone and thinking about her non-stop when he moved away from her and the job they shared as second grade teachers. There was so much growth in BOTH of our MMCs as Emily learned to ask for help and adjust to living without her younger sisters in the same house, and Jack was able to combat some serious issues with his parents as well. They learned how to have healthy communication together and how to really love each other where they were.

Also, the sexual chemistry and tension was out of this world!

Read if you like:
- Workplace rivals to lovers
- He falls first
- Small town romance
- Close Proximity
- Lots of shenanigans

I did not realize how much I missed Rome, Kentucky and all its hilarious, quirky, nosey and lovely townspeople!

The When in Rome series is one of my favorite series that I am always telling everyone to read and Sarah absolutely delivered with Beg, Borrow or Steal! I want to be a Walker sibling and have Sarah write a book about me and give me a sexy, intelligent, kind, sensitive and witty man with all the abs and tattoos like Noah, Will and Jack 🥵 even though in real life I am a very happily married woman to a wonderful man who I love very much!

Emily and Jack have been enemies since day 1 of college which led to years of feuding and being rivals, always trying to outdo the other and hating each other’s guts. They both end up being second grade teachers at the same school where their rivalry continued until Jack left mid-school year with his fiancée but now he’s back after breaking off his engagement and unknowingly buys a house (because he finally wants to set roots in Rome) right next door to none other than Emily.

Sarah is a master at writing characters who are lovable even when they’re grumpy, and who are authentic, flawed and relatable and that’s exactly what we got with Emily and Jack. Emily is someone who I believe so many will be able to relate to and see themselves in her. She’s the second oldest Walker sibling and after their parents unexpectedly passed away when she was only 8, she was the one who found herself holding it together to be exactly who all of her siblings needed her to be to get them through the years. She’s someone who loves deeply and who is ready to help and save the day and be there for everyone. But she’s found herself in a season where her siblings are finding their partners or moving away to pursue their dreams and feeling like she’s not needed anymore. That loneliness led her to find a passion and a gift she didn’t know she had which is writing a very spicy romance novel.

One evening, thanks to a bit of too much drinking, Emily accidentally sends her manuscript to her school’s very conservative principal which could not only get her fired but would reveal her secret, steamy literary side hustle. She needs to steal it back and realizes that she’s going to need the help of none other than her nemesis, Jack. And this my friends, is the start of one of the best enemies to lovers romcom ever written!

Emily Walker has hated Jack Bennett since the very day they met, when he spilled coffee on her on the first day of their freshman year of college. Jack has taught at the same school as Emily for years and driven her crazy, and when he buys the house next door to her in Rome, KY she’d do just about anything to make him relocate. When Emily accidentally sends the manuscript for her steamy debut romance novel to their school’s conservative principal, her frenemieship with Jack takes a turn as she goes to him for help.

Rome, KY is just the coziest, swooniest small town around. I love this series so much, and Jack & Emily did not disappoint! I love the banter of an enemies to lovers romance and the banter here was on point. The chemistry between Jack and Emily was sizzling and I loved watching the tension between them build.

There was a lot of emotional depth to this too that really touched my heart. Seeing both Emily and Jack grapple with the losses they’d experienced in their lives made them relatable and real. Understanding the depths of their previous hurts allowed the payoff of their inevitable happily ever after to feel all the