I always say that Sarah’s books are like a warm hug from your favorite aunt and this book is no different.

Emily is like a Sour Patch Kid (with good reason) and Jack is the perfect compliment to her. The banter back and forth and the side commentary from Emily’s siblings and the residents of Rome just make you feel…at home.

I read the book as a closed door option, so I can’t speak to the on-page smex, but Sarah handles her characters with such care so I am confident that those scenes were done well. I’m also happy to say that reading it as closed-door didn’t take away from the story and the connection between Emily & Jack.

Highly recommend this entire series to anyone who enjoys small town romance and a little (lot) bit of sass.

Having read all of the Rome series, I thought this was the best book in the series. The banter between Emily and Jack was top notch.

When in Rome Book No. 3 || Beg, Borrow or Steal by Sarah Adams

I've been a Sarah Adams from her days as an independent author and continue to be amazed at the worlds and characters she creates. I say this every single time I read a new Sarah Adams book, but it's always true...In this case, Jack and Emily just might take the spot as favorite book/couple of the When in Rome series. They are such special duo!

A few things to know:

✨Fast-pacing that keeps the story moving along— keeps you on your toes and engaged every step of the way;
✨Witty dialogue and fun banter between Jack and Emily;
✨Glimpses at what all the other Walker siblings are up to and what's ahead for Madison's story; and
✨Slow burn romance packed with plenty of heat & spicy moments ❤️‍🔥

Summary: These two are enemies turned friends turned lovers as the two are reunited as teachers in Rome, Kentucky. Jack Bennett and Emily Walker have been feuding since college. But, after moving away with his fiancée, Jack has returned to Rome to teach a second grade class, alongside Emily. The two learn to coexist as Jack becomes her neighbor and she runs to him for help after sending her secret manuscript to the principal/boss. He's exactly the man for the job. Jack is carrying a secret, but as the two work together, they start to unravel that they're more alike than either of them realized. Could they be the missing puzzle piece in each other's lives? They just might be.

Normally, I love romances for the escape they bring but this one is so grounded in reality, which is refreshing. Because this is a love story that feels attainable. There's an ease and purity with these two, a rhythm so unique to them. While the other books in the series have felt a bit more dreamy and whimsical with a pop star and a pirate-esque bodyguard (which I also adore) for half of the lead characters, there's a completely different level of realness and vulnerability that is shown in this one.

"...Even if we were enemies. We were always supposed to be near each other" perfectly sums up the relationship between these two.

Sarah continues to grow in her craft as a writer and storyteller, and I cannot wait to see how this series concludes. Also sad (cue tears) but know whatever she comes up with next will somehow manage to even top this one!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Beg, Borrow, or Steal. I was absolutely thrilled to read this and can't wait for others to enjoy another trip to Kentucky next week!

3.75 ✨

Emily is that one sister who tries to hold everything together yet when it comes to her struggles/feelings, she prefers to bottle them away. I felt like I could relate to her in some ways.

Jack has my heart. His character was everything. The way he makes Emily’s feelings valid was so sweet. Him going through his own struggles as well.

Their banter was everything I needed.

I did feel like it dragged a bit after 50%. Overall I had a good time reading this.

Thank you netgalley for this arc.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams ARC Book Summary & Review
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Fast Facts:
—Genre: romance
—Tropes: enemies to lovers, small-town, academic rivals, forced proximity, fake identity
—Publication date: January 7, 2025
—My rating: 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Summary:
Every love story has its meet-cute, but what happens if the meetup isn’t so, you know, cute? That’s how you get your archnemesis story.
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Enter Emily Walker and Jack Bennett, two rival teachers who now, much to Emily’s dismay, also find themselves as next door neighbors.
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They agree on nothing except the fact that they hate each other--always have, always will. But hate and love seem to be two sides of the same coin. The question is, which side will the coin land on?
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Review:
There are a few disclaimer warnings at the beginning of this book, but one warning it was missing was that it would consume my entire mental and emotional landscape, preventing me from completing any nonfictional responsibilities I had until I finished it, and even then it would Velcro, nay SUPER GLUE, it’s essence onto my heart for the rest of my life. Yep, that was the warning I was missing.
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Needless to say, I beyond loved this book. I sent into it thinking it would be a light, sugary read, and while it did proved ample levity, it also explored topics that were extremely real and weighty.
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Honestly, the reason it meant so much to me is because I related so vulnerable to both the FMC and MMC in different ways, and not just because we are all teachers. No, I feel as though I learned more about my own personality makeup and tendencies because of how Adams crafted these characters and broached these important topics: topics of people-pleasing, perfectionism, resisting change, depression, and perceived expectations, to name a few.
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I will 100% be rereading this book, which is something I virtually never do. I’m eternally grateful for Adams to have taught me more about myself through her words, insight, and characters.

In Sarah Adam’s latest effort, Beg, Borrow, or Steal, Emily Walker and Jackson, ‘Jack”, Bennett are arch nemeses. They have been feuding since Jack spilled a coffee on Emily on the first day of college. Emily is ecstatic when Jack moves to Nebraska with his fiancée. She is finally free of the thorn in her side! Six months later, Jack is back, without a fiancée. Time apart has softened the animosity between Emily and Jack, and they slowly start getting to know each other. When Emily makes a mistake that could cost her job, Jack steps in to offer his assistance. After years of bickering, pranking, and throwing each other under the bus, can Emily trust Jack to have her back?

Beg, Borrow, or Steal is the first Sarah Adams book that I read. I have seen her books online and in stores, but with so much available content, they were easy to pass by. I’ve learned that was my mistake! Beg, Borrow, or Steal is a hoot! The characters are interesting and flawed; they don’t set some out of reach standard of perfection. I love small-town Rome, the Walker family, Emily’s cat Ducky, Mabel, and a host of other small details that provide the reader with a rich, warm setting. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a smart, cute, romantic story with a healthy dose of sarcasm thrown in.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for sharing this advanced review copy with me in exchange for my honest feedback!

An irresistible, unputdownable rom-com that perfectly blends heartwarming small-town charm with laugh-out-loud humor and steamy, sweet romance!

This story follows Emily Walker, who has loathed Jack Bennett for as long as she can remember. When Jack unexpectedly becomes her new neighbor, they find themselves thrust together more and more. Soon, Emily is put in a position where she must turn to him for help. What begins as a reluctant friendship blossoms into something much deeper than either of them could’ve ever imagined.

The dynamic between Emily and Jack is CHEFS KISS. Their long-time rivalry brought about the best banter I’ve ever read! The romance is steamy yet oh so sweet, making it the perfect balance of passion and tenderness. Just as well as together, these characters are so lovable individually. Jack, in particular, is the epitome of the PERFECT book boyfriend—charming, respectful, and just downright swoon-worthy! Jack Bennett has set the standard for all romance heroes.

Another thing to mention is the sense of community. The small-town setting of Rome, Kentucky, is a character in itself, full of quirky but lovable, nosy townsfolk who give this book its cozy vibe. It reminds me so much of Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls, which is HIGH praise in my book! Emily’s tight-knit family, especially her siblings and their spouses, adds another layer of warmth and heart to the story. It’s the kind of place where everyone knows your name—and your business—but in the best way possible.

Sarah Adams has once again exceeded all of my expectations. No one does banter quite like the queen herself!

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙤 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾!

Curse this book for being in my top reads of 2025 only three days into the new year.

Words cannot express how much I love this book, but this is a review so I'll do my best. The chemistry between Emily and Jack is off the charts. I love them when they are enemies and I love them when they are friends and I love them when they are in a relationship. They have the best relationship period.

The characters in this book in general are stunning. There were so many moments where I was convinced I could actually travel to Rome, Kentucky because it feels so real. Even the side characters practically jump off the page. It's great to see the characters from the previous books as well.

As previously mentioned two paragraphs ago, Emily and Jack are actually perfect. Even when dating, they continue their bickering. I love love LOVE when authors continue with banter like that. I really appreciate how they communicate their issues and needs and work together to move past these things. They have their faults and love each other through them. This book is just so healing.

I cannot recommend this book enough, and I cannot wait until it's published so I can bother my friends with all my feelings about it. Thank you so much to the publisher for the e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“You think you’re unlovable, but I think I've never known how to love until knowing you."

I love Sarah Adams and I absolutely adore Rome, Kentucky, this was the perfect way to continue this series. I love this fictional town and all the people who live there, I wish I could go visit!

Emily and Jack have been in a a feud for years, their rival teachers at the same school. Jack ends up getting engaged and moving away, he doesn’t say goodbye to Emily and she can’t understand why it bothers her so much. Jack ends up moving back to Rome, of course he would buy the house right next to Emily’s, what could possibly go wrong?

I absolutely loved the banter between these two, it was the perfect rivals to lovers. I loved seeing all the side characters again as well, I love every character in this series. I think Sarah set the perfect tone, for the next and final book in the series. I absolutely cannot wait 😍

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC! 💖

First read of 2025 - this book DID NOT disappoint! I internally giggled and squealed throughout this entire book.

This book gave us:
- banter (rivals to lovers)
- small town shenanigans
- tension/slow burn
- found family
- a hot motorcycle ride and some sexy scene blocking (IYKYK)

I dare say this was my favorite book from Sarah Adams (and I believe I've read nearly all of her works). I'll definitely be listening to the audio version of this one too!

4.75 out of 5
There's even a little spice in this one (some of her other works are pretty mild)

Oh my goodness. It's hard to put my love for this book into words. Of course, I knew I would love anything Sarah Adams writes, and Beg, Borrow, or Steal did not disappoint. I could not put it down after I read that first email to Jack from Emily! I knew the banter was going to be unmatched from that point on, and it absolutely was!

Emily has watched almost everyone in her life die or grow apart from her. She's used to being the oldest sister, caretaker, and people pleaser to everyone around her. Because of this, it's hard for her to completely open her heart to anyone, as a way to protect herself. I saw a lot of myself in Emily, and I'm sure most of us can. So naturally, I was rooting for her and loved watching her bloom and open herself to love and trust.

Jack's story and life with a narcissistic father was all too relatable for me. Sarah wrote his story in such a satisfying way that I couldn't help but to love Jack even more. Because of his family dynamic, he too has trust issues and isn't able to show anyone his true self.

Jack and Emily are in forced proximity to each other for the summer (and foreseeable future) in the small town of Rome, Kentucky. Their competitive past with each other makes for such a fun read. As they discover that maybe they're not so different after all, their hate for each other starts to melt away. These two stubborn people have to learn how to allow each other in and realize that they both deserve to be their true selves, and can actually be loved despite of it.

This was a heartwarming and thrilling ride. There's almost nothing I love more than the Enemies to Lovers trope, and Beg, Borrow, or Steal was a master class in that ;) I can't wait to go back to Rome one last time for Maddie's story!

“Maybe not everything will end in hurt. But we’ll never know if we don’t try.”


THANK YOU NetGalley and PRH for the eARC.

ARC review

Beg, Borrow or Steal by Sarah Adams @authorsarahadams

This is a classic boy meets girl… girl is jaded due to past hang ups and hurts… they become enemies… to lovers? lol

First off, I was in love with this story.
We meet Emily and Jackson, both teachers, and each the others nemesis… or are they?

When Jackson moves back to Emily’s small town after a failed engagement … will they survive working at the same school? In a small town devoted to supporting their own?

I loved this story! It was everything you want in a rom com. It definitely made me laugh, but also had me in all the feels. I identify with Emily and her desire to take care of others before herself. I also loved her story with Jackson. Pick this one up on January 7th on kindle or paperback!

This was such a cute third installment of the Rome series. I loved seeing how the characters grew and learned to understand each other while falling in love. Adams has so much humor and lightheartedness in her writing that it’s hard not to smile while you’re reading. this was one of my favorite novels from her, on par with The Rulebook.

You will love Beg, Borrow, or Steal!

Second grade teacher Emily Walker wasn’t thrilled to hear her nemesis Jack Bennett was moving back to Rome to teach second grade after ending his engagement. But Jack buying the house next door was just too much and she wanted him gone from Rome.

Jack Bennett loved teaching second grade while he was writing a best-selling mystery series under a pen name to keep his privacy because his father was also a best-selling mystery writer. But he never thought that Emily would ask him for help when she accidently emailed the romance she had written to their boss. Could their working together help them get a little closer?

I loved Beg, Borrow, or Steal so much that I bought When in Rome which is the first book in the series about Amelia and Noah!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I adored this book! It is the 3rd book in Sarah Adams’ When In Rome series of interconnected standalones. You could read this one without reading the others, but the first two are also so good that I recommend reading them all! I was so excited to return to Rome, KY and the Walker siblings.

Emily and Jack are one of my favorite book couples ever written. Emily has felt the responsibility of caring for her siblings since the death of their parents when they were children, and she’s grappling with her adult siblings’ growing independence and knowing her worth if she can’t care for someone. Jack is the son of a famous mystery writer and keeps his own identity as a best-selling mystery author a secret because of his narcissistic father. Both Emily and Jack are dealing with evolving family relationships, as well as their own self-discovery, and the way they help each other handle these difficult things is so beautiful.

Along the way to love, there is a hint of second chance (he asked her out in college and she said no), extreme rivalry with lots of tension, and forced proximity (they’re newly neighbors). There is so much to love in this book: the town’s grandmotherly figure, Mabel, who gives the best advice; Emily’s relationships with her sisters and the way they grow together; the emails between Jack and Emily after each chapter (the unsent emails BROKE me!); a manuscript heist; and the steamiest scene-blocking ever.

This was an easy 5 star read for me, with an extra special treat—a little continuation of Annie’s story (my favorite Walker sibling!). I highly recommend this one!

Thank you to Sarah Adams, Dell and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Read if you like:
💕 Rivals to lovers
💕 Small town romance
💕 Forced proximity
💕 Elementary teacher main characters
💕 Books about authors

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! - It is not an exaggeration when I say that the notification that I received this ARC literally made me scream out loud in the middle of a conversation. Never have I ever been more honored or excited to review a book! Seriously, reviewing for Sarah Adams was a bucket list item. I shall die happy now 🥹

𝘉𝘦𝘨, 𝘉𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘭 is hands down Sarah Adams's best book, and I've loved all of them very much. But Emily's and Jack's chemistry together is just🤌💯😍🔥. Yes, it's so good that I had to use emojis (since you can't see me gesturing wildly about their many perfections).

Enemies to lovers has historically been my least favorite romantic trope. I don't think it makes sense most of the time, and it feels forced and lusty. It's important to me to believe that at the core of a relationship there's friendship. Watching Emily and Jack progress from enemies to friends to lovers was absolutely delicious. I truly understood their enmity. Their realizations of their respect for one another were shockingly tender. Their friendship was just FUN. And their love is so, so real and genuine that it feels like it must exist outside of the pages. You can sincerely feel how much love and effort Sarah Adams poured into every moment, and I am wildly grateful she worked so hard to get this couple just right!

Beg, Borrow, and Steal is perfect for lovers of:
- enemies to lovers
- banter (seriously, do NOT sleep on this)
- forced proximity
- secret identities
- rivals
- the Walker family
- series of standalone romances set in small towns
- romantic comedies

... And also anyone with a heart and the ability to read or listen a book.

I absolutely, truly, from the bottom of my heart adored this book. Thank you to Dell Romance NetGalley and Sarah Adams for this incredible opportunity!

✒️Enemies to Lovers
✒️Workplace
✒️Neighbors
✒️Small Town

Beg, Borrow, or Steal is the third book of the When In Rome series of interconnected standalones. This was a cute and quick read. I enjoyed most of it but the fmc got on my nerves at times. She acted immature and was a little cringy. My favorite things about the story was the banter between Jackson and Emily and their texts and emails. I liked that Emily tells herself that she can’t stand Jackson but when she ends up in trouble he is the one she calls. It adds to the tension between them and really maked me not wanting to put the book down. Even though this isn’t my favorite of the series, it was still enjoyable and entertaining. I cant wait for more from this author!

I listened to the audio and Nelson Hobbs and Brittany Pressly both did an amazing job of bringing these characters to life and keeping me intrigued with the story.

This is my favorite book in this series so far. The tension. The banter. The slooow burn. I loved it so much. I love Emily so so much. And Jack. Man, I loved him from the very beginning and he only got better and better throughout the book.
I also really loved seeing the emails and texts they sent each other over the years in between chapters!

This is Sarah Adams at her finest. It’s hilarious at times and so incredibly heartfelt at other times. I’m so happy we at least have one more book in Rome, Kentucky because I’m not ready to let this town or its townspeople go yet.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal delivered everything I love about this author’s stories: humor, heart, and a romance that felt as satisfying as it was swoon-worthy. Emily and Jack’s fiery dynamic as feuding teachers turned reluctant allies made for an utterly delightful read, full of laugh-out-loud moments and genuine emotional depth.
Emily’s meticulous, slightly neurotic charm paired perfectly with Jack’s easygoing, mischievous demeanor. Their banter was sharp and endlessly entertaining, but what really sold me was the way their relationship evolved—layer by layer, from antagonistic pranks to mutual respect to something undeniably more. The chemistry was undeniable, and their slow-burn connection had me rooting for them from the start.
The small-town Rome, Kentucky, setting added a cozy, picturesque backdrop to the chaos, and Emily’s secret life as a romance writer gave the story an extra layer of fun. Watching Jack, a bestselling mystery author, support her creative ambitions while also challenging her to be vulnerable was as heartwarming as it was hilarious.
The plot moved at the perfect pace, balancing witty hijinks (like their absurd manuscript heist) with heartfelt moments of growth and introspection. By the end, I was grinning ear to ear, completely invested in both their romance and their individual journeys.
This book was an absolute joy to read—perfect for fans of enemies-to-lovers tropes, witty humor, and characters with sparkling chemistry. The author knocked it out of the park again, and I couldn’t recommend it more.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book was amazing!! I love all her stories, but this one was superb. I loved the fighting/banter between Jack and Emily and their chemistry somehow worked in spite of the fighting. The layers of these characters was what pulled me in. The side characters and siblings also helped make this book so enjoyable. The swoon and romance was the cherry on top of the story. I read When in Rome and loved it and this book was even better. Sarah writes emotional stories that dig into what all of us experience. You don't have to read the first book, but I highly recommend it. Great book!!