This is the third in the When in Rome series; this can be read as a standalone but I recommend reading them in order because there are great backstories and story continuations from characters from the first two books. 

Emily Walker and Jack Bennett are college rivals and are now second grade teachers at the same school and neighbors. Emily is secretly a romance novelist; Jack left their school mid year with his fiance and has returned to town single.

I love being back in Rome, Kentucky! This is one of my favorite fictional small towns. The town itself is so charming, full of meddling neighbors and a sense of community. Sarah Adams absolutely shines in the contemporary romance lane - her banter is spot on, character interactions are sharp and swoony, and while this book is a touch more open door than most, she still builds really great chemistry without a lot of steam. I loved seeing Emily and Jack's relationship progression. Their decade long history adds depth to their relationship, their past email exchanges and bickering were so fun, and I loved their snarky comments. In their present day relationship they were so supportive of each other and had healthy communication.

Recommend if you enjoy:
Rivals to Lovers
Any Sarah Adams book!
Small town romances
He falls first
Health communication
Secret authors

Sarah Adams and Rome, Kentucky do it again. Loved Emily getting her story and i smiled throughout thr book. Great book.

First, let me say thank you soooo much to NetGalley for this ARC!!!! This was phenomenal! My favorite book of the series thus far!

The book was cozy yet sexy. The tension between our main characters is EXACTLY what an “enemies to lovers” trope should have! Top tier banter!

I cannot wait to read the next book!!

I seriously love Sarah Adams. I’ve never been disappointed by one of her books. The fact that she started this book off by telling readers that if they wanted a closed door romance experience that they should skip two specific chapters. I love that she gives her readers the option to experience a closed door romance, if they prefer or an open door romance. This book was so funny and had me laughing out loud multiple times throughout reading it. But it also talked about heavier topics which I also enjoyed and had some depth to the characters and their back stories. Such a great way to start off the year with a five star book! This is definitely a book our library will be purchasing for our patrons!

This was CUTE!! It was a super quick and easy read that sucked me in. Every once in a while the MFC rubbed me the wrong way but I can’t even put my finger on exactly why. I really liked the way their relationship played out though and their back and forth was adorable.

“Even when I’ve hated you, I’ve always liked you.”

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/ 5

Another Sarah Adams book, and oh my heart, this was such a great way to start the year! It is always a treat to be back in Rome, Kentucky, and especially seeing Mabel and all the amazing moments she is in, whether she is supporting these characters or giving them the push they need.

Emily’s portrayal as someone who struggles with letting others help her, wanting to protect those she loves, and pushing down her emotions hurts my heart with how relatable it was. Jack was such a sweetie I adored the “he falls first” vibes anytime we were in his POV. The parental dynamics were something that surprised me with Jack and I wish we got more with his mom and more information throughout about his relationship with his dad, however, the integral scenes where there were confrontations were well done.

A dislike to love/ rivals to lovers will never not hit and this did not disappoint. The inclusion of texts and emails, past, present, and unsent, was such a great way to convey how they communicated (aka bickered) throughout the story. Loved all the banter and so much tension. The slow burn is always well done in Sarah’s books and this did not differ. Let’s just say some scenes will live rent-free (looking at your book-blocking scene 🤭) I love Sarah’s balance of having romantic-filled moments while maintaining a closed-door format because this option is not in enough adult contemporary and sometimes this is the right about of spice for the story.

If the book had taken place during the school year, I would have loved to explore more of Emily and Jack’s dynamics in a school setting and their similarities when writing their books. It was touched on, but I would have loved to have dived more into Jack’s past with writing and his process like what we saw with Emily.

Overall, thoroughly enjoyed yet another Sarah Adams book and going to be not-so-patiently waiting for the next time we are in Rome to see Madison’s story unfold.

*thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for this copy in exchange for an honest review

I loved this book so so so much!!!! Sarah Adams just always makes my little feet kick. (My feet aren’t actually little but they do kick!!!!) The tension and the pining and also just the big huge feelings.

The oldest daughter breakdowns in this book were…felt. I loved this book and I loved them and I love that I ~believe~ them. Idk no further thoughts rn but truly these sweetie angel babies whose bark is so so so much worse than their bite deserve the world. I love them!!!!!!!

If u maybe have oldest daughter style breakdowns sometimes I think you will adore this book. But like you also have to enjoy spicy romances which I ofc do:)

E-book provided by publisher for review :):):)

I absolutely adore this series by Sarah Adams! This is the third book in "When in Rome" series and Adams continues to blow my mind with her storytelling! In this third book you are following second born Walker sibling Emily as she is grappling with the changes happening in her life. Since her parents died she has been the one to support her siblings and be the backbone of the family. With the rest of her family supposedly moving forward in life Emily feels stuck and the only way to not feel stuck is through her writing. Enter Jack, nemesis colleague, former classmate, who everyone that meets him loves. But Jack has his own secret, he has his own family traumas and his own secret career outside of the teaching job he and Emily share. Emily thought that she was through with Jack when he moved away to be with his fiance but his return to Rome, KY has thrown her off her kilter and Jack likes the fact that he can throw Emily off her kilter. Throughout this book hilarity ensues as both Emily and Jack try to one-up each other in life (getting the best parking spot, getting the best booth in the coffee shop etc.) in a hilarious enemies to lovers rom com! I appreciated how Adams in the beginning of the book gave a spice warning and gave specific chapters to skip over if one is bothered by it!
Thanks to Adams and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read this book early!

Emily and Jackson's banter had me laughing throughout this entire book! Emily is a Type A through-and-through and has zero qualms saying exactly what's on her mind. Add that to some severe hatred for her fellow second grade teacher, Jackson, and you have a strong independent FMC on your hands! Well, that is until you get to know her. Internally, she has some things she needs to work through and I adore how the author addressed them and provided a way for Emily to begin working through them. Instead of sticking to the strict rules of certain tropes that we see in romance novels time and time again, Sarah breaks the mold and writes a story that feels more natural to the course of her main characters. Jackson has his own internal demons and underneath the hilarious enemies to lovers relationship, he and Emily begin to discover that they may benefit from letting their relationship mold into something completely different. Especially now that they not only have classrooms next to each other but Jackson has unknowingly purchased the home right next door to his long-time nemesis.

Definitely add this one to your list if you're a fan of enemies to lovers, he falls first, cracked door spice, reverse grumpy/sunshine, and banter that will make you laugh out loud!

Another book that hits from Sarah Adams - she just doesn’t disappoint. This one had a noticeable shift in tone + increase in spice compared to previous books, but I enjoyed it nonetheless!

Emily and Jack were so REAL. Their struggles, responses, and interactions felt very realistic and relatable. I loved the oldest sister + perfectionist representation.

The small town gave me serious Lovelight Farms vibes and I loved seeing some of our favorite characters from earlier books.

Perfect for you if you like:
Dual POV
Enemies/nemesis to lovers
Forced proximity + neighbors
Oldest sister + perfectionist
Coworkers
Hidden identity
Small town

This was everything! Sarah Adams is forever one of my favorite authors. I never want to stop reading about Rome, Kentucky. Emily and Jack had the best rivals to lovers story. I loved the complex characters and the personal growth that happened. Definitely recommend this book!


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

If I could give this book all of the stars I would! I am so emotionally invested in Emily and Jack’s story. This is the third book in the series and I really liked Practice Makes Perfect but I think I like this one even better. Sarah really knows how to pull you in with intriguing characters and interesting plots!

I really related with Emily. She is the oldest daughter and I feel like the way she thought about and reacted to things was exactly the way I do. I love when I can relate to the main character because it makes a book more impactful.

Now to the relationships. The tension and the banter between Emily and Jack was insane. I absolutely loved their chemistry. And the blocking scene…I have never felt that way reading a book before! We all need a Jackson Bennet is our life!

The relationship that Emily has with her siblings is very heartwarming. The found family aspect was one of my favorite parts of the book. They all come together when they need each other even if it’s not easy. It’s also really nice to see them grow throughout the books!

This was honestly the best book to end the year with! Thank you so much NetGalley, DellRomance, and Sarah for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

"You are not alone, Emily. I would walk through my worst memories to get to you every single time."
.
When this hit my kindle, I screamed! This was one of my most anticipated books for 2025 as the last book, Practice Makes Perfect, is one my favorites and I couldn’t wait to get back in Rome! This installment of the series follows sister Emily Walker and her nemesis teacher/secret write Jack Bennett. Their banter and flirty fighting was incredible. And I was so happy when they finally get together. While I love reading about the main couple, this series has the best side characters and I loved revisiting everyone! This book definitely didn’t disappoint and I cannot wait for Maddie’s book.

Thank you Sarah Adams ( @authorsarahadams ), Random House ( @randomhouse ), and NetGalley ( @netgalley ) for allowing me to read Beg, Borrow, or Steal early (out January 7, 2025).

I am new to Sarah Adams, and can I tell you how I’m going out and getting all of her books RIGHT NOW!

This was the sweetest romance-enemies to lovers in small town Rome, Kentucky. Emily and her fellow teacher (and nemesis since college) Jackson (aka Jack) are finally free of each other when he moves away to get married—but they both find that distance makes the hearts grow fonder…for each other. When the wedding is called off, Jack returns to Rome, and well, they decide being friends (and more) isn’t too bad.

I loved the banter between Emily and Jack. They were both their truest selves with each other and watching them realize they were in love was delightful.

#BegBorroworSteal #NetGalley #SarahAdams #RandomHouse

Sarah just keeps getting better and better. I love Emily and related to her so much. An older sister who shoulders the weight of the world for her family. I’m so glad she wrote Jack for Emily. They are the perfect duo. I loved their story so much!

Once again, Sarah Adams hits it out of the park. Her books never steer me wrong. They are the perfect combination of sweet and funny and as always, the banter is fantastic. I love reading about the members of Rome, KY and the Walker family, and this book is no different!
This book is about the oldest Walker sister who is a second grade teacher and moonlights as a romance author. She butts heads with an old rival recently returned to town named Jackson Bennett. Their chemistry and rivalry only grows after they become neighbors. I love that Sarah Adams gives both of their first person perspectives throughout the novel. It was a delight to get to know more about Emily. As always with Sarah Adams, she weaves in a deeper emotional depth to both characters.
Another thing I love about this series is the female friendships. They are loving and supportive with zero level of competition or pettiness. It makes these books a delight to read. It just adds to the amazing layers that make Sarah Adam's books sparkle.
This book is a great read just before Valentines Day (even though the novel is set in the summer). I cannot get over how cute the cover is!
You can absolutely read and enjoy this book as a standalone. But if you have read When in Rome and Practice Makes Perfect, you will love the little cameos of characters from those novels. And I loved getting the tiny bits of foreshadowing for the next and last Rome novel! I love that we get to still see glimpses of characters that I love from the previous books and small updates on their lives.

To me Emily Walker is the most relatable main character from When in Rome #1-3. I devoured this series and can't wait for future Sarah Adams books. If I had a criticism here it would be that some aspects were just a little coincidental and others were under explored.

Full of the fun, witty banter balanced with heart that Sarah Adams is known for! Loved being back in Rome. This one focused significantly more on our main characters than the town (which can be a character itself) and was a little long in the middle, but overall, loved it!

The latest title from the When In Rome Series by Sarah Adams met and exceeded my expectations. This story centers around Emily and Jack, who have been rivals since college and constantly bicker and push each others buttons. When Jack moves back to Rome after a failed engagement he picks up with Emily exchanging insults and barbs every chance he gets. The problem is Emily and Jack are most honest with each other since they never worry about hurt feelings, this becomes a problem when they discover that their relationship is one of the most genuine that they have. To make matters worse they discover that there is an undeniable attraction between them that both are trying to deny.

I wasn’t sure that I was going to like this one. Emily always seemed a little cold in the other books and my least favorite character so I wasn’t sure this would work.I was wrong, so wrong. This book had more heart and feels than the other two and left me swooning. Their relationship was so good and the support from family and friends was another positive. These just keep getting better and better!!!

4.5 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED this! The banter and chemistry leaves you smiling and wanting to kick your feet. J also enjoyed the little tidbits of their connection in college and past emails back and forth. I can't wait to read the next in the series! Brb going to read all of Sarah's backlist now!

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing the review copy in exchange for an honest review.