5 ⭐️

SARAH ADAMS, the queen that you are!!!!!!!!!! This book is nothing short of PERFECTION!! I am an enemies (but in this case, more rivals) to lovers stan and this book just set a new standard. I was giggling the 👏🏼 entire 👏🏼 time 👏🏼 👏🏼👏🏼

Emily and Jack are the absolute best. Their banter is so funny and their chemistry is sooooo palpable. I was rooting for them from the beginning. Ugh, I love this book so much. This is my new favorite book in this series and is now in my top 5 of the year.

Thank you SO MUCH NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an ARC!!! I am soooooo grateful 🫶🏻

Thank you Dell Romance at Random House publishing for the eArc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own!

This story had me so impatient at times. The slow burn is so real in this one and so is the enemies to lovers. I enjoyed the banter and tension that built up in this one. I will say something about it had a rough start for me. I cannot quite put my finger on what it was it was a feeling more than anything wrong with the story. Which is obviously a me thing not a book thing. These characters are so well developed and they feel so real to me. I enjoyed seeing them fall in love.

Emily Walker is a perfectionist for which she hates for anything to disrupt that perfection. Jack Bennett is the enemy and has been since they met in college. Yet they seem destined to live parallel lives. Both second grade teachers but arch enemies. However, Jack realizes something off when he moves away to marry his fiance. He feels something is missing or he is missing someone. But it cannot be Emily could it? There is only one way to find out.

Content: open door romance, bit of language, brief mentions of death

Read if you enjoy:
Romance
Enemies to Lovers
Teachers
Series
Motorcycles

I got this as an e-arc from NetGalley and I am so excited that I got to read it early because it was such a good read. I had already liked Emily from the first two books and I thought she was a really intriguing character because she had such a prickly personality but also a serious desire to take care of everyone around her. So I was really excited for her story, especially since it is a coworkers/rivals to lovers and I think it was really well done. I love that they became friends first, and after they had finally put aside their animosity is when they both started to notice that there was a mutual attraction there, and I also liked that it took them a little while to act on it because it helped build the tension really well. There were a few parts where I felt like the character development was a little lacking, especially towards the end with the stuff between Jack and his dad and his complicated relationship with both of his parents. I felt like that could’ve been explored just a little bit more to really get a full impact, especially since we did get to explore Emily and her issues a little more deeply. All in all, I totally loved this book and thought that the plot was really fun and well executed, and I also really appreciated the way it explored themes of grief and how trauma from our childhood manifests in such detrimental ways sometimes in our adult lives. I love how brave both of these characters were when it came to being vulnerable with each other and exploring the connection that they had, even though they were both scared of getting hurt. I feel like Emily and Jack are a perfect match for each other and they have so many things in common but are still different in enough ways to have a very well rounded and full relationship. I also absolutely loved the last chapter and how it tied in with the previous book in the series, that made me really happy.

3.75! The banter and chemistry between Jack and Emily was really fun to read - I liked how they say they are enemies but secretly sort of have liked them the entire time (felt like it kept itself separate from true enemies to lovers). I do think the first half is better than the second half - it just loses something I can’t quite put my finger on. I also didn’t love how we get so much background with Jack and his father but the ending of that story line wasn’t truly tied up? Same with Emily and her book? I also didn’t love the third act fight they had - I don’t like when it’s a fight they both contributed to/have some fault in and then it’s turned around to be just the guy has to apologize. I also wish this took place over the course of more time vs a month - every time it was mentioned it had only been a month it took me out of the story. I think having it take course over 6+ months would have greatly added to the banter, their budding friendship, and ultimate relationship - and I wish we got more about Jack and his father earlier on so we could have seen more of a resolution. At the very least, I think a longer epilogue (or any epilogue really since it’s a single page) was needed. Also chapter 16 which is not listed as a “spicy” chapter felt spicier than the two actual scenes sooooo was a bit disappointed when we got to those scenes.

Thank you Netgalley and Dell for the arc in exchange for a honest review!

Welcome back to Rome, KY 💜
Thank you, Dell Romance & PRH Audio,  for the gifted copy of Beg Borrow or Steal {partner}

Genre: Romance
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date:  1.7.2025
Pages: 384
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

“You are not alone, Emily. I would walk through my worst memories to get to you every single time.”

Putting into words my excitement about finally having the chance to read this book is impossible. I practically begged, tried borrowing it, and was almost sure I could steal an ARC if it meant returning to Rome, Kentucky. I fell in love with this charming small town when I first read When in Rome and then with Practice Makes Perfect and was eager to return. So, when this title arrived in my email, I disregarded everything else and began reading. And when I finished it in record time, I was tempted to go back and start from the beginning.

Emily and Jack stole my heart, mainly Jack, but Emily was pretty cool too. My new favorite trope is probably He Falls First, and boy, did Jack fall first for her. There was something so special about their enemies to lovers, friendship, andfriend-mentorship that had me swooning. They supported one another and cheered on one another’s accomplishments (well, once they got over the whole being enemies thing). I love how Sarah Adams incorporates HEALTHy communication strategies into her couple relationships. There’s no unnecessary drama - there’s support, love, and a lot of heart eyes. 

Also, I always thought one bed was a great romance trope, but I now believe “hiding in a closet while trying to steal your boss’s laptop” might be the winner. 

Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆☆
I chose to tandem read Beg Borrow and Steal so I could have the best of both worlds (print and audio). The audiobook was narrated by Nelson Hobbs and Brittany Pressley. Both voice actors did an incredible job, and I always love listening along as they bring their characters to life. 

Read if you enjoy:
🏘️ Small town romance 
🥰 He Falls First
🫶🏼 Found Family 
👏🏼 Healthy communication
🤫 Secret authors

If you haven’t read When in Rome and Practice Makes Perfect, you can read Beg Borrow or Steal as a standalone, but you’ll be missing a lot of backstories and missing out on a lot of feel-good moments.

I would like to begin with praises for Sarah Adams. No one writes MMC quite like she does. I am falling in love with them from the very first page.

Emily Walker thought she was finally able to rid of her rival when he moves away from Rome, but little did she know, he will be making a spectacular return. Jack returns to Rome after a breakup and is finding himself wanting to settle down in Rome. He also just so happens to be moving into the house next door to Emily. Their banter keeps you giggling and laughing out loud the entire time. These characters come off the page for you and are beautifully crafted. The trouble that these two get into is hilarious. I loved Rome from the very first book, but dare I say, this may be my favorite couple and Emily has become my favorite Walker (sorry, Annie!). This is perfect if you love the tension of enemies to lovers, a quirky small town where everyone is in your business, and banter like no other. Thank you to the author, and publisher for the gifted ARC and eARC. All opinions in this review are my own.

Instagram review will go live on 03-Jan-2024.

Sarah Adams never fails to amaze me. This might be one of her greatest work so far. How she mixed and blended the romance with the individual characters growth was incredible. I wished for “when in Rome” series to never end because I fear I don’t get tired of reading about this people that own my heart.

Sarah’s writing has a way to make you feel like you are in the setting of the book, I honestly feel like I know the characters of this book in real life because of how connected I feel to them. The pace of the story doesn’t make it boring, it’s fast enough to keep you interested in the plot but is not like they fall in love right away.

Emily character development was out of this world, I enjoyed how she started to be more carefree and more confident, really loved seeing another personality from her since I wasn’t found of her on the previous books but I’m happy that she could change my mind on this one.

Jack, jack was perfect. I have no complaints when it comes to him. So patient and full of love, I need him.

This book really exceeded all my expectations and I would 100% recommend it.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc, I’m forever grateful!!!

Omg omg omg!
This was a 6 stars read!!
I need a Jack (with glasses) in my life 🥹💌

I was sure that this book would be my favourite book of 2024 since Sarah Adams had announced it and in fact I loved it so much 🥹 I’m just saying that I filled my Kindle with notes and highlights on EVERY SINGLE page. 😅
•
I loved every single interaction between the two MC. Jack and Emily are two cuties, I loved the fact that they were teachers and secret writers, as well as crazy neighbours and enemies/rivals. Emily was just so relatable and an amazing FMC! I loved her so much. She’s an icon.
Every time Jack talked or did literally anything my heart melted, he is so sweet and cute with his lil glasses and every scene of him is so hot and perfect.
I need a Jack - with glasses, a motorcycle, who is a teacher but is also a secret writer and who fix the house with his carpenter’s belt on - in my life! 😫
•
It was undoubtedly a six-star reading! 😍
Thanks to NJetgalley Dell Romance, Headline and Sarah Adams .
Beg, Borrow, or Steal comes out everywhere on January 7, 2025. Let me tell you that you all absolutely have to read about these two cutie pies! Go and pre-order it. 😌

Sarah Adams I was unfamiliar with your game and girl you have made a fan out of me!!! If you in anyway can relate to being a perfectionist Emily’s character growth is 🤌🏾🤌🏾🤌🏾 and her and Jack’s relationship was so sweet I always love a rivals to lovers to set up! Sarah did her big one!!!

Oh how I love Rome Kentucky! Sarah Adams has done an incredible job with making me fall in love over and over again with her writing. Beg, borrow, or steal is the delightful next installment of her when in Rome series. Emily Walker is the anchor Walker siblings. Always ready to comfort, protect, and love on her people. But lately she's comming to terms with the question of whether she'll ever get her forever person. Jack Bennett is a spicy yet loveable nemesis to Emily with a big secret. These two LOVE to bicker, quarrel, and just plain fight. But we all know the old phrase He's picking on you because he likes you! Swoon. Ain't that the truth! This book has some seriously perfect tension, enemies to lovers action, and some delicious spicy closed door action. Loved every second of it!! I am so happy this book exists!!! And I'm looking forward to more from this darling small town. Ahem Ms Adams. 5 star highly recommend!
Thank you forever to Net Galley & Random House Publishing for this treat!

I wasn’t sure Sarah Adams could top the story about Annie that I loved so much but I was wrong. I absolutely adored this book! So many laugh out loud and swoon worthy moments. I do not usually reread books but I will definitely be reading this book again. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Thank you to PRH Audio for the gifted audiobook and to NetGalley and Dell for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I read my first Sarah Adams book earlier this year and loved it so much that I immediately went out and bought her backlist. Her books are just the coziest, most adorable love stories, and her newest book, "Beg, Borrow, or Steal," is no exception. Fans of the "When In Rome" series will be excited to return to the charming small town of Rome, Kentucky, home of the Walker siblings. This book was so much fun to read and included so many of my favorite tropes: small town, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, second chance romance. Emily and Jackson were two sunshine characters who I couldn't help but root for. With their real-world struggles, it was easy to relate to them and feel connected. Maybe an unpopular opinion, but I don't always enjoy open-door books, so I appreciated the author's note at the beginning telling me which chapters to skip for a closed-door experience, which allowed me to enjoy the book more. Overall, another winner from Ms. Adams!

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Brittany Pressley and Nelson Hobbs. As always, they were fantastic, and I greatly enjoyed their storytelling. They made the story come to life and really brought out all the emotion. Highly recommend this audiobook.

Forever happy to be back in Rome, Kentucky with this cast of characters. Sarah Adams never fails to write relatable characters, fun and heart-warming moments, and romance that you can't help but smile and kick your feet over. I loved every bit of Emily and Jackson's relationship arc and the moments we got sprinkled throughout with Noah, Amelia, Will, Annie, Madison, James, and Mabel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC!

I love rivals to lovers, there is just something about the tension that draws me in. The FM, Emily is hilarious and I adored Jackson. This is a great continuation of the series and won’t let you down.

I am always excited to get back to Rome, Kentucky and check in with the Walker family. This is the third book in the series, and I recommend reading all of them. Emily is a 2nd grade teacher in her hometown of Rome, Kentucky, and she is settling in to her summer break. She's feeling restless because she has always been the person in her family that others look to for support.

Emily is also surprised when her nemesis, Jack, returns to town. Jack and Emily have been in constant competition with each other since college, and she was happy when he moved away to live with his fiancee. She's shocked when he moves in to the house next to her after his engagement ended. Jack has come back to Rome because he wants to make a life there, and he has missed Emily. He doesn't know why (yet!), but he couldn't stop thinking about her when he didn't see her everyday. Jack is back to not only be Emily's neighbor, but he's also her co-worker because he also teaches 2nd grade.

Another similarity with Emily and Jack is that they are both secretly writers. Emily is writing her first romance novel while Jack has been publishing mystery novels under a pen name. Jack helps Emily with her writing, and it's fun to see their dynamic shift from enemies to friends.

This book is filled with so much banter and tension, and the slow burn pays off! One of my favorite scenes is when Emily and Jack act out of the scenes in her book. There's so much tension building up between them!

I gave the book 4 of out 5 stars because I wanted more of an ending. I felt like there should have been more after they got together. I really wanted to see them working together as teachers. I think that that could have been so much fun to explore.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I can't wait for the next book in the series! Thanks to NetGalley and Dell Publishing for an ARC of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 stars

Another fantastic installment in the When in Rome series. This book centers around Emily Walker, a perfectionist and adorably prickly teacher and her nemesis, Jack Bennett. The two teachers have had a feud for years, but when Jack moves to Rome following a failed engagement, Emily has a hard time hating him again. Throw in secret manuscripts and some forced proximity and you have a perfect romcom.

I adored this book. The banter is excellent. The little How to Steal a Million nods are fun. Jack and Emily are fantastic, layered characters you can’t help but root for. How will I ever choose a favorite book in this series?

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

First off thank you to Dell Publishing and thank you to Sarah Adams for the eARC of this book I think I screamed when I saw I was approved. And now to just scream about this book and all the ways this book is now my favorite romance book possible ever.

I just have to start with saying when Sarah Adams wrote this book, she gave it her whole heart and soul IT IS SO GOOD. Her dedication perfectly lines up with the storyline and I found myself tearing up at parts not even going to lie. I felt so seen in both Emily and Jack - primarily Emily - that I just connected to the book, and it felt personal to me.

I don't want to say too much, because I definitely think it's worth the read, but I will say chapter 16 is FERAL. This book has single handedly pulled me from my months long reading is meh slump, made me super duper excited to pursue some of my own passions, and made me excited to buy this book in a physical copy and make all my romance fan friends read it because it is so good.

For me what makes it a good book is that the two main characters are so real and I could connect and relate to them SO HARD. Oh and the story is a blast. There were times I was annoyed with them but I was then like, wait I do that too.... It was so good it now goes down as one of my favorites if not THE FAVORITE romance book of mine of all time.

SO IN SHORT.... READ THIS BOOK! I don't think you'll regret it :)

Oh how this series never lets me down! Sarah Adams does the best job of delivering all the best fun and joy in a romance while never losing the depth and relatability. Emily Walker is the oldest sister, always helping and looking after everyone in town. She’s a perfectionist teacher, and trying to pursue her dream of being a Romance Author, in secret. Her family is starting to move on in their lives, and Emily is “right where you left me,” locking her feelings up as always. Emily met Jack back in college. After a disastrous flirting incident, they’ve been rivals ever since. Jack has his own family trauma, living with a narcissistic dad, and has a background of burying his feelings because they never mattered. As Emily and Jack go from coworkers to neighbors to friends to maybe something more, it’s a fun journey with lots of banter and hijinks!

For those who love:
🍎 Rivals to Lovers
🍎 Small Town Romance
🍎 Teachers
🍎 Secret Writers
🍎 Mini Heist
🍎 Oldest Sister
🍎 Family Issues
🍎 The banter!!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I’ll read anything written by Sarah Adams!! Every book that Sarah publish just gets better and better! I love the characters in Rome, Kentucky and I couldn’t wait to read about Emily and Jack when I got this ARC! And of course I absolutely love Jack Bennett! So So Hot!! 🥵👀😎as if he’s not hot enough, he also rides a motocycle?! 🤯🔥🔥
Emily and Jack are so good together. Their banter was amazing and I find myself laughing out loud with their dialogue. The rivals to lovers trope was done so well in this book.

I find myself relating to Emily in this book a lot. Emily bottled up her feelings internally and never let others see her vulnerable side. She falls in this dark hole and she felt like she can’t come out of it. She is independent and super protective of her siblings. She goes above and beyond for others but she also wished someone out there will recognize that she struggles as well and wish someone will ask if she’s alright. She feels she is too much and too tough to love. Despite all of this, Jack sees Emily and understands her. He’s like a light to her darkness.

My favorite quotes from Jack:

“You are not alone, Emily. I would walk through my worst memories to get to you every single time.”

“I don’t need anything from you other than for you to unlock the door for me so I can come lie with you when the darkness is too heavy to crawl out of. And if you need to fight, you can fight with me. And if you want to make love, make it with me.”

“…I care for you always. I want you, always. The good, the bad, and the in-between. I. Want. You. Sharp edges, hot tempered, fiercely protective, gooey heart . . . all of it. All of you.

🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷 I love Jack so much in this book. He made Emily feel so seen and known.😭😭

I think this is the best book so far in the Rome, Kentucky series. I love the Walker siblings and feeling kinda sad that there will only be one more book to the series. I wish I can visit Rome, Kentucky one day! 😅 OH! I would love to hug Ducky too! 🐈

Thank you to NetGalley, DellRomance, and Sarah Adams for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

*squeeeeeeeeeeeks* THIS BOOK! I'm going to be honest, I adored When in Rome and I didn't really think I would find anything else as good, BUT HOLD THE HECK ON, this one *chefs kiss*. Emily is absolutely hilarious, I adore Jackson, I love the universe of Sarah Adams brain for bringing these two little secret keepers back together to figure it all out once and for all. I am still smiling and I am writing this two days later.

Also, my partner kept track, I cried twice, laughed out loud 9 times, and shut the book and covered my mouth while gasping once.