Jack and Emily are both teachers at the same school and arch nemesis. Jack leaves the school to get married but suddenly returns and moves in next door to Emily. This causes the tension between them to ramp up. However
when Emily accidentally sends her book to school principal, who is against romance novels , she turns to Jack to help her get it back. As the story progresses so does the attraction/ tension.
Jack is keeping a secret from Emily and is afraid their budding friendship and romance will end if he reveals it. Will it reignite their feud or bring them closer.

It was a quaint enemies to lovers with a few spicy scenes. Gives big hallmark vibes

I enjoyed reading this one, as I had the others in the Rome series, but sometimes I felt like there were a few too many threads that were tugged on but not really unraveled. Everything with breaking into Bart's to get the story can seemed anticlimactic after all was said and done, but the slow burn romance was very well done.

It's an editing note for the ARC, but it was distracting the way she alternated using Jack and Jackson without an explanation as to why one name was used versus the other

Just yes all around, great chemistry, growth and keeps you wanting to read more. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC! I was absolutely ecstatic to get this book early to read and I absolutely loved it!!

I haven’t read the others in this series and that is absolutely okay in my opinion they give you enough of what’s happened previously to understand but they work so well as a standalone as well. I’ve loved the others I’ve read by her and this was no different, and you can absolutely bet I’ll be going to read the other books right away!

The story was great I loved Emily and you can really feel how much she’s gone through in life. I absolutely loved this style of enemies to lovers because were they really? Just super cute and Jack is amazing. This was a great book and helped me out of my reading rut. Even with the holidays I kept wanting to read this! Highly recommend and can’t wait to carry on reading more ☺️.

Oh, how I screamed out loud when I saw this approval come in!! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early access to Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams. I'm not at all surprised to find that I absolutely loved reading this story and really think Adams' books just keep getting better and better.

Line where I knew I was going to fall for Jackson: "I'll be so careful with you, Emily"

Blurb: Emily and Jackson are second grade teachers who have been enemies since they first bumped (literally) into one another in college. Ever since they've been competing with one another and digging in their heels about reconsidering their opinions of one another. Until Jack moves away and Emily starts to wonder why life feels a little more empty. When Jack comes back to town for the summer, and happens to move into the house next door to Emily, they both start to realize their enemy roles may be miscast.

Mood Reader Guide: eldest daughter energy plus emotional romance plus book boyfriend with glasses and a motorcycle and secret identity (with a reference to Clark Kent even!) and small town shenanigans

Thoughts:
Rome, KY is the small town everyone wants to live in, and it was wonderful to go back. Emily is the prickly perfectionist sister of the family (siblings Noah, Annie, Madison each get their own book), and it takes a while to warm up to her, but I completely understood her. Jack with his adorable glasses and obvious secret crush on Emily was just delicious. But he has baggage too - his narcissist awful father really made my blood boil. I loved the storyline about Jack being a bestselling author and how that played out when he learns Emily has the same dream; it would have been easy to make that the wedge between them or have Emily find instant success, but how it's all handled in the story is much more interesting. I loved all the glimpses of other characters and couples that we've met before. I can't believe we only have one sibling's story left to enjoy!

Sarah has done it again 🥹 there’s a reason she’s one of my top romance authors and it’s books like this that remind me of it. I can’t say it definitively, but I’m pretty sure BBS just became my favorite of all of Sarah’s books.

Emily, our oldest daughter and leading lady, felt so dang relatable for me. I connected with her deeply and from the very beginning. I related to her struggles and concerns and she feels so special as a character!!

Jack, our sweet tattooed motorcycle riding second grade teacher was an absolute gem. He was quirky and easy to love and all around a perfect mmc!

I love the small town of Rome, Kentucky and as the series has continued, it’s been so satisfying to see characters settle within the town. Our couples and side characters from the first two books feel so well-loved now that we’re in book 3. While this can absolutely be a standalone, it’s 100x better when you start at the beginning.

I appreciate the way Sarah writes mental health struggles. I feel like they pop in most (maybe all?) of her books and they are always handled with care and brought to you in a meaningful way. That’s no different in BBS as our characters are going through battles of their own. It makes you love them so much more for it!!

There were lines in this book that made me straight up giddy and scenes where I couldn’t believe how top tier the chemistry was (iykyk). I can’t think of a single thing wrong with this book other than it had to end. I’m so eager for Madison’s book and also so sad the series will be coming to an end!

Thank you x a million to NetGalley, dell romance, and Sarah for the arc. I feel so blessed! ❣️

Each new book in the “When in Rome" series just gets better and better!

"Beg, Borrow, or Steal" follows Emily Walker and Jack Bennett, two feuding teachers (and neighbors), as they find themselves teaming up to steal back her manuscript. Will their unlikely alliance put an end to their rivalry? Or could it lead to a steamy plot twist they never saw coming?

As an eldest daughter, I saw so much of myself in Emily in the way she fears change, strives for perfection, and protects her siblings. The depth of her loneliness stemming from feeling no longer needed is something I know all too well and tugged on my heartstrings. 

I heavily related to Jack's people pleasing tendencies and his natural inclination to bury his feelings. Both stem from his childhood growing up in a house with a narcissistic parent. Adams writes about his familial situation with great care and even though it brought tears to my eyes, watching him work through it brought great comfort. 

I couldn't be happier with the universe (aka Sarah Adams) for pushing these two together! I seriously could not get enough of their bickering and verbal sparring matches as they played out via email over the years. While entertaining, I also appreciate how their rivalry allowed them to be their messiest, worst, and most authentic selves with each other. The slow pacing of their relationship development is phenomenal as their unconventional friendship evolves into a romantic relationship. I loved watching them heal by learning to be emotionally vulnerable and wholly honest around one another, as it only made the steamier scenes that much sweeter!

Loved this book so much.! Sarah Adams books never disappoint! I couldn't put this down. I love how she incorporated the name "Ranger" into her story as she previously expressed her desire to. The story line was great. I loved the email banter and how that just seemed to add to the story and enhance the plot I can't wait for the next book. I do wish that the father son conflict had been resolved a little better, but that's really my only complaint. Not every relationship has a happy ending. I do love how she brought back her other characters from her other books back. They weren't the main characters, but they weren't sidelined either. All in all great book!

Please give us more of this Rome series, Sarah Adams!!! This one may be my favorite yet. 4 stars!

📖 The Details:
Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams
Teachers | Enemies to Lovers | Secrets?

⏱️ Quick Summary:
The oldest sister of the Walker siblings, Emily is used to ignoring her own feelings and taking care of everyone around her. She's also used to feuding with fellow teacher, Jack, who recently moved away to get married. Except now he's back and living next door - and maybe starting to take care of her for a change.

💁‍♀️ My Take:
I LOVE this series, and I LOVE Emily, and I LOVE Jackson. This is a classic "enemies to lovers, or maybe they weren't enemies after all?" story. With so much banter and so many swoony moments. The main characters were so well developed and amazing at encouraging each other to be at their best. I had so many favorite moments in this one, and would DEF recommend reading for yourself!

When does book 4 come out?? 🙃

I couldn’t have gasped louder when I got the notification of this ARC! I’m obsessed with all things Sarah Adams and so thrilled to be back in Rome to see what the gang is up to.

We knew Emily would be a tough nugget to crack with her oldest sister status. Btw, how relatable?! Emily and Jack were adorable, their communication was perfection (thank you, Sarah!) and fate was setting them up just perfectly. Of course we need something to mess it all up.

And so with absolute pain, I had to rate this down a bit. Because a 31 year old woman still being hung up on that fact her one and only (high school) boyfriend who dumped her 13 years ago so she couldn’t open up (even though she already had) to Jack, just made the narrative hard to digest and one scene so cringy. Especially considering there were other parts of the plot that could have challenged their relationship.

The epilogue was chef’s kiss! So many little nuggets of perfection. Jack’s outfits. The sister relationships made this installment as edible as the previous two. I cannot wait to see what’s in store of Madison!

Thank you to NetGalley for this advance copy. Opinions are my own.

I wish I had a live feed of me sitting here grinning like an idiot while reading this! Every book in the When in Rome series has been amazing...seriously I adore them all. I am almost willing to say this one might be my favorite (but I think I feel that way every time I read the next one). Emily is such a relatable character! Definitely the most relatable female lead out of the 3. Her struggle through grief, heartbreak and just trying to protect herself hit close to home. It's hard to give your heart over to someone else. Jack is just the one to push all of Emily's buttons (in the best way). Plus, his desire to communicate clearly and apologize when he is wrong...swoon. The town of Rome never lets you down...it'll have you wanting to pack your bags to move to a small town. I honestly cannot rave about this book enough.

My first ARC! I was very excited to get to read this book early. I have loved the first two books in the series and am attached to this family. I need all their stories!

To be honest I didn’t love Emily at first. She truly was like loving a porcupine but she got under my skin eventually. I love that she found her intellectual equal in Jack. They just made each other better! Isn’t that what love is supposed to be?

I love this town, the community they’ve built, and this sibling group. I need to Madison and James’ story now! I can’t wait!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Sarah Adams, and Penguin Random House Publishing for sending me this ARC!

Beware there may be spoilers in this feedback!

WOW. Absolutely my favorite book in the series and probably my favorite book written by Sarah Adams ever! I am a sucker for good banter, enemies to lovers vibes, and this book DELIVERED. Their witty banter was perfect. The way Jack loves Emily just raised the bar so high - the bar is in space. The chemistry between Jack and Emily is insane, the build up to their romance is *chef’s kiss* and the “acting” scene may be the best romantic scene I’ve ever read. The tension had me sweating.

I was really nervous what would happen when Emily found out Jack’s secret because I kind of hate when the big conflict is one of the main characters finding out a secret, especially one that isn’t actually a deal breaking secret in my mind! I’m glad Emily saw it the same way I would.

I loved the small town cozy vibes with all of the involved town folk. Loved to see the prior book characters. Loved when they became neighbors. Loved the tension. Absolutely loved everything about this book and I can’t wait to get my signed copy when I get to go to her tour stop!

I LOVED IT; this was my favorite trip to Rome, Kentucky yet - and I'm already sad that we only have one more story to go in this quirky little town with this wonderful little family.

Emily Walker is an enneagram 8 and you can't tell me any different: teddy bear in combat boots; a marshmallow heart surrounded by barbed wire - and extraordinarily picky about who gets to see that inner softness behind the hard exterior. Emily Walker is actually me. She is peak older sister vibes. Vulnerability is hard. Letting someone see that vulnerability is even harder and I feel like Sarah Adams reached into my soul and created a character that is simply a mirror looking back at me.

I loved it so much. I loved Jackson. And I loved them together. Jackson, even with his own issues, was upfront with Emily and created a safe space for her to let down her walls. And...who doesn't love all that frenemy banter?!? Sarah Adams, this book is everything and thank you for showing oldest daughters it's okay to show and feel emotions.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal is the third book in the When in Rome series, but could be read as a standalone. I absolutely loved Emily and Jack's story- from rivals since college to friends to lovers. This book was the perfect amount of sweet, cozy, warmth, and lightheartedness.

Emily is such a relatable character. She is someone who carries the weight of the world on her shoulders, making it her mission to ensure her siblings and those she loves are taken care of. She takes on so much and never puts herself first. I found it really sweet when Madison said that it's nice to see Emily being a human when she cried. It's such a great reminder that it's okay to let our emotions win sometimes. Jack comes with pain from his past, especially as a child growing up with a narcissistic dad. I loved his character growth and just how careful he was with Emily (hehe). He and Emily both learn how great it is when you let someone in and allow yourself to lean on someone else. Their personalities, chemistry, and bickering was so fun to read.

Emily Walker’s life is thrown off track when her rival, Jack Bennett, moves back to town as her neighbor and coworker. When Emily accidentally sends her secret romance manuscript to their principal, Jack agrees to help her get it back, sparking an unexpected connection between the two.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal is the third book in the When in Rome series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. While I read When in Rome and wasn’t a fan, I didn’t realize Beg, Borrow, or Steal was part of the series until I was halfway through the book, as I hadn’t read Practice Makes Perfect. That said, I devoured this book in just 24 hours! I absolutely loved Emily and Jack—their personalities and chemistry were spot-on. Sarah Adams did a fantastic job developing their relationship from enemies to friends to lovers in a way that felt sweet, endearing, and natural. The banter between them was off the charts and the texts and emails interspersed between chapters showing moments from 10 years ago to the present added depth and kept the story engaging. It was also wonderful to see both characters grow and learn more about themselves and each other. Emily’s quirks might not appeal to everyone, but given her past, I found them relatable and understandable. I especially appreciated getting inside Jack’s head as his perspective felt unique and introspective. Seeing the previous couples from the series as supporting characters was a delightful touch. Overall, this was a solid 5-star read for me! I’m hoping for Madison and James to get their own book because their chemistry seemed electric!

4.5⭐️!! this book was such a delight to read. the oldest daughter/teacher/rivals to lovers was made just for me. sarah adams did an excellent job balancing the romance and emotional aspects of this book!! they had real struggles and real love. i connected so much to the main characters and laughed out loud at their banter. 👏🏼 i loved that these adults were successful and were able to work towards their dreams! 💫 their emails in between chapters was the cutest touch. the only reason it’s not a 5 star is because the spice felt like a tad more than necessary (it’s still minimal tho) and i wanted more of them being teachers. other than that… i adored this book. jack & emily forever ❤️ what a wonderful romance novel!

⚠️content: 2/5 spice rating 🌶️ & 3/5 language rating 🫢

huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine / Dell for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Sarah Adams, Random House Publishing Group, and Netgalley for this ARC.

Our main characters met in college, and unfortunately started out on the wrong foot, becoming bitter rivals with snarky attitudes that followed them for close to a decade. 

Emily is your typical older sister, needs to take care of everyone, doesn't want to be a burden, bottles up all of her own feelings FMC.

Jack has his own trauma, which makes him a social chameleon, people pleaser, can never truly be himself/comfortable with others MMC.

Now, having known each other for so long, and always comfortable with being their true authentic selves with the other, they realize that maybe hate isn't the most appropriate word to describe their relationship. 

Honestly, this was a lovely read, with many difficult emotions to deal with from both MCs, a lot of which resonated with me. Though they did resolve it fairly easily, lacking a bit of depth, and making me envious that it's not as simple in real life. 

The Walkers (significant others and James included) were - as always - great side characters, providing comfort and sage advice. All while making fun of each other... come on, they're siblings.

Since Sarah's books are usually closed door, I think it's valid to discuss the sex scenes. They weren't particularly steamy, or even explicit to be honest, giving me a kinda whimsical vibe, if that makes sense. I'd give it just one 🌶.

Overall, I liked both main characters, I loved the dynamic between them, from start to finish (which changed quite a bit), the secondary characters were great as always, but I do think it lacked more exploring those emotional burdens they both carried. The resolution was way too quick and simple for such a complex trauma, for both of them.

I'm looking forward to James and Madison's book.

Sarah Adams books are like fresh cut grass on a sunny day, fuzzy socks and hot cocoa on the first cold day of fall, snuggling your stuffy (his name might be Ranger). I can’t fully describe the joy that her stories bring me. They resonate with the reader on such a profound level, in some way, that it makes you feel immensely seen. I have been able to see myself in some regard in every single one of her heroines. The vulnerability it gives, to be able to read about pieces of you on her pages heals something you didn’t know needed a hug. I laugh, I cry, I fall in love, I swoon.

Emily and Jack’s story was full of the romance book tropes we all adore, and simultaneously presented in a fresh way. (Enemies to friends to lovers, academic rivals, forced proximity/neighbors, secret identity, they work together, she’s a black cat and he’s a golden retriever). They were truly enemies in a feud for a decade. And their banter and competition was so well developed. And at the same time, while we were being given the physical evidence of their true dislike, we were also presented with the emotional evidence that it was much more under the surface. Their journey to friends, and more, seemed so natural for them. While it was amusing to see how they were going to outdo each other with their antics, it was adorable to see how they could actually find refuge in each other and a security that they never had with anyone else. By not holding back with their brutal sides, they could find true acceptance in all the good too.

There were so many little details that were perfection too, like the texts and emails at the start of chapters. We got a motorcycle flirting moment?! The glasses that were such a sexy nerd vibe, and how he wore the necklaces his students made for him! I also adored all the moments we got with the rest of the characters from the series, and how we could see the connection with all the Walker siblings. And I am loving that we are getting a bit more spice in there too!

I was ecstatic to be back in Rome, Kentucky and I had the best time!!!!

I love everything Sarah Adams writes, and this book is no exception. I reread the rest of the When in Rome series before starting this one, and I was a little unsure about whether I would like Emily’s story, because she’s portrayed as sort of an uptight know-it-all in the other books in the series. Sarah totally pulled it off, though, and made Emily just as vulnerable and relatable as all of her other main characters.

Annie and Will’s relationship will always have a special place in my heart, but Emily and Jack both fully won me over, too. Sarah has a way of writing stories that are fun and lighthearted and cozy, while also being incredibly sweet and emotional. Although thankfully the major conflicts never last too long. Her books are always the perfect escape, with excellent banter and even better storytelling. The only downside to finishing this book is that now I have to wait an entire year to read the next one!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine / Dell for the ARC of this book!

First off, can we get a standing ovation for Emily and Jack being actual grown-ups who have their life together? Like, no chaotic broke FMC who doesn't know how to function, and no broody “I’m broken, don’t love me” MMC. These two are capable, thriving adults, and it’s giving refreshing.

Emily? A total queen. She’s strong, smart, and (thank you, Sarah Adams) not a hot mess. Jack? THE MAN. Their bickering? Adorable. Their chemistry? Sweet and spicy, but in that grounded, realistic way that makes you go, "Oh, this is love."

And the little moments? Chef’s kiss. Let’s talk about that motorcycle scene where Jack just casually reaches down and grabs Emily’s calf. I DIED. It’s so subtle, so intimate, and so real. That’s the kind of touch that says, “I’ve got you.” I need more romances that give me this level of swoon.

By the end, they help each other learn to lean on someone else—because yes, being capable is great, but letting someone in? Even better. This story is funny, heartfelt, and just perfectly Sarah Adams. If you’re into swoony banter, relatable romance, and moments that make you slow clap IRL, add this one to your TBR immediately.

10/10 recommend. Would beg, borrow, or steal to read again. 👏❤️