🔎 ARC Review

Beg, Borrow, or Steal

When in Rome #3

Publication Date: January 7th, 2025

@authorsarahadams
@dellromance
@netgalley

My Rating:
🌟 5/5

📚 Read If You Like:
Rivals to Lovers
Teachers
Writers

Emily Walker hates having her carefully crafted world disrupted by anyone, most of all her legendary nemesis, Jack Bennett. He's the opposite of the wonderful heroes she dreams up in her double life as a romance writer, which is why Emily was perfectly happy when Jack left Rome, Kentucky, mid-school year, with his fiancée. The last thing Emily saw coming was Jack’s return at the start of the summer after calling off the wedding and ending his relationship, but he’s here to stay—as her colleague and her neighbor.

Jackson Bennett is glad to be back, eager to renovate his house and work on the next mystery novel under his bestselling pen name. But when he realizes he’s now neighbors with the one woman who has always pushed his buttons, he discovers something he’s even more excited for—thwarting Emily and her petty plans to sabotage his return.

With their chemistry-fueled animosity at an all-time high, Emily accidentally sends an email to their school’s principal that could reveal her secret literary side hustle. She needs to steal back her manuscript, and Jack—she hates to admit—is just the man to help her. Surprisingly, Jack agrees. Will their unlikely alliance put an end to their rivalry? Or could it lead to a steamy plot twist they never saw coming?

🔎 My review
There are 2 things that I love, Sarah Adams and Rome, KY! I love the When in Rome series and was super excited to hear of part 3 featuring our beloved Emily. Emily is super relatable once you get to know her and I loved seeing her give in to being vulnerable and expressing her feelings. I also loved the way that Jack was able to grow and learn how to express himself as well! These 2 were made for each other!

Thank you @authorsarahadams,@dellromance, and @netgalley for the ARC ❤️


#books #bookreviews #bookstagrammer #bookworm #bookstagram #bookobsessed #romance #sarahadams #dell #BegBorroworSteal #NetGalley #romekentucky #wheninrome

REVIEW: Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams

“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.”

So, apparently, I am good at starting a series in the middle instead of the beginning. Beg, Borrow, or Steal is the third book in the Rome series. I didn’t feel lost starting at the third book because there was enough context.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal was such an excellent rom-com book! I was invested in the story from the beginning to the end. There were tropes of enemies to lovers and small-town romance, which I both love. Emily and Jack were enemies starting in college, with Jack accidentally spilling coffee on Emily. They would tease and prank each other even through their 2nd-grade teacher jobs at the same school. The banter was so playful and fun. There were many sweet and tender moments, but also a significant build-up to some spice.

I also enjoyed the main characters, Emily and Jack, in Beg, Borrow, or Steal. They both had detailed backstories that helped shape the characters for good and bad. They both had strong feelings towards one another, even through their “hating” one another. Jack is so sweet and selfless and even wears homemade necklaces made by his students. Emily is so used to being the provider for everyone that she doesn’t know how to help herself. It was also fun to see the use of emails to provide more background and flirting between the characters.

The only thing I struggled with was figuring out the actual conflict. When I thought it was one thing, it ended quickly. I just thought there should be a bit more to it.

I really enjoyed reading Beg, Borrow, or Steal. It hit it out of the park for a great rom-com. Now, I am excited to read the other books in the series.

Thank you, Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

Thank you Dell and NetGalley for the eARC :)

My queen Sarah Adams has done it again!!!

So far, every book in the Rome, Kentucky series has been 5 stars from me! That is uncommon for me in series. I love this little town and the people in it so much.

Emily and Jack are both 2nd grade teachers in Rome, Kentucky. The have known (and hated) each other since Jack accidently spilled coffee on her when they were in college. Jack moves away, but then he returns at the beginning of summer and buys the house right next door to Emily. Chaos ensues, but then romance also begins to ensue eventually.

Right out of the gate, I loved how Emily was both infuriated and relieved to find that Jack has returned to Rome. It shows their dynamic perfectly and that they have both always had feelings for each other way before they admitted it!

This plot also takes forced proximity to a whole new level! What better tension can be built than making your two characters who are “nemeses” NEIGHBORS??? Not to mention the acts of service they show toward each other since they are so close during every hour of the day.

This book talks about sensitive topics such as grief and parental neglect/emotional abuse. The scenes where more emotional stuff was happening felt very real and raw.

Although there is no explicit spice in this novel, there was plenty of tension and intimacy. It is refreshing to me to have an author show connection between characters without having explicitly detailed scenes. That is something I love about Sarah Adams!

My favorite things about this book are the found family, the small town, the witty banter, and the emotional depth. I highly recommend!

I LOVED this book. This was probably my favorite Sarah Adams book by far. The character banter in the email exchange was hilarious. The characters were also very relatable with the struggles they were going through and how they felt.

I knew I was going to love this book and from chapter ONE I was obsessed. Jack and Emily are sworn enemies. They have been fighting for years, since the first meet disaster at college, but Emily isn't so sure how she feels when Jack moves away to get married. The story starts with her finding out that he is not, in fact, married and is coming back into town. When we get to Jack's POV is where it gets good though. We get a lot of glimpses into their past relationships and sparring, which I absolutely loved, but this hero is just, one of the best. They both have their secrets and trauma from the past, but they handle each other so well.
This is one of those "boy and girl hate each other but cannot stay away from one another and the tension is so thick you can cut it with a butter knife" situations. There was always more to their relationship than they could admit and it was so fun seeing it all come out.
Thanks to Random House, Netgalley and Sarah Adams for an early copy.

It was such a treat to be transported back to Rome, Kentucky once again. I loved following Emily's story and found myself rooting for her and whatever would make her happy - even as it changed throughout the story. 10 out of 10, no notes! Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

5⭐️

I am still astonished that I have never read the first book in this series, especially since I absolutely loved the second installment and now this one as well. This narrative certainly exudes Hallmark romance vibes, and I am wholeheartedly here for it.

In this third book , we follow the journey of the eldest sister, Emily, and nemesis Jack. Their relationship begins on a tumultuous note when they start college, and they never quite manage to recover from that initial encounter. Transitioning from adversaries to colleagues, their dynamic is further complicated when Jack, after experiencing a failed engagement, moves back to Rome and inadvertently becomes Emily's next-door neighbor.

As with the previous book, the characters in this story are compelling and complex. Both Emily and Jack grapple with their respective traumas while simultaneously navigating the evolution of their feelings for one another. This depth adds a rich layer to the narrative that I truly appreciate.

Moreover, I am excited to note that this book appears to lay the groundwork for another installment in the series, providing tantalizing hints regarding potential future developments. I eagerly anticipate exploring these possibilities. Eventually, I will read the first book, and I am also interested in delving into other works within this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

Super cute!! I have been enjoying the enemies to lovers trope lately and this was a fun story in that category. I have been buying Sarah Adams's books for my library and they circulate very well. I will purchase this one too.

I am a sucker for enemies to lovers and this one did not let me down I loved the banter between Emily and Jackson and it had me laughing out loud. And oh my goodness, the closet scene was on fire! It was nice to see glimpses of the couple from the previous books as well. This book had me smiling from ear to ear the entire time. What a delightful read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I am not quite sure how I keep managing to grab an ARC of a book that sounds AMAZING, only to find out that it's the third in a series. It happens to me like clockwork, and here we are again. I will say, if you haven't read the other two in this series (When In Rome and Practice Makes Perfect), you'll be okay. But I, as I'm sure many of you are as well, like to read a series to completion. So after finishing Beg, Borrow, or Steal - I will be going back to read the other two books.

First, as an educator, a romance between two rival teachers was TOO good to pass up. Emily and Jack's connection that kept drawing them back together after so much time had passed would make for the BEST teacher's lounge gossip.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the free ARC of this book!

First off, thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and Sarah Adams for an ARC of Beg, Borrow, or Steal!

I was excited to jump back into the world of Rome, Kentucky to see another Walker siblings' story! Beg, Borrow, or Steal follows Emily Walker as she learns her decade long nemesis Jack is moving back to town after the recent end to his engagement. Now they are next door neighbors who start to realize that maybe they aren't really enemies like they thought.

I really liked this book! From the beginning you could see that even though they said they "hated" each other, they secretly cared about the other and were happy to be back in each other's lives. They had so much in common, from both being writers, to teaching, to traumatic childhoods, that I just wanted to shake them and tell them to work out their issues. Their relationship starts to change when Emily drunkenly sends a copy of her manuscript to her uptight principal and needs Jack to help her delete the email before the principal can read it. As they begin to share more about themselves to each other, you see them realize that their feelings for each other might not be hate at all.

I'm glad both Emily and Jack got a HEA and hope we get to see Madison's story next!

Honestly this was such an good book. I loved second reading it. The cats name was adorable. And the characters were so lovable. Lastly I will definitely be reading more of this author.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. What a uplifting happy book!! 5 STARS!

Jack and Emily have a long history of butting heads which started in College. They compete, push buttons, and just banter throughout. They both go through their own family trauma and the growth together and apart its pretty captivating.

This book made me giggle, swoon and aweee.
It has:
Enemies to lovers
hidden identity
low level spice

Perhaps by favorite Sarah Adams book yet. These characters were so lovable.

I loved how she could build these flawed characters that are only made more endearing because of those flaws. This has so much humor in it but also held a lot of depth.

It was so nice seeing characters from the previous books but Jackson and Emily are definitely top top top tier.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal by @authorsarahadams was such a delightful, sunshiny read! After slogging through a fantasy novel that left me drained, this charming romcom about two feuding teachers was exactly what I needed to reset my mind.

Emily and Jack’s story was an absolute treat! I instantly fell in love with their chemistry & how they navigated their quirky, hilarious rivalry. They were both so lovable in their own ways—and watching them spar and grow closer was such a fun ride. Their banter had me grinning from ear to ear, and I loved seeing them evolve & grow.

What really made this book special, though, was the heart behind it. It wasn’t just about the humor (though it had plenty of that), but also about finding your way, embracing your mess and realizing that sometimes the best things in life come from the most unexpected places.

Sarah Adams has this magic way of making you feel cozy and content, like curling up with a cup of tea in your favorite blanket.

In short, Beg, Borrow or Steal was the perfect little escape, full of sweetness, humor, and the kind of feel-good vibes that leave you with a smile. I’m already looking forward to whatever Sarah Adams has in store next!

Sarah Adams is always a 5 star read for me! I did not know how she was going to top Practice Makes Perfect but she really said hold my beer. Beg, Barrow or Steal is a 5/5 star read hands down! I literally did not talk to my husband at all in the two days i devoured this book! Fantastic! She is getting better and better with each book! I love all the Walker siblings as if they are my very best friends, and I really appreciate that with each book we get more of each of their stories! There is plenty of Amelia, Annie, Madison, Noah, James, and Will and it made me giddy with excitement every time they showed up! (I did like Practice Makes Perfect a little bit more but I think thats because Will Griffin is my favorite book boyfriend of all time!!) Jack and Emily are colleagues and have been enemies since college, always crossing paths and trying to out due each other, and as faith should have it, they are now neighbors. They are also both secretly writers, although Jack is a successful published author whereas Emily is still trying to get a book deal. When Emily drunkenly sends an email by mistake, sending her romance novel to the school principal, she needs Jack’s help to get it back. Emily and Jack have such a fun connection with witty banter and amazing chemistry! I laughed out loud at so many parts! The tropes in this book are neighbors, enemies to lovers and small town romance.

Thank you NetGallery and the publisher for the ARC! I can’t wait to read this all over again when I get my copy Jan 7th!!

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!