5⭐️. Sarah really outdid herself with this one. The BANTER. I connect so much to Emily in the way she handles her life and to see emotions and hardships I’ve felt so during my life so accurately depicted on screen really hit home for me. I absolutely adored this, as I do with everything I’ve read of Sarah’s so far. Jackson the man that you are. He was everything I needed to see for Emily. The absolute heartwarming wonderful nature of this man was so incredible to see. I love the support that they have each other through everything. I also just love the town of Rome, Kentucky as a whole and the Walker family all together. If you love small town, enemies to lovers (like not true enemies but still…), found family vibes this is the one for you. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Out on January 7!

୨⎯ 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒔 ⎯୧
rating: 4.25
plot: 4
characters: 4.5
writing: 4
romance: 3.5
spice level: 1.25

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°•*⁀➷ what to expect
small town romance
enemies to friends to lovers
they're both teachers AND writers
family means everything to her
he has a mentally abusive dad
book 3 of 4 in Rome, Kentucky

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°•*⁀➷ the rundown
Emily and Jacks were literally everything. the banter, flirting, and innuendos were my favorite though. Emily is the tough big sister (second oldest) of the Walkers in Rome, Kentucky. we already got to see Noah (oldest brother) and Annie (youngest sister) have their romantic stories and each one just gets so much better as if that was possible!?! I enjoyed every bit of this and absolutely cannot wait for Maddie's book for multiple reasons (James!!!! and because it's the end of the series UGH!)

Emily and Jackson have been rivals for a decade since their first day in college when he attempted to flirt with her but she had an awful day and ever since then they've been competing and teaching together and bickering back and forth. Emily grows a lot this summer as she starts to see Jackson as more than her nemesis, and vice versa.

"Chasing this feud doesn't seem nearly as appealing as chasing that smile."

the scene where they were acting out a scene of her book to figure out the issues.... phew! have mercy that even made my glasses steam up.

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

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

ᯓ ᡣ𐭩 thank you so much netgalley, sarah adams, and dell publishing for the early arc!

I absolutely loved being back in Rome, Kentucky! I loved everything about this book! I am a big fan of rivals to lovers, and the author did not disappoint with Jack and Emily!
I saw a little bit of myself in Emily! I could relate to her on so many levels and it made me love her that much more!

I laughed out loud so many times! I ate up every interaction between Emily and Jack! Their banter was the best I’ve ever read! This book was just so heart warming and enjoyable!

I feel honored to have been chosen to be an ARC reviewer for this book! I love Sarah Adams so much! Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and Sarah Adams!

5/5

Beg, Borrow, or Steal burrowed its way into my heart with its small-town antics, rivals to lover's romance, and use of bickering as a love language. Adams balances the razor-sharp edge of animosity and romantic tension with a finesse that left me gleefully turning the page and hanging on to every interaction between warring teachers, Jack and Emily. I knew Beg, Borrow, or Steal was going to be romance excellence from the second I read its title and incredible premise. Anything referencing Carly Rae Jepsen and Audrey Hepburn’s How to Steal a Million is high taste and I will drop everything to read it. Happy to report my initial impression did not lead me astray. Sarah Adams continues her immensely heartwarming When in Rome series with a rivals-to-lovers story between two second-grade teachers – Emily, the eldest sister in the Walker family, and Jack Bennet her selectively charming nemesis. Jumping past the bulk of their professional rivalry in action to the summertime, Adams brings us to these rivals with their guards down forced to interact as they navigate their now-shared small town. Beg, Borrow, or Steal has all the accompaniments of a romance that would ruin me for all others and it’s re-enlivened everything I love about this genre.

My full length review is now up on my blog!

The last book I had read by Sarah Adams was The Cheat Sheet, which admittedly wasn’t my favorite. Now I’m returning to her writing in the third installment of a completely different series, and her writing has evolved remarkably! Which felt all the more fitting since this book is so much about writing, growing, and finding your voice. I’m a sucker for a romance that explores the role of trauma in relationships, and this one did an excellent job of it. The tension between Emily and Jack was delightful, and Adams does a wonderful job of building the slow growth of their friendship (and then more). The balance between comedy, drama, and emotional content was very well done. Despite not having read the previous books, I got a good introduction to the other members of the Walker family, without feeling like I was getting a complete summary. After this installment I’m eager to go back and read the previous two, and then get my hands on the fourth when it comes out! This was a warm hug of a read that kept me coming back for more.

My thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If I could live anyway in fiction it’d be Rome Kentucky. I love this world and the characters! Sarah Adams is my favorite romance author and each book has its own different feel to it. This one is for those eldest daughters and a good nemesis to lovers. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Small Town | Rivals to Lovers | Forced Proximity

Listen, I ate this UP. I don’t think I’ve ever related to a character in my entire life as I did to Emily. She was such a well written FMC - I seriously adored her through and through. And yes, I’m probably biased because of how relatable I found her. But if you told me Sarah Adams somehow knew who I was and based Emily off of me, I’d believe you.

And JACK?! I love me a man obsessed and this man was OBSESSED. Emily mentioned wanting to crawl into his skin and SAME. That man was just so comforting, funny, and COMPETENT? We all know competence is one of the sexiest characteristics a man can have and Jack had it tenfold.

The quotes in this book had me absolutely feral, too. I don’t often highlight things, but I saved at least ten.

UGH. And the way I was giggling and kicking my feet this entire book needs to be studied.

Anyways… READ THIS BOOK. It’s immediately being added to my comfort reads list. So so so good.

(Honorable mention to Ducky)

Thank you Random House and Netgalley for the ARC!

I love Sarah Adams books and this was no exception. A fun, quick, and light read. Exactly what I was looking for.

I had just finished reading The Rule Book right before I started this, which I said was my favorite Sarah Adams book and I immediately had to retract that statement. THIS is my favorite book.

Emily Walker is hands down one of the most relatable FMCs to me. As an oldest daughter who holds in her emotions, this book made me feel SEEN. Especially her fear of people she loves leaving and of never being loved.

Emily and Jack’s chemistry and banter was top tier from their first interaction. They’re both petty as hell and I love them for it. I love how competitive they are with each other and I loved how we were able to see how their original rivalry developed with the emails!

I loved being able to go back to the world of Rome, Kentucky! I missed them so much <3

I have read all of Sarah Adams’ books. Her books have become a happy place to escape to with relatable characters and happy endings. This is no exception. I loved it! I did skim and skip the steamier bits, but that was easy to do with the author’s note at the beginning. This series has been so fun to read! I’ve loved every Walker sibling’s story so far and can’t wait for the next one!
Now it’s time to go back and read all her rereleased books! 😁

Oh. My. God. This was everything. Jack and Emily have such a special story. I absolutely adored how well rounded, and real these characters were. Dare I say this was a bit spicy compared to her others👀🔥 This was such a great continuation of the When in Rome series. I saw one review say this was Second Chance… it most definitely is not - it’s closer to an academic rivals to lovers trope.

*Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

This book was made for me. If you're a type-A person who will do anything for your friends but doubt if they'd do the same for you? Yeah, buckle up baby.

It's strange to call this a second chance romance. Rather it's a rivals to lovers, "never was" romance. Between all of their barbs and pranks, those moments of tenderness hit so much harder. The unsent emails, my heart. I loved that they're both writers and the absolutely hilarious heist to retrieve Emily's manuscript draft. The steam keeps growing in this series, so keep that in mind if you don't want it to fog up your windows. But me oh my, I loved it.

Every time I "go home" to Rome, Kentucky, it gets sweeter, more comforting and a little more healing. With each book I have felt seen and known by the characters; and Beg, Borrow or Steal was no exception.

The way Sarah Adams brings these characters to life is unmatched. These characters are far from two dimensional - they live in my heart as full-fledged individuals who put words to my pain; helping to bring peace to the chaos.

Watching Jackson work through adulthood with a narcissistic parent and Emily grow through the deep, deep dark are both things I, as an adult have had to work through. I love the vulnerability that comes through the papers and the comfort that the Walker family and the crazy townsfolk of Rome provide.

This story was full of joy, and healing and hope! The banter and the intimacy between Emily and Jackson is magnetic and electrifying 🔥. I couldn't put this book down and I didn't want it to end. In fact, I think we need around another 300 pages if that's not too much to ask. 1,000 out of 5 🌟

This is lighthearted romance that brings a bit of charm to the workplace romance genre. The characters are likable, and the storyline is engaging, but it doesn’t quite reach its full potential. The chemistry between the protagonists is enjoyable, but there are moments when the pacing feels uneven, which affects the flow of the story.

While there are several funny and heartwarming scenes, some of the plot points feel predictable, and the character development could have been deeper. Despite these minor issues, Its still enjoyable read for anyone looking for a feel-good romance with a few laughs along the way.

Rating: 3/5

I was so excited to jump back into Rome! The way Sarah Adam’s writes about a small town is amazing. I loved the first two books in this series, so I knew Emily’s story would be just as perfect. I was not disappointed in the slightest. Emily’s personality is something I personally relate to, and I think a lot of other women can relate to as well. Jackson is perfect for Emily, and all perfectionists need a Jackson. The sweet family moments were so heartwarming, and it was nice to see the main characters from the first two books again. The tension with this enemies to lovers book was flawless. Jack’s lowkey honesty about how he really felt in his little comebacks had me giggling and kicking my feet. And that “Method acting” scene had me SCREAMING it was so hot. 5 stars!!!

Each When in Rome book just keeps getting better and better and Emily and Jack's story was absolutely no exception!! I loved this enemies to lovers, rival school teacher, dual POV, small town romance that has Jack, a secret best-selling mystery author breaking off his engagement and returning back to Rome where he buys the run-down house next door to Emily.

Emily and Jack have been rivals since college and always seem to find themselves stuck near one another. The more time she spends with Jack over the summer though and Emily comes to realize he's not so terrible after all. In particular when he helps her with a heist to retrieve the romance manuscript she accidentally emailed to their principle.

Full of small town charm, a great cast of secondary characters, sizzling chemistry and exceptional emotional depth and character growth. Jack and Emily had their own family and personal struggles to overcome and I loved seeing Emily learn how to lean on others for once.

HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommended, especially if you're looking for a wonderful escapist read with characters you won't be able to resist. Perfect for fans of authors like Ashley Herring Blake, B.K. Borrison and Chloe Liese. HUGE thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing an eARC with me in exchange for my honest review!!

This is one of my favorites this far in the series. I could literally read all her books over and over again. This one is a hate to lovers book and but you can tell that changes pretty quickly. I loved that they were neighbors too, it made for a better story line.

mrs sarah adams at it again with a fantastic rome kentucky addition. i’m going to say it now i am going to be so so sad when this series is over. the people of rome truly are the best. a whole town giving a guy the cold shoulder because one person who they are so fiercely loyal to just does somethin to me.
anyways, emily and jacks story was SO. MUCH. FUN. to read. they bickered like an old married couple and sarah is so dang good at the little quips. i was giggling kicking my feet like a little monster eating it uppppp. and so many scenes specially. i think i may go to my grave thinking about the bike scene when emily didn’t know it was jack and the manuscript heist. so original and fun and just so uniquely ROME. what other town can you break into your boss’s house and get stuck in a closet making out with your supposed nemesis? absolutely ludacris give me 14 more.
and even though they are so immature in their little feud, they are SO mature in their relationship. i keep thinking back in when emily said that he needs to accept her vulnerability because she accepted his and it like, clicked for him. and he let her. or when she needed time to process him being Ranger and two seconds later she was like okay done processing this is the best news ever and not being jealous over his success or annoyed that he hadn’t told her yet. 10/10.
and the intimacy of toeing that line of depression, always wanting to keep a smile on your face so others can depend on you when you feel like you cant be the burned and depend on others was so well written.
and of course GIVE ME MADISON AND JAMES ASAP.

I could not BELIEEEEVE I got approved for this ARC!! Thank you to the publisher for the chance to read this ahead of time. I ate up every page. Sarah Adams is quickly becoming a must-read author for me. I actually just found her earlier this year, and have been devouring her back list. This one had it all. The only downside is now I'm waiting until...what? 2026 for the next read? **cries in Rome**

I was so not ready for the whirlwind of emotions this book was going to bring me.

Like me, Emily is an older sister, and I’ve never seen myself more in a character. Sarah did such an incredible job building her, and it’s wild how much I saw myself in Emily, sharing her thoughts at so many points.

And with all that, I think Jack really is her perfect match. Emily is so used to taking care of everyone, but Jack takes care of her and makes her feel appreciated. He's just a fantastic character.

Another thing that was done perfectly is the chemistry between these two—I lost count of how many times I caught myself smiling while reading. The banter between them? Chef’s kiss.

And the emails!!!!!! I loved every single one. These two were already so gone for each other long before they even admitted it to themselves.

I’ll wrap it up here because otherwise, I’ll never stop talking about how much I loved it haha, but just know this definitely made it onto my all-time favorites list.

Oh, one more thing—I’m absolutely dying for the next book!

Huge thanks to Dell and NetGalley for this ARC!