Read if you like: rivals to lovers, workplace romance, neighbours to lovers, small town, forced proximity, bickering, he falls first, decade feud

Oh my god the banter was UNMATCHED in this book. I loved every single second of their rivalry and verbal sparring, I couldn’t stop giggling!! 🥰😂
Emily and Jackson are teachers at the same school and now neighbours. Emily is independent, determined, loves a routine and hates change. Jackson is cheeky, charming, charismatic, friendly, and just as determined as Emily. Their chemistry was so freakin hot!! 🔥🔥 I had to stop reading at times just so I could process what I read and fan myself 😮‍💨🤭

I enjoyed this book so much. Seeing how they went from (sort of) hating each other, to flirting, then to loving each other was so freakin cute. It was in the touches, the glances, the awkwardness, and when they tried not to smile at each other.
They were two characters with rough pasts and secrets. They don’t get too close to anyone, but they somehow found solace in each other. The way Sarah Adams wrote these complex characters made my heart ache, but I’m eager to read the other books in the series just to find more about Emily’s siblings. This book shows that you aren’t alone in hiding your sadness, fears, and scary emotions. You just never know what someone might be going through.

I did have a tiny problem with Emily at the end, she frustrated me when she ran away from her emotions and how she didn’t like change. She needs a therapist 😭 Nonetheless, it was a great story and I think a lot of people will be able to relate to her as the eldest daughter who has the weight of the world on her shoulders.

This was my first book from Sarah and definitely not my last. I highly recommend this book and cannot wait for everyone else to read it when it comes out. It’s insane how many quotes and pages I have highlighted and tabbed 🥹

Thank you so much Headline Eternal and NetGalley for this ARC 🫶🏻

If you like small town romance, rivals to lovers, cutesy-boots-down-bad-sunshine-boys, this one is for you!

Thank you Headline Books and NetGalley for an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’d like to thank NetGalley, Headline Eternal, and Sarah Adams for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Beg, Borrow, or Steal” by Sarah Adams is the fourth instalment of the “When in Rome”-series and follows the story of the eldest Walker sister Emily and her archnemesis Jack on their journey from rivals to lovers.

The story begins with Jack Bennett returning to the small town Rome, Kentucky. Though able to charm everyone around him, there is exactly one person he cannot seem to win over: Emily Walker. From rivalry at university to rivalry at their shared work space at an elementary school, Jack and Emily had many exchanges, most of them containing foul comments and threats. Yet, it is Emily that inspires Jack to return to Rome after ending his engagement to his long term girlfriend. He cannot seem to get her out of his head, now she lives next door and Jack is set to explore those strange feelings underneath all the quarreling. Luckily for him, Emily is very much in need of some attention and writing advice. After all her siblings started living their dreams and settling down, Emily feels left behind and a little lonely. All of her frustration is channeled into her writing project, but something is holding back. Something that Jack, who secretly is also a writer, helps to unravel, just like all the feelings she has been harvesting for the cute guy with glasses that gets on her nerves…

Though this novel can be read as a standalone and reviewed as such, I will discuss in the context of the series. Among all the three books in the series so far, Emily’s story has been the weakest so far. After two books of buildup to the eldest of the bunch, it was a rather disappointing experience. The biggest difference between this novel and the instalments before is the lack of depth. While Annie and Noah’s stories were also romantic comedies, the heartache and personal conflict part was executed much better.

This book tries to go down many roads, yet never arrives anywhere fulfilling. For one we have Emily and her struggles as the eldest daughter, her aspirations of becoming a writer, and her problems with intimacy, on the other we have Jack, a teacher with a secret writing career, battling his narcissistic father and also tortured by a lack of trust in anyone. Emily’s struggle with being the eldest daughter, seeing herself responsible for everyone in the Walker family and prioritizing the happiness of others instead of her own, is mostly just brushed over. A sad choice considering that many could identify with such pressures as the oldest sibling in the family. But the resolution of this family conflict was very unsatisfying. All it took was one mediocre conversation with her sisters and all was good. Her career as a writer was mostly used as a plotpoint to create a connection with Jack, and her intimacy problems were lost in the inconsistency of her character. Similar problems arose with Jack whose secret writing career was so low angst that I didn’t really get why he kept it under covers. His narcissistic father barely played any role, and there was no exploration of correlation of his difficult relationship with his parents and his personal relationships. And his lack of trust also got lost in the weird inconsistency in his character.

I think Adams tried to go with a black cat and golden retriever type of relationship, but in the end the roles of who was supposed to be who were very unclear. Emily is a warm person when it comes to her pupils, siblings and anyone in town, but mostly cold when it comes to letting in men. So, I thought it was a little strange to constantly brand her as the cold and quiet one when in the context of the story does not make that much sense. Like many MMCs in recent works Jack lacks a truck load of personality. He was just random attractive traits thrown into a pot with a pinch of secrecy. For someone surviving a household with an alcoholic and narcissistic father I expected a bit more edge, but he was as hardcore as an overcooked noodle.

Their romance made sort of sense, but as so many novels before I didn’t buy the whole nemesis bit. Jack tried to flirt with Emily after the day her boyfriend broke up with her, and she hates him for the next decade or something. It seems a little too silly for me. Being rivals yes, but the whole bickering and being mean not really. I liked a bit of their chemistry. Especially all the scenes Jack catches Emily in her satin pyjama sets. I wish there would have been more of Jack trying to reenact the scenes of Emily’s novels with her, I thought that bit was very fun. When they were trapped in the closet at the principal’s house, the steam was off the charts, and I think that was one of the best scenes romance wise in this novel. A physical representation of how emotionally close they have grown over the past weeks. That was very lovely.

Like always in this series I love the entire cast of side characters. I especially enjoyed Annie and Will’s relationship in the aftermath of their own story. It was such a treat to see them finally get engaged, and everyone being so supportive. Even Mable’s role in this novel was superb as the figure to talk some sense into Jack and seeing Emily in her true form. There was much built up for Maddie’s story, and I very much look forward to it.

This book is a little steamier than the ones before. I guess, after Adams finished her first open door romance, she opened the door a bit more in this series as well. I do not mind this decision, but I am a bit hesitant if having such a change midway in a series is the best decision.

Overall, this novel does have the Sarah Adams’ feel good vibes, fun dialogue and most importantly a return to my favourite small town in Kentucky. I wish there would have been more depth in character exploration and development, as well as a more believable overall conflict. The plot seemed a bit too vague in my eyes, and I wish a clearer story outline would have framed Emily’s story. I hope for more satisfaction in the next instalment, as the buildup so far appears very promising.

The third fabulous romance in the Rome, Kentucky universe from Sarah Adams. This is joyful, and very funny, and just as wonderful as the first two.

Emily and Jack have taught at the same school for years. Jack is also (secretly) a successful mystery novelist, while Emily has (secretly) written her first romance which she wants to send out into the world. As the book opens, Jack has moved to Nebraska to get married. Then he returns to Rome after his engagement ends, essentially because he misses Emily and the possibility of what they might be. He buys the house next door, Emily declares war and it’s game-on with sparring and pranking and trying to best each other. Jack is aware of his feelings for Emily and is quite deliberate in breaking down her barriers. Slowly the mood changes from the sniping, pranks and bickering towards a more thoughtful exploration of their differences. Side characters push and pull the attraction between Emily and Jack. Coincidence and interruption play a big part. Sarah’s writing is that little bit cheesy but as always, it’s incredibly caring of both her characters and the reader. Sarah’s books have been closed door until recently, and this has two chapters of intimacy which are flagged in the content warnings. One highlight is after Jack reads Emily’s manuscript, he talks her through rewriting a sex scene. It’s so hot even though nothing actually happens. So clever!

While this is a standalone, you’ll have had glimpses of Emily if you’ve read When in Rome and Practice Makes Perfect. Emily is the eldest girl in the family of four orphans and has been mothering her siblings since their parents’ death when she was eight. She’s that complicated mix of matriarchal and meddling that makes her bossy and inflexible. It’s as if her self-worth is tied to her centrality in her siblings’ lives. Trouble is they are moving on, and Emily’s getting left behind. This manifests in a kind of low-level depression and spikiness that pushes everyone away. As she thinks, “When I’m not moving, when I’m not busy, when I’m not needed, it’s so so lonely.” She’s also intensely competitive which creates a complication with Jack’s success.

Jack has his own issues. He’s a successful novelist, but hiding behind a pseudonym - so there’s secrets, which are never a good idea. His father is a narcissist who gaslights his mother and he’s trying to navigate this, along with a full-time teaching position and keeping his novelist-self private. Flamboyant and extroverted (his dress-choices are hilarious), he makes people like him, but there’s a cost: ‘I read people and adapt before I even realize I’m doing it’.
There’s both internal and external conflict, lots of character development, tenderness and caretaking. The mood is like an enhanced reality where everyone is lovely but the characters still have their darknesses and insecurities. It’s a safe place in the best way.

Thank you Sarah Adams, Headline Eternal and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

I was so excited to read this book, and I wasn’t disappointed!!!

The story, the progression of events, the characters, and their development—I loved it all.

Jackson won my heart the moment I found out he wore glasses (I have a soft spot for men who wear them). I adored his personality, the development of his character, and his past, which added a touch of respect for what he went through and what he became because of it.

However, I struggled with Emily. She annoyed me so much, even when I tried to understand her. I just couldn’t; I felt like she was unnecessarily mean and unapproachable. But her past adds a touch of humanity to her character (that’s Jack’s opinion, not mine).

In the end, the book was truly excellent. I laughed a lot, and I loved every moment of the Walker family gatherings.

The town’s loyalty to the Walkers is something worth highlighting—it really moved me.

Beg, Borrow or Steal is the third book in a series, but it can also be read as a standalone (I haven’t read the first two books), and that didn’t bother me at all. In fact, it only made me want to discover the earlier books even more.

I have no idea how Sarah Adams consistently writes such swoony, steamy slow-burns that are also closed-door? She makes you fall in love with the characters almost instantly and I think just about everyone can relate to Emily, who's taken on running the family and her life and her class with a military precision. I love that we got to unravel Jack as Emily got to know him properly, and you really get the sense that Sarah has plotted these characters so extensively that you really get to know such full and well rounded people. She leaves no stone unturned and I ATE IT UP.

My only complaint is that Sarah Adams doesn't have 5000 books for me to work my way through!

I go into every Sarah Adams book expecting to absolutely love it, and it never disappoints.

This third book in the When in Rome series is just as amazing as the previous ones. I fell in love with Emily in a heartbeat. I felt so much for her, how she cares for everyone around her and has given up on finding someone to care for her - to cherish her rough edges and see they're only here to protect herself from more heartbreak. She's vulnerable but she hides it, until Jack sees through it and shows up for her. He wants her just as she is, and she didn't even think that was possible.

Were there ever a better love declaration than "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 hart... all of it. All of you."? (That was a rhetoric question - no, there was not).

*I received an ARC of this book, this is my honest opinion*

This book blew me away. Definitely the best of the 3 in the series so far. I felt such a connection to Emily, she is just like me. I also have a hard time asking for help, letting myself feel vulnerable, and feel the constant need to put others first. And I love that she found her equal in Jack. I am a HUGE fan of banter, and the banter was on point. I loved their feuding and teasing relationship. It provided for some great tension, which led to their even greater romance.
I love the "blocking" scene. It had me kicking my feet waiting to see where it went, and the closet scene had my toes curling. They are truly the perfect match for each other and I love that even in the end, they continued their relationship with that foundation.
The scene where Emily got the feedback from the publisher was tough. My heart broke for her that she couldn't let Jack in when all he wanted to do was be there for her. But they eventually found their way to each other, and discovered how to be patient and help each other in their own way. Even when Jack had his difficulties with his father, he still let her help and take care of him.
They relationship was great. It felt real and I love how it built up. Seeing the past emails they sent were so enjoyable, and it really gave a foundation into their relationship. I love when she later asked about why he stayed late at the library. It just made my heart melt.
And while it was such a small part, the 2 unsent emails to each other said everything we needed to know about their relationship. They felt so restricted by this rivalry that they felt they should have, that they were afraid to take the leap and fall.
I loved the foreshadowing to the next relationship we will get in the next book as well. None of the others really had that, and it makes me so much more excited for the next one.
To be honest, I don't have much critiques. I tend to like spicier books, so for me the spice content could have been upped, but that is not what this author writes, and I feel like it would have taken away from the true story for Emily and Jacks. While they both grew together in their past traumas, I would have maybe liked to see them explore their own healing journeys individually as well.

But this was a 4.5 star read for me!

♾️⭐️ “I . . . I feel like we should think this through, but . . .” I inch closer. “But it’s hard to think when you have a mouth and I have a mouth.”

I made 37 annotations in that book this is pretty much all you need to know. The banter and tension between these two made me giddy with joy. This series continues to have my whole heart.

I love Emily & Jack so much. Thank you to NetGalley and the author Sarah Adams for the advanced reading copy, all my opinions are my own.

This is everything I want in a romance book!!

We follow Emily Walker, who’s the oldest sister of four and who has acted as a stand in parent since the death of their own when she was eight, because of that she’s never had anyone to take care of her. Enter Jack Bennett, charming, doesn’t take no for an answer, everyone loves him; except Emily. What started as an ongoing feud in high school transformed into full on rivalry and hatred as they both want the same jobs and achievements, but there’s a fine line between love and hate.
What happens when Jack’s wedding is called off and he returns to the small town that Emily never left. Will they be able to look past and move on, or will their rivalry and feud make them blind to what is in front of them?


I loooooved this book so so much, even if it took me some time to get passed the beginning, I loved the rest so much. I also adore that they don’t fake their feelings towards each other, they still tease one another and they are both (mostly) truthful towards each other. It did hit close to home with the taking care of everyone and hiding your feelings which is probably why I loved it so much!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Headline for the ARC in exchange of an honest review!

I was only a few chapters in when I knew I was reading a 5 star read.

This is definitely my favourite Sarah Adams book to date. She has a knack of making me laugh out loud with a warm heart every time. I loved Emily and Jacks dynamic, their chemistry was off the charts.

My heart lives in Rome, Kentucky and I can’t wait to head back there. If I could, I would move there tomorrow.

This was amazing! Perfect little romance book: full of banter and cute moments!

Thank you so much Headline and Netgalley for the arc!

I hadn't read the previous two books yet before i got accepted for the arc, and even though i had every plan to read them, before diving into this one, i just didn't have the time. Luckily it didn't matter as i fell right into the story and was so hooked from the first moments. I fell in love with Rome, Kentucky, and all the characters from the first pages and i'm so happy that i decided to read this book now.

This book was so full of complex emotions and backstories, but i didn't mind one bit as it was all so perfectly written out. I loved the chemistry and banter between our main characters and how they slowly opened up more to each other. This book imo executed perfectly the "enemies" to lovers storyline, which can be quite tricky in romance books, even though this was more like from nemesis' to lovers. Emily and Jack had the perfect banter from the start to finis, but also had their moments in between, and weren't never that enemies that them falling in love would have been weird. Now i just felt it was ment to be, from the start.

I loved the setting and side characters so much. They made the story feel alive. Emily asking everybody to shun out Jack, so Jack would move out was so amazing, and Jack having no idea why everybody was being so cold to him. I loved Emily's siblings and even if i know now how their stories will end, I'm sure to be reading books 1 and 2 next, as i can't wait to dive back into Rome, Kentucky. I'm also super excited to see where the fourth book in this series will lead us. and if the pairing is what i'm guessing based on this book.

5 stars! would absolutely recommend.

Thanks so much to Sarah Adams, Headline Eternal and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Firstly, I absolutely adore Sarah Adam's writing, it's why I read everything she writes. There's something about her style that keeps you hooked, and I love the way she creates loveable characters, and the characters of Rome, Kentucky are not different.

However, I really struggled with this book, and found myself not quite as captivated as I usually am. Adam's does a great job in creating characters who are battling personal challenges, and the way Emily and Jack face these challenges is wonderful to watch. However, I found the pacing of the way their relationship developed way too quick, almost turning insta-love. And whilst the rivals to lovers element was drawn out at the beginning, it seemed to have lost it's momentum as the story progressed. I would have loved to have seen more tension between the two characters and at time felt like the characters weren't as strong as some of the others in the series.

I desperately wanted to like this one!

I absolutely loved the dynamic between Emily and Jack in this book! The rivals to lovers arc was developed beautifully, and it was great seeing how their banter and relationship changed from rivalry to friendship to lovers.

Both Emily and Jack were well developed characters with a lot of depth. They both have a lot of trauma in their past, and you can really see how this influences them both and their feelings which made the story and the development of their relationship very realistic.

As with the other books in this series, I loved the small town setting of Rome, and it was lovely to see the characters from the previous books too.

I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third book in the When in Rome series and is my favorite yet! This story is a small town, second-chance romance with two teachers/writers. There is great representation of family struggles and mental health. This book has more spice than the author’s usual books, but it was done in a tasteful way. I enjoyed the banter between the characters and their playful teasing. Overall, a great read that I would recommend to friends.

The easiest five stars ✨

This is without a doubt my favourite book from Sarah, her writing is everything I want to read in romance and she continually delivers heartwarming, laugh out loud, gorgeously written romance.

I loved everything about Beg, Borrow, or Steal. Emily and Jack were the dreamiest leads and I was so invested in their story. I loved the depth, the chemistry, the tension. This was enemies x lovers done so brilliantly.

I read this book so quickly, I simply could not put it down.

Rome, Kentucky continues to hold my heart.

Every time I read the latest Sarah Adams’ novel I think that’s it, this is my new favourite. I’ve loved all of her books and somehow they keep getting better and better, and though I don’t doubt that will continue I have a feeling that Beg, Borrow or Steal has become THE favourite, the one that just won’t be beat. That said I still cannot wait for our final trio to Rome in what I can only hope will be Madison and James’ story.

Beg, Borrow or Steal takes us right back to glorious Rome, Kentucky and oh how good it was to be back. This time it’s eldest sister Emily’s turn to take centre stage, along with her long time nemesis Jack, who’s back in town and here to stay. Emily is determined to get rid of Jack, especially given he’s now her new neighbour, something that took them both by surprise. With their red-hot animosity at an all-time high, Emily makes a mistake that could reveal her secret literary identity. Frustratingly, she needs Jack's help to make it right. Will their unlikely alliance put an end to their rivalry? Or could it lead to a steamy plot twist they never saw coming?

I absolutely loved Beg, Borrow or Steal and as with all her overture novels Adams has created such stunningly real, messy and wonderful characters. I felt for Emily so much, she carries the weight of the world on her shoulders and is silently drowning in her grief and fear of being left alone. Whilst poor Jack has had to hide one of his proudest achievements because of his downright awful father. These two have been through it, but my goodness are they there for each other. Whilst it takes a lot for Emily in particular to allow Jack in fully, it’s the most beautiful and healing journey to get there. Also let’s not forget their chemistry and banter is off the charts - these two really did feel inevitable.

The duel POV was perfection, I love how much we get to see and learn from each of our MCs, it worked so well. It was also such a treat to get to see more of Annie and Will, and Noah and Amelia. Their friendship group is the kind you just wish you could be a part of.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one and I can’t wait for the next, though I’m already sad that it’ll be our last trip to Rome.

I’m so thankful that my wish for this in NetGalley was granted, as I am such a fan of Sarah Adams and this series so far. Beg, Borrow, or Steal did not disappoint. This was a wonderful, emotional rollercoaster of a book that felt like such a big, warm comforting hug. I cried so much. I laughed so much. Reading this book was such an emotional experience in all ways, and it brought me such joy, such comfort, and I related in so many ways.

I love Emily, and I loved getting to know her character more and peel away the exterior that she has on for those around her. She has great depth, and I really did relate a lot to some of the ways she approaches things in life and why and it felt therapeutic. She was funny and sassy and determined and I love her.

I loved Jack too, I thought he has such a big heart and he was hilarious. I loved the chemistry between Emily and him, the banter and sexual tension was OFF THE CHARTS. I loved the way they cared for each other and grew together. I found it to be such a beautiful relationship.

I liked the insights we got in to the lives of the characters from previous novels. It always so weird to read about them when they were the main focus previously but it was great. I really enjoyed how this book set up the final novel in the quartet and I’m incredibly excited for Maddie and James’ story.

I absolutely adored this book. It had me kicking my feet and giggling from the start. Jack is a walking green flag and I cannot express how much I love him 🥹 The tension between him and Emily was so so good 😍 I loved their banter and bickering. They were just the perfect fit for each other.

3⭐️s

This was a cute romance story!! I love Sarah’s writing, and after reading Practice Makes Perfect last year I was so excited to return to Rome. The writing is whitty and light, but this book handles some intense feelings in a beautiful way.

I think the way that Emily and Jack were written together as a duo was beautiful, truly a dream to behold. They bounce off each other in such a natural way, and their dialogue was honestly my favourite part of the whole book. However, individually they were a little flat. Emily had some intense feelings about family dependency and feeling lost and lonely, and when those were talked about in the context of Emily alone it all felt a little 2D; but when she shared those feelings with Jack, they felt alive. Jack was a great character with easy whit, but again the intense parts of his character arc felt rushed and flat in his own context. Loved all of the other side characters popping back in though! I love this town :’)

The plot was easy to follow but not too simple, and it gave us some really good arguments/disagreements that were amazing to read. There is one scene, where they’re “pretending” something and it was genuinely one of the hottest things I have ever read!!! So good!!!

Sarah Adams does fast paced small town romances like no one else! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eArc!