Sarah Adams does it again! I can't get enough of her When in Rome series, and this third book did not disappoint.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal follows Emily Walker, teacher by day, secret romance writer by night, and Jack, Emily's college nemesis, who moves in next door to Emily after ending his relationship with his fiance and returning to Rome, Kentucky.

I loved the back-and-forth rivalry between Emily and Jack from the start; I usually find it hard to appreciate a true 'rivals-to-lovers' outside of fantasy books, but Sarah Adams nailed this on the head as their competitive snipes and verbal spars never encroached on cliche or cheesy.

There was such a nice mixture of silly banter, flirtatious teasing, and vulnerable moments throughout the book, I was hooked.

Of course, it was great to see the other Walker family members make their appearances, with a sneaky intro to what I'm hoping is the next book featuring the final Walker sister, Madison! (As of writing this, I've just seen the expected release for book 4, In Your Dreams, of 6th Jan 2026 and I'm so excited for it! And that cover - gorgeous)

All in all, you can't go wrong with a Sarah Adams book for some sweet romance with a bit of light-hearted fun and touches of vulnerability to round out some really likable, relatable characters.

It's been a hot minute since I received this book via NetGalley and me actually reading it - or listening to the audiobook version to be honest. But when I finally got to it now, I really liked the story of Emily and Jack. I've had my ups and downs with Sarah Adams and I think this one is one of her better works, to be honest. Though I usually struggle with books about books - writing, editing, librarians, etc. -, this one really nailed it and the way the characters engage with each other isn't described as toxic or anything of that kind, instead, it really focuses on the growth and depth of a relationship and what it means to trust, to support and be happy for the other part of said relationship. Sure enough, Jack felt like a puppy to me, being descripted as that lovesick fool from the first day he laid eyes on Emily, but let's admit we all kind of love that. Emily on the other hand being an independent woman that, from time to time, let's you see her vulnerable side. Oh, I really loved these two together, their dynamic and them deepening their romance. The writing was great, the audiobook really good as well and this story really made me want to continue reading books by Sarah Adams, though I wasn't sure about that reading the one prior (The Rule Book) by her. So I'm happy she got me back on track and convinced me to give her romances another try.

Even though i haven’t read any of the previous books in the series and some of the family stuff flew straight over my head, i enjoyed the relationship between Jack and Emily a whole lot. Their animosity was a little silly but their bickering was quite delightful, and even when they became friends the banter didn’t stop ☺️

All in all a fun and lovely read!

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I have read the first book in this series : When in Rome, but missed out on the one before this. This is a romance series with the more explicit scenes set in one batch in a place that can be skipped without missing any of the stronger emotions or plotline. This is something that I appreciate.

Each chapter begins with an email exchange between the two main protagonists. The time is not linear, but they convey a lot of the emotions that were under the surface, making us wish for their happily-ever-after.

Emily is part of the fabric of her town. She may not agree with their methods and tends to keep her own emotions close to herself, but when she makes a request everyone pulls out all the stops. It is into this town that Jack comes back. He taught in the local school but is only now going to live here. They have been feuding for years and the constant sparring makes for entertaining reading.

Both characters have their own hangups and it makes sense in the bigger context. I look forward to the next sister’s book as well. I highly recommend this book and series to fans of romance and of books with great supporting casts.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Loved going back to Rome and catching up with the Walker sibling Emily and Jack and how their relationship developed and how they got a happy time together and catching up with Annie and Will. Look forward to the next book in series but sad it's the end of our visits to Rome. Have them all in paperback and kindle and have reread them and enjoyed them they bring a smile and let you escape for awhile. Would recommend.

I haven’t read the first two books in this series but I absolutely will be, I didn’t feel like it was a requirement to read this book though!

I found the pacing of the book a little rushed and personally I’m not a huge fan of internal monologues and thoughts in books but I really enjoyed the story and will absolutely read more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this copy!

Again, Sarah is saying to my soul with this book. The way she develops the plot and the characters are magical and almost lyrical or musical. This book was an absolute delight to read. I know that there will be people who don't like that this book is open door, but the spice scenes are not overly explicit and are more feelings than actions. Just wonderful! You really understand where the characters are coming from. I really enjoyed the characters from past 'When in Rome' books and how their stories are interwoven. I look forward to reading the final Walker book!

Big thanks to NetGalley, Headline and Sarah Adams for a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion and I have also purchased a copy of this book because I loved it so much!!

Thank you NetGalley and Headline for the ARC

Sarah Adams continues to be cute and fun in her newest book. The enemies to lovers trope was fantastic and the humor was top notch. I enjoyed the first two book in the series and this was no less. It was easy to read and a great palate cleanser.

4.5 stars

thank you thank you thank you thank you a million times over to netgalley for this arc - my first ever one and what a delight at that 🥲

my favourite in the series without any doubt. there isn’t a single thing i would change about this book. the pacing, the plot, the characters, the setting - every single aspect was so perfect it aches. seeing a completely new side to emily was both heart warming and wrenching, and i absolutely adored her. literally had to close my eyes at points because the words on the paper struck too hard! & jack. maybe the perfect man? giggling kicking my feet blushing etc etc etc i am obsessed with him!
if you liked emily henry’s book lovers you would love this. i am so grateful to have been able to read it!!!

This was my first Sarah Adams book and I think you can read this without reading the first two books in the series.

This story was fine. It was quick and easy to read and the characters were relatable to a certain degree. I would have enjoyed this more if there were less inner monologue and more showing instead of telling.

Sarah Adams has done it again and brought us another great book, full of wonderful and passionate characters!

This is the third book in the series and, although I haven't read the first two, I recommend that you read the series in order. The books can be read as stand-alone, yes, but it will make much more sense, especially as the characters from the previous books are strongly present if you read the series in order.

For me, this book wasn't a five-star read because the ending seemed a bit rushed. I would have liked her to develop more about how the whole story between Jack and Jack's father unfolded, and also Emily's future as a writer.

Otherwise, it was a great book, with a much sexier vibe than I'm used to from the author's other books, but wonderful all the same.

Thank yo,u NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this copy!

Beg, Borrow or Steal is the third instalment in the When in Rome series and it was so much fun to read another story in the trilogy featuring another one of the siblings. Emily and Jack were adorable together, with fun banter. I really enjoyed their story. Thanks netgalley and the publisher.

This is the third instalment in Sarah Adam’s When In Rome series and follows Emily, the oldest sister of the Walker family and her college nemesis Jack Bennett.

There is chemistry from the off with this one, underlying and the characters don’t seem to quite realise how much they affect one another. Jack moves back to Rome after breaking up with his ex, and just so happens to buy the house next door to Emily. Hijinks ensue - tenfold when a small town community is rallying round one of its own!

Each chapter starts with an email or text exchange between the two characters which added a fun element and allowed a bit of a look back to their younger years too.

This is enemies to lovers, small town, forced proximity (neighbours) with characters who are authors. If any of that sounds up your street then give this one a go. I’ve read the other books in the series and would highly recommend them all. If you’re looking for other small town recommendations anything from Devney Perry’s Eden’s series or BK Borrison’s Lovelight Farms series.

This is the third book in Adams' 'When in Rome' series, it can be read as a standalone or as part of the series. I think reading as part of the series would add a little more fun, as I missed some of the references from past series. However this is still an absolutely wonderful rivals-to-lovers romance. This is very much a slow burn romance with lighthearted touch to it. Filled with classic banter reminiscent of classic noughties rom-coms, it leaves you squealing and kicking your feet.

Really enjoyed this book! A fun romcom with heart, humor, and heat. The writing carries emotional depth and her writing has grown from book to book. Love this series and cannot wait for more!

I didn't know that this was part of a series, but it actually didn't matter. I really enjoy books by this author and this one was no exception.

The characters were both likeable and relatable and the storyline kept me interested without dragging on or being predictable. I find that is quite rare within Womens' Fiction.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

It was great being back in Rome and getting to know the story of another one of the siblings. This book was so much fun with amazing banter between Emily and Jack while also handling heavier topics (content warnings at the beginning) for both in a very realistic, communicative and empathetic way. I really liked how they were written - this one might be my new favorite of the series - and I'm excited to get back to Rome again for Madison's story.

A delightful, heartwarming story that will leave you with a smile. Sarah Adams masterfully creates relatable characters and a story that feels both fresh and familiar at the same time.

I enjoyed this book sm. It was one of my most anticipated books of 2025. and it was so so good. I loved it everything about it. The connection between the character, the small town , siblings bonds everything in it has my heart. Definitely going to reread it soon!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for the arc!

🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

Full disclaimer: I did not know that this was a part of a series before I sent a request on NetGalley. While this works as standalone, reading the previous 2 books would've provided me a better understanding of the town and the characters. That said, I adored this for what it was!! Despite of my previous disappointments in the sub-genre of small-town romance (looking at you, Pumpkin Spice Café), I've realised I might actually be into it after all. (If y'all have any recommendations, GIMME)

It's been a long time since a romantic relationship in a book has made me FEEL anything. It's also been a long time since I've seen an MMC who actually has a fleshed out personality and is not as flat and repulsive as a piece of wet cardboard. I found Emily to be a little annoying at first, but she grew on me. Her interactions with Jack gave me all the feels. I was giddy with laughter but also teared up with the discussions about vulnerability. The struggles they both faced felt real. Beg, Borrow, or Steal is a very compelling read and I couldn't put it down!

The only thing I had an issue with was the tell-don't-show approach to Emily and Jack's life as teachers. I'd have loved to read more about that since the premise promised a rivals to lovers story between two teachers. However, I was very pleasantly surprised with how much I adored this that it's just a minor complaint.

Overall, I had an absolute blast with 'Beg, Borrow, or Steal' and am looking forward to making my way through the 'When in Rome' series!!