My Thoughts

I honestly did not expect to relate to these characters so much. I feel like Adams poured her heart and soul into these characters and as a result we can all find bits of ourselves in them, making it easily relatable and investing us into their story.

Adams managed to blend humour and emotional depth with expert ability. I found myself laughing one moment and hugging my pillow the next. There was a particular quote in this book that really hit deep and I would have cried if I was capable.
The enemies to lovers pipeline was real and I loved how their relationship progressed, it felt real, genuine and everlasting.

My toxic self would have loved for the ending to be dragged out a bit more with a karma moment for a certain character.

I would reccomend this book to anyone who is a lover for rivals/enemies to lovers! With witty banter and an ever-evolving relationship - Emily and Jack will keep you entertained from start to finish.

What to expect

x Enemies to frenemies to lovers
x Rivals
x Colleagues
x Complex family relationships
x Small town
x Forced Prox
x Romcom
x Cameo's from earlier couples in the series


Thankyou to Netgalley and Headline for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review

This was, yet again, a cute romance from Sarah. Very happy-vibes setting and lovely characters and funny moments.

I will start by saying that I think the description of the book is a bit misleading in my opinion.
Yes, both Emily and Jack are rivals in the beginning of the book and they have been rivals for the past 10 years. However, that rivalry very quickly turned into sympathy, friendship and eventually more and even if it makes sense because of their shared past, I do think the rivals-to-lovers development was slightly too fast.
The general plot also sounds more exciting than it actually is. It’s cute, no debate about that, but also not exactly anything more than that.

I feel like there were a couple of missed opportunities like experiencing Jack & Emily’s rivalry during school (the book takes place during summer break) or working together on Jack’s new book. Maybe even working together renovating Jack’s new house.

There was so much miscommunication potential, or maybe more like “let’s just change topics and not talk about it at all”-moments, but instead of giving in to those moments, both main characters actually went into those conversations and talked about it and we love to see it.

I loved how proactive Jack was in regards to Emily and his feelings for her. We love a confident man.

There were some heavy & emotional topics on both character’s sides and I think in terms of the characters personality and the general feeling and vibes of the book, the topics were handled pretty well.

There were some moments/monologues in the second half, or maybe the last third, of the book where it felt a little bit dragged out.

“Beg, Borrow, Or Steal” did not exactly go plot wise the way I thought it would, but it still is a very nice & cute book and I loved it for what it was.
Very Sarah Adams coded.
Small town romances stay superior.
Makes me want to read the other books in this series, which in typical me-fashion, I own but haven’t read yet.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5

Let’s talk about Beg, Borrow, or Steal, the third gem in Sarah Adams’ Rome, KY series—and dare I say, my favorite yet! 🎉 As the oldest sister in my family, I felt an instant connection to Emily. This utterly charming story follows two rival second-grade teachers—who just so happen to be neighbors—as they reluctantly team up for a literary heist inspired by the classic Audrey Hepburn movie How to Steal a Million. Sarah Adams truly delivered with her signature sunshine-on-paper writing, witty banter, swoon-worthy chemistry, and heartwarming, relatable characters.

Can we please talk about Jack and Emily’s email exchanges? Pure comedic gold! 😂 Their feisty back-and-forth had me laughing out loud, and when the swoony moments hit? Let’s just say I was grinning ear to ear and kicking my feet like a lovesick teenager.

You’ll love this if you enjoy:
• Feuding teachers (and neighbors)
• Rivals-to-lovers romance
• Second chances
• Secret writers
• A good old-fashioned heist
• Meddling family and townspeople

Save the date: January 7, 2025! A huge thank you to @netgalley, @dellromance, and @authorsarahadams for granting my eARC wish after much (probably embarrassing) begging—so I didn’t have to borrow or steal my own copy! 📚💖

I can’t wait to meet Sarah in January. Is it January yet?!

Sarah Adams does it again! You have nemesis to lovers, he falls first and meant to be tropes along with the best banter all in the one book, what more could you want!

The characters Emily and Jackson had an invisible string tying them together from when they first met. Their story was so beautifully written, you get so many laugh out loud moments with Emily and Jack.

Beg, Borrow or Steal is the third book in the When in Rome series. This book follows Emily Walker who is very particular and doesn’t like her world to be disrupted. She has been feuding with Jack Bennett who writes mystery novels under a pen name. Emily was glad when Jack left Rome, Kentucky but he returns after breaking up with his fiancée. Emily accidentally sends an email to the school’s principal that she works for. Despite their rivalry Jack agrees to help Emily and sparks fly.

Personally I didn’t feel any chemistry between Emily and Jack so I didn’t love this like I loved the second book in the series. The characters had relatable traits and I’m sure many people will enjoy this. I liked how both the characters were secret authors and the story was easy to read. That said this wasn’t my favourite.

I loved this book and going back to Rome! I really missed all these characters and I already can’t wait to get the next book since the couple has been teased since book 1.
In this we follow Emily and Jackson, two second grade teachers who have been rivals since college. After ending his engagement, Jackson moves back to Rome where their feud starts all over again. Emily by mistake sends her romance novel to her school’s principal and decides to trust Jack to help her get it back. Will their feud still whit stand their adventure or will a new emotion grow between the two?
This books was so cute, it made me giggle, kick my feet and it was also quite inspiring as well. Personally I loved and saw myself a lot in Emily, sometimes it was bit a uncomfortable how much I related to her. Jack was wonderful from beginning to end, but I’m not surprised by this since I generally love all the male love interests in this series. Being back in Rome was delightful, especially with all the old characters floating in the background, but also being involved in the plot.
The romance was swoonworthy, but more spicy than I thought it would be. Overall a very successful sequel! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review!

13 years of pining and convincing themselves that they hate each other WOW count me in.

their banter was so fun to read about and i liked that they didnt fall for each other too early on into the book like 300 pages in and theyre still like hmm maybe, maybe not! their dynamic was great and i liked the writing about their trauma it was done well🙏

i love the townspeople and emily's siblings + their partners. so nice to read about them outside their books! i did hv like a slight issue with jack being engaged to someone he didnt even love and moved to another place for like huh! but overall a fun read as most sarah adams books are

thank you to netgalley and dell romance for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

This book just wasn’t for me and I’m really sad about it because I really thought I was going to love it.
I can understand why people would enjoy it as it is clearly just an easy read, that takes little brain power to get through but considering I usually read several books a week and I could only manage to get through one, it wasn’t my vibe. The writing style wasn’t for me and just felt quite childish/ chaotic in many places. Whether this was supposed to reflect the mental states of the characters I don’t know because I don’t have her other books to compare too. It was a slow burn but by the time we got over 85% I was bored and kinda felt like either get together or don’t.
On a positive I understood both the characters back stories and what motivated them and although their behaviours were sometimes irritating, you could see where they came from. They were over all likeable characters. The exploration into the FMC’s mental health could have been fleshed out a little bit more however. I enjoyed the nosy small town element and it felt very Gilmore girls coded.

Love love love, sarah adams will always be my comfort author. My trip back to rome this time makes me feel like i was someone new that comes into town and decides to settle. I feel like i was enveloped in a huge hug while reading this book. I don’t know how sarah did it but i flew through the book in no time. I am obsessed with the characters and one thing about sarah adams, there will always be something you can takeaway from the book and for me, it’s this line that portrays it the best. “It's okay that time is moving and changing. Maybe it's okay if I
move and change too.”

I jumped the gun when requesting this. The other books in this series were on my TBR and I figured this was the perfect opportunity to binge them. Unfortunately, the gamble did not pay off because I really did not enjoy the other two books in this series and as soon as I picked this up, I knew it was also not going to be for me. I DNF'd this at 13%. Sarah Adams' writing and narrative style just isn't for me - it very much 'tells' but doesn't 'show'. Life is too short to be reading books you don't enjoy (even when everyone else is loving the book) when there are so many others out there so I'm taking the L.

Thank you to Headline Eternal for this e-arc, I really appreciate it.

This romance is the perfect balance of humor and heart… A delightful rivals to lovers story set in the cozy small town of Rome, Kentucky.

Emily’s tightly wound personality contrasts perfectly with Jack’s easygoing charm, creating a dynamic filled with playful pranks, sharp banter, and romantic tension. Their battle of wits takes a turn when an accidental email threatens to reveal Emily’s secret, forcing her to team up with Jack in a hilariously unexpected alliance. As they work together, their animosity evolves into a slow-burn romance. The chemistry between them is undeniable, and they balance their witty exchanges with moments of genuine vulnerability. The small-town setting and lively side characters add extra charm, making the story even more engaging.

With its laugh-out-loud moments, heartfelt romance, and irresistible characters, this book is a feel-good story that will make you smile from beginning to end.

𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 :
• rivals to lovers
• second chance
• secret writers
• forced proximity
• opposites attract
• small town

Thank you Sarah Adams, Headline Eternal and NetGalley for an e-ARC copy.

Thank you to Netgalley, Headline Eternal, and Sarah Adams for providing me with an ARC of Beg, Borrow, or Steal in exchange for an honest review.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal is the third book in Adams' When in Rome series and I loved it! I appreciated the way that the rivals/enemies facet of Emily and Jack's relationship was two-sided. Usually in romance novels, the man has always been secretly pining for the woman, but I liked that they both had mutual feelings of dislike, envy, and interest. Yet, they had incredible chemistry that had my heart squeezing.

This novel felt very grounded to me, as well, and I loved how realistic both characters' upbringings were on their personalities. The eldest daughter/caretaker aspect of Emily's character felt very well represented in the way that she always needs to feel needed because that has been her primary role in her family for so long and seeing how that affected her other relationships was interesting to watch unfold.

My two, very minor, negative opinions about Beg, Steal, or Borrow are first, my name is Emily and my brother is Jack so I kind of had tiny little icks every now and then (but obviously this is in no way the fault of the author!) and second, the pacing at the end felt a bit rushed - they literally got together with like ten minutes to spare! I do prefer spending more time in the couple's Happy Ever After before the book ends.

Aside from those two little things; Beg, Borrow, or Steal releases on 7 January 2025 and is my (very close) second favourite in the series - my soft spot for When in Rome is yet to be beaten! If you haven't read this series yet, you're missing out!

I did enjoy this book but it’s not my favourite out of the series. I really liked the characters but I think their struggles could have been explored more, especially how being under so much pressure to keep it together for everyone else is affecting Emily. It was great to see all the characters from the previous books again.

2.75 stars

I approached this book with high expectations, especially after the exhilarating experience of the second installment in the series. the dynamic between the academic rivals, who transitioned from their college years to teaching at the same small-town school, was a delightful aspect of ’Beg, Borrow or Steal’. their verbal jousts were absolutely delicious.

however, I couldn't help but feel that the characters' depth and their day-to-day struggles and mental health were underexplored, which could have further enriched the narrative. some plot elements, such as both protagonists being teachers and authors, felt too coincidental.

additionally, I found the male lead's decision to traverse the globe to be with his ex-fiancée—someone he never truly loved but was going to marry—to be quite unsettling. given that he and the female protagonist had shared a deep connection over the years, this choice felt inconsistent.

all in all, it was a fast pasted read and i especially loved reconnecting with some dear characters and to be thrown once again in the hilarious neighbourhood of Rome!

many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Je n'en reviens toujours pas d'avoir eu la chance de recevoir ce roman en ARC !! ♥
J'aime bien les romans de Sarah Adams pour leur ambiance cosy, leur vibe familiale et si généralement il y a souvent un petit truc qui me fait tiquer au niveau de la romance, ça n'a pas été le cas ici.
On est sur des tropes que j'affectionne énormément : small town romance + enemies-to-lovers, et ça fonctionne super bien !
Emily et Jack se connaissent depuis une dizaine d'années (ou quelque chose comme ça) et depuis leur première rencontre à la fac, ils n'ont cessé de se croiser, et n'ont jamais pu dépasser le stade de l'animosité. Ils enseignent tous les deux dans le même établissement, et ne cessent donc de se chamailler, de se provoquer, jusqu'à ce que Jack vienne non seulement s'installer à Rome, Kentucky (my god, je n'en pouvais plus du "Kentucky" rajouté sans cesse après "Rome" 🤣), mais en plus, il a l'outrecuidance d'acheter la maison voisine de celle d'Emily !
À partir de là, on part sur un tout autre level de guéguerre, les joutes verbales et les petites crasses ne cessent de s'enchaîner, et c'est typiquement le genre de dynamique qui me fait glousser, jusqu'à ce que, bien sûr, la relation prenne une autre tournure. Le pauvre Jack fait les frais du plan machiavélique d'Emily pour l'exclure de la ville, ça m'a fait beaucoup rire, tous les deux se comportant comme de vrais gosses. 😆

C'était vraiment une lecture feel good comme cette autrice sait si bien faire, c'est drôle et charmant, avec une évolution crédible de la relation, dans le sens où ils ne passent pas en un claquement de doigts du statut d'ennemis à celui d'amoureux. Tous deux ont un bagage et des blessures qu'ils vont devoir surmonter pour aller de l'avant. Et puis c'était cool aussi de retrouver la famille Walker.
Et puis je ne l'ai pas mentionné, mais Jack et Emily sont tous les deux écrivains (enfin elle en est à son premier roman, ce qui l'entraîne d'ailleurs dans une aventure rocambolesque, à laquelle Jack participera de bon cœur).

Ce troisième tome est donc une lecture drôle et fraîche, le genre de lecture doudou à mettre dans sa PAL en toutes circonstances !
Et sur une note plus personnelle, j'ai été très touchée par le petit mot consacré aux profs dans les remerciements, j'y ai été d'autant plus sensible que plus le temps passe et plus on s'en prend plein la tronche en tant qu'enseignant (et c'est encore pire pour les profs de maternelle comme moi) ... Merci pour ces mots, donc, Sarah ! ♥

Il sort le 7 janvier prochain, j'ai hâte de le recevoir en papier pour pouvoir l'ajouter à ma collection et le relire ! Et j'espère que cette série sortira en VF, de préférence sans attendre un an entre chaque tome ... ^^'

Beg, Borrow or Steal is the third book in the Rome, Kentucky series by Sarah Adams and I think my favourite so far. This time around we follow Emily, the oldest Walker sister, whose nemesis and fellow second-grade teacher is now her neighbour Jack. And to make matters worse after accidentally sending her romance manuscript to her school’s principal he is the best person to help her get it back.

As I previously mentioned I think this may be my favourite Sarah Adams book yet for so many reasons. I especially connected to Emily as a character and just loved the plot and story that we follow.

I loved seeing more of the characters we met in previous books, both those who live in Rome and just create the chaos that is small town life and the couples who we have previously followed in this series. It is really nice to be able to continue to see these characters relationships develop after their books have finished and that was particularly true for Annie and Will in this book who I had previously loved reading about so was really happy to see more of especially in the way that we did.

One character who I get excited to see in every Rome, Kentucky book is Mabel and this one was no exception. She both meddled and gave the wisdom that I expected and loved to see. Mabel will definitely be a character I will be sad to say bye to after the last book.

I anticipated enjoying reading about Emily’s story ahead of starting this however I didn’t expect to love it in the way that I did. Emily was a character that I really connected to both as an eldest sister and who she was outside of that. There were a few unexpected moments when reading that I was just like that is me and I love finding new books like that because of how long after reading they stick with me.

As an entirely new character I also really enjoyed learning about Jack. He was a character that I found to be interesting and I really enjoyed reading his and Emily’s interactions along with how their relationship evolved and what that meant for how they treated each other. I do think that their relationship is probably up there with my favourite romances of the year.

Something else I loved about this book was that both our characters were not only fans of books, they were both authors. This made the plot so interesting to read because I just wanted to see more of the author journey or how both having this experience would impact the story. Emily was also a romance author which was just perfect and added to my enjoyment of the story in ways that only happens when a romance features books.

I cannot wait for Madison’s book even if I wish it wasn’t the last one in the series. I have a really strong feeling from the hints we’ve gotten over the last 3 books and my history with Sarah Adams that I will love it.

Overall I couldn’t rate this book anything but 5 stars and am so glad to have read it. This might have been my ideal Rome, Kentucky book and I can’t wait for it to be released so I can get my hands on a copy, reread it and then quite likely annotate it, with how much I loved it and connected to Emily.

Thank you to Netgalley and Headline Eternal for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

You know that feeling when you’ve been having an off couple of days, and then you pick up a book you’ve been dying to read, but you don’t expect much because of your mood? Then, somehow, the book turns out to be exactly what you needed to pull yourself out of that dark place? That’s what this book did for me. I finished it in less than 24 hours, and honestly, I think it’s my favorite of all the Sarah Adams books I’ve read.

I was hooked right from the start, mostly because of the tropes—rivals to lovers in a small-town setting? Yes, please! But as a frequent romance reader, I know tropes aren’t always enough. What keeps me reading are the connections, the moments that make me feel deeply, grin like an idiot, or maybe even bleed a little because I see parts of myself in a character. Sarah’s writing gave me all of that with Emily.

Emily Walker and Jack Bennett are two feuding second-grade teachers, who find themselves as unlikely allies and (gasp) neighbors. Emily’s meticulously crafted world is turned upside down when her legendary nemesis returns to their small town of Rome, Kentucky. Jack’s back after calling off his wedding and is ready to renovate his house and focus on his mystery novels. Sparks fly as their chemistry-fueled rivalry reaches new heights, and when an accidental email threatens to expose Emily’s secret life as a romance writer, Jack surprisingly agrees to help her retrieve her manuscript. What starts as an alliance soon becomes something neither of them could have predicted.

On a deeper level, this story hit me in a way I wasn’t expecting. Like Emily, I’ve spent years pushing people away, scared of being hurt or rejected for who I really am. Family dynamics shaped a lot of that for me—I always felt like I had to be the strong one, the “glue” that held things together. But the truth is, no one can keep that up forever. Reading about Emily’s journey, her struggles, and the way someone finally saw her, accepted her, and loved every part of her, felt incredibly cathartic. It was like a bit of closure I didn’t even know I needed.

My only complaint? The story ended too soon. One epilogue, Sarah? I need more!

A huge thank you to Headline, Sarah Adams, and NetGalley for granting my wish to read this book. It pulled me out of a dark place and reminded me that it’s okay to have those moments—and that love can heal more than we think.

a small beautiful romance from nemesis to lovers its all you need in the moment. jack and Emily are two teachers who seem to fight about everything but with time they will realize the universe picked them to be together. A beautiful story about taking risks and fighting for what you love regarding being afraid. I loved this book very much

I loved this book so much! It felt so nice to back in the small town of Rome with the Walker family.

I loved getting to know Emily more, and I found her so relatable. As the oldest daughter and the mother figure of the family, I could feel the pressure she was under, and I really enjoyed seeing her growth throughout the story.

And then there’s Jack….I think he’s a new favourite book boyfriend of mine. He was so swoonworthy, and I loved the way that he cared for Emily. I felt like there was a lot of depth to his character which I appreciated.

The banter and chemistry between these two was outstanding. There were so many incredible scenes between them where I was squealing with excitement. They were so good for each other, and I loved their email conversations throughout the book to show their history.

This was such a sweet story and probably my favourite of the series so far.

Thank you Headline Eternal and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

My review will be shared to Instagram, TikTok and Amazon on release day.

When I heard that Sarah Adams was writing a rivals to lovers rom-com, I squealed, and from the moment I read the dedication, I knew this book was going to hit hard for me.

In Beg, Borrow or Steal we get to see Emily - eldest sister, perfectionist and secret romance writer - go toe-to-toe with her college rival and fellow second grade teacher Jack, who has permanently moved into the house next door after calling off his wedding and disrupted her summer. Emily hates Jack, but when she accidentally sends her raunchy manuscript to their conservative school principal, she asks the most competent person she knows to fix it, and Jack is only too happy to help the beautiful nemesis he could not stop thinking about even while preparing to marry someone else.

As a lover of some of Sarah Adam's previous books - Practice Makes Perfect in particular - I had high hopes for this, but there was something about this one that got me right in the feels and exceeded my expectations in a delightful way. The set-up was so cute and original. The banter was top notch, without feeling far fetched and unrealistic. The main characters were such perfect mirrors of each other that it was so believable to me they'd find each other so infuriating, and yet as a reader I was screaming 'stop it you're perfect for each other' the whole time. This book is also a bit spicier than the previous in the series in my opinion, and this added a delicious layer of tension and intimacy to a lot of the Emily x Jack scenes (but don't worry, if you don't like the more intimate content, Adams has a warning at the start of the book telling you which chapters to skip and you won't miss out on the plot by doing so). I also adore the sister relationships that Adams writes; they support each other but they also admit to one another when they feel like they've been held back by their place in the family.

Both Emily and Jack have personal stuff that they are dealing with in... not the most healthy of ways, but I felt this was addressed in a positive and healing way overall, and I felt healed by the experience of reading it. Jack 'name it. I'll do it for you' Bennett has earned a place as one of my favourite fictional men, and I related so very hard to Emily, as I think a lot of other women will who have ever been made to feel abrasive or hard to love: 'everyone loves you as soon as they meet you, but most people only tolerate me'.

Returning to Rome, Kentucky was much needed for me this week; I love the Walker family, and I am absolutely obsessed with what Adams has set up for what I'm hoping will be the fourth book in this series.... I need more of this family and this town please! I grab onto every tiny piece of information we glean about Mabel in each book and I feel so invested in the whole community this series takes place in.

This made me laugh, cry, and left me happier than when I started reading. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Headline for the chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is out January 7th and I highly recommend it as an antidote to the inevitable January blues.