A review by rachrreads
When in Rome by Sarah Adams

emotional funny hopeful slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rae Rose is a pop sensation, but she starts to realize she feels numb. A few weeks before her upcoming tour, Rae Rose (Amelia) takes inspiration from Audrey Hepburn and flees to Rome in the middle of the night. That is— Rome, Kentucky. It starts to feel like a bad idea though when her car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. As luck would have it— she’s actually in Noah Walker’s front yard. After confirming he’s not an axe murderer, Amelia spends the night in his guest room. When Amelia finds out her car is going to take two weeks to fix, and that her reservation is mysteriously gone, Noah offers up his spare room.

Noah is grumpy and standoffish at first. He has had his heart stomped on in the past by an out of towner and is not about to let it happen again. He’s perfectly content watching over his grandma’s pie shop and keeping all women at arm’s length. Unfortunately (or fortunately) life has other plans for him.

The two quickly learn the deeper aspects of the other.  Noah learns Amelia is more than her pop-star persona and Amelia learns there’s more to Noah under his grumpy demeanor. When Amelia learns someone she trusted has broke her trust, she wants nothing more than to have Noah by her side. But with Noah’s life in Rome, and Amelia’s on the road, can the two make it work?

I loved reading Sarah Adams Cheat Sheet, so when I saw this one I just HAD to read it. Amelia and Noah’s tension was immaculate!!! They both tried so hard not to fall in love because they knew Amelia was leaving and it would never work out. Noah spent all his time trying to keep her away so he wouldn’t end up hurt again, while Amelia tried to not show her hurt from his rejection.

Semi-Spoiler??

I wish there would have been a scene where they fought with flour or something. I know that’s incredibly cliche but come on it was right there!



Read if you like:
• grumpy/sunshine
• celebrity & “normal person” romance
• baker men
• small towns
• Audrey Hepburn / Roman Holiday
• slow burn romance 
• closed door romance
• dual pov romance

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