So adorable, seriously! Bad boy/good girl is a classic combination for a reason, and I loved watching these two opposites fall hard for each other. It’s a little bit fake relationship, a little bit love lessons, and a whole lot of swoony fun. Neither of these characters have been able to shed their reputation, and that makes them understand each other in a way that most do not. As they slowly let down their walls and let each other in, it became easy to see why they were absolutely perfect together. And for a book that TECHNICALLY has no spice, this was super sexy. There’s some great sexual tension, chemistry, and a few scenes that heated things up without getting into a ton of detail. I loved the feel good, smile-inducing vibes, and it was a great installment to this cozy small town series.
The story follows Annie, a woman who everyone seems to think is the ultimate good girl. She’s sweet and kind, quiet and reserved, and awkward whenever she goes on dates. When her friend’s sexy bodyguard witnesses her latest disastrous date, Annie is mortified. Will may not be the type of guy she’s looking for in the long run, but that doesn’t stop her from having a major crush on him. So when Will offers to help get Annie out of her shell and make her feel more confident in dating, she agrees. What starts as a fake relationship soon feels like something more, and these two opposites come to realize that they’re not so different after all.
While I enjoyed the first book in the series, this one really stole the show for me. The tropes are all right up my alley, and I was smitten with both Annie and Will from the start. I loved digging deeper into both characters and experiencing the connection they have with one another, and I was pleasantly surprised by just how much sexual tension there was. I read all heat levels, but I love it when there’s tons of chemistry and a little bite – which this definitely had. It also felt cozy and adorable in a lot of ways, which made for a great combination. I particularly loved Will, who is the kind of bad boy that every woman secretly wants to tame. He’s tattooed, commitment-phobic, and a little dangerous, but underneath he had so much love to give. This made me smile and swoon, and was genuinely just a solid, feel good read.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3W8b6Vu
Audio Note:
The audio is excellent! I’m not familiar with either narrator, but I really enjoyed both of them. Will Peters’ voice was rich and appealing, and he gave the kind of performance that had me hooked – so much so that I’ll seek out more books narrated by him in the future. I also liked Jorjeana Marie’s voice, which embodied Annie’s sweet and slightly naive personality perfectly. The combination was fantastic, and made for an engaging listening experience. The runtime worked for bingeing, and I was able to listen to this during the workday – though it got a little more heated than I expected, lol. It’s closed door for all the spicy bits, but there’s enough heat that I probably wouldn’t have picked it for the office if I’d known. I seriously enjoyed the audio version though, and I think it made me love the book even more.
Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3pxdgBz
Blurb:
A small-town sweetheart and an emotionally unavailable bad boy try to find some common ground in this chemistry-filled romance from the author of The Cheat Sheet and When in Rome.
Annie Walker is on a quest to find her perfect match—someone who complements her happy, quiet life running the local flower shop in Rome, Kentucky. But finding her dream man may be harder than Annie imagined. Everyone knows everyone in her hometown, and the dating prospects are getting fewer by the day. After she overhears her latest date say she is “so unbelievably boring,” Annie starts to think the problem might be her. Is it too late to become flirtatious and fun like the leading ladies in her favorite romance movies? Maybe she only needs a little practice . . . and Annie has the perfect person in mind to be her tutor: Will Griffin.
Will—the sexy , tattooed, and absolutely gorgeous bodyguard—is temporarily back in Rome, providing security for Amelia Rose as excitement builds for her upcoming marriage to Noah Walker, Annie’s brother. He has one personal objective while on the job: stay away from Annie Walker and any other possible attachments to this sleepy town. But no sooner than he gets settled, Will finds himself tasked with helping Annie find the love of her life by becoming the next leading lady of Rome, Kentucky. Will wants no part in changing the sweet and lovely Annie. He knows for a fact that some stuffy, straitlaced guy won’t make her happy, but he doesn’t have the heart to say no.
Amid steamy practice dates and strictly “educational” tutoring lessons, Annie discovers there are more layers to Will’s usual stoic attitude. As the lines of their friendship become dangerously blurred, Annie reconsiders her dream guy. Maybe her love life doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to be real.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3W8b6Vu
Start the series today!
Definitely not required reading, but the characters tie the series together.
Opposites certainly attract for the stranded pop star and small-town baker in this charming slice of romance from the author of the TikTok sensation The Cheat Sheet.
“This modern take on the Hepburn classic, Roman Holiday is a quick, fun, slow-burn rom-com.”—Abby Jimenez, bestselling author of The Friend Zone
Amelia Rose, known as Rae Rose to her adoring fans, is burned-out from years of maintaining her “princess of pop” image. Inspired by her favorite Audrey Hepburn film, Roman Holiday, she drives off in the middle of the night for a break in Rome . . . Rome, Kentucky, that is.
When Noah Walker finds Amelia on his front lawn in her broken-down car, he makes it clear he doesn’t have the time or patience for celebrity problems. He’s too busy running the pie shop his grandmother left him and reminding his nosy but lovable neighbors to mind their own damn business. Despite his better judgment, he lets her stay in his guest room—but only until her car is fixed—then she’s on her own.
Then Noah starts to see a different side of Rae Rose—she’s Amelia: kindhearted and goofy, yet lonely from years in the public eye. He can’t help but get close to her. Soon she’ll have to return to her glamorous life on tour, but until then, Noah will show Amelia all the charming small-town experiences she’s been missing, and she’ll help him open his heart to more.
Amelia can’t resist falling for the cozy town and her grumpy tour guide, but even Audrey had to leave Rome eventually.
Read the review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Q7EruO
About the Author:
Sarah Adams is the author of When in Rome and The Cheat Sheet. Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, she loves her family and warm days. Sarah has dreamed of being a writer since she was a girl, but finally wrote her first novel when her daughters were napping and she no longer had any excuses to put it off. Sarah is a coffee addict, a British history nerd, a mom of two daughters, married to her best friend, and an indecisive introvert. Her hope is to write stories that make readers laugh, maybe even cry—but always leave them happier than when they started reading.
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