When in Rome Book Review
Check out my review of When in Rome by Sarah Adams, a grumpy-sunshine romance set in the sweet small town of Rome, Kentucky that is perfect for Taylor Swift fans!
When my family gave me the day off for Mother's Day, I grabbed my Kindle and treated myself to a new download.
Within just a few minutes of reading with my iced coffee, my kids heard me squealing: "WHAT?! This is a book for Swifties!!" I couldn't believe my luck in accidentally choosing such a perfect book for the day.
Curious if this book is for you? Check out my full review below.
If this is your first time reading one of my reviews, you may want to check out how I score my reads with this scale guide here.
Summary of When in Rome
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.
What I Liked
Here's what I would tell my best friend about the book:
- Taylor Swift AND Audrey Hepburn?!: I just happen to love both of these amazing women. The MFC is definitely inspired by Taylor and she just happens to love one of my favorite movies of all time -- Audrey Hepburn's Roman Holiday. This is a girl I'd love to hang out with.
- A Guy Who Bakes: I love, love, loved that the MMC is a pie baker and knows how to make killer pancakes. As a food blogger, I'm always a sucker for foodie fiction.
- Sweet Small Town: I fell in love with the characters of Rome, Kentucky. I will absolutely be checking out the rest of the books in this small town romance series.
- Run Away to a Fresh Start: It is easy to relate to the desire to run away from your current troubles. Finding love and hope at your new destination? The dream. This was a fun escape for me this spring and gave me a little bit of wanderlust to go find a quaint small town to visit.
- Hallmark Movie Perfection: This would have made a significantly better Hallmark Christmas movie plot line than their version of the Taylor Swift - Travis Kelce movie that came out last season.
What I Didn't Like
Every reader needs something different from a book. What I may not have preferred may be your favorite part.
I had no complaints about this adorable story but I wouldn't have minded a deeper peek into the pop star industry. This is no Daisy Jones, the music element is a detail--not the plot.
How Spicy Is It?
🌶️🌶️: When In Rome rates a Level 2 on my spicy books rating scale. Mostly closed door romance keeps things light but we still feel the connection between characters.
Romantic Tropes
When in Rome is a grumpy-sunshine small town romance. You can read more about romance subgenres here.
It also takes advantage of several romantic tropes including: forced proximity, slow burn romance, found family, and famous person/normal person.
Overall Score
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I give When in Rome a solid 4-star rating on my star rating scale.
I enjoyed my time reading it and flew through the book very quickly in a matter of days. It left me with such a big smile, I'll absolutely want to read the remaining books in the series.
Similar Books You'd Enjoy
If you enjoyed When in Rome, you might also like reading:
Comments
No Comments