Beg, Borrow, or Steal

A Novel

By: Sarah Adams

Narrated by: Nelson Hobbs, Brittany Pressley

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Two feuding second-grade teachers (and neighbors) find themselves teaming up in this new rivals-to-lovers romance set in Rome, Kentucky—from the New York Times bestselling author of The Rule Book and Practice Makes Perfect.

“Sarah Adams writes books with heart and soul. They speak to the people finding their way and being unapologetically themselves in the process. I love her style.”—Hannah Grace, author of Icebreaker

Emily Walker hates having her carefully crafted world disrupted by anyone, most of all her legendary nemesis, Jack Bennett. He’s the opposite of the wonderful heroes she dreams up in her double life as a romance writer, which is why Emily was perfectly happy when Jack left Rome, Kentucky, mid-school year with his fiancée. The last thing Emily saw coming was Jack’s return at the start of the summer after calling off the wedding and ending his relationship, but he’s here to stay—as her colleague and her neighbor.

Jack is glad to be back, eager to renovate his house and work on the next mystery novel under his bestselling pen name. But when he realizes he’s now neighbors with the one woman who has always pushed his buttons, he discovers something he’s even more excited about—thwarting Emily and her petty plans to sabotage his return.

With their chemistry-fueled animosity at an all-time high, Emily accidentally sends an email to their school’s principal that could reveal her secret literary side hustle. She needs to steal back her manuscript, and Jack—she hates to admit—is just the man to help her. Surprisingly, he agrees. Will their unlikely alliance put an end to their rivalry? Or could it lead to a steamy plot twist they never saw coming?

Look for all of Sarah Adams’s When in Rome books:
WHEN IN ROME • PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT • BEG, BORROW, OR STEAL • IN YOUR DREAMS (Coming Soon!)

Critic reviews

Praise for Beg, Borrow, or Steal

“Feuding second-grade teachers learn they make a great team in this cute rivals-to-lovers romance, the third in Adams’s When in Rome series. This charms.”—Publishers Weekly


Praise for the novels of Sarah Adams

The Rule Book

“The sporty second-chance romance of your dreams! So much tension! I LOVE Nora and Derek forever and ever.”—Tessa Bailey, #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Happened One Summer

“Sarah Adams writes books with heart and soul. They speak to the people finding their way and being unapologetically themselves in the process. I love her style—and this a really fun, chemistry-filled sports romance you don’t want to miss!”—Hannah Grace, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Icebreaker

“Sarah Adams takes us on the perfect second-chance romance roller coaster while giving us heart, banter, and two characters you’ll immediately root for. Fantastically swoony, sweet, and sexy, The Rule Book has many of my all-time favorite tropes: accidental marriage, fake it till you make it, a revenge plan, and an oh-so-delicious boy that had my heart singing from page one.”—Elena Armas, New York Times bestselling author of The Spanish Love Deception


Practice Makes Perfect

“I want to stay in the pages of this book forever. Whimsical and swoony, with unmatched banter, you’ll be rooting for Will and Annie from the very first page.”—B.K. Borison, author of the Lovelight series


When in Rome

“This modern take on the Hepburn classic Roman Holiday is a quick, fun, slow-burn romcom.”—Abby Jimenez, New York Times bestselling author of Just for the Summer

“My Audrey Hepburn loving heart is so happy! When in Rome is a delectable romance, sweet and satisfying as a slice of warm apple pie.”—Chloe Liese, author of the Bergman Brothers series

Sizzling

I adored the banter between the two main characters. It was laugh out loud funny! I enjoyed the continuing story of characters in Rome, Kentucky and hope she writes Madison’s story to make it feel complete.

Just loved it so much!

Great, heartfelt and so wonderful! Sarah Adams you’ve done it again, can’t wait for Maddie’s story next.

Love the story

I love the story, it was an amazing audio book and both narrators were amazing interpreting the characters.
Sarah Adams again gives us an amazing and romantic story about simple and extraordinary people.

Emotionally literate

Managed to address trauma and stay a romance which is not a common thing in light hearted romance novels

My new favorite Sarah Adams book!

I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much while reading a book! The playful banter between Jack and Emily was pure gold!

“Just how often do you picture me, Jackson?”
“More than either of us is comfortable with.”

Beg, Borrow, or Steal is hands down my new FAVORITE Sarah Adams book!

Jack and Emily have been rivals since college where they met over a spilled coffee incident and shared much of the same ambition. They pushed each other’s buttons and competed for everything in their field until Jack moved away from the school they taught at mid-year with his fiancé. Now it’s the beginning of Summer and Jack has returned after calling off his wedding and ending his relationship. To Emilys surprise, her college nemesis is now her new neighbor.

Emily is the oldest sibling and after losing their parents, she’s sacrificed everything to love and support her siblings, but in the process closed herself off to anyone else emotionally.

“I happily take on the responsibility of everyone’s burdens because I only ever feel good when I’m being useful to someone.”

Having grown up with a narcissistic father, Jack has learned to read other people, especially Emily and although she drives him absolutely crazy, the more he’s around her the more he comes to understand the heart under all that sass.

Sarah’s ability to blend humor with emotional themes creates a perfectly balanced RomCom.

What you’ll find:
Rivals to lovers
The best banter ever written
Two teachers
Two secret writers
Red cowboy boots
He wears glasses and has tattoos
Scene blocking 🔥🔥🔥

Romance content: The story has 2 open-door scenes, but Sarah wrote the book with a closed-door modification, listing the 2 chapters to skip to make it closed-door - and it won’t affect the plot. I love that she took this into consideration.

Pub Date: January 7, 2025