Practice Makes Perfect: A Novel (Rome, Kentucky)

[5 Stars🤩] Practice Makes Perfect stared at me from my bookshelf for MONTHS before I picked it up, and now I can’t believe I waited so long to read it because it was so cute, charming, and EXACTLY what I needed! Sarah Adams wrote an amazing book that balanced charming and swoony, and it had me smiling, giggling, and kicking my feet the entire read. I loved Annie’s sweet personality and how she dismantled Will’s anti-relationship point of view without even trying. Their romantic development was perfectly paced, and the “dating coach” angle was so much fun to read, especially when Will fell hard and fast for her. Annie’s personal growth was an important plot line, but I also loved how she only became more confident in herself instead of trying to be someone else—and how Will already saw her as lovely and charming. Practice Makes Perfect is also a perfect example of how to write romantic tension between characters but keep the romance closed-door because the “seduction practice” and the kiss in the flower shop had me melting into a puddle from the steam! If you’ve been on the fence about reading Practice Makes Perfect, this is your sign to pick it up because it is the perfect follow up to When in Rome that will melt your heart, make you laugh, and wish you lived in the small town or Rome, Kentucky. 💐 ____________________________________ Details: 💘Contemporary romance 🎈Romantic comedy 💂Bodyguard romance 🏡Small town romance 👀Dual, first-person POV 🌹No third act breakup 🙌🏻Would re-read 🌟2024 Favorite Characters and Tropes: 🍰Cinnamon roll MMC 🥸Fake dating(ish) 📍Forced proximity 🐰Reformed playboy 🤐Secrets Spice: 🧨Slow burn 💋Explicit content hinted/fade to black (mild) ____________________________________ Emoji Ranking System: 🤩Excellent to Fantastic (4.75-5.00) 😍Very Good to Great (4.25-4.50) 😊Good to Really Good (3.50-4.00) 🙂Just OK to Decent (2.75-3.25) 😒It's A No (1.00-2.50) 🚫DNF

I really enjoyed this sweet, small town romance between a lovely flower shop owner and a commitment-adverse bodyguard. Excuse me, Executive Protective Agent. Which reminds me of another favorite Rom-Com, The Bodyguard, by Katherine Center. However, this EPA (Will) isn’t protecting said florist (Annie). He’s protecting the protagonist of the prequel novel, When In Rome, who is a prominent Pop Star. I didn’t read When In Rome and I don’t really feel that you need to to understand this book which centers around When In Rome’s MMC’s youngest sister. This book is a Funny Face (an Audrey Hepburn film featured in the book) retelling in which sweet, marriage-minded, small town girl enlists the help of the worldly tattooed rogue to teach her how to be better at dating and attracting a potential husband. I’m sure you can guess what happens next but I really enjoyed the banter and the pining and the shenanigans of the townspeople. There were many chuckles and laugh-out-loud moments as well as teary-eyed moments, too. But, all ends well, and my only complaint is that it is closed door but I knew that going in. For readers of When In Rome, there is the continuation of Noah and Amelia’s story. And I’m really hoping that there will be another book in this series and it will be sister Madison’s story. For audiophiles, I really enjoyed the female narrator. She nailed Annie’s demeanor and sass. But the male narrator, although I’ve enjoyed his other performances, just was not the right fit for Will and it was just a strange dichotomy for this dual-POV story. And even though the female narrator’s Will wasn’t quite right, either, I would have preferred that she do both characters. That being said, I rely heavily on audiobooks to be able to enjoy books that I wouldn’t normally have time to read so my motto is always Beggars Can’t Be Choosers! I recommend this read for all my fellow introverted bibliophiles who love those saucy pirate romances and those sexy tattooed bodyguards! Umm…sorry Will, Executive Protective Agents! ;)

STARS ATTENTION! I think this is where *cute* enters the chat! We have a 5 Star Read!! Practice Makes Perfect is the second book in the When In Rome series by Sarah Adams. I read the paperback with a few chapters listened to on audio (so I could get the full experience)! I loved it both ways! Will and Annie are the cutest opposites attract couple in the entire state of Kentucky. This love story was witty, engaging, and downright tender. I loved Annie’s transformation. Watching her take charge of her own future was powerful and encouraging! In this house, we sure do love a man who can communicate. It’s so refreshing to read a male main character who doesn’t want his woman to change and who recognizes his own issues and works to improve. Will was one of my top male characters of the year! Pick this one up if you love a small town, tattooed man, breaking away from family pressures, working through issues, and finding yourself vibes. SPICE This is a closed door romance, but let me tell you what… it does not lack in butterflies and tension! I swear my tummy was doing little flips at 50 pages in. The romance is written so incredibly well, and when things do finally heat up, the fade to black gives us just enough for the imagination to run wild. I can’t say I’ve ever loved a closed door… until this one! HAPPY ENDING We get the cutest, most unexpected twist towards the end. Will and Annie give each other everything they need! I loved the ending and can’t wait to see more of this darling couple in book 3! FINAL THOUGHTS I loved this book so much that I included it in my Top 5 of 2024! I read 100 books, so that is really saying something! The When In Rome series is an absolute delight. I can’t wait to continue it with Beg, Borrow, or Steal!

If you're looking for a cute small town romance with little to no spice this is the book for you. It's a great little book with some really relatable characters and if you've ever lived in a small town, it is captured perfectly here witha plethora of secondary characters. The FMC Annie is fun and not as quirky as the author would have you believe but she is higjly relatable as an introvert myself. I felt like a majority of the book is from her POV and that's great but I felt that a lot of great romantic moments were missed because of this. I really wanted to know what Will's genuine reaction was to Annie's pirate romance books. Or even have Will read his favorite parts to Annie. Maybe he is caught reading the romances by Martha, the incredibly nosy yet insightful innkeeper/parental figure. We could have even had the characters visiting Annie's grandmother together to add more emotional depth to the book. So many lost moments to make this book go from average to great. Now to my rating a 3-star rating. It is not necessarily bad its just not something that amazed me. I gave it a 3 mainly because our MMC is a bodyguard but does little to no bodyguarding during a majority of the book. There are no real threats to Amelia and his jobs only purpose was just to give him something to seem like he's doing when he's not pining after Annie. I felt like this made his character kind of bland even though there is plenty of emotional growth on his side of things. As a side note we also never get introduced to the rest of Amelia's security team, which doesn't make sense because it would have helped with developing Will's whole notion of being stuck in a small town and itching to get out. He basically never has any conversations about this other than his initial annoyance at the assignment. I mean who is guarding Amelia when Will is everywhere Annie looks? It is also implied that Will would be her top personal protection agent but he never consults with the rest of the team to coordinate her security in public places like at the farmers market where there would be a ton of potential threats? Just a lot of inconsistencies *SPOILERS AHEAD* This did not end up being a 2-star simply because it is a rarity in contemporary romance books nowadays when the characters don't end up married with several children in the epilogue and I really respected the author for that. She kept the characters personalities consistent and did not marry them simply because it is expected. Plus the whole part of Annie's self discovery in the book is that she doesn't have to live up to everyone's vision of who she is/should be. I'm going to try more from this author just to see if she can be more consistent with her characters backgrounds, especially if it's essential to the plot.

🌸 Get ready to fall head over heels with "Practice Makes Perfect" by Sarah Adams! 📚💕 Dive into the charming small-town romance between Annie, the sweet flower shop owner 🌷, and Will, the sexy, tattooed bad boy turned unexpected tutor. 🔥 With a sprinkle of humor, a dash of chemistry, and a whole lot of heart, this book is a delightful escape into the world of love and self-discovery. 🎉 Annie's journey to find her perfect match will have you rooting for her from the very first page. 😍 Her relatable charm and hilarious antics make her a protagonist you can't help but adore. And when Will steps in as her reluctant dating coach, sparks fly like never before. 💥 Their banter is electric, their chemistry undeniable, and their journey towards love will keep you hooked until the very end. 💖 But be warned, you might find yourself laughing, swooning, and even shedding a tear or two along the way. 😊 Join Annie and Will on their rollercoaster ride of self-discovery, love, and unexpected connections! 🎢✨ Whether you're in the mood for a cute and lighthearted read or craving a romance that packs an emotional punch, "Practice Makes Perfect" has it all! 💫 Don't miss out on this captivating story that proves sometimes love doesn't need to be perfect, it just needs to be real. 🌟 #PracticeMakesPerfect #SarahAdams #RomanceReads #Bookstagram #BookRecommendation #SmallTownRomance #BadBoyGoodGirl #ChemistryFilled #LoveStory #MustReads #BookLovers #BookReview #ReadersCommunity

💐🌸 𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠🌸💐🌷 Practice Makes Perfect By: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars Welcome back to Rome, Kentucky! This time around we are following “Angel Annie” Walker (Noah’s youngest sister) as she tries to shed her good girl persona and is learning how to date from bad boy Will Griffin! Will is dubbed the hottest body guard by Buzzfeed as he’s covered in tattoos and extremely attractive. He’s back in town to protect Amelia as her wedding to Noah is approaching and he and Annie strike up a “fake dating” scenario to help get Annie out of her dating woes. I fell in love with this book from the very first chapter. Annie was such a relatable introverted character as well as a fellow book lover like us! Her struggle to be her true self after years of others putting their own expectations on her hit so close to home. Paired with Will, (or Wilmington, Wilmont, Wilbur, who honestly knows) who has tried to outrun falling in love due to his parents terrible relationship while growing up. These two were the perfect blend of hilarity and tenderhearted. I loved every scene these two shared and Sarah did an amazing job of making the ordinary seem extraordinary. So many of the scenes were so well written with perfect blend of sexy and full of chemistry without us needing a real sex scene. It was just such a beautiful story of two people falling in love. Read this if you love: 🌸 Opposites Attract 🌸 Intense Chemistry 🌸 Small Town Romance 🌸 Hilarious Banter/One-Liners 🌸 Close Door Romance 🌸 Finding Your Voice If you haven’t picked up this series, this is your sign to do so! I would recommend reading When in Rome first so you have the complete background of all the supporting characters! I absolutely loved reading this with my favorite gals ! I can’t wait for our next read🥰

Let me start by saying that this book was what I needed right now. I've read somewhat heavy books during this month and I was looking for something sweet and cozy for me to read. Practice Makes Perfect delivered that. After an awful date, and determined to find a husband, Annie finds herself in a "fake dating/he teaches me the ways" relationship with the ever so beautiful, kind, charming and sexy Will. Will, is Annie's sister-in-law EPA (Executive Protection Agent = bodyguard) and because of his upbringing doesn't want anything to do with all the things Annie wants. What could go wrong if both of them are clear in the fact that they don't want the same things? The story is simple, not an over complicated plot. This book was a warm hug, a book that made me feel giddy and excited. I laughed and cried. Both Will and Annie are just great for each-other. I just think that where this book shines for me was with Annie and Will as individuals. They both found out throughout the book that maybe the things they believed they wanted were not 100% true, they grew individually and learned new things about themselves while yes, simultaneously falling in love. I loved their chemistry, and Will…omg he was just the cutest flirt ever. They communicate, and they are comfortable with each other which allows them put all their cards on the table. Also, NO MISCOMMUNICATION TROPE IN THIS BOOK, which is a win for me, 100% of the times. Loved their banter and how Annie purposely said Will’s name incorrectly, it never failed to make me laugh. The supporting characters like Mabel and Hariette also had me laughing. and AMELIA? OMG !! she is AMAZING. The only thing I didn't particularly like was Annie's sisters. Noah? perfect! But Emilia and Maddie, they seemed a little bit of mean girls and I just didn't appreciate how they treated Annie. I feel like they never tried to get to know her, and put her in a box where she felt shame to be who she wanted to be. They do get better, but I just didn't enjoy the moments where they teased Annie. I really really enjoyed this book and all the warm and fuzzy feelings it gave me. I had a lot of fun! Is a super cute, super fast read that its just cute and a great time!! A simple, beautifully executed story!

“It seems to me, Annie, that you are just waiting for someone to give you permission to be yourself out loud.” This book sucker punched me, in the best way possible. I’ll start by saying I didn’t know what to make of this book when I first started it. I’ve read all of Sarah Adams’ novels and have loved them all. This one is a departure. There’s something different about it, a different rhythm. For one thing, after having read When in Rome, it was surprising to see how Annie really felt about herself and her dynamic with her siblings and the town. There’s so much more to her than initially meets the eye. I didn’t realize why the rhythm was different until I got to the second half of the book. Will and Annie are both protecting themselves for their own reasons, and don’t really even admit to themselves what they want until the story gets further along. You can feel that, especially with Annie, in the beginning. She thinks she knows exactly what she wants, but maybe it’s not actually what she wants or needs. These onions have layers, folks. Both Annie and Will are guarded initially, but they also can’t seem to stay away from each other, so it makes for an interesting dance between the two characters. There’s a remarkable mix of vulnerability and honesty while they both try and convince themselves that they’re all wrong for each other. Experiencing the growth of these characters (both individually and together) was cathartic. This book is fun and lovely and warm, but it’s also real. There’s some angst to the characters’ backstories, but it’s not stressful, it only adds to story’s depth. And don’t get me wrong - it’s not all emotions. There’s plenty of humor and banter. I laughed out loud more than once (the scene at the kids baseball game really got me). Plus, I love the townspeople of Rome, Kentucky, and that we got to see Noah and Amelia/more of Annie’s sisters. For those that take this into consideration, this is a closed door romance. However, it’s more PG-13 as there’s still some spice leading up to the fade to black. There’s also some light cursing, but no f-bombs.

Un libro increíble con todas las vibes de las romcoms de los 2000’s. Small town, grumpy x sunshine, fake dating. Sin duda, un libro perfecto para quienes disfrutan de los romances lindos. Mi favorito de esta autora, que siempre recomendaré.

To historia dla wszystkich delikatnych, romantycznych, cichych duszy, które kochają marzyć i czytać. Dla każdego kto uwielbia małe miasteczka, humor i słodki romans pomiędzy przeuroczą kwiaciarką/ miłą „dziewczyną z sąsiedztwa” a „złym chłopcem”/ ochroniarzem, który tak naprawdę jest przekochany! 🤍🌷

El primero ya me gustó, pero este es una maravilla. Small town, prota con tatuajes, estoy dentro!

This was even better than the first one! I was so excited to read this book based on all the positive reviews I had seen for it and it truly did live up to the hype. It was such a sweet story to read and watching Will and Annie become friends, trust and lean on each other while falling in love was such a precious thing to witness. I was happy this wasn’t the typical ‘guy teaches girl how to date’ storyline; Will made it very clear from the beginning that he didn’t believe Annie needed to change, nor would he help her do so. He helped her find confidence in herself, which was beautiful. Watching Annie's growth is amazing; she truly finds herself in the end, and she trusts in her dreams and wants enough to follow them. I loved Will, he never pressures Annie to be anything but herself and loves exactly who she is; quirky girl and all. I loved how he truly saw Annie, how many times he smiled because he knew exactly what she was thinking and being the first person to know she wasn't this innocent, shy girl necessarily and that she wanted to be something more and had something more within her. Will seeing her was amazing and truly made you believe in their love story. Annie also sees Will and helps him with his issues, which just gives more depth to their relationship. I’m excited for the next book in the series following the oldest sister (the teacher) and to continue seeing the sprinkles of the past couples in the next books; want more of Annie and Will! I loved Noah and Amelia from When in Rome, but they don’t have anything on the beautiful relationship that is Annie and Will’s. I am also excited for the other sister's book and I’m so happy she decided to follow her dream - she’s gone for two years but after that, I’m excited for her the trope Sarah is setting up for that one!

**4.5-5 Stars** This is book two in the ‘When in Rome Series’ it was a brilliant, cosy and hilarious read. I enjoyed it so much that I found myself re-reading chapters for the fun of it. Rome in Kentucky seems to be filled with a bucket load of hilarious characters. I also recommend adding the audio I laughed so much about this town and the people who get so much into your business. This for me pipped book one as I fell in love with Annie, she is the youngest sister of Noah from book one. There are 3 sisters and she is the one who owns a flower shop and virtually blends into the background. Her Sister in law to be Amelia is a pop star and has requested her usual bodyguard Will to be with them leading up-to and including the wedding Annie has never had a good date and the one she is on is no different. She is not used to saying much and cannot find the words to connect with him. Yet, she finds it so easy to relate to Will but believes he is out of her league. Will hates commitment due to the upbringing he had with his parents and their serial cheating and constant arguments making his and his brother’s life hell. There are so many laugh out loud moments and Amelia her sister in law to be spots a spark between the two. So she comes up with a plan to get Will to be Annie’s practice date, the idea is that Will has to show Annie where she is going wrong and give her tips ……… Both think of it as a bad idea and then all the fun begins. What a hoot and I absolutely loved how Annie came out of her shell and how Will wrestles with himself that he will never fall in love trying to convince himself that he will finish this job and leave the town by keeping Annie at arms length. I just sat back and enjoyed the journey with the outrageous busy bodies thrown in lol