Book Review: When in Rome by Sarah Adams 

By Abbie Overdorf 
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“Sometimes a woman is just worn out and needs a break, you know?” The lines on her forehead deepen. “That doesn’t prove that you’re weak or neglectful, it proves to all women standing by and watching you pave the road to success that it’s okay to shut your door every now and then and put up a sign that says, Busy taking care of myself today. Piss off.” 

- Sarah Adams, When in Rome

To write a romance book is one thing, but to create a people-pleasing, selfless celebrity character who desperately needs a break from her crazy life is a world of its own. Sarah Adams does just that with her book, When in Rome. 

When in Rome is a cute and fluffy closed-door romance. It follows Amelia Rose, also known as Rae Rose by her fans, as she takes inspiration from her favorite Audrey Hepburn film, Roman Holiday, and leaves behind her popstar life in the middle of the night to drive to a small town called Rome, Kentucky. 

She meets the grumpy pie shop owner, Noah Walker when her car breaks down on his front lawn. He makes it clear that he doesn’t want anything to do with her celebrity problems—that is, until his kind heart gets the best of him, and he lets her stay in his guest room while her car is being fixed. Noah knows not to get too close to Amelia, as she will soon have to return to her glamorous life. But when they’re alone, and he sees a different side of her, he can’t help but to start to care for her. Amelia knows this will end in heartbreak, just like Roman Holiday, but she, too, can’t resist falling for a town that feels like home.

Even though her book falls within the romance genre, Sarah Adams does not shy away from exploring other themes. Two main plot points are equally mentioned throughout the story. The first plot point may be the romance between the two main characters, Amelia and Noah, but the second follows Amelia’s journey of putting herself first for once and finally standing up for herself. Amelia finds self-confidence, independence, and freedom throughout this journey she has embarked on. 

Amelia Rose is an understandable and relatable character, even though she is a celebrity. She’s a people pleaser, which leads to her manager controlling every aspect of her life. Her relationship with her mother is not the best, and she doesn’t know how to fix it. Her anxieties, feelings, wants, and fears get the best of her at times. Her love for her career is declining due to all the stress she is under. In Amelia's day-to-day life, she feels incredibly lonely, even when she is surrounded by a team of individuals, including her manager and mom. She lacks a real connection with the people around her that are supposed to help her succeed. 

This small town in Kentucky opens her eyes to that connection. She appreciates that no one cares that she’s a celebrity and treats her like a normal person. Amelia feels seen and that she can be her goofy self in this town, especially around Noah and his sisters. She finds an honest connection with Noah’s three sisters, which helps her understand what a real friendship is supposed to be like. This enables Amelia to push through this voyage of putting herself first before her career and controlling manager. She’s allowing herself to be selfish, which has given her this new confidence in her everyday self and not just when she’s Rae Rose.

Throughout this journey, Amelia learns a lot about her self-identity, the relationships around her, and her life that she wouldn’t have discovered if she hadn’t taken the risk of leaving her life behind. She finally finds a sense of freedom that she didn’t have before, with her hectic schedule always pulling her in every direction. In Rome, Kentucky, she can finally take a step back from everything and reflect on what aspects of her career and personal life are working for her and what is bringing her down. She’s taking her life back, and this time, she’s able to bring someone she’s quickly falling for, Noah. 

When in Rome is a delightful read. I especially loved the banter and connection between Amelia and Noah and appreciated how they set boundaries and respected them while still communicating like mature adults about their feelings. As a reader, you will find yourself eager to learn what will happen to their relationship after she leaves. Amelia’s journey of finding herself and her voice again is the cherry on top of this lovely romance book. 

Sarah Adams makes us feel seen, valued, and important, but also that at any point in our life, we can always take a step back when we know it’s not working out. When in Rome is the perfect book if you’re looking for female empowerment mixed with romance. 

My main takeaway from When in Rome was this: Even if you don’t think you deserve a break, you do. Everyone deserves a break in life and it doesn’t make you selfish, it makes you human.