I am not always drawn to reading romance novels. Yet sometimes a cover grabs my attention from the "New Books" shelves of the public library. And I'm not talking about the stereotypical full-color sketches of couples in mid-passion. I'm talking about the plot summaries on the backs of the books. This one sounded good, so I gave it a chance. I'm glad that I did.

In Sarah Adams' Beg, Borrow, or Steal, the main characters are Emily Walker and Jack Bennett. Both teach at the same elementary school in Rome, Kentucky, and they have a lot in common. But they got off on the wrong foot, years ago, and they have since become sworn enemies. You know how life goes, though, especially in small towns and in romance novels. Emily and Jack are pretty much fated to eventually find the good in one another. And much more. It will simply take the length of an average-sized book to lead them to this point.

What's fun about this story is that it is told in alternating chapters by Emily and Jack. Emily is a hometown girl, surrounded by her supportive siblings and good friends in Rome. Jack is an outsider from Evansville, Indiana. Everyone has baggage from the past. A lot of it has to be unloaded and resolved before close relationships can even be considered. Yet we readers are assured that it will happen.

I was delighted to see that the author gives the readers a warning up front. She tells us which two chapters to avoid, if we want to jump over the steamiest scenes. How wonderful! I've never read an author's note like this one. Adams must really know who her readers are.

Emily and Jack are compelling characters on their own. They are also surrounded by other interesting folks. By the time I reached the last page, I wished that I could spend more time with these people. Be still my heart! It turns out that this book is just one in a four-part series. The whole set follows the romantic interests of the four grown siblings of the Walker family: Noah, Annie, Emily and Madison. Beg, Borrow, or Steal is preceded by When in Rome (about Noah and Amelia) and Practice Makes Perfect (about Annie and Will), and it will be followed by In Your Dreams, which is scheduled for a January 2026 release and will alternate between Madison and James. It will complete the romancing history of the four Walker siblings.

After I finished Beg, Borrow, or Steal, I went back to the library to grab Practice Makes Perfect. It was equally as satisfying a read as the other one. I will pick up the first book in the series from a local library tomorrow. Then I'll have a six-month gap before the last book will show up. That's OK. The waiting is the hardest part, as a famous person once told us. The final book will surely be worth it, though.

I highly recommend ALL of Sarah Adams' books, based on her writing style here. And she's got more stories to share than just the ones of the Walker family. Let's go discover them together.