Real talk: My native Kentucky doesn't get a lot of love in literature, so when I saw this was set in the fictional small town of Rome, Kentucky, I snapped it right up. The fact that I'd heard good things about Sarah Adams's work bolstered my confidence, plus the protagonists are named Anne (okay, Annie) and Will! This is the second in the When in Rome series, but I read that it could stand alone and I found that to be the case. Annie is a 30-year-old small town florist who dreams of getting married and having children, but fears her social awkwardness may prevent that dream from coming true. Will is the badass bodyguard to pop star Rae Rose, also known as Annie's soon-to-be sister-in-law Amelia. Nobody expects "angel Annie" and bad boy Will to belong together, but sparks fly whenever they're together. This is actually a fake dating story, the idea being that Annie needs lessons from the more experienced Will if she's ever going to have a successful date. That premise strained credulity, but that's okay: I liked this for its small town setting, ongoing conversations about Annie's cherished pirate romances and their tropes, and thoughtful examination of family dynamics.

From the publisher: "The friend zone is not the end zone for Bree Camden, who is helplessly in love with her longtime best friend and extremely hot NFL legend, Nathan Donelson. The only problem is that she can’t admit her true feelings, because he clearly sees her as a best friend with no romantic potential, and the last thing Bree wants is to ruin their relationship. In any case, she has other things to worry about. After a car accident ended her chance at becoming a professional ballerina, Bree changed paths and now owns her own dance studio, with big dreams to expand it. Then, as usual, Nathan comes to the rescue and buys the entire building. A stubborn Bree is not happy about it and decides to rebel with a couple—okay, maybe more than a couple—of tequila shots. Then her plan backfires as she spills her deepest, darkest secret to a TMZ reporter. Before they can really talk about her confession, Nathan’s publicist proposes a big opportunity that could mean financial security for Bree. The catch? They have to pretend to be in love. For three whole weeks. What will happen when Bree gives in to the feelings she’s been desperately hiding for so long, and could she be imagining that Nathan is actually enjoying it?"

When I found myself in need of an engaging, uplifting, and not-too-heavy listen for a solo road trip, I opted for the first book in Sarah Adams's When in Rome series; I read the second book Practice Makes Perfect last year but reading them out of order was no problem. This romance was the perfect book for the occasion: in it, famous pop star Rae Rose desperately needs a getaway and flees Nashville for Rome, Kentucky. She would go to Italy if she could, but since the setting for her favorite Audrey Hepburn movie is too far to be practical, she settles for the much nearer Rome that pops up in her GPS. Car trouble puts her in the path of Noah Walker, a gruff but handsome pie shop owner with a heart of gold. I enjoyed the small town charm, celebrity/commoner relationship, career details for music and pies, and Noah's deeply invested sisters. The book was the exact right length to carry me to my destination, and Karissa Vacker and Andrew Eiden's narration was perfection. After reading this, I feel like a re-watch of Roman Holiday is in order.

Since I read my first Sarah Adams book two years ago, her work has become a sweet escape when I need it. It doesn't hurt that the When in Rome series offers a positive portrayal of my home state of Kentucky: we don't get that a lot, y'all. This enemies to lovers romance is the third in a series, but it stands alone just fine. In this one eldest daughter Emily Walker takes the lead, and WOW do we see how the early deaths of her parents prompted her to pick up a heavy emotional burden and intense practical responsibilities where her two youngest sisters are concerned. In spite or likely because of her background, she's a first-class second grade teacher—but she nurses secret dreams of becoming a romance novelist. Meanwhile, her fellow second-grade teacher and workplace rival Jack is keeping a secret of his own: only his agent knows that he is the writer behind a wildly successful (and pseudonymously written) mysteries series. I so enjoyed watching these two come into each others' orbits and find well-deserved love and happiness, and I REALLY enjoyed all the banter and hijinks along the way. I primarily listened to the great audio narrated by Nelson Hobbs and Brittany Pressley, but found myself dipping into the e-version because I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. (Open door.)

This is the fourth and final installment in Adams's Rome, Kentucky series (though I think they all stand alone just fine). Each series installment centers one of the four Walker siblings; this last story belongs to wild child Madison, who's moving back to Rome after graduating from culinary school in New York City. Unbeknownst to her family and friends, she was miserable in the city, and didn't do great in school, either—despite what she led them to believe. She's back in Rome to work for her brother's best friend, as head chef at the new restaurant he's opening on the family farm. But, unbeknownst to pretty much everyone, his only reason for opening the restaurant is to bring Maddie back to town, because he's been pining for her for years. Oh, and the farm might go under if the restaurant isn't a success from opening night. I have some quibbles with this story, particularly the lack of detail and texture surrounding the restaurant plot, and one truly terrible "Kentucky" accent on the audiobook. But I have zero regrets: all in all it was an easy-reading delight to go back to Rome one more time.