Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams

Spoiler Note: This guide contains major plot details, including the full ending. If you prefer a spoiler-free experience, start with the short summary or the chapter-by-chapter table.

Quick Facts

• Author: Sarah Adams
• Publication Year: 2025
• Genre: Contemporary Romance
• Setting: Rome, Kentucky
• Narration: Dual first-person (Emily and Jack)
• Core Trope: Enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity (neighbors), secret identity

Short Summary

In Rome, Kentucky, second-grade teacher and secret romance writer Emily Walker’s meticulously controlled world implodes when her decade-long nemesis, fellow teacher Jack Bennett, returns to town after a broken engagement and moves in next door. The two rivals resume their verbal warfare even as they’re forced to collaborate to fix a professional disaster: Emily has accidentally emailed her explicit manuscript to their conservative principal. As they scheme to delete the evidence, their armor cracks. Jack reveals he is secretly the bestselling mystery author AJ Ranger, while Emily struggles to trust anyone with her creative heart or emotional wounds. Their journey from bitter rivals to vulnerable partners forces both to confront childhood grief, toxic parental legacies, and the fear of being truly seen. Set against the backdrop of a tight-knit small-town community, Beg, Borrow, or Steal traces how two people learn that the scariest risk is not heartbreak, but hiding forever from love.

Full Summary

Emily Walker is a perfectionist second-grade teacher who lives by routines and iron control, the legacy of losing her parents in a lightning strike at age eight and becoming the fix-it sibling for her three brother and sisters. In her private hours, she pours her unexpressed feelings into a secret Regency-era romance novel she is terrified to show anyone. Her carefully ordered life unravels when gossip reaches her at the salon: her archnemesis Jackson “Jack” Bennett, a fellow teacher who once competed with her for everything from a college newspaper job to a student-teaching placement, has called off his wedding and returned to Rome. Their first explosive reunion occurs at the Hot Bean coffee shop, where they battle over possession of a corner table, only to discover from their realtor that Jack has purchased the dilapidated house next door to Emily.

Jack Bennett is nursing his own hidden identity. Unbeknownst to everyone, he is the celebrated mystery novelist AJ Ranger, writing under a pseudonym to escape the shadow—and manipulation—of his narcissistic, alcoholic father, literary giant Fredrick Bennett. Jack’s broken engagement to Zoe, who cheated on him for over a year, has left him questioning his capacity for vulnerability. His return to Rome is an attempt to reclaim the community and sense of purpose he lost, but Emily’s campaign to freeze him out—using the town’s gossip network to shun him—nearly succeeds until she relents and publicly welcomes him for the town’s sake.

The reluctant truce between the neighbors deepens when Emily, drunk and devastated after her sister Madison cancels a visit, accidentally sends her steamy romance manuscript to their principal, Bart Killick, instead of a literary agent. In a panic, she runs to Jack. He calms her, and the two devise a plan to break into Bart’s laptop and delete the email. The scheme forces them into increasingly intimate cooperation. During a late-night break-in at Bart’s empty house, they discover both his laptop and a hidden key. Trapped inside a small closet when Bart unexpectedly returns, their antagonism crumbles. Jack admits he avoided saying goodbye when he left Rome because it was too painful; the revelation ignites their first kiss. After deleting the email and narrowly escaping, their relationship turns romantic though undefined.

The intimacy unearths deeper secrets. Jack, who has been reading and critiquing Emily’s manuscript, confesses his own hidden career as AJ Ranger. He explains he withheld the truth to prevent his father from co-opting his success and to avoid a new competition with Emily. She responds with trust and pride, ending their decade of rivalry. Simultaneously, Jack confronts his father, revealing his pen name and severing ties, telling Fredrick he will not return.

A rejection from a top literary agent named Colette Menton nearly shatters the couple. Emily, devastated by the critique, lashes out and accuses Jack of biased judgment and of hiding his own career while demanding her vulnerability. Jack issues an ultimatum, but the fight stalls when Emily’s youngest sister, Madison, arrives in tears, fleeing her own misery in New York. The sisters reconcile; Emily, for the first time, admits her deep-rooted fear of abandonment by her college boyfriend Liam, who had broken up with her to date others. Noah, her older brother, pushes Emily to stop letting the old wound dictate her happiness. Emily realizes she loves Jack.

The final external crisis arrives when Fredrick Bennett, without consent, publicly outs Jack as AJ Ranger on Instagram, framing it as a father-son collaboration. Jack spirals into despair, but Emily responds by creating a safe space in her home, offering comfort, her cat Ducky, and unwavering acceptance. He decides to publicly renounce his father. In the months that follow, Jack comes out as AJ Ranger on his terms, sells his motorcycle as a gesture of commitment to Emily’s peace of mind, and chooses to keep teaching. Emily secures a book deal, choosing a pen name Jack affectionately shortens to “Goldie.” Eleven months later, they text each other with plans to meet at their corner table—a quiet, permanent rhythm of two people who finally stopped hiding.

Main Characters

• Emily Walker – A perfectionist second-grade teacher and secret romance writer. Her coping mechanisms—control, emotional suppression, and preemptive rejection—mask deep grief and a terror of being left behind. The novel follows her halting progress toward trusting others with her manuscript, her body, and her heart. Full analysis
• Jackson “Jack” Bennett – A second-grade teacher who secretly writes the bestselling AJ Ranger mystery series. His charm and social ease are a shield built to survive a childhood with his emotionally abusive father, Fredrick Bennett. He returns to Rome craving authentic connection and must learn to risk being fully known. Full analysis
• Madison Walker – Emily’s youngest sister, whose move to New York for culinary school triggers Emily’s abandonment fears. Her own emotional crisis later in the novel becomes the catalyst for the sisters’ mutual honesty and Emily’s eventual emotional release. Full analysis
• Noah Walker – Emily’s protective older brother who runs the family pie shop. He witnesses Emily’s pain and ultimately delivers the push she needs to stop letting a past college heartbreak dictate her romantic life. Full analysis
• Mabel – The town innkeeper whose gossip initially aids Emily’s campaign against Jack. Later, she offers Jack pivotal generational wisdom: that love after loss requires patient, slow trust. Full analysis
• Fredrick Bennett – Jack’s narcissistic, alcoholic father, a literary giant. He represents the toxic legacy Jack must break free from, and his ultimate betrayal—outing Jack’s pen name without consent—serves as the novel’s final emotional crucible. Full analysis

Themes

• Vulnerability as Strength – Both protagonists wear elaborate armor. Emily’s is perfectionism and control; Jack’s is charm and a secret career. The narrative tracks their parallel journeys to dismantle these defenses and discover that authentic intimacy requires exposing their wounded selves. Dive deeper
• Secret Creative Identities – Writing serves as a sanctuary for both characters, but also a symbol of the selves they hide from the world. The clash between their public and private identities drives the plot and their eventual union; sharing their manuscripts becomes an act of profound trust. Dive deeper
• Found Family and Community – Rome, Kentucky, functions as a collective character. The town’s fierce loyalty, gossip, and eventual embrace of Jack illustrate a model of belonging that heals the wounds inflicted by the protagonists’ biological families. Dive deeper
• Breaking Generational Cycles – Jack’s direct confrontation with his father and Emily’s reframing of her parents’ fatal accident represent conscious choices to escape inherited patterns of abuse and grief, forging new, healthier relationship models. Dive deeper
• Fear of Abandonment – Emily’s controlling behavior and reluctance to commit stem from a betrayal by her college boyfriend Liam and the foundational loss of her parents. The romance actively addresses this wound, replacing fear with demonstrated reliability. Dive deeper

Symbols

• The Corner Table at the Hot Bean – The table transforms from a battleground in their rivalry to a shared workspace representing truce, and ultimately to a recurring meeting spot that anchors their committed relationship. Dive deeper
• Emily’s Red Cowboy Boots – A seasonal indulgence Emily buys herself, symbolizing her hidden desire for boldness and self-expression beneath her controlled exterior. She wears them during pivotal moments of burgeoning courage. Dive deeper
• Jack’s Motorcycle – Represents risk, freedom, and the trust Emily must muster. Her liberating ride with Jack marks a turning point, and his later decision to sell the bike signifies a choice to prioritize her long-term security over personal thrill. Dive deeper
• Ducky the Kitten – Emily’s adopted cat embodies her nurturing capacity, receiving the unguarded affection she withholds from people. The kitten later becomes a comfort object that Jack offers Emily during his own moment of crisis. Dive deeper

Ending Overview

Jack’s father publicly reveals Jack’s secret identity as AJ Ranger without consent, causing Jack to spiral into shame. Emily provides unwavering comfort, helping him see that her love is a more meaningful refuge than his anonymous career. Jack severs ties with his father, publicly steps out from behind his pen name on his own terms, sells his motorcycle as a gesture of commitment, and chooses to continue teaching. Eleven months later, Emily secures a book deal for her romance novel. The couple exchanges playful texts arranging to meet at their corner table, signaling their easy, permanent rhythm and mutual professional fulfillment. For a more detailed breakdown, read the ending explained page.

Chapter-by-Chapter Summary

Common Questions

Why did Emily and Jack hate each other? Their rivalry began in college when Jack smiled at Emily right after she had been dumped by her boyfriend Liam. Emily, already raw from grief over losing her parents years earlier, perceived his expression as mocking. For a decade, they competed over jobs, placements, and personal victories, using animosity as a form of safe, predictable connection. The hatred masked an intense, unacknowledged awareness of each other.

What is the significance of the book title Beg, Borrow, or Steal? The title reflects the lengths Emily and Jack go to in order to protect their secrets and, later, to secure each other’s trust. Jack “borrows” Marissa’s willingness to help to delete an email; Emily “steals” into Bart’s house with Jack. Emotionally, Jack must effectively beg Emily to admit she wants his presence, mirroring the difficult, active work of building intimacy.

Is Beg, Borrow, or Steal a closed-door romance? The author’s note provides specific guidance. Readers who prefer closed-door romances are advised to skip chapters 25 and 32, which contain the novel’s intimate scenes. Other chapters contain romantic tension and discussions about intimacy but no explicit content.

Does Emily get her book published? Yes. After rewriting her manuscript following a harsh rejection from agent Colette Menton and receiving feedback from her sisters, Emily lands a book deal. The novel’s epilogue, set eleven months after the main events, reveals the news of her deal going public and Jack celebrating by using her new pen name nickname: “Goldie.”

Why does Jack use a pen name? Jack writes under the name AJ Ranger to prevent his famous, narcissistic father, Fredrick Bennett, from co-opting his success. He also fears that his success will be attributed to nepotism rather than talent. The pseudonym Ranger comes from the name of his childhood teddy bear, his first source of genuine comfort.

What are the content warnings for this book? Per Sarah Adams’s author note, the novel includes themes of grief, mild depression, and the portrayal of a narcissistic parent. She emphasizes that these subjects are handled with care intended to bring comfort rather than pain.

How does the motorcycle symbolize their relationship? Jack’s motorcycle initially terrifies Emily, representing risk, lack of control, and the physical intimacy of holding onto him. Her reluctant but liberating ride marks a turning point in her ability to trust him. At the novel’s end, Jack sells the motorcycle unsolicited, explaining that her long-term peace of mind matters more than his personal thrill, a tangible sacrifice for their relationship.

Who is the “monster in private” Emily refers to? Emily calls Jack a “monster in private” after he smoothly manipulates the school administrator Marissa into granting them access. She intends it as a playful barb acknowledging his hidden, socially adept ruthlessness. However, the remark deeply unsettles Jack because he fears becoming like his emotionally abusive father, whom he views as a genuine monster behind closed doors.

Explore Further

• Characters
• Themes
• Symbols
• Ending Explained
• Q&A Hub
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• Essay Prompts