3.75 out of 5. I found the whole treasure concept a bit absurd but it grew for me. However its the least interesting part of the story, their relationship and the things they have to go through was the best part of the book, the hunt was a gimmick. A gimmick that wasn't really necessary given that their were already deposited in their childhood houses, but still i guess it got them to spend time together! The ending as cliche as it could have been was absolutely beautiful, and the Note, not going to put any spoilers here, but could not have been lovelier.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 Thank you to Berkeley Publishing Group for the arc🫶🏻 This book is so stinking good. I really like that you get to read about this relationship from the very beginning all the way until now of the two main characters, Nina and Quentin. I always find these relationships so beautiful…the ones that began as kids, got all messed up, but somehow they come together as adults. Their story was very sweet. I adore them as a couple!!!

Things I loved:
-The search for the treasure was just pure fun
-This book legit made me laugh out loud
-The TENSION that was built and finally explored I mean come on
-Some spice but not at all over the top
-Our two lovebirds finally figured out how to communicate with one another ❤️
-The acceptance that sometimes life is hard af and adults can need help/move back home to regroup
-The banter between them—it made me giddy while reading

I loved this book! The author did a fantastic job at sharing Nina and Quentin’s love story, but also the struggles that they each faced along the way. They both lost their jobs, felt like life would never be good again, but they pushed forward and things ended up working out far better than they originally thought it would’ve. I think sometimes as an adult, you’re supposed to have it together all the time, and that’s just unrealistic. This book makes you realize the most important thing in life is love ❤️

After reading and loving Happy Medium I added Sarah Adler to my Auto Buy Authors list and Finders Keepers has just made me even more sure that she very much deserves a spot on that list. I loved this even though Second-Chance Romance is normally one of my least favorite tropes, but Sarah Adler makes it work!

Sarah Adler’s books always put such a smile on my face, so I was so excited to get my hands on her newest book!!

Finders Keepers is a story of two old friends who both find themselves back in their hometown due to back luck in life. They haven’t spoken since the night in high school when everything went wrong- Quentin left town the next day, and Nina hasn’t spoken to him since. Now that they’re both back in town, they decide to resume the treasure hunt that brought them together all those years ago. But what happened that tore them apart? As Nina’s crush on Quentin returns full force, she not only is looking for a treasure, but also looking hard at her own life- and must figure out what she truly wants her future to look like.

The treasure hunt aspect of this book was so fun! A second chance romance (love!!!) between two characters who are just so fun to read about- I truly enjoyed this book! Also- Nina’s mom was a true highlight for me in this book; she had me cackling throughout!

A huge thank you to @berkleypub and @netgalley for the arc! Be sure to pick up this book this summer!!!

I haven't met a Sarah Adler book I didn't like. Her writing so quick and cute! The characters feel like they are real and the story is always a hilarious ride. Definitely something to recommend.

I loved this book so much! New author for me and, man, it was fantastic!
So enjoyable characters and their dynamics! Plot is well paced and thoroughly planned.
Also I enjoy the spice - not much but very suitable in the story.
This treasure hunting was very interesting idea, not very common, And mysterious local legend!

I eat this book in 2 days, and will recommend to everyone who'll listen!

this was my first sarah adler book and BOY it will not be my last!!!! her writing has a tone that is so enjoyable ugh i loved this one!!!! nina and quentin are both such likable characters and the plot of this was so fun!!! i loved the treasure hunt aspect and the second chance/friends to lovers tropes!!!! this one was funny and the perfect amount of spice!!!

ho there, howdy, and good morning ❤️ i cannot express how excited i was to get a chance to read this — not only do i love sarah adler, but this book seemed engineered for me in a lab. childhood best friends, a treasure hunt for a mysterious local legend (and maybe the spark between them…), a woman in academia, and all set in maryland no less??? she did this for me!

needless to say, it did not disappoint. there was such a perfect balance in both the characterization and relationships presented in this book; nina and quentin had individual issues as well as interpersonal ones that felt nuanced without becoming too heavy handed. i especially liked how nina was portrayed as realistically struggling with her anxiety while still using some of the tools she learned from her therapist — i feel like sometimes protagonists either completely flail the entire time or heal a little too quickly/magically, so i appreciated her growth a lot!

i also really enjoyed the treasure hunt aspect of it all. it did feel like it briefly fell a little to the wayside around the middle (maybe just because there was a bit less detail?), but ultimately it picked up a lot and the resolution was so worth it to me!! i actually wept like a little baby at the 95% mark — that means i’m now 3 for 3 in terms of sarah adler books making me cry, by the way. i can’t recommend any of her books enough!

I flew through this one and really enjoyed it. The treasure hunt is fun, even if it’s a little - “the real treasure is the friends we made along the way.”
I really liked these two characters and the backstory. I do think it moved a tiny bit fast for me from a relationship standpoint. Not quite enough time relearning each others as adults and a lot based on feelings at fifteen years old. And the jokey nickname of cookiepuss did give me the ick every time. That said, would still definitely recommend!

Really a 3.5 stars read. While the plot lines and characters are simple (in the sense that we have back stories but we really don’t delve too deeply into any of them) this is a heartwarming and fun read. I would have like to see more of their banter and silly scenes watching this friendship develop into a relationship. We spend so much time going backwards/looking to the past we don’t get to see how they interact as adults.

There was a great scene when the main characters are pretending to be engaged to get access to a specific room, that is the dynamic I wanted to see more of. When the main characters finally kissed and had their moment it was cute but it didn’t have me screaming for joy/excitement.

Both timelines message was maybe it’s the love we realize has always been there. Enjoyed this but wanted more.

'Finders Keepers' was delightful. A sweet second chance romance about realizing what's really important and finding who you want to be. Childhood best friends who had a falling out run into each other while back in their hometown 17 years later. Both recently single and jobless, they decide to try and solve the local treasure hunt they were working on as teenagers. And maybe they find more than treasure. I've read both of Adler's previous books and she just keeps getting better! Bonus points for the MCs being in their 30s,

Unfortunately this book didn’t keep my attention, I loved the idea of the plot and was really interested to see it all play out. The pacing was slow and I found some of the characters actions to be slow to move the story forward. I am hoping to pick this back up when I’m in the mindset for a slower story!

I absolutely adored this book! I've loved everything I've read from Sarah Adler so far, and I this is no exception. This book was very fast paced and fun, and I loved the treasure hunt premise. I thought that Nina and Quentin were such great main characters and love interests; they were very strong and relatable individuals, and I really loved reading about their past relationship, as well as their relationship in the current time! Nina and Quentin had great chemistry, and I loved watching their relationship rebuild and redevelop. I also really liked the side characters! Nina's mother was such a fun character. The humour in this book was also really well done, and it had me laughing out loud. Overall, this is one of my new favourite rom-coms, and I would completely recommend it! :)

Another absolute hit by Sarah Adler! She has such a fun writing style, and I devoured Finders Keepers so quickly. I am already recommending it to patrons and have it on our purchase list. Highly recommend. It's adorable.

As an elder millennial, this book had a lot for me to relate to. I felt like the main character was just anxious enough, just quirky enough, and really made me feel like we could be friends. I enjoyed this open door romance and the side/main quest for the romance to happen through.

Dnfed at 30%
really disappointed to dnf this one but the writing style was just not for me, I cannot say that there’s anything wrong with the book, we just did not click, and if i carried on to finish it, i felt like the rating I would give wouldn’t be reflective of the effort of the author.

Nina’s life is in shambles and she just wants to spend a quiet summer in her childhood home to gather her strength, lick her wounds, and rebuild. Too bad when she arrives her childhood best friend, who completely ghosted her after their almost kiss - is also back home too. He wants to forgive and forget and finish what they starts all those years ago - to find the hidden treasure left by an eccentric billionaire tycoon nearly a century ago.

What’s to love…
- second chance romance (childhood friends)
- treasure hunt and a bit of adventure
- self-discovery
- a red-hair MMC (my weakness!)
- cheeky humor + goofy MCs
- slow burn A++ tension
- a bit of a story within a story as we learn about the elusive Julius Fountain

What’s not to love…
- long-winded inner thoughts some might find a little frustrating (me, i’m that someone)
- lack of communication drove me a bit bonkers - I feel I’m always a bit frustrated with lack of communication in romance books!

CUUUTE

okay, i have to be brutally honest, nothing will beat gretchen acorn and her sexy goat farmer man and ghost friend (Happy Medium)

and i will FOREVER have a soft spot in my heart for Mrs. Nash's Ashes (because it was my first Sarah Adler)

but i will read anything this woman writes!! and i will have a GOOOOOOD time doing it

read if you like:

- second chance romance
- slow burn
- friends to strangers to friends to lovers
- small town
- treasure hunting

spice level🌶️ — i would say there are one and a half spicy scenes? so 🌶️🌶️ ish?

tamer than other romance books (even tamer than other sarah adler's, actually) but still has that open door aspect that some people prefer (and others prefer to avoid)!

Finders Keepers is one of the best romance novels I’ve read in ages. The rekindled relationship of estranged childhood friends Nina and Quentin is by turns heartwarming, quirky, and scorching hot. I loved their inside jokes, their complicated history, and the humor and vulnerability of their window conversations. Sarah Adler’s clever writing kept me riveted as I flew through the pages. Every line of dialogue is a gem. Highly recommended!

Okay, you have to trust me when I say keep on reading it even though it’s a bit slow. Why? Because I was feeling a tiny bit bored in the beginning that I wanted to DNF it, but I kept pushing through. Thank goodness that I did because it’s such a cute romance that I enjoy so much. Just pushed through the slow beginning, and it’s going to catch up.

Besides the slow start in the beginning, I truly enjoyed the endless banter between former childhood friends reuniting again. It may have been some years since Nina and Quentin last saw each other, but their feelings for one another aren’t lost. It may be some bitterness and angst at first since they haven’t spoken or seen each other for so long. Yet, the rivalry between Nina and Quentin is stronger than ever when they decide to pick up their treasure hunt again.

I know what you are thinking: why spend time with each other when there are still hurt feelings between Nina and Quentin? Because they still love each other. Nina and Quentin just need to confront the past. And the past is a doozy during teenagers years.