*Received as a free ARC*
I honestly asked for this book 50% based on the cover and then low key regretted it because I often have a tough time with realistic fiction het romances. However! I ended up actually really enjoying it! Nina and Quentin were very sweet even though the miscommunication made me cringe. The plot was interesting and I enjoyed the archives component. All in all, pleased to have read it!

Big thanks to Berkley Romance for the ARC of this book and to PRH Audio for the free audiobook! This as my first book by Sarah Adler and it was honestly a complete delight! The story was quirky and fun and a little bit different than your typical romance. That being, said it had the best second chance and friends to lovers story and I LOVED Nina and Quentin so much! I will immediately be going to read all of Sarah Adler's backlist because this one just put a huge smile on my face! Additionally, I had the pleasure of reading this and listening to this and the audiobook narration was super well done and enhanced the story immensely. Definitely a 5 star read for me! See below for a brief synopsis:

Nina is back in her hometown and living with her parents after all of the details of her life basically imploded at once. She is now 32 and living in her childhood bedroom. When she gets into town, she unexpectedly runs into her childhood neighbor and best friend who moved away when they were 15. They spent one summer looking the treasure that is supposedly hidden on the estate of a wealthy turn of the century businessman and she hasn't heard from him since. Despite how long it has been, they find that they still are friends and maybe something more as well.

Sarah Adler did it again.

She wrote a touching romance that made me identify with the main character and feel a connection to their journey.

Nina is home after a break-up and a job loss. To add insult to injury, her estranged childhood best friend is also back home, and they're forced into proximity as next-door neighbors. They try to recreate some of their friendship with a treasure hunt, but underlying tension from when they stopped speaking and a new level of sexual tension amps things up.

Nina is such a flawed, real character that it's impossible not to find something to relate to as we grow to know her. The facades she's put up around the real Nina to stop herself from feeling that hurt again, the raw wound she can be at times, as she works through her anxiety and emotions.

I love how Adler allowed her to find times to be open with her anxiety and depression, acknowledging triggers and coping mechanisms, and not keeping it a dark secret.

I also love being in her head as she weighs pros and cons of continuing her life one way or embracing the 'realness' she has inside. It's a battle we all struggle with at some points in our lives.

Adler did this all with an array of lovable townies and two leads that are flawed but trying in a way that is endearing to the reader.

3.75⭐ This was pretty fun! Think Fool's Gold circa 2008, minus the tropical island and pirates, but with all the treasure hunting goodness. It was really funny, and I loved the banter between Nina and Quentin. The middle did drag a bit, and the miscommunication (or lack of communication, tbh) was super frustrating, but overall, I had a great time reading this! I cried at the end, of course, because I love a love letter (iykyk), and a love confession in a letter? Even better! Big thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for letting me read an advanced copy of Finders Keepers!

I thought this was absolutely adorable, and Sarah Adler is being added to my must-read author list!

Nina is forced to move in with her parents for the summer after losing her job, her boyfriend, and her place to live. Living in the other half of the duplex? Her old best friend and crush Quentin. Quentin suggests that the duo resurrect their old search for a local treasure, hoping that the reward money will help get both of their lives back on track.

Nina is the definition of down on her luck, and this book had me giggling multiple times at the ridiculous things that came out of her mouth when she was flustered (ho, there, howdy and good morning anyone?). Her character was so endearingly awkward at times, and I just really wanted her to get a win. I loved how she found herself over the course of the story while on the hunt for something else entirely. Oh, and her relationship with her mom? 🤌

I thought the treasure hunting was such a fun and unique plot line for a romcom and really enjoyed it, and loved how the hunt helped give us some background on Nina and Quentin's relationship. Overall it was an entertaining and endearing read!

Thanks to Berkley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

📣 two estranged besties reunite & look for treasure

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

Nina & Quentin were childhood BFFs obsessed with finding treasure at a notorious seltzer magnate’s house until teen Quentin ghosted Nina. Years later, they’re reunited in their childhood duplex as both of them take a second for breathing after suffering their own life upsets.

The treasure hunt’s back on, this time with both of them wiser, hurt(er), & again hopelessly attracted to the other.

Sarah Adler has such a fun writing style, inserting historical transcripts into Nina & Quentin’s story. Their treasure hunt forms a compelling backdrop for Nina & Quentin’s reconnection.

The chemistry between them sparkles, & it’s easy to see how these two nerdy hotties fall in love with each other. Nina & Quentin are compatible in the best of ways, & their relationship arc comes with a twist that I wasn’t expecting.

📖 what’s a word that starts with one of the letters in Saturday that describes or tells about your day so far? Mine is Swimming—we are having a swim party for my son’s upcoming 10th bday tonight. I just cleaned off a cooler & I’m going to the grocery store soon to pick up cupcakes.

[ID: Jess holds the book in front of a meadow & a white barn.]

This was just okay. It was intriguing enough to finish, but the pacing felt a bit off which breaks my heart given how much I loved "Mrs. Nash's Ashes". I will definitely continue reading other works from this author, but this one was just a little bit of a letdown coming off the high of "Mrs. Nash's Ashes."

I absolutely LOVED mrs. nash’s ashes but unfortunately this one fell short for me. I thought the premise sounded entertaining but I honestly couldn’t get invested in the treasure hunting aspect. Nina and Quentin’s chemistry didn’t seem all there almost like it was forced really early on in the book. I also couldn’t get passed that Nina held a grudge for 17 years… now in her 30s… I respect the dedication but be for real lol. I did enjoy that it was about two people in their 30s trying to figure out their life now that they’re both back home in their parents houses. I also liked the friendship they quickly rekindled!

If you like a second chance romance with lots of forced proximity and mysterious treasure hunting, this might be for you! Thank you berkley for the arc <3

First line: Given all the change I’ve had foisted upon me recently, it’s nice to find that Mr. Farina’s naked torso is pretty much the same as I remember.

Summary: Seventeen years ago Nina and her best friend, Quentin Bell had a falling out while searching for a legendary buried treasure in their hometown. Now Nina has moved back in with parents in disgrace or so she believes. It also appears that Quentin is back home too. Can they rekindled their friendship and move beyond their past issues? With nothing else to do they again team up to look for the treasure in the hopes that the reward money will help get them back on track with their careers and lives. However, as they work together they find that maybe there is something more than friendship and treasure being uncovered during their time together.

My Thoughts: I LOVED this book! It was lots of fun and such a cute rom-com. The banter between the two characters, the silly French moon persona and the romance was just perfect. I loved all their interactions and how their relationship progressed. The addition of the buried treasure research gave my history loving heart extra enjoyment. Of course, there is always the miscommunication or secrets that can get in the way but this just made the suspense better. Adler is definitely becoming one of my favorite romance writers. Her writing is witty and I literally laugh out loud while reading.

I could relate to so much of what Nina is going through. I remember having a close neighbor who I spent lots of time with growing up. We spent summers and weekends roaming the neighborhood as kids. Also, similar to Nina I have moved back home at times while transitioning between apartments or following college. It can feel like a failure but it is so nice to know that the option is there. I think this connection between myself and Nina gave it the extra push for me to rate it 5 stars. It just gave me all the feels and nostalgia. I highly recommend this one for your summer reading list!

3.5/5⭐️ 1/5🌶️ 0/5😢

Sarah Adler delivers some of the quirkiest rom-coms that are full of charm, and I am here for the ride! I love how real and interesting her characters are (no cookie cutter or forgettable MCs here) and Nina & Quentin are no exception! The book ended up being so sweet and heartwarming (I loved their “French moon” shtick!!) but I could have done without so many inner monologues from Nina. I would have loved a dual 1st POV with Quentin or for this book to have been 3rd POV. I think there was a lot of missed opportunities to get more of his thoughts and perspective and flesh out the romance even more.

themes & tropes
🔍 treasure hunt!!
🔍 childhood friends to strangers to lovers
🔍 second chance
🔍 hometown shenanigans
🔍 self-discovery
🔍 quirky humor

Thank you to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 ⭐️ I love a second chance romance and this one was cute! I love that the treasure hunting was different and it certainly was entertaining.
The humor was cute, the slow burn was so good. Some of the inner dialogue bored me, but the interaction between Nina and Quentin was so good!

I love romances with a mystery to them! Finders Keeps is a fun romance with a treasure hunt, perfect for the start of summer!

Dr. Nina Hunnicutt was a professor about to move in to a new apartment with her long-term boyfriend just a few days ago. Now, she's unemployed, single, and moving back in with her parents. But what's even more surprising to Nina than this unlikely turn of events in her personal life is that her former best friend (and teenage crush) Quentin Bell has moved back in next door to her parents. Their friendship ended 17 years ago after their search for a legendary treasure in their hometown went awry. And Quentin has a surprising proposal for Nina--hunt the treasure with him again while she's home. Nina agrees and is startled to find out that Quentin is that same boy she fell in love with all those years ago, only grown up and much more handsome. Can they uncover both the treasure and their long buried feelings for each other?

It was so fun to read this one and uncover the mystery of Julius Fountain's treasure alongside Nina and Quentin. The interwoven interview chapters about his eccentric antics were a delight to read. I love with Nina and Quentin were able to uncover about Julius during their search for the treasure. This is a delightful, easy read to start off the summer!

Thank you Sarah Adler and Berkley for the ARC! Finders Keepers releases June 24th!

I love romances with a mystery to them! Finders Keeps is a fun romance with a treasure hunt, perfect for the start of summer!

Dr. Nina Hunnicutt was a professor about to move in to a new apartment with her long-term boyfriend just a few days ago. Now, she's unemployed, single, and moving back in with her parents. But what's even more surprising to Nina than this unlikely turn of events in her personal life is that her former best friend (and teenage crush) Quentin Bell has moved back in next door to her parents. Their friendship ended 17 years ago after their search for a legendary treasure in their hometown went awry. And Quentin has a surprising proposal for Nina--hunt the treasure with him again while she's home. Nina agrees and is startled to find out that Quentin is that same boy she fell in love with all those years ago, only grown up and much more handsome. Can they uncover both the treasure and their long buried feelings for each other?

It was so fun to read this one and uncover the mystery of Julius Fountain's treasure alongside Nina and Quentin. The interwoven interview chapters about his eccentric antics were a delight to read. I love with Nina and Quentin were able to uncover about Julius during their search for the treasure. This is a delightful, easy read to start off the summer!

Thank you Sarah Adler and Berkley for the ARC! Finders Keepers releases June 24th!

Unfortunately, this one just didn’t quite work for me. The pacing felt very slow and I found myself not excited to pick it back up. I probably would have DNF’ed if I didn’t have the audiobook.

I just never truly felt invested in Nina or Quentin, so it was hard to root for them to get out of their own way. The open door scenes felt awkward and out of place and I didn’t feel their chemistry. I was more sympathetic at the start since the issues arose from decisions they made when they were teenagers, but as the story went on, I felt more annoyed since one honest conversation could have resolved all of the conflict.

The treasure hunt was an intriguing addition, but the interviews broke up the flow of the story for me and were difficult to follow on audio. I had a greater appreciation for them after reading the author’s note at the end, but I still don’t think they worked well with the overall story. I enjoyed the narration by Mara Wilson, but sadly, this ended up just being ok for me.

Audiobook Review
Overall 3 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 2.5-3 stars

CW (from the author): main character who lives with generalized anxiety and depression, references to a parent’s workplace accident and subsequent injury and medical debt (in the past, off-page), and separation/divorce (of parents, in the past).

*I voluntarily read and listened to a review copy of this book*

I’m so sad to be giving this such a low rating given that Mrs Nash’s Ashes is one of my top romance books :( I had a really hard time getting into this book. In Mrs Nash’s Ashes, I loved the dual storylines, but it just didn’t work for me here. I truthfully wasn’t all that invested in the treasure hunting. I also didn’t feel any chemistry between Nina and Quentin until maybe 50-60% of the way through and even then, I still wasn’t that convinced. This one just wasn’t for me sadly, but I’ll still be reading Happy Medium!

After losing her job, boyfriend, and home in the same week, Nina comes back to her hometown to find out she isn't the only one reuniting with their childhood roots. Her old best friend and neighbor Quentin is, too. A fallout from when they were teenagers left them without contact for years, but back together, they decide to finish the mission they started as kids, to find the treasure an old soda tycoon left behind, never to be solved. Can they repair their friendship and find the treasure? Or will old feelings come creeping back in?

I've really enjoyed Sarah Adler's last couple of books and am a sucker for a romantic adventure, but something here just couldn't hold my interest. I was skimming a lot. I felt like maybe it could have used more adventure and less Nina spiraling about her future. I do enough of that on my own! Seeing their relationship turn from prickly to unsure to comfortable again was enjoyable. I liked Quentin as the hero. While he has a lot of life changes happening too, we saw less of his anxieties show through, but maybe that's because we only really see Nina's perspective. He is also more sure of the relationship, while Nina tends to pull back more.

Read if you like a second chance romance with a ton of forced proximity. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

When I first started reading this book it was giving “Outer Banks” vibes but unfortunately the execution was not great for me. I did like it enough to finish the whole thing but I probably won’t read it again. I really enjoy a “friends to strangers to lovers / second chance” romance and that was my favorite part.

Sarah Adler writes such fun rom-coms, I always have to pick up her books just to explore the characters and the little worlds she creates. This was no different. Perfect for those who enjoy the childhood sweethearts trope with a fun treasure hunt all in a cute little small town.

A sweet story of rekindled childhood love and a treasure hunt. Nina and Quentin are wonderful and so relatable. I enjoyed their story very much

This book was really delightful. I loved the historian/archivist character and the fictional WPA interview transcript used as a plot framing device. I really related to Nina's fear of leaving her academic career even though it was no longer making her happy. Quentin was ADORABLE and I especially loved his relationship with Nina's parents. While I am not usually a fan of the childhood friends to lovers trope, this one was very satisfying to read; I was surprised by the plot twist that leads to the third act breakup even though I thought I knew where it was going!