This was a cute read, but a bit on the slow side for me.
I did like the ease in which Nina and Quentin rekindling their friendship and I did enjoy how their relationship progressed from there. The banter and window chats between them were my favorite part of the book and very funny and sweet. I really connected with Nina and her anxiety fears of not being able to measure up to those around her.

I was expecting a bit more of an adventurous treasure hunt as per the cover art. The fact that it was just searching through old archives made it a bit boring for me at times. I also was not a fan of the dishonesty and deception between the MCs, and it even after the truth came out they were still willing to lie to other people to get what they wanted. I had a hard time justifying all that because it was done ‘in the name of love’.

I did enjoy the outcome of the treasure hunt which I didn’t have figured out, the book just was a bit too slow for me overall.

Thank you Net Galley for an Arc copy! I loved the concept of national treasure as the nostalgia of the movie. However this one was not for me. The FMC was relatable and quirky. The treasure hunt was a fun aspect but it didn’t hit for me. The banter between the characters was great and I loved that part of the storyline. I will recommended to friend who love second changes, treasure hunt and reconciliations.

3.75⭐️

super cute book!! i love the premise and the treasure hunt aspect was a nice touch of mystery and anticipation! the characters were fun and like able, the plot was really interesting and the aesthetic was unique.

A very enjoyable read. Easy to relax with. The story worked well here and keeps the reader engaged. Would like to see more books about the side characters such as Hanako, Sharon, Mr Farina, Dave and Patti. I think this would make a great setting for a series.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and to Berkley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This cover is stunning - the yellow?? The treasure map? The font? Ah, I'm a sucker for good covers and this is just such a good one.

So - first things first, I gushed over this book because it is written by Sarah Adler. Happy Medium was a favorite read of mine, and Mrs. Nash's Ashes is one I need to read ASAP.

So; I liked this one a lot - the setting of Catoctin really resonated with me as I've been there, I hiked there once with my brother, so I could picture it perfectly which helped the read to be overall much more immersive for me.

I love the childhood friends to lovers, the treasure hunt vibes... so fun. The competitive streak between the two was adorable, and the way that Nina responded to Quentin by getting all flustered and squirrely was one of my favorite parts. The spice was enjoyable (the window scene.... !), the strong and steady way that they rebuilt their friendship and ultimately got into a relationship that felt real. The whole book was a really fun read!

Sarah Adler has done it again! This is yet another fun, slightly quirky romance from her, and it really works. This follows two former childhood friends whose connection fell apart as they searched for a mysterious town treasure. They both end up back in their hometowns after losing their jobs and decide to try again to find the treasure. I adore childhood friends to lovers, so this obviously worked for me. Both of these characters are likable and charming, with big personalities. This isn't always the case for romance books, but I can also count on Sarah Adler for great character work. I can also count on her for unique plotlines, like a treasure hunt. I liked how this plot really utilized our main character's skills as an archivist, and made archivists/librarians look super cool. Also, the steamy scenes didn't make me cringe, which is a feat. I will say that I knew exactly how this would end, and what the third act conflict would be, but that didn't stop me from having a great time.

This would be great for romance readers looking for something new and fun. I think it will be a pleasant surprise for lots of readers.

I loved Quentin, and I liked Nina’s quirkiness but felt a little immature at times. My favorite character in this book was Nina’s mom lol. There were a couple laugh out loud moments and overall I enjoyed this book! I will read anything Sarah Adler writes.

Nothing seems to be going right for Nina. She's just lost her job and her boyfriend, and now she’s back living in her parents’ duplex (where her childhood best friend Quentin, who broke her heart before he left town, is back living next door). With no clear direction, Nina reluctantly agrees to pick up where they left off on their teenage quest, searching for hidden treasure at the estate of an eccentric millionaire who left a cryptic clue in his will. It’s mostly just something to do, and not because she still has feelings for him or anything (cough, cough). As their friendship slides back into a familiar rhythm, old feelings resurface, but so do doubts, miscommunications, and Nina’s ever-present anxiety. Can they find the treasure, and maybe themselves, along the way? This was a cute, heartfelt, and fun read with strong characters and emotional depth.

Sarah Adler's HAPPY MEDIUM was one of my favorite books last year, so I was very much anticipating her next! This cover is SO adorable and the synopsis sounded right up my alley!

It's hard to pinpoint why I didn't love this book like I wanted to. It even has my favorite trope-- second chance romance! Usually I am a sucker for any book with that trope. I think I just wasn't as invested in the treasure hunt aspect as I wanted to be. It was a big part of the book and ultimately took away from my enjoyment. This story was too slow for my liking and I wanted to feel more invested in the love story.

I’ve really enjoyed Sarah Adler’s previous books, “Mrs. Nash’s Ashes”, and “Happy Medium”. I so wanted to love this too. Something here didn’t work for me and I’m not really sure what that was. I just never felt fully invested in the story or 5e characters. I do think that this could be a great read for those looking for second act life stories. I’d advise to try this and see if it hooks you, but to let it go if it hasn’t in the first 20-30 pages.

TL;DR- Love Alder’s sense of humor and whimsy, but this wasn’t quite right for me.

Romance

I cannot stop thinking about this book. I love a childhood friends to lovers book. These two are hilarious and so fun. I laughed out loud. They both have had some hard knocks throughout their lives but they help make each other better.

They go searching for treasure together and somehow it unravels their past. They can work through their own miscommunications and history.

I think this is Sarah Adler’s best book!

#netgalley #netgalleyarc #sarahadlerbooks #finderskeepers #romancebook #romancebookstagram #romancebookaddict

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this one, but it just fell flat for me, sadly. Couldn’t ever fully connect with the characters & just never got fully invested in the story. Very sad about this because I loved this author’s previous book so much!

I had high hopes for this one - I love a good treasure hunt! - but this one sadly fell flat for me. I am not the biggest fan to begin with of the trope where the FMC acts like there’s no way the guy would like her, even when it’s really obvious he does. Beyond that she was just really shallow and obtuse about basically everything, which didn’t fit with the whole PhD thing. And I found the treasure hunt lackluster at best. Cute premise though, had potential.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sending this DRC for review consideration.

I always love Adler's books, and FINDERS KEEPERS is no exception. I loved the second chance romance mixed in with the mystery of finding the town treasure. There was a lot of heart and wit throughout this novel that made it a joy to read.

I love this author! Very cute, unique books and the setting is always cozy and interesting. I loved the main characters and thought it was a quick read.

I just don’t think Sarah Adler’d books are for me, and that’s okay! I DNFed this one at 30% because no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t really get into it. This was my second try with her books. I felt similarly to Mrs. Nash’s Ashes. I think my issue is that the author and I just have very different humor, and so I don’t resonate with the characters when they’re trying to be funny and it creates this wall between me and the story.

After a spectacular life collapse, Nina Hunnicutt finds herself back in her small hometown, newly single, jobless, and living with her parents. The last thing she expects is to run into Quentin Bell, her childhood best friend (and first crush), who ghosted her seventeen years ago after their friendship imploded. When Quentin suggests they pick up where they left off in a treasure hunt for a town legend’s buried fortune, Nina reluctantly agrees. What begins as a nostalgic adventure soon unearths old secrets, unresolved feelings, and a second chance that may just change everything.

Tropes
* Estranged childhood best friends to lovers
* Second chances
* Small-town nostalgia
* Treasure hunt/adventure
* Forced proximity
* Slow-burn romance
* Found vs. lost dreams
* Healing the past

Sarah Adler crafts a beautifully layered rom-com with emotional depth, whimsical charm, and a surprising dose of treasure-hunting fun in Finders Keepers. Nina and Quentin’s reconnection is awkward, sweet, and charged with the weight of everything left unsaid. Their dynamic is grounded in real history, and as the story unfolds, Adler masterfully weaves in both longing and hope. The treasure hunt is a clever narrative device, but the true reward is the emotional unearthing between the characters. Thoughtful, funny, and full of second-chance warmth, this book proves that sometimes, what’s lost isn’t gone, it’s just waiting to be found.

This had Sarah's usual humor and wit, but I was having a really hard time getting invested in the characters or conflict. I'm not sure if it was the overly cheesy dialogue from the FMC, or the seemingly lower stakes, but I was struggling to reach for this.

3.5 rounded up.

Mrs. Nash's Ashes was my fave from this author so I don't think this one can quite live up to that. But I did like it and think it was cute! Loved the second chance romance and the fun treasure hunt aspect. It was an enjoyable read but I just don't think it will be super memorable for me.

4 stars.

"Finders Keepers" by Sarah Adler is a wonderful childhood friends-to-lovers, forced proximity tale with a built-in treasure hunt element. I loved the main characters, Nina and Quentin, and how they resolved the rift in their relationship. I relished in the banter between the two of them. Their reconnection starts out quite rocky, but their spark is undeniable. The miscommunication element did make me side-eye it a little bit, but it's not so bad that it completely ruined the novel for me. This story made me smile and kick my feet A LOT, mainly because I guess I am a fan of second-chance stories this year??? There are seriously some good ones this year. I figured out what was going on early on in the book, but the ride to get there was still all in good fun. All in all, this is a great book and a quick read that I recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Adler, and Berkley Publishing Group for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.