Thanks to @berkleypub and @berkleyromance for the free published copy and e-ARC and to @prhaudio for the review copy of this audiobook!

I have loved Sarah Adler’s books since Mrs. Nash’s Ashes. So I have been anticipating this one all year. It did not disappoint.

Nina and Quentin are fun characters. Childhood best friends who grew up living side by side in a duplex. Their friendship fell apart after a summer they spent in their teens looking for a treasure an eccentric millionaire supposedly hid in their town. Now they’re both back home, licking their wounds after personal and professional disappointments, and the lure of the treasure draws them in again. They have to work through their baggage and see what went long in their relationship all those years ago.

I loved the anxiety rep and how anxiety mantras were used to further the storyline. The setting was memorable as well—The duplex they lived in. The small town. The eccentric old house where the treasure was rumored to be. The treasure hunt made for an exciting plot. I was very invested In the plot and it paid off!

The side characters added so much to the story. From the small town characters to the best friends to family. I loved her relationship with her mom.

The book is open door with great spice. That scene in the mushroom folly. 🥵 There is a third act breakup, but it furthers the story well.

The single POV lends itself well to a single audiobook narrator, and Mara Wilson does an excellent job with the various characters.

If you love great banter and small town mystery, be sure to pick this one up today.

Quentin. Quentin. Quentin. Nina. Nina. Nina. You silly little people. In love with each other your whole lives but take until your 30s to do something about it. You little scaredy cats 😂

This was my first Sara Adler book and it certainly won’t be my last. I am such a sucker for her writing style and story telling. The constant will they won’t they get out of their own damn way and just do the dang thing was soo fitting for these two characters. I mean it took them decades to not only admit their own feelings but realize how similarly they handled their feelings. One thing’s for sure, I won’t be looking at gardens the same way again 😮‍💨

Read if you like
✨friends to nothing to lovers
✨treasure hunt
✨it’s always been you
✨everyone knew but us

3.75 ⭐️

I really enjoyed reading Happy Medium last year so I was excited when I got this one on NetGalley!

This was cute and fun with a little adventure. Nina and Quentin are both back in their hometown and childhood homes after not speaking to each other for 17 years and life has left them both single and unemployed. After some groveling from Quentin, they decide to pick up on a real-life treasure hunt they started as kids.

I was actually hoping for a little more from the treasure hunting experience than we got. It felt kind of anticlimactic. And I also felt like the main characters were kind of immature for being in their 30’s??? A lot of the side love story issues would’ve been resolved if the characters just said what they were thinking lol.

I loved the mom and Sarah’s humor is top notch. I found myself laughing out loud at some parts!

So overall it was fun and I enjoy Sarah’s books! I still need to read Mrs. Nash’s Ashes!

3.5 stars

This was my first time reading anything by Sarah Adler, Finders Keepers was such a fun, feel-good surprise. It’s a second-chance romance about two estranged best friends who reunite years later to finish a treasure hunt they started as teens. It isn't like they planned this but circumstances in life have them back in their hometowns when life throws some curve balls their way.

Finders Keepers had just the right amount of emotional depth mixed with some quirky and lighthearted moments. There’s some humor sprinkled in, I found myself smiling at the banter and the ridiculous (but charming) situations the characters get into. It wasn't super deep or dramatic but it didn't need to be, this is the kind of book to pick up when you want something playful and adventurous.

I’m glad I gave Sarah Adler a try, I will be checking out her backlist.

My thanks to Berkley Publishing Group for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

Another amazing book by Sarah Adler! Another insta read author for meee!
Thank you Berkley for the ARC!

Nina and Quentin were childhood best friends and neighbors. Over the years, they drifted apart, but after life gets messy for them both, they end up back at their childhood home. They team up to find a lost treasure hidden by a pretty eclectic townsman (it's very
The Goonies meets Forrest Fenn).

We get such a cute and swoony journey of self discovery, growth, and love. I got totally caught up in the treasure hunt aspect of it, I loved that sub plot! There’s so much banter and a fantastic friends to lovers storyline that had me hooked from start to finish!

Thank you Berkley Romance for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

Mrs. Nash’s Ashes made Sarah Adler an autobuy author for me. I was SO excited for this book but sadly it fell short for me. I think it was missing the charm and wit I’ve gotten from her previous work. It was still a fun read and I think a great option for summer, but didn’t dethrone her other two books in the order I love them.

Synopsis:

“Last week, Nina Hunnicutt was a professor about to move into a gorgeous new apartment with her long-term boyfriend. Now, she’s single, unemployed, and living with her parents. Even more surprising is the fact that Quentin Bell, her childhood neighbor (and okay, fine, crush), is also back in town—and wants to resume the treasure hunt that ended their friendship almost two decades ago.Hoping the reward promised to whoever finds the rumored riches left behind by the town’s eccentric turn-of-the-century seltzer magnate will help her get her life back on track, Nina agrees. Granted, last time the search resulted in a broken heart and seventeen years of silence. But Nina’s older and wiser now. Surely things will be different?Except, Quentin is also older and wiser…not to mention distractingly handsome. As they resume their hunt, Nina and Quentin begin to rediscover all the things they once loved best about each other. But unlike the treasure, the secrets that left them empty-handed the first time refuse to stay buried. If there’s any hope of finding what they’re looking for—and for a future together—Nina and Quentin will have to be brave enough to excavate their past as well.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Premise—As a lover of a good treature hunting story (thanks to National Treasure) I was so excited for this romance!

The Banter—Sarah Adler always writes great banter and this being a second chance romance was a fantastic opportunity for that!

What Didn’t Work for Me:

The Pacing—It all felt so slow and so low stakes. There was no reason for them to find the treasure it felt like.

Romance felt like the B plot—It didn’t feel like there was anything at stake for their romance either! And very little tension.

Character Authenticity: 3/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 3/5

Content Warnings:

N/A

Two friends reunite years after a falling out to continue the scavenger hunt for a missing treasure they started when they were teens. I love a good quest novel and thought our two MCs were a cute match. This is a slow burn so if you want a slower paced book for these hot summer days this would be perfect.

if sarah writes it, i read it. i love that we got an anxiety representation, because i myself, suffer from severe anxiety and it made me feel i could connect to our fmc. i will say this wasn’t my fav from the author only because of the miscommunication between quentin and nina. i will say i didn’t feel as connected to the actual story line but still had a good time! definitely a great romance for summertime adventures!

nina is newly single, unemployed, and living with her parents again. she’s surprised to see her childhood neighbor (and crush) quentin is back in town and wants to resume the very treasure hunt that ended their friendship two decades ago. nina agrees to this in hopes for the promised reward to get her life back on track. as they continue their hunt, they rediscover the things they once loved about one another.

tropes: estranged friends to lovers, lots of banter, historical small town setting, treasure hunt, anxiety/depression rep

This one felt slow and uneven to me despite the intrigue of the treasure hunt. The romance felt awkward and the open door sex scenes felt incongruous to the rest of the book (I'm pro open-door romance, but not when it feels forced just to have spice on page.) The interviews made the book feel choppy and took me out of the book every time.

This has a quirky, charming premise and some sweet, lighthearted moments. The idea behind the story was fun, and there were times the banter made me smile. But overall, it didn’t fully hook me the way I hoped it would.
The pacing felt a bit uneven, and I had a hard time connecting deeply with the characters. Some emotional moments and backstory had real potential but didn’t feel fully fleshed out. It ended up being more of a breezy read than a memorable one for me.
That said, readers looking for a low-stakes, whimsical romance might still really enjoy it. It just wasn’t quite my cup of tea.

Okay, I really enjoyed this one! I loved Quentin and Nina as a couple. I was so smitten with them. They had me smiling and swooning. They had excellent banter and delicious tension. I adored how Quentin was so gone for Nina and just went along with all her awkwardness and humored her. He was so charismatic and charming, but also goofy. I enjoyed that they were both pretty quirky and nerdy. I also appreciated the anxiety representation! It was lovely to see them heal from the past, grow and learn from their mistakes, and reconnect, finding something even stronger and more beautiful with each other in the present.

I loved how seamlessly the memories of their past was interwoven with the present. I found myself so invested in learning more about what went wrong between them and the justification for all the years they weren’t in eachother’s lives. Often, I fell like second chance romances can spend too much time on the past without convincing you enough in the present or too much time in the present without giving enough of their history to make you feel invested. I thought that this book actually got the balance right and did this trope very well. I felt like I got enough of their past to feel invested but also enough of their present to feel convinced.

I enjoyed the incorporation of the (fictional) oral history element that not only was fun alongside their treasure hunt and definitely made you more curious about that, but also served as a nice parallel to the main couple’s relationship. It helped to highlight the message that we need to be careful not to get so caught up in the stories we tell ourselves that we miss what is real in front of us—sometimes that is love. I thought it this was well-done as a way to tie the whole story together and to underline the importance of recognizing and expressing our feelings. The authors note at the end about the oral history element was really interesting too!

My only complaints keeping this from a 5 star rating:

I will say that I did get a little frustrated with the lack of communication/ miscommunication that came up so often in this book (especially with Quentin’s avoidance and omissions). So many of their issues and conflicts could’ve been resolved with a conversation. That said Nina’s inner narrative—with all of her assumptions—could be a bit frustrating at times (then again, so is the inner narrative of anyone living with anxiety). To be fair, I guess the poor communication and insecurity is fairly realistic when we think of the maturity of teenagers and how anxiety and insecurity can affect behavior and communication even in adulthood. When we don’t know the truth and we don’t ask, we often fill in the blanks with less favorable assumptions that reflect our insecurities. 🤷‍♀️

I also wish they hadn’t spent quite as much time out of eachother’s lives (like ages 17 to 25 instead of 15 to 32). It would’ve made their reconnecting more convincing (as opposed to 17 years of no contact)—in my opinion, the time apart shouldn’t have been longer than the time they had spent together if I was supposed to believe they never stopped loving eachother and could pick things back up, reconnect, and rekindle old feelings after all that time. 🤷‍♀️ Though, to be fair, I thought the author did a good job with slowly developing the reconnection and having Nina kind of fight it as she was working through her feelings about their past so at least their reconnection and the development of the romance in the present didn’t feel rushed which helped it to feel more believable!

Thank you to Sarah Adler, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely loved this book! From the bad assery that is Nina Hunnicutt to the sweet person Quentin Bell. I loved the whole frenemies to lovers troupe paired with the treasure hunt they embark on. I’m always a sucker for a second chance, the way their love was rekindled was so heart warming.

Thank you to Berkeley Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this as an eARC.

After how much fun I had with Happy Medium, I had high hopes for this one. But where I loved the humour in Happy Medium, it isn't landing for me in Finders Keepers. At almost 30% in, the plot hasn't actually started, and the book has not been as fun as the synopsis promised. I'm not connecting with the characters either, so I think this is just not the book for me. Because of this, I decided to DNF.

This is such a sweet, entertaining, and creative story! If you love childhood besties reuniting after decades and living out a sloooow burn, definitely check this one out! Quentin and Nina are both back in their hometown, and the houses they grew up in next door to each other, after not speaking for almost 2 decades. What better way to get reacquainted than with a treasure hunt?! I loved the humor, and how real and raw the characters are.

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the ARC!

Finders Keepers by Sarah Adler is a delightful blend of second-chance romance, small-town nostalgia, and the thrill of hidden treasure—both literal and emotional.

Nina Hunnicutt thought her life was on track—until a breakup, job loss, and a return to her childhood home throw everything into question. Enter Quentin Bell, her once-best-friend and long-forgotten crush, who’s back in town and eager to resume the legendary treasure hunt that ended their friendship seventeen years ago. As the two sift through cryptic clues from a local seltzer magnate's long-lost fortune, old wounds and long-buried feelings resurface.

Adler weaves humor, warmth, and quiet vulnerability into Nina’s voice, making her journey deeply relatable for anyone who’s ever faced a hard reset in life. The chemistry between Nina and Quentin simmers beneath years of miscommunication and unspoken regret, making their emotional arc as satisfying as the treasure chase itself.

This story is tender, funny, and full of heart—perfect for readers who love romance with a nostalgic twist and a mystery that pulls at more than just curiosity.

This was fun! Who hasn’t dreamed of finding a treasure at some point of their life?

Nina and Quentin sure have: they were on the hunt for a famed treasure in their small town when they lost touch as teens. Can the hunt be resumed now that they’re adults who have moved back for the summer?

I think you know the answer!

It’s cute and funny and a great summer read. Especially if you loved Sarah’s previous books (like Mrs. Nash’s Ashes), but also if she’s new to you, I recommend!

Thank you (so much!) to @berkleyromance and @netgalley for the advanced reading copy! As always, opinions are my own.

The blurb and plot sounded a very interesting! Unfortunately, it fell a little flat for me. I felt like I was more interested in the treasure hunt’s history and story more than the main characters’. The addition of the 2 explicit scenes felt unnecessary and like the author was trying too hard to include that type of scene in her book. Overall, the book just felt like it was missing the depth that could’ve made it in even better story.

One of my biggest frustrations with romance novels is that, due to the industry-standard length, it can be difficult to write a well-paced book. Sarah Adler shines at writing well-paced books in which characters experience meaningful emotional growth and development. The treasure hunt, as a device, worked well to bring (and keep) the characters together. It was a fun, fast read, and I'll be recommending it to those looking for a well-written romance.

I was really intrigued by the premise of this book - a treasure hunt and romance! However, this one fell flat for me. The actual treasure hunt was confusing and didn’t seem totally fleshed out. The romance part seemed a bit awkward and jumped around a lot.

I love the idea of two childhood friends reconnecting over a treasure hunt they started as kids. I thought Sarah Adler did a great job of balancing the romance and the humor along with the heartfelt emotion that these characters were feeling. I loved both Nina and Quentin, and loved going along with them as they went treasure hunting, especially when they were exploring the estate.

I just really enjoyed this from beginning to end, and look forward to whatever Sarah Adler is going to come out with next!