4⭐️
2🔥

Quick Breakdown

Childhood Rivals to Lovers
Second Chance
Next Door Neighbors
Treasure Hunting
Mental Health Rep
Slow Burn
Single POV
Open Door - Mild to Moderate

Thank you @berkleyromance for the gifted eARC & finished copy & @prhaudio for the ALC #berkleypartner

Down on her luck Nina returns to her small town Maryland home after loosing her job & boyfriend in rapid succession. She’s shocked to find Quentin, her once childhood friend / rival (& crush, too), is back living next door & acting familiar as if he didn’t essentially ghost her nearly two decades prior. Knowing she could use the win, Quentin suggests they take up the treasure hunt they stated year ago. The local eccentric seltzer magnate was rumored to promise riches to whoever found what he’d hidden, something Nina needs to restart a life out of her hometown. But the more they search, the more grown up Nina & Quentin understand each other, with old feelings & new potential barreling in.

I’ve yet to find a Sarah Adler book I didn’t love. Finders Keepers is a slower burn, taking me a short time to settle into the romance, but then I was quickly hooked. It’s nerdy & quirky - two things I identify myself as, which *might* have something to do with why I connect with her writing so much.

Nina & Quentin knew each other as bumbling teens, attempting & failing to transition their big feelings into the possibility of something more. It was a joy to see how each grew in their time apart & yet so much stayed the same. I found Nina quite relatable in how a series of events as a teenager affected her as an adult.

Despite being one of my most anticipated reads. I held off on picking this up until the audiobook became available to me. I’d listened to Sarah’s previous work & once I’d heard that the great Mara Wilson would be narrating Finders Keepers, too, I knew it’d be worth the wait. Her voice is time & again a perfect match for Sarah’s characters & humor. My enjoyment was definitely enhanced listening while reading along.

This was a delightfully witty romcom! I’d say it’s about 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

I really enjoyed the character growth of each MC, as well as the unique storyline of the hidden treasure. There were unique laugh out loud moments and then deeply reflective moments throughout.

I enjoyed the side characters, especially Nina’s mom. I found the characters to be relatable, especially the idea of starting over in your 30s and coming home after a time away.

I will definitely be recommending this book!

Thank you Berkley and PRH Audio for free copies of this book.

Finders Keepers is a cute second-chance, friends to lovers story interwoven with a treasure hunt. When Nina loses her job and boyfriend, she moves home to live with her retired parents and figure out what’s next. While home, she reconnects with her childhood best friend and long-time crush and they pickup the treasure hunt from when they were teenagers. Their time together brings up old feelings, and they have to work through those feelings and rediscover their connection as the adults they are now.

Things I loved about this book: the moments of 90’s nostalgia, the treasure hunt aspect, the beautiful passages about life and love, Nina’s mom who was hilarious and heartwarming. It was also incredibly relatable for those who struggle with perfectionism / high achieving and figuring out their path in life.

Favorite quote: “Love, when it’s real, doesn’t require you to be someone different. It just makes you even more solidly yourself.”

I really struggled with the pacing of this book, it felt too slow and took me out of the story at times. The miscommunication between Nina and Quentin ultimately made me so mad, and I was ready to give up. I’m glad I pushed through, because the final chapters were cute, but overall this story ended up being underwhelming for me.

🎧: I cannot believe this was one narrator! Mara Wilson killed it in differing the many character voices and making it super easy to follow the style of this book.

I do think this book would’ve made a little more sense if I had read it instead of listening. The transcript style chapters didn’t translate as well in audio form, and as a result, I didn’t care about the character in those pages as much.

Finders Keepers was … okay. It was a lovely story but it just didn’t grab me the way I had hoped that it would. I found myself putting down the book and not rushing to pick it back up again, so it took me much longer than it should have to finish it. (I was really looking forward to reading this, as I’ve seen so many great things about Mrs. Nash’s Ashes by this author.)

Nina and Quentin grew up next door to each other (literally, since theirs was a semi-detached house (they share a common wall) in a town in western Maryland. They were pretty much inseparable until Quentin’s family divorced when he was 15 and he moved away to live with one parent elsewhere. They hadn’t spoken since then and now they’re both 32. When each of them experience a personal and career disaster, they separately move back to the town they grew up in, at least temporarily. And so they reconnect.

I didn’t care much for the FMC, Nina. I felt she was very immature for most of the book, obsessing over the MMC’s, Quentin’s body like she was still a teenager. Quentin seemed the more mature of the two, but that was dispelled late in the book. They both were still dealing with the fallout of dumb stuff they did (or didn’t) do when they were teens. They were now old enough and mature enough to have a real conversation about things that happened that summer when they were 15. Instead, it got drawn out.

The title refers to a treasure hunt of sorts, although there’s no digging despite the cover depicting Nina with a shovel. The two of them decide to renew the search they had abandoned when Quentin moved away all those years ago. Their story is interspersed with transcripts of interviews from 1937 that they hope will lead to figuring out the puzzle and finding the treasure. (The Author’s Note at the end was quite interesting.)

Nina has a lot of insecurity and anxiety and we get a LOT of her thoughts along the way. I did enjoy her constantly thinking about the best case, worst case, and most likely scenarios when she was anxious about something.

Warning: There are some explicit scenes later in the story.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Massive thank you to Berkley for the eARC and PRHA for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

Excuse me, but how can I go and re-read this book for the first time because this was FUN. I always know when I pick up a book by Sarah Adler that I am setting myself up for a fun read. I'm going to laugh, I'm going to swoon, I'm going to just want to immerse myself in the story and not want it to end.

Coming of age stories are usually about teenagers, but I think, especially in western society given the economy, politics, and all that jazz, people end up having a few "coming of age" times of their lives, whether they like it or not. Nina and Quentin are experiencing their first 'coming of age' as an adult. They have both lost their jobs. They've moved home - Nina to her parents, Quentin to his childhood home to fix it up to sell - both have broken up from their long-term partners, and neither knows exactly what to do next. So they fall back into their adolescent treasure hunt activities while balancing out their attraction to one another (note: said attraction started when they were teens and then was interrupted by circumstances).

Former best friends who haven't spoken in years, they have a lot to catch up on. Shared memories, feelings not acted upon, resentments, secrets....
Sarah Adler weaves a story that is engaging and delightful, putting two people into situations in which they are forced to wrestle with their feelings for each other, and also try to determine what comes next in life.

I'm so glad Sarah Adler gets paid to write books so that I can then read them.

This one had all the makings of a five-star read: a rock-bottom reunion, a second-chance spark with tangled teenage history, and even a treasure hunt to up the stakes. Sarah Adler’s signature emotional honesty was definitely present, but the execution didn’t land for me.
The pacing dragged, the narrative felt disjointed, and that treasure hunt? Underbaked and barely thrilling. Quentin’s charm read more smug than swoony, and his late-story character turn left me cold. I also struggled with the tonal shifts—one minute it was lust, the next nostalgia, then sudden romance—with not enough connective tissue to make it cohesive.
What started as a compelling setup fizzled into something uneven and emotionally tangled.

Enjoyed this second chance romance between Nina and Quentin. Loved the finding treasure aspect and their connection to their hometown. Wished that we got to understand the reason why there was such a rift between the main characters early on, seemed to drag on a bit. Overall, would definitely still recommend to romance lovers! I also loved that their houses growing up were next to each other.

Another win from Sarah Adler! I love how she writes very real characters and the banter is amazing. I don't believe she can write a bad book and I will continue to read anything she writes.
thank you for the advanced copy!

I really loved Sarah Adler's last book so I was disappointed that this one didn't work for me as well. I thought Quentin and Nina had great chemistry but I felt like they had a lot of miscommunication and they were both very recently out of long term relationships. I was worried they both had issues to work through.

I also didn't relate a lot to Nina which is surprising given that I am a PhD who struggled to find work and recently took a job in my hometown. I did have times when I worried about not getting to experience things and worried about getting stuck but it was much more when I was in my late teens. Some of her fears seemed a bit juvenile.

I think if you love childhood best friends second chance books this one might be for you but if miscommunication is a pet peeve maybe skip this one.

Finders Keepers is a whimsical, heartwarming romance with a quirky premise—a ghost, a road trip, and a second chance at love. Sarah Adler blends humor, charm, and emotion in a story that’s both touching and delightfully offbeat.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: I have enjoyed Sarah Adler's books and writing style. I typically find her to be a deep connective writer with well thought out and deep main characters. However, Finders Keepers I think was meant for a more tame audience (and I don't mean in explicit content). Unfortunately, I didn't really enjoy either main character or their personalities but specifically the female main character. This just comes entirely down to personal preference. Because of that I ultimately did not enjoy this book. One thing I did find interesting is there is some mixed media about the treasure hunting which was interesting and we go back and forth from the past to the present. Childhood friends to lovers is a trope I enjoy, I think the female main character just really rubbed me the wrong way in this one. I still really enjoy Sarah Alder and will continue to reach her books!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing this ARC!

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me around 50%. While I enjoyed the hilarious writing style of Finders Keepers, I found it really difficult to get invested. The plot didn't feel engaging enough – it was almost as though Quentin’s re-appearance in Nina’s life felt too obvious? I just don’t think the author did a good enough job providing the tension and longing that is crucial in a second chance romance.
The secret treasure plot, which sounds fun in theory, was a little bit “meh” in execution. This wasn’t a bad book by any means but it just didn’t grab me.

I was really excited to read this book (also my first Sarah Adler book). And I really wanted to love this one. I thought the premise sounded adorable - FMC and MMC reconnect as adults due to forced proximity (both end up back at their childhood homes at the same time) and decide to pick up searching for a potential hidden treasure on an old estate after they never finished this adventure they were assigned in high school together. Of course old feelings come up…they were besties in high school after all. Unfortunately, I had a really hard time connecting with this book. The beginning 30-40% was incredibly slow for me with too much unnecessary detail thrown in. I also had a hard time with Quentin’s (MMC) “quirky” way of saying things in a fake French accent all the time. It seemed super cheesy to me and a little off-putting, but that’s probably just personal preference. Overall, the storyline was cute, but I struggled to keep picking the book up.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for sending me the eARC of Finders Keepers.**

If you loved National Treasure, you are going to enjoy this book!
We have two people who were childhood friends but are now estranged.
They both end up back home and decide it's time to resume a treasure hunt that they started 17 years ago.
Nina and Quentin were so cute as main characters.
Needless to say, they find their way back together. It was cheesy but fun to read.
This is a fun and easy read to add to your summer TBR.
Tropes: childhood friends, a treasure hunt, second chance romance, and open door.
The characters are developed. They are easily relatable.
The plot is well structured. The pace is a bit slow in some areas of the book, but overall, the pace is great for the context of the book.
The book kept me engaged because it was fun.
This was my first Sarah Adler book, but it will not be my last!
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
Happy Reading!

Finders Keepers is Sarah Adler’s newest romantic comedy filled with quirky characters. It’s a romance between estranged childhood friends who become reacquainted when their lives fall apart and they each return to their hometown to regroup. They decide to search for a treasure that was instrumental in ending their friendship 17 years earlier. The story is told in present tense from Nina’s POV, but contains many memories of past events.
32-year-old Nina Hunnicutt’s life has just imploded. She was a history lecturer at a private college in Boston who was ensured a full-time position. Instead, she was a victim of budget cuts. When she sought comfort from her long-distance boyfriend of six years, she discovered that he had already moved into their new apartment without her. Since she had a sub-lease on her place, she had no choice but to move back to her parents’ home in Catoctin, Maryland. Upon arriving home and crashing in her childhood bedroom, she learns that her childhood friend has also moved back into his parents’ duplex next door.
Quentin Bell’s childhood home was full of tension between his career-driven parents, so he spent most of his time next door at the Hunnicutt’s home. As both he and Nina were the same age and only children, they were constant companions and best friends until his parents’ divorce and his subsequent move to Michigan with his mom at age 15. He earned a law degree and worked at an international firm in Paris, until his engagement ended recently. His law firm chose his fiancée’s father’s business over him, so he lost his work visa and had to return to the United States. He is thrilled to receive loving support and delicious meals from the senior Hunnicutts while he figures out his next steps.
Quentin convinces Nina to spend two months of the summer helping him look for the treasure that consumed their days during their last summer together. He promises her that she can keep $7000 of the $10,000 prize if they find the treasure. Nina is thrown off by Quentin’s changed appearance; he’s a handsome man who’s suave and polished. She’s leery of talking about the events that led up their friendship ending 17 years ago, but they need to work through it in order to move forward. Complicating things is that Nina had developed a crush on Quentin and was hoping that they would have their first kiss. As Nina and Quentin spend time together, their old friendship is resurrected, and romantic feelings begin to surface.
I really loved this author’s debut book, Mrs. Nash’s Ashes, so I was thrilled to discover that Finders Keepers is similar in tone and writing style. Her characters are quirky, fun, and lovable so that readers can’t help but root for them to find their happy ending. The character’s emotions are genuine, so the reader experiences their feelings right along with them. The descriptions are so clear that the reader feels like they are watching a movie. While both Nina and Quentin’s lives were a hot-mess, Nina was determined to pull herself up by her bootstraps and channel Ambitious Nina and Badass Nina. Her inner monologues were particularly hilarious.
In addition to being a romantic comedy, Finders Keepers contained some mystery elements as Nina and Quentin searched for the missing treasure. Nina’s character development was enjoyable to read because she was so funny and plucky. Her parents were wonderful people, especially her mother, Patti. The many childhood memories from Nina and Quentin’s early years reminded me of The Goonies movie. Finders Keepers is definitely a romantic comedy that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages, from teen-agers to senior citizens.
I received an advance review copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Nina Hunnicutt could use a win. She’s just lost her job and broken up with her boyfriend. Moving back in with her parents was one thing, but finding out her ex-best friend is back next door is another. Quentin wants to resume their hunt for a fabled local treasure, and Nina can’t pass down the chance to right some wrongs.

This was fun! The treasure hunt aspect added a lot of intrigue and adventure to the second chance romance. At time both Nina and Quentin made me crazy with their choices and communication, but overall I was rooting for them to get their happily ever after together!

I was sooo excited for this book!!! A slow burn, romcom, second chance romance, childhood friends, GIVE MEEEEEE!!! I thought the treasure hunt aspect of the book was quite different and fun! I will say that sometimes the jokes fell flat for me but overall, I still enjoyed the reading experience!

I think this book is worth the read for anyone looking for a cute, quick little romcom this summer!

Finders Keepers: ★★★☆☆ (3)

Pub date: out now!!

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group & netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Such a fun and positive book! I’ve never read books about treasure hunting so it was a nice change of ice. I’m also thankful that the author wrote about thirty something year old characters, super refreshing. It seems a lot of books feature twenty year olds and not as relatable towards older population.

Overall, it was a fun book to read, appropriately paced and included some history which I love.

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Berkley Publishing Group.

Last week, Nina Hunnicutt was a professor about to move into a gorgeous new apartment with her long-term boyfriend. Now, she is 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 is any hope of finding what they are looking for—and for a future together—Nina and Quentin will have to be brave enough to excavate their past as well.

For starters, I loved Mrs. Nash's Ashes so I was so excited that Adler came out with a new book, but Finders Keepers was so slow. Every time I stopped reading, I had the hard time of picking it back up. I also never felt truly invested in Nina or Quentin, so it was hard to root for them. The way the interviews broke up and was in between chapters, it did mess up the flow/story a bit for me. The treasure hunt was an intriguing addition, but it was also sometimes just too cheesy. There were some cute parts but other times it felt forced. I did wish the treasure hunt had more spark or a twist but sadly it did not. It did have potential but it ended up being flat, underdeveloped and was a little underwhelming. Overall, it was still a pretty fun storyline and I think many will enjoy it. Not a bad read, just not a favorite, but I will still be recommending everyone to read Mrs. Nash's Ashes and I cannot wait to see what Adler's next book will be.

When we meet Nina, she is going through some things. She has just lost her teaching job, her boyfriend, and she has had to return to her hometown and move back in with her parents. The situation is not ideal, to say the least, especially when Nina realizes that Quentin, her estranged childhood best friend who she also had a crush on, is also back in town, and living next door. After an awkward reunion, Quentin convinces Nina they should revisit a treasure hunt they were in the middle of the last time they saw each other nearly 20 year ago, a treasure hunt that actually ended their friendship.

I love a second chance romance and I love it even more when it features childhood best friends. It was really sweet to watch these two reconnect. They clearly have so much history and I enjoyed how they interacted with one another once they got past their initial awkwardness and started to remember all of the things they loved best about each other. The treasure hunt added a fun little adventure to help reestablish that connection between them and I loved all of the banter between them while they were hunting.

The romance is a slow burn because there are things that need to be dealt with first. Not only is Nina still dealing with all of those things that drove her back home in the first place, but seeing Quentin again has reopened old wounds and the two of them have to work through what happened in their own past if they want to explore any of the new feelings they’re experiencing towards one another after all these years.

Overall, I thought it was a fun read with plenty of humor and heart.