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!

3.5 stars rounded up here - thanks to Berkley Romance for the ARC and PRH Audio for the audiobook!

I'll be the first to say: I love Sarah Adler's writing. I first fell in love with Happy Medium last year, and then DEVOURED Mrs. Nash's Ashes this year. I was so emotional in both of these stories and felt like the emotions were pulled straight from my heart. Finders Keepers lacked a little of that emotional depth from me, so I'm a little disappointed.

I did this one fully on audio, and I liked Mara Wilson's narration of this story. She has such range as a narrator, and it was very easy to listen to... almost too easy at times? The story is a little sleepy... a slow burn but it didn't ignite at any point for me. The quiet revelations about the story were different than I was expecting.

This is a second chance story for two former best friends/neighbors, who hunted for treasure one summer before everything fell apart. It took so long to figure out what fell apart, that I got a bit tired of the characters talking around the tragedy that ended their friendship. Both our main characters have also moved home as adults because of break-ups and lost jobs... and it was a little tiresome for them to both be uncertain about what comes next..... in basically every aspect of their lives. Job interviews, homes to sell, parents to please, treasure to hunt, old high school friends, crushes that were and crushes that are... it was just a lot going on in one story, and most of it lacked in the hope or tension that I crave from romance.

The premise was mostly good. The execution left me wanted that little something more. It was missing the magic and tension for me that Adler is masterful at in her other stories.

I'm looking forward to whatever comes next.

3.75/5 Stars

Nina Hunnicutt finds herself back in her hometown, forced to move in with her parents when her boyfriend dumped her, leaving her homeless, and jobless when her contract as a university history lecturer was not renewed. And it is just her luck that her estranged childhood best friend (and duplex neighbor) is ALSO back in town for the summer. Once inseparable, they had a falling out as teenagers right before Quentin moved away and haven’t seen each other since. But Quentin has no intentions of letting Nina get away with hiding from him all summer, and proposes that they spend the summer looking for the treasure on the hunt that destroyed their friendship as teens. Now older and wiser, they are determined to find the mysterious prize, but as old feelings resurface they need to decide if the past will stay as buried as the treasure.

This was a cute childhood-friends-to-lovers on a treasure hunt story! It was interspersed with interview clips from the man whose treasure they are trying to find, which added a fun historical/archival element to the book. I enjoyed their antics in trying to find the treasure and explore the estate while having to navigate around employees of the manor. Overall, it just led to a pretty fun set up with all of their shenanigans, and I love a childhood friends story where they can reflect back on other wild adventures they had as kids.

The two MCs were intriguing as well. I loved that they were both in similar positions in life of being dumped and in between jobs, but they took such different feelings from it. Nina could get a little irritating with her negative self talk, but I enjoyed the mental health representation with her anxiety and how often she talked herself through using tools her therapist taught her. The chemistry between these two was so fun too, as you could tell they both had it bad for each other for a long time, and the backyard/window scene was DELICIOUS.

I enjoyed the audio of this one and thought the narrator did a good job with it. She changed up her voices for the different characters, which I enjoyed, although I would have loved to see another narrator be used for the interview sections!

Overall, this was a fun and easy read, with some quirky characters, fun hijinks, and a good smatter of spice in between!

Thank you Berkley Romance and PRH audio for the arc/alc!

4.5 stars.

So much to love about this one. Sarah's writing makes me laugh then swoon then tear up. We have childhood best friends to almost lovers then estranged for like 15 years until they are back to next door neighbors, both going through major life transitions. Both have recently lost jobs and been broken up with and the FMC is back with her parents while she applies for jobs and the MMC is back to his divorced parents' empty house renovating it for sale. They of course run into each other and have instant chemistry. At first it's like their childhood shorthand and nostalgia and then it's all the things left unsaid coupled with being older and wiser to actually be able to talk about them.

The FMC is relatable in that she felt like she needed to succeed and have tangible proof she had value, not necessarily in a perfectionist way but more like things were hard for her parents when she was a kid and she took it upon herself to show she has value. So when she loses her best friend at 18 and then in this current time loses her almost tenured job and her 6 year relationship what "value" does she have left. In combination of her previous therapist, her family and her friend back in her life (as well as her other BFF) she finds herself again.

This is all set to the backdrop of a mini treasure hunt that I loved it was kind of understated to be able to focus on being a contemporary romance and about their budding relationship. Just a charming little side plot that helped force proximity them together. The -0.5 star is just that this happened more than once- they would agree to pretend they didn't know each other and then literally in the next dialogue reference something from the past but not even acknowledge that they JUST agreed to try something, just weird to me it happened more than once.

Thank you to Berkley for the free book!

This was my first venture into Sarah Adler's novels, and it won't be my last!

In short: Likeable, somewhat dorky MC's Nina and Quintin were best friends as kids/teens and had hidden crushes on each other. Flash forward to their 30s, and they are both newly jobless, recently single, and have temporarily moved back to their hometown. They embark on a continuation of their teenage challenge to uncover the local hidden treasure and, of course, fall in love! However, things aren't easy as they figure out their feelings for each other and how they'll discover their true career passions.

This was such a fun read! The treasure hunting was just ok for me, but I did like the ties to Nina's profession as a historian and how she was able to discover meaning in old texts. Quintin was hard not to love, and it was so obvious he had been pining for Nina for years. Nina was super funny and I enjoyed her internal monologue. Also, Nina's relationship with her mom was sweet and I loved that they were so close. I was so entertained by the nostalgia of Nina's memories from her teenage years (and the throwback songs during the bar scene!). This book was relatively PG until about halfway through, when the spice level increased several notches. The lying by one party at the end was frustrating and not cool, but otherwise I enjoyed this romance and can't wait to dig into Sarah Adler's backlist.

Thank you to Berkely and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a sucker for a treasure hunt story, especially when an unrequited childhood crush resurfaces, so I was really looking forward to this book. That said, I had a really hard time getting into this story. The idea was there, the premise was great, it just wasn't executed very well. The plot really dragged in places, and the chemistry between the characters just wasn't there.

Finders Keepers is the book for the nerdy kids who loved National Treasure and grew up into romcom readers. Yup, target audience reached. I though Finders Keepers was adorable. Two old friends reunite to resume the treasure hunt they stopped years ago and ended their friendship over? SIGN ME UP.

This book was everything you want in a romcom, a little banter, a lot of tension, and some treasure (of what kind though? you'll have to read- trust.) I will now be picking up everything that Sarah Adler writes as this book was so cutie I couldn't put it down. The way that Quentin was described had me feral...like a little rat. I love a man with a little banter (and that doesn't always like me back right away but more on that later.) Nina's desires is what drew me to her- I think we are alike in that we want to be what other people expect us to be/need. It only made me like her so much more.

Thank you to Berkley Romance and Netgalley for the digital advanced copy of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group & Sarah Adler for this arc copy. The following is my honest review.
I was so excited by the premise — a treasure hunt with my fave trope of a second chance romance? That setup had me hooked immediately. Also Sarah Adler’s humor truly shines here; there were moments I genuinely laughed out loud. Quentin’s character is charming and his voice kept things entertaining. Unfortunately Nina wasn’t as much.
I struggled with the pacing of this one which made it harder to buy into the central romance — though I’m not sure if that was the only thing keeping me from connecting. Around the halfway point, I found myself struggling to pick it back up despite the humor, which I must admit to loving. The ending wraps things up well overall, but a few elements (which I won’t spoil) irked me.
I wanted to love this — and there’s plenty here that might work better for others — but for me it ended up feeling more mid than outstanding.