Meags's Reviews > Finders Keepers

4.5 Stars

If you’re looking for a feel-good M/M romance with absolutely zero relationship angst, then this is the story for you.

Griffin Burke has just moved to Coolum Beach (on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland) to start a new job. While out and about discovering his beautiful new town, he stumbles across a fluffy little dog that seems to be lost and scared. As all decent people would, Griffin takes the pup home and loves on him a ridiculously cute amount, finally calling the number on the dog tag and letting the owner know his dog is safe and sound.

Dane Hughes is away on a work conference when he gets the news that his dog has “escaped” his parents’ house. In a panic but with nothing he can do being stuck miles away, Dane waits it out and hopes for the best. A few days later he gets a call from a stranger named Griffin, saying that his dog, Wicket, has been found and is being cared for up in Coolum. They agree to leave Wicket in Griffin’s care until Dane returns from his work trip, with the two young men deciding to communicate back and forth via text, calls and shared photos during that time.

Brought together by an adorably intuitive dog, Griffin and Dane hit it off immediately. Conversation is effortless between the two, and soon enough both men begin to acknowledge that there is some serious relationship potential at play between them, especially once they get a glimpse of each other via shared selfies and realise they have the hots for each other physically as well as mentally and emotionally.

Once Dane returns from his conference, he and Griffin begin to date, initially attempting to take things slow even though their feelings and their mutual attraction is immense. Before they know it, the whole “let’s-take-it-slow” thing goes out the window and they're all boyfriend-ed up and loving on each other in a beautifully sweet and possibly forever kind of way.

I loved this story; it provided all the warm and fuzzies I could ever need. Dane and Griffin’s growing relationship was all things sweet and easy, with a natural progression that felt spot on perfect to me and with absolutely zero relationship angst along their way to a spectacular HEA.

The entire cast of characters were a welcomed treat, but ultimately, it was the dog that shined the brightest. I gave my heart away completely to little Wicket and I don’t care if I ever get it back. He was one of the most vibrant little animals I’ve ever come across on page, full of personality and exhibiting all the cute and ridiculous little doggie traits a dog owner/lover would expect to see. He was just too cute for words.

My absolute favourite thing about this story was the sunny, laid-back setting of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Growing up holidaying every year in Caloundra (close to the main book settings of Maroochydore and Coolum) is practically the scene of some of my absolute favourite memories from my childhood (with my family) and early twenties (with my friends). When you know a book setting really well in real life it’s hard not to read with a critical eye, looking for inconsistencies and assessing the legitimacy of the scene being set. Having said that, N.R. Walker absolutely nailed everything here, from the gorgeous tropical and beachy scenery, to the mood and vibe of the people and places mentioned. Reading this story made me incredibly nostalgic and I’m more than impressed by the way Walker captured my favourite place on Earth with such accuracy and love.

Finders Keepers has definitely been a great reading experience for me and now solidly stands in amongst (several of) my favourite Walker reads.