This was absolutely Hilarious, I binged it in 2 days! I loved the characters and the mishaps along the way. It had Real problems but also some Unbelievable ones which made it a fun listen.

This was such a fun book!!
I had seen great things about this whole series but never really read what they were about.
I enjoyed every moment of suspense and craziness Finlay got herself into in this book. Can’t wait to read the next one

Had a really good time with this one. Can’t wait to read more by Elle Cosimano! I didn’t find it as funny as as everyone claims it is but did have a fun time with it!

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you, NetGalley and publishers.

Finley Donovan is Killing it is the first book in a mystery series perfect for everyone who loves the hijinks of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum or the determination of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey. Newly divorced mom of two Finley is having a particularly awful day. Her older daughter just gave herself a haircut with the kitchen scissors and her younger son is liberally decorating with waffles and syrup. She’s late to a meeting with her long suffering agent about her next novel and the bills are piling up. When a mistreated wife overhears Finley’s conversation with her agent, she concludes that Finley is an assassin. Thus begins a comedy of errors with some very big stakes.

Excited to finally read these! Finlay Donovan is as good as everyone said it was, can't believe I waited this long.

Thanks to Netgalley for giving me a nudge in the form of free copies of previous books.

This book is funny and murderous! Just imagine going in to panera as a writer struggling to write your next book and come out a hit woman. It qas such a new idea when it first came out and I ate this book up.

4.5 ⭐️
I loved the premise of this book. A writer gets caught up in a “murder for hire” scenario that ends up inspiring her next book. I liked how everyone ended up connected into the story. And boy did it end with A CLIFFHANGER! I will definitely be continuing this series.

4 stars for a madcap story about a single mother and aspiring writer. Finlay Donovan meets with her publisher at a Panera restaurant and they discuss her overdue book plot. A woman overhears part of the conversation and wants to hire Finlay to kill her husband. Findlay is tempted by the money, but doesn't want to kill anyone.
This begins a wild story with multiple twists and turns. Finlay gets involved with some dangerous people and a police detective.
She gets help from her nanny Vero.
Some other characters in the book:
Steven Donovan, her ex husband.
Patricia Mickler, who thinks Finlay is a contract killer
Harris Mickler, Patricia's husband
Georgia, Finlay's sister
There is no graphic violence or sex, but some bad language.
I recommend this book to mystery fans.
Thank you St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.

What a fun fast read. Perfect amount of humor and mystery, with a little light romance to boot. Ill definitely be reading the next one!

I had heard a lot about this series before I started it, but it was not at all what I was expecting. This was such a funny, light-hearted start to the series that also had a hint of seriousness. I found myself dying to know what would happen next. Finlay was so relatable with how she felt like she was failing as a mother and I enjoyed her fumbling through life. Vera was such an awesome sidekick for her and I adored how they became this dynamic duo even though they didn’t know each other very well.

Fun blend of cozy, thrilling, funny, and fluff. I had heard a lot about this series and yet it wasn’t what I expected going into it. I was pleasantly surprised to finally understand the hype.

This book was hilarious! Such a great lighthearted read with some hints of seriousness. Can’t wait to continue the series!

Favorite Quotes:

Shame wasn’t a color that existed in Theresa’s wardrobe.

...certain things about motherhood had always eluded me, and cooking had been one of them. Apparently, marriage had been the other.

My Review:

I gleefully bounced in my chair and frequently laughed aloud while I inhaled this amusing and cleverly penned series. I loved every well-chosen arrangement of words. Elle Cosimano is absolutely brilliant, and her Finaly Donovan creation is a gift. Poor Finaly, she was a semi-successful writer who had an ex-husband who couldn’t keep it in his pants and a toddler who refused to keep his pants on, or toilet train. Finaly was a hot mess.

Her adventures started with an inadvertent slip of paper on a Panera tray, which eventually led her to helping various women living in difficult situations who were “seeking a specialist with a certain skill set.” Finaly didn’t actually have the skill set, but she and Vero, her ever helpful nanny, kept managing to accidentally kill bad people, some they were supposed to, others just had the bad luck to die in their vicinity.

The engaging storylines were active, eventful, smartly plotted, and populated with a colorful cast of oddly compelling characters, many of whom were unlikable, yet quirkily and knowingly drawn. I downed six in a row and finished the last one hoping there are more to come.

Woow, I didn’t expect to love this book so much!!
This book is from the P.O.V. of a recently divorced mother who is trying to navigate being a single mother while attempting to be the next loved author. The way Finlay kept finding herself in the worst-case scenarios but somehow managing to dig herself out is just crazy. It had me constantly yelling “why would you do that” at the pages to put some common sense back into that girl. What made me loved this book even more was the cliffhanger!!! I will definitely be picking the next book in the series. I have to know why is his name on there.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book!

So much fun! This book was a wild ride with a goofy protagonist who’s kind of a mess and her ride or die sidekick. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book and just read it on a whim because it looked interesting, and I immediately wanted to read the next one as soon as I put this down. Sure, it’s a little silly and they make a lot of questionable decisions, but that’s what makes it such a fun read. I thoroughly enjoyed the weird characters and Finlay’s family dynamic. She’s someone you can simultaneously facepalm at and root for, and I’m pretty sure I would read any book that includes her.

This book is a big ball of fun! It reminds me of a modern take on the Stephanie Plum series. I mean seriously it kept me in stitches the entire time. A mom trying to make it through the day is confused for a hitman.

It's hilarious and still puts forth a truth. It's entertaining and mysterious. It's quirky with relatable characters. I loved the banter between everyone and how it can just not take itself too seriously.

I highly recommend this on audio. The material lends well to it and Angela Dawe was a great choice to be the voice of the series. She nails the brevity and the seriousness. She narrates the kids as well as the adults. It was the whole package of a listen.

I really liked the style of this book. It made me feel like I knew the main character. This is a fun read. It has humor, mystery and some absurdity which made me laugh. I think this would be a good beach read. It is about a woman who is married to a cheater and how she has to deal with issues that he is involved with too. I love the fact that there are more books in the series and look forward to having another adventure with Finlay Donovan in the near future. I recommend this book for anyone who likes a funny mystery with a strong woman at the core.

Much thanks to Elle Cosimano, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this! A brilliantly written novel. The mystery had so many layers; every time I thought we'd finally figured it out, a plot twist would peel back another layer. Involving the Russian mob might be rather trite, but it really took things up a notch.

I love that Finlay's an Everywoman, though I've always thought it was lazy for authors to make their characters authors. But Cosimano really put that cliche to work, so I'd say she earned it. Vero I didn't like as much as I wanted to; I'm not really sure why. Something just rubbed me wrong about her. Maybe her willingness to pursue a career as an assassin.

I thought it was really interesting that Cosimano inverted expectations when it came to the love interest; Nick was a little too sure of success, maybe a little too full of himself, and while he was kind and charming, I also got the feeling he wasn't listening to Finn. Julien listened, but he also didn't feel like someone who'd want to take on kids; he has a lot of hard learning and debt ahead of him, and a bartender's schedule doesn't line up well with kids's. Julien felt like the impossible love Finlay will only get a taste of and forever remember fondly while in a much more practical match with Nick. I'm curious to see where the romance goes.

This is such a fun, easy read! Very unrealistic, but an enjoyable take of a “crime” novel. Recommend it for a vacation or beach read, or anytime you need something light.

3.5 for this one.
I enjoyed reading about the shenanigans Finlay got up to. It was a quick read. I would continue reading the series to see if they improve and what else Finlay will get into.
Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for a free and unbiased review.