On some levels, I think all moms are just like Finlay Donovan LOL. Her chaotic life clearly gets the better of her sometimes. However, I don't think all moms are confused with killer-for-hire. What a great, funny, can't-wait-for-book-two novel! Thankful to NetGalley for allowing me to read this novel.

Good - SO Freaking Good! I was so glad to receive this eGalley a few months ago and am now ecstatic that I get the good fortune of telling everyone to READ THIS BOOK.

Such a unique idea based on ordinary, frustrating, everyday circumstances. Elle Cosimano killed it with this book in so many ways - however to remain spoiler free all I will say is clear out an entire day on your calendar to binge read this book as soon as it hits the shelves! This book had so many crazy nail-biting scenes and had a wonderfully satisfying ending - all I can ask for in a cozy-thriller.

Broke, behind on bills, and in a custody battle with her ex, will Finlay commit murder to make it all go away? A cute little twist on a murder mystery with a romance thrown in. I enjoyed this quick read and hope this is the first in a series.

Ever wonder if discussing the plot of a book in a public place like Panera could give a customer at a neighboring table the wrong idea? After meeting with her agent at the local Panera, Finlay finds a note in her person offering $50,000 for a contract killing. Could she use that money to pay all those bills that are piling up? Yep. Is she a killer? Nope. Why does she find herself with a body that needs to be buried later that night? Who will stick with her in this sticky situation? I found this book to be surprisingly entertaining, humorous, and touching. We see Finlay struggling. She is vulnerable, but not without support. There will definitely be another book about Finlay and I am looking forward to reading it. This is the perfect book for fans of the Stephanie Plum series.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

A fun, fresh, and smart start to a brand new mystery series! Finlay Donovan, a divorced suspense novelist and mom to two young kids, may be a hot mess but she is truly rocking it. Her chaotic life is incredibly relatable, while her self-deprecating humor and wit make her laugh-out-loud likable. On top of excellent characterization, the plot is unique, suspenseful, and darkly comedic. I was thrilled when I learned this is the first book of a planned series. I can’t wait to see how Finlay’s story progresses. A million thank yous to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an e-galley in exchange for an honest review!! I will definitely be adding a copy of this one-of-a-kind book to my collection when it releases.

This was a good book. It was part murder mystery with a bit of cozy in there.
I’m pleased to hear that this is the first of a new series.

I am not sure how to start this review because I don't think I have ever read a book like Finlay Donovan Is Killing It. I think it belongs in a genre of its own. Part thriller and part I'm not sure what, Finlay Donovan is about, you guessed it, Finlay Donovan, a mom with two young kids and author who is struggling to provide during a messy divorce. When a woman thinks she overhears that Finlay is a contract killer, things take an unexpected turn ...

This was a fun and quick read! I found the second half of the book picked up quickly and I stayed up late reading it. Finlay is quite a character, and although I can't say that I fully liked her, I was rooting for her success! The supporting characters add another dimension to the story, and that ending ....

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

I could not put this book down! I was immediately drawn into the story and the characters. I’m not sure I’ve ever read a book like this—it was funny and had an element of mystery to it, but it wasn’t at all creepy or gory. The motherhood aspects were so relatable, and the plot was outlandish but so, so fun to read. I can hardly wait for the next book to release! I really enjoyed this one!

This book was a total joy and a romp-and-a-half. I have a strong feeling there will be a sequel, and I will definitely be aiming to get my hands on that book. As unbelievable as much of the storyline is, the characters are funny, smart, and just off-the-wall enough. Recommended if you're in the need for some fun.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy of this one.

This book had a great premise- an author, trying to write a murder book, is overheard talking about the plot with her agent. Thinking she’s some kind of hitman, she becomes solicited for a crime.

This was an entertaining read and I enjoyed the characters.

What a delightfully fun read! Finlay Donovan is a single mom drowning in unpaid bills, a looming custody battle with her ex-husband, and writer's block. All of these seem like small problems, however, after a meeting with her agent in a crowded Panera during which she is misconstrued for a hitman. Suddenly caught up in a scandal that goes far beyond a domestic dispute, Finlay Donovan has to use her knowledge from writing about crime to...commit one.

This book was creative, silly, and fun. I love the female friendship that runs throughout the story. Be prepared to suspend disbelief and go on a wild ride. If you like the show Good Girls, I think you'll really enjoy this book!

I just loved Finlay, what a fun character! I'm a big fan of thrillers and I love a good rom-com kind of book and this one managed to effortlessly blend both. I couldn't put it down and I'm SO excited to see what Finlay gets up to next.

So brilliant and fast-paced and quite an original story! Finlay Donovan is a mother who's horrible ex decided to leave her and her children for their real-estate agent. She is also a wrier and is having a hard time coming up with a new story. And she's having a hard time paying her bills. When a strange job opportunity falls in her lap, Finlay has a new idea for a story. She just has to manage to stay out of jail and keep custody of her kids!


*Thanks to NeGalley for the e-book galley! Enjoyed this book immensely. So glad it's going to be a series!*

“It’s a widely known fact that most moms are ready to kill someone by eight thirty A.M. on any given morning....let me spell it out for you. I was ready to kill someone. I didn’t really care who.”

Thank you to Netgalley, Minotaur Books and Elle Cosimano for the [gifted] e-ARC of Finlay Donovan is Killing It! And thank you to @lovearctually for hosting this buddy read and author chat with Elle!

Finlay is a struggling single mom who is just trying to raise her two young children, write her next contracted novel and pay off all her outstanding bills. Her jerk of an ex-husband just fired their nanny and is threatening to sue for full-custody. Basically, Finlay is ready to kill someone… figuratively.

After misunderstanding a conversation Finlay has with her book editor at a Panera, a woman assuming Finlay is a contract killer and offers her $50k to get rid of her husband. Finlay needs the money, but she’s no killer. But then again, $50k would solve ALL of her problems. It can’t hurt to check out this guy and see whether or not he’s actually bad… right???

I absolutely loved this book. It’s darkly funny and smart. If you’ve ever had a day where things just can’t seem to get worse but then do, well then you’ll relate to Finlay. I couldn’t wait to see what misadventures would happen next to Finlay and Vero and whether or not she would actually kill for money.

The best part about this book… It’s the first of a series!! I cannot wait for book 2 to come out after that OMG of a cliffhanger!

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Pub day post will be posted on 2/2/21.

This book has good writing but once I got to the kidnapping part it just lost my interest. I was expecting a totally different novel and did not finish. Thanks for the copy.

Just what the doctor ordered. Gutsy out of control divorced mom/struggling romance suspense author with her financial back up the proverbial wall when a conversation between her and her agent is overheard and misunderstood by another woman. The next thing you you, she's been offered $50k to off the eavesdropper'shusband. Mantic and frantic, this book is just piles of gun.

What a hoot and fun read this was! Finlay Donovan, a divorced 31-year-old struggling writer and mother of two, has trouble coming at her from all sides as she tries to make ends meet. She is dealing with unpaid bills that are mounting exponentially, facing writer’s block in working on her soon-due draft of her latest mystery novel (for which she has already received — and spent her advance), and and attempting to thwart her ex-husband and his fiancee’s attempt to get permanent custody of her children. Suddenly, she receives an offer that could alleviate her worries: $50,000 to do a hit job on a complete stranger.

What ensues is a madcap adventure involving Finlay, her “nanny” accomplice, a “hot” bartender/law student, and a very handsome detective that had me engaged throughout. This novel has lovable and engaging characters, as well as a deftly-plotted, fast-moving storyline that is sprinkled with laugh-out-loud humor, significant twists and turns, and wildly clever banter. Although I did have to have to employ a serious willing suspension of disbelief for some of the antics that took place and I found some of the romantic scenes to be somewhat trite, I thoroughly enjoyed this read! The ending suggests that a series may be in the offing, and I will definitely be looking forward to the second set of adventures for Finlay.

Finlay Donovan is not killing it at single mom life. Her son is sticky, her daughter's self-cut hair is being held on with duct tape, her life is just a mess. So when a woman in a Panera overhears her conversation with her book editor and assumes Finlay is a contract killer, you can only imagine the chaos that will ensue.

If this book isn't already on your radar, it needs to be NOW. Okay now that you've done that, let me continue with my rambling raving review of this book. This is exactly the kind of mystery we all need in our life. It's ridiculous, it's hilarious, it's verging on campy. Plus it's a book about a book AND the writing process. Can you get any better?

After Finlay is mistaken for a contract killer, the chain of events just keep snowballing faster and faster. Every time a new crazy thing happened to her (or, honestly, she brought upon herself) I was just sitting there with my eyes wide and laughter bubbling out. As her life begins to mimic her writing (or the other way around? who really knows), you desperately want to root for her even as she does questionable things.

I really want to leave you with as little of the plot as possible, but I can't end this without mentioning Vero, Finlay's fabulous partner in crime. She's part nanny, part accountant, part badass sidekick. I wouldn't mind a Vero in my life. She's always down for whatever insane deed comes next and she's the most encouraging woman you'll ever meet.

I don't want to give anything else away but if you're looking for some mystery, some laughs, some romance, and a whole lot of fun, read this book ASAP.

Romantic suspense author Finlay Donovan is in the middle of a hard stretch. Her ex-husband wants custody of their two children, the bills are piling up, and her latest book is completely stalled.

When she is discussing her book with her agent in the local Panera's, a woman overhears the discussion and thinks that she's a contract killer. She offers her $50,000 to get rid of her husband. Finlay thinks it is crazy. But...$50,000!

She decides to check out the husband and sees him doctoring his date's drink. She manages to switch drinks on him and dumps him in the back of her minivan when he passes out. She decides to return him to his wife. Only before she can, someone closes the garage door on the running van and the man dies.

Now, she's really stuck! Luckily, her babysitter comes along and offers to help her bury the body for 40% of the take. They choose an empty lot on her husband's sod farm. Things spiral from there...

Between the police investigation, conflicts with her ex and his new fiancé, another woman wanting her killer dead, and her agent's pressure to get her book turned in, Finlay is quickly in over her head.

This story had a great bunch of characters. It was amusing if highly unrealistic. It was fun to follow along as Finlay got in and out of all kinds of trouble.

Going into this book, I didn't know much about it, which I think made it even better.

Finlay is a divorced mom of two who is trying to get her act together as an author. She winds up on an improbable adventure that is laugh out loud funny, jaw dropping and mind blowing. Some antics are over the top but as long as you suspend belief and go with it, it's a remarkable ride.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more from Elle Cosimano.

Thank you St Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.