When the title reads "knocks 'em dead", I didn't think literally. Another wonderful tale of accidental hijinks with Finlay and Vero that grips you unceasingly that has you missing dentist appointments because you're so hooked. Amazing story and loving the adventure this takes you on!

4.5/5 STARS
SO GOOD!! I both read this one and listened to the audio book (which the voices were fantastic!). This was another re-read for me and once again I have found a greater appreciation for this book and series. Yes, the odds of this stuff happening are so unlikely but that's the point and what makes it so hilarious. Keeping Steven alive, despite how we all feel about him, was the main goal Finlay had and the mafia is on her trail.

Oh Finlay, you are an absolute mess and I LOVE IT. What a sequel! I was a little worried that it wouldn’t be as funny or entertaining as the first book, but it absolutely delivered for me. Vero and Finlay are such a great team and I loved seeing them become closer. I also enjoyed how everything that could go wrong did go wrong for them for a while and it kept me wondering how they were going to come out the other side of it all! The big twist at the end was one I probably should have seen coming, but I didn’t and it had me cackling. I’m still not sure if I’m Team Nick or Team Julian so I’m looking forward to seeing more of both men and how they each are good for Finlay. I honestly had so much fun the entire time I was reading it and the ending has me SO EXCITED for book three.

CW: death, violence, gun violence

The cute and fun next installment of Finlay Donovan’s adventures keeps up with the lighthearted and ridiculous antics we expect.

Finlay Donovan’s last book was a smash and her deadline is looming for book two! But she’s now learned someone wants her ex-husband dead… she’s been mistaken for a contract killer before, can she lean on those chops again to save her ex and keep her kids safe?

Another quick, light read in the same vein as book 1. Lighthearted and fun, not to be taken too seriously. Do not try this at home.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ebooks in exchange for an honest review.

This was a laugh out loud sequel. It was mysterious and tense and the plot twist shocked me! I absolutely love this book series and can’t wait to read more!!

Gahhh why didn’t I grab this whole series when NetGalley had it as read now?!? It’s great!!

I never read humorous books often but I LOVE this series. I love Finlay and Vero’s relationship, love the kids, love Finlay trying to write, be a Mom, have a life, etc. I think this is a great choice for fans of Janet Evanovich.

Can’t wait to get to book 3!

**Thanks to the author and publisher for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.**

I was looking forward to listening to this one after thoroughly enjoying the first book. Despite my excitement, I had a hard time getting into the story at first. However, it picked up for me toward the end. All I can say is that Finlay is one lucky yet unlucky person!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

This is the second in the Finlay Donovan series. While I didn't enjoy it as much as the first, I still liked it a lot. It has the same cast of characters, a few new faces, and more tumult for Finlay and Vero. Just a fun romp of a book!

Next in the Finlay Donovan series, Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead is a cute sequel. It starts quickly where book one left off, with Finlay finding herself as part of misunderstood crimes and more family drama. It's humorous and unrealistic, while also being totally down to earth in Finlay's relationships with her children as a single mom. It's a witty mystery and I am looking forward to what comes next!

I’m really enjoying this series! The antics are as outlandish as they are entertaining, but that’s the goal — sheer entertainment. This is the perfect light escapist read that I’m looking for right now.

Love this series. It’s quirky, don’t expect super realistic forensic scenarios, but that’s why it’s so fun; I laughed out loud and thoroughly enjoyed. Already started the next in the series.

Finely is back and just as much hilarious fun as the first. Filled with action. Quick fun read! Finlay gets a request to "off" her husband but that's not going to happen. Come along for a fun ride! Thanks #Netgalley and #StMartinsPress for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

Finlay Donovan is a clever, fast-paced, and humorous mystery series. This book combines domestic chaos (which is really relatable for many busy parents), sharp wit, and intrigue. It is an entertaining and unique story. I appreciate the suspense as well as the relatable situations and strange circumstances that Finlay finds herself involved in. I think this book would appeal to readers who like a variety of genres as well as mystery/thrillers. I had a great time reading this book and I look forward to starting the next book in the series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily, free of outside influence. Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this copy.

3,5 ⭐️

“Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead” is the second book in the series that follows Finlay Donovan, an author.
In the first book she wrote a book about a contracted killer and was mistaken for one in read life.
Now she receives a message with a request to off her ex-husband and tries her best to make sure that doesn’t happen.

The book is full of hilarious situations from which you could not escape in real life, there is a lot of action, danger and a (kind of) love triangle.

Vero is also an interesting character and I want to know more about her.

Overall I recommend this book is you like cozy mysteries. It is also a quick read.

I received an ARC from St. Martin's Press via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The second of this series, I enjoyed this one more than the first. The characters were more developed and the flow was better. I still would recommend reading in order so all to make sense, but you could get enough to enjoy it on its own. One good twist for me as well, which isn't common and was a treat.

I love books in a series and this is one you need to read in order. While each is OK as a stand-a-lone, they are just easier to follow if read in order. This is the 2nd in the series and they are hard to put down. Finlay is a divorced mom of 2 and her nanny lives with them. Trying to be a published writer and overheard discussing her story at a coffee shop got her in trouble in the last book. So trying to stay contract killer free in this one is her goal. Unfortunately, she has discovered a web site that is a forum for moms. Or is it? It is really an online way to look for a contract killer.

Vero, Finlay's nanny, is right there to help her resolve any issues but she really can make it worse at times. Between the two, they hunt for one particular contract killer. One who has accepted the job of killing Finlay's ex-husband. Between Georgia, Finlay's cop sister, and Nick, the cop who is investigating the web site, she is surrounded by knowing the right thing to do. If that is not enough, a young law student bartender, has her eye. To make matters worse, Nick also has his eye on Finlay.

Between contracts for murder and a contract to get her next book published, she has her hands full. Funny and full of the ups and downs of a divorced woman, this book is one I highly recommend.

Absolutely loved this book! Such a fun ride and laugh out loud funny! Can’t wait for the rest of the series!

Note: Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and author Elle Cosimano for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review will also be posted on NetGalley. What follows is my unbiased review of the book.

This is the second book in author Elle Cosimano’s series about romance author Finlay Donovan who inadvertently gets herself hired as an assassin. In the course of events, she finds herself entangled with the Russian mob, all the while trying to finish her next book. In the first book, just as Finlay and her live-in nanny, Vero, believe they have extricated themselves from the situation, they discover an ad on a forum offering $100,000 to assassinate Finlay’s ex-husband.

Now, Finlay might not be too fond of her ex, but he is the father of her children. Steven isn’t the most upstanding guy around, which leaves open a number of possibilities as to who would want him dead. Finlay must also think about who has the cash to pay that as well. The list of suspects is long. At the same time, Finlay is dealing with a younger boyfriend who disappears with his buddies to the beach, as well as the cop her sister set her up with, both of whom end up playing key roles in the mystery.

Steven doesn’t believe someone’s out to kill him, despite several near-misses. This leaves him at odds with Finlay, whom he accuses of creating the situation so she can stop him from seeing their children. Finlay deals with cybercrime as she tries to wipe her identity from the forum where she found the post in question. The police are catching on that the website is a front for the Russian mob, and Finlay must convince the man she put in jail in the previous book to have it taken down.

The adventure in Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is a lot of fun. It’s a mystery in the style of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series with Finlay and Vero finding themselves immersed in improbable events. Suspension of disbelief is required for this book. If you can manage that, though, it’s a fun read. With all that’s going on in the book, the most trouble I had was believing a college student could take off for a week to the beach in December. Doesn’t the author know that the semester usually ends in December? The last thing they would do is take a spring-break-like trip.

The crazy antics of Finlay and Vero are fun, if a bit predictable. I had an idea what Vero’s big secret was in the very beginning. It’s pretty obvious what she is trying to hide from Finlay. This will, of course, lead to more adventures later on. The books are a continuation of events, with some situations resolving by the end of Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead while others are left open for consequences down the line. I like Finlay and Vero, even if there are a few things that fall into their laps a little conveniently. Don’t we all know a hacker who can feed us information at any time? Don’t we all know a cop who is willing to look the other way when we break the law?

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is a great light read that entertains and makes me laugh in several spots. I do think you need to have read the first book to grasp all of the events here, and likely that will be true for the entire series. This is more of an ongoing saga than a stand-alone story. It is a fun series that is worth getting into so far.

I finished the first book in this series unsure if I would pick up the next one. Then I saw that the entire series was available to read via NetGalley and decided to pick up the next in the series to give it another shot. Plus, the steep cliff hanger from the first installation had me wondering what Finn and Vero would get themselves into next. While I find a lot of fault with the character that is Finn, I do enjoy the mystery and the continuation of the plot between these books. I think in this book Finn started to make a turn to act a bit more mature and intelligently, but I'm not convinced. I finished this one and I am still unsure if I will read the next, but I just might to see what other shenanigans this unlikely duo of Finn and Vero will get themselves in and out of in the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this book.

this is the perfect light hearted murder mystery story that I think works for teens, young adults and anyone above. I personally didnt love this book as much as the first but i think it is always hard to make the second book hit the way a first one did.