Finlay is back. She manages to tangle herself up in more messes and somehow skates by them. She is more confident. This time Finlay is trying to figure out who would want her ex-husband Steven gone. There is a hit request for him on a mom-forum of all places and someone takes the job. Finlay and Vero find themselves caught between a rock and a hard place over and over. Moreover Vero is hiding something from Finlay. oh, and the intriguing love triangle commences. Is Finlay going to be with Julian or Nick? What about the Russian Mafia? Is Finlay on the clear?

The far fetched string of events and how they all the outcomes magically turned out in Finlay's favor require you to suspend reality. There were a couple of scenes with a corpse and how they handle human remains didn't sit well with me but overall I could say this was a fun and easy read. I think the biggest obstacle this book faces is living up to the first in the series. I liked both.

It is hard to not root for Finlay. She is relatable and witty and funny. and so damn lucky. But will her luck continue to save her? The ending of the book hinted another installment and I am excited to keep reading Finlay's shenanigans.

Before even finishing Finlay Donovan is Killing It, I knew I would need more! So to have a sequel so soon is beyond exciting. This second book was filled with all of the crazy antics we are used to and more. The stress of the situations Finlay and Vero find themselves in is palpable. While being stressful, there is still humor and that makes the story fly by. I did enjoy the first book more but this was a very engaging sequel.

Thank you to @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the advanced reader copy of one my most anticipated books of 2022!

Once again, Finlay Donovan is struggling - both to finish her next book as her agent breathes down her neck and with the stress of being a single mom. Oh, and someone wants her ex-husband dead, and trying to prevent that seems to be inviting a bit too much Mob involvement in her life. Plus her friend/nanny is keeping secrets, her lawyer-to-be man friend keeps going AWOL, and a certain hot cop seems determined to rekindle an old flame. So really she’s only got a few things on her plate. Nothing to be concerned about at all …

Finlay is back and just as much of a mess as ever - but still a kickass lady written with such a lovable voice that you can’t help but root for her, even when she’s committing crimes. Cosimano has such an engaging writing style, and expertly blends laugh-out-loud moments that had me near tears and fast paced action that keeps the reader compelled to binge the book to find out what happens.

I think ultimately I liked this one slightly less than the first in the series, Finlay Donovan is Killing It, only because it very much felt like a transition book. While the first definitely left the plot open to continue the story, it could also function more as a standalone story, whereas this one cannot. Because of that, I didn’t find this one to be as punchy as the first - which isn’t to say I didn’t love it. My main complaint is that there are clearly going to be more Finlay books and I would like them now please! It’s clear to me that Cosimano has created a character and world that readers fell in love with in Finlay’s first book, and I’m grateful she’s willing to keep sharing her stories with us going forward.

4.5/5

Finlay. Is. Back.

Read that again, Finlay Donovan is back..
She's once again a mess, but really, that's what makes this character special.
You would think after the last debacle of being mistaken for a hitwoman, she would have got her act together, but she didn't.
Someone, on an open forum, wants Steven (the dreaded ex-husband) to disappear.
Imagine that, he got himself in a pickle.
As much as Finlay would also like this, he is a great dad to their kids and they don't deserve that.
Vero is also back again, and better than ever.
She seems to be acting real shady this round though.
Finlay is just hoping it won't effect the kids in any way.

I am not going to tell you how many times I rolled my eyes, laughed out loud and just groaned during the reading of this book, because I want you to pick it up and read it yourself.
It is the 2nd book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone.

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC. #FinlayDonovanKnocks'EmDead #NetgalleyARC

Finlay Donovan is back! And she’s right in the middle of a mystery involving the Russian mafia, the dark web, a mom’s group, murder and a manuscript.

Finlay is avoiding her agent’s phone calls, mentally blaming her procrastination on the upcoming Christmas season, her car problems, her nanny/friend Vero’s money concerns, toilet training her son Zach…you get the idea. The she discovers that in a mom’s support group where, buried in a deeply coded message, someone is seeking a hitman to murder her soon-to-be ex husband Steven. Now begins the wild ride (literally. Ever heard of an Aston Martin Superleggera? I thought not.) that is Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead. Although Steven has left her for another woman, he is her children’s father so she and Vero try to find the identities of the desperate mom’s group poster and a volunteer assassin. What could go wrong?

Elle Cosimano is a star! Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is laugh aloud funny. For instance, while Finlay tries to imagine a plot for her not yet written new book, Vero suggests dino p*rn or velocirapterotica. And when Steven leers at a costumed female employee at a Christmas Tree Farm, Vero calls her the Elf with the Shelf. Don’t miss this one! 5 stars.

Thank you yo NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Elle Cosimano for this ARC.

This is fast becoming one of my favorite series. It ticks so many genre boxes for me, I feel like it has everything I could want.

The endings sometimes become a little convoluted bc there’s a lot of moving parts. But if you’re paying attention, it all makes sense and sorts itself out. The biggest thing is that I like the characters. Finlay is supposed to come off like a hot mess but she really isn’t. She’s got moxie, she’s clever, and determined. I love the bond she’s developed with Vero. The dynamic works well.

I love how even though the stories wrap up at the end, there’s a new thread to follow.

Can’t wait for the next one.

I loved being back in Finlay and Vero’s world! This book was SO funny, just like the first. Vero is such a favorite character of mine and she had tons of great one liners and humorous scenes in this book! You for sure have to suspend reality with these books, but it doesn’t bother me because I find them to be so fun! The insight into parenthood, divorced families, and family dynamics in general is pretty spot on. I enjoyed the little romance we got too. This book also set itself up really well for book 3! Looking forward to returning to this world again when it releases!

Elle Cosimano does it again! Finaly Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead was even funnier and more entertaining than the first book! After being mistaken as a contract killer while pitching a book idea to her agent, Finaly’s life is finally starting to settle down again…or so she thinks. But when someone posts an ad on an online forum offering $100k to anyone willing to dispose of her ex-husband, Finlay and her nanny/friend Vero get tangled in another mess of stolen cars, dead bodies, and mob bosses.

This book was so much fun and had me laughing out loud the whole time. Finlay and Vero’s antics are so over the top and unbelievable but that’s what makes this series so much fun. I also enjoy the side characters, Finlay’s kids, and especially Detective Nick. I was hoping for more scenes with Finaly and Nick but hopefully we’ll get more of them together in book three.

Overall, 4 stars for a quick, quirky, funny read. Thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I liked book two WAY more even though it’s basically a continuation of book one. I found the characters a little less annoying and the plot a bit more believable. While some parts were still a but too unrealistic for my liking, the humor and well-developed characters totally made up for it. Don’t read this book without reading the first of the series!

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead had me laughing from the very first page.
I am a slow reader, my mind often wandering off, requiring me to refocus my own brain on what I’m reading. Elle Cosimano’s writing is NOT that way. She sucks me in every single time I sit down to read her books with the very first sentence I read. Every. Single. Time. Her writing is clever and unexpected and witty, and I love it.
A great snippet to show how clever Cosimano’s narration is: “She looked to the ceiling, or maybe to god, as she shook open a dish towel and wiped off her hands.”
One of the cleverest things about the Finlay Donovan books is how skillfully Cosimano interweaves the plot of the book itself into the books Finlay is writing in the novel.
This second book in the series is suspenseful, clever, hilarious, adorable, and keeps you guessing until the very end. I canNOT wait to see where Findlay’s story goes from here

Finlay Donovan does it again! The second book is just as good, and just as funny as the first. Finlay Donovan has more adventures and misadventures as her story continues. More murders and mysteries for her to solve and she has to pick which man to love too. You do need to read the first book first, as I feel this continues her story, but this book was fun to read and is the perfect blend of murder, romance, and humor. Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy of this book

Finlay Donovan does indeed knock em dead. A unique and spirited character you can’t help falling in the love. This is a sequel and it lives up to the hype of the original. A fun read.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc

All I can say is that I cannot get enough of Finlay Donovan. She is such a universal character how can everyone not absolutely love and devour each and every book?!? She is relatable even if you aren't a hitwoman/novelist/mother. I adore her and all of the hijinks that she manages to get herself into over and over again. Plus, she's got a hot lawyer and a hot cop chasing after her (In a good way)! The book is funny and entertaining I can't wait for the next one.

Finlay Donovan is—once again—struggling to finish her next novel and keep her head above water as a single mother of two. On the bright side, she has her live-in nanny and confidant Vero to rely on, and the only dead body she's dealt with lately is that of her daughter's pet goldfish.

On the not-so-bright side, someone out there wants her ex-husband, Steven, out of the picture. Permanently. Whatever else Steven may be, he's a good father, but saving him will send her down a rabbit hole of soccer moms disguised as hit-women, and a little bit more involvement with the Russian mob than she'd like. Finlay's first priority is preventing her family from sleeping with the fishes...

With her next book's deadline looming and an ex-husband to keep alive, Finlay is quickly coming to the end of her rope. She can only hope there isn't a noose at the end of it...

Finlay and Vero are back in the second installment of this thrilling comedy adventure that finds these two women in the midst of another accidental mission, this time involving Finlay's ex-husband Steven. I enjoyed jumping right back into the world of over the top crime solving and love triangles, but I've got to ask: how does Finlay seriously not get into trouble with all the shenanigans that occur between both of these novels! I laughed out loud just as much this time around and I can't wait to see where book three will go after yet another exciting cliffhanger! The tv show adaption that's in the works needs to come sooner, I'm so ready to see who they cast as Finlay and Vero!

While this story was funny and great, there's just something about the first story that I liked a tad bit better, but as a follow-up book I think this one holds strong! Thank you to Minotaur and Netgalley for a physical and digital advanced copy of Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead!

I was so hype about this second book in the Finlay Donovan series, but I was really let down. The story was just too slow moving, without all the fun quirkiness that I loved about the first book. It felt way more serious than we had seen previously.

I did enjoy seeing more of the interactions between Finlay and her ex husband, even though I thought he was a shit. I also did enjoy the complexity of all the interactions and the connections between characters, but it just did not grab me like the first book did.

Finlay and Vero are at it again! This time they are trying to prevent a hit on Steven, Finlay's ex husband and father of her children. When Finlay stumbles upon a women's online forum, she finds that there may be women other than herself who have been scorned by Steven, one who would actually like to see him dead!

If you've read the previous book in this series, then you know that when Finlay and Vero get together, things never go according to plan. There were some points in the story where I was literally laughing out loud. This book is so fun and entertaining. I wanted to savor it because I didn't want it to end, but I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to know what happens.

Still a part of the story are both love interests, Julian (cute law student bartender) and Nick (hot cop). While I never understood the relationship between Julian and Finlay, I found myself to be on Team Nick throughout the story. At one point, I actually found myself kinda hoping Finlay and Steven would reconcile.

The ending will leave you wondering just a bit, which leads me to believe that there will be another book in the series to follow this one. If so, I will be requesting that ARC for sure! Thanks so much to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC of this book. I will be recommending it to all of my bookish friends!

I am at a loss for words thinking about the reading experience I just had while reading this incredible sequel! Finlay Donovan Kocks 'Em Dead does not miss a beat from where the first one left off and we dive deeper into Finlay's world and what she has gotten herself into. I could not put this book down! Elle Cosimano's writing is so engaging, thrilling, and keeps you wanting more. This book is by far one of the best I've read this year and I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

I won't give so much away because this won't be released until January, but I'll just say my general thoughts.

Finlay is one strong person to do whatever it takes to keep Steven alive because some people wouldn't care if someone wanted their husband dead. But what made me so mad was the way Steven kept treating her regardless just because she had moved on. He wanted her to still be single and never date. Also, she was furious that she was between seeing a young law student who's a bartender and a hot detective. Even though he cheated on her and divorced her.

Vero had some drama of herself but a small percentage, but I think it was nice to read and include it. Because Steven kept getting mad at Finlay over Vero's involvement, but as Finlay kept saying, she's family. As a reader, we saw how much they viewed each other as family and solidified their friendship.

I just hope that Finlay gains the confidence that she deserves. She's a great writer, even if she wrote her novels about the hit jobs she was involved in. She's a badass mom, friend, and ex-wife that just tries to do her best and do what needs to be done.

I'm excited to get my hands on the physical copy when it releases. Also, please let Finlay end up with Nick at the end of the series cause they're just so great together.

Finlay Donovan Knocks "Em Dead is a fun, fast-paced sequel. The twists and turns keep the story moving forward at a fast pace. The story picks up shortly after the first book ended. Finlay is still a bit of a mess trying to juggle her writing and being a single mother. Of course, now she has a few shady connections. When Finlay finds out that there might be a hit on her ex-husband, she understandably doesn't want her young children spending time with him. In true Finlay fashion, she is determined to keep her kids safe by finding out who placed the hit and having them call it off. Some of the best parts of the story are the pretty crazy situations Finlay happens into and out of.

I would recommend reading the first book in the series to get to know all the players in the mystery. There are a lot of them and most carry over from the first book. I liked building on previous characters and character relationships because it gave the story some extra depth.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the arc. This is my honest reveiw.

Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. I have read the first book in this series "Finlay Donovan is Killing It" and enjoyed it immensely, so I was super excited to get the ARC of book #2! It begins a little while after the first book ends and this time romantic suspense author and single mother Finlay discovers by accident that there's a kill hit put on her ex-husband. In order to protect her two young children, she and her lovable nanny/best friend Vero find themselves engaging online with the anonymous person who wants her ex dead. He is a player and not very likeable, so the list of potential suspects is very long.
In the meantime Finlay is working on the deadline for her next book, while also juggling the demands of motherhood and new relationships with two potential love interests. Also her past accidental dealings with a Russian mob from the first book are catching up with her again. Highly recommend you read the first book in the series to keep the flow of the story. This second book leaves off with a cliffhanger, which means there will be more to the series. I can't wait! Finlay and Vero's madcap adventures are so entertaining. In fact, all of the characters are engaging and the plot is fast-paced and a rollercoaster ride of good fun.