I thought this was the first book in the series when I requested the audiobook from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. Oops. It stood alone fine, you very, very quickly pick up the characters and their back strories without the author really spelling it out and boring the readers of the first book.

I laughed a few times in the beginning. Overall, I just give this an OK rating. I just didn't find the story or characters that interesting. There is a surprise at the end which perked me up, but after I thought about it, I thought it was really weak. It literally could have been anyone at that point. If the reader had started getting an inkling earlier it could have added some drama and anticipation.

Part of me likes the fact that Finlay and Vero don't need a man, but I don't think their relationship brings out the best in them. As is, I don't really root for them which is kind of necessary for me to enjoy a series.

Funny and familiar. Thank you to @netgalley for this free e-galley. I loved Finlay Donovan last year, and I was overjoyed to see a sequel coming. It takes a bit of suspended belief to carry you through the story and believe that Finlay and Vero really get away with all they do, but I am here for the adventure and suspense. Is it bad to say I was rooting for Finlay and Steven to get back together?? Looking forward to more Finlay Donovan in the future (and it looks like there's room for it).

As a cozy mystery fan I love seeing this series getting more mainstream attraction. Book 2 book in this series picks up right where the first left off giving is more insight to the fallout Finlay is dealing with. She is still struggling to finish her novel and balance life as a single mom, but luckily she has some help from Vero.

In this installment someone wants her ex husband permanently out of the picture. Finally is trying to find who took the hit out and gets herself in way over her head.

I love the mystery, the hijinks and crazy happenings in this book but I still can’t find myself to like Finlay.

Huge thank you to Netgalley for approving me for this ARC :) this was a highly anticipated read for me, because the adventures of Finlay are truly the best!

With the cliff hanger from book one, I couldn’t wait to see how Vero and Finalys shenanigans would play out in this one. They surely did not disappoint. Although the conclusion of the story was a little flat, overall I thought the book was cute. I appreciate how much family is valued in this story and how independent and badass the women all are throughout. If you want a cute and cozy mystery, this ones for you :)

Gosh I just love this series! I felt so honored and excited to get an ARC, so thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for letting me get a early read!

Book 2 picks up where book 1 left off: Finlay Donovan has made absolute chaos out of her life after being mistaken for a hit woman when she is just in fact an author looking for inspiration. We get a deeper look at the fallouts she must deal with after their antics in book 1: a love triangle with Finn, a detective, and a lawyer; an ex husband with a mystery hit over him for $100,000; his ex fiancé/current convict who’s entangled them all with the Russian mob; her police officer sister who is always a little too close; and her fabulous sidekick Vero, who finlay begins to realize she doesn’t really know at all.

Just as I said with the first book, this is a perfect read for lovers of Dead to Me on Netflix. There’s murder, mystery, romance, and hilarious shenanigans that keep you laughing and cringing and loving the entire plot.

So my review of the first book was only a three star too, but I said I liked the series premise and then I would read the second book, so here I am. I still don’t care for Finley Donovan herself, she’s really whiny and pathetic for a lead character to me. So any of the parts that talk about what a mess her life is drive me up the wall. But once you get to the actual mystery part it’s good. I also really like Vero.
I really started to enjoy this book at about 50%…then things got rolling and Finn focused on solving the mystery rather than her life. I did not see FedUp being who they were, bit it was a fun twist at the end. I’m also going to end up reading the next one because she left it on a cliff hanger…sigh…I just hope it focuses more on the mystery and less on Finn’s life choices.

FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD • Elle Cosimano • ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 {rounded up}

Book Two is out, and rest assured y'all ― you will not be disappointed. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Abbreviated Goodreads Synopsis: 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. 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...

Cosimano does it again! This book was just as fun as the first. The hot cop makes another appearance, as does the law school student (*cough* underwear model) Julian. I loved how Cosimano managed to meld the old characters of Book One with the new plot of Book Two. I am also still very much a fan of seeing Finlay make an even bigger mess of things.

I look forward to seeing further antics from Finlay and Vero! Knowing that the author was able to keep up momentum in Book Two has me optimistic for the series to continue.

Oh Finlay how I missed you. I
f you enjoyed the wacky highjinks of Finlay Donovan the first time around there’s no reason you won’t here as well. Picking up right where the first book left off, Finlay is in a mad dash to find out who has taken out a contract on her ex husbands life. With the help of the hilarious and trusty Vero, Finlay finds herself getting tangled in a much more complex web that she could have ever imagined. Speaking of tangled webs, hot cop Nick and sexy law student Julian both return creating a solid who should she choose that will split readers more than Aiden and Big did on Sex and the City. Towards the end, the sheer number of players threatened to overwhelm the various fires Cosimano has cooking, but is doesn’t distract from a really fun read. The audio of this is also top notch.

Just like the first book, FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS'EM DEAD is a knock out novel! The same fun, funny tone, lovable characters you kind of want to strangle, and another mystery to untwist. I recommend reading the first book, but go ahead and buy this one, too, because you won't want to stop once you start!

She does it again! And now I can’t believe we have to wait probably another year for a third book? I loved the characters, I loved the hijinks, I loved the banter. I will definitely be recommending to anyone and everyone.

3.5 --
FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD by Elle Cosimano is the highly anticipated continuation of the adventures of Finlay and Vero.

I don’t have any fancy sentences for this one. It was ok, but still entertaining. The first book was better. I loved tagging along with Finlay and Vero for more crazy adventures and want to be besties with them. This one felt a tad scattered, wasn’t as funny as the first one and I wanted more Nick and Julian.

Recommend to a friend? There’s no way you can resist picking up this one after the cliffhanger at the end of book one. Know that you NEED to read the first book before reading this one. It is not a stand alone.

Looking forward to books 3 & 4 in this series!

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

I absolutely adored this book. I honestly think I loved it even more than the first - and I'm so glad that there will be a third! This book picks up right where the first one left off - there is a hit out on Finlay's ex-husband, and she must try to figure out who it is before he and their kids are in danger. It is just as entertaining and funny as the first one!

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead
by @ellecosimano ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Pub day was 2/7.

What a fun read! This is the second book in the Finlay Donovan series (read them in order). Finlay definitely does not disappoint! She is an expert at getting herself accidentally entangled in tricky situations. This book provides lots of laughs and the mystery kept me guessing until the end. The books remind me of the show Good Girls, which I really enjoy. Like the show, much of the plot is pretty unbelievable. Sometimes I have trouble with that in a book, but these books and the characters really work for me!

I love Finlay! However I think my favorite character is her wingwoman, Vero. She never bats an eye at all of her friend’s crazy shenanigans and just gets stuff done. 🙌

If you enjoy a murder mystery full of humor and hilarious situations, give these books a try!

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the ARC!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Huge thanks to St. Martin’s Press for sending me an e-arc of this book.

The sequel to Finlay Donovan is Killing It dives into what happened after the first book. In my opinion, the first book sets you up well to what's to come in the sequel filled with new and old characters and lots of twists. The first book was good, but I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would. I was hooked from the start because it picks up where it left off in the first book. When it comes to the plot, I thought Elle did a good job in adding that good combination of mystery and comedy to what was happening to Finlay and her surroundings. In addition to that combination, I thought Elle's writing was stronger when it comes to flow and pacing of this book.

We get more of the characters, humour, and those suspenseful moments in this book. To me, it was a journey reading this book because once you think something will happen, it will reveal something unexpected and jaw-dropping. There were moments where I was laughing and moments where my jaw dropped.

I loved Vero and Finlay’s friendship in this book. They are a dynamic duo and so much fun to read about their adventures together. I'm so glad this series focuses on their friendships and how they handle what's happening to them in these books. The second one made me

Overall, this is a solid sequel to a funny and mysterious series. I highly recommend this series to anybody looking for a mystery series filled with laughter and unexpected twists.

Thank you to Minotaur, NetGalley, and the author for the ARC of Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead! All opinions in this review are my own.

I loved Finlay Donovan is Killing It and I'm happy to say that the sequel, Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead, is just as good, if not better!

SYNOPSIS
Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead picks up where book one left off. Instead of having a next target, Finlay is trying to stop a hit from happening. On top of the stress of the holiday season, Finlay must find a way to convince the person they are in danger without revealing too much information. Just like before, Vero is her partner in crime and together they try to uncover who the assassin is.

WHAT I LIKED
- As with the first book, I was laughing out loud while reading this one
- Finlay is such a likable, relatable character, aside from being a hired hitwoman
- How self-aware the second book is as Finlay tries to write her own book and her editor suggests new things to add
- Vero's backstory is developed a little more but there are still so many questions!

If you've read the first book, you know how the cliffhanger confirms that you will read the second. While the sequel doesn't end as shockingly as the first one, there is still an opening for more of Finlay and Vero. I can't wait for book three!

These books are so much darn fun. Move over Stephanie Plum, here comes a character with substance! Finlay Donovan's escapades are twisty and exciting. The characters will stick with you long after you close the book and display it in a place of distinction on your bookshelf!

thanks to the publisher for the ARC--I was thrilled to receive it and excited to read it

Rating: 3 stars

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead picks up immediately after the first book. Finlay has outsmarted the Russian mob and gotten away with being an accidental hitwoman, and then she finds out that someone has put a hit on her ex-husband. Finlay and Vero are on the case, trying to keep Steven alive, not go to jail, and Finlay needs to submit another romantic-suspense manuscript. Oh, and there's a bit of a love triangle action with bartender-law student Julian and organized crime detective Nick.

This sequel was a bit of a slog for me. Because it picks up right after the last book, the reader is expected to remember a lot about the characters and details of the first book (which I did not). The first half is sort of slow going, and I found the book even more far-fetched than the first. It's meant to be far-fetched and a little farcical, but this felt a little bit sloppy and there were some lose ends. I enjoyed Finlay, Nick, and Julian, but I wished we'd gotten a bit more info about Vero's background and the trouble that's hinted at.

I also realized that I really loved the audio of the first book, so I'd be curious to see if the sequel is more compelling to me on audio.

Another fun romp in the Finlay Donovan series. This novel, like the first, is silly, implausible, and just a good time. I look forward to spending more time with Finlay, Vero, and this cast of characters.

This book is everything I wanted!!! After book one left off on the most massive cliffhanger, I was so excited to read this and it did not disappoint at all.

I loved that Vero and Finlay continued to grow closer and truly bond as found family in this novel. I also loved the escalation of the crime drama and how Finlay got even more sucked into what was essentially insane mob conflict. I also like how Finlay's book is more of a sub plot and isn't harped on too much here, I think it could have been annoying to follow the book and the plot as they were fairly similar.

Basically I would like everyone to read this book series and I cannot WAIT to see what hijinks our girls get into next.

I absolutely loved the first book in this series, FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT, and found myself falling straight back into that love affair with the second installment. These books have become such great escape reads, as Cosimano pairs crime fiction and comedy together for a binge worthy read. I loved hanging out with Finlay and Vero while they investigate who has a death wish for Steven. The antics these two get into are nothing short of entertaining. While I do think that this latest installment is a bit more over-the-top, it’s not hard to suspend your belief when you’re wrapped up in an addictive read. This has easily become one of my most loved series’ and I can’t wait to see what Cosimano comes up with for Finlay next!

A huge thank you to Minotaur Books for my gifted copy!