Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for an e-arc 🖤

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am obsessed with this series.

I'm not sure how to review this book as those who are going to pick it up will have read the first in the series. (which was amazing, btw)

But basically the author does a brilliant job continuing Finlay's story and entertaining me from the first page to the last. We also dip into the backstory of Vero more and I think she's quickly turned into my favorite character in the series.

I loved the first book in the Finlay Donovan series, so I was delighted to read Elle Cosimano's second book: Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead.

Finlay and her partner-in-crime...solving Vero are back, and this time they are trying to prevent the murder of her ex-husband Steven. When Finlay realizes there is a hit out on her ex, she's on the case to try and stop it, but Steven isn't exactly making it easy for her.

Between the misadventures and near-death experiences, there's also a fun love triangle.

Can't wait for book three and Vero's story.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

This follow up to Finlay Donovan is Killing It is so enjoyable. (Make sure you read that one first). Finlay and Vero once again find themselves tangled in a mess and a lot of sticky situations. I love, again, that there is a perfect mix of thriller, comedy, and even a little love triangle thrown in there. These books grab your attention and you can’t wait to see what happens next. I do not want to spoil too much but recommend that if you loved the first one, to make sure you pick this one up.

I maybe didn’t love this one quite as much as the first, but I still thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Also this one ended on a cliffhanger, so we know another is coming. I am very excited for that!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my advanced copy.

This one is out now! Do not miss it.

FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

5 glowing stars for the second book in the #FinlayDonovan series by @ellecosimano 🤩 Finlay Donovan was one of my top faves of 2021, so I had high expectations for the sequel and lemme tell you, it did not disappoint!

I love how fast-paced and bingeable these books are…I can’t put them down! There are tons of crazy shenanigans and so many times I was chuckling to myself while reading. I love Finlay’s character and was happy to see this book dive more into her personal life and relationships. I was also fangirling over all of the Northern VA references since that’s where I am from!

I loved how unpredictable this one was and I totally didn’t see the ending coming AT ALL! Plus, with how things wrapped up, I have my fingers crossed that there will be a third book in the series!!🤞🏼

If you’re looking for a book to get you out of a reading slump (or are just looking for something fun and fast-paced that will have you HOOKED from the beginning, def pick this one up!

Thank you for NetGalley for giving me this opportunity to read this before release!
I know the book has been out for a few days now, but I finally got to finish it and come to terms with how I feel about it.

Let's start here: Finlay is exactly the same person as before- but she Is very headstrong and doesn't need a man to save her. Vero... is still the sidekick. Steven sucks balls, and Julian is pointless.
I am saddened to say that I don't feel as much happiness and joy as I felt with the first book...I feel slightly disappointed with everything. It just feels like a set-up for another book.

However, in simplicity, I did have a good time overall and will continue the series.

Now onto the spoilers:

Vero... concerns me a bit and also pisses me off a bit... because the mystery around her is still a mystery. Spoil alert- we don't know her secret completely...but it has something to do with gambling.
Steven honestly should've died. He dodged so many bullets and needed to die for being the worse target ever.

We find out about one of the online alias, which I never saw coming, and honestly, the book didn't put any red herrings or easter eggs to get the readers to guess the mother in the first place. Feels like a plot of convenience to me.

Georgia, I wish we could use more of her, especially since she is a cop. Nick... hopefully, we could get him involved in the third book as a sidekick too, and beyond a love interest and roadblock to Finlay and Vero's chaos.

Another solid read from Elle Cosimano! I’ve been such a huge fan of Finlay & Vero…they amazing best friend duo!!! The story was so fun & kept you guessing to find out who’s who!! Honestly it was just as great as the first one & I can only hope they’ll be more!! The only thing that was hard to keep up with with the semi-love triangle Finlay was dealing with. Overall another great & fun read…once again this would be a wonderful series on the big screen!!!

In book two of the Finlay Donovan series, Finlay is determined to find out who has put a hit out on her husband.

—

I’m going to keep this very short because I haven’t read the full book yet. I thought I could jump in on this series in book two, but I was mistaken. I made it through about the first third of the book, but I’ve decided to hold off on reading anymore until I got back and read book one, Finlay Donovan is Killing It.

What I’ve read so far is madcap and fun, causing me to laugh out loud at moments, which is rare for me when reading. But I realized that I really need to go back and understand the relationships and history of these characters, especially the connection between Finlay and Vero. I have the feeling that so much is set up in the first book, and this second one isn’t going to be nearly as good without that ground having been laid.

I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys mysteries, thrillers, family drama and some good, old-fashioned goofball comedy. But if you haven’t read book one yet, please learn from my mistake and start with that one.

And based on all of the love I’ve seen for this series, and my own experience of the beginning of book two, you might as well go ahead and buy both!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

Finlay Donovan is back, and this time she is determined to live a normal, non-murderous life (outside of her fiction, of course). Just as Finlay is settling in to start her next novel, she discovers someone has put a hit out on her ex-husband, Steven. While Finlay certainly hates Steven, she doesn't really want the father of her children dead so she's going to do something about it. Finlay enlists the help of her former co-hit-woman and current live-in nanny, Vero, to help her save Steven's life. As Finlay and Vero work to keep Steven alive, old characters reappear, including Nick and Julian, who make it difficult for Finlay to focus on the task at hand. And to add on to that, Sylvia is on Finlay's ass about finishing her next book because she's sure that this one will finally put Finlay in the spotlight - which is exactly where Finlay doesn't want to be right now. And what the hell is going on with Vero? Why is she being so weird about money? Finlay doesn't have enough hours in a day to take care of her children, navigate her love life, write a blockbuster novel, answer all her burning questions about Vero, and save Steven's life, but she doesn't really have a choice. So Finlay is going to do what she does best and stay on course and (hopefully) not kill anyone while trying.


Just like Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, I could not put down Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead! There is just something about Finlay, the unassuming, witty protagonist, that just brings me so much joy - she is easily one of my favorite book characters of all time. In Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead, Finlay is back in a really random, weird situation that just escalates to extreme danger without warrant - it's exciting, thrilling, and funny. The only real drawback for me with this book is the weird love triangle Finlay is in: I don't love that Nick is essentially being forced on her by everyone and I think it's a little weird that Julian is such a major character but we learn nothing about him. However, it's still a very fun read and the romance portion isn't overwhelming or overdone - it's just kind of unfulfilling in a sense. Overall, this book is a great follow-up to the first and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! I definitely want another Finlay Donovan book and, honestly, I want a Netflix adaptation. If you're looking for a new series to read that's full of action, comedy, and thrill, I highly recommend the Finlay Donovan books.

4/5

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It was in my top five favorite books of 2021 - I just loved it. Something about these books just clicks for me. I don't know if it's the smart, funny, exasperated heroine, the salty sidekick, the humor, the drama, the mystery, the spicy times ... it all just works. You know when reading is super easy, like you can barely feel yourself turning that pages? That is this book. It is a combination of my favorite things in books - mystery, humor, and a kick-a$$ lady in charge. Finlay is so smart, and so relatable. You can imagine being her friend - heck, you can imagine being HER, just hopefully with fewer dead bodies.

This book is funny, and well-written, with a decent amount of spice. I think it will appeal to fans of several genres - mystery/thriller, women's fiction/romcom, and spicy readers. I highly recommend it.

This book picks up where the first book left off. Finlay is a hilarious, hot mess and I just can’t seem to get enough!! Highly entertaining!!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for kindly approving an arc for my honest review.

Finlay Donovan is back on her hijinks, working on her next novel and working on figuring out who is trying to kill her ex-husband. Her nanny turned accomplice is hiding something and Detective Nick Anthony is looking to be more than friends. 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...
TW: Murder, Cancer, Death, Gun Violence
...

4 stars! Finlay Donovan is back and better than ever! I adore Finlay's antics and her messy self. I absolutely fell in love with her in book one, and I think book two really stepped up and continued the fun. There's a lot going on here, several red herrings, but for the most part I think the chaos worked in the book's favor to keep the reader guessing. There was so much chaos that the ending was a little less than believable, but I could let it slide because of just how much fun I was having. Overall I highly recommend, but definitely would say you want to read book 1 first! -Madison

One liner: Finlay Donovan does it again.

We rejoin Finlay and Vero about a month after their first book wrapped up. This is definitely a series so read the first book first if you don't want to be spoiled or confused throughout the entire book. The first book ended with a huge cliffhanger that someone had put out a hit on Finlay's ex-husband. Unfortunately, there are just too many suspects when this book starts. Naturally Finlay doesn't want her kids anywhere near him, but seriously, how do you explain that in a way that doesn't make him think she is just being spiteful and trying to keep him away from the kids. Finlay does her best to save him, figure out who is trying to kill him, keep her kids safe, stay clear of the mobster that knows she knows too many of his secrets, and figure out whether she likes the law student or cop more and whether there could be a future with either one given her connections.

There is a style in this series that I love. Finlay is a cozy mystery writer and her stories bear a strong resemblance to her real life. This allows the writer to preview so many things through conversations between Finlay and her editor. It is a thoroughly entertaining twist on cozy mysteries that I truly enjoy. This book delves into Finlay's relationships (romantic and non-romantic) and allows Finlay to try to control her situation more than she could in the first book. But she is still smack dab in the middle of something bigger after the loose ends around her husband's hit contract is solved. Thankfully, the story is set up perfectly for a third book.

I am thankful for the electronic copy of the book that I received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I purchased the audible version on my own.

The second installment of the Finlay Donovan series does not disappoint! Like the first book, it's filled with snarky banter, hilarious hijinks, and even more madcap mayhem --how many murderous situations can one woman get into? Apparently a LOT, and that's perfectly okay!

Beginning right at the heels of the first book (and I won't post spoilers here), Finlay finds herself in yet another situation of mistaken identity. She is mistaken for a hitman-for-hire (yes, that was the theme in the first book), but this time, she is being hired to kill her own ex-husband....

But another wonderful theme in this book is friendship and being allies for fellow women, even when you don't like them very much. It's finding solidarity and learning to ask for help, even when you don't want to. I love how the author takes the time to develop Finlay and Vero's friendship --being I think this is the real backbone of the series. I'd love to learn more about the mysterious Vero, and I hope she gets to be the focus of one of the future books.

I cannot wait for the third installment! And I hope they make this series into a movie (they probably have and I just don't know about it!).

Thank you Netgalley for the E-ARC!

Fun for all. This novel is a rip-roaring time with Finlay back again with the hot mess express, mama drama, mysteries. Her and Vero are some of the best characters around and it was an entertaining ride being back with them again. I look forward to more from this series!

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for early access to this book!

I had been meaning to pick up the first book in this series for a bit because everyone said it was a great read and a lot of fun, and really that is the way I would describe this whole series: a great read a lot of fun.

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead was great! I loved all the returning characters. Finlay is always a mess but pulls through, Vero is just a bit shady (when will we get her back story!! I want it now!), and the rest of the cast of characters were just perfect. I loved the balance of mystery and romance, keeping the action going at just the right amount on all fronts.

I can't wait for the next book in the series to see what Finlay et al get up to next!

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead

3.5 to 3.75 stars rounded up to 4.

The Finlay Donovan books are comedic cozy mysteries/romances. The situations our leads get themselves into and out of are utterly ridiculous in an incredibly enjoyable way. At no point would I recommend a reader go into these stories expecting some semblance of reality. Much in the same way I wouldn’t advise someone go into an Avengers movie expecting realism. Unless Thor is out there knocking on someone’s door, in which case, let me know. I’d like to embarrass myself in front of the very handsome god in a mistaken attempt to shoot my shot.

If you enjoyed the first novel I believe you’ll enjoy this one as well. I’d definitely recommend this book and plan on purchasing a physical copy for my personal library.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead was one of my most anticipated sequels of 2022 and it did not disappoint!

From the first page, I got the same quirky, funny vibe from the first book. I adore the dark humor throughout both books. This makes the book the perfect light thriller. If you like the show Dead To Me, you'll love these books.

I also adore the bond between Finlay and Vero. They are both back in this book and their friendship is stronger than ever. Vero's past is explored in this second book and this adds more complexity to her character. She's no longer just the sidekick.

Finlay's love story is complicated again and I liked the way this played out in the book. She doesn't need a hero to save her because maybe she's the hero herself.

I did enjoy the first book slightly more. I think the plot was just a bit too complicated in this book because I was a little confused at times. Overall, I still loved it and can't wait to read more from this author. Maybe we get a third book in the series??

I really enjoyed FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT, which ended on such a cliffhanger, so I was excited to read the sequel FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD. It’s another light read that’s far-fetched but fun—exactly what I needed to read when I was awake for a few hours in the middle of one night, unable to fall back asleep. This one had a few too many characters to track and overall I liked the first one more, but it’s worth reading if you need a breezy tale of suburban mom capers!

I don't know what it is, I just can't get into these books as much as I want to! I adored the first half of the first book, but I feel like the plot just gets muddled and I can't keep people straight, and I just simply don't care what happens in the plot. Simply just not my cup of tea, unfortunately.

finlay and vero are back!!! and still reluctantly up to no good 🥴

this one picks up right where the first one left off, and finlay’s ex-husband steven is in big trouble. if only he believed that the threats on his life is actually not a prank from finlay …

I, once again, didn’t love this one. I still am annoyed by all of the characters, even more so in this one, and not in a love to hate way. finlay is somehow more idiotic - leaving her phone with a dead body, letting vero handle alllll of the money, impersonating a lawyer, breaking into a prison, stringing on two beautiful men who DESERVE BETTER, and yes getting involved with multiple professional mafia members.

I appreciated the quick action in this one, but I felt almost let down by the conclusion. it set up the next book nicely but by leaving this one on a cliffhanger, I felt that there was no real resolution to this one. everything just sorta faded away.

I definitely will plan on reading the next one because they’re fun and easy reads. I just wished I liked literally any of the characters so I could actually root for them 🤪

thank you to netgalley and minotaur books for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

rating: 2.5 stars
wine pairing: argentina malbec