Didn’t love this one as much as book # 2 but still a fun extension of this crazy saga of Finlay Donavan. The storyline of her son running into the bathroom stalls of strangers cracked me up!!

I am STILL loving this series! The mystery keeps you guessing, we have a bit of forbidden romance and yearning, and honestly this book was just FUN!

This was another fun read in the Finlay Donovan series that was a perfect beach read.

So far this series has proven to have longevity and I wouldn't be surprised to see a network like Hallmark pick up the TV option for the series.

I would recommend this.

Title: Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun
By: Elle Cosimano
Pub. Day: Jan 31 2023

Genre:
Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Humor, Book Club, Audiobook

Red Flags:
Murder, Violence, Accidental Homicide, Racism, Sexism, Drugs, Car Accident, Catfishing,
(**a little more graphic than preferred, hence the knock in stars**)

Summary/Review:
Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun brings back the beautiful mess of chaos and charm that is Finlay Donovan. She’s a recently divorced mom of two, a struggling writer and a woman who spins the chaos of the ordinary into a hilariously exaggerated trainwreck. In Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun the narrative involves the continuation of the Russian Mob, an expensive car, an attractive cop, and research with the firearm training and forensic classes. Finlay bounces from one disaster to the next, only to somehow land on a perfectly purposeful ending.

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is truly unforgettable! The theme of this series balances the heaviness of heartbreak with hilarious disasters that revolve around the distinctive Finlay. The character depth is masterfully written and includes wild and unpredictable memorable moments of relationships built on trust and forgiveness.

For anyone who’s ever faced setbacks, family drama, or creative writer's block, The Finlay Donovan Series offers a realistically bittersweet exploration of motherhood’s emotional depths where humor softens heartbreak, and healing quietly takes root. Highly Recommended!!! I can’t wait to continue reading this series!

Thank you to Elle Cosimano, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity of an Advanced Readers Copy. I am voluntarily leaving my personal review.

#FinlayDonovanJumpstheGun
#St.MartinsPress
#MinotaurBooks
#ElleCosimano
#advancedreadercopies
#NetGalley

This is the third book in the Finlay Donovan series. I found this book to have the weakest plot of the three, and it felt the most…unbelievable, if you can believe me (ha). It just felt like the most unrealistic, which is funny considering the series as a whole isn’t really realistic. It just went a little TOO far for me, I guess! It’s still a fun book, and I’m still looking forward to the rest!

Thank you so much to Minotaur Books for the free copies of the Finlay Donovan series!

I never know what Finlay is going to get herself into and then out of. I was NOT expecting a police training camp and how that would all work out for her and Veronica. It was very entertaining with lots of twists, as expected.

*Provided a DRC (digital review copy) from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.

4 Stars - Thank you to NetGalley & the publishers for an ARC of 'Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun', the third book in Elle Cosimano's Finlay Donovan Series. I believe NetGalley re-released the earlier books to build anticipation for the upcoming final installments (#5 and #6), which worked out perfectly for me! haha

I found this book far more enjoyable than the second. While the plot is still delightfully over-the-top, it had me laughing out loud, smiling, and gasping throughout. Finlay and Vero are truly the dynamic BFF duo you didn’t know you needed. The romantic aspect had a noticeably spicier edge this time around, and the story delivered a wonderfully entertaining mix of humor, mystery, and suspense.

A fun and cozy mystery with just the right blend of charm and chaos—I loved it!

Finlay and Vero are up to their necks in trouble. They have Zhirov demanding that they help him get out of prison. Vero has some bad guys from New Jersey after her. Finlay is struggling to write a book, take care of her kids, and juggle the men who are interested in her. Her solution? Go to the safest place on earth, the Citizen’s Police Academy! It’s Finlay so highjinx will ensue but will she ever finish writing her next book? Or figure out which man she wants to be with?

I’m going to get this out of the way here. The Citizens Police Academy is so silly that I rolled my eyes every time it was mentioned. However, it gave Finlay a place to go for this story and it was necessary to make the story work. What did I like? The story is lightweight and fun. Finlay is still a hot mess. Vero is still a hot mess. The bad guys are also kind of a hot mess. The men that are clamoring for Finlay’s attention suffer from blindness where Finlay is concerned. Also, this book spends a lot of time creating more of the world around Finlay. What didn’t I like? I thought the silliness got to be a bit much. There were times that I couldn’t suspend disbelief because it was impossible. There are a lot of side characters that are all necessary to make the story work.

If you haven’t read the stories leading up to this, go back and read them because this story is a continuation of all the stuff from the first books. This is absolutely NOT a stand alone story. I am invested in this series at this point so I will read the next book but I don’t know how much farther I’ll go in the series if it continues like this.

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔾𝕚𝕤𝕥:
Finlay Donovan is no stranger to chaos, but when she and her nanny-turned-partner Vero accidentally destroy a luxury car while saving her ex-husband—and the Russian mob kindly covers the cost—she finds herself in their debt. Mob boss Feliks, even from prison, gives her a new assignment: track down a contract killer who might be hiding in the police force. With a book deadline looming and pressure mounting, Finlay joins a citizen’s police academy (conveniently led by the handsome Detective Nick) to do some undercover sleuthing. Between firearm training, forensic classes, mob entanglements, and parenting duties, Finlay and Vero race to crack the case before the killer—and the mob—catch up to them.

𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤:
🧍🏻‍♀️Single mom
😂 Laugh out loud humor
🫆 Amateur sleuths
💼 Mob bosses

𝕄𝕪 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
I absolutely love all of the Finlay Donovan books. I think they are the perfect mix of mystery, suspense, and humor. It’s so entertaining to see what insane situation Finlay will find herself in next. That being said, this was probably my least favorite book in the series so far. Mostly because I feel like the story is getting very drawn out and repetitive at times. I still enjoyed it, though!

My favorite part is Finlay and Vero’s relationship and all of the disastrous scenarios they find themselves in. I also love all the scenes related to motherhood and the realities of raising toddlers. Those opening scenes always make me laugh out loud! If you haven’t given this series a try yet, you absolutely should!

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗡𝗲𝘁 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁. 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄.

𝕄𝕪 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/

Finlay Donovan does it again - finds herself in the wrong place at the right time. Over and over and over again. This poor mama! I loved the introduction of new characters, some with twists I totally didn’t see coming. Loved the escaping and the hijinks and the silly lines by Vero. Soooo glad for Nick and his heroic deeds and how swoony their love story really is. Love Javi as a character and how that man would jump through FIRE for some attention… overall, loved loved loved the story, par norm. Cannot wait for the next one!

Yard work and these books on audio are going to be my summer favorite. Finlay sure gets herself in a lot of trouble, and her nanny/accountant cracks me up throughout the book. I love these stories!!

This book was such a fun read!!! Truly every book in the series is a joy and makes me laugh out loud! If you grew up loving Nancy Drew and Babysitter’s Club, these books are for you!

Thank you to the author/publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this whole series! I think everyone should read these because they're so fun. Finlay is one that I have loved getting to know and the series was so much fun to dive into.

The third book of the Finlay Donovan series continues the zany, action packed antics of everyone’s favourite accidental crime solver. This book delivers a story with laugh out loud moments, clever twists, and heartwarming friendships. This instalment takes the chaos up a notch, sending Finlay and her trusty sidekick Vero to a police academy retreat that’s as absurd as it is dangerous.

As Finlay juggles her obligations to her children, her feelings for her swoon worthy cop love interest, and her determination to find a killer, the plot barrels ahead with implausible scenarios and offbeat humour. Yes, the premise may stretch reality at times, but the sheer fun and charm of Cosimano’s writing make it easy to overlook.

The dynamic between Finlay and Vero continues to shine, with their banter providing many of the book’s most memorable moments. I would like to see some more depth with Finlay’s romantic relationship however.

The mystery itself is fast paced and full of surprises, with enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing. While the scenarios may be far-fetched, the humour keeps me along for the ride. I would recommend this series if you’re looking for a fun, lighthearted mystery that you can escape to.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to review this book.

3.5 Stars rounded up

As I can by other reviews, this has also been my least favorite of this series so far. I think that the whole concept got extended a little past it's shelf life

Appreciate the ARC. The premise was strong, and there were parts I enjoyed, especially the pacing and a few standout scenes. Some characters felt more fleshed out than others, but it was an easy read with a clear plot. Not a favorite, but not a miss either.

I loved this book! Elle Cosimano delivers another hilarious, fast-paced adventure with Finlay Donovan that’s equal parts suspense and heart. The mix of motherhood chaos, mob intrigue, and witty banter had me hooked from start to finish. Finlay is a wonderfully relatable heroine, and the twists kept me guessing the whole way through. A must read for fans of smart, funny mysteries!

4 stars for book 3 in this wacky crime series. I have read the previous 2 books in the series and you should read them in order too, since each book ends with a lead into the next book. Finlay got involved with a vicious Russian mobster, Felix Zhirov, in book 1. He demands that she find out who is blackmailing him or he will kill her. She does find out, but not without some missteps, causing Felix to get angry with her. Hows she survives and finds romance made for an entertaining story. Her accountant/nanny Vero helps her navigate some very treacherous and dangerous pathways between Felix and the police, including a detective that is in love with her.
Thank You Minotaur Books for sending me this eBook through NetGalley.

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is Elle Cosimano‘s third book in her clean mystery/thriller series, Finlay Donovan. It should be read after Finlay Donovan Is Killing It and Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead. The stories continue chronologically within a short time span and do not contain any profanity or descriptions of sex or violence.
31-year-old Finlay Donovan is a stressed-out single-mom of two and a struggling novelist, reeling from her ex-husband’s affair. Her life is in chaos as she juggles parenting two preschoolers while trying to find inspiration to meet her writing deadline. She is behind on all of her bills and frequently needs her ex-husband to bail her out financially. She is a hot mess with a lot on her plate, and she keeps getting into mayhem.
Finlay began a relationship with Nick, a handsome by-the-book police detective in Finlay Donovan Is Killing It. Things became dicey for her in Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead when the Russian mob put out a hit on her ex-husband. While Finlay was devastated by his betrayal, she didn’t want him murdered because he was still a good father to their children and frequently helped her out. So in the process of trying to save him, Finlay and her bestie, Vero, borrowed a luxury car which was destroyed in the melee. Now Finlay is indebted to the Russian mob for taking care of the car.
Feliks, the mob boss, contacts Finlay from jail with an assignment: find a contract killer.
It’s problematic because this killer might be a police officer. Since Detective Nick has started up a Citizens’ Police Academy, Finlay attends under the guise of research for her new novel. It’s tricky for Finlay to balance her desire to spend time with Nick while keeping him in the dark about her clandestine activities. Meanwhile she has two children to care for and a book to finish. Vero’s mysterious past surfaces, leading to a connected story, Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank.
Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is a fast-paced, clean and hilarious story about a young mother whose life is in the toilet. The descriptions of motherhood are spot-on, while Finlay’s adventures are pure escapist comedy. It’s a definite page-turner that will leave readers begging for the next story. The Finlay Donovan series would make an excellent TV show.
I received an advance review copy (ARC) from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the complimentary e-ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This time Finlay and Vero go in citizen’s police academy that is lead by hot cop Nick. While doing some “research” for her new book, Finlay tries to find out who is a dirty cop and how to save her family from Russian mob.

At this point I will be following this fearless duo till the end. Finlay and Vero are full of surprises and solutions for almost any problem they run into. Humor, more development and history for beloved characters.