Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is the third installment in the series featuring Finlay (mom, author, accidental serial criminal) and her nanny (friend, accountant, sidekick, co-criminal) Vero.
While I was chomping at the bit to read this book, unfortunately I did not enjoy it as much as I did the previous two.
I think at this point the concept is getting a little stale, especially the Russian mafia storyline, and the over the top shenanigans are getting more and more difficult to believe.
Overall this book felt like a filler to me, a way to stretch the story out longer and milk the cow some more.
Arguably the most interesting part about the book was the ending, setting up the next title in the series, which looks to be steering the storyline into a new direction. Fingers crossed we see less Russian mob and a brand new antagonist. The cliffhanger at the end has me excited to pick up the next book, so well done on that front!

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano is the third book in the Finlay series, but I feel like you could follow along without having read the first two books. Finlay Donovan and nanny Vero are back again sleuthing, spying, and searching for the bad guys. Attending a police academy for citizens run by officer Nick gives them the opportunity to look for a contract killer, a mole in the police department, and still find time to get to know officer Nick better. The adventure continues.

The opening scene of the story was hysterical and from there I was hooked! Finlay is a very relatable character as a mom who is trying to do her best. The only problem is she keeps running into dangerous though sometimes humorous situations. Vero is the friend who challenges her to be more adventurous while always having her back. I laughed out loud at the antics of Vero and Finlay while rooting for Finlay to get together with Nick. I found this a quick read that made me happy. I am forever #teamfinlaydonovan.

I greatly enjoyed Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun. The author has the gift of writing a mystery that is laugh out loud funny that still kept me guessing till the end. This was the perfect book to brighten up my winter and I recommend. .

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.

The situations Finlay and Vero find themselves in are incredible. I don’t know how Elle Cosimano comes up with these ideas, but I hope they never stop!

In this book (the third in the series), Finlay’s ex-husband seems to be coming around and trying to make amends after she helped him basically survive in the last book, BUT I spent a good chunk of this book hoping she’d shoot him down. You’ll have to read it to find out!

That said, Finlay and Vero are in serious debt and owe dangerous people, so they have to find out who Easy Clean is before more people get hurt, or worse, die. In order to figure out just who this contract killer is, they join a training course with the local police academy and find themselves getting great scores for all of the things that involve hiding and disposing of bodies (oops‽).

OH. And there’s a WONDERFUL return of the hot cop, Nick. For those of you who have been reading this series devoutly, you’ll be happy to see them in this book… trust me 😏

I can’t recommend this series enough. It’s fun, lighthearted, and filled with catastrophic scenarios you just have to hope you never find yourself in!

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC.

Dating. Diapers. And dodging bullets. Who said single moms can't have fun? I guess I can't have fun. This was a DNF for me at 20%. I had not read books 1 and 2 of the series so maybe that was part of why I could not get into this. There were way too many people introduced in the first 20% that I did read. Who is who? The whole premise was just silly to me. A mom and nanny being involved with the Russian Mob, people dying, finding frozen people in the freezer. I see so many good reviews of these books I wanted to like it but it just wasn't for me.

What's it about (in a nutshell):
Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun starts off where the last book leaves off. You should read this series in order because each book leads to the next. It is a continuous series of events with pause points (soft conclusions) where one book ends, and the next picks up the story. In this part of the series, an evil man still expects Finlay to find the person hired to kill her ex-husband. But being a nasty man, it's not a request but a demand. Of course, Finlay has no idea how to find that person and doesn't even know if she's looking for a man or a woman. Her only clue is that it is someone in law enforcement – perhaps a crooked cop.
Actual Reading Experience:
I just loved this story. It's fun and fast-paced, keeps me guessing from beginning to end, and has more than enough thrills, spills, and misdirections to keep my thriller-loving heart happy. Finlay is an everywoman, so it is effortless to see myself in her situation and relate to her reactions to everything around her. Being able to put yourself in her shoes makes this series so enjoyable that it instantly and consistently became a favorite of mine.
The characters are the best part. I talk more in-depth about Finlay in the character section. Still, there is also Vero (short for Veronica), Finlay's accountant/nanny/partner in crime. Vero is a delightfully lousy influence but also a good one in that she pushes Finlay to be more – to be better and stronger – and knows she can make it on her own. Vero is a foil for Finlay, but she is also a true friend, one that the story would not be the same without.
You may notice that Finlay and Vero both have rather unisex names, and I don't think this is a coincidence – not at all. As a matter of fact, it directly reflects their ability to tough it out in a man's world just as successfully as any man could. And they are put in some very physically and mentally tricky predicaments.
I could gush much more, but I'm also looking at the word count, thinking I need to wrap this up. Never fear, though; I have much more to say in the remaining sections.
Characters:
Finlay Donovan is a writer, and a divorced mom of two young children – a five-year-old daughter who is as precocious as precocious can get but endearingly so and a two-year-old son who likes to play hide-and-seek in occupied bathroom stalls. I love how Finlay has a great sense of humor about her children's antics and events that moms (and many adults without children) everywhere can laugh with her about because we have all been there.
But besides being a mom with a great sense of humor, Finlay is also brilliant, tries to do what's right and best for everyone, and can be brave to the point of recklessness at times, which is a bit of a flaw, but it also makes her more human. Most of all, though, I love her sense of humor. She can see the absurdity in everything she gets thrown into; because of that, the story has a deep vein of humor that I adore.
Narration & Pacing:
The story is told in first-person narration through Finlay Donovan's point of view. And it is incredibly fast-paced. I love being in Finlay's head because of her many qualities, which I mentioned in the previous section. The narration and pacing are just perfect for this type of entertaining read.

Setting:
Finlay Donovan lives and writes in Virginia – Fairfax County, to be more specific. The setting only plays a very minor role in this story. I think the primary way it comes into play is its proximity to important places in the story, like Atlantic City and the University of Maryland.

Read if you like:
* Dangerous thrills with a hefty dose of relatable humor
* Characters that you love to read about
* Fast-paced, thoroughly entertaining reads

Engaging, witty humor 😂
Gentle slow-burn romance ♥️
Appealing characters 🕵️‍♀️👮‍♀️
Can totally see as a movie—it’s gotta happen!🍿


This is the first Finlay Donovan novel that I’ve read. Although you can glean enough about the storyline leading to the present action, I’ll now definitely have to go back and read the previous entries in the series. This is a quick read, and once I started, I had to keep reading until I finished. It was the perfect way to spend a snowy day in front of my fire—great characters, snappy dialogue, twisty action, and a couple of romances going on, too. I loved everything about it!

Read this if you like: Cozy funny mysteries, single mom, contract killer stories

This is the third book of author and single mom Finlay Donovan and her antics. Finlay and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero accidentally destroyed a luxury car that they had "borrowed" in the process of saving the life of Finlay's ex-husband. The Russian mob bought the car for her and now she owes them. Finlay and Vero end up at a police academy for citizens to find a contract killer that may be a cop.

This was crazy and funny. The opening scene had me cackling. I do feel like it was less action packed than the last two. I just wanted more. I'm glad some things were finally wrapped up. I'm excited for the fourth one. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the gifted e-book ❤️

I loved this addition to the series! It was so thrilling and I loved that Finlay had a stable love interest. I couldn’t put this one down! I loved the setting since it is so unique from the other books. I can’t wait for the next book!

Gotta be honest- this is for fans of the series. Finlay and her pal Vero have been struggling with evil loan sharks, an assassin, and all sorts of other things while managing Finlay's kids and Vero's unrequited love. This time out they find themselves at a civilian police academy hoping that they'll be able to identify Easy Clean the assassin who they think might be a police officer. Everyone is suspect, including Finlay's love interest. This goes over and around the top more than once but I kept reading because of the moments I really like (love the opening with Finlay trying to persuade her son to leave a stall in a men's room). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's mad cap.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Steam Level: 🔥🔥 (one fade to black sex scene)
Trigger Warning: attempted murder, blackmail

Finlay is finally on better terms with her ex-husband and ready to find the identity of EasyClean- the dirty cop who is trying to blackmail Feliks Zhirov. But when Finlay and Vero end up being blackmailed themselves and tasked with taking out EasyClean, they decide to sign up for a citizen's police academy that will hopefully help them uncover the identity of the mysterious hitman. And as Finlay plays detective, she'll also be in close proximity with Detective Nick Anthony- the hot cop she's been trying not to fall for despite his tempting advances. Will Finlay and Vero be able to find EasyClean and also avoid getting themselves arrested for their past crimes?

This was by far my favorite book in the series! I loved every minute and would have binged this in a day if given the chance. I loved how this took place at the police academy. There was an obstacle course, a heated mock trial with an unexpected guest, a target practice that provided some valuable information, and much more. The mystery of EasyClean's identity kept me guessing until the very end, and I was so shocked when the big reveal came. I continue to enjoy the friendship between Finlay and Vero and how they bicker and fight but still love each other like family. And the hint of romance between Vero and Javi was a fun addition. Speaking of romance, Nick was particularly 🔥 in this one, and I am absolutely in love with him and Finlay together. The tension was just perfect, and I liked how Finlay was forced to confront her feelings for him. I'm so glad we get another installment in the series after this and can't wait to see how everything wraps up!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I started this series very skeptical of whether I would like it or not, but the more I read of the story, the more invested I become. In this book, Finlay is trying to figure out who EasyClean is while also figure out her love life. I absolutely loved the balance between the romance and the action parts of the book. I think the author did a really good job at not focusing too much on either the romance or the action too much. There were some really cute moments, and then there were also some very entertaining moments. Like usual, Vero was the comedic relief, but we also got to see more of her background and love life which was nice. I can’t wait to see more of Finlay and Nick in the next book too. Overall the book was really well written and entertaining to read.

This is one of my ultimate favorite series. That first paragraph in the first book gripped me and it didn't let go. Three books later and I still adore Finlay and Vero, maybe now more than ever.

The friendship between these two ladies is a literal example of "ride or die". I love that. Once again, Finally is left to clean up someone else's messes. Finlay and Vero now have to get money where there isn't any so that they can pay off the people that are after Vero. There is a heave feeling of persecution. The kids may be in danger. I'm a little upset they were not that involved in this book since one of Finlay's most amazing traits is how much she adores her kids.

Our hot FBI detective is back and things are looking up in the romance department for Finlay, or is it? She can't stop thinking about things should be feeling a whatnot. Comparing her real life to the one she projected on paper for her novels.

Steven is a stinks. We know this but now we know he is definitely hiding something. Finlay is completely clueless. Seriously, I want to shake her up a bit.

There is a beautiful cliffhanger and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.

Elle Cosimano, I love you.

Thank you Netgalley, Elle Cosimano and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the opportunity.

Hilarious!

My favorite, scarcely holding it together, burier of bodies, writer involved in criminal activities by accident, Finlay Donovan is once again sucked into a situation not of her making. Russian mob boss, Felix’s Zhirov is demanding her help to find Easyclean, a contract killer, and there’s little or no room for negotiation. It seems there’s also a mole in the police department. Sussing this out will take a keen eye and mind and absolute discretion—none of which Finlay cultivates. Neither does her account/nanny/ partner-in-crime, Vero.
To discover the perp will take infiltrating the police force and a course with the Citizens Police Academy supplies the cover needed.
Oh and Vero has some criminal types from a loan shark after her.
Her husband Steve is up to his old tricks. They all fall short but not without putting Finlay into embarrassing, if not outright dangerous situations
A hilarious romp. I snorted with laughter quite a few times. Oh and Nick, the police officer who sets Finlay all aglow? Well she just never seems to find quite the right time to do anything about it.
It doesn’t get much better than this.

A St Martin’s Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.

Findlay Donovan is quickly becoming one of my favorite new series characters! Like the past two installments, the characters are fun, quirky, and worth rooting for. The plot keeps me turning pages and guessing at which character has a secret dark side. I don’ t guess until the end, but then that is the fun of these books.

4.5 ✨

I REALLY enjoyed being back in this world.

I freaking love Vero and Finlay’s antics even though they stress me out.

I will say-I think the writing on this book is just as good as the others, but the plot doesn’t advance that much.

Honestly, I didn’t mind. I will definitely keep reading this series and plan to buy them to keep on my shelves.

Thank you Netgalley for a free copy in exchange for my opinion.

Finlay and Vero are at it again! I'm pretty sure these two couldn't stay out of trouble if you put them in an empty padded cell. Finlay owes the Russian mob for helping her out before and now Vero has people out for her. You'd think hiding out at a secure site for a Police Academy would offer them some security and safety, but you'd be wrong...really wrong.

I really enjoy this series. Cosimano has thrown in danger, mystery, dead bodies (multiple in various conditions), family love, friendship and romance. Is there anything she hasn't included? Anyway, it's a whirlwind of things going on and they all come together to create a very entertaining read!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano
Rating: 4 stars
Pub Date: 1/31

Finlay is back, and things are as crazy as ever! This time around, Finlay and Vero find themselves accidentally working for the mob, and if they don’t do exactly what they’re told, they could be the next victims.

These books are so much fun! Cosimano somehow manages to write suspenseful thrillers/mysteries that feel lighthearted while also keeping you on the edge of your seat. They’re a little silly and unbelievable, but you just have to suspend your disbelief and go along for the ride. I can’t say too much without giving a lot away, but it’s safe to say that I loved this third installment in the series.

We got to go a little deeper into Vero’s backstory this time around, and there’s more romance than we’re used to with this series. Nick is amazing, and you know I’m here for any scraps of romance I can find. And the whodunnit mystery is so well done! The girls are trying to discover who tried to kill Finlay’s ex-husband, and I guessed wrong so many times! I thought this was going to be the last book in the series, but that cliffhanger ending left no question that there will be a book 4.

With its endearing characters and laugh-out-loud humor, this series has quickly won me over. If you’re looking for a cozy mystery/whodunnit series that will keep you guessing until the end, this series is for you.

Thank you so much Minotaur Books for this early copy to read and review! Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is out on 1/31.

I was excited to read another chaotic adventure of Finlay and Vero. This installment might be my least favorite in the series, but it was still a fun book. Finlay and Vero need to pay a debt to a Russian mob boss and find out who the contract killer known as Easy Clean. The killer could be a cop, so Finlay and Vero decided to join a citizen police academy to sleuth out the real killer and free themselves from the Russian mob boss's hands.

I enjoyed the book, but I felt a little disconnected from the story. I felt like there should have been a few more recap reminders from the other books because they all have a complex plot, and it is easy to get confused in the story. If a reader went into this book blindly, I do not think they would fully understand the dynamics of Finlay and Vero's relationship and other minor details. The police academy was an entertaining touch, but I wish Finlay and Nick had more time together. This book was still a light, fun, entertaining read with a cliffhanger for a possible fourth book.

Thank you to NetGalley and to St. Martin Press for giving me a copy of the book.

An okay read/audiobook. Good humor but not a lot of excitement like the first two books. Finlay and Vero hunting for that mystery person who posted online in the previous books called Easy Clean. Readers get to see what goes on in police academy. Many characters are still the same from before. Readers will learn more about Vero's secrets. The ending left a cliffhanger that promise of the 4th book. I enjoyed the narrator in this series.

Finlay is an author and readers get to see author problems like writer's block. She went out to explore and experience so she can put it to writing. It's funny sometimes with writers when she's with a guy and her imagination for the story went ahead of her while she stood there blank faced.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen and review!

This third book in the series is exactly what I expected - Finlay and Vero's hijinks, love interest for Finlay, Finlay's sister helping out, and Finlay's ex being a jerk. I listened to the first Finlay Donovan book on audio and really enjoyed it, I listened to the second on audio and didn't like it as much. I decided that I wanted to read the third in print, and was (a) happy to get an arc, and (b) happy that I had a much better experience. I think it can get a little exasperating when Finlay and Vero get into situations that they don't need to because they make some poor decisions (e.g., they didn't have to stead a cop car, they didn't have to stay at the cop retreat) and listening to the hijinks can get a bit frustrating - reading them is much better, at least for me. Solid installment in the series. 3.5 stars