Oh my what fun! The sass, the laughs and the sleuths! I loved getting back into Finlay's story and will never be over this series! Picking up right where the last book left off, this book follows Finlay and Vero's craziness with the Russian mob.

All the over-the-top craziness, fun and antics, this is a great next installment in everybody's favorite comical mystery series! It's just so much fun!

The Finlay Donovan series is a non-stop comedy of errors. Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is the third installment of the series, and it doesn't disappoint. Finlay and her sidekick nanny, Vero, experience one hilarious catastrophe after another. This series is worth the read if you are looking for sleuthing shenanigans.

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is funny and charming with witty banter and an opening scene that immediately hooks you. However I had not read the first two books in the series and was lost in the overall plot - references to characters and prior story line - and would not consider this a standalone.

Ahhhhhh another Finlay Donovan book! I can say now after reading 3 of them that I have never been let down by one of these books. They are fun and have me on the edge of my seat until the end.

This third one was very fun, but it wasn’t my favorite of the series. Hey- they can’t all be a favorite! The only reason I say it isn’t my favorite is because it took longer than 2 days to read unlike the other two.

I recommend the entire series to everyone!

✨ Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun ✨⁣
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⁣Oh man. Finlay and Vero are probably two of the biggest hot messes in fiction and I love them for it! These books are silly, unrealistic, and a great escape! ⁣
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⁣Somehow Finlay has gotten on the wrong side of the Russian mob and now must complete a job for them before they off her… Yikes! ⁣
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⁣*Insert a lot of far fetched silliness and unbelievable scenes where everyone and their dog is in danger!* ⁣
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⁣This one was fine. Fans of Finlay will enjoy it… If you were feeling lukewarm on this series, I’m not sure I’d recommend this one. Three stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
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⁣Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the eARC. Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun publishes on January 31, 2023

**Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur, and Elle Cosimano for an ARC of this book!**

Ever heard (or played) the piano classic, "Chopsticks?"

It's a simple enough song to play, hence why so many can sit down at a piano with little to no training and plunk it out in a matter of minutes. At first, it's exciting: you (or the piano player in earshot) can play it! But if you KEEP playing it for more than about 2 minutes, the tune starts to grate on you a bit, and it eventually sounds like you're simply playing the same two discordant notes, over and over.

And by the end of installment three, I felt like Cosimano was happily playing away...but I just couldn't ENJOY the tune anymore.

Finlay Donovan has made the transition (of sorts) from writer and mom to hit woman with her own brand of panache, aided by bestie and nanny Vero who is her steady (and sometimes snarky) sidekick. After Finlay's ex Stephen narrowly escaped with his life in installment two, Finlay and Vero are back...but of course, mob boss Feliks hasn't lost track of them...even from prison. Finlay needs to find out who the mysterious "Easy Clean" who put out the initial hit on her ex is before Feliks loses patience...and the bodies start piling up!

When Finlay and Vero discover the perp might be a cop himself, they figure it's best to jump directly into the police's natural habitat: and find themselves enrolled in a bonafide Police Academy (well, a Police Academy for CITIZENS...but why split hairs?) Newly single Finlay has ended her entanglement with Julian, the hot lawyer, but dashing detective Nick is suddenly closer (and cuter) than ever...but can Finlay trust him? With every cop a potential suspect or a lead, will the dynamic duo zero in on their target? Or will loose ends from their past come back to haunt them...and lead them RIGHT back to Feliks?

The beginning of this book had me SO hopeful it would fall in line with the Finlay I fell in love with in book one: there is a hilarious anecdote involving Finlay's toddler aged son (and having my own toddler boy now, especially, this made me chuckle) and I was hoping this would be one of MANY moments of hilarity involving Finlay's sometimes wild but always sweet kiddos.

But sadly...this ONE moment was basically...well, IT.

Finlay's kids get quickly passed off to relatives for the majority of this book, so she can attend the aforementioned Police Academy. Fair trade, if said academy provided the Leslie Nielsen-esque humor I was craving...but sadly, this was yet another idea that probably sounded fun in THEORY, but was somewhat pedantic in its execution. I was hoping for silly hijinks, but instead got a lot of what felt like the same sort of plot over and over again.

I'm not sure if the whole mob angle is just a bit much for me as a reader, since cozy mysteries (even silly ones) aren't usually in my wheelhouse, but I just found it all a bit tiring. Cosimano is a solid writer, so the pages move along, but I didn't feel any sort of emotional push and pull, a gasp at any revelations from Vero's past (one of the main reasons I figured I'd give book three a try after feeling much of the same about book two), or much of ANYTHING, even an interest in they will-they-won't-they between Finlay and Nick...more like a groaning, eye-rolling "get on with it already."

As much as I once fell in love with the frick-and-frack banter of Finlay and Vero, the wild antics of Finlay's silly kiddos, and the increasingly messy situations piling up around our charming heroine, this one for me was less "Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun" and more "Finlay Donovan Jumps the Shark."

3.5 stars

With the way book 2 in this series ended, I was really expecting (and hoping for) more Vero, so that was a bit of a letdown. Still a fun read though, and I will continue to recommend this series! Fingers crossed for more Vero in book 4 though.

What happens when the trusty sidekick becomes, well, not so trusty? A series loses a lot of its charm.

Finlay and Vero’s partnership is still strong, although maybe it shouldn’t be as they’re getting themselves and each other further and further into trouble. The Vero storyline in this book just felt like it wasn’t needed, especially because the story already has enough crazy in it without even more misguided, mistaken mayhem. The side plot made it a little hard to care about what all was going on with our (formerly?) favorite opportunistic nanny/accountant.

I loved the first book in this series and liked the second a lot, but the third time isn’t the charm here, because some of the magic has run out. The farce has been carrying on for three books now, and Finlay still hasn’t had to be honest or square up to what all is going on, even as things spiral further and further out of control. I mean, now we have mob bosses and gambling enforcers and potentially corrupt cops — which doesn’t quite jibe with the fun and crazy vibe Elle Cosimano has created with her quirky characters and offbeat plot. The hijinks, which have always been enjoyable, are still fun enough, but they’re a bit more tired now. And this book takes place at, essentially, a police sleepaway camp, which makes the setting feel too confined.

There’s still plenty of good stuff in here — Finlay and Vero are up to their usual sleuthing and spying (with varying degrees of success, naturally) as they take all sorts of police-led forensic classes. There’s tons of action, and the chemistry between Finlay and Nick gets ramped up several (enjoyable) notches.

This book seems to be hinting at building to something, but I’m not quite sure what that is, and after this book, I’m not quite sure Cosimano does, either. The storyline keeps getting dragged out over and over, while the same tomfoolery keeps happening again and again. I’m not sure it’s quite time for me to get off the wild ride this series provides just yet, but I might hit the brakes on it for a while.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for proving me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Is the Finlay saga continuing? I truly am obsessed with these characters and stories that Elle Cosimano has created. Of course, Finlay and Vero find themselves stuck in the middle of some wild situations, that only they could get out of. I really liked that we got introduced to some new chapters, and how well they fit into the story, without feeling overwhelming or forced. It’s been a while since I’ve read the 2nd book, so I was hesitant that I wouldn’t remember everything that had happened prior. However, Elle does such a good job writing these series that she puts in little nuggets throughout to spark that remembrance of past events. Also, so happy that we had some more Finlay romance!! Our girl deserves it.

Finlay is back and better than ever. She’s whip smart, but also a hot mess. She’s constantly getting herself into chaos, yet manages to still be super cute, and someone you’d love to hangout with. Never have I read a more relatable main character in a comedy/thriller. I love this series and love the female friendships throughout. The loyalty Finlay and her crew have to one another is endearing. I loved this book and love how Finlay continues to gain confidence and find her strength (despite the questionable legal part of things). This book (the whole series!) is super binge-worthy!

Thank you to Elle Cosimano, the publisher, and to netgalley for this digital arc in exchange for my honest thoughts!

And the fun continues in this third installment of the adventures with Finlay and her trusty sidekick Vero! The beginning had me laughing so hard I was practically in tears. I was on the edge of my seat as I read and read and then when I realized what was happening man I about bust a gut I was laughing so hard! Then we get on into the story with our girls trying to get the mob off their back as well as Finlays ex trying to shimmy his way back with her ugh! We also get some hands on fun at the police academy with Finlays new beau.

I'm just loving and adoring this series and can't wait to see what's next!

*Thank you NetGalley for this copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I think this book was a def a stronger book then book 2 and I liked it a bit more. I thought both the new characters and the new setting really uped the book for me. I also liked how this book developed a new plot but used the other two books as a starting off points. This book semmed a bit more groudned in reality and not so over the top. I also loved the thema and lousie dynmacs and this book had soem laugh out funny moments and i really loved reading this one!!

Another set of fiascos, hijinks and sticky situations with Finlay and Vero! I always enjoy these because they truly are a fun hoot of a time. There isn’t much more to say except that it was exactly what was expected of it. It was a wild and crazy time, fun and entertaining. I LOL’d quite a bit at the situations these ladies found themselves in. I must say I love Vero and her whip smart one liners! I also thought the pun of the title clever hee hee Also, that ending though…I can’t wait for the fourth installment.

I love the Finlay Donovan series -it’s so ridiculous, over the top, & fun! I was so excited when I was sent an ARC of the newest installment, Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun! I pretty much dropped all of my reading plans to binge this one back in November and I don’t regret it.

Finlay is back & while I thought the second book was a little tooo ridiculous, this one toned it back the perfect amount. After the events of the second book, Finlay finds herself with an impossible task. With the Russian mob watching her every move, Donovan is attempting to hunt down a contract killer. But the task is almost impossible especially since she suspects it might just be a cop.

I loved the setting of this installment. A citizen’s police academy, where Finlay and Vero learn how to use guns and get into all sorts of mischief is my idea of a fun read. I love that we got a bit more romance this go around as well, and finally we get movement on the one relationship I know we’ve all been waiting for!

This was the first book that made me really question who Vero is and while I like her, she seemed way shadier this go around. I’m anxious to see what the next book will entail as this story set us up nicely to dive more into Vero’s story next.

These books are so outlandish and just plain fun. If you like stories about women who can’t stay out of trouble or you need a good laugh, you have to pick this one up! Also the audio books are super fun to listen too as well!

AMAZON | GOODREADS |★★★★

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun comes out January 31, 2023. Huge thank you to Minotaur Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof.books.

I adore the Finlay Donovan series and was thrilled to jump back in with book three!

Author and single mom Finlay Donovan and her nanny/friend/partner-in-crime Vero attend a citizen’s police academy run by Finlay’s hot cop love interest Nick in the midst of Finlay’s looming book deadline and mounting pressure for Vero to pay back a debt — while Russian mob boss Feliks is putting the heat on them to identify a contract killer before the cops.
Another fun and entertaining cozy mystery in a favorite series!

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is scheduled for release on January 31, 2023.

Thank you @minotaur_books and @netgalley for the #gifted eARC of FINLAY DONOVAN JUMPS THE GUN!

Finlay and Vero are back for more absurd hijinks in the third installment of the Finlay Donovan series. These books are so fun and I now look forward to the new releases each January (partially because she leaves us on a cliffhanger each book!).

This series falls into the potato chip book 🥔 category for me. Zero brain nutritional value but so addicting and fun. 😆You do have to suspend your critical thinking brain because some of the things that happen are a bit ridiculous but if you just go with it, it’s a good time.

I also relate to Finlay more this time around as I’m also the mother of a very busy (and wild) toddler boy! 😅

FINLAY DONOVAN JUMPS THE GUN comes out 1/31!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5265319496
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn7ZPlSPHFW/

I really enjoyed this third installment in the Finlay Donovan series! The hijinks were crazy and hilarious, and Finlay and Vero continue to be one of my favorite dynamic duo's. I would love to have a little more recap at the beginning of the books. It's been a year since I read book two, and I was little lost for the first few chapters of this one. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the story. The police academy was fun and fresh, and the villain reveal at the end of the book was a surprise. I look forward to the next book!

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬💭:
I love this series and has continued to keep me so entertained with each book that comes out. As usual, there were so many laugh out loud moments!

Thank you to Netgalley, St Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for my e-ARC and Macmillan Audio for my audiobook. It comes out 1/31/23!

𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐛📝:
Finlay owes the Russian mob boss Feliks, and in return he wants her to find out the identity of the contract killer easy clean. They are suspecting he’s a dirty cop and fortunately, his hot cop friend Nick is running a citizen’s police academy. The dynamic duo Finlay and Vero are up to no good yet again by sleuthing, all the while keeping everything on the down low.

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫/5. I have to say that this book might have dragged a bit in the beginning. It wasn’t quite as captivating as the first two, but as i drew closer to the end, the action kept rolling and the crazy scenarios that Finlay and Vero found themselves in were just so entertaining. The mystery definitely kept me intrigued and interested in the story. I was satisfied with the twist and how unpredictable it was. If you’ve read the first two, definitely give this one a whirl. It’s still worth the read and the humor is still definitely fantastic!

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚: 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘛𝘰 𝘔𝘦, 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘺, 𝘤𝘰𝘻𝘺 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺, 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘴, 𝘙𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘣𝘴, 𝘥𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘥𝘶𝘰𝘴

I enjoyed this third entry in the Finlay Donovan series - it is funny, builds on the Finlay-Vero friendship, and is replete with humourous escapades that Finlay and Vero find themselves in. There is also the growing of the Finlay-Nick relationship (😍). I liked this one better than the second and it is clear there will be a fourth from the plot points left hanging at the end of this novel. Very entertaining and an easy, fast-paced read.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

The third book in this series, it starts where the last left off (well kind of. This actually starts with a very funny bathroom scene). Finlay and Vero are back again trying to find EZ Clean before the cops do to keep mob boss Feliks from killing them. It’s another action packed book filled with humor with this duo.

I love the combination of unintentional hit woman and single mom/author trying to do the right thing and getting herself wrapped up in the worst possible scenarios. It’s a great series to read and pick up anytime you need something fun and fast. I look forward to the next installment (fingers crossed there will be another)!

Many thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this early copy and also @macmillan.audio for an early audio. For those that listened to audio with the first and second books, it’s the same narrator and was well done once again. I was able to go back and forth with my kindle and audio and love doing that for books I don’t want to put down!

Be sure to grab this book next week— release day is 1.31.23!