Book 3 in the very entertaining Finlay Donovan series. This is a series where I highly recommend you read the books in order. Each book leaves a very loose thread that you immediately pick up with the next book. This book is no exception, so expect at least one more book in this series. Once again Finlay and Vero find themselves caught up in a variety of hijinks that involves the Russian mob, fast cars, dead bodies and misunderstandings. In this book, they enroll in the citizen police academy to hide out and to discover the identity of a contract killer. There are many laugh out loud scenes and Vero and Finlay are shockingly good at the physical challenges while also finding clues to a killer and watching out for two adorable and precocious children. Moms (and nannies) rock!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy. My opinions are my own.

The twists just keep coming with this series ! I love it so much and I never want it to end. It’s the perfect mindless cozy mystery and I love Finlay & Vero so much 🥰

If you like slapstick comedy, ala Lucy and Ethel, you'll love this book. 'It's got courtroom drama, car chases, deep cover agents...not to mention a pretty tricky mystery to solve.' There's even a bit of steamy romance.

The two main characters, Finlay and Vero, are great friends and roommates who egg each other on to do crazy things which usually involve murder and mayhem. In this edition, they are attending a week-long citizen's police academy, supposedly for Finlay to get a taste of what it's like to be a police officer for her romantic suspense novels, but really so they can identify a deep cover agent, known as EasyClean. What could go wrong there, right? Surrounded by police officers and the detectives of the Organized Crime Division of the Fairfax County Police Department, including the hot detective, Nick Anthony?

It is so much fun but I do recommend starting with book one if you are new to the series as each story follows on the heels of the one before.

I received an arc of this new romantic suspense novel from the author and publisher. Many thanks. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Hi I read this in essentially one sitting 🫡 and I’m not mad about it. These books are best binge read because SO MUCH goes on and you absolutely need to pay close attention.

I’m just a sucker for these adventures, and Vera literally has me laughing my ass off every other sentence that comes out of her mouth. These books are FUN! Like I just enjoy the hell out of them and i won’t apologize for that.

They’re not on this planet to win a Pulitzer Prize but I’ll get them a good star for making me swoon and laugh and worry and enjoy my time while reading

I really enjoyed the latest Finlay Donovan novel. The parallels of this book with Finlay's fictional book helps the author move the storyline along while also acknowledging that much of what Finlay and Vero do is super far-fetched. Calling that out makes it easy to ignore the insanity of the storyline and just enjoy reading a funny book.

The majority of this books takes place in one location and I appreciated that so much of the book takes place in one location. The first two books have a lot of movement; staying in one spot removed some of the chaos that comes with so many locations.

There were a lot of open storylines at the end of the second book and I like that a few of them come to a firm conclusion in this book. <spoiler>While I preferred Julian and don't love Nick, I'm glad that the back and forth is over and Finlay has made her choice.</spoiler> The book ended in a perfect way to set up the 4th book while still leaving me satisfied with what was revealed in this one. I'm looking forward to more of Finlay and Vero!

Being back in Finlay’s world is amazing! Love how seamless each book just blends its story into each other. The recap of the previous book is short and to the point. Every cop is a suspect and I love it, the way Findlay and Vero handle crossing out each suspect is adventurous. With all the twist and shenanigans they deal with along the way could not stop reading. Had me gasping at the end. Cannot wait for a fourth book!

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun

Finlay Donovan is back in the third installment. Our favorite mom is back, and this time she and Vero must figure out who EasyClean is before time runs out. In addition, Finlay must keep her ex husband, kids, and family happy, finish a draft of her book, and keep hot cop Nick from finding out about any of her previous transgressions. Oh, and her and Vero find themselves enrolled in a Citizen’s Police Academy and surrounded by cops.

I really enjoyed the third Finlay Donovan book. It had the perfect blend of suspense and comedic relief that I loved from the first book. The writing kept me guessing about who EasyClean was. I loved to see some of the older storylines wrapped up, and was also pleased to see some new loose ends that will hopefully pave the way for a fourth book.

I have one question for fellow readers- who would you cast as Nick Anthony in a movie version? I am having such a hard time picturing him in my mind…

The Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano is an auto-read for me! I definitely recommend reading these books in order. Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun is one of the stronger books in the series in my opinion, and I enjoyed it very much!! A sincere thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur books for providing me with an advance release copy in exchange for an honest review.

Oh Finlay. With their usual hijinks and shenanigans, Finlay and Vero move from one messy and dangerous situation to another. If you loved the first two books in the series you’re bound to enjoy this third installment. The ending of this book makes it pretty clear that book 4 is on the way.

Another fun adventure with our favorite duo! I love Finlay and Vero’s friendship and the constant chaos they find themselves in. There’s a great cast of characters in this one.

I do think this one took a bit too long to both find EC and for the romance to happen. I wasn’t really invested and was getting bored for a while because the lack of clues and twists. FDJTG also has a lot more references to the previous books which makes sense, but I do wish there was some more clarification on details that were part of the other books.

Overall, a fun one in the series! Hoping for more Vero!!!!

Finlay's search to find EasyClean, the person who put the hit out on her ex-husband, leads her to a week-long police training academy taught by none other than her would-be suitor Detective Nick Anthony. As Finlay works to keep herself and her nanny Vero safe from the mobster behind bars blackmailing her to find EasyClean, she can't help but be drawn into Nick's orbit despite her having been caught up in past criminal activity.

This continues to be a series that is highly entertaining and also keeps my rapt attention on the mystery at hand. A lot of the time, I'm just wondering how Elle Cosimano is going to spin things to keep Finlay from being discovered by Nick and others at the police department. I won't lie, I can't see things working out good for Finlay, although I hope there will be one and I have faith the Elle Cosimano can deliver.

I love the back and forth between her and Nick and this time around we get a lot of forward momentum for them. I think it helps that the main part of the book takes place in one location. We're not jumping around from place to place. It's a slight version of the locked-room mystery. Someone at the retreat is EasyClean, and I kind of like there being a limit on the suspect pool.

I like that were also getting more details about Vero's past. I wouldn't mind having Vero as the narrator of the next book, or to get a spin off where Vero takes center stage and Finlay acts as the sidekick. Vero is more caught up in her own things than Finlay is and I'm interested to find out how it will all wind up for her, plus I still feel like there's some missing pieces from her past we're still not privvy to.

Overall, another fun entry in the series. They keep digging themselves deeper and deeper. I'm just looking for how they'll eventually get out.

“Author and single mom Finlay Donovan has been in messes before―after all, she’s a pro at removing bloodstains for various unexpected reasons―but none quite like this.”

These books are a complete delight.

It’s ridiculous and charming and engaging and I am here for as many installments the author wants to write.

I normally have an allergic reaction when characters make one bad mistake after another, but, somehow, this Hot Mess Mom works for me.

I love the cold open.

I love the dynamics between family members – past, present, and (hopefully) future.

I love that you kinda know where the story is going, but there’s still enough of a surprise to keep you interested.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Girl Power Friendship between Fin and Vero.

I don’t ever want to be in their situation, but if I ever was, here’s hoping there’d be a wise-cracking, take-no-ish, kill-for-you friend by my side.

8.5/10

Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for this gratifying ARC.

I really think these books are best read together one after another! I read this one right after the 2nd and I loved jumping back into the world! This one was was full of twist and turns and friendship building and also lots of sexual tension between Finlay and nick! I loved nick so much. And my heart went out to Finlay for the situation she got her self in! I loved the premise of the class she takes to try to make her self hidden, and all the side characters where so good! I also thought this was going to be the end in this series but it ends in a cliff hanger !! If you enjoy Rom com and thrillers don’t sleep on Finlay Donovan!!

Finlay Donovan is at it again and I'm here for it!!!

Classic Finlay story with a new twist. These books are some of my favorites! While there is truly nothing spectacular about them, I simply can't stop reading them and WON'T! Finlay and Vero are such amazing characters and I love seeing their mischievous adventures.

The police academy part of this was so fun! I love seeing the parallels between "real life" and Finlay's novels. I think it's so funny to see them both unfold. It still gives me the "Dead to Me" / "Good Girls" series vibes and I love it.

***Spoilers***
A mutual mentioned she got anxiety while reading the first book and I really felt that with this one. When Finlay and Vero sneak out of the academy with the police car?! I WAS LOSING IT. As for the EasyClean, I really didn't see that reveal coming and was almost certain it was going to be Charlie, but.....

The audiobook was also fantastic as always and I recommend that too.

Thank you NetGalley and thank you St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

I feel so incredibly lucky to get to read this book before it’s out in the world! Finlay Donovan has been one of my favorite series and I was so excited to be back with her and Vero in their nonstop shenanigans!

This book picks up right where the last book ended and brings you back to Finlay still trying to figure out her love life while having to deal with her ex-husband, kids and all the drama they have gotten into!

Without giving much away, you will love this one! Finlay and Vero enroll in a citizen police academy where they are trying to uncover more clues about Easyclean and Finlay tries to decide just how she feels about a certain detective.

I loved this book and also adored that there is an open ending meaning i am truly hoping Elle is working on the next one! 👏🏻

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for this eARC!

Finlay Donovan still can't catch a break. Feliks, the Russian mob boss Finlay tangled with in book 2, is still running the show behind bars. He wants Finlay to find (and kill) Easy Clean, the contract killer who's horning in on his territory.. Meanwhile, Vero owes a loan shark in Atlantic City, NJ $200,000 While this is all happening, they decide to lie low and join a citizen's police academy run by hot cop Nick. Finlay still has to meet her book deadline and raise her kiddos all while dodging the mob and trying to help Vero pay her debts.
This is #3 in this ongoing series and there will DEFINITELY be a 4th, at least, because this ended WAY more cliffhanging than book #2.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this e-arc.*

Widely entertaining! I just can’t get enough of Finlay & Vero.
Laugh out loud adventures on the edge of ridiculous yet also on the fun side of believable.

Book 4 just can<t come soon enough - Ride or die Goals!

As always Finlay and Vero are very entertaining. It was the first time listening to the audiobook and was exactly what I hoped it would be, a fast and entertaining read.

The audio was excellent. The voices were on par with what I imagined and matched the characters perfectly.

And I can't wait to read more.

At the end of each book I always want to know what will happen next. These books are so addicting and so much fun. All the shenanigans. And the possible romance. The amazing friendship between Finlay and Vero - really love their unwavering support of each other. And of course all the side characters I've come to love.

A really great third book, hope many more are to come.

A wickedly clever sequel to the always entertaining Finlay Donovan series. Fans of the first two will enjoy this third one, as Finlay and Vero keep hijinksing their way out of fire pans and into fires, this time at a police academy (yes, hot cop Nick Anthony is present...and how). While this one felt a little draggier in places than the tightly constructed first two, and had me laughing out loud a bit less, it's still funny, over-the-top in the absolute best way, and kept me hooked for a fourth - and however many more we get in the series.

Thanks to Minotaur Books for the advance review copy!

The third installment of this series is just as fun and funny as its predecessors. It's the Stephanie Plum series meets Netflix's Dead To Me: a little dark but a lot of fun, with a sprinkle of mystery and romance. An easy and fun, quick read!

Thanks to Netgalley for the audiobook and Advance Reader copy of this book. Finlay has become one of my favorite series and this one left me with a cliffhanger ending.