The Finlay Donovan series has hit it's stride. The first book I took too closely as face value and didn't appreciate it for what it was. In the second book, I let myself just enjoy where the story took me and by Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun, I was well invested in the characters and the hilarity of the situation that Finlay and Vero find themselves in. I was happy to get a bit more of Vero's backstory in this one. I continue to hate Steven. This installment leaned more heavily on romance than they have in the past which is normally not my taste but I was already invested in Finlay and Nick it felt genuine to the storyline. I experienced many laugh out loud moments. This series continues to remind me of the TV shows Dead to Me and Good Girls.

I can't resist another Finlay Donovan book, and this was such a great continuation of the series. I will never get tired of reading about Finlay and Vero's escapades! This book starts out with a hilarious encounter in a Walmart bathroom and just gets crazier from there. We finally tie up some loose ends that have been present since Book 1 and introduce new conflicts that Finlay and Vero team up to face. I seriously love their dynamic and how much Vero also loves Finlay's kids. The police academy was a fun anecdote that just made the book more fun and hilarious.

Please please pick up this series (start with Book 1)! You will not regret it. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Minotaur books for the advanced copy of this book!

See below for Goodreads synopsis:
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. When 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 did her a favor and bought the car for her. And now Finlay owes them.

Mob boss Feliks is still running the show from behind bars, and he has a task for Finlay: find and identify a contract killer before the cops do. The problem is, the killer might be an officer themself.

Luckily, hot cop Nick has just been tasked with starting up a citizen's police academy, and combined pressure from Finlay's looming book deadline and Feliks is enough to convince Finlay and Vero to get involved. Through firearm training and forensic classes (and some hands-on research with a tempting detective), Finlay and Vero use their time in police academy to sleuth out the real contract killer to free themselves from the mob's clutches―all the while dodging spies, confronting Vero's past, and juggling the daily trials of parenthood.

I don’t know what else to say about this series other than I FREAKING LOVE IT! If you’re looking for the most fun mystery series around, then this is what you need!

In book three we’re back with Finlay and her trusty sidekick/accountant/babysitter, Vero, for a whole lot of shenanigans involving dead bodies, owing the Russian mob, sketchy ex-husbands, and a side of adorable romance. I loved Cosimano’s setting choice of a police academy sleepaway camp and the stress that came with being there mixed with our duo’s illegal affairs. The comedy that ensues is downright ridiculous and I loved every single moment of it! On top of the entertainment factor with these stories comes a solid plot that touches on the intricacies of family, friendships, and love. Cosimano has absolutely nailed the ability to combine all of those elements with crime and humor in a way that keeps me coming back for more and more.

If you haven’t already given this series a shot, now is the time to grab book one and join me in fangirling these books!

A huge thank you to Minotaur Books for my gifted copy!

I love the Finlay series. They are funny and mysterious and I honestly did not see how the ending would turn out. I thought I figured out who the bad guy was but I was wrong. He wasn’t even on my radar. But the cliff hanger Elle left us with has me sitting on the edge of my seat to see if she will write a 4th one. I need to know if Vero gets out of her troubles!

What do Lucy and Ethel, Laverne and Shirley and Finlay and Vero all have in common? Well, first they’re hilarious, but even more to the point … they can’t stay out of trouble! True to form, Finlay and Vero find themselves neck deep in it again in Book 3 - this time doing a citizen’s police training camp to learn how to administer the law while hoping the cops they’re surrounded by don’t figure out how much of it they’ve broken!

Finlay and Vero want to do the right things, but people keep ending up dead whenever they’re around. That’s what happens when you cross Feliks Zhirov, a Russian mob boss. Now he’s calling in a favor, and if they don’t want their secrets revealed, they’ll play ball! Will Finlay’s smitten detective Nick Anthony, her cop sister Georgia, or any number of the other officers she’s spending her training week with discover hers and Vero’s secrets? I can’t say, but I will say that trouble is no stranger once again!

Full of their typical OTT antics, great characters old and new, a little bite of “dessert” as Vero likes to call it (use your imagination 😉), and a hilarious opening scene involving a toddler and an occupied bathroom stall, this was the fun I’ve come to expect from this series. One new thing? I read and listened to it this time and Angela Dawes was perfection. Her voicing of Vero particularly makes me laugh!

Honestly, if you haven’t tried this series yet and you enjoy books with two comical leading ladies, I highly recommend you try it. This is one series you’d be better off reading in order, though, as the story does build on itself in each book. I can’t wait for Book #4!

★★★★

"Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun" by Elle Cosimano is Book #3 in the Finlay Donovan Series!

Author and single mom, Finlay, and her nanny, self-appointed accountant, and partner-in-crime, Vero, are back with book #3 picking up just weeks after where book #2 left off.

Finlay is none too happy to be looking down the barrel of another book deadline with a request from her agent and publisher to add some spicy overtones to her new and currently poorly seasoned novel.

Taken by surprise, Finlay and Vero are cornered by Russian Mob boss, Feliks, into repaying an outstanding debt by locating and identifying a contract killer named "Easy Clean"...and the clock begins ticking.

It doesn't take long for Finlay and Vero to believe the allusive killer might actually be a cop.

When Finlay and Vero hear about the upcoming citizens police academy led by none other than "hot cop" Detective Nick Anthony, they hop on-board the bus. It's a perfect cover with firearms and forensics training included and plenty of time for super sleuthing and working on the dreaded rewrites. Ugh!

The best laid plans, right?

It's always a hilariously fun ride with Finlay and Vero. The pages turn rip-fast with quick chapters that beg you to keep reading and so you do. I was hoping for a bit more of the kiddo's in this one and maybe just a little something different to change things up a bit.

This series is definitely one to read in sequential order to stay abreast of the continuing antics and keeping up with the characters, which are plentiful. Each story moves quickly and just when you think things are coming to a head, answers surfacing, up pops another something and around and around we go.

Once again Vero stole the show. I love this character and she's the main reason I keep reading this series. I was sure this was the last book but not with a cliffhanger like that! Sign me up for Book #4, please! I highly recommend!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press - Minotaur Books for a widget of this ARC through NetGalley. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.

FINLAY DONOVAN JUMPS THE GUN by Elle Cosimano
GENRE: Mystery
MY RATING: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 (4.5/5)

READ IF YOU LIKE:
▫️Hilarious & messy mystery plots
▫️Laugh-out-loud moments 😂
▫️Quirky characters
▫️Good cop, bad cop vibes 😯
▫️Funny blurbs of motherhood
▫️A sprinkle of romance 💘

MY THOUGHTS:
This series is loved by MANY and it’s easy to see why— the books are lighthearted, laugh-out-loud funny, and bingeworthy on the mystery side of things!! Book 3 was no exception 🤩 I devoured this one in a few sittings. I was a few chapters in and already got that feeling of “ahh, I missed these characters so much!” Finlay and Vero are by far my favorite “partners in crime”. 🙌

ONE SENTENCE SYNOPSIS:
When the police academy offers a bootcamp for public citizen’s, Finlay and Vero jump on the opportunity in hopes of finding “EasyClean” (aka Russian mob boss). 👮

RATING EXPLAINED:
I did have a hard time remembering what happened in book 2 upon starting… I could’ve use a little more of a recap first thing but eventually more details were covered. There were a good chuck of scenes in this one that were even more outlandish than the other 2 books… but honestly, I still loved it! 😂 Some parts were a bit ridiculous, which is exactly what makes these books SO fun and creative. 👌 The perfect fictional escape for a good laugh! I did the physical copy of this book but I’ll still be putting the audio on hold because Angela Dawe narrating was INCREDIBLE in the first 2 books. 🎧 I am over-the-moon about there being a BOOK 4!!!! Ek! 😍📚

DETAILS:
▫️Publishes: 1/31/23
▫️Pages: 304
▫️Thanks a million @minotaurbooks and @netgallay for my #gifted copies! You’re truly the best.

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!!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press Group for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟💫 3.5/5 stars

Finlay Donovan is back and is more chaotic than ever. Thanks to a luxury car, Finlay owes the Russian mob and they have given her the task of unmasking a contract killer. When Finlay and her nanny/partner in crime, Vero, figure out that the killer may be a cop, they are able to get themselves invited to the police academy to investigate who the killer is. There’s also romance, banter, and plenty of hijinks.

I love the Finlay Donovan series, but this was my least favorite so far. I wish it could have been a whole new mystery vs. a continuation of the same mystery. I may have enjoyed it more if I reread the first two books..

Overall, a fun entry in this unique series.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Finlay Donovan is a frothy adventure involving single mom Finlay, her partner/friend Vero, hot cop Nick and very bad guy Feliks. It's a fast paced fun read and leaves you wanting more of her adventures.

Thank you NetGalley, St-Martin’s Press and the author Elle Cosimano.
I was so happy to receive the widget of this novel, I read the two previous ones and absolutely loved them.
This third installment did not disappoint in the least, Finlay and Vero are just as quirky, funny and always getting themselves in trouble.
This time the setting is a police academy where these two ladies are hiding. What trouble can follow them in such a setting?
This novel made me laugh out loud, I love both Finlay and Vero.
Quick read.
4 Stars

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun
By Elle Cosimano
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Oh, Finlay Donovan, how I’ve missed you!!!

I truly believe that if I were to end up in a situation similar to Finlay’s, I would have the exact same luck.

Finlay and Vero have found themselves in quite the predicament… AGAIN! And it’s now or never to get Feliks and the Russian mob off their backs. They must pay up or they’ll pay the ultimate price…

This book is laugh out loud funny and full of adventure and twists. I was trying to guess who EasyClean was the whole time and ended up being shocked by who it actually was!

I’ve seen some conflicting reviews on this one, but I absolutely loved it. I thought it was just as good as the first two books. I hope this series never ends because I will be lost without Finlay and Vero!!

This one is out January 31, 2023 so be sure to be on the lookout for this one if you’re a fan of Finlay’s shenanigans!

The Finlay Donovan series is a joy for the readers and Elle Cosimano leaves you wanting more from the story; especially with this third novel ending on a cliffhanger. I literally finished the last page and was angry that the 4th book isn't available yet!

Finlay and Vera are off on another adventure with barely enough time to catch their breath from the last book. Now in the debt of the Russian mob, Finlay and Vera are signed up for a citizen police academy where they are hoping to discover the identity of a dirty cop/contract killer for the mob boss. If they can just come up with a name, they can go back to living a somewhat subdued suburban life, but those who are familiar with the Finlay Donovan series know that when these ladies are involved, subdued is not an adjective that is used often.

Part time amateur sleuth, full time mom and non stop craziness. Elle Cosimano presents an over the top plot line that somehow still holds enough believable material to keep the reader curious and not rolling his or her eyes in exasperation.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this advanced copy.

As with all of the Finlay books, this one was full of thrills, hilarious moments, and intriguing plot lines. Cosimano has created a shining star in Finlay Donovan. She is a heroine that readers can all identify with in some small way, because of all the random things that happen to her. I really love her relationship with Vero and how it has developed over the 3 book series. And, I am so so so relieved that Finlay finally gets her head wrapped around how to handle hot cop Nick. phew!

I'll start with the positives:

1. Finlay and Vero are still adorable together and funny as ever.
2. The opening scene with a toddler playing hide and seek in an occupied men's bathroom had me giggling like I was a kid again myself.
3. Mrs. Haggerty a.k.a the Neighborhood Busy Body really stole the show whenever she popped up. I loved her.
4. The love triangle is no longer.

Now for the negatives:

1. I wanted this book to go in a new direction. I've grown tired of the Russian mob aspect.
2. The Police academy angle was a bore.
3. The over-the-top antics that were once so cute are starting to grow stale.

Admittedly I am not a series reader because I tend to get bored over time and that could very well be the case here. My memory also doesn't do me any favors when it comes to recalling the vast amount of characters and who is who from one book to the other.

This book once again closes with a cliffhanger so we all know that book 4 is on the horizon but I'm left to wonder if Finlay and Vero would be better off sailing into the sunset together once and for all. 3 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for my complimentary copy.

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun! I loved it!

Star Rating: 4⭐️
Genre: Mystery
Pub Date: January 31, 2023

Wherever Finlay and Vero go, chaos is sure to follow...and I am here for all of it! Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun brings all the things I loved from the previous two books while also giving a bit more suspense than previous books. While the other books focus (mostly) on crime coverup, this book leans more heavily into the fallout/aftermath of crime coverup. Finlay and Vero jump into the snake den, so to speak, by attending a citizens police academy. Amongst them is a traitor, but figuring out who that traitor is, is easier said than done.

Once this book hooked me, I was hooked. I kept trying to figure out who the "mole" was, and I am happy to say I got halfway there! For me, that's an accomplishment. I didn't see the ending coming, though. That really shocked me! I was suspicious of "that" person, but those suspicions kept getting explained away as I read. Let's just say nothing is as it seems in this book.

After this book, I am solidly Team Nick for Finlay's love life, suspicious of her ex-boyfriend's roommate, and DOUBLY curious as to why someone agreed to accept a hit job on Steven...AND triply (is that a word?) curious about Vero's past!

Overall, I loved it. I am ANXIOUSLY awaiting the fourth book now because I have to know more about all the things.

Thank you to Minotaur Books, St. Martin's Press, and Elle Cosimano for an advanced copy of Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Elle Cosimano has done it again! She keeps me hooked on these Finlay stories!

In the third Finlay Donovan story, we have Vero trying to gather money to pay off her debts while she and Finlay try to figure out who EasyClean is, yet again. Thinking back to her conversation with Cam about dirty cops, she heads to where the cops hang out. There, she and Vero get roped into joining a police academy training "camp" with other civilians, led by Nick (obviously.) What better way to scope out their suspects than be surrounded by them and learn what they do best.

I loved that Finlay and Nick are in confined spaces together and Vero gets a little side romance! This wasn't my favorite of the three, but I did read it in less than 8 hours and I really enjoyed it. I needed to know what happened and now I need the next book to be out so I know what happens!

I did read both the first and second recently, so I was at an advantage of remembering what had happened previously, so I will probably need to reread or skim to remember for book #4.

Cosimano left us with a few cliff hangers after some various twists!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love the Finlay Donovan series. If you have not read the first two, I highly recommend starting at the beginning to lay out the plot but also to fall in love with the characters. Finlay and Vero are back to continue their search for a mysterious hitman in order to get out of trouble with a mob boss. Along the way they are looking hard at a possible dirty cop, avoiding a mob lawyer, and evading attempts to collect a debt in Vero's name. These books are fun, amusing, and fast-paced! I am always rooting for Finlay and her possible relationship with police officer Nick all while lamenting that she has to deal with her annoying ex-husband. I can't wait to see what comes next! Thanks to Elle Cosimano, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The dynamic duo, Finlay and Vero, are at it again. These 2 are always caught up in something, and this 3rd book is no exception. This time, the 2 find themselves in a police academy with the hotty cop Nick as an instructor. All this while Vero is still trying to get herself out of a bind with Finlay's help. Finlay is still ducking and dodging her publicist and book writing because of course she doesn't have time with all the other shenanigans. However, she does stumble upon a pitch but it needs a bit more steam. We also have a bit of a romance sprinkled In that I'm kind of here for!

After reading all 3 novels, I will still say that none tops book 1. That was the most hilarious, but I did enjoy this one. I'm interested to see what book 4 chaos these 2 ladies will get into next and how their current situations are handled!

If you've read and enjoyed the first 2 books, you will enjoy the 3rd installment of this comedic mystery series!

I have loved every instalment of this crazy series! It was so nice to be back spending time with Finlay and Vero and seeing how they accidentally fall into the worst situations!