This was a satisfying read of the origin story for Vero. This novella filled in some of the gaps of who this mysterious person is while making this character shine and stand out more than in the rest of the Finlay Donovan series. The story is engaging and Vero’s quick wit and sharp tongue don’t disappoint. Looking forward to reading more of this series and more from the author.

A short story that fits in the Finlay Donovan series to provide some background on the character of Vero. This is about her time between college and becoming a nanny/friend of Finlay's. Veronica takes a job as a janitor in a bank, hoping to solve the mystery of why money is disappearing. Like in the other books in the series, chaos ensues. Not a full-fledged novel, just a quick read (about 1.5 hours) this just fills in some blanks. Nothing critical to add to the over all storyline, just a bit of extra info.

Veronica Ramirez is framed for embezzlement from her sorority, and not on her sisters believe she didn't steal the money. She loses her college scholarship, and begs her cousin for a spot on his couch while she figures out what to do next.

Honestly, this was less interesting than I expected as a story about Vero. I definitely expected more hijinks from her, since she tends to have most of the crazier ideas.

I was also hoping for a little more tension happening between Vero and Javi.

I'm also startled to find out that Vero only had a job at the bank for 3 weeks, 2 of which were custodial work...

I don't know, I think this could've been better than it was.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley in return for sharing my thoughts on this book. Thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity!

Thanks, Minotaur Books, for the book!

Was this book necessary? No. Was it cute? Yes. Would I reread it? Probably not.

I’ve already read the first FINLAY book a few times, but this novella is a one and done, even if I were to reread the series from start to finish. It’s nice to know a little more about Vero, but I enjoy being in Finlay’s head more.

If you’re a Finlay Donovan fan like me, you already know that Vero is EVERYTHING. From the moment she entered the series, she’s been the absolute best—ride-or-die, hilarious, resourceful, and always a little (or a lot) chaotic in the best way possible. So, the fact that Elle Cosimano gave us an entire book focused on her?!? I was screaming.

This book dives into Vero’s past, family dynamics, and questionable (but genius) decision-making skills. And let’s talk about JAVI—EEEEEK! I won’t spoil anything, but let’s just say he was everything I wanted and more. Their chemistry? Off the charts. Their banter? Perfection. Their situations? Pure, delightful chaos.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Finlay Donovan book without twists, high-stakes shenanigans, and laugh-out-loud moments that make you question how these characters keep getting away with things. Cosimano once again delivers the perfect mix of suspense and humor, and I ate up every toooooo short second of it.

And let me just shout out Stacy Gonzales— She nails these characters, bringing every scene to life with the perfect comedic timing, tension, and heart. She knocks it out of the park yet again! (I also had the audio--I did an immersive read)

Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press |Minotaur Books for the opportunity to enjoy this audiobook early. If you love this series, you need to pick it up ASAP. Four stars and all the love for Vero! 💸💥💖

#netgalley #finlaydonovan #veronicaruizbreaksthebank

This was a perfect nugget of a novella in the Finlay Donovan world. I love learning more about Vero's backstory. I would love more like this, including solving the mystery of the sorority money! This was just as charming, funny, and wonderful as the previous books!

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love Vero. I think I may like her more than Finlay, so I enjoyed this quick read giving some of her backstory. We find out that she left college after being accused of embezzling her sorority's money and came to hide with her cousin Ramon, but doesn't want anyone to know the truth. We see how she solved the mystery of the missing money at the bank where she met Finlay, which let to her getting a job as a teller, and then losing the job as a teller to begin as a nanny. (A lot happened in a few pages, okay?)

I hope she is feature more in the books and that we get to see what happened (and happens) with her and Javi.

I enjoyed getting to see a bit of Vero’s backstory. However this little novella didn’t seem to have the same oomph that the others have.

This is a short side story about Vero's past. It lacks Finlay's comedic situations, but does flush out Vero's character a bit more.

A cute & fast backstory for one of the best characters! This was a nice insight into Veros past and I would definitely recommend for fans of the series.

This was such a fun addition to the Finlay Donovan universe. I loved getting the backstory for Vero, and the full story of how she met Finlay and became a part of her life. As all of the Finlay books include, there is a large sense of humor, and great mystery to follow along with.

I love this little glimpse into Vero's past and time before she got mixed up with Finlay. The writing is sharp and quick, just as you'd expect. It was interesting to learn more and this story made it clear why Vero wasn't so shocked to be pulled into a new cycle of hijinks with her boss later in life.

Vero is falsely accused of stealing her sorority’s money. She decides to change her name and have a fresh start. She finds a job cleaning a local bank where she overhears someone is stealing from the bank. It is her mission to figure out the theft and demand a better job.

If you loved the other books, you will love this one as well. Details of Vero’s backstory including more details about Vero and Javi’s relationship. I also loved the accounting references. It makes my CPA heart happy. 😊

Thank you to Elle Cosimano, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a great addition to the Finlay Donovan series! I’m so glad to get a closer look at one of my favorite sidekicks, Veronica Ruiz. For a short story, this is packed full of so much goodness. This entertained me with a mystery that was well rounded and fully fleshed as well as a storyline that had me grinning from ear to ear. I cannot wait to find out what lies in store for her as the series continues. Hoping to get lots more Vero!

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

As someone who is sucked into this series, I could not resist this short story! Vero is probably my favorite character, and this origin story was the perfect palette cleanser between some tougher reads. I am excited to continue the series!

Thank you again for the ARC!

3.75/5⭐️


Loved reading a little bit more about Veronica and her life, and reading about how she met Finlay. Didn’t have the usual flare that the series has, maybe because her parter in crime was MIA, but if you love the series and want to learn a little bit more about your fav Latina, then give it a shot!


Thank you to Elle Cosimano, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the copy, in exchange for an honest review!

Fun to get additional story and background on Vero. She’s been a fun sidekick in the Finlay Donovan books and her backstory has been alluded to so this filled in the obvious gaps. I’m not always a fan of novellas but this one worked because of all the additional context from the series.

A cute little short story giving us Vero’s history. I really liked seeing her character fleshed out, and finally starting to piece together what happened in Maryland and who Javier is to her. Can’t wait to see how this starts to incorporate into the next full novel.

Im a big fan of the Finlay Donovan series so getting to know vero a little bit was a fun ride! This was a quick read and a fun mystery!

Another great installment from Elle Cosimano!
I'll always be back for more!

Getting to know Vero a little deeper was fun, I would love to see more novellas in this world.