I wouldn't say that this is an excellent addition to the Finlay Donovan universe, but it is a great stand alone story. It does not have the same quirkiness at the Finlay-verse. And it almost seems like a completely different character than the Vero we know and love. But reading it as a story on its own, its not bad at all. Cute novella.

Short story about Vero - goes in between some of the Finlay Donovan novels. If you like the rest you will enjoy this short story! I have been reading through the back stories in order to review the latest novel coming out in February 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. #sponsored

Loved the little glimpse into Vero's background! While I didn't find it as funny as the books, I did enjoy seeing just how Vero and Finlay met. Vero is incredibly intelligent and we get to see her "book" smarts in this story as well as her "street" smarts that we typically get to see in the novels. Looking forward to more Finlay and Vero adventures in the future!

As a Finlay Donovan fan, this was disappointing. Vero is the best character and I don't feel like this really did her justice. I didn't listen to the audiobook, but I normally do and the fact that they didn't use the same voice is also a disservice. I'm glad I got to see how Vero and Finlay met but that was really all that was good about this for me.

Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank presents Vero's origin story. I enjoyed this as a kind of prequel to what led Vero to Finlay and the situations they encounter in the main line of Finlay Donovan books. However, I felt like it was missing that Vero spark. There wasn't nearly enough sass, humor, or tomfoolery for what I've come to expect from Vero. That said, I do recommend the book as it gives some great context to the wonderful Finlay Donovan books.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for gifting me with an ARC to review! All opinions are my own.

This provides a nice back story on Vero who is Finlay Donovan’s nanny from the series. It was the background I feel like I really needed. This was a quick fast paced read and I really enjoyed it! I love the Finlay Donovan series and this is a great addition.

Cute short story about how Vero became a character in the Findley Donovan series.
Formatting issue made it very difficult to read. This ARC was provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This hysterical addition to the Finlay Donovan series gives all the deets on the life of her partner-in-crime, Vero. Such fun!!!

We do learn a few things about Vero, and we do find out how Vero met Finlay. Thing is, I'm underwhelmed. If I were to describe this story in one word, it would be mediocre.

I love all of the Finlay Donovan books so much, and it was fun to learn more of Vero's back story. She's such a fun, unique character, and this background, while not necessary to read the other books, certainly gives a good idea of why she is the way she is!

If you love the Finlay Donovan books, you'll love this one too!

A quick, short story on Veros backstory, this book was entertaining, but maybe could have been added to a book in the main series as a bonus.

#netgalley #VeronicaRuizBreakstheBank

Stars: 2.5

Thank you St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for allowing me to read and review Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank,
a short story by Elle Cosimano in exchange for my honest opinion.

Published: 11/07/23

Cosimano gave in to fans writing this supplement on Vero and her back story. If I remember correctly, the original plans did not include this segment. Personally, I could have done without it.

The story feels thrown together and lackadaisical. It left a sour taste in my mouth.

There is profanity.

Overall, I suggest skipping.

Fans of Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan series will recognize her trusty sidekick and BFF, Vero. Over the course of the series, we’ve had many hints about Vero’s past, and Finlay sometimes wonders why Vero is so tightlipped about her personal history. This short story provides curious readers with some background, as well as some of the entertainment for which Cosimano is fast becoming legendary.

My thanks go to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the review copy. This book is for sale now.

I generally avoid this sort of book, because often as not, the author returns to flesh it out into a full length novel, and as much as I enjoy reading it once, I don’t want to read it twice. But this was low hanging fruit, a shorty by an author I greatly enjoy, at a time when I couldn’t get up and move around much, and so I dove into it.

Vero is an honors student from a struggling family, and her academic career is short circuited when an envelope of money goes missing, and Vero is blamed by her sorority sisters. Vero makes a run for it; desperate for work, she takes a custodial job in a bank, and that’s where the fun begins.

This is an entertaining read, but it’s not up to the level of Cosimano’s novels. For a short story to work, a lot must be packed into it, with every single word pulling its own weight, and possibly that of its friends and family. Here, it feels like a chapter out of a book, one in which the author doesn’t want to give up any truly juicy information about the protagonist because she’s saving it for—you got it—a novel.

Of course, I cannot pretend to know what the author is thinking here; this is just an educated guess. But the product is the product, and whereas it was a fun read as a free galley, I might have felt a bit annoyed if I’d paid money for it.

Those looking for a quick, light read to take to the beach could do worse. Some people don’t have the time or stamina for a full length novel of any type; if that’s you, maybe this is your book. But as for me, I’ll hold out for the real deal in the future.

Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank by Elle Cosimaro
Finlay Donovan series #3.5. Mystery novella. Can be read as a stand-alone but better as part of the series.
Veronica Ruiz can’t believe how her sorority sisters turned on her when the money she held as treasurer disappeared. She drops out of her accounting classes and walks away from her live on her cousins couch. Just temporarily! She going to find a job where she can prove her accounting and finance skills and move up the ladder with ease. Getting past the door is proving harder than expected. She finally accepts a job as a janitor at a bank when she overhears the manager complaining the daily deposits are coming up short every day. Vero is sure she can figure out who is stealing the money and then replace that person they go to jail.
Maybe not as easy as it sounds.

Wacky. Her detective skills are on the lever of a mugging while her diplomatic skills are more likely to get her kicked out of the place.
Vero may need a bit more polish before her next job.

I received a copy of this from NatGalley. My ebook copy was mostly unreadable because of formatting issues. I borrowed an audiobook version from the library and enjoyed listening to the hysteria and insanity that is Vero’s life.
It’s worth reading for the laughs even if you haven’t read the series. If you have read the series, you will appreciate it all the more.

Loved getting Vero's backstory and seeing how she met Finlay. A quick and easy read that can be read at any time in the sequence of the Finlay Donovan novels!

Love a book by Elle Cosimano. When i grabbed this one, i didnt realize i hadnt read the entire series yet so had to do some catch up. These books never seem to let me down and just keep getting better and better. Thanks so much for the gifted arc of this one!

4 stars ⭐️ LOVED!! This was a great short read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this brief glimpse into Vero's past - she's been a "side" character in the Finlay Donovan series, and it was nice to see her get her own little feature. Vero is a complicated character, and it was nice to add some depth with this short story. It gives a new perspective for the rest of the Finlay Donovan series.

Would love to read more from Vero's perspective!

What a fun little prequel! It shows that Vero is pretty amazing at solving crimes in her own right. I loved how it tied the series together and made everything make perfect sense! It was nice seeing Vero and Finlay back together again!

LOVE getting a closer look into Vero's life before she entered Finlay's life, frying pan in hand! Vero's sass is truly top notch and I LOVE LOVE LOVEEEEEEE getting more insight into Finlay's partner in crime!!