This is a fun novella that fills a gap in the Finlay Donavan series.
It’s rather short and felt rushed, but I suppose that’s what novellas are. Still, super cute and stays true to the Finley vibes.

This short story was the perfect addition to the Finlay Donovan series. As Vero and her friends/family become a larger part of the Finlay Donovan plot (hello Javi!), understanding her connection and background with these characters in a like more detail. The length of this story was just right to close the gaps on the history between Vero and Javi to get us to where we are in the Finlay Donovan series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ebooks in exchange for an honest review.

I just absolutely love this series. This isn’t as good as the main books but as a novella about Vero, I enjoyed it! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this arc honestly.

This was a short and sweet little mystery in the Finlay Donovan world. I like Vero’s character and was excited to get more of her backstory, but there wasn’t really much here that we didn’t already know, and I didn’t find this as funny and engaging as the other books. Still a fun, quick read. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the chance to read this!

This was such a fun short story. This story gives us Vero's background. Vero is the very sassy, quick witted nanny/Finlay's partner in crime.
I absolutely loved this short story. It is packed with action and hilarious moments, this one kept me entertained from start to finish. In this story, Vero has left college and taken a janitor job at a bank, but it doesn't take long before she's wrapped up in solving the mystery of missing money. The cast of characters is outrageously funny, and Vero's investigation leads her on wild searches through cars and restrooms. Such a fun ride! Another 5 stars for Elle Cosimano!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this story. It was good. Not quite as good as the main series but as a fan, I appreciate that the author wrote this. I liked getting a little more background on Vero and Javi. Now I will be moving on to book 4. Man I love this series and I haven't loved a series like this in a long time.

An enjoyable supplement all about Vero. I wish there would have been more info about what happened with the sorority money that made her flee school. Overall it ties the loose ends on how Vero became the nanny and Finalay’s partner in crime. Enjoyable but not memorable.

A great short story in the Finlay Donovan series! Although it wasn’t my favorite book from her it was still a great, quick and entertaining read.

This was a great tie-in story about Vero. Vero is such a complex secondary character and I loved learning more about her background and motivation.

In Finlay Donovan is Killing It, I was pretty sure Vero was connected to Harris’ murder in some way. I’m so glad this hunch was incorrect and that Vero is as “good” a character as she appears to be. I also love Javi and Ramon and I can’t wait to see Vero’s relationships change and grow with both of them.

While I adore Finlay and relate to her, Vero is just cool and I want to be her friend.

I received a copy of Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

“Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank” is a prequel novella about the Vero’s past.
We find out what happened after she left college and before she met Finlay. This is a short, fast paced book that I read in one sitting.

The story is hilarious and we get a bit more background about Vero and Javi’s past. For me this was exactly what I expected and got me even more interested in the couple and I also want to find out how Vero and Finn will solve her past problem.

I received an ARC from St. Martin's Press via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The origin story behind Vero’s financial acumen and how she ended up working for Findlay. This short story is cute, but the advance reader copy (ebook) I received was a typographical mess! On many pages, thetypeallrantogetherlikethis.Itwasreadablebutcertainly notenjoyable. If it had been more accessible I’m sure it would have taken less time and been given more stars.
The story itself explains her close relationship with her cousin Ramón and his best friend Javier. It doesn’t satisfactorily explain why she left college and is in hiding, but perhaps that will be revealed in a future release.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and #NetGalley for access to the short story for review purposes. It is currently available.

A fun little novella that gives us Vero’s backstory! Vero's origin story, complete with her sorority drama and her sassy personality, highlights her accounting and finance skills and sets her up to be Finlay's trusted sidekick.

Fans of the Finlay Donovan series won’t want to miss this entertaining quick read that tells us all about Vero before she met Finlay! If you aren’t already a fan, you might find this one to be just okay, as the story and character development aren’t 100% fleshed out. I wish this was a full-length prequel instead!

3 stars

Cute little side quest to learn more about Veronica and her history. Wasn’t necessary to the overall of the series, but it was fun enough.

Good for back story of Vero! This is a short but sweet little book that lets us see the origins story of Veronica and her man. Also, we get a glimpse of Veronica and Findlay’s meet cute. Is it needed for the flow of the stories? No. But it’s a little lagniappe for the hard core fans.

This was a nice glimpse into Vero’s life before Finlay. I was hoping for more detail on what actually happened with her sorority but Vero solving a crime with her signature sass was still enjoyable.

I am a huge Finlay Donovan fan, which means I’m also a Vera fan! I thought this was such a fun novella that showed us a different side of Vera and why she is the way she is. It was a quick, entertaining read and got me excited for the newest Finlay book!

It was fun for a reader of the Finlay Donovan series to go back and see the history of Vero. Just like the parent series though, it's a little over the top in the things Vero does to solve the mystery around the bank. I guess you can say her personality is consistent and the reckless decisions aren't new to her. It's been a minute since I read the first three books and I don't remember how much of her history we get in those. I know the sorority thing was mentioned but I can't remember if she said anything about the bank or her history with Javi. I feel like I need to revisit that!!

Anyways, this was an interesting short read. While it was silly, it's definitely less morbid/black comedy than the other books which is a nice break. The formatting of this ARC was pretty rough though and I ended up borrowing a copy from the library to be able to read it.

Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank is a fun story about one of my favorite characters in the Finlay Donovan series. The story follows Veronica who finds herself navigating a series of unexpected challenges and opportunities that is, just like the Finlay Donovan books, charming, witty, and entertaining! She goes on a journey of self-discovery with twists and turns of her financial escapades. I loved getting to learn more about Veronica and her back story. I really enjoyed reading this one!

Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank is a fun, quick novella that dives into Vero’s past before she teams up with Finlay in the Finlay Donovan series. While the mystery of a bank thief is engaging and the audiobook narration is great, the romantic subplot with Vero’s childhood crush, Javi, feels overly dominant for such a short story.
The mystery was the highlight for me—Vero’s investigation into the theft was clever and entertaining. However, the focus on her relationship drama with Javi detracts from the plot. It would’ve been more satisfying with a stronger emphasis on the mystery and less on the romantic tension.
Overall, it’s a good but not great read—fun but lacking depth.
Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur for copies of the Finlay books in return for an honest opinion.

Veronia Ruiz Breaks the Bank is a quick book focusing on Vero's past and how she meets Finlay. If you're a fan of the Finlay Donovan series it's a great little addition to get the back story on Vero. But it's pretty short and not as fun as the longer books in the series. I think it works bringing in her back story!