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!!

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.