Veronica Ruiz is on the run after being falsely accused of stealing money from her college sorority. She takes a cleaning job at a bank but soon discovers someone there is stealing. Determined to find the thief and prove herself, Vero must navigate the challenges of her past and a complicated relationship with her childhood crush Javi. This humorous short story provides insight into Vero's past and her first meeting with Finlay Donovan.

I thoroughly enjoyed this short novella that delves into Vero's past and sheds light on how she crossed paths with Finlay from her perspective. Understanding Vero's backstory is crucial for maintaining the series' continuity and authenticity.

The undeniable chemistry between Finlay and Vero, as well as their close friendship, is already apparent. However, uncovering the reasons behind Vero's flight and the events that led her to cross paths with Finlay adds depth to their relationship.

I sincerely hope that this series finds its way onto your "to be read" list or becomes a thoughtful addition to a friend's Christmas shopping list. I am truly grateful to have the opportunity to immerse myself in all five books at once!

Thank you, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

BOOK REPORT
I’m gonna cheat just a little here with my Book Reports on the Finlay Donovan series by Ellie Cosimano, which I received complimentary copies of from St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books/NetGalley.

Instead of providing a title and description for—as well as a reaction to—each book, I’m doing one review for all and putting a summary of the series here first: ”Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano’s witty, fast-paced adult mystery series follows struggling suspense novelist and single mom turned-amateur-sleuth Finlay Donovan, whose fiction begins to tread dangerously close to the truth.”

The reason for this approach is because I took advantage of the opportunity to download all of the books in the series to date all at once, including the newest one scheduled for publication in March 2025 (Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave), which was the reason NetGalley made everything available—to promote the latest. And then I basically binged my way through it, partly while doing things like folding clothes and watching TV at the same time.

This was a fun little series, as I expected it to be. Nothing very challenging, some predictability, some romance, some silliness. I got a little aggravated that Our Finlay never seems to learn from her mistakes. And the agent character gets to be more and more like a caricature as the series progresses. My favorite installment was the novella about nanny/accountant Veronia Ruiz; it was written a lot tighter and was more believable. Looks like the next book to be written will flesh out her back story even more, so I’m looking forward to reading it.

In short: This is the kind of series you will like, if you like this kind of series.

PS
I realized yesterday during a discussion with some friends at lunch that I’ve been ingesting an awfully not of non-serious fiction here lately. I decided that, you know what? That’s perfectly OK, given not only the state of the world in general right now, but also because at least seven people I know have died this year (two by intentionally self-inflicted gunshot wounds). I’ve been seeking both escape and comfort, and I very much appreciate all the authors who have brought me both.

Elle Cosimano does it again! Fans of the Finlay Donovan series will love this trip back into her world. I couldn't put this down and will be purchasing a physical copy!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Elle Cosimano for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was a novella based on Veronica’s backstory. I thought it was a good break in the series. She’s an interesting character and had a lot going on, but it didn’t really feel like the same kind of hijinks and shenanigans in the Donovan books. I was thinking there would be a little something more. But I still love the series!

I would recommend this novella to anyone who enjoys mysteries!

This is a short story that gives insight on Vero from before she meets Finlay. I liked the story, but found it unnecessary as part of this series. Also, I am assuming the ebook was an uncorrected version and the formatting was all messed up and I struggled with reading it. I may have liked it better if the spaces between words and sentences were accurate.

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook of Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank.

A quick little novella that provides some backstory to our favorite nanny, Vero. I love the Finlay Donovan series and was so excited for this one. It was fine as a way to introduce us to Vero but I almost wish it had been a full novel. Bingeable in one sitting and Elle Cosimano writes in a way I find easy to read. If you're a fan of the other books in the series this is worth a read!

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin;s Press/MInotaur Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank by Elle Cosimano is a delightful short story that delves into the backstory of Finlay Donovan's partner-in-crime, Vero. With its blend of humor, wit, and clever storytelling, I thoroughly enjoyed witnessing the dynamic between Vero and Finlay unfold. This series is a must-read for fans of crime fiction. Cosimano's writing is truly enchanting and captivates readers from start to finish.

Novella where Finlay Donovan's side-kick Vero's back story is revealed. Cute story how Vero ended up in the
job where she first met Finlay.
#VeronicaRuisBreakstheBank #StMartinsPress #Minotaur #NetGalley

I’m a little disappointed… Vero is such an awesome character but I just felt like this novella did not do her justice. And I guess it doesn’t make sense for me to feel this way since it is a short novel, but I wanted more! The mystery was the majority of the book for her to land the “dream job” just for her to quit! Did not like the flow of that but as always, I enjoy this series!

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to re-read the Finlay series in anticipation for the next book to come out in 2025. If you haven't read the Finlay Donovan series, I highly recommend you pick up these books ASAP!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I didn't love this one. It's sort, thank gosh. And it's worth a read because of that. But it wasn't anything special.

I picked this one up on a whim, and I’m so glad I did! (And now I own it thanks to NetGalley!) Veronica Ruiz is such a relatable and fun character, and her journey of trying to balance ambition, friendships, and a touch of chaos had me hooked from start to finish. It’s a clever, heartwarming story that’s both hilarious and thought-provoking.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and it only took a few days to read. I think this is going to be a good book club option for several clubs. I plan recommending to my book friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

I liked having a window into Vero’s life outside of Finlay - she’s a great secondary character/sidekick that I wondered about. Am I hoping for more similar novellas? Yes - I love this world that Elle Cosimano has created!

I was hooked from the first Finlay Donovan story. Beto is a wild, funny and no-nonsense character who is a perfect side character. I loved this back story and expansion on how Vero met Finlay. While I don’t know if I would be interested in a series with Veronica as the main character, I would love a story or two focusing on her other secrets, if you will. Purposefully vague, so not to spoil, but if you’ve read the series you will understand.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for allowing me to read this book.Very brief but fun look into vero’s recent past.

I loved being back in the Finlay Donovan universe, even in only for a short time. I thought this novella was fun and I enjoyed getting into the mind of Vero. I do like learning more of her backstory. That being said, this was so quick that we didn't get too much that we didn't already know. I thought the short mystery element was fun, and while it wasn't really groundbreaking, it was a nice and quick read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

I love the Finlay Donovan series and find each book an enjoyable read. Unfortunately this novella just did not do the same as the other books in this series. First the story was good in the sense it provided background to how Vero and Finlay meet as well as introduce the characters of her cousin and Javi. The problem mainly was the story its self just fell flat. It didn’t have the same humor and appeal as the other books.


Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing me to read this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I love the Finlay Donovan series and was super excited to see there's a prequel with Vero's story. She's resilient and resourceful and I just love her!

I enjoyed this spin-off, which focused more on Vero, Finlay’s partner-in-crime. This was a fun short story to fill in the time while waiting for the next full book to come out. I always appreciate a short story or novella in between books in worlds I’ve already committed time to. I highly recommend this for fans of the series.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me an eARC. The opinion in this review is my own.