Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank is a decent addition for fans of the Finlay Donovan series, though it doesn’t quite reach the heights of Elle Cosimano’s full-length novels. It’s fun to get a glimpse into Vero’s backstory—especially her past with Javi—and to see her first meeting with Finlay. That said, it is missing the spark and sharp energy that make the series so compelling. However, I still enjoyed it!

This novella in the Finlay Donovan series was a sneak into Vero’s backstory, which was interesting to see. I enjoyed being able to see Vero's motivations and her character development throughout this quick read!

Funny and witty this is a great read. I laughed out loud more times than I ever had. Great read!

This novella takes us back to the beginning of Vero leaving school, her troubled relationship with Javi, and ultimately meeting Finlay and becoming her baby sitter. It gives us a good idea of Vero's explosive personality and her detecting skills. It is a good short read for those wanting to know more about Vero.

I received a complimentary egalley of this novella from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

It was fun to learn about Vero’s back story. But I need to stop trying to read novellas. They always feel rushed and leave me wanting more.

Wow, what a fun little interlude!!

I really loved this one, probably more than any of the main series so far. With this short story we get a dive into Vero’s past, and boy was it fun! This short story made me excited to pick up the next book in the series. Definitely recommend not skipping this one!

This book was such a fun and refreshing read! Veronica is a smart, determined, and totally relatable lead who gets caught up in a whirlwind of financial chaos, humor, and unexpected twists. The story is fast-paced, witty, and packed with sharp observations about money, ambition, and what really matters. I laughed, I cringed, and I couldn’t put it down! If you love smart, character-driven stories with heart and humor, this one is a must-read.

I really liked this novella. The Finlay Donovan series is one of my favorites, so I liked getting to read more about Vero and her backstory. This book was action packed and so much fun to read. Vero is such a strong and funny character. What a great book!

Elle Cosamino writes a lovely novella giving us more background on Findlay’s best friend/ sidekick / nanny, Veronica Ruiz. Kicking myself for reading them out of order, as this novella gave really great background to Vero’s character.

It was a quick read, which nicely compliments the Finlay Donovan series!

I’m a bit underwhelmed with this one. I really love Vero’s character and was hoping this short story would fill in some of the gaps but it really fell short (literally). It was cool to see some of the back story to how Vero met Finlay but other than that I was bored and seeking more with this.

Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank is a fun and fast-paced glimpse into Vero’s backstory, giving readers a deeper look at one of the most beloved characters from the Finlay Donovan series. While she’s been a favorite of mine, this novella peels back the layers of her personality, showing us what shaped her into the fiercely loyal, quick-witted, and resourceful woman we know and love. The story not only adds depth to her character but also lays the groundwork for the relationships we see develop in the main series. It’s a perfect little bonus read for those craving more insight into Vero’s past and the circumstances that led her to become entangled with Finlay’s world.
Though short, this novella packs plenty of humor, heart, and a touch of the chaos that makes the Finlay Donovan books so entertaining. It’s a great companion piece for fans of the series, filling in some gaps while keeping the same engaging tone and energy. If you’ve ever wanted to see more of Vero outside of Finlay’s perspective, this story delivers just that—giving her the spotlight she deserves.

Finally we get more of Vero! Her life before Finlay has been alluded to in the earlier Finlay books, but now we get the actual story in full. This story is short and sweet but a lot of fun. We also get to see more of Javi and find out more about their relationship which I really liked. I also liked how Vero worked to solve the bank thefts while working as a bank custodian. There were lots of funny moments and even a couple mentions of Finlay and other characters we already know, so that was a fun tie-in. Enjoyed!

Loved this short story and learning more background about one of our fav characters!!! Getting more of Vero’s story makes you understand her relationships and family better too.

his is a prequel to one of my favorite series! We get the backstory for Vero and it’s awesome! I already loved Vero and now I love her even more!
Thank you NetGalley, Ms. Cosimano and Minotaur Books!

Loved getting some extra background on Vero after quite a bit of her origins remained a mystery in the first three books of the Finlay Donovan series - this short story filled in some (though not all) of the gaps while containing the trademark brand of humor that keeps me coming back for the next installment.

Thank you very much to NetGalley & Minotaur for making the entire series (thus far) briefly available for download in exchange for honest reviews!

This was a short story, took me about an hour to read but personally I didn't feel like it added anything to the overall story and Vero wasn't at her best here.

Honestly I loved Finley Donovan 1&2. This is just run into the ground.

This books spacing was horrendous. It was so hard to read as most of the words in this book had no spaces in between . It was impossible to read

Rating: 4 ⭐️
How I Read It: 📱

Synopsis
Elle Cosimano gives readers a little background on Finlay Donovan’s sidekick, Veronica Ruiz aka Vero, with the short story, “Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank.” Vero has just been accused of stealing from her sorority and is on the run. She needs to get out of Maryland, so she changes her name and heads to her cousin Ramón's. She gets a job at a local bank, where she starts investigating who is stealing money from the bank in hopes that she will be promoted from cleaning lady to bank teller once she finds out who the culprit is.

My Thoughts
Veronica and Javi are my favorite couple in the series. I love the banter between the two and how Javi is always looking out for Vero, while Vero is oblivious to how much Javi loves her. It was nice to get a little background on their story. Vero seemed a little smarter in this short story than she has in the Donovan books where she acts a lot more reckless. If you’ve read the Finlay Donovan series, you should pick this quick read up.

Ratings
Characters: 4 ⭐️
Pace: 5 ⭐️
Enjoyability: 4 ⭐️

Thank you St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy!
Always love a book that keeps your attention!
Good series!

I love this window into who Vero is and her context in this universe. This is a quick, sassy read. I loved it.