Finlay Donovan once had it all: the perfect husband, two adorable kids, a gorgeous house, and a budding career as a novelist. Now she’s newly single, her ex ran off with the real estate agent, the kids are chaos on legs, and Stephen suddenly fired the nanny. Sending your 4-year-old to school with her freshly-shorn hair duct-taped back onto her head is not the sign of a woman who has her life together. As for her career, the more left unsaid, the better.

With a deadline already come and gone (and her advance right along with it), Finn heads to Panera to meet her agent in a last-ditch attempt for one more delay. As she’s discussing her haphazard, cobbled together plot, a woman at a nearby table hears bits an pieces…and mistakenly assumes Finn is a hitwoman for hire. As she leaves she slips Finn a note – a target and a sum with more zeros than she’s seen in a long time. But she wouldn’t be crazy enough to actually go through with it, right? Especially not once she learns about the ties to the mob. Then again, all those zeros..

I’ll be honest, going into this book I wasn’t that impressed. I was most definitely not a fan of Finlay’s ex-husband and the new fiancée was more a caricature of Mean Girl stereotypes than anything. Review after review – from several VERY trusted friends – praised Finlay Donovan is Killing It so I knew to tough it out and keep reading. And I’m so glad I did. Once the story really got going and the plot took off, I was hooked and couldn’t look away.

When the man she (honestly) never really intended to kill (scout’s honor!) winds up dead in the back of her minivan, Finn realizes she in way over her head. With her newly-rehired nanny back in the ring (for a 40% cut, of course), Finn has to somehow solve a murder, write a bestseller, AND dodge referrals from more prospective…clients who also have problems they would like Finn to dispose of. As if the hitwoman hustle isn’t bad enough, Finn uses the details as inspiration for her novel – and her agent loves it.

With wacky hijink after wacky hijink, Finlay Donovan is Killing It felt like an old-timey classic rom-com/mystery. I could easily see stars like Audrey or Cary filming a movie similar to this – and honestly, I would absolutely watch a movie version of this book. It’s funny, it’s engaging, the story is totally bonkers in an I NEED TO KNOW MORE way. I’m so glad this isn’t just a standalone, there were several plotlines I wanted to explore further (I mean, the potential for a love triangle was right. there.) and that ending…!! I honestly gasped and knew right then and there that I needed book two in my life, stat. Unfortunately I’ll be waiting a while, but I’ll be here, grabby hands at the ready.

I liked the premise, I liked the characters, I liked how Finlay was a perfect storm a mess ups. But at the same time and it’s just meh. Not sure if it was the book or if I’m just in a slump. I liked it well enough, but it wasn’t exciting or revolutionary, it reminded me a bit of Stephanie Plum. I would read the sequel though.

This book was everything I needed right now - a comedic caper of the best kind! Finlay Donovan is a mystery/romance writer who is struggling to make ends meet as a newly single mom. In a series of crazy situations, she gets roped into becoming a murder-for-hire assassin. Of course, major hijinks ensue!

I absolutely loved everything about this - the pacing, the humor, the friendship that develops between two of the main female characters. And I also gasped several times at twists in the plot! This book would be super unrealistic if it didn't grab me with its wit and occasional winks at the reader.

I can see how the author might want to make this book into a series. There's definitely plenty of source material that can be mined from this one well-rounded, lovable main character. I'll be recommending this for anyone who wants a light, fun read that comes with a kick!

This book was different, in a totally good way. It was a fantastic read with lots of twists and turns, along with some humor, which I greatly enjoyed. I liked that I could not quite figure out the culprit, so it was not super obvious. But at the reveal, the clues all made perfect sense. There were also sort of multiple mysteries, which was even more fun. The book ended with resolution but then set up a cliffhanger for the next in the series, and I cannot wait to read it!

Holy cow, this book was such a fun read! While very unbelievable, the humorous nature of the novel made it great fiction that I struggled to put down.

Protagonist Finlay Donovan is put in a sticky situation. She is recently divorced, her ex-husband is preparing to marry the woman he had had an affair with, and they are trying to get full custody of the Donovan kids. Finlay is a mystery novel author who is not very successful. She is behind on her deadlines and in danger of needing to return her most recent advance to her publisher, a situation especially problematic as she is on the brink of financial ruin with no way to pay for a custody attorney. While Finlay is discussing the bones of her supposed upcoming novel with her manager at a Panera Bread, a stranger overhears and mistakes what she has heard big time, believing Finlay to be a contract killer. Due to her financial pinch, Finlay's life gets really weird from there...

Truly a wild ride of a novel with a great (albeit a bit predictable) cliff-hanger ending.

***An ARC of this novel was provided to me at no cost in exchange for an honest review.

If Lucille Ball accidentally became a hit woman, she would look a lot like our heroine, Finlay Donovan. After a having read few lukewarm thrillers in the past couple weeks, this book was a hilarious breath of fresh air.

Yes, suspension of disbelief is necessary as we breeze though the story, one coincidence after another - but our plucky protagonist is so charming, you have no choice but to ride along.

When a broke, single mother and recent divorcee gets mistaken for an assassin because of what's in her diaper bag, curiosity gets the best of her. Offered 50K - an amount hat would surely help with her bills and perhaps even a custody lawyer - to get rid of a very bad man, Finlay's curiosity is piqued. Piqued enough to stake him out at the bar...to talk to awfully cute and astute bartender and law student, Julian....to somehow, someway, drug said bad man and get him into the backseat of her car.

The ball really gets rolling after that, with Vero, Finlay's former babysitter, happily joining the fray. We meet so many characters - some more lovable than others - as Finlay goes through the motions - and uses her experience as fodder for her books.

I loved that this book was funny, heartfelt, and that our main character has her choice of eligible - and not so eligible - love interests. And just when we thought everything was tied up nicely with a bow - Finlay is reeled right back in.

You could just murder someone to get to Book 2.

Thanks to @netgalley and @minotaur_books for an e-arc of FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT in exchange for an honest review!

Finlay Donovan is a hot mess. That’s how she describes herself. A single mom struggling to make ends meet and under pressure from her publishing company to meet her book deadline. All Finlay Donovan wants is to be able to keep her kids during a custody battle with her ex husband, pay her bills, and write another book to be able to pay said bills and keep her kids.

The last thing she expects is to be overheard in a Panera cafe by a woman. This woman leaves a note for Finlay. The next thing Finlay knows, she has become a hit woman hired to kill this lady’s husband! When she succeeds, said lady gives her the name of another lady looking for the same thing. But Finlay doesn’t want to get involved again. She can’t risk going to prison and never seeing her kids again. So she tries to keep her first murder under wraps while the police investigate. BUT, in an attempt to deal with everything going on in her life, Finlay starts to writes fiction version of the real life murder investigation she finds herself in.

I really enjoyed this book and the “real life” aspect it gave to single mothers. Finlay is just trying to be a good mom. She chronicles everything that happens to her, and I’m sure all mothers can relate! I just kept shaking my head at all the unfortunate tangles Finlay ended up in. BUT the best part? Finlay is a strong woman and isn’t about to let a murder investigation ruin her life!

I highly recommend this one for a different kind of thriller that is humorous, and will make you shake your head at all the things that happen! This one published last Tuesday, February 2, 2021 so you can go grab your copy now!

Finlay Donovan is Killing It follows Finlay, an overworked mom who in a case of a misheard conversation somehow becomes a hit man. And honestly, that’s the least of her problems.
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This was such an enjoyable book to read! I was constantly smiling and it was just the perfect fun book to let go of the world for a little while. Sometimes, it was a little to fantastical for me, but it was still just so much fun. Think a beach read with a touch of murder!
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However, I didn’t really connect with the book, and it was just fine. I will be picking up the second one though!
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TWs- murder, drugs, sexual assault, cheating, guns, blood
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is exactly what I needed after reading some really sad ones! Finlay Donovan is a hoot - her antics kept me laughing on this crazy ride! Finlay is a stressed out single mom to two kids & a struggling novelist. She meets her agent at Panera to discuss her (lack of) book progress. They easily speak of the characters & subplots unknowingly being eavesdropped by the lady sitting next to them. As Finlay gets up to leave she finds a note it leads to a name and dollar amount! A hit woman?! Her life turns upside and we’re quickly on this crazy ride with her! This was so much fun to read and I just kept rooting for her! I’m hoping for a sequel! Thank you to Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and the author for a gifted copy.

It is possible that I already found one of my favorite books of the year? Potentially.

Finlay Donovan is Killing It is the funny, but creepy murder mystery that you’ve been waiting for. Finlay is an overworked, divorced mom, struggling to write her next novel, take care of her two children, while her ex-husband rubs his new wife in her face. She’s on the brink of losing everything, when a woman overhears Finaly’s conversation in a Panera. Confusing Finaly for a hitwoman (lol), the woman offers Finaly a job: kill the woman’s husband for $50,000.

Finaly’s first thought is of course no. But $50,000 could solve all of her problems….

I could not put this novel down. Cosimand takes you on a winding road filled with characters that you want to cheer on, a mystery you want to unravel, and an ending that has you praying for a sequel. This is a novel that I could easily see myself going back to read multiple times.

So should you go get Finlay Donovan is Killing It? Obviously.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Cosimano's adult debut was a hard one for me to rate. Do the plotlines require you to suspend disbelief at multiple and repeated junctures? Yes. Was I sucked in anyway? Very much yes.

FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT is the highly improbable story of a divorced mom-of-two who is also an author of romantic suspense novels. In a series of events that were as far-fetched as they come (was Cosimano trying to be over-the-top? I don't know...), main character Finn finds herself the recipient of a contract to kill another woman's husband. The rest of the novel is her attempt to untangle herself from the dangerous mess she's mixed up in, while also salvaging her career and maintaining custody of her kids.

If not for the characters, this would have been a three-star read for me because the outlandish events and plot holes pulled me out of the story quite a few times. But I really liked Finn and Vero and I wanted to see them succeed. So much so that I had trouble putting the book down.

Bottom line: if you are in the mood for a wacky story with strong, funny women at the helm, give KILLING IT a shot. I'll probably read the sequel just to see what Cosimano dreams up next.

Talk about a fun book! A thriller author mistaken for a professional hitman (hit-woman?) and entangled in a murder and mob related activity? This might not sound like fun, but trust me it is. Finlay and her sidekick/babysitter, Vero, are the ultimate comedic duo while trying to get themselves out of the mess they made. Looking forward to more from this great voice in the future.!

Finley Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano is a funny thriller, which is a combination of genres that doesn’t always work for authors. I really enjoyed this one – it centers around a frazzled mom in the midst of a messy divorce. When a mistaken encounter leads her with a contract for hire, the story takes off. This read is fast, funny at the right parts, romantic in other parts, and all through keeps the mystery going. Every mom can relate to a part of Finley. The book wraps up well with a great twist. A fun binge read. I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own

4.5 stars! I absolutely loved this book! It was so unique, like a genre of its own. A fun thriller / contemporary fiction / romance?! I’m not sure but it worked. I loved it and could not put it down. I loved the characters and the unique storyline. The only thing that kept this from being a 5 star read was because I sometimes felt like there was too much going on and some aspects were pretty far fetched but the author did a great job tying everything together. I was so excited to learn that there’s going to be a sequel! I can’t wait to read more about Finlay’s crazy adventures. I highly recommend checking out this book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book, this book! What a fun, silly crime series start. Finlay is a walking mess of a person. Her husband cheated on her and left her only to decide he's going to take her kids from her too. She's behind on her book deadline and dealing with a stack of unpaid bills. One day, Finlay is having a meeting in Panera with her agent stalling for time, and she's mistaken for a hitwoman. Most women would immediately clear this up with the help of their police officer sister Georgia, but that advance payment is really looking like a tempting solution to all her money problems. I won’t spoil what Finlay decides to do, but she is immediately going from one screwup to the next, cleaning up one mess only to find herself with three new ones. I love a capable mess of a woman.
I love women supporting women, and Finlay and her nanny Vero are my favorite kind of partnership. They really just genuinely root for each other, and it's always great to see female partnerships that work. Finlay's cast of characters includes her sister Georgia, detective Nick, and a good listener/hot bartender. I am so excited to spend more time with Finlay and the crew and get to learn more about Georgia and their family in later books.
The writing here really reminded me of Charlaine Harris-meaning I have to make sure my mom adds this to her library book hold list. The humor and the light, quick pacing has me telling all of my book reading friends to scoop this one up. They always call me out on reading dark twisty mysteries, but I like a fun read from time to time too. This is a book that can be finished in a pleasant day, which is my favorite kind of book. I did not want to stop until it was finished. I look forward to checking back in with Finlay next year (hint, hint). I am so excited that I. Marlene King the Pretty Little Liars icon is developing this because it feels like the perfect book series to tv series. I am going to feel so smug when everyone is obsessed with the show and I get to remind them how I already told them they should read the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. I loved this book! I was glued to it and couldn’t put it down! I finished it in two days. There was always something happening in this book that caught my attention. I sincerely hope there is another book about Finlay and her adventures in the very near future.

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano is the first book of a new series that promises to be one you will want to follow. This is my first time reading Ms Cosimano's work, and I can certainly understand the appeal of this unique take on a tale of crime for hire, and could fully appreciate that it was unlike anything that I have previously read.

Finlay Donovan is a struggling novelist whose life is coming apart at the seams. When she is overheard discussing a new novel with her agent over lunch at Panera, she is suddenly being hired to dispose of a problem husband, and soon finds herself immersed in the world of criminal activity, territory that she has previously ventured into only in her mind as a creative writer.

While I did connect with the immensely likeable Finlay, and enjoy her banter with nanny Vero, I found the premise to be a little too farcical for my taste, though it is a fun romp. That being said, I would be pleased to read more from this author in the future. 3.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this title.

This book caught me by surprise and I loved every second of it. The strong female characters of Finlay and Vero are a dynamite team and I also loved the relationships that Finlay makes with people as she tries to sort out a big giant mess that she fell into, all while trying to finish her novel with her editor barking at her heels. Such a great plot line and hilarious moments in this book. One of my top reads of the year, for sure!

If you need a laugh out loud mystery, this is the book for you. I'm a scared cat and some of these murder heavy books are too much for me. This was perfect. Finlay and Vero are the most perfectly in perfect partners in crime. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I recommend for fans of the Stephanie Plum series that are looking for something new.

I really, really liked this book. Finlay, who started out kind of a train wreck and was very hard to like, turned into a very interesting lead fairly quick.

Some parts of this unfolded a little too neat, and the climax was a bit rushed, but ultimately I enjoyed the story and was interested until the end.

I’m happy to see that there is more to come from Finlay; the end of this one sets up Book 2 perfectly.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.