Finlay Donovan is so relatable in so many ways. She is a hardworking hot mess that is also very funny. The story is wild and it’s not at all predictable. At times it’s laugh out loud funny and what did I just read. A win mystery for anyone who needs a laugh and get lost for a while.
#FinlayDonovanIsKillingIt#NetGalley

Finlay Donovan is all of us: A busy, overworked, down-on-her-luck mom of small children with too little money, too little time, and nobody to Actually Help. I felt her pain from page one. What surprised me was how believable I found her sudden entry into the world of assassination - all because of a regular morning trip to Panera. A perfect beach read for anyone who understands the trial of motherhood and wishes for a partner in crime like Vero!

Although the premise of this “struggling crime writer to hitman/woman” tome is a bit preposterous it is nonetheless entertaining as our protagonist, Finlay Donovan, finds herself as the prime suspect in a murder investigation.

Into the mix the author has thrown some members of the Russian mob, a very unhappy spouse, an ex-husband trying to gain the upper hand via monetary means, the promise of a fat paycheck and an end to Finlays financial woes in return for “the kill”, a murder victim who definitely needed killing and, of course, the requisite drop dead gorgeous police detective.

One can well imagine this as a made for TV series with the likes of Katherine Heigl or Jennifer Aniston as Finlay and James Marsden or Josh Duhamel as the cop. This is a great way to enjoy a few hours of escapism and fun in these shut in days.

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is a hilarious riot to read! Not only is the main-character a hot mess in the best kind of way, but she's funny, captivating, and amusing to read. She has her flaws which make he realistic and she hates her jerk of an ex-husband, who totally deserves it.

This story-line is wild and unpredictable and a joy to read. I couldn't help but root for both Finlay and Vero no matter what happened to them. What makes this book even better is the ending. Each character gets what they deserved and Finlay and Vero both end up exactly where they should based on their character. I can't wait for the next book, because this book ended with the biggest of cliff-hangers!

Finlay Donovan has been having a rough year--or two. She's a struggling writer with her agent chasing her down for a late book--and she has nothing but blank pages. She's broke and raising two small kids by herself since her husband left her for their real estate agent. He also let their nanny go, and now Finlay is on her own. Through a set of comic misunderstandings, a desperate woman mistakes her for a hitwoman and makes her an offer that she finds irresistible--$50,000.00 in cash to kill her husband.

Finlay is torn--and this is what is fun about the book. She is just like us--a stressed-out, broke, cheated-on mom taping a hat with hair attached to it to her kid's head after a botched haircut. We wouldn't ever consider killing for money to pay the bills--would we? Finlay balances a romance (or two), experiences the joy and support of an unexpected female friendship in Vero, the nanny who comes back and becomes her partner in crime, and basically lives life teetering between chaos and sure incarceration. Through through the lens of this high-concept, sometimes wacky adventure, Finlay finds herself again. I hope this is a series!

Highly recommend this quick and unputdownable read with the best title I've seen in a long time.

What can I say except I loved this book and I need book two YESTERDAY! The plot like was totally unique to me and full of dark humor and serious woman power. Finlay is a hot mess, author, mother of two, who just cannot catch a break. She has syrup on her best pants, her daughter has just discovered the joy of cutting her own hair, and a stack of unpaid bills that continues to grow like the TBR pile of a bookstagrammer. There’s no light at the end of the tunnel until a woman overhears a conversation in a Panera and mistakes Finlay for a contract killer. The story that follows is tense and funny and human and I can’t wait to follow Finlay and Vero (babysitter turned live in accountant and partner in crime) on their journey to come!

The first sentence of this book is so good. Drew me right in and loved the chaotic scene I was drawn into.

Then the story goes from plucky and fun to boring and bizarre. I wanted to love this, but a mystery it was not and towards the end I found myself skimming just to
Finish it. I just could not really believe what was happening, and not in a good way.

I absolutely loved this book! Elle Cosimano tells a fast-paced, witty tale about an author struggling to find the plot for her next story. After a chance meeting and a misunderstanding in a Panera, Finlay Donovan decides to write about what she knows, even if it involves dealing with some pretty shady people. Together with her babysitter-turned-accountant, Vero, Fin takes on the mob, her ex-husband, and a nosy neighbor, all while raising her children and dipping her foot into the dating pool. Fin is my new hero! Finlay Donovan is Killing It will have you laughing, crying, and perched on the edge of your seat all in the same chapter. Keep it coming Elle Cosimano - I cannot wait to follow along with Fin's next adventure!

Finlay Donovan is Killing It hooked me from the first page. Every mom knows exactly that type of morning chaos and all. Finn seems like the mom next door, this book had a little of everything mystery, murder, mob and romance. Incredibly hard to put down. I cannot wait for the next book in this series. Thank you to NetGalley and Elle Cosimano for the Arc in exchange for my honest review.

Findlay Donovan is not having a great year. She is divorcing her cheating husband, raising two children on a limited writers salary, and is really trying to get her book finished which is a thriller of course. The authors writing skills are spot on with some of the best out there. Funny, witty, and the characters are so believable you would think you are talking to your best friend. However, things go from bad to worse for Findlay. While out with her publisher she is discussing the book and killing a character off. Someone hears her and things change drastically. Then when someone turns up dead, her life goes down hill fast. Who could be capable of murder and how could an overheard conversation put her in the investigation? Findlay soon discovers who she is as an author, woman and mother. This book is a fascinating read with a few very good twists and turns. The conversations are very easy to follow along with and the characters are well developed.

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Fun, funny, goofy, a little ridiculous.



Review copy provided by publisher.



(I write short reviews)

Totally enjoyable, laugh out loud mystery that is EXACTLY perfect for right now.

Elle Cosimano is absolutely one to watch and I want to cocktail with her!

Thank you to St. Martin's press for giving me an ARC. It was my pleasure to write an honest review.

This Novel Is Absolutely Killing It. So funny, quirky and different - one of my favorite reads this year!

Finlay Donovan is excatly the type of character I want to read more of in book. She is realtable, swamped with problems, and yet her uniqueness shines through and you end up rooting for her from the beginning.

Speking of beginnings, I was immediately pulled into the plot with this situation. Finlay, a suspense novelist, is at Panera Break, speaking with her agent Sylvia about her upcoming book, which she is very late with. As suspense novels go, the two women casually speak about getting rid of someone.... But the lady at the next table doesn't know theri conversation is merely about a BOOK... So she makes Finlay an offer for getting rid of her husband. Just imagine!

Better yet, Finlay goes for it in the name of research, of course! (And her poor financial situation could use some help,)

From then on, this book is full of humor, thoughts about friendship, money, an a-hole ex, writing... And it's just so freshly different! I devoured this light-hearted book in no time, just when I needed something like this to brighten my days.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a fun read. Finlay is an author, a single mom with two children, broke, and heading for bankruptcy. Her husband is trying to get custody of the children. Finlay is a mystery writer, but not making much money per book and currently has writer's block and she has a deadline. Then an unusual. dangerous offer comes up that could solve her financial problems.

Totally enjoyed reading about Finlay's misadventures. I loved the character and enjoyed the humor in the book. The plot was intriguing and was well-paced, keeping my attention throughout. I'm hoping for a follow-up with this character in the future.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press / Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

What a fun, wonderful book! A few parts were a little unbelievable but I was very interested in how it all tied up in the end. All in all it was just fun and entertaining and I highly recommend it. I just heard it's going to be a series and I say YAY!

Free Copy received from NetGalley for my honest review. 3.5 stars rounded up

Finlay Donovan is Killing It was a fast paced, funny, semi-thriller/semi-woman's fiction read. Finlay is a struggling author, she's got two kids, a cheating husband/ divorce, a custody battle, bills piling up, and no progress on her latest murder mystery book. In a series of misunderstandings, she finds herself in the midst of a real-life murder investigation. The material is perfect for her book, but a big mess when it becomes a part of her life. I had fun reading this book, I laughed out loud at many scenes, and I was invested in the outcome. Parts of this were very unbelievable, but it was a fun ride overall.

Glad this will be a series, because I need to know what happens next!

Fun, quirky mystery...I really enjoyed it! Finlay and Vero were great! This was an escape read that kept me guessing and smiling.
Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

This series debut is a fun read and a clever one, but ultimately not quite satisfying. Struggling author Finlay Donovan is dealing with the effects of a devastating divorce from her cheating husband. In debt and suffering from writer's block, she meets with her agent in a Panera where discussion of her book plot leads an eavesdropper to try to hire Finlay to murder her horrific husband.

From there, as they say, hijinks ensue, from multiple cases of mistaken identity, mafia hit men, potential love interests, and a rather blood thirsty live in nanny who revels in the role of would be assassin.

The pace is breakneck and Finlay is a sympathetic character. However, author Cosimano's young adult roots are evident here as plot lines are tied up a little too nearly and easily, including the addition of an incredibly understanding and younger law school boyfriend for Finlay, a character frequently referred to as the "underwear model."

I enjoyed spending time with Finlay, but like a fast food high, the experience wears off quickly.

Full Disclosure--NetGalley and the publisher provided me with a digital ARC of this book. This is my honest review.

I was given a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!

The conversational style is easy to speed through - I read this book in two days.

Finlay is a young, recently divorced mom of two. Life sicks right now. Her ex-husband's infidelity, writer's block and Bill's piling up on the front porch is just too daunting to overcome.

That changes quickly - all because of an overheard conversation being taken at face value.

Finlay is trying to do the right thing, she's not an assassin but things just keep going wrong!

The mystery of who did or didn't kill a despicable predator takes twists and turns you don't expect.

Finlay rediscovers who she is as a person and an author

I cannot wait for a follow up book.

I actually give this book 3.5 starts. Maybe 3.75. It’s a very creative book - it’s a book about a book about a murder. The lead character, Findlay, is half sweet and savvy and the other half complete buffoon. She’s mistakenly thrust into a homicide situation and the plot unravels from there.

Think of it as a cross between a James Patterson novel and Bridgette Jones Diary.

Definitely entertaining and hard to put down.

#Netgalley #FinlayDonovanIsKillingIt