Finlay Donovan is back and this follow up did not disappoint. Finlay and Vero find themselves trying to track down who wants to kill her ex-husband, Steven. High jinx and drama ensue. If you liked the Stephanie Plum books (which I did), then Finlay is for you. It's funny and twisty all at the same time. Looking forward to following this series. Definately recommened.

Finlay and Vero are back, still fighting with Steven over the kids' custody, combatting writer's block, figuring out financing, oh - and to figure out who is asking for a hit on Steven on an internet chatroom. This book, like its predecessor is filled with mob interaction, bodies to dispose of, and romantic attraction to the young guy and the cop.

Finlay Donovan is a great new series, and I hope there will be many more books. I feel like she is the single-mom version of Stephanie Plum. There is a plenty of humor, crazy situations and suspense.

Finlay Donovan is back in another harebrained conundrum. Someone wants Finlay’s ex-husband dead and it looks like she’s the one who must keep them from achieving their goal. While I know this series is intended to be light-hearted and fun, I still need some semblance of reality to a plot. Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead falls short of that element of believability that I’m looking for.

Thanks go to @NetGalley and @StMartin’sMInotaur for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What a perfect follow-up that didn’t feel even slightly formulaic. Elle Cosimano is a true talent and I cannot wait for the third installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for my ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

Ah well. This was just…meh. Granted I wasn’t a fan of the first book because it was just so outrageous, but this one was even messier and sloppy. The plot never really felt like it took off and there were so many characters circling around it became a bit unweildy.

At the same time I felt Finlay’s arc this time was way too manic and juvenile where at least book 1 grounded her in her identity as a struggling mother. In this one, she’s not crazy all over again and jealous, but with the added element of not knowing what she wants when clearly FWB isn’t working.

I also never really understood why someone would want to kill her ex husband compared to the sleeve bags we saw in book 1.

Lastly, this is the second time Vero’s messed up the money - can we do something new with her? It wasn’t very shocking or interesting and I’m frankly quite surprised Finlay keeps giving her so many passes without explanation given it’s also putting the lives and home of Finlay’s kids at stake which was the main motivator in book 1.

Rating: 2.5/5, rating up to 3

Thanks so much to the author, Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for the gifted advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. All opinions are entirely my own. { partner } All of my reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on my blog at tacklingtbr.home.blog

TW: death, murder, gun violence, dismemberment, some violence, arson, mention of cancer

Finlay and Vero are back, and I could not be more thrilled! I was so excited to have received an early copy of this book that it took every bit of restraint that I had not to read it until right before it published to avoid trying to talk to people about it before it was actually out. I absolutely loved Finlay Donovan is Killing It, so this was definitely one of my more anticipated 2022 reads!

This book really picks up right where the first book left off, so you definitely don't need to worry about the slow first quarter that you sometimes get while a book eases in to the story and characters. I really loved that, because I really felt engaged with this one from the word go! What I will say, though, is that it would then be quite confusing if you're not already invested in the characters and such from the first book, so I wouldn't recommend coming in to this book without reading Finlay Donovan is Killing It first. Not that I think you should jump in to too many series at the halfway point, but just know that if you're just interested in this specific plot then you may be confused on the character and background that you would have missed and we don't get too many refreshers on in this one.

We don't get to know too many new characters in this one that we didn't meet in the first book, but I had a lot of fun really diving in to the characters that we didn't know too much about yet. Even Vero is starting to share a bit more of her back story with Finlay and the audience, and we get to know more about her relationship with the mysterious Ramon as well. I'm really looking forward to getting to learn more about them as the books continue.

This was a solid 4-star read for me all the way through, until the last two(?) chapters that really put it over the edge to 5-star for me! Looking at a few other folks' reviews I know that that wasn't the case for everyone, but I thought that the ending really felt like it made sense with the characters that were established. I can see how the man-behind-the-mask type of reveal may have felt like a bit of a let down to some other folks, but it really felt like it fit in with the rest of the story (both this and the first book) for me as far as tone goes, so I really enjoyed it.

Overall I would definitely recommend this book to folks who enjoyed the first one! I would say that the best way to read this book would be with a large glass of wine or a pint of ice cream in your comfiest (and probably oldest) sweats, because that really feels like what Finlay would want.

I was so excited for a second book about Finlay, Vero, and the issues that always manage to find her – because the methods she uses to deal with them always have me sitting on the edge of my seat.

This plot covered so much. Finlay yet again finds herself in what seems like far over her head, but she manages to handle it better than anyone else I could imagine. That said, there are also secrets at play – and some of Vero’s need to come to light in order for her and Finlay to continue as partners the way they have been.

Honestly, I kind of loved that Stephen was the target in this book. I loved watching everything horrible one could imagine happening to him without it ever truly going too far. That said, I feel like I still had some questions and the ending wasn’t entirely what I was hoping for. The journey was phenomenal, but the ending felt too “shoved under the rug” for my liking. Even still, I would highly recommend reading this entire series, especially because the ending did come with a twist I did NOT see coming!

Our favorite mom turned hitwoman for hire is back in this fun follow-up to Finlay Donovan is Killing It.

Sequels are always really difficult for me to rate, and I imagine they're difficult to write as well. It's nearly impossible for me to not compare the two and pick one I like better, but overall I enjoyed this one almost as much as the first.

To me, the first book is a little funnier and Finlay seems more in control of things. I also thought that the first book really showcased Finlay's detective skills (more than her assassin skills, which were pretty much nonexistent) but in this book, Vero seems to be doing much of the discovery. I didn't mind this so much because I was glad to see so much of Vero, even when it became apparent that she was hiding something.

Also, in the first book, Finlay's budding romance with Detective Nick felt natural and relevant, whereas her dalliance with Julian in this book seems a little forced and out of character. But I thought it was funny how hard she was trying to resist Nick, even when her family was clearly trying to bring him back in the picture. Most of all, I loved how conflicted Nick feels with Finlay, and I look forward to seeing that play out in future books.

I think this book did a great job of weaving pieces of the mystery together versus the first book where Finlay seemed to get lucky a lot. And, I loved that Finlay uses her current experience as the premise for her book again.

I was very surprised (again) with the ending, and I'm interested to see what the next book holds, particularly for Steven. (I also hope we see more of Georgia.) I would still love for this book to be a television series, and of course I recommend this book to anyone looking for a pretty fast-paced, not too heavy read.

After reading Finlay Donovan Is Killing It last year, I knew I had to read this one! It started right were book #1 left off and was filled with fun, humor and mystery! It took me a little to get into this one, but once I got into it, it was a fast paced read, which I really enjoyed. Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is book #2 in the Finlay Donovan series, but can also be read as a stand alone. However, I would recommend reading both (in order) because who doesn’t love a good book series?!

Finlay Donovan is once again struggling to finish her next novel and keep her head above water as a single mother of two. On the bright side, she has her live-in nanny and confidant Vero to rely on, and the only dead body she's dealt with lately is her daughter's pet goldfish. On the not-so-bright side, someone out there wants her ex-husband out of the picture. Permanently. With her next book's deadline coming up and an ex-husband to keep alive, Finlay is quickly coming to the end of her rope. She can only hope there isn't a noose at the end of it.

If you’re looking for a fun, fast paced mystery, I would highly recommend picking this one up!

Thank you to NetGalley for the earc copy of Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead!

After reading Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, I immediately logged onto author Elle Cosimano's Instagram account and asked her directly if there was a sequel in the works. (please, please, please....)
You can imagine my shock and delight when she quicky responded "Absolutely!"

Elle does a great job filling the reader in on Finlay's shenanigans throughout Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead so you don't HAVE to read this second, but I highly recommend you read them in order. You'll breeze right through the first book, not being able to put it down and quickly dive into #2.

I don't want to give anything away, but this Rom-Com, detective, humorous romp will leave you breathless.
Finlay Donovan is—once again—struggling to finish her next novel and keep her head above water as a single mother of two who shares custody with their father, Steven, who it seems an anonymous person wants to see "eliminated"! Permanently.

Meanwhile, Finlay's live-in nanny Vero seems to be keeping secrets, and Detective Nick Anthony seems determined to get back into her life. This only manages to complicate things for Finlay who needs to "skirt the law" in order to keep her children's father from a random hit.

With her next book’s deadline looming and an ex-husband to keep alive, Finlay is quickly coming to the end of her rope. I'll stop here because if I say much more it will spoil some of the fun. To say I love this series is an understatement.

On a fun note, Producer Marlene King turned to Twitter to share the news, saying she was honored and excited. to produce the series for television and Cosimano's own tweet that stated she knew King "was the perfect producer" for this adaptation.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I didn't think it was possible, but I enjoyed Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead even more than Finlay Donovan is Killing It! Both books are awesome, but this one kept me turning pages a lot quicker and I was invested in all the "what if" possibilities planted by the brilliant author @ellecosimano . And she left us on a cliffhanger, so I can hardly wait for book 3. ⁠
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If you haven't met author/hit-mom Finlay, her "nanny" Vero, and her very own "hot cop" Nick yet, then I would highly suggest you get started on this series. As an avid romance reader, I want to see much more of Nick in the next book. Now I sound like Sylvia. IYKYK! ⁠
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The story is unique and addictive. Finlay Donovan is my kind of gal - loyal, unafraid, and determined. I loved this story and I hope you do too.

Finlay Donovan Knock ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano is wild yet cozy — just how I like it. It is like snuggling up with a loved one by a holiday fire, eating cookies, until the fire gets out of control and threatens to take all your life up in flames. But love and smarts will still rule the day.

On this wild ride, Finlay and Vero are trying to find out who wants to kill Finlay’s ex- husband (and her children’s father) while enjoying the holiday season. And perhaps Finlay can figure out her romance entanglements along the way.

Finlay Knocks ‘Em Dead is the second book in this series. I found it less fast-paced than the first. But there was a more holiday cozy mystery vibe to it (don’t worry there is plenty of danger and hijinks like last time). There were more characters involved in this book and it really had a family theme to it—found and biological family. No matter how you define family, maybe you could see yourselves in Finlay’s life. That’s what is interesting about this series, Finlay and Vero do so many impossible things, but they are both very relatable. You can see your moms, sisters, cousins, daughters or yourselves in this book, and they are powerful.

I found plenty of laughs and some aww moments in Finlay Knocks ‘Em Dead. It was the perfect book to read curled under a heated blanket in winter while a global pandemic was going on. A little joy in a harsh time. I also really appreciated the shout out to bookstagram from the author since the bookstagram community really loved her books, including me. Please, keep writing to them. I think Finlay helped a lot of readers like me have a darn good time. For these reasons, I gave Finlay Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano a 5 out of 5 stars.

I read and loved #FinlayDonovanIsKillingIt by @ellecosimano back in January of 2021. A fictional dark comedy about a mom who gets tangled up in a murder investigation?! That is totally my kind of #braincandy read! ⁣
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Not only was it entertaining but it highlighted female friendship and was totally endearing and witty at the same time. And when I heard book #2 was coming, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it!
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#FinlayDonovanKnocksEmDead (published 2.1.22) brings us more of what we loved in book #1...Finlay and her trusty sidekick Vero and all the shenanigans that ensue when they find out, in a online forum no less, that someone has placed a hit on her ex. ⁣
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This was another delightful read full of hi-jinx, twists and turns and I enjoyed it so much via audiobook as well. And now of course I am eagerly anticipating the 3rd installment in this series to arrive!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my gifted review copy.

A super fun sequel to continue Finlay's story! This book picked up right where FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT left off. Ultimately, this one fell a bit flat for me. Still charming and funny, I felt that there were a lot more questions left open in the plot (setting up for a third, maybe?) and some of the situations felt already done. Still a huge fan of Finlay, but hoping that if there is a third book it brings something new to the series!

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It was one of my favorite books last year, and I know for sure that Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead will be one of my favorites for this year. It's seriously impossible not to love Finlay and everyone's favorite sidekick, Vero!! Elle Cosimano effortlessly blends the thrilling storyline with great humor, and she makes her main characters so relatable! I couldn't be any more excited that there'll be a book 3 and 4!!!!! Finlay and Vero forever, Dream Team!!

Ok, so you're probably wondering what this book is about?
DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER unless you've read Finlay Donovan Is Killing It!

Book 2 picks up where the first left off; Finlay receives a tip that someone has posted on the forum asking for a hit on her ex-husband Steven for 100k. Finlay and Vero are set on stopping the hit at all costs, but it's a little tricky when they have no clue who called it. Meanwhile, there's all the drama with the Russian mob still, and Finlay is balancing two suitors, Julian the lawyer and Nick the cop. Vero has her own issues with her family, and Finlay is being pressed hard by her agent and editor to write her next book!

HIGHLY recommend the Finlay Donovan series for a quick, thrilling read and some great laughs!

Finlay is back baby.
This series is probably one of my favorite guilty pleasures.
At the end of book one, I gasped theatrically when Finlay and her beloved sidekick Vero were commissioned for another Hit. The target? her sleazy ex-husband.
This book jumped right into action with Finlay and Vero trying to figure out who wants her ex dead.
The hijinks were there in spades and I started jumping to conclusions and trying to guess what the heck was happening throughout the book.
I was not disappointed. It was funny and quirky and ridiculous and I loved it,

Finlay and Vero are back for an all-new adventure. This entertaining sequel had a slew of laugh-out-loud moments. Unfortunately, I felt that some of the antics seemed a bit over the top, trying too hard to emulate book 1. That being said, I hope this series continues with a third!

[2 maybe 2.5 Stars]

I think the plot of this book is interesting, but it literally only would work if the characters were idiots.........which they are. The stupidity of these characters honestly hurt my brain so much that the reading experience became a bit painful. Also, the love storylines were quite foolish. I don't care for either of the dudes Finlay is into and found her debate about "not being worthy of them" quite ridiculous. Get a grip, hun. But overall, if you're able to suspend your disbelief (a lot) then this book might be right for you. It's quite a light and easy read, so good for a quick pick me up.

Finlay and Vero are back and just as wild and delightful as ever! I love this duo. While the entire premise is nutty you can't help but have fun with it. Such a great, creative series that I'm excited to continue.

The hilarious escapades of Finlay Donovan is back in Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead. Once again, Finlay finds herself struggling to pay the bills as she blows off deadlines and procrastinates on writing her next book even as she gets caught up in trying to reveal the identity of the person who wants her ex-husband dead. He might have been a lousy, unfaithful husband, but he's a good father to her daughter, and Finlay can't stand by while a hit-man . . . or hit-woman takes him out. At the same time, Finlay's trying to figure out what's bothering her nanny and best friend Vero even as she tries to stay below the radar of Detective Nick Anthony. He may be sinfully sexy, but Finlay can't afford to stop and play cops and robbers with him while her family is in danger. The story that ensues is highly entertaining and a laugh a minute.

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead is so much fun to read and really quite heartwarming. I loved the inclusion of characters from book one as the whole gang returns for Finlay's latest adventure. A fast paced plot line drives the action through one catastrophe after another as Finlay tries to keep her head above water less she go the same way as her daughter's decidedly dead fish. Cosimano has mastered the art of comedy with a heavy side of reality and a questionable heroine battling danger in the form of the Russian mob and an unknown hit-person. Again as in book one, I'm reminded of the hilarious slapstick comedy of Lucy and Ethel that I love so much. Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead has it all - action, haphazard sure to fail scenarios that will leave readers laughing and a touch . . . just a hint of romance. Needless to say, I'm anxiously awaiting book three. Highly recommended to fans who love to laugh at their heroine - the one who always manages to come out standing in the end.