I wanted to get to the first in this series before I read this one, but didn't find the time. I will go back and pick it up later. This book was a hilarious mess. Anything that can go wrong in Finlay's life does. In this book , someone is out to murder Finlay's ex-husband and she's desperate to find out who so that she can stop them. However, in the process, she does something that will most likely make her the number one suspect. She and her nanny are then incredibly busy trying to clean up that mess--which leads to even bigger and more heinous messes.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. It made me laugh out loud several times. The narration by Angela Dawe was perfect. I also enjoyed her male voices, but sometimes had to strain a bit to understand what was being said.

I was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley, St. Martin's Pres. All thoughts are my own.


READING PROGRESS

After enjoying the first installment of the Finlay Donovan series, Finlay Donovan is Killing It, I was so excited when I was approved for the ARC for the second book, Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead. Sometimes the second book in a series is a bust for me and I'm happy to say that is not the case with Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead.

I found the second book of the series to be funny, entertaining and I was fully invested from the first page. I really enjoy the characters of Finlay and Vero and while the series reminds me of Stephanie Plum and Janet Evanovich, I find this series to be much less predictable and less formulaic than Evanovich's series. I may not have laughed out loud as much as I did while reading the first book, but I still really enjoyed this mix of comedy and murder.

I was so excited to read Finlay Donovan Knocks'Em Dead, but I think I went in with too high of expectations. Once I adjusted them I enjoyed the book, just not as much as the first one. I think it helps to know going into the book that it’s going to be a little far fetched, which is how the first one is, but this one takes it up a notch. I really adore Finlay and Vero and can't wait to see where their adventure in crime takes them next, and will definitely read the third one. Overall I’d recommend it to anyone that enjoyed the first book.

Finlay is back and along with writing her second book she is trying to figure out who is plotting to kill her ex-husband. It’s a race to stay one step ahead of the detectives and solve the case before they can figure out Finlay’s involvement.

In case you're concerned that this sequel couldn't possibly live up to the first, don't be. This book is just as much fun and just as crazy as we've come to expect from Finlay Donovan. Just when you think she has her life together of course she proves you wrong. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I can't wait to see what comes next.

I had so much fun reading Finlay Donovan is Killing It last year! It was the first book in a series from Elle Cosimano. The second entry - Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead - releases today. And it's just as good as the first book.

Who is Finlay and why does she make me laugh? Well, she's a single mom of two, an author with an editor breathing down her neck for a new book (Finlay does take inspiration from her own situation), a sister, a daughter, an ex who is being quite a pain - and a contract killer. Well, technically not really - but the criminal underworld she's blundered across thinks she is. And fair enough, as she seems to stumble across bodies with frequency. Finlay is just so likeable. Her struggles are real and she's a hot mess a lot of the time. Every lead character deserves a dependable sidekick right? In this case it's Vero, Finlay's childminder. She's clever, has a sardonic sense of humor - and seems to have some dodgy connections herself.

Cosimano's plotting is inventive, clever and engaging. There's no down time in this book - action (and a body with the threat of another) propel things along at a fast paced clip, Yes, some situations are improbable, but just go with it. There's a side of romance included too. And more than one choice!

So, yes - a humorous mystery with a side of romance. What more could you want? Escapist reading at it's best. See for yourself - read an excerpt of Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead. And yes, this reader will be waiting for the third entry.

I do think, for full effect, it would be good to read the first book and then pick up this latest. If you've enjoyed Janet Evanovich books, you'll want to meet Finlay Donovan.

I’ve got another #caittalksbooks this week because I am so excited about today’s release, FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD by Elle Cosimano

Last year, when the pandemic started weighing on me, I stumbled upon FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT, & it was the exact book I needed in the moment. I’m a big believer that books find us when we need them the most, & I never related to a character as much as I did to Finlay when I picked up her story.

She’s a struggling novelist who is overheard talking about her newest story & mistaken for a contract killer. In between deadlines, trying to find a babysitter, & stressed mom life, she’s hired to pull off a job: disposing of a problematic husband. Which she inadvertently accepts.

I laughed so hard with the first story & recommended it to everyone I could last year. The minute I finished the story, I needed the next.

So of course I jumped at the chance to read an early copy of Finlay’s next adventure, which is just as hilarious as the first. She’s still trying to make writing deadlines & juggle single mom life, but now she’s trying to protect her ex husband who showed up as her next hit job.

Cosimano captures the authenticity of a woman who’s tired, overworked, & just trying to make it day to day. The balance of real life issues (re: relationships, kids, ex issues, & work) with mysterious shenanigans makes for a light hearted read that explores the complexities of everyday life.

I know I’m not the only reader who’s gotten lost in these pages thinking “I am Finlay.” She’s relatable, sassy, & in this newest book, a spokeswoman for the importance (& power) of female friendships.

It’s early in the year, but I already know this is going to make my favorite reads of 2022 list. It’s a fabulous read for a laugh & an escape, but mostly for just being seen.
I’ll take book three tomorrow, please.

FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD is out today, so order it from your favorite indie bookstore! Thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my review.

Thank you so much to Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Elle Cosimano for allowing me access to an ARC of the sequel to Finally Donovan Is Killing It. Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead published yesterday and is available NOW!

This book was so FUN. I loved getting to see what Finlay and Vero got up to in Elle Cosimano’s latest installment! When I read Finlay Donovan is Killing It last year I adored her wit and all the shenanigans Finlay and Vero got themselves involved in.

The sequel was fun but did get a bit slow in parts. I don’t want to spoil anything but there were a few small plot lines that I could have done without. But overall I really enjoyed this book! I really hope there will be another Finlay Donovan book!

This was just as good as book 1!

Vero and Finlay continue to be hilarious and end up in the craziest scenarios. I love that this one dives a bit more into Vero's history. Steven continues to be up to no good as we learn more about his past with Theresa and Bree.

Highly recommend reading the acknowledgements as well to read about the authors struggle with writing a comedy during a pandemic.

New auto-buy author for me! Can't get enough of this series.

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is the second book in the Finlay Donovan series. In the first book, we have Finlay Donovan, an author, who was describing her plot to her agent in a crowded Panera. She details the life of a hired contract killer, only to find a message that one of the customers believes that Finlay is a real contract killer. At the very end of Book #1, Finlay receives a message requesting that she off her ex-husband. Book #2 involves Finlay Donovan doing some amateur detective work in a very non-subtle manner. She also has two dashing gentlemen actively pursuing her and constantly trying to get her in her birthday suit.

I’m going to be honest that I wasn’t that big of a fan of the first book. Finlay Donovan is extremely ditzy, and the book is so unrealistic. Everything is very easy with exactly perfect timing. Evidence is always laid out in plain sight. She has two children, but she never does much with them other than drop them off with other people and describing the children as messy, sticky, and dirty. This is definitely a cozy mystery, and I didn’t feel the suspense building. By the end of Book #2, I still have questions about Vero and the identity of one of the characters, and I’m one that likes a pretty clean ending.

All that being said, this book was really easy to read. The sentences and paragraphs are short. The prose is non-pretentious, and it was a nice, light-hearted read. The author also better be paid for product placement because she mentioned Fiat Chrysler Automobile vehicles so many times: a Dodge minivan, a Dodge Charger, a Jeep, and even an Alfa Romeo Spider. By the way, an Alfa Romeo Spider does not cost $100,000. It has an MSRP in the high $60,000’s (Troy is after all in the heart of Metro-Detroit, the Motor City). This book also might be labeled as aspirational fantasy. I mean hot cops are always stopping by my house just to check me out, right?

*Thanks, NetGalley, for a copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.

FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS 'EM DEAD by Elle Cosimano continues Finlay's exploits from the first novel FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT. This suspense novelist has accidentally built a reputation as a murder-for-hire, which got her into some tricky situations with shady characters in the first novel. Now she has to figure out how to keep her ex-husband safe from an anonymous individual who has put a bounty on his head and the anonymous assassin who has agreed to do the job.

This sequel has amped up the comedy and the tension from the first installment, making for an entertaining ride. The banter between Finlay and her friend/nanny/accountant/partner-in-crime, Vero, is always good for a laugh, and the altercations and and entanglements in which Finlay finds herself throughout the story leave the reader itching to know how she'll squeak out of them. Realistic, this book is not, but it's lots of fun if you're looking for pure escapism and a puzzle of a plot.

Full disclosure, when I read Finlay Donovan Is Killin’ It, I wasn’t really expecting much and I was so, so pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it. I didn’t even mind the ending that was a little bit of a cliff-hanger. So when I saw #2 was available on NetGalley, I immediately requested it and dove right in when my request was approved.

Finlay is a single mom just trying to do her best. So what if her best means accidentally getting involved with her nanny in a murder-for-hire, the Russian mafia, and not to mention the confusing, yet steamy, love triangle with a young boy-toy law student and a hot and rugged cop who works with her sister (who also happens to be a cop)?

Is everything in this story believable? No way. Is it still hilarious and fun to get caught up in? Absolutely. Finlay reminds me of Stephanie Plum, but a little bit more together (except for the dead body part taking up space in her washing machine).

Because these are set up as cliffhangers, you definitely have to read #1 first, but trust me you won’t be disappointed. I can’t wait for #3 to pick back up on the story, learn more about the mysterious nanny Vero, and finally find out who EasyClean is.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This story had a lot of humor in it. The series would make a great tv show. I enjoyed revisiting the characters. the things that happen are just so outlandish.

This was definitely missing something. The humor? The easy way the story flowed?
I don't know.

I got so many characters confused. I couldn't keep up with the storyline. Maybe it's because I was super sick while reading this, but I barely laughed. It was missing the funny moments I loved in the first one. This was a chore to get through and I was so freaking happy when it was over. Not a good sign.
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However, I'm warning you now, I'm probably in the minority. Give this one a chance if you loved the first one. Maybe you'll be in a better frame of mind reading it.

This book was so much fun! After enjoying the first Finlay Donovan book, there was no question that I need to get my hands on the follow-up novel. I was eager to see what kind of trouble Finlay and Vero would get themselves into in this installment and hoped to find a few laughs along the way. I was impressed by this second installment in the series and had an absolute blast reading this book.

Finlay is no fan of her ex-husband, Steven, but when she finds out someone wants him dead, she decides that she needs to make sure he remains among the living. He doesn’t believe that he is in any danger so Finlay and Vero have their work cut out for them. Finlay and Vero make a great team but they do seem to be able to get themselves in trouble without even trying. There was never a dull moment and I loved that the mystery had me guessing until the very end.

There is just a bit of romance to balance out the action. Finlay is in a bit of a love triangle which I am not usually a fan of but I think it works in this book. I think that I have decided that I am firmly in team Nick at this point and hope to see their relationship progress in future installments. I love that the romance is really more in the background of the story. Finlay and Vero are able to handle what needs to be done all on their own and they lean on each other, instead of a man, for support.

I would definitely recommend this book to others. This is a fun series that is able to provide more than a few laughs along with a great story. I cannot wait to read more of Finlay’s adventures.

I received a digital review copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

“This chapter was definitely not in my copy of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. I wanted my money back.”

4.5 out of 5 stars (4.5 / 5) I love Vero, I love Finlay. They get in the stupidest situations and it’s just plain entertaining. The story flew quickly and kept my interest. I was worried book 2 wouldn’t hold to the same standards of book 1 but Cosimano pulled it off and once again, I was smiling throughout the book!

I didn’t laugh quite as much as the first but still, no complaints. I couldn’t predict the twists, I was baffled by their stupidity and it was an enjoyable read.

I still feel lucky to have received this early copy! Cosimano is spectacular at grabbing you from page one, bringing in the “real” of parenting, dating and just life. She is able to connect with readers in so many ways because even if we don’t want to admit it, we’ve all had the same thoughts. I love her for that! Cue the applause for Cosimano, I will continue to read all her books!

Book number 2 in this series and let me tell you, these books are always SO good!

Finlay Donovan is once again struggling to finish a novel and keep her head above water as a single mom. Luckily she has live in Nanny and partner in crime Vero to help her. On the not so bright side of things, there is someone out there who put a hit her on her ex husband Steven and she has to find a way to stop them.

This series has everything. Romance, mystery, action and comedy! It’s so much fun to read and I was hooked from the first page. The love triangle in this one was something I quite enjoyed but the best part of these books is the solid partnership/ friendship/ sisterhood that takes main theme between Vero and Finlay. They have each others backs and it’s refreshing to see!

The story is so much fun to follow as it goes from one bad decision to another. While some scenarios are absolutely outrageous, the calamity that is Finlay’s life is still somehow so relatable. We also end on a somewhat cliff hanger so obviously now I can’t wait for book 3!!

Readers who liked the first are more than likely to enjoy this second in the series as it's very much in the same style, just less. Start with the first book if you haven't as this series should be read in order since the second book picks up right where the first left off and doesn't spend a lot of time reestablishing characters.

Personally I didn't like this one as much as "Killing It". Maybe it was the novelty of the situation Finlay gets herself into that wore off by book two? I know the ridiculousness was a big reason I enjoyed "Killing It". I also felt like the humor wasn't as prevalent either. Vero, our bad@ss super friend was missing her snappy wit and bold actions. And I'm not too happy that there's a love triangle blooming....makes me think of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum and her tiring indecision between Ranger and Joe.

Let me just say, I absolutely adore this series on audio. The narrator is perfect for each character and just like the first, I found myself smiling and giggling throughout it. I will say, this one felt a lot more chaotic. There was a lot going on so at times it was tough to keep up. Lots of new characters, red herrings & different subplots that make it a tad unrealistic. There’s a few in answered questions that didn’t get wrapped up but, it did keep me entertained and on my toes.

And of course I loved the love triangle!! So glad to see Nick and Julian are still apart of the picture. However, I’m still undecided if I’m team Nick, the hot cop or team Julian, the swoony lawyer grad student. I mean let’s be real — ANY love interest is better than Steven 😅

Overall, I did prefer the first book just a little but this one was set up perfectly for a third so you can bet I’ll be reading the next! I’m so interested to see what happens next for this unruly dynamic duo!

4.5 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

Love, love, love this book!!! Cosimano knocks it out of the park once again. I was concerned that Book Two would suffer a sophomore slump and because I loved the first book so much, I started this book with a bit of trepidation. Happily, my concerns were for nought, because this book is everything I wanted and more.

It's been a month since Finlay was mistaken for a hit woman, resulting in a comedy of errors, a bit of danger and a few dead bodies. She and Vero have settled into a nice routine taking care of the kids, dealing with dead pets, fighting with Finlay's ex about child custody, among other things, and Finlay avoiding her editor. Since her book was a surprise hit, the pressure is on for Finlay to continue her success. Except she has no idea what she wants to write about and hasn't written a word.

When Vero and Finlay discover an ad on an online forum offering to pay $100,000 to kill Steven, they put down their wine glasses, dust off the cookie crumbs and start their off-book investigation. Of course, nothing goes right and before the duo knows it, they've fallen into a sink hole of mobsters, hackers, and yes, more dead bodies.

This book hit the ground running and didn't let up until the satisfying, and juicy, cliffhanger. Finlay and Vero are wiley as ever and their smarts, and dumb luck, serve them well in getting to the bottom of the latest mystery. Their relationship hits a couple bumps that they will need to delve into later, but Finlay is able to get a small glimpse into Vero's past life that she's thus far been vigilant to keep secret. It's clear, however, that Vero will eventually have to let Finlay in, if only just a tiny bit, if they are to continue as partners.

Both characters grow a bit in this book, and it's nice to see how confidant they are in themselves, and their ability to manage their lives on their own. Don't get me wrong, they still have moments where they are a hot mess, but don't we all? The books could get stale if Finlay and Vero don't grow, and we don't want that. Steven even takes a step in being less of a jerk - albeit, a teeny, tiny one.

I don't want to spoil anything for you - so let me just leave this right here

Carl - WTF?
Fast cars and dangerous women
stroganoff and dumpster diving
wigs - again
Nick and Julian - yum and yum
No money? Big problems

I don't know what you're still doing reading this review - go get this book and immediately start reading it!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books. All opinions are my own.

She’s back! Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is out today with a whole new set of troubles but the same ole’ shenanigans!

Thanks to @minotaurbooks @netgalley and @ellecosimano for helping me to remember just how much I loved Finlay the first time around. In this take, we meet her right where the first book left off - she has a novel to finish, her nanny and friend, Vero is by her side, and she still can’t stand her ex husband, Steven. However, someone wants Steven “handled” for good - and this predicaments leaving Finlay wrapped up in a series of crazy and comical hit-woman happenings.

About half-way through this one and enjoying it as much as I did the first! Finlay and Vero are nutty but totally relatable, the plot flows seamlessly, and I am loving the appearance of some series regulars (bring on the hot cop!) If you read and loved the first, I think this is a safe bet!