I got to 52% in this book and had to quit. I just couldn’t suspend relief enough to enjoy this book. First, Finlay is such a hot mess in real life there is no way she could be this sauve in one area of her life. Two, why does she trust Vero so much after one month. And three, way too much of the plot relied on coincidences (Nick and Cam meeting up with Finlay there). I know I’m in the minority here but this book just isn’t for me.

Elle Cosimano is the author of the best-selling book "Finlay Donovan is Killing It." Now she returns with the second novel in this series, "Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead." In this newest novel, Finlay joins a local online forum and discovers that someone is conspiring to kill her husband. In her efforts to uncover the culprit, she gets herself and her best friend, Vero, in many precarious and dangerous situations. Just as in the first book, there is still a love triangle between Finlay, the hot detective, and her younger boyfriend.

This book was fun, but very unrealistic. Perhaps the over-the-top circumstances are what draw people to these books? I enjoyed it, but couldn't overlook some of the things that happened in the storyline. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the online culprit at the end. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

🍷 She’s baa-aaack!

⚠️ For those that don’t know, this is the 2nd book in the series. Book #1 is Finlay Donovan is Killing It and I do recommend you read that one before diving into this one. Quick backstory from Book 1: Our leading lady is Finlay, a hot mess of a momma who is a writer that was mistaken for a hit woman and hilarious hi jinx ensued.

📇 Anyways, I wasn’t sure how this one was going to go. The first book left it open for another one but sequels can be hit or miss but … thankfully this one is a hit! Finlay is dealing with the fallout and is still tangled up with the Russian crime syndicate.

On one hand, Finlay is extremely relatable as a mom just trying to keep it together. On the other hand, while her over the top mom turned novice crime solving antics aren’t relatable, it’s all done in a way that is somewhat believable. IF a mom really did find herself in this situation, this is exactly how I imagine it would go down- Juggling mom life in between stakeouts.

I loved that the ending had a couple surprises. I totally didn’t guess who was behind the hit on Steven. I’m always impressed when a book can keep me guessing.

Plus- the love triangle, while extremely frustrating, provides an additional story line I can’t get enough of. Team Nick all the way!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 5
Takeaway: a hilarious, fun book that has it all: suspense, twists and a love triangle.

This was definitely one of my more anticipated 2022 releases it did not disappoint for me. The story picks up where the first left off and we are right in the middle of more insane situations Finlay ends up in. It’s unbelievable, sure. But also so much fun and hilarious to follow the turns the story takes.

Vero and Finlay are bestie goals, they have such a strong bond after the events of the first book and their banter is everything. Vero is such an interesting character and I was glad to get to know a little more about her this time around.

Finlay is an author and she is currently working on a sequel to her first (somewhat autobiographical) novel. Some comments made by Finlay’s publisher sound like something that would have been said to author Cosimano about writing a sequel to a successful book like this. Especially when discussing the lawyer and the cop. Both in the book Finlay’s writing and in her own life, she’s back at it again with her love triangle. I liked how Vero and her meddling family weasel their way in with unsolicited opinions and attempts at swaying her one way or the other.

And I did not see the ending coming at all. There were several surprises as well as a few loose ends that make me sure there will be another installment, which I’m so excited about. I can’t wait to get more of these characters and their antics.

Finlay Donovan is back for another over the top adventure! This was one of my most anticipated reads this year, and it did not disappoint! I did like the first book more, but this one continued with the laugh out loud humor, the great chemistry between Vero and Finlay, the hot cop and other love interests, and the clumsy bumbling attempt as Finlay tries to write her book. Her ex is still a philandering jerk, her kids are still cute, she is still trying to get out of bad situations.

When Finlay learns that someone put a hit on her ex-husband, Steven, she and Vero team up once again to uncover the mastermind of this sinister plot on a woman's forum. Many of the characters are involved throughout the shenanigans and in the end, it is not who you expect! The book ends in a cliffhanger, and you know there just has to be a third in the series coming. I will be putting it on my tbr! Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Thank you @minotaur_books for a copy of this. This books picks up where the first book finish and I would say you should read the first one to know all the characters and what happened.

This was a lot of fun with Finlay and Vero continues to get in trouble and solve the mystery of who wants to kill Finlay’s ex-husband. I am usually not a big fan of love triangle and don’t know if I am rooting for Julian or Nick.

This book does leave you on a slight cliff hanger and I am ready for the next in the series!

The first book was such a wonderful surprise and I immediately fell in love with the character. When the sequel was announced, I’m knew I had to read it. While the follow-up wasn’t as good as the first book (it’s tough to top), it did bring back some of my favorite aspects of the first book as well as the two main characters. Overall, it was a pleasure to read and I love the idea of mystery and comedy! We all need a laugh these days, that’s for sure.

The Finlay Donovan series is so fun because Finlay knows how to make a huge mess of any situation. It leaves the reader constantly wondering how she will get out of trouble unscathed.

The second book in the series, Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em dead is so much fun! After learning at the end of the first book that someone has it out for her ex husband, Steven. Finlay sets out to save him (he’s the father of her children after all). Unfortunately, saving Steven requires interfering with Russian mob activities.

Finlay and her Nanny/Accountant/Partner, Vero, have their work cut out for them as they try to save Steven. Finlay also has to juggle both Julian (hot almost lawyer) and Nick (Hot Detective) while still pumping out pages to her editor for her next book. As you can imagine, things go awry… early and often.

You’ll have to read to find out if Finlay can really manage all of this and save the day. You won’t be disappointed!

Thank you to Minotaur Books for the ARC! This is a must read when published in February 2022!

Finlay Donovan is one of my favorite characters to date. Not only Finlay, but Vero. I am obsessed with their friendship!

Much like the first book, this story provides the same amount of wit, sass, and cringeworthy events. But cringeworthy in the sense of a face palm, secondhand embarrassment. You know, the best kind. The plot of this series is so wildly out there, but I’m addicted and couldn’t put this book down.

Was it as good as the first book? It was close, but I’m still picking the first book to be my favorite. With that being said, FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD provided the same chaos in each chapter as you would expect.

The story is fun, easy to read, and laugh out loud worthy.

Big thank you to Minotaur Books for the eARC! You can get your copy February 1, 2022.

Content warnings: murder, cancer

✨ The Title/Cover Draw:
I absolutely loved the first book in this series and had to see what other crazy things Finlay was up to. Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press / Minotaur for allowing me the opportunity to read this ahead of publication.

💜 What I liked:
Finlay finds herself sucked into more impossible situations which is an extension of things that happened in the first book. If you liked that crazy premise, you will love this one just as much. This time someone is trying to get rid of Finlay’s husband. She spends the majority of the book trying to protect her family. As usual, the characters are so alive and interesting that you can’t wait to step into their world.

😱 What I didn’t like:
I felt like there weren’t as many outlandish situations as the first book, which made it so unique. However, the book was still fun and I am very excited for the next book!

🚦 My face at the end: 🤓☠️

💭 4 Reasons to Read:
1. Entertaining characters
2. Life imitates art
3. The Mob
4. Love triangle



🕧 Mini-Summary:
Elle knows someone wants her ex-husband dead. Can she stop it before she is the cause of one more dead person?

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Received from Netgalley.

💯 For more details on the books we read, be sure to follow me on TikTok (@zaineylaney) or check out our Podcast - Elated Geek!

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Last year when I read an ARC of Finlay Donovan is Killing It, I wasn’t yet on #bookstagram, so I didn’t know that it became a #booksta darling. I really enjoyed the hijinks and the setting (I lived near South Riding for two years back in the early 2000s), and I think I was so excited about this sequel that I built my expectations up to a place where they couldn’t be met :( However, once I adjusted my expectations to be realistic, I enjoyed Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead. It is fast-paced and fun, with more hilarious mischief that Finlay and Vero find themselves needing to escape to survive. I want more development of their friendship, not just their partnership. But the ending leads me to believe there will be a third book in the series!
If you haven’t read Finlay Donovan is Killing It, start with that book. And if you have, continue the fun by reading this sequel!

Elle Cosimano has done it again with this second installment in her Finlay Donovan series! I love Finlay so much, and I love to hate her jerk ex-husband, Steven. In this book, I am not alone is my disdain, because someone has put out a hit on Steven. As annoying as he is, Finlay doesn't want him killed, and she really doesn't want her kids put in danger, so she tries to figure out both who has put out the hit, and who the mysterious person taking the job is. All while getting pressure from her agent to write her next book, and trying to figure out why Vero has been acting so strange lately.

This book is everything I loved about the first and more. More crazy adventures snooping where she shouldn't be snooping, more great scenes with Vera as her ride-or-die, and more of the chemistry between Finlay and her two love interests; Nick and Julian. Elle Cosimano writes the most fun mysteries, and fans of Stephanie Plum are going to fall instantly in love with Finlay Donovan!

Thanks so much to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Elle does it again! Such a fantastic book. Book two picks up where book one left off. I love this series and can’t wait for a third book. There was just the right amount of humor and suspense. When I got 50% in I couldn’t put the book down. Such a fast read. Page turning and fantastic !

Give me more of Finlay Donovan, I’ve read both these books in one sitting and can’t wait for more!
I really enjoyed this one more than the first, and liked seeing the shenanigans she continued to find herself in

Thank you @minotaurbooks and @netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I adored FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT and I actually squealed with joy when I received the @netgalley approval email for FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD. And then I got SUPER nervous that FDNEM wouldn’t be as good as FDIKI. Thankfully I was worried for nothing because FDKEM is just as hilarious and an equally wild ride!

@ellecosimano does a wonderful job of slowly peeling back the layers of the mysterious Vero that left me wanting to know even more about her past. And OMG the slow burn of Finlay and Nick *pants*. It’s SO good.

I won’t go into the plot as there are spoilers if you haven’t read the first one yet (and why haven’t you read this series yet?!) but it picks up immediately where the first book ends and sprints towards the conclusion. If I didn’t have any responsibilities, I would have definitely stayed up all night reading it!

And the ending definitely makes it seem like there is a third book in our future! YAYYYYY!!!

Have you read these? Are you Team Hot Cop (Nick) or Team Hot Lawyer (Julian)?

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3999248151?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book has its own genre- comedy thriller, so funny and a mystery at the same time. The part where Finlay was making out with her boytoy in the car while her ex- husband pulled up in the drive way had me snorting with laughter.

Oh my goodness what a fun ride!! There is just something so engrossing about Elle Cosimano’s writing. It was so easy to fly through it and I could see everything playing out in my minds eye. I was a little nervous about this being book #2 since sometimes they can’t do book 1 justice, but I am so happy to say this one did not disappoint! I can’t wait till book 3 now!
Also the romance in this one was so so good! I’m obsessed and I can’t wait to see more of that in book 3 as well!

I loved every minute of this and I’m so sad it’s over. I love Finlay, Vero and their wild adventures. I loved the elements of romance with Julian and Nick. I couldn’t stop listening and find out who put a hit on Steven. I’m really hoping the way this ended that we’ll get a third book. More Finlay Donovan please!!

I will update when I post to my bookstagram account.

Elle Cosimano has done it again! If you havn't read Finlay Donovan is Killing it (the first book in this series) you definitely need to do that! And then you need to grab this one as well because it's really good. This one takes place shortly after the first one ends and has Finlay back in the middle of some crazy situations.

Her and Vero are such an awesome duo. They somehow always manage to find themselves in troublesome situations that they need to get out of. The novel is fast paced, suspenseful and also quite funny! The humour is one of my favourite things about the writing. I hope there is more to come because I love following Finlay on these crazy journeys!

I loved this book just as much as the first book in the series. In Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead, readers get mystery, romance, and humor all in one amazing package!

Finlay and Vero are back and they get into some even crazier situations. Someone wants to kill Finlay’s ex-husband Steve. The mystery plot was interesting with Finlay and Vero trying to figure out who is trying to kill Steve (and bending a few laws along the way).

I liked that there are a couple of love interests for Finlay because it really added to the richness of the story. I especially loved her interaction with hot cop Nick, particularly when she is bending the rules.

I am loving this series and I can’t wait to read more books about Finlay and Vero! If you are looking for a book that is fun and entertaining, this is the book for you! Book: 5/5