4.5 stars. I think I liked this book better than the first. Although it followed a similar trajectory and felt a little like a filler story at times, I was more invested in finding out what was going on. Like the first book, the end leaves a very clear cliffhanger that will easily pave the way for another book. Poor Finlay- her life is non-stop chaos!

Thank you for the advanced copy!

I loved the first book and was so excited to read this one but it didn’t quite hit my expectations. It was still a fun read not the humor didn’t hit quite as hard in this one.

Finlay and Vero are back! I absolutely loved Finlay Donovan is Killing It, and that cliffhanger had me begging for more, so I was thrilled to receive this ARC (Thank you Minotaur Books, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley)!

Once again, Elle Cosimano has delivered a wacky murder mystery with some suspense and lots of lol's. As with a lot of middle books, you could tell that this was a sequel with another on the way, as there were some transitional plot points, but it still managed to feel like a complete story. I am really looking forward to seeing how this series will translate to TV!

My only qualm with this book is the story line for this one seemed a bit repetitive in some aspects -- once again, Finlay is writing a book that she doesn't have an idea for, and once again, she is using her real life problems for inspiration. How do none of the characters make this connection yet with all of the shady situations that she ends up in?

But overall, this is just as light and fun as the first book, and I look forward to the next one in the series!

I really enjoyed the first Finlay Donovan book and was excited to read the second! It picks up about a month after the first one and dives into the mystery of who would want to put a hit out on her ex-husband. It’s a fun book with lots of twists and turns. I love seeing the relationship between Finlay and Vero develop. It’s a good read!

St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books Thank You for the awesome opportunity to read this second Elle story!

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano was better than the first book!
And I loved the first one!

Finlay Donovan is amazing! This book was exactly what I needed after my last reading slump.
This book has the right amount of everything! Mystery, a bit of Romance, some funny parts!
Basically its brilliant and I freaking loved it!
Couldn't enjoy a book more than I did this one!
It made me laugh out loud and turn the pages till wee hours in the morning... But so damn worth it!
What a clever storyline with wonderfully rich characters.
I found Finley to be very engaging and delightful.
And you can't help but love and cheer Finley every step of the way!
I haven't read a book in one sitting in a long time.... But this one did for it me!
Highly recommend! Get. This. One.!!!!!

Thank you NetGalley, Publisher and Author for this outstanding new novel!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I am obsessed with Finlay Donovan. From her comeback as a writer after being confused with an assassin, her love affairs with all the wrong men, to her quirky mishaps, this single mom can do no wrong in either book! Finlay and Vero make a fabulous team, even when Finn realizes her beloved roomie may not be who she thinks she is. The shenanigans that ensue in the name of saving Finn’s ex-husband, after the pair come across a want ad to put a hit out on him, if for no other reason than protecting the children, are hilarious. Come for the accidental assassin, but stay for the quirky mess that is Finlay Donovan.

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is the second book in the Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano. I really enjoyed the first book in the series and was excited to get an advance readers copy of the sequel, which is out February 1, 2022. In order to avoid spoilers, I definitely recommend reading the first book before tackling the second. In Cosimano’s most recent installment, Finlay and her babysitter sidekick Vero are back, this time trying to figure out who has put out a request for a hit on Finlay’s ex-husband Steven. Unable to go to the police because she cannot explain how she knows about this request without becoming a suspect in the murder that took place in book #1, Finlay has to fly under the radar and use book research as an excuse for some of her more questionable investigative tactics. Wherever Finlay goes the contract killer appears close behind, placing her in many dangerous and close-call situations. The mood, structure, characters, and sometimes even plot of this book are very similar to book #1 and sometimes it felt like there were not many new elements added to separate this book fully from its predecessor. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Instead, I think it speaks to what is good about this series; Cosimano has created humorous, likeable characters to serve as her protagonists in what is a fast-paced and engaging set of books.

Finlay Donovan and Elle Cosimano have done it again! The second book in the Finlay Donovan series, is laugh out loud funny, action packed, enthralling and filled with all of our favorite characters from the first book!

In "Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead" we pick up where the first book left off, with Finlay finding out that there is a hit out on her ex-husband Steven. As if she needs another thing on her plate while trying to juggle writing her next novel, her two children and her "what are we?" relationships with both Julian the hunky bartender and Nick the loyal cop; Finlay has decided she is going to figure out who's out to kill her ex and why. With the help of her live in nanny Vero, our bumbling duo find themselves dealing with hackers, the Russian mob, her ex-husbands ex-fiancée and disposing of another dead body...don't worry, they didn't kill him!

I was a big fan of the first book in this series, so I was so excited to see that Cosimano was coming out with a sequel so quickly. This sequel has the same charm and enthralling entertainment as its predecessor. Cosimano is an excellent writer. Her novels are easy to read, engaging and flow very well. Her writing style is as if a dear friend is telling you a juicy gossip story that keeps you hanging on every word. The way Cosmiano writes is so cinematic, she does such a good job on world building and keeping the suspense fun and entertainingly, while still thrilling.

There were two big things however, that prevented me from giving this book a five star rating like the first book. The first being that I felt the plot was a bit too convoluted. There was so much happening that at times it was hard to follow the plot, and I felt some things tied up a little too conveniently while others just fell to the wayside. I wish the plot was a bit more streamlined like the previous book, but like I said it still had me turning every page to see what was going to happen next.

I was glad to see that all the same characters from the previous book were back in "Knocks 'Em Dead." Gives us more time to really connect with them and see more of their personalities shine through. I was especially excited to see that we get to learn a lot more about Vero this time around. Diving more into her past and relationships with her family, and why she was so willing to just up and move in with Finlay and her children to begin with.

The one character though I was a bit disappointed in this time around, was Nick. In the first book he was enticing, sexy, sweet, loyal and very considerate of keeping Finlay and her family safe. He and Finlay's relationship had heat, it had that sexual tension of "will they, wont they." However, in this book I found him extremely co-dependent and actually quite overbearing and creepy. He and Finlay are still figuring out what their relationship is, and yet he shows up unannounced multiple times or he is invited to events by her family without Finlay's knowledge, and the way she tells him multiple times they are just going for dinner but he insists that its more than that, was just a bit too much for me, and put me off his character quite a bit.

Even with those little hiccups I think "Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead" is a phenomenal book, and I am so glad the series is continuing. I have recommended it to so many friends and fellow readers as the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series for millennials, and I still stand by that comparison. I will for sure continue to recommend this series to fellow readers. I want to thank St. Martins Press and NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy.

I loved this book! Pure fun from start to finish. Finlay Donovan Knocks' Em Dead was one of my most anticipated reads, and it SO delivered. Book two in this series is just as hilarious and action-packed as the first. Our fave Finlay has her hands full again, including trying to save her aggravating ex-husband's life from a contract killer while protecting her kids, meeting a book deadline, eluding the Russian mob, and sorting out her love life. (Whew!) Her marvelous side-kick Vero delivers clever observations and funny one-liners and has secrets of her own this time. I recommend you start with book one, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, because this story continues shortly after the last one left off, with recurring characters, referenced shenanigans, and puzzle pieces from various storylines continuing to fall into place. I couldn't put it down! Elle Cosimsno brilliantly combines humor, mystery, and high jinks, and I am already eagerly anticipating the next one.

Finlay Donovan has found herself intertwined in murder and mystery once again, when she finds out someone has put out a hit ad for her ex-husband on the dark web. She and Vero must find out who has put out the ad in order to protect her children. It's a fast, light read that will have you cheering for Finlay.

I am bit sad to say that this book didn’t quite live up to the first one, for me. The first book was funny and quirky and really enjoyable. This one, much less so. There weren’t any laugh out loud parts and the story felt a bit drawn out. The ending obviously leaving open the opportunity for another book. I would like to see the characters develop more, rather than staying a bit stagnant. On the plus side, it was a quick read and entertaining enough. Just not as good as I was hoping for.

This review was also published on Goodreads.

Review posted to blog:https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend.com/

We Have a Winner, My Friends! Finlay Donovan Knocks it out of the Park!

Wild, Crazy Hilarity Ensues in Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead.

Finlay and Vero are back and this time, they are trying to save Finlay’s ex-husband. It appears that someone has put a hit out on him and as the father of her kids, Finlay, does her absolute best to save him.

There is lots of laughter and levity to be found in this second book in the series, whether it’s when Finlay and Vero are off saving Steven from the hitmen or while watching Finlay flesh out the details of her next manuscript, which is in fact, a doozy. Though this is a tad over the top, this is exactly what was needed during these stressful times.

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is a fun, engaging, suspenseful read. If you haven’t checked out this series, I highly recommend it.

Another fabulous buddy read with Kaceey.

Published on Goodreads, Twitter and Instagram.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the eARC! Finlay is just one of the most iconic characters ever. I genuinely love her so much and want to be her when I grow up (minus being paid to kill people haha). This book was everything I wanted from the sequel, including hilarious plot twists, pining romance, and badass b*tch moves. I am just so here for it, and cannot wait for the next one.

Same great mystery and humor as the first book. Finlay add her friend Vero are trying to discover who I has a contract out on here-husband. I think I liked this one better than the first.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of the second book in the Finlay series, and it was as quick, easy, and enjoyable to read as the first. I first learned of Finlay Donovan thanks to bookstagram- I was lucky enough to win a print copy of that first one, and I loved it. When I saw the second book in the series was already in the works, I got super excited. When I got this ARC, I devoured it in just a couple days. FInlay was crazy as ever, and her tale full of twists, turns, and hijinks that will leave you in tears (of laughter). THe characters remain hilarious and the story kept me guessing. The only thing I hated was the realization that the third book is that much further away now.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead expects to be published in February 2022

This book was even better than Finlay Donovan Is Killing It and I NEED there to be more books in this series! I love the characters. I love the danger, the suspense, and the messes Finlay gets herself into. And I love that the author has taken all that and made it funny!
I hardly put this book down because this story quickly got crazy and more suspenseful and I needed answers. I enjoyed the twists, the non-cheesy romance, and I laughed out loud in the end. This book totally paved the way for more books to this series so I’ll be waiting with my fingers and toes crossed!

When I was able to get an ARC of the second Finlay Donavan book I was super excited to see what was going to happen to our writer/assassin-for-hire. The last book ended with Finlay learning that someone wanted to hire someone to kill Steven, her ex husband. Finlay, with the help of Vero, try to not only figure out who is trying to kill her ex and try to keep him safe. As with her last book the character development was amazing and the book had such a good mix of comedy, romantic relationships, and mystery.
Definitely check out the second book in this amazing series. #netgalley #finlaydonavan

Finlay Donovan is back y’all – and she’s as kooky as ever! Lovably, hilariously, delightfully kooky.

I loved the first book in this series and was so anxiously awaiting the sequel that I screamed when I received my copy. Thank you so much to the publisher for my advanced copy.

First, I’m going to recommend that you read the first book in the series – 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘋𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘯 𝘐𝘴 𝘒𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘵
– before opening this one. If you love the first one (and you will), then you’ll love this one, too.

What I Loved 🌿

✨The hijinks. You have to read this with a wink and a nod knowing this isn’t reality, but you’re here for it anyway. It’s suspended belief in a witty, entertaining style that is the perfect diversion for real life.

✨The characters. What can I say? They are refreshing and ridiculous, and they make me giggle.

✨This book has it all: romance, friendship, motherhood, mystery, thrills, twists and turns and absolute belly laughs. Read it!


What Could Be Better🌿

✨ The thing with the dinosaurs. WHY??? I’m not gonna spoil it for you, y’all. But when you read it, you’ll know. And you’ll remember I told you. Just saying is all…


All in all, this was an uproariously funny, laugh out loud, mysterious hit. It ends in a cliffhanger just as its predecessor did, so here is my naked appeal to the author to write fast please. We need more Finlay and Vero and company.

My thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book before its February 1, 2022 publication date.

The minute I finished Elle Cosimano’s novel Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, I knew I wanted it become a long running series!! Soooo, needless to say when I got my hands on the second installment Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead, I stopped all regular scheduled activities and dedicated my weekend to this gem!! AND IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT!! I immediately got back into the life and happenings of Finlay Donovan and it felt like catching up with an old (completely fantastically crazy) friend! The storyline was fast paced and honestly this novel flew for me! As per usual, I was laughing out loud, but through all the insane happenings my heartstring were pulled as well—LOVE THAT!!! If you have not started this epic series I HIGHLY recommend it!! I am already looking forward to the 3rd book in this MUST READ series!!!

Finlay and Vero return as unintentional hit women with a new problem when they find that someone has placed an ad asking for Finlay’s ex-husband to be killed. They hilariously bumble through, needing the help from the same characters introduced in the first book. The love triangle between Finlay, Julian the law student, and Nick the cop continues, although the end has what may be the resolution of that plotline. More is revealed about Vero’s background, hopefully setting up the next book to focus on her. Elle Cosimano has written another delightful escapist read for adults. Add this to your reading list ASAP!