I loved this book every bit as much as the first Finlay Donovan book. Finlay is a relatable mess. She's smart, capable, and the person most likely to make a stupid decision to help another person out, even her terrible ex-husband. They way she gets into and then out of the worst situations is highly amusing and both of these books have me turning the pages chapter after chapter until past my bedtime. Highly recommend for folks who love a mystery with a side order of humor.

I rarely love a sequel as much as the first book- but this one might even be better! I love Finlay and Vero’s strong friendship and how they can trust each other through all the craziness they unknowingly get themselves into! If you enjoyed the first one- you must read this one!

Finlay and Vero continue their wonderfully ridiculous shenanigans as they set out to determine who has put a bounty on the head of Finlay's ex-husband, Steven, and why. In the process of stymieing the success of this murder-for-hire, we get to see a familiar cast of characters back in action, as well as some unforgettable new additions.

It is entirely possible I liked this one even more than Finlay Donovan Is Killing It. Sequels are always tricky to pull off, especially if the first book is a hit, but Cosimano delivered! She maintained the characteristic wit, pace, humor, and thrill we loved in the first book and channeled it into this work, somehow making it feel like a fresh, entertaining extension of the world she created the first time around, instead of merely a repeat of the first book. *standing ovation*

There were, of course, similar elements to the first book, including the duality of the actual story with the story her main character is writing. Despite the ongoing (and juicy!) love-triangle, Cosimano also continues to highlights the power of female friendships when things get messy. Bonus points for showcasing a female divorcee--a group that doesn't frequently get to bask in the protagonist role all too often--as her confident, albeit a bit chaotic, main heroine.

A million thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC! I cannot wait for the 3rd installment of this series.

This was a good book It was a good sequel to the first one I enjoyed it very much. If you liked the first Finley book you will like this one too

Well Finlay Donovan is just plain fun. I love a goofy mystery and Finn and Vero do not disappoint. Crazy situations, a ride or die partner, a love interest and the Mob, this book is a fast paced break from reality.
Thanks to St.Martins Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Elle Cosimano did it again and knocked us out of the park with FD Knocks 'Em Dead. I was not sure how this would be different than the first one, but boy did that become clear very quickly.

The very first and last sentences in the book were equally chilling and yes, we are left with an even bigger cliff hanger than the first book.

The plot was airtight with no holes whatsoever. I felt like there were a few pieces here and there in the first book that may have been a stretch, but none of that was present in book 2. Overall it was far more thriller than cozy, though every now and then got a whiff of normalcy that gave us all the warm and fuzzies. And there was just a tad bit more steam in this one which gave it a nice little kick, though it's still very much kosher.

The humor of course with Sylvia and Vero is never lost, especially where dinoporn is involved :) But we delve deeper. We find out that even your most ride or die has secrets, and Finlay learns what she can and cannot accept. Overall it was very witty just like the first one with a kitchen Armageddon scene and chest freezers sitting in storage units across state lines, but the thrill element was very much there and that's what made this book just so wonderful!

100% recommend.

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.