Finlay and Veronica are back up to their shenanigans again in the fourth installment of the Finlay Donovan series. And by shenanigans… I mean life or death situations filled with humor.

Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice is a difficult book to review without giving any spoilers, particularly of the series’ prior books. The story starts up exactly where the Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun ended. Finlay, and by extension Veronica (aka Vero, her nanny) are in a bind. The mob and some other shady characters are after them; plus, Vero’s longtime love has been kidnapped in the process. Determined to resolve things with all parties involved, Finlay and Vero head to Atlantic City under the guise a girls’ weekend… one that ends up including Finlay’s ex-husband, two kids, and her mother.

If you are looking for a serious novel, Finlay Donovan is not the series for you. While the events of each book may not exactly be believable or plausible in the timeframes given, the story is one of fun and hijinks sure to delight. After all, the protagonist is a romantic suspense novelist and mom just trying to juggle life as it is thrown at her along with her side kick who happens to also be her nanny and accountant. This mystery series is over-the-top and better because of it. If you love Lucy & Ethel, you will also love his duo.

What you will find in the pages of Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice is a fast-paced, entertaining story with plenty of twists and turns (and a few bodies along the way). The dialogue is punchy and at-times witty. Despite the tension-filled plot, the stakes never feel overwhelming or particularly nerve-wracking, which makes it the perfect palate cleansing read. Plus, I love reading stories where women always come out on top!

Whereas I had found the third book the weakest of the series so far, I thought Cosimano redeemed herself a bit in this novel. That being said, I still want more from Finlay’s personal life and would like to see the characters further developed. Her relationship with Nick still feels like it is there just to be there and not something real. (I mean when does she have time for the man?!)

I was happy to find that the end of this installment seems to wrap up the complicated storylines established in the first three books. It feels like a good place to start a fifth novel with something a bit different so that the series does not become repetitive. I am interested in seeing what Elle Cosimano will write next for this dynamic duo.

Overall, Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice is hilarious, heartwarming story of two friends supporting each other and hopefully getting off scot-free. This is a series best read in order. Between books #3 and #4, I would recommend the short story Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank.

Another Finlay Donovan that did not disappoint! I am always blown away by the pace at which read. Elle has an effortless way of portraying characters, with just enough sarcasm that fits each character, feeding in to this hilarious narrative, There we’re also so many new characters that had me intrigued, live on the edge of my seat, and stay up too late just to find out what happens!

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced readers copy of this book!

Another worthy and insanely fun entry into the Finlay Donovan series! I adore Finlay and Vero and all of their kooky friends and enemies. Somehow Cosimano seems to write these characters realistically, even though their adventures are anything but. They're hilarious and relatable, and accidentally some of the best detectives around.

Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice is the fourth book in the Finlay Donovan series. Finlay and Vero head to Atlantic City to deal with multiple issues, including searching for Vero’s romantic interest, Javi, a stolen car, and a loan shark. They have to accomplish this while Finlay’s children, ex-husband, and members of the police department are present.

I’ve read all of the novels in the Finlay Donovan series. I most recently read the third book about a year ago, and I really struggled to catch up in this novel. I really wish there had been a more comprehensive summary of what has occurred in the series so far because I struggled to remember certain characters and events from the past. I personally would not recommend reading this as a standalone novel for these reasons. I suspect I would have enjoyed this a lot more if I could have read it sequentially right after the I finished the first three. I would probably need to reread the series if I decide to read a fifth installment after this experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Withholding a full review until the SMP boycott is over. I have a review written and ready to post when it is.

Thank you!

This is book four in the Finlay Donovan series and should be read in order.

We go on another adventure with Finlay Donovan and her sidekick Vero to Atlantic City for a "girls" weekend away. It turned into a group trip since Finlay's ex-husband, two kids, and her mother tagged along.

This book picks up right where Finlay Donovan Jumps The Gun ends. They are on a mission to find Marco, the New Jersey loan shark to try and get back Vero's crush Javi. Trouble always seems to continue to find them along the way. From run-down motels, to strip clubs and a fortune teller, getting to the bottom of this sure will leave you on the edge of your seat.

I found this to be a fun, fast-paced mystery with some good laughs.

We also are left with a cliffhanger on what is to come next in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Title: Finlay Donovan Rolls The Dice
Author: Elle Cosimano
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Contemporary Cozy Mystery

Thank you @Macmillan.audio for the listen copy + PR envelope of goodies! So fun! This audiobook is once agin narrated by Angela Dawe and she knocks it out of the park each and every time. I couldn’t stop listening to this and finished in less that 24 hours.

While each of these books are technically standalone’s, as the mysteries have weaved, the bodies piled up and the characters back stories and relationships have deepened you will enjoy this one better having read the previous installments. That’s my recommendation; plus they’re fun!

Romance author Finlay and her nanny/battle buddy Vero are back and headed to Atlantic City. They fake a girls weekend, but the reality is they’ve seemed to misplace a stolen car and need to do some business with a loan shark who may or may not have nabbed Vero’s childhood crush Javi.

Should be easy, peasy, but then Finlay’s ex husband throws a fit and somehow ends up tagging along, oh and, so does Finlay’s mother!

✅ Road Trip
✅ Seedy casino motel
✅ Sleuthing Finlay & Vera style
✅ Dead bodies
✅ Hot Detective + FBI show up
✅ Russian Mob
✅ Ring Pop Wedding

“Maybe we should all start telling the truth for once.”

Just when you think it’s all over and dealt with we get a nice little ending that steps up the potential for the next book!

You always know you're in for a fun ride with this series, and the shenanigans continue as Finlay & Vero find themselves in Atlantic City. I always enjoy these books, but admittedly it's hard to remember everything the happened in the previous books, but the author does a good job at recapping the highlights. This was a fun & entertaining read, and I look forward to seeing what happens next in Finlay's crazy world.

Finlay and Vero's “girls weekend” in Atlantic City aka a risky mission to rescue Vero's crush and retrieve a stolen car. When Finlay's ex husband and mother join, things become even more complicated. Unexpectedly discovering Javi's kidnapper dead leads to unraveling mysteries to save themselves. With police involvement and personal drama, Finlay must decide whether to reveal her secrets or take big risks.

It was a whirlwind of chaos as Finlay deals with Steven’s complaints, her mother’s antics, and unexpected encounters. Finlay and Vero find themselves in increasingly absurd situations!! Amidst it all, I enjoyed seeing Finlay’s relationship with Nick grow, while tensions with Steven escalate. It was suspenseful, hilarious, and ridiculous and I loved being along for the ride! I’m left anticipating the next book in the series!

If you haven’t started these books, they need to be read in order. And ahhh I’m so excited for you!

5★| Mystery | Book 4 in series

Thank you to the group of ladies who joined me last week for our Finlay with Friends buddy read!! It was so much fun!!

Thank you @netgalley, @minotaurbooks, and @ellecosimano for a copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

In my opinion, Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano is the best book so far in this series. The strong women characters in Finlay and Vero plus the things they get themselves into keep me coming back for more. I love that the author always picks up her next book right where the last one ended. With the FBI, loan sharks, casinos and a kidnapping, Atlantic City is the perfect location for the shenanigans of this story. Although the duo finds themselves in and out of trouble, the author has ended with another cliff hanger leaving reader's asking, "What's next?"

Another stellar entry into the Finlay series! I love all the hijinks Vero and Finlay get up to in each installment and I always end the book wanting more. This one had so many ways they could have been caught and I always love the series of events that protects them from being gound out. Vero and Finlay are #friendshipgoals and I can't wait for their next go round of hiding bodies!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my advanced copy.

I fell in love with Finlay and Vero in 2021 when I read the first book in this series, FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT. I had a great time reading the second book in the series, and really liked the third. The characters felt like old friends and I could not wait to get to book four and see what my favorite amateur killers were up to...

Y'all, I am so sad. This was an absolute bear for me to get through. I found myself skimming, falling asleep, and finding anything to do but read this book. If I could put my finger on what I didn't like about it, I think it would be the fact that Finlay and Vero are no longer stumbling into messes. They are making their own messes themselves. Instead of the cheeky accidental nature of the first two books, they've abandoned all sense of self control and made their lives chaos.

Secondly, there's also entirely too many characters in this book for me to keep up with at this, especially since I read approximately 100 books in between each new installment in the series. Because there are so many people in the story, it's hard to remain focused and invested. I wanted so badly to become engrossed in this book, but I just couldn't. It felt scattered and poorly planned and messy.

Big miss for me on this one, but I look forward to reading something else by Elle Cosimano with different characters/another storyline.

I loveeee this series so much! My husband and I have read this entire series together starting with our wedding trip two years ago and it truly is my favorite and can’t get enough of Finlay and Vera!

I love the roller coaster that is the ride with these two and the continued wacky adventures.

Thank you soooo much to the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest feedback!

Finlay continues to be consistently a wild read. I'm not sure how many more adventures I have in me to read, they are snowballing at a pace that I'm not sure even makes sense anymore. I do like the new relationship with the police officer and how often she dunks on her clueless ex husband in this one though. The road trip aspect added a lot of new ways for them to entrap themselves in shenanigans,

🎲 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 🎲
📕𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗟𝗘: Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice
📝 𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗥: Elle Cosimano
🗓️ 𝗣𝗨𝗕 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: March 5, 2024
🤭 𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘: Blend of mystery and comedy
🏆 𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

This series is just so much fun and is guaranteed to make you literally laugh out loud. Is it outlandish and completely improbable? Absolutely! Does that rob the reader of a little joy? Not one little bit! This series is not one that can withstand the litmus test of “Could that really happen?”, so don’t even try. Just go into it knowing this isn’t real life, it’s an escape which is exactly what we expect from fiction reads.

Finlay and Vero are a dynamic Mom/Nanny duo that you can’t help but love. They are so different but complement each other so nicely in this literal “partner in crime” relationship. Their banter is wildly entertaining. The supporting characters are exactly what you need them to be— adding to the story without taking away focus from the FMCs.

Though books one and two continue to be my favorites, this fourth book in the series comes in next in my Finlay Donovan series ranking. Book three was good, I just wasn’t as hooked on the plot as the others. I do think this series is best read in order and the subsequent titles would be confusing as stand alones, so start with book one if you’re new to the series!

Thank you @minotaur_books and @netgalley for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.

Finlay Donovan has always had a place in my heart 🩷

I still remember when I read the first book and had a chance to chat with Elle Cosimano at a book club I was apart of. I have recommended this series to anyone that will listen ever since!

I've said it before and I'll continue to say... if you're looking for a book with a little mystery, some laugh out loud moments, and wholllleee lot of real-ness in the characters, this series is for you!!

I don't want to give any spoilers away to anyone that hasn't read the series but I will say this - the first two books are my favorite and these more recent two are still very good, but not as good as the first. As much as I am not ready to say good-bye to Finlay in the future, I am starting to feel like the content is a bit predictable at times.

Overall I still very much enjoyed this series and this latest book! If you caught my stories then you'll know that I was struggling to get into this book on audio, but then I picked yup a physical copy from the library and I all of a sudden flew through it in under 3 hours... that might be a record? Either way, I needed a bingeable book like this, and need more Finlay and Vero in my life always 💛

I thought this was such a fun read! Some have said the action didn't quite live up to Finlay and Vero's past antics, but I thought it was great! Everything is so outlandish, but it always seems to work and they roll with the craziness like it's no big deal.

In this installment, Finlay and Vero are headed to Atlantic City and wackily end up bringing Finlay's kids, mom, and ex-husband. The duo is trying to find Vero's friend, recover a stolen automobile, and erase a debt. They discover someone is working both sides and this adds a new element to what the ladies are trying to accomplish.

Cosimano did a great job providing little recaps from the previous books so I always knew what was going on and was reminded of the connections. There were often times when I wondered "what about the kids?", but it was always addressed and made it possible to believe in the timelines.

I just love this series and the end of the book seems like a cliffhanger for another book if I've ever seen one! Can't wait!

Everyone's favorite bumbling amateur/accidental assassins, Finlay and Vero, are back in this fourth installment of Elle Cosimano's Finlay Donovan series. Book four picks up right where Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun left off and sees Finlay and Vero road-tripping it to Atlantic City on a rescue mission...and Finlay's mom, ex-husband Steven, and kids are along for the ride. Don't worry, hot detective Nick shows up too.

Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice is my favorite entry in the series since the first book. It was an excellent choice for Cosimano to take Finlay and Vero out of town on a road trip, allowing for plenty of hi-jinks and misadventures in a new place, which kept the series feeling fresh for me. As I've come to expect from these books, there's lots of action and drama and adventure, a few sexy times, and more than a few outrageous, ridiculous moments to keep things entertaining.

This is a series that should definitely be read in order, as the plot and characters become more intricate with each subsequent book -- but I do feel like Cosimano did a better job of catching readers up on important plot elements than she did in the previous books.

There are echoes of Lucy and Ethel and Stephanie and Lula in Finlay and Vero's relationship, but their friendship is still entirely its own unique, wonderful thing. I've grown pretty attached to them, as well as to the cast of zany supporting characters. And on that note, the only thing missing from Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice for me was Mrs. Haggerty -- but it seems like that may be changing in book five, and I can't wait.

I’ve loved all of Finlay’s adventures, but this one really just drug on and the shenanigans (although always a bit unrealistic) seemed incredibly implausible. I wanted more of Nick and Finlay! I’m here for this journey until the end, this one just wasn’t my favorite.

Mrs. D does it again! This 4th entry to the Finlay Donovan Mystery Series was so much fun! Bringing the setting to Atlantic City made the novel feel like a locked-room mystery a bit, but I don't feel like it was a detractor to the story at all.

This novel picked up literally where the last book ended and kept the story progressing forward at a great pace, full of fun comedic moments, and some good "ole fashioned" detective work all the way to a very satisfying conclusion. (Side note: that cliffhanger?! I literally said "WHAT?!" out loud at that).

A fun time as always, I would certainly recommend this novel (and the whole Finlay Donovan series) to anyone looking for a fun mystery series.