What a wild ride. I think I might have liked this one better than #3.

The pacing was fast and furious, right from the get-go, and I legit LOL’d at the Chubby’s scene.

Full Disclosure: If you have trouble suspending disbelief, this might not be the series for you, (are we really thinking a USB would work after traversing, in its entirety, the digestive tract of a wiener dog?) but for those with a penchant for the ridiculous? Dive in.

I enjoyed the setting (Atlantic City is so GROTTY), the secondary characters (Cam!), and the dog. Did I mention the dog?

Really, the only thing I didn’t love was that Stephen seemed to be growing a conscience. I much preferred him as a reprobate. It’s so much easier to laugh at his misfortune.

A word of caution: You will be totally lost if you haven’t read the previous works, but it’s worth it.

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for this madcap ARC.

Finlay Donovan and her live-in nanny/partner in crime Vero plan a girls’ weekend trip to Atlantic City. It’s really a cover story so they can negotiate with a loan shark, save Vero’s childhood crush Javi, and hunt down a stolen luxury car - meaning it won’t be all fun and games. When Finlay’s ex-husband and her mother insist on tagging along, she knows this weekend is about to take a turn. Things get worse when the loan shark refuses to negotiate and demands a full payment in exchange for Javi’s life. Even worse, four members of the Fairfax County police department, including hot cop Nick, have just shown up and are staying in the same motel as Finlay and Vero, making things even more complicated.

FINLAY DONOVAN ROLLS THE DICE certainly has a lot going on but it may have been the most fun yet! As per usual, Finlay and Vero find themselves in several sticky situations with limited solutions at their disposal. Never fear though because despite the nail-biting scenes, there’s always room for a good chuckle as these two partners in crime sleuth their way out despite the deck seemingly stacked against them.

The plot of this book is filled with lots of shenanigans, each more outrageous than the last. It’s all good fun though, making for an easily bingeable and entertaining read. I truly adore Finlay as the MC of this series - she’s a quick thinker, always up for any challenge, and although she’s a mess, she’s always able to scrape her shit together. She’s truly well developed and a character who is easy to root for. I adored the character and relationship developments that occur in this book as well as the snarky banter shared between Finlay and Vero. I cannot wait to see what’s next for Finlay and Vero, particularly after THAT ending!

<i>I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Minotaur Books, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed are my own.</i>

This is the fourth Finlay Donovan book by Elle Cosimano and I've read them all. This is a fun series and Finlay and Vero get themselves in so much trouble and their attempts to remedy situations are hilarious. They always keep me laughing.

Description:
Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero are in sore need of a girls’ weekend away. They plan a trip to Atlantic City, but odds are―seeing as it’s actually a cover story to negotiate a deal with a dangerous loan shark, save Vero’s childhood crush Javi, and hunt down a stolen car―it won’t be all fun and games. When Finlay’s ex-husband Steven and her mother insist on tagging along too, Finlay and Vero suddenly have a few too many meddlesome passengers along for the ride.

Within hours of arriving in their seedy casino hotel, it becomes clear their rescue mission is going to be a bust. Javi’s kidnapper, Marco, refuses to negotiate, demanding payment in full in exchange for Javi’s life. But that’s not all―he insists on knowing the whereabouts of his missing nephew, Ike, who mysteriously disappeared. Unable to confess what really happened to Ike, Finlay and Vero are forced to come up with a new plan: sleuth out the location of Javi and the Aston Martin, then steal them both back.

But when they sneak into the loan shark’s suite to search for clues, they find more than they bargained for―Marco's already dead. They don’t have a clue who murdered him, only that they themselves have a very convincing motive. Then four members of the police department unexpectedly show up in town, also looking for Ike―and after Finlay's night with hot cop Nick at the police academy, he’s a little too eager to keep her close to his side.

If Finlay can juggle a jealous ex-husband, two precocious kids, her mother’s marital issues, a decomposing loan shark, and find Vero’s missing boyfriend, she might get out of Atlantic City in one piece. But will she fold under the pressure and come clean about the things she’s done, or be forced to double down?

My Thoughts:
This one has a lot of shady characters and mobsters to keep up with. The crimes are involved and danger lurks everywhere it seems. Finlay and Vero are great characters. Some of the book is silly and you have to suspend belief because let's face it - this could never happen. This book is not my favorite in the series, but it is still good. I have to say the first two books are my favorites so far. You really need to have read prior books to keep up with this as it is a continuing situation. Characters in the earlier books continue to appear in this one. There is tension and suspense as the story progresses and, of course, some dead bodies. I really like the hot cop, Nick, who is Finlay's romantic interest. I highly recommend this series to anyone reading for entertainment with a touch of crime solving.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. Expected publication March 5, 2024.

March was filled with several great releases and this one is at the top of the list! Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Finlay Donovan is a girl that I want to be my bestie, and want to tag along with her in real life. Her stories have always been great and this is another great addition!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Elle Cosimano and the publisher of the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Finlay and Vero start back where they left off from their experience at the police academy. Now they are on their way to the Atlantic City to see if they can find and rescue Javi, have a quiet girls weekend, and find a missing car. When Finlay's ex-husband, children and mom insist on tagging along too, everyone is in for an adventure.

When they get to the hotel, they find Javi's kidnapper, Marco dead and Javi no where to be found. To make matters worse, four members of their hometown police department show up, including Finlay's hot cop Nick.

Can the girls find Javi in time while keeping their own noses clean?

I am not a murder mystery reader at all, but I love the Finlay Donovan series and the fourth book did not disappoint! It is full of surprises, lots of adventure, and many good laughs. I would recommend this book and the series to others in a heartbeat.

I love Finlay and when I got this arc I was beyond excited! I love the quirkiness of all the characters, the utter bizarreness of the plots, and the hilarious hijinks that Finlay and Vero get up to!
If I had one complaint it would be that I want more Nick! I love Finlay with him and I would love to see him interacting more with her, Vero, and the kids, however I do see how that would be difficult.
I loved the fact that we got to see more of Finlay’s mom in this one! She added so much to the story and I cannot wait to find out what happens next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an eARC in exchange for my review.

This series is made for audio. 🎧🩷

Angela Dawe’s narration is superb and brings these books to life.

I can’t read this series, I have to listen to it. I just have to.

But then I run into the problem where I binge it so fast & then have to wait a year for the next one. But it’s a price I’ll gladly pay because this series is wild and fun and just goes off the rails in such a hilarious way.

This was the craziest one yet & I loved every second. Keep doing what you’re doing @ellecosimano! 🎲🩷

Special thanks to @macmillan.audio for the ALC.

First of all, I absolutely adore this entire book series! This 4th installment was a face-paced read & had the humor of the previous books. I really enjoyed the progression of Finlay & Nick's relationship, and where that leaves of at the conclusion of the book.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book series if you are looking for a mystery themed read, with a lot of humor mixed in. Solid 4.5 stars on this one!

Thank you goes out to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy that release on 3/5/2024.

Finlay and Vero are back again on another witty and wild adventure continuing right where we left them! I always look forward to reading what kind of mess they accidentally get into and this one was no different. This is an enjoyable series and I thought by the end that it was going to be wrapped up, only to leave us with yet another cliffhanger!

Scrreeeeecchhhh!

What’s that sound? It’s the sound of the hilarious ball-of-energy, writer-turned-detective Finlay Donovan flying out of town on her next adventure—a girls trip to Atlantic City where she and her nanny Vero (and a few unexpected passengers) are on the tail of a kidnapper in book four, Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice.

About the Book

Finlay “Finn” Donovan and her nanny Vero are headed to Atlantic City to rescue Vero’s boyfriend, Javi. He was abducted by a loan shark named Marco who is trying to collect a gambling debt incurred by Vero. When Vero finds a ransom note tucked under the wiper on Javi’s car, she knows this is all her fault.

Vero points out that the Aston Martin that was stolen by Marco and the mobsters more than pays off the debt. She suspects what he really wants is to know what happened to his missing nephew, Ike. Unfortunately, telling Marco what happened to Ike definitely won’t win him over and convince him to return Javi safe and sound.

To complicate everything, Finlay wants to bring her kids to Atlantic City (it is telling that she’d rather bring her children to visit a loan shark than leave them with her ex), but her ex-husband Steven demands to come with. When her mother also demands to join, the mission becomes much more difficult!

Soon after arriving at their casino hotel, it’s clear that they are in over their heads. The kidnapper, Marco, demands full payment in exchange for Javi’s life and information on the whereabouts of his missing nephew, Ike. Finlay and Vero can’t meet those demands, so they sneak into his suite to search for clues and discover Marco is aleady dead. Even worse, they clearly have a motive!

Finn is no stranger to fumbling her way through a mystery, but with a jealous ex-husband, a mother with marital issues, a dead loan shark, two kids, and a nanny with a missing boyfriend to juggle—Finlay may be in a bit too deep! Can she find a way to resolve everything and get out of Atlantic City?

Review

As some fans have noted, Finn has changed quite a bit since the series began. In the first book, Finn was a rule-follower and a single mother of two going through a contentious divorce. She fumbles her way through a series of unpredictable events, and most of what happens to her isn’t entirely her fault. Over the next two books, Finn’s life spirals out of control. Each time she finds herself in another mess, she finds her way out only to land in an even bigger one.

By book four, Finn’s story has gone off the rails and bodies have piled up everywhere. She even notes upon finding two dead bodies in the hotel suite that these are nowhere near the first dead bodies she has seen this week, let alone in her life. The reader can no longer believe that these events are the result of a misunderstanding—Finn is an active participant in her own story (and so is Vero!).

This trajectory seems to have caused a divide for some readers. Many loved the Finn from book one and wanted her to stay that way. Others are enjoying the fun that comes with Finn getting involved in increasingly tangled and bizarre situations. I consider myself in both camps. I don’t think anything can replace the story we got in book one, and equally, I’m finding the subsequent stories a lot of fun too. Suspension of disbelief is not only recommended, it’s required.

If you love a mystery but don’t want anything too dark, this series is for you! This book is the sillies one yet. A chaotic plot and quick pace make this an enjoying, bingeable read!

First off, thank you for reaching out to me with this ARC. Unfortunately, I lost interest in the storyline in book 3 and therefore will not be able to review this title. I am so sorry for the inconvenience. Please disregard the star rating below as it does not reflect my thoughts on this series.

Know that even if you've read the earlier books, you might feel a bit at sea because there's virtually no back story provided and it's been a year since the last installment. Don't even try this as a standalone. If you have been following along, this is the latest in a plot that started in book one and gets more mad cap implausible with each new addition. Finlay and her "nanny" Vero are off to Atlantic City to rescue Vero's love Javi from the gangster who took him, and her mother, kids, and ex-husband are along for the ride. And then her police officer love interest, an FBI agent, and her sister shows up. There are bodies in a bathroom, a missing Aston Martin, gambling, a strip joint and so on. To be honest, I gave up on this about 66 percent through because I was exhausted and flipped to the end to see if Javi was rescued. No spoilers. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's frantic but what kept me going were the funny parts, especially with Finlay's family. Over to others.

Oh Finlay! Oh Vero! These two are always cracking me up with their schemes. Will we ever find out what the husband is up to?!! I have Ben’s a dedicated reader and must know! I loved the relationship development and I can’t wait to see how that plays out when they are back home. We have had two books now mostly set away from the house/neighborhood so
I’m curious how things will go once they are back! Also love Vero having an official love interest now! She can’t move out though!!

Finlay Donovan is the only one of the contemporary “female amateur sleuth” book series’ I know I can reliably pick up, read, and enjoy every single page of without fail. This newest installment is no exception. I don’t actually think I’ve enjoyed an installment this much, or even laughed so hard, since the first book in the series.

Ever since the end of the third book we knew Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice was going to be a wild ride. Finlay, Vero, and the kids in Atlantic City? What could go wrong, right? (Of course everything’s going to go wrong. That’s exactly what happens in these books. That’s why we have Finlay Donovan books!) Well, of course Finlay’s ex-husband insists she can’t go without him because she can’t take the kids across state lines without his permission. Oh! And then there’s her mom, who for some reason has decided she needs to take a vacation too!

This won’t be awkward at all. Not even once Nick and his FBI friends show up in Atlantic City as well. In the same motel, too. That hallway sure is crowded.

The Finlay Donovan books have always been a great vehicle for Elle Cosimano to explore marriage dynamics, motherhood, single parenting, female friendships, the struggles of being a working mother, and all the other buttons and bows that come with being a post-divorce adult woman with children. When your marriage is over and all you have is your kids and your work life can become pretty stagnant if you let it. Finlay’s adventures remind readers–if in a rather extreme manner–that there’s a lot of life to live out there. There’s a lot to do, see, and laugh at. That’s one of the things I love about these books the most.

If we get to have an awesome and fun time while reading about it, then that’s spectacular too.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: 5 Star Review/Amateur Sleuths/Book Series/Comedy/Crime Fiction/Mystery

Another fantastic book in the Finlay Donovan series! This book made me laugh out loud multiple times and it made me love Finlay and. Rep even more. Full of fun, mystery, suspense, friendship, romance and adventure it’s another winner! I already want more Finlay!

There’s a solid chance I’ve been reading the wrong books because it’s been SO LONG since I’ve laughed like this!!!

There seems to be no end to the shenanigans Finlay and Vero manage to get up to…and this time they’re bringing Finlay’s ex-husband, her current boyfriend, her mother, her sister, and a few others along for the ride!

This is one of those series where I just sit down, strap in, and enjoy the ride. I was even sharing some of the gimmicks and awkward scenarios with my husband and he couldn’t stop laughing either!

If there was a series I would ever re-read, it’s likely to be this one. Because there’s no way I’d remember everything Finlay and Vero managed to get up to, so it would be like reading it for the first time all over again!

If you STILL haven’t started this series, do yourself a favor and pick it up. I highly recommend reading it in order though or you’re going to massively confused!

I have never been more obsessed with a duo like I am with Finlay & Vero. They consistently have me cackling out loud over their antics and I can never anticipate what the heck is going to happen next.

Another one knocked out of the park! Can’t wait for more adventures!!

Thank you to netgalley & st Martin’s press for the chance to read this early in exchange for an honest review.

Out March 5th!!!

This series is just a blast and gets better and better. This is definitely a book where hi-jinks ensue. Finlay and Vero, her nanny/partner in crime are ready for a girls weekend. That girls weekend turns into a trip with Finlay’s mom, her kids, her ex husband and a few dad bodies. Not to mention the law in the form of her love interest and sister. There’s a lot going on here as Finlay is trying to balance it all, while trying to be a mom.
I mean make this one a television series already!

Huge thank you to @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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3.5/5
The Finlay Donovan series is one that I keep coming back to. It’s a mix of romance, thriller and humor. It’s easy to get sucked into the story and keep coming back for more.

In this book, Finlay and Vero are on a mission to save Vero’s childhood crush. One funny aspect of this was that the kids, Finlay’s ex-husband, her sister, boyfriend, mom and more somehow come along for the ride. Vero and Finlay are stuck between solving the mystery and keeping it a secret from everyone else.

The stories are ridiculous and over-the-top but still had me laughing throughout. This was probably my least favorite of the series but that might be because I’m not as invested in the characters as I have been before. I’d love to see what Cosimano writes next.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the copy!

The book releases March 5, 2024.

“‘My husband’s murder, I could have forgiven. He was a pain in my ass anyway,’ she admitted. ‘But no one—and I mean no one—threatens Kevin Bacon and lives to tell about it.’” FYI Kevin Bacon is the dog, so I support this quote. 👏🏻

I am so happy to be back on another crazy adventure with Finlay and her crew! This is book 4 in the Finlay Donovan series and what a ride, both literally and figuratively, this was!

Finlay’s kids, ex-husband, and mom are along for this wacky road trip along with Finlay and Vero, and they add so much to the story. I mean, who wants their ex-hubbs nagging and whining when you have crimes to solve and dead bodies to deal with?!

“No good ever came out of laying everything on the table and rolling the dice. You gotta play smart.” Don’t you just love when you figure out how the book got its name?!

Thank you to Netgalley, Minotaur Books, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.