Member Reviews
These Finley Donovan books have been very comedic and slapstick, something I definitely don't like in my mysteries! But somehow I keep reading them. Entertaining I guess! The third book and more of the same craziness!
Finally we get to join Finlay on her crazy adventures again! This book has it all, excitement, love and family! You definitely should read the first ones in the series so this last book can tie up all the lose ends for you! Loved it!
I want to start off by saying I did not read the first 3 books in this series before reading this as the 4th, but I did read synopses and reviews enough to get a good feel of the characters and plot beforehand. I didn’t have a hard time following what was going on, and I thought the character development was strongly written even in a 4th of a series. I will say that I found this to be a little Jack-of-all-trades for me; this book felt like it was trying very hard to fit into suspense, humor, mystery, romance, and contemporary boxes so it just felt a bit much. I thought the writing style was very light and easy to read, I think I just wasn’t used to this type of writing so it felt a little silly to me at times. Overall, I’d say if you want a lighthearted read with a bit of suspense to keep you going, this is a good option!
The adventures of Finlay and Vero never cease to amaze me! Cosimano does such a wonderful job bringing these characters to life - the pining from Steven, the steadfastness from Nick, the quick thinking from Finlay, the adorable ridiculousness of Delia and Zach…I am always thoroughly immersed in the characters and the stories! The antics get more ridiculous with each book and every cliffhanger leaves me desperate for the next installment. This was a joy ride from start to finish!
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC!
Finlay Donovan's tribulations get more ridiculous - and more fun - in this latest installment of the book. The last book, Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun, left off with Finlay and Vero heading to Atlantic City to clear Vero's debts, once and for all. They make it there - accompanied by Finlay's two children, mom, and ex-husband. When even more people in Finlay's life show up, her life pretty much becomes a circus. How are they going to find her car, pay off Vero's debts, and free Vero's friend Javi without any of the people in Finlay's life knowing what's going on?
I don't know how Elle Cosimano does it, but she puts Finlay and Vero through completely insane situations but has you believing they are plausible! Readers will root for Finlay and Vero the whole time while enjoying the craziness and a dog named...Kevin Bacon. This is a worthy installment in a fun series and I can't wait to see what Finlay and Vero get into next!
I love this story!! The only thing is is wish the story was able to breathe and wasn't so fast paced. Also the books going striaght from one to the other I tend to forget the little things and I wish there was a preface or the entire series was out before I started the series.
I think this is where I leave Finaly Donovan. The first couple of books were perfection and lately they just aren't as fun and just feel like a money grab from the publishers. Left Finlay rest!
2.5 stars rounded down My lower rating mostly pertains to my feelings about how everything was resolved and who was held responsible. I just wasn't satisfied with the ways certain characters took accountability (or often didn't) for their actions. I love that Finlay and Nick love each other, but it was stressful to me how many secrets remain in their relationship.
She did it again! I love love love this series! It’s hilarious and fun and I couldn’t put it down! I have been a fan since book one and this one might be my favorite!
3.5 stars rounded up
Another wild ride with Finlay and Vero!
Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice picks right up where the previous book ended. I admit I didn’t love this one as much as previous books. The action starts almost immediately and doesn’t let up and it’s one OTT twist after another OTT twist, and I was getting a little exhausted by it. However, in Elle Cosimano we trust, and I knew she’d tie everything together in the end and she did so in a very satisfactory way.
There’s not much additional character development in this story. For some reason Vero came off kind of flat to me in this novel and Javi like a caricature. I did like how we got to know Finlay’s mom a bit more in the book and even Sylvia as well. Seeing Stephen get a taste of what actual parenting looks like gave me a strong sense of satisfaction, too. Still, this is the fourth book of the series, we should have a decent handle on the characters for the most part, so lack of further character development is really a minor issue.
The writing was exactly what you’d expect of the series. The humor and wit are there, making me laugh out loud several times, one of the hallmarks of Finlay Donovan books. The story is fast-paced and action-packed, as I said, making this a quick read. I thought the way the author started with a small scene from the road trip for the prologue and then went back several hours to begin Chapter 1 was a bit weird and didn’t have any bearing on building the story, but apart from that, the writing was fantastic as always!
The action was so over the top for the majority of the book, but even so, I really enjoyed the book. It ended perfectly, tying off some plots while leaving the door open on others, so we know Finlay isn’t finished yet and I look forward to seeing what happens next in her story.
The next instalment in this series was just has hilarious and as far fetched as the rest. I think this is such an easy series to read - it’s fun, it keeps you entertained and you guaranteed to laugh. In true Finlay fashion, there are still some secrets that haven’t been solved and this book, OF COURSE, ends on a cliff hanger.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC!
Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC! I have loved each of the Finlay Donovan books, and this was no different for me. Loved the new scene of Atlantic City, the family dynamics, and the way the story picked right back up where we left them.
At the end of Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (review here), we discovered that Vero’s ex-boyfriend had been kidnapped by people Vero owed money to and were threatening to kill him if she didn’t supply the money she owed plus, which leaves only one recourse: Finlay and Vero must go to Atlantic City. Thus begins Elle Cosimano’s thrill-a-minute (in more ways than one) Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice.
When Vero and Finlay decide to go to Atlantic City to rescue Javi, little do they know they would be taking on an entire entourage including Finlay’s mother, ex-husband, and their two kids. As if that didn’t add enough to the chaos and Finlay’s headache, hot cop Nick shows up with his former (corrupt, but Nick doesn’t know it) partner, Charlie, Finlay’s cop sister and her girlfriend. Just as you might imagine, all of these familiar characters just add layers to the current disarray. In a fun and spectacularly slapstick way.
Finlay and Vero (and their exploits) are just so much fun. The reader never knows what Vero is going to do, or say, and I half-suspect the author might not either. The unexpectedness really adds to the fun-ride aspect, the entire what-will-she (they)-do next?
The romance between Finlay and Nick heats up even more, much to the consternation of Finlay’s ex-. So for readers who like a little steam with their mystery, here it is 🔥🔥.
What I appreciated most about Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice is that it made me laugh, turn pages, and just escape into a world very disparate from my reality, which is what I hope for in most books I read. Especially these days.
A definite five-butterfly, escapist read.
Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy.
Gosh I love this series so much and k think we were set up for another one?! I hope I can get my hands on that one too! This book was just so fun and the twists are just as good. It’s like Fin and Vero find themselves in trouble without even trying to find themselves in trouble but seem to get out of it just as easily.
This is the 4th time I've gone along for a crazy ride with Finlay and Vero, and I'm hoping it won't be my last. To be honest, I actually started off by not liking the book because I had such a gap between the last book and this one that I forgot some of the major plot lines which took away from some of the adventure for me. As I kept reading, though, it was like catching up with friends I hadn't seen in a whole, and I became invested in their happiness as well as the solutions to all of their problems.
These books are a fun escape, and I reccomend them if you read for fun and not to take things too seriously. The characters are loveable but you definitely have to be willing to put aside some reality and just go along for the fun, adventure, thrills, and laughs.
Also reccomend to anyone who loved Stephanie Plum books.
Once again, Finlay is caught up in murder as she heads off for a girl's weekend in Atlantic City. The weekend turns into something so much more which leads to a great read that will have you laughing. I had a really fun time reading this book and I flew through it quickly! I loved the fast-pace nature of the novel and the shorter chapters. It had been awhile since I finished the last book, but I had no trouble remember people, places, and the last event of Finlay and Vero. Elle Cosimano’s writing is excellent. The wit and banter that we all know, and love continues. There is humor and thrilling aspects that will keep you reading. I love that there was more Vero in this book (she’s the best character). This is one of my favorites in the series. If you loved the first 3, you will love this one just as much. The antics that Finlay's family gets into while she's trying to fight mobsters and solve crimes, the side plots and adventures in these books always make me laugh. One of the standout aspects of this book is the friendship between Finlay and Vero. Their witty banter and unwavering support for one another bring so much joy to the story. I couldn't help but root for their success and laugh along with their hilarious escapades. I like that Finlay and Nick’s romance is not the center of the book or even the main relationship. These books are so much better with Finlay and Vero’s relationship at the center. I feel like they are the true couple (even though it’s friendship leaning toward family). I really liked that it wrapped up a bunch of loose strings for the over-arching storyline and leaves room to move onto the next thread of their lives. It was good to see all of the character growth for all of the side characters and not just the main ones. The Finlay Donovan series is so much fun. I can't wait to see what happens next for Finlay and her family. This is probably my favorite campy, cozy mystery series. The book ends in a cliffhanger that makes it obvious more books will be coming and I can’t wait! Thanks to Elle Cosimano, Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for an e-arc in exchange for my thoughts.
Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosmamimo is everything you want in a crazy, exhausting, a little sexy, Finlay adventure! Well plotted and executed.
What a RIDE! FINLAY DONOVAN ROLLS THE DICE starts where book 3 left off, and was completely action packed from start to finish. It brings you the characters we know and love, and delivers on a wild adventure!
Finlay and Vero are off to Atlantic City to hunt down a stolen car, rescue Vero’s childhood crush, Javi, and deal with a dangerous loan shark. But OF COURSE the whole family’s along for the zany adventure.
I thought this instalment in the series was very plot focused (a LOT happens) but I am so invested in Finlay, Vero and all the characters that I found it easy to follow along. The banter, the tense scenarios, the laughable scenarios, the close calls, and of course, Finlay and Vero’s relationship made this such a great, fun experience.
I was not expecting that ending, and it makes me all the more excited for what’s next! I cannot wait!!
Thank you St Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, for the opportunity to read an early copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
What is there to even say about one of your most anticipated books of the year?! Are there words that can even express the joy I’m feeling right now?! Yes! This book lived up to every expectation that I had and more!!!
Book #4 of the Finlay Donovan series picks right up where the last book ended. Finlay and Vero are on their way to Atlantic City to clean up the mess they have on their hands. They need to find Javi, and this time they are going under the guise of having a girls weekend. They have the kids, Finlay’s Mom, and Steven.
Let’s just say that when they arrive in Atlantic City, things are not what they expected.
This book has all of the hallmarks of a great Finlay Donovan installment: humor, mystery, thrills, a little romance, and family. All of the major characters are here - and more. The story went in a direction I was not expecting, and I have to say it: THAT ENDING!!!
I have so much more to say here, but all of it will spoil the story. I highly recommend that you read this series in order. You will not be disappointed, and you will have one of the best reading experiences ever! Finlay and Vero are two of my favorite characters. They are resourceful, empathetic, hilarious, caring, loyal, and quite frankly, bad ass.
If I haven’t made it clear enough, I highly recommend this book! This is one of my favorite series. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books. I am beyond grateful for the chance to read this book early. It releases on March 5, 2024 - if you haven’t started the series, start now, and you will be ready for this one!
Absolutely love this series! It’s light hearted and will make you laugh out loud. I’ll be picking up this series until it’s finished and recommending it to everyone!
ELLE COSIMANO knocks it out of the park again! I am not a fan of series but I am a HUGE fan of the Finlay Donovan books. In FINLAY DONOVAN ROLLS THE DICE we get our favorite heroine Finlay and her trusty sidekick Vero. There are some old players and of course a few new ones. This book like the others was a page turner because you can’t help wanting to know how things are going to turn out from the mess Finlay always gets herself in. This book had its mystery but it was also fun with female empowerment (because it’s Finlay) and because she’s so relatable. Everyone should read these books!