Synopsis:
Veronica Ruiz is on the run for the first time in her life—though certainly not the last. After being falsely accused of stealing money from her college sorority, she packs up and heads to her cousin Ramón's apartment, planning to change her name and rebuild start over away from backstabbing girls and university drama (and far, far away from her arrest warrant in Maryland).

At the local bank on the first morning of her new life, it occurs to Vero that she'd be a better bank teller than most of the current employees: she may not have much money, but what little she does have, she knows how to manage. Unfortunately, the only available position is a cleaning job and so, desperate for a fresh start, she takes the bank manager’s offer.

Thoughts:
It was nice having a deep dive into Veronica’s background. But I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the others.

Would have probably enjoyed this more, had I read it before reading book 4. Didn't know that this book was part of the "Finlay" Universe. I'll have to read it again. at some point.

So this was a cute short story about Vero’s back story. It was fun to find out how she solved the mystery of the missing money at the bank and met Finlay for the first time. I still wish there had been more of an explanation as to what made her just flee her college in the middle of the night, rather than let everyone know she had nothing to do with the theft & finished her degree like a normal person would have.

Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank is a novella companion to the Finlay Donovan saga where it shows Vero's life before she meets Finlay and what drove her to be working as a bank teller as Finlay stumbles into Vero's life. As per goodreads this is 3.5 on the saga, so I read it after finishing Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun.

This novella was a nice addition to the Finlay Donovan story, I enjoyed getting a backstory on Vero's life and the take away point from this book is I want more Vero and Javi scenes,

Thank you NetGalley and Elle Cosimano for making this book available as a read now on NetGalley and giving me a chance to binge on this series.

I love this short story. If you ever want to know how Vero and Findlay met, here’s your chance! I must read for Findlay Donovan fans!

Elle Cosimano's "Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank" is a witty and engaging heist novel that subverts expectations and delivers a truly unique reading experience.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC short story in the Finaly Donovan series. As a true fan of the series, I absolutely adored this short story about one of my favorite characters. Vero is hilarious and I really enjoy the banter between her and Javi. A definite read for anyone who loves this series. I can't wait to read the next installment!

Love it it was nice to hear Vera‘s backstory after reading all the books in the Finlay Donovan series! It was a short read, but packed full of humor mystery and romance. Thank you, NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the chance to read and review.

In the past, I'd never read the Finlay Donovan novels by Elle Cosimano. I missed reading the first, and then the second one caught my eye, but I felt I should read the first before reading it and just didn't. Over and over, the newest one would catch my eye but I would not read it. Recently, the fifth one did the same thing, but I was offered the opportunity to read and review all the preceding ones in one chunk.  That was all the incentive I needed. I was all in once I "got to know" the characters.  These novels are full of funny, laughable moments and memorable characters set in a cozy mystery setting. These reminded me of my younger years and reading Nancy Drew, and more recently, reading Janet Evanovich. Can you read any one of them as a stand-alone? Sure, but why?  I highly recommend you read them in order as a set and plan to pick up the future ones as they come out. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

I am absolutely obsessed with all of the Finlay Donovan books and getting more insight on Vero was so much fun! I loved being able to catch these quick glimpses of the story and seeing it become more profound.

This was a very cute short story. I love this character in the series so it was a nice little way of getting to know her story more.

After her sorority accuses her of stealing the sorority’s money, she quits school, packs up, and heads to her cousin Ramon’s house to hide out. Planning to change her name and start over, she heads to a bank to apply for a finance job. Instead she finds herself hired as a janitor. While there, she discovers a mystery she can’t wait to solve. Someone at the bank is stealing money from the bank,. Seeing an opportunity to get promoted to teller if she can solve the mystery, Vero starts investigating. Meanwhile, her childhood crush, Javi is back in her life and she’s finding him hard to resist. Will Vero solve the mystery and get promoted? What will Vero end up deciding about her future?

The plot is well written, engaging, and entertaining. The characters are likable, realistic, and memorable. For fans of the series, it’s fun to see Vero’s origin story and how she first encountered Finlay. Readers who like humor, mystery, and strong female characters will want to pick this one up. It’s not necessary to read the other books in the series, but readers will definitely want to read the rest. Recommended for most library collections.

I loved getting to learn more about Vero in this short story from the Finlay Donovan universe. More please!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

This was so fun! I loved hearing Vero’s backstory. Definitely a great addition to the series. She is so funny and adventurous and this story fit her character perfectly.

Supremely amusing short story that adds another layer to Vero! I found that Finley not taking main stage nor narrative was a bit jarring but the payoff was worth it!

Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank by Elle Cosimano is a short story that gives fans of the Finaly Donovan series some background information on the life of Finlay's nanny-turned-sidekick, Vero. When the story begins Veronica Ramirez is a college dropout. She has just been falsely accused of stealing money from her sorority and decides that dropping out and skipping town is the only solution. When she returns to her hometown to start a new life, she discovers she would make an excellent bank employee. The bank happens to be dealing with a thief of its own and Vero is determined to solve the mystery. While this wasn't quite as funny as the other books in this series, it was a quick and entertaining read.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.

*Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank* by Elle Cosimano is a fresh, fun, and thrilling addition to the *Finlay Donovan* series. Focused on the feisty and sharp-witted Veronica Ruiz, this spin-off delivers a perfect mix of suspense, humor, and heart. Cosimano’s writing is as clever as ever, with witty dialogue and unexpected twists that keep readers on their toes. Veronica’s journey is packed with bold moves, daring decisions, and a cast of lovable characters. If you’re a fan of the *Finlay Donovan* world, this book is a must-read, offering a fresh perspective and plenty of excitement!

Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank is a prequel short story to the Finlay Donovan series focusing on Vero's backstory.

I was waitinggggggggg for this ever since I read Finaly Donovan Is Killing It. Vero is a standout character for me in the Finlay Donovan series and I'm glad she finally has a dedicated short story. Hopefully this is just the beginning of more to come.

In Veronica Cruz Breaks the Bank we are introduced to a younger Vero. She recently decided to drop out of college after some allegations from her sorority sisters. Vero sees this as an opportunity to start fresh. In this story we also get to see how Vero and Finley meet.

This short story is over the top just like Elle Cosimano's other books. It was short and sweet. I found myself laughing and chuckling.

If you're a fan of the Finlay Donovan series I recommend you pick this one up.

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced reader's copy of Veronica Breaks the Bank.

I have enjoyed all of the Finlay Donovan books, so far, and was not aware that a novella had been released between the 3rd and 4th books. This cute little story delves into a bit of Vero's past, letting readers know when and how Vero and Finlay crossed paths and how Vero ended up back in town.

Like the Finlay novels, there is a humorous side of the story, but I did not find this one incredibly funny. Vero is my favorite character in the books, so I liked that this one focused solely on her, with Ramone and Javier playing significant roles. Truthfully, I didn't learn a whole lot of new information, and things from Vero's past were not resolved, but the story is fun and I would not mind if Ms. Cosimano decided to write a few more Veronica Ruiz books, too.

Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur for the digital copy of Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank by Elle Cosimano. The opinions in this review are my own.

I did not expect to have so much fun in such a short book! I absolutely loved getting a peek into Vero's past, and this vignette really solidified her as a favorite in the series. She shows so much spunk, and I love how smart she is. So glad we got a story with her in the lead.