Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank is the perfect novella for giving backstory to one of the most beloved characters I’ve read in a series. I truly love that now I know the real backstory behind how Vero and Finlay meet, it puts a ton of context to Vero that I didn’t have before, and a devoted reader of the series, I really enjoyed getting that insight and backstory. I love how Vero’s sassiness that we know and love from the series comes out toward the end of the story and how we see her start to grow from the timid, college runaway dropout to who we meet and love in the first Finlay Donovan novel. This is one of my favorite series and I’d love to see more novellas of the different characters and Vero later!

This short story was a fun look into Vero’s adventure at a local bank before she meets Finlay. I enjoyed it and it was fun, but I wouldn’t call it a must read for Finlay Donovan fans.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur for a free copy of this short story.

Not a fan of the Finlay Donovan series (gave up after 2 books) but Vero was always my favourite so I gave this a go.

This was a nice filler and fun fan service, but ultimately doesn't really do anything...? There's none of the spark or wit that made me adore Vero so much. There are also so many loose ends. Loved the 'meet-cute' at the end though!

Overall, enjoyable but also forgettable.

DNF - the formatting makes it very difficult to read. All the words are running together. I’m sure it’s a good read as I enjoyed the others books in the series. #VeronicaRuizBreakstheBank #NetGalley

Before Vero became a nanny for Finlay she had a whole different life. One where she was in a sorority, doing great at university, and hoping to get a job after college. However, that all changes when she is accused of stealing money from the sorority she is in. Now she has left college (told no one) and is kind of on the run to get the money back. Now she is hiding but also not hiding at her cousins, where her ex-boyfriend is also living (but she has no idea about that until it is too late). Now she has to figure out her next steps with both her life and her ex.

Let me start by saying, I absolutely love the world of Finlay Donovan (I have already read the newest installment in the series). This novella was perfect. I loved getting more backstory on Vero and seeing how she met Finlay and got her job. I also liked learning more about her as a person, what does she like? What happened in her life to lead her to Finlay? It was all answered in this absolutely perfect novella. I am hoping to see that in the next installment (after the one that just came out) we get even more Vero and Finlay!

I was so excited to read this one because Vero is one of my favorite characters and it did not disappoint. I loved seeing more of the pieces of her story come together to give the reader a fuller picture of her and her strengths as well as the background of her and Javi. Fans of the series will absolutely love this one and the opportunity to get to know Vero better. Highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

We finally find out how Vero and Finlay meet! Not how I expected but I will take it. Vero dropped out of school and gets caught breaking into her cousin's garage. She thought she would spend the night on his office couch for the night while figuring out what to do. She wasn't expecting him to be there and come at her with a baseball bat. Good thing he didn't bean her with it. Instead he took her home and put her up on his couch. Now she has to figure out what to do. Her sorority sisters are framing her for stealing their treasury and she is on the run. She needs a job and she know finance so thinks "bank" and applies for a job at a bank but the only job they have is a janitor job. She finds out they have a problem there with someone stealing and she is going to find out who did it. Love this series! One laugh after another!

Thanks Netgalley, author , St.Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for honest review.

Veronica Ruiz is on the run—hiding from her parents, the police, and possibly even her local barista for all we know. Wrongly accused of a crime she didn’t commit, she’s dodging everyone and everything... except opportunity. Spotting a job opening at a bank dealing with its own little “theft problem,” Veronica swoops in as a cleaning lady. Her plan? Find the thief, clear her name, and maybe, just maybe, get her life together. No pressure.

This little novella has been gathering dust on my TBR for far too long, so when NetGalley threw me a lifeline, I snagged it faster than Veronica could spot a scam. Clocking in at under 100 pages, this is a breezy, snack-sized backstory for fans of the Finlay Donovan series.

Here’s the scoop: It’s all about Veronica, a.k.a. Finlay’s BFF, ride-or-die babysitter, and partner in (sometimes literal) crime. Think of her as the Robin to Finlay’s Batman or the Watson to her Sherlock. While Finlay pops in for a quick cameo, this story focuses on how Veronica hit rock bottom, found her way to Finlay’s orbit, and managed to (mostly) survive her questionable decisions.

There’s a sprinkle of family drama (thanks, Cousin Ramon), a dash of romance (hello, Javier), and plenty of “how did she even survive this?” moments. While the story isn’t mind-blowingly amazing, it does remind us why Veronica is the MVP of the series—witty, resourceful, and always quick on her feet. That said, I did miss the chaotic, laugh-out-loud banter between her and Finlay.
I’m giving this a solid 3.5/5 ⭐.

It’s a fun read for die-hard fans of the series (ahem, like me) or anyone suffering from FOMO and just has to know everything. Is it life-changing? No. Does it add some depth to Veronica’s character? Absolutely. Recommend it for Veronica stans, series newbies, and anyone who just wants a quick, quirky read!

I wouldn't say that this is an excellent addition to the Finlay Donovan universe, but it is a great stand alone story. It does not have the same quirkiness at the Finlay-verse. And it almost seems like a completely different character than the Vero we know and love. But reading it as a story on its own, its not bad at all. Cute novella.

Short story about Vero - goes in between some of the Finlay Donovan novels. If you like the rest you will enjoy this short story! I have been reading through the back stories in order to review the latest novel coming out in February 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. #sponsored

Loved the little glimpse into Vero's background! While I didn't find it as funny as the books, I did enjoy seeing just how Vero and Finlay met. Vero is incredibly intelligent and we get to see her "book" smarts in this story as well as her "street" smarts that we typically get to see in the novels. Looking forward to more Finlay and Vero adventures in the future!

As a Finlay Donovan fan, this was disappointing. Vero is the best character and I don't feel like this really did her justice. I didn't listen to the audiobook, but I normally do and the fact that they didn't use the same voice is also a disservice. I'm glad I got to see how Vero and Finlay met but that was really all that was good about this for me.

Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank presents Vero's origin story. I enjoyed this as a kind of prequel to what led Vero to Finlay and the situations they encounter in the main line of Finlay Donovan books. However, I felt like it was missing that Vero spark. There wasn't nearly enough sass, humor, or tomfoolery for what I've come to expect from Vero. That said, I do recommend the book as it gives some great context to the wonderful Finlay Donovan books.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for gifting me with an ARC to review! All opinions are my own.

This provides a nice back story on Vero who is Finlay Donovan’s nanny from the series. It was the background I feel like I really needed. This was a quick fast paced read and I really enjoyed it! I love the Finlay Donovan series and this is a great addition.

Cute short story about how Vero became a character in the Findley Donovan series.
Formatting issue made it very difficult to read. This ARC was provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This hysterical addition to the Finlay Donovan series gives all the deets on the life of her partner-in-crime, Vero. Such fun!!!

We do learn a few things about Vero, and we do find out how Vero met Finlay. Thing is, I'm underwhelmed. If I were to describe this story in one word, it would be mediocre.

I love all of the Finlay Donovan books so much, and it was fun to learn more of Vero's back story. She's such a fun, unique character, and this background, while not necessary to read the other books, certainly gives a good idea of why she is the way she is!

If you love the Finlay Donovan books, you'll love this one too!

A quick, short story on Veros backstory, this book was entertaining, but maybe could have been added to a book in the main series as a bonus.

#netgalley #VeronicaRuizBreakstheBank

Stars: 2.5

Thank you St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for allowing me to read and review Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank,
a short story by Elle Cosimano in exchange for my honest opinion.

Published: 11/07/23

Cosimano gave in to fans writing this supplement on Vero and her back story. If I remember correctly, the original plans did not include this segment. Personally, I could have done without it.

The story feels thrown together and lackadaisical. It left a sour taste in my mouth.

There is profanity.

Overall, I suggest skipping.