Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead

Charming, adorable, smart, and funny author turned magnet-for-trouble, Finlay Donovan, and Vero, her kids’ sassy nanny/partner-in-crime are back, and it was just what I needed! I love these two.

This time around, someone on a questionable women’s chat forum appears to have put a hit out on Finlay’s ex-husband, Steven.  Her efforts to protect him from this mystery person lead her and Vero into increasingly sticky and macabre situations, à la the first book.  In fact, things pick up right where the last one left off, so some familiar faces return mixed with a few new ones.

Are the events and explanations completely preposterous? Yes!!  That’s kinda what makes these stories such a delight for me.  No one would get away with what Finlay and Vero do time and time again, but half the fun is the creative ways in which Cosimano can get these two out of the messes they make, and they are some doozies! 

On the romantic front, Finlay’s love triangle with Nick, the cop, and Julian, the law student, continues, and I already know which one I wish she’d choose.  Did she pick him?  That would be telling ….

Some have said this doesn’t quite capture the magic of the first book. I get that.  Elle Cosimano writes in her acknowledgments how difficult it was to write a comedic story during pandemic lockdowns, a stressful election and other difficult world events, but I thought she did an admirable job, and I can’t wait for her to write the next book in the series!

★★★★

This publishes in two days, on February 1st.  Thanks to St. Martins Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley and author Elle Cosimano for this ARC.  My opinions are given honestly and freely.