Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank by Elle Cosimano

From New York Times bestselling author Elle Cosimano, comes Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank—a hilarious short story diving into Finlay Donovan's partner-in-crime Vero's past.

Anyone can spot a window of opportunity, but not everyone can manage to fall straight through one.

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.

But nothing in Vero's world has ever been simple, so of course shortly after she begins work, she overhears a conversation between her new boss and a security guard: someone who works there has been stealing. Seeing a window of opportunity, Vero sets out to find the identity of the thief, present the evidence, and then push for the perfect job. All of which would be easier if her irresistibly infuriating childhood crush Javi wasn’t living in the same damn town.

Offering the insight that listeners have been craving into fan-favorite Vero's past and a closer look at the moment Finlay and Vero first meet, Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank is a can't-miss addition to the Finlay Donovan series.

Audiobook, 2 hours, 27 minutes

Published November 7, 2023

 by Macmillan Audio

3.5/5 stars

This is book 3.5 in the Finlay Donovan series. a novella/short story coming in just over 125 pages or 2 hours 27 minutes audio, which is the route I went.

My only disappointment with this book started with a different reader than the rest of the series. Maybe I was just used to her voice and can't handle the change, but suffice to say the other is spot on for Vero's voice.

The previous three books in the series hint at something that happened in Vero‘s past and here we finally get the story of what took place. It was a short listen/read, but gave insight into more of her character and what she is running from. It also offers more insight into how Finlay and Vero first meet.  Not required reading for this series but a fun break.

I obtained the audiobook via CloudLibrary