A fun read in the romantic suspense genre.

Heather Graham can be counted upon to give the reader smart, resourceful heroines and equally clever heroes. In this tale, Nick (an undercover agent) finds himself part of a kidnapping….and he and the victim, Kody, have met before. Will she blow his cover? Can he keep her safe? And, of course, can they control the inevitable sparks they evoke in one another as they traipse through the Florida Everglades?

Another enjoyable read from Heather Graham, and i highly recommend it to her fans as well as fans of the genre. Thanks to NetGalley for the reading copy,

Law and Disorder by Heather Graham
A special thanks to Harlequin Intrigue and NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Short and sweet was just the ticket today! Off the coast of Florida burried in the Everglades is a long left behind treasure that a gangster has left behind. Kody who has been around for the Crystal Manor her whole life is kidnapped to help the criminals find the treasure not one but 2x. The character are well written and resilient as well as quite resourceful. It was a great short read.

Kody could not believe that she is being ushered out of her guard shack to the main house by a guy in a mask. She feels like she knows him, well at least his eyes but she doesn't know any criminals she thinks. When she gets to the main house no one is around and she asks where are the rest of the employees and the guests and is told they are safe. Dillinger as he is dressed tells her that if she finds the riches hidden by her ancestors they will go free.
Nick is dressed as Barrows and he is doing the escorting of Kody to a spot in the office and he has a feeling she is gonna recognize him. Nick is in the FBI and is undercover to try and bring this criminal to justice but he also feels he has to keep Kody safe. Kody is no wilting violet and she has no trouble saying what she thinks which could get her killed.
As they navigate trying to find the treasure and not get anyone killed Kody begins to trust Barrows and he gains a lot of respect for her. This story is very action packed with a lot of underlying sexual tension.

Law and Disorder is the first installment in the new Finnegan Connection series by Heather Graham, featuring side characters from her New York Confidential series. I’m more familiar with her paranormal Krewe of Hunters series, which I’ve read several and really enjoyed, so I jumped in to Law and Disorder expecting a fast paced book full of danger, intrigue, and a bit of romance–and Heather Graham delivered.

Kody Cameron is a New York City actress/waitress who’s taken a short leave to return to Florida to work at the historic mansion that her father had inherited. The last thing she’d expected was for criminals wearing rubber masks to storm the property, taking her and her coworkers and the guests hostage while they looked for the infamous loot that a gangster from the early twentieth century might have buried there. And she certainly didn’t expect to see a familiar pair of strikingly handsome eyes staring back at her with recognition from behind one of those masks. If only she could figure out where she knows this criminal from who’s trying to keep everyone safe…

Nick Connolly was intrigued by Kody from the moment he’d met her in Finnegan’s pub in New York when meeting up with his FBI agent coworker, Craig. But they never got a chance to go on a date before she returned to Florida and Nick went undercover to infiltrate a gang of thieves led by someone who’s made his way down the eastern seaboard to Florida, Nick’s native stomping grounds. Nick’s just as surprised as Kody when he’s forced to play along and hold her hostage in the mansion, and then kidnap her to search for the treasure out in the unforgiving Florida Everglades. But Kody knows her gangster history and she’s fiesty, and Nick prays that she doesn’t remember where she knows him from or that he’s actually FBI–or they’ll both wind up dead.

Kody is feisty, book smart, and a bit sheltered, but she’s loyal to a fault. Nick is a fantastic FBI agent who’s career has led him to this dangerous undercover operation. He plays the bad guy well, all while keeping people from getting in harms way or becoming collatoral damage. With her knowledge of the mob in the early twentieth century and the Everglades, and with Nick’s protection and ability to manipulate the head of the crime group, they’ll stop at nothing until everyone is safe and the bad guys are in jail.

I give Law and Disorder a four out of five. This book was fast paced and flowed from one scene to another well. The beginning of the book has a lot of characters being introduced at the mansion, as well as the backstory of Nick and Kody’s friends and connections to each other. It was a bit hard to muddle through and keep straight. The main character’s name is Dakota with a nickname of Kody, and it wasn’t that obvious at first that they were one person. Overall, the unique Florida setting in an historic mansion and the dangerous Everglades painted a great picture for a thrilling race to get free.

Kody Cameron recognizes something in her captor’s eyes that makes her believe she can trust him. Undercover agent Nick Connolly has met Kody before and knows she might very well blow his cover. can they make it out of the Everglades alive?

What is it with this month and captors? This has a lot of fun historical snippets here and there, but there are a lot of side characters to keep up with and I felt like there wasn’t much character development in general. The story feels very rushed and choppy.

Bottom Line: This was a quick read, but I feel indifferent about it. I enjoyed the action at the beginning but started to get bored with it. It felt a little choppy and rushed to me.

**I received a copy of Law and Disorder from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own**

For the first time in a long time, I have to say that I can't recommend a title by Heather. And I almost wish I could but I really can't love this one. I was so bored and it wasn't really a romance, it didn't have anything spooky the way the cover suggests, it felt like an older title that they attempted to modernize and it really didn't feel like a Heather Graham title at all. I went into this one blind, just off the brand of Heather's unique stories and knowing how captivating she is, and this as just not for me.

You know you're in trouble when the villain has more personality than the main characters. I actually remember more about Dillinger than I do about the main characters, like I had to look up their names to write this review meanwhile I remembered the criminal's name no problem. I felt like I kept waiting for something paranormal to happen and when it was done and it hadn't I was severely disappointed. This villain came prepared and at the same was a complete idiot. He took the time to have back up plans, contingency plans, by kidnapping the child, had escape routes all planned out and yet he was still looking for unverified buried treasure. Like who really does that??

The female character Kody kept acting stupid, because let's be real the men with the guns make the rules, they don't have to do shyt you say. She felt like two characters were being mixed together and we weren't quite sure which one was supposed to come out on top. She's attempting to be an actress in NYC while working as a bartender and also working at the historic home that's in her family, she out of everyone knows the history the best and had the villain just grabbed her and threatened her family he would have gotten better results than the ridiculousness of grabbing an entire hotel of people and staff. Just too unrealistic to believe but then again truth is stranger than fiction.

Nick is an undercover cop and we learn that in a few minutes of the home being on lock down. The two characters met briefly as she was walking out the door while he was walking in to the bar she works in NYC over a year ago, and I'm supposed to believe that's enough of a connection that they remember each other and begin to fall for each other while he's lying about who he is and she's being held at gunpoint. Yeah ok. Even though Nick does his job well while trying to keep the body count low and the federal crime list from climbing; Kody mouths off to the leader who has a gun and has proven he's willing to make people bleed. She has way too many too stupid to live moments within the book and each and every single time I'm like girl what?? the man has a gun and is crazy. Shut up and do what he says, you have one job and it's not to get me killed.

Even though I learned that even in Florida there are crocodiles which I had to stop to google before I finished reading, and I fell in love with the landscape and the description of the Everglades to be honest almost nothing else about this story made much sense. The romance took a backseat to everything else and then when it finally had center stage it felt rushed, dry and wasn't as passionate and fun as Heather's other romances have always been for me.

The story revolves around the hidden treasure, the kidnapped child and romance. However, the romance wasn't really believable because they only spent like a wweek together while he was someone else, not much to build something on. This book truly felt like it was written years ago and then they brought it back out and modernized it somewhat, just the mannerisms, the lack of reliance on cellphones or any modern tech just branded it as odd.

I did love the Everglades and the historical information that got dumped throughout the story but beyond that, this story wasn't very believable the ending was a bit predictable however how Dillinger got caught wasn't and I learned a new nursery rhyme for when I'm in Florida.

If you're looking for good romantic suspense then I recommend Heather's other books, and of course Julie Garood's Buchanan -Renard series. I'm not sure I will follow the rest of this, after all I have plenty of the paranormal romance from Heather to catch up on.

★★☆☆☆
Have you read this?? Share in the comments wheat you thought so we can discuss.

a bit slow to start. But you're always guaranteed a good read with Heather Graham

I couldn't bring myself to really enjoy this one book, normally love Mrs. Graham's romantic suspense but this one just lacked some of that Graham charm

She had to remember she was in danger. That Nick had been her captor-who had turned into her savior.

A fun read of cat and mouse and a little chemistry. Kody Cameron has just walked into a minefield. A group of nervous men have taken over the inn her parents own and have marked her to help in recovering buried treasure. Among the group of masked men, there is one set of eyes that look familiar. Those familiar eyes belong to FBI agent Nick who has infiltrated these masked men to bring down their leader. In the process, he recognizes Kody and fears that Kody will break his cover and a war will break out in the Everglades.

The plot becomes intense as the two learn to trust each other with their lives.

A Special Thank You to Harlequin and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

Good historical look at South Florida and the past. Another engaging book for any fan of Heather or the genre.

Kody Cameron intended to help with her family's estate in Florida before going back to New York to work in live dinner theater. Unfortunately, there had been rumors of mob treasure buried on the property her family owns, and a team of thieves is determined to get it. Luckily for her, one of them is actually undercover FBI agent Nick Connolly. He does his best to minimize the violence and urges Kody to look through historical documents to find the treasure. It isn't just because he's a good agent, it's because he had met her before and wants the chance to ask her out.

Kody is a very likable heroine, and she works to undermine the thieves whenever possible. Even when terrified for her safety, she also is concerned for the safety of the manor staff, her parents, and the kidnapping victim that Nick is looking for. It's a believable kind of bravery because she doesn't have superhuman strength, just adrenaline, love and loyalty pushing her forward. Nick is an upstanding agent and does his best to balance the undercover work with saving others. Both are well-rounded characters, and the way they're drawn to each other feels natural over the course of the story. We don't necessarily see much of the supporting cast, so they're more thinly described. The suspense and plotting is fast paced and carries you through to the end, which is a very satisfying conclusion. It's a nice romantic thriller to curl up and read.

Good mystery with excellent plot development and fun characters. Loved that they found the treasure and interesting steps taken to discover it. I really enjoy this author.

Trust the enemy?
Desperate to escape her kidnappers, Kody Cameron can turn to only one man—and he's holding a gun. Outnumbered and trapped in the deadly Everglades, she has little recourse, but something in this captor's eyes makes her believe she can trust him. Does she dare to take the risk?

Undercover agent Nick Connolly has met Kody before and knows she might very well blow his cover. Though determined to maintain his facade, he can't let Kody die. He won't. And his decision to change his own rules of law and order are about to make all hell break loose.



* * * * *



I just love a romantic suspense that you can just sink into with great characters that make the story come alive. LAW AND DISORDER is just such a book. Kody is a spunky heroine is who is willing to risk her life for others. Nick is undercover as one of the gang of kidnappers but he is doing everything that he can to make sure everyone makes it out alive, especially Kody. Appleby is insane but highly functioning and obsessed with an old treasure. And he is sure that Kody is the key to finding it.



This book is fraught with danger and tension not only from the men that kidnapped Kody and her friends but from the surroundings themselves, the Florida Everglades. Not knowing if you are going to be shot or eaten by an alligator puts a real damper on the situation. Adding to that is the fact that Kody feels as though she is going insane because of her attraction to Nick who as far as she knows is a criminal.


I do feel that my readers who enjoy a romantic suspense will enjoy this book. I really liked the characters and the setting itself. There is some violence but no graphic sex.



*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.

A while back, I read some of Heather Graham’s Krewe of Hunters series and really liked them. But it’s a big series and I’m going to need a large round tuit to get caught up. So when Law and Disorder came up as the first book in a new series, it seemed like a great chance to get in on the ground floor.

But I’m not sure that I did.

Law and Disorder is a quick and enjoyable read, but it doesn’t feel like the first book in a series. There are lots of references to the main characters in her other recent started series, New York Confidential. To the point where the Finnegan Connection feels like a side-series to New York Confidential. That connection being Finnegan’s Pub in New York City, which seems to be the centerpiece for the other series.

Nick and Kody, the hero and heroine in Law and Disorder are both friends of those Finnegans, and they actually bumped into each other, very briefly, one night at Finnegan’s. A chance encounter that helps to set up what would otherwise be a case of insta-love in Law and Disorder, mixed with just a bit of Stockholm Syndrome.

That earlier encounter takes the romance out of squicky territory, considering the way that the couple meets in this story. She thinks that he’s an upstanding (so to speak) member of the criminal gang that has just taken her and her entire staff hostage while they search for a mythical treasure. When she finally remembers where she’s seen him before, she also remembers that he’s no criminal, but rather an FBI agent who must be undercover in this mess.

She’s still kidnapped, and her captors still want that mythical treasure. Even weirder, they expect her to find it. And she just might.

Kody Cameron is an expert on her family’s strange heritage – the former home of mobster Jimmy Crystal and its extremely checkered history. A former resident of the Crystal Palace left tantalizing clues to a never recovered bank heist of gold and gems, and the kidnappers think that if they put enough pressure on Kody she’ll be inspired to discover a trove that may have been swallowed by the Florida Everglades.

And so might they.

Escape Rating C+: Law and Disorder is a relatively short book, somewhere in that uncomfortable length between novel and novella. And it probably should have been just a bit longer.

It’s a quick, fun read, but that skimpy length forced the author to short a bit on both character development and on background. And this is a story whose plot relies on a lot of that missing background.

It is possible that some of the missing character development is in Flawless, the first book in the New York Confidential series that introduces the Finnegans and Nick’s FBI handler on this case, Craig Frasier.

It’s also possible that we’re meant to just go with the instant connection between FBI agent Nick Connolly and Kody Cameron. After all, he does rescue her. But I am left wondering.

The big piece of background that feels missing is the history of Kody’s Crystal Palace and the mob bosses of Florida. Kody’s expertise on the topic is the reason that Kody gets swept up into this mess. The particular treasure trove in question has been missing for decades, and lots of things and people have been swallowed up by the Everglades. The way that Kody sifts through the tiny clues and puts the pieces together is a process that usually takes days and lots more research. The treasure hunt alone could have made a fascinating story as well as all the dirt on what happened long ago and how Kody figures it all out now. I would love to have read that book.

It might also have explained how and why the ringleader of this band of thugs became so obsessed with the old stash. It all feels like a bit of a missed opportunity.

All in all, this was a fun, quick read. And it whetted my reading appetite for the New York Confidential series, which is only two books in. Finnegan’s sounds like a great place!

Let me first say this book is related to the Finnegan family, which Heather Graham readers first met in "Flawless". I want to put that out there because this series is definitely different than what Heather Graham readers are used to. I've read over 20 books from this author and this book definitely kept me surprised.

One thing I really enjoyed about this story was that it felt really fast paced to me. The action starts from the first page. I, personally, enjoyed that because it was easy for me to stay engaged, instead of wondering what the mystery is. I guess I would say this story is more about the actual action, as opposed to the mystery in the story. As readers, we know right away who the bad guys are and what they are after.

With this author, I always enjoy the history that is seeped into the story. In this book, our crooks after a treasure in southern Florida and they believe Kody is the key to helping them find it. I'm a history buff and seeing the past come to life in the story is always enjoyable for me. While mentioning history, I also have to mention that Kody and Nick also have history. Not just in their meeting but also in their life. One facet that I have always loved about this author and her characters is that while they have had bad breaks or lost loves, it never turns into a bitterness party. Our characters are mature enough to communicate and I appreciate that because I don't enjoy getting caught up in past drama that doesn't really enhance the story much.

One feeling that I couldn't escape with this book was feeling that the author might be trying to reach out to new readers with this series. Kody and Nick do have somewhat of a "whirlwind" romance and it did feel somewhat like insta-love to me. I don't have a problem with that, but I do know long time readers of Heather Graham might not be used to it. For me, I enjoy anytime an author pushes themselves outside of the box while still writing a great book.

I would absolutely recommend this book. Like all Heather Graham books, I was so engrossed that I didn't even realize I was at the 70% mark until I was there and then like a good bookworm, I had to finish it off. I appreciate the venture outside of the norm for the author and found this cast of characters really enjoyable.

A fast pace book laced with romance and danger at every corner. This is the first book in the series and I'm looking forward to the other books in the series.

Here is another engaging story from Heather Graham. She creates interesting major characters who face dangerous situations but always safe at the end. The story flows with ease from beginning to end.

This book had the potential for greatness. The plot was interesting and fresh, but the beginning (during the hostage situation) dragged on and on. The last third was great - fast-moving, suspenseful, and romantic.

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know I am a huge fan of this author. I have enjoyed her Krewe of Hunters series along with most of her other books. The way she weaves in historical fact into her stories in adds to the appeal and enjoyment for me. Law and Disorder is the first in a new series put out by Harlequin's Intrigue imprint. I was so excited to get a new series that I eagerly dove into the book.

Unfortunately, this book didn't really do much for me. The length really had a lot to do with it. It was too short for me to really get into the characters and want to root for them. Don't get me wrong, the story starts off with a gun in Kody's face, literally. I was expecting a fast paced suspense. I didn't get it. The writing felt disjointed and repetitive. The dialogue was a bit cheesy at times. Honestly, I kept thinking someone else wrote this book. It wasn't the quality that I know and usually get from this author.

One thing I did like was Kody. I love a strong female lead and she fit the bill. She just wasn't enough to carry the book for me. I definitely didn't buy into the love story. How did they fall in love exactly? The HEA ending was just way too fast for me to believe. I would have been fine had there been no romance in the book at all.

I'll probably check out the next book in the series. I'm always hopeful that a series will get better as the books come out.