I delved into Desperate Girls expecting a good thriller, and instead I ended up reading a romance novel tinged with a little bit of suspense.
I can’t remember why I decided to add Desperate Girls by Laura Griffin to my TBR list. I think I saw a targeted ad for it somewhere, but I can’t be sure. Whatever the prompt — add it, I did, because the Goodreads book description made it sound like this book would be a sharp, intense thriller that would have me on the edge of my seat. However, I was only a few pages in when I realized that the story was set up like a classic romance novel. And, that’s basically all Desperate Girls ended up being.
I suppose, as a romance, this novel was pretty good, albeit incredibly formulaic. Female lead Brynn is your typical rom-com heroine: beautiful, polished, and professionally successful, but her personal life is a mess; she’s too busy with her career to find Mr. Right. Male lead Erik is your typical handsome and Incredibly Jacked Manly Man, with a soft spot underneath his brooding exterior that Brynn manages to expose.
Brynn is the lawyer working on Case B; meanwhile, the killer from a previous Case A has escaped from prison and is tracking her down. Erik is one of her personal bodyguards whom she wants nothing to do with…at first. They meet, they argue, they find mutual respect for one another, and they end up falling for each other over just a few days.
I know that the world loves a good illicit romance between personal security details and their clients (hello, Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston), but I find this trope a bit overdone and predictable, and the way the story played out in Desperate Girls was no exception. Both Brynn and Erik are likeable, though, and you root for them throughout the entire novel, even though you know they’ll end up together, whether you’re pulling for them or not. That’s just how these things go.
But, remember — Desperate Girls is billed as a suspense novel. Let’s talk about that for a sec. I’ve read some pretty great thrillers, so I’m sad to say that the suspense level in Desperate Girls is extremely low. While a sociopathic rapist/serial killer is certainly a credible threat, his pursuit of Brynn (and her colleagues) never really feels that urgent. He’s basically just the catalyst for throwing Brynn and Erik together. Even the scenes in which yet another victim is maimed or murdered, you’re like , Ho-hum. When are Brynn and Erik going to be alone together again??? The murdery-ness seems to take quite a backseat to everything else. This could also be because Brynn severely downplays any danger to her or others by continually doing what she wants to do, despite the bullets whizzing by her head as she makes goo-goo eyes at her bodyguard.
The title “Desperate Girls” is also a little misleading, as no one in the book seems particularly desperate, especially Brynn. As with the romance, the suspense follows a formula – the escaped killer keeps getting closer and closer to Brynn until, finally, it’s crunch time. There’s a small twist at the end, but I feel like if you’re familiar with the genre, you already know there will be a twist, and you’re just waiting to see what the twist will be. I found this particular one a little far-fetched and forced.
I usually don’t grade novels, but if I did, I would give Desperate Girls a “C.” This is an average book, and there’s nothing wrong with being average. The writing is good and the characters are likeable. The story is incredibly predictable, both in terms of the romance and the suspense, but it’s not boring; I definitely kept coming back to read more, and often. It’s an entertaining novel, as long as you aren’t expecting much more than a breezy, romantic read – yes, even with the grisly murder aspect. Pick this book up when you’re in search of a good vacation read.
Do you read romantic thrillers? If so, what are your favorite ones? Sound off below!
And, stay tuned for my book-inspired recipe – Smoked Gouda Burgers with Onion Jam!
