This is book one of the author's new series, featuring the Wolfe Security team (hence the series title).  Told in the third person, our two main characters meant under less than ideal circumstances.

Brynn Holloran is a lawyer, about to begin a high-profile case.  Unfortunately for her and her co-workers, they are now believed to be targets of a serial killer seeking revenge for reasons unknown.  Enter Erik Morgan, one of the members of the Wolfe Security team, who are hired to protect Brynn, and her co-worker Ross, as they begin their new trial.

This story itself shifts back and forth from Brynn's current court case, to the growing threats as the casualty count increases involving people who worked with Brynn on this serial killer's case.  As the story-lines switched, I had mixed feeling about the heroine.  

What I like about her:
I love a heroine that is smart and hard working.  Brynn is both of those things and is why her firm is in demand.  Despite everything happening around her, she tries to keep focused on her case, and believing in her client's innocence, makes helping him a priority.  

What I didn't like about her:
At times, this dedication was also a negative, as she took some risks that weren't necessary.  I'm not sure if she didn't think the threats to her life weren't credible, or she felt untouchable, but she definitely didn't make things easy for Erik and his team.  

Despite my likes and dislikes, Brynn is best described as a strong heroine.  She doesn't hole up and cower to the threats building around her.  She fights to do her job and not let fear rule her, which is admirable

Like Brynn, Erik is also dedicated to protecting his client, in this case, her.  And that similar mindset is likely a part of their attraction to one another.  Add their close quarters 24/7 and the intense situations surrounding them, the sparks seemed inevitable.

Having read several books in the author's Tracers series, I'm familiar with her use of in depth technical details, adding authenticity to a fictional story, along with the element of romance woven within the story-line.  This story is no different on the technical side and I thought the story was well thought out and unpredictable.  As for the romance element, I thought this was one of the author's better story-lines.  With the main couple forced to interact daily, the building sexual tension fit well with the overall plot, instead of being an afterthought.

For romantic suspense lovers, this is a well-plotted book with a good level of mystery to keep you engaged.  Along with some heat between the main characters, desperate to rid themselves of the daily tension, this is a great beginning to a new series.

This is my first Laura Griffin book and I was instantly hooked !   
Brynn Holliean is a spunky, tough, lawyer being protected from a serial killer she helped imprision .  During this time she falls for Erik Morgan, one of her bodyguards and a former marine.  
Twists and turns and engaging and interesting characters!  I am now a Laura Griffin fan for life !

This was a well written and fast moving thriller. I enjoyed the characters and the plot grabbed me. I would definitely read this author again and would give the book 4 stars. My only negative feedback is that the title doesn’t fit with the book very well.

I'm a huge Laura Griffin fan and while I enjoyed this book it didn't quite live up to some of her other books which are on my favorite's list. This book was a bit lighter on the investigation aspect and a bit heavier on the romance (which I normally would like more) but I wasn't a huge fan of the heroine. The reader knows who the villain is from the beginning as he is an escaped convict who is killing anyone involved in him receiving his guilty verdict. Brynn is an attorney who worked for the lead prosecutor before she made the switch to being a defense attorney. She is currently in the middle of a huge case and can't just go into hiding so her boss hires one of the top security firms to provide bodyguards for her and her co-worker. Brynn is a hard character to like as she is quite self-absorbed and refuses to believe that she is really in danger for the first part of the book. While she isn't quite TSTL she is aggravating. We do eventually get a bit more on her background and while I never really loved her I did at least get to the point where I understood her a bit more and didn't dislike her. The other MC is Erik Morgan who is the lead bodyguard for Brynn. While I really loved his character I was a bit disappointed at how quickly he through his rule of not getting involved with a client out the window. It didn't really ring true for me and I thought it went against what I believed his character would do. The two fall in lust pretty quickly and act on quickly as well. While I didn't feel like this took to much away from the book I would have liked a slower burn and a bit more angst for Erik in breaking this rule. This book still has plenty of suspense and an interesting twist at the end that I did not see coming!. When I'm looking for a good suspense book with plenty of action and a romance I turn to Laura Griffin and this one lives up to that as well.

This was my first Laura Griffin book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn't get the title in relation to the book though.  Brynn Holloran, a lawyer, is being protected by Wolfe Security to protect her from a serial killer who escaped from prison and is going after the legal team who helped put him there. During this time Brynn falls for Erik who is one of the hired bodyguards. This was more romance than suspense  and was not as action packed as other thrillers that I have read, but it still held its own and does have a twist I never saw coming. I definitely would recommend it.

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley for my honest review.

Blowback is imminent when a serial killer seeks revenge…

This is the first book in the Wolfe Security series that can be read as a stand-alone.

Before she was a criminal defense attorney Brynn Holloran was a prosecutor and as such worked on a case that sent a serial killer to prison. When the man escapes the maximum security penitentiary he’d been in after three years of incarceration and kills a judge, a woman who was lead prosecutor on his case, Brynn has reason to worry about her safety. Her boss is leaving nothing to chance and hires a security firm to protect his two attorneys.

Brynn is tough, a woman with an intimidating personality to some and she hates the restrictions placed upon her by the security team. She fights them at every turn and then another person is murdered from the same old case and Brynn must accept the fact that those involved in sending the man to prison are now his targets. Law enforcement professionals know that blowback from a case they’d believed settled is always a distinct possibility, Brynn’s worst fears have now been realized. For this woman the job is everything and her personal life has suffered from a dedication that has been an exclusion of all else, she won’t hide as she has an innocent client going to trial in days.

Once a marine, then a member of the secret service, Erik Morgan is now the lead bodyguard of the security team assigned to protect Brynn. He’s an intense, highly controlled man and his frustration at a difficult client is evident, to make matters more complicated he’s attracted to the spunky woman and that he’ll have to manage. When the detectives tracking the killer fail to find him quickly they reach out to Brynn for assistance, she knows the man from her past dealings with him, putting Brynn in greater harm and making things more challenging for the team assigned as her protection. 

This book was an interesting meld of genres: murder mystery, police procedural and romantic suspense, more action and suspense than romance though, it’s an offshoot of the Tracers series. The serial killer is motivated by his own righteous anger, he is definitely guilty and that leads to an unexpected twist that comes at you with little prior preparation. The story was told from multiple points of view, that of Brynn, Erik, and the detective seeking the escapee. Emotional depth was a bit lacking, the main characters were likable and relatable, they’d let their jobs define them until true danger showed them what had been missing from their lives. The title is a mystery to me, not sure how it ties into the story.

An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher via NetGalley.

Desperate Girls by Laura Griffin is a Mystery/thriller novel and the first in the Wolfe Security series.
When a murderer escapes a high security prison and starts targeting those responsible for putting him away, defense attorney Brynn Holloran is shocked to hear the man she'd helped convict 3 years ago could be potentially coming for her as well. As a result, Brynn’s boss hires a team of security to tag along with her and a fellow colleague as they head to Dallas for the biggest case of Brynn’s career. Not one for being told what to do, headstrong Brynn is making it difficult for the head of her security detail, former marine and secret service agent, Erik Morgan. With her life on the line, Brynn will need to put aside her stubborness and learn to trust Erik and his team to do their job and keep her safe as truths begin to unravel and the murderer begins checking off people on his list.
This was such a gripping story! It started out a bit slow but pulled you in once it started to get momentum. I don’t read many mystery/thrillers because I get easily freaked out and for some reason I started reading this at night when everyone was asleep. Foolish, foolish me. With shocking events happening at every corner, this book had me on the edge of my seat (er, bed?) right up until that INSANE twist at the end!

An anti social loner with an ax to grind hell bent on revenge is on the loose having escaped a max security prison and he's determined to go down in flames fighting to clear his name and harm those who did him wrong.
This was a quick read with a might punch!
Oh, for god's sake this can't be oh but it's and Jen Ballard , Michael McGowan, and anyone else who had a connection to this case are in harm's way.
Defense Attorney Brynn Holleran knows this is all too real and hires Erik (Secret Service Agent) for protection. 
James Corby is on a killing spree and must be stopped at all costs but will Erik be able to stop this madness from erupting into an inferno?
Every clue leads to one disturbing case from her past and one she wishes she could forget.
Injuries and deaths are mounting and we need closure fast.
Could this be a frame job? Could evidence have been planted?
Well, the unsolved rape and murder will be significant to more than one person involved with the latter worried about disbarrment.
Enough said, run out and read this one. It's worth the investment.
Thank you to Laura Griffin, the publisher, NetGalley, and Aldiko for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.
Loved it!

I really liked this one! It combined suspense & romance, two of my favorite genres! Brynn was very likable but relatable as the main character - and the chemistry between her & Erik was smoking hot. I enjoyed the storyline- it was more focused on the romantic relationship brewing between 2 main characters than I thought it would be, but I didn't mind it. I wouldn't consider this a thriller, there were some moments of suspense but I still enjoyed it. This was a fun, easy read that I would definitely recommend.

Laura Griffin’s Desperate Girls is a mix of thriller, legal and romance.  This book is well written with engaging characters, and a twisting plot.  Griffin keeps the reader guessing, however this is a fast and easy summer read.   I enjoyed the legal thriller aspect of this book, unfortunately the romance portion was a bit of an unrealistic stretch but a nice addition regardless.   If you are looking for a fast paced summer read give Desperate Girls a serious consideration.

This book just wasn’t for me. I figured that out pretty quick, from the very first chapter. Everything felt debilitatingly flat- from the plot, to the characters, to the “mystery” or “thriller” aspects of it. It was all lackluster. I was bored. The pacing didn’t quite work. The suspense just wasn’t there. The romance did nothing for me.  I was left underwhelmed by it all. Perhaps with a little more character and plot development this book could have worked, but it just failed to keep my interest. I also feel like this book suffered from an identity crisis, it wasn't sure whether it wanted to be a police/murder thriller or a romance.. and it struggled with balancing the two. 

Thank you Netgalley and Gallery Books for the ARC.

On the edge of your seat, gripping 5 star read! I strongly recommend this book.  It's a definite page turner!

I received Desperate Girls by Laura Griffin as an ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
There's no need to go into a long drawn out dissertation here. I really enjoyed it. All of it. Nicely paced with believable characters. I was completely wrong on who I thought the "bad guy" was and that was a pleasant surprise.

Since I had an ARC digital copy I would be remiss not to mention the two editing errors I saw. 
#1) Chapter 7, paragraph begins "It wasn't that she wanted Adam back....." there is an extra word that should be removed. [Her illusion *should could* have]
#2) Chapter 23, paragraph begins "Eric circled the block....." There is a missing period between the words overpass & Eric. [...cars on a nearby overpass Eric reached the six-story parking garage...]

Hopefully these errors can be fixed before the book goes to final print.

Thanks to @netgalley and S&S for the chance to read early. 

This was my first experience with this author and I was pleasantly surprised. It was a great Sunday afternoon read. Griffin had excellent character development and did a superb job creating that “spark” between people. The plot was fluid in shifting between the different aspects of the story, so much so you are blindsided by the twist. Love to be surprised like that!

The story follows defense attorney, Brynn Holloran, who does not like people telling her what to do. She is one of her firms top defenders and is strong willed both inside and outside of the courtroom. She works long hours and lets her work consume her, which may be why relationships in her personal life are such a struggle. But everything changes for Brynn when she is forced to accept the protection of a private security firm after circumstances surrounding an old case start to present danger to her and those involved in the case. A ruthless killer that she helped prosecute and convict has escaped from prison and those intimately related to his trial are being murdered. Former Marine and Secret Service Agent, Erik Morgan, is put in charge of Brynn’s security detail but she is not making it easy on him. Brynn refuses to listen, follow his rules, and questions everything about her protection. Her constant talking and her lingering stares are making him crazy - in more ways than one.  Brynn will have to learn to trust Erik and his team of muscle if she wants to survive. She will have to change her outlook on life and come to terms with under estimating the truth about those we’re closest to.  

The book does not go into gruesome detail on crimes and did not get too explicit during the romantic scenes. It would be a good read for someone just getting into Romance/Crime/Mystery. Overall, a good read - I look forward to read more from this author.

I really liked this book!  It was extremely fast paced and the story kept churning away and building.  I liked both the strong female and male lead characters immensely and was rooting for them. This book had great intrigue, a "forbidden" romance, a sense of humor and a great final twist.  There were also many secondary characters that give me great hope for another Wolfe Sec story in the future from Laura Griffin.  This book was reminiscent to me of Suzanne Brockman's book series that I read years ago....military guy/strong girl/some sort of peril. All a very good combination.  I will anxiously await another book surrounding these characters in the future!!!!

I enjoyed reading this book. There are two main storylines to the book revolving around the lawyer Brynn. Her life is being threatened by an escaped convict who felt he had been unjustly convicted and is out for revenge. Body guards are hired to protect her and the other lawyer she is working with. Brynn is also currently representing a young man accused of murder in a drug  deal gone bad...and she is positive he is innocent and refuses to let her own drama interfere with his case.  This all makes for a difficult job for around-the -clock bodyguards. Brynn is a very strong woman and does not like the idea of relying on others for her safety. However, she finds herself falling for one of the bodyguards who is trying his darnedest to keep her out of sticky situations. I found myself not wanting to put the book down....wanting to see what would happen next. On the down side...I’m not thinking the title best represents the book...and I thought a final plot twist was a little out of left field... but at the same time...didn’t see that coming!  I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley and publisher for an honest review, which this is.

I received an ARC of this book for my honest review.
WOW, loved this book. It was a thrill ride from the first page. I could not put it down. I didn't figure it out till the reveal.

Brynn Holloran is a very successful defense attorney. When she goes to Court, she’s a vicious contender and fights for her client with passion. While working on a current case, she finds out that her mentor, Judge Jen Ballard, has been murdered. Her, boss, Reginald H. Gunn,  isn’t taking any chances with his star defense attorney. He knows that both Judge Ballard and Brynn worked as prosecutors on a case that convicted, serial killer, James Corby. Corby has escaped from prison, and Reggie decides to hire a very reputable security firm to protect Brynn and her partner, Ross. The security firm is Wolf Security, and Liam Wolf hires nothing but the best, ex-Navy Seals, Special Ops, ex- Marines, and ex-Secret Service.  Brynn isn’t exactly on board with her boss hiring bodyguards. She goes toe-to-toe with Liam and tells him what she will and will not do regarding security. However, she lost that fight and has to deal with the team leader, Erik Morgan. Erik is just as determined to do his job as Brynn is to do hers. Another individual that worked on the investigation had been murdered, and everyone thinks Brynn might be next. The Marshals or law enforcement can’t seem to find Corby. As Brynn starts reviewing the old case, she’s finding discrepancies in the crime pictures of the 4 women who were raped and murdered by Corby. Did someone plant evidence that shouldn’t have been used during the initial trial of Corby? If so, who could have done this, and why? Is this why Corby has become unhinged and is killing anyone who had anything to do with his prison sentence. Along with the pressure of the current case, Brynn finds herself attracted to her handler, Erik Morgan. He is also attracted to her, but tries to maintain a professional relationship with her. Will the two become involved? Will they find Corby before anyone else is targeted? Will Brynn find out why the discrepancies were not caught first? What a great book. I enjoyed the plot and didn’t want to put this book down. The character development was genius. The mystery continued throughout the book, until the very end. I didn’t understand the meaning of the title though. I think I would’ve chosen a more catchy title for this book; it is that good.

A defense attorney, Brynn Holloran, is working on defending a wrongly accused young man when a dangerous escaped convict out for revenge, targets all those involved in his conviction.  Brynn and her co-worker worked on his case so her firm hires an elite security firm as bodyguards.  Brynn isn't thrilled but as murders pile up, the manhunt is unsuccessful and the danger increases she begins to accept that there is a real danger.  It also doesn't hurt that Erik, an attractive former military and ex-secret serviceman, is her bodyguard.  This story has plenty of intrigue, suspense and romance.  I enjoyed the mix of crime, police procedure, and courtroom drama. There is a big twist at the end and it is a doozy but it was believable and I liked it.  Overall this was a light refreshing romance that was suspenseful and well written.  The characters were well developed and there was plenty of action.  I look forward to more from this author. The only criticism I have of the book is the title,  Desperate Girls, does not fit this story at all.
 I received ARC from NetGalley (Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books) in exchange for an honest and fair review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this book.  The storyline was intense. It kept me guessing what was going to happen next. With so many strong characters...I see many opportunities for great sequels!  Bring it on!