Sammy’s review of SEAL Camp (Tall, Dark, and Dangerous, Book 12) by Suzanne Brockmann
Contemporary Romance published by Suzanne Brockmann 05 May 18
It’s been a long time since we visited this series. I was thrilled when I saw the post stating this book was up for sale. I hurt my 1-click finger I clicked so hard. The truth is, anytime Ms. Brockmann has a new book out, I get those happy reader tingles. I absolutely love her SEAL books, whether it’s an installment in her TDD series or my very favorite Troubleshooters series. I guess my love for the latter is due to the fact that they are deep, meaty reads. I just enjoy her deep dive into her characters. Her plots are always on point, but it’s her cast of characters that always has me wanting more. While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I was also disappointed too. Not because it’s a bad book, just a shorter book where I felt we needed that deep dive into these complicated characters. With that said, Suzanne Brockmann has some major talent. I’ll be waiting for her next book very impatiently.
“Those things can bruise.”
“I thought they can only sting?” “Can I see? I want to see. Lift your shirt.” Her eyebrows went up.
Jim refused to back down. He waited. He knew he could out-wait damn near anyone.
“Usually, I like to kiss a man first,” she said. “Before I flash him.” It was meant to be a joke, but he was not in the mood.
“Great,” he said. “Let’s do this, then.” And he lifted her chin, leaned down, and covered her mouth with his.
Navy SEAL Jim “Spaceman” Slade is on medical leave from a knee injury. All he can think about is getting clearance to get back to his team. He knows deep down that his days are numbered and he’s pretty much sinking into a deep, dark pit wondering what is he if not a SEAL? Lucky for him his former chief needs some help at his SEAL Camp, since one of his instructors couldn’t make it. He grabs a bag and heads off to Florida to keep himself busy. Jim has many layers to him. He doesn’t do well in relationships and really loves his chosen profession. When his plane lands at the airport, he notices two college-aged kids and a hot petite woman and has some preconceived man thoughts. Turns out they signed up for SEAL Camp and he starts to wonder just what exactly has he gotten himself into. Not to mention that he’s attracted to Ashley on first sight. But, as we all know, one of the rules at the camp is keep your hands to yourself. Well, Jim really doesn’t play by the rules and thank goodness for that.
“That there’s a potential danger in any disagreement with a man. So we de-escalate. By default. As quickly as we possibly can. To stay safe! You know, I came out of the bathroom and Bull and Todd were standing there, using their very large bodies to trap me in the hall. And you seriously thought I should’ve shouted at them for disrespecting me? I’m sorry, but no. I’m going to be polite. I’m going to use the only weapon I have to stay safe – words and logic and the norms of society – although those so-called social norms have decayed drastically over the past year and a half, thanks to the motherfucking pussy-grabber-in-chief!”
Ashley DeWitt is an attorney. She works hard cases and protects abused women from their spouses. While she’s tough in a courtroom, she’s very afraid of everything else around her. When she finds herself hiding behind a dumpster to avoid her ex-fiance, she decides to call her friend who is married to a Navy SEAL and find out if she can get into the SEAL Camp and maybe find some courage to not run and hide anymore. Ashley is another complicated character. She just doesn’t get angry about anything (outwardly). She hates confrontation, which baffled me a bit because of her profession. Yet, here we are at SEAL Camp with a bunch of men who actually don’t want her there. I mean, this is a boys club kinda thing. So she goes in head first and comes across some asshole guys who try to intimidate her and she deflects by being appeasing. Jim takes notice of her behavior and tries to help her. As we all know, sometimes our best male allies get it wrong or, as Ms. Brockmann described, “trip over their own dick.”
Ashley and Jim have their own stuff going on, but they are very attracted to each other. I love their conversations. Ms. Brockmann excels at dialogue. We find out why Ashley broke things off with her fiance – the death of her mother and her very horrible father. In all of this she has her younger brother and his friend from college with her. She has to put up with untoward touching, intimidation, and disrespect by two morons at the camp. Yet, she won’t give up. As Jim and Ashley get to figure each other out, there’s some medical emergency with her brother’s friend. Ashley is aware about Jim and his pain. Jim is aware about Ashley not sticking up for herself. Eventually it leads to them having sex in the chief’s office. I have to be honest and say I wasn’t impressed. It felt rushed and not very romantic or hot. Right after the only love scene, Jim becomes a moron.
Ashley has had enough and packs up her stuff and heads back home to San Diego. Jim chases after her to beg her forgiveness. She won’t have any of it. It’s at this part of the book where she finds her voice. Jim backs off and gives her space, and he goes his way and Ashley goes her way. While she was at the camp someone broke into her apartment. Ashley finds herself in serious peril. I don’t want to say too much because that’s part of the suspense. She manages to text Jim cryptically and, of course, he comes to her rescue with a few other familiar faces. They leave off as thank yous are said. It’s not until the very end when they both attend a baby shower for one of Jim’s teammates wife that they start to talk and decide to go slow and meet for coffee. I would be lying if I said I was not very happy with that ending. I guess for me it’s not even a HFN (Happy For Now), because we just don’t see what happens next. I really feel this book needed more pages. It’s a good book that could have been great. However, don’t let my nitpicks stop you from reading it.
Grade:C
Summary:
Navy SEAL Lieutenant Jim “Spaceman” Slade’s got a problem. A SEAL Team is only as fast as its slowest member—and right now, thanks to his battered knees—that’s Jim. He reluctantly takes medical leave, but he’s a SEAL, so he spends his “vacation” as an instructor, helping out a former senior chief who runs a camp for SEAL wannabes. But to Jim’s shock, he finds himself falling for the one woman attending the camp session—an obviously brilliant but seemingly timid lawyer who is determined to do everything her way, no matter how wrong.
Ashley DeWitt’s got a problem, too. She’s a kickass lawyer, but when it comes to her personal life, she’s a total pushover. When she finds herself hiding behind her condo Dumpster to avoid a confrontation with an ex, she decides enough is enough and signs up for a session at a camp called SEAL World, in hopes she’ll discover how to be more assertive outside of the courtroom. And then she’s assigned to Jim’s team…
When an alpha male—smart, funny, strong, but terrified of a future trapped behind a desk—collides with a smart, funny, and quietly strong woman with a troubled past, sparks fly hot and fast.
Read an excerpt.
