Harvard's Education

I loved the glimpses we got of Harvard in the previous books, so I was shocked to discover that he's kind of a jerk. When Richards doesn't want to date him, he doesn't take it well, but at least she calls him on it and she isn't one of those romance-novel women who just falls at the jerk's feet. Even when she tells him she's waiting for marriage, he acts as if he accepts her decision - for about five seconds, then he's telling her that she just hasn't met the right man or that she's too passionate to be hiding away or some such garbage. If her decision is to wait until marriage, who is he to decide she's making the wrong decision or keep saying, "when we have sex?" I was happy to see how it turned out in the end, but I didn't like the show more route they took getting there. Very disappointed in the way the author portrayed a male MC who could have been - should have been - amazing. show less

Harvard's Education is the 5th book in the TDD series and I liked it the best so far. In fact, I highly recommend it and it's a keeper. The two main characters are African American and Harvard and P.J. are very fully developed. Harvard is a big bad Navy SEAL and PJ is a FInCOM agent when they are assigned to work together. Harvard's comes gradually to love, respect and regard PJ as his equal SEAL team member. I loved PJ. She is kickass, tough, strong, resilient, resourceful, highly intelligent and deserves her chance to prove herself. She is probably the best female character in all the Brockmann books I have read so far. (Grade: A)

Harvard's Education is the fifth book in Brockmann's "other" Navy SEALs series, the "Tall, Dark, and..." series. It did not disappoint. Although the start was a bit slow, once it got going it was hard to put down. I've been hoping Harvard would find someone for several books now. Although many people seem to have issues with PJ's attitude in this novel, I'd argue that she doesn't want to BE a man, but she does have very valid reasons why she feels that she needs to ACT like one, in some cases, even more than the men do. My husband was in the military, and just as a person indirectly involved in the system (at least as far as really seeing day-to-day interactions of military personnel) I totally understand where she is coming from. show more Women ARE treated differently. It's not the same as in other male-oriented jobs, even though it may appear so to outsiders. My husband was not at all what I would consider sexist, and he definitely was friendly with the women in his unit as coworkers, but even he displayed a different attitude toward them then he did the men in his unit--as did just about everyone else. PJ's attitude, though she did seem overly defensive, was not at all out of line, in my opinion. show less

I read this book years ago and it wasn't my favorite of this series. I've just reread it and my original opinion stands. It's okay but not a favorite. I think that it's because stories about women working in a man's field and the problems they face are just not that interesting to me. Not that they shouldn't do the work, just that it's not really something I'm all that interested in reading about. Maybe it's so far from my reality that I can't empathize. It's pretty well written with no major plot holes etc.

Typical SEALs book from Brockmann. While the Tall, Dark, & Dangerous books are definitely formula books, the characters kinda suck you in.

Part of her Seal Team 10 Tall Dark and Dangerous series we get to know the first draft I think, of Alyssa (of The Troubleshooter series). This is Harvard's Story. The Chief Sergeant of Team 10 who finds his match in the FBI type of Agency agent PJ Richards. The two make an interesting pair and do become friends and colleagues before diving into the whole relationship pool. The whole training exercise in a foreign South Asian country that is not secure is the only thing that made me go... humm... no. But the characters are solid, smart, lovable and that makes up for the silly "couple in peril" in a guerrilla region plot twist.

Harvard's Education by Suzanne Brockmann
TDD #5

Daryl "Harvard" Becker & P.J. Richards

FInCOM agent, P.J. Richards, is part of an anti-terrorist team doing some combined training missions with the SEALs from Team 10. As a member of this CSF (Combined SEAL/FInCOMM) team, she is given access to areas and to training ops which are usually not available to women. Having clawed her way up, she has experience with the prejudices she will have to face. She's learned how to be tough and how to perform better than her peers just to convince them she is capable of doing her job.

She finds a friend in Joe Cat and eventually in Harvard, although it takes Harvard a while to adjust to his natural inclination to protect her. It's hard for him to see her show more in combat situations and he's afraid the distraction would cause problems. She needs him to trust that she is capable so others will see that her success is due to her abilities and not in receiving special favors.

They are both tested when they are caught up in a real-life deadly situation when two rival drug lords start warring with eachother--right in the midst of where their training operation is being held. P.J. shows her mettle in helping to locate and rescue one of their own from under the noses of the enemy.

These two are a great couple. Harvard comes from a big and loving family. He's well educated (attended Harvard, hence the nickname) and a genuinely good guy. P.J.'s background is the opposite. Her mother had her at 14. Her grandmother had her mother when she was 16. P.J. was abandoned at age 12 and decided at a young age that she was going to break the cycle. She's tough and smart and funny...and she has a surprise for Harvard. ;) show less