Caught off Guard by Kim Law
POV: 3rd Person Multi
PoP: 3rd Person
Tropes: Friends with Benefits; Political Family
Series: The Davenports Book 3
Type of Series: Series of Standalones with some overarching elements
Rate: 3.5/5 Stars
Release Date: January 17, 2023
This is one of those books that I have been impatiently waiting to read. Book two of this series was released back in 2019, and Kim Law was clear there was going to be a book 3 for Bennett Davenport. However, life happened. Things didn’t move the way she wanted (and she spells this out in her author note) and the released didn’t happen. Until January of this year. Bennett is the oldest Davenport sibling. He has been in the service for the past twenty years and rarely comes home. If you read book one and two of this series, you know there are secrets held close to the vest by the Davenport parents. And those secrets come to life, leading to a culmination of truth finding in this book. Now, I say there are some overarching elements in this series because the secrets revealed do lend to the story of book three. However, I read book two when it released and having such a big chunk of time between the books didn’t make me feel lost. So I truly feel as though you could read this as a standalone.
What happens when a past friends with benefits say they are getting married???
Aubrey is one of Bennett’s best friends. They have had a benefits relationship for fifteen years. Now they haven’t been exclusive for those fifteen years, but they both knew they didn’t want more. Then Aubrey’s life takes a couple of turns. She decides she is no longer happy with the status quo, and wants to move forward with a future that Bennett does not want. Aubrey understands this, and so she makes the decision to marry someone else.
Bennett does not take this news well.
There is a part of Bennett that knows that what he and Aubrey have is more than just the FOB relationship that they have held. But because of the way he was raised, and some of the secrets that came to life about his past, he isn’t sure he is capable of more. I really enjoyed these two together. They combust when they are near each other. (Side note: THERE IS NO CHEATING!!) As things come to light, and in a newsworthy way because these are the political dynasty of Davenports, secrets that Bennett knows only a few people know. He blames Aubrey, who is an investigative reporter, and loses her.
Even when she proves him wrong… there is groveling.
One thing I really enjoyed about this book is the fact that when Bennett breaks Aubrey, she refuses to allow him to sweet talk her. She proves that she is the trustworthy person she has always been for him. But she also doesn’t allow for him to say “I’m sorry” and take it as it is. He has to work for it. Kim Law isn’t one of my typical go-to authors, but she writes a strong character that I enjoy.
