Karina Halle, the New York Times bestselling author of Discretion, lifts the veil off a privileged family dynasty to reveal a wealth of secrets and dangerous obsessions.Seraphine Dumont seems to have it all: she’s gorgeous, brilliant, and part of one of France’s most illustrious dynasties. But underneath the facade, Seraphine struggles to hold it all together. Besides grieving her adoptive … Besides grieving her adoptive father’s suspicious and sudden death, she also shares a tenuous role in the family business with Blaise, her in-name-only cousin. As tumultuous as their history is, he may be the only member of the deceptive Dumont family she can trust.
Seraphine is a temptation Blaise can’t resist. The torch he’s carried for years still burns. It’s his secret—a quiet obsession just out of reach. Until his brother demands that he spy on the increasingly cagey Seraphine, whom their father considers a dispensable Dumont outlier. But the more Blaise watches her and the closer he gets, the more he sees Seraphine may have every right to be suspicious. And she could be the next one in danger—from his own family.
As blood runs hot and hearts give in, Seraphine and Blaise have only each other. But can their love survive the secrets they’re about to uncover?
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While I loved the first book in the Dumont series, Discretion, I was left wanting more and feeling less after reading Disarm, especially considering I had high hopes for Seraphine’s story.
We pick up where we left off in Discretion, but now Seraphine is isolated, alone, and struggling to deal with her evil, crazy relatives. Seraphine always seemed so strong and put together, but the loss of her father has left her weakened and with nowhere to turn. I really liked Seraphine and I learned so much about her sad past from her backstory. The connection between Seraphine and Blaise is less taboo than it may seem and is actually the more genuine part of this story.
I love suspense romances, but Disarm seemed to repeat the same patterns that I felt were the weak parts of Discretion. Seraphine and Blaise’s passionate love story was the only thing that kept me interested.
3.5 stars
Disarm is the second book in this interconnected series and what a suspenseful ride it was!
The story started with a bit of a background of Seraphine, when she was adopted to the Dumont family. It touched my heart how at a young age her need to belong in a family was finally answered. It makes me think that no wonder she is very loyal to her adopted family, they have never treated her badly and made her welcome. This loyalty extended until to the present time. She is now alone in a company that was founded by her father, now run by her villainous uncle and his sons, and it is up to her to fight to maintain the family’s legacy. Her two brothers were practically run out of the country by their uncle. She must keep her wits about her, as she suspects that her uncle had a hand on the demise of her father. Blaise, her cousin divulged his hatred for his father but can she trust him? Where does his loyalty lie?
OMG! What a ride! It was packed with more suspense as we get more embroiled with the Dumont family’s secrets, lies and betrayals. I loved the chemistry between Seraphine and Blaise. I was rooting for them so hard to finally be together! I didn’t think I’ll like Pascal, but I must be screwed in the head because I’m intrigued by him. Can’t wait for his book! Highly recommend this!
DISARM (The Dumonts Book 2) by Karina Halle is the new contemporary romance set in the privileged and ultrarich French family dynasty of the Dumonts. This is the second book in the series, but it can easily read as a standalone.
Seraphine Dumont was adopted by the Dumonts at the age of eight from an English orphanage. Of Indian decent, Seraphine has beautiful exotic features and has grown up with the love of her parents and two brothers. She has worked hard to get to the top of the beauty department of the Dumont dynasty.
Everything changes with her father’s suspicious and sudden death at their annual masked ball.
Her uncle has taken over the company and placed his two sons in positions of power. Seraphine’s position is now tenuous at best because not only has she never gotten along with her uncle’s family, but she is working to prove that he was responsible for her father’s death.
Blaise Dumont is Seraphine’s cousin, but not by birth. He has always felt an outsider in his own family and been intrigued by Seraphine. As the two have matured, they find that they can no longer ignore the passion that is growing between them, but her quest to prove his father guilty of her father’s death has placed her in danger that even Blaise may not be able to save her from.
I enjoyed Seraphine and Blaise’s growing romance with the author’s flashbacks to how it evolved. Seraphine was a believable character with all the issues of an adoptive child. I liked Blaise and his continued avoidance of the dark side of his family’s business, but I found it difficult to believe he would stay celibate for years waiting for Seraphine. This was an enjoyable and easy-to-read romance with an easily solved mystery and dark, manipulative and secretive family members. For me, this was similar to reading/watching an episode of Dallas or Dynasty. (Yes, I know I just dated myself.)
Definitely an improvement over the first book. The back story between Seraphine and Blaise helped a lot, with delicious tension and intrigue in the Dumont family to keep me wanting more.
The pace is good, flashbacks in between with dual POV fleshed out the plot nicely. It wasn’t rushed.
There’s a part about one of the main characters that had me a little bit in disbelief (yes, even with this type of storyline) (no spoilers here) but other than that minor hiccup, I preferred this to Discretion (book 1).
And now that I’ve seen the cover for Pascal’s book, I can’t wait for his redemption.
Disarm is the continuation of the a Dumont family and this book focuses on Seraphine, the adopted sister of Oliver from book 1. We learn more about the Dumont family and it just keeps getting more intriguing. The mystery deepens and getting to find out what happens is fascinating. There is also the romance between Seraphine and her adopted cousin Blaise. The push-and-pull between the two is angsty and it changes frequently. Along with the secrets and twists and turns it makes for an interesting story. Overall an alright read.
Overall Grade:
“It didn’t matter. I saw you and I knew we were alike. I knew you were like me. Alone in this world. Unmoored. Looking for something. Family.”
Psst…I have a confession. First of all, before I confess, you need to know something. I love Karina Halle. Seriously. I love her story-telling, her heroes and heroines, and the way in which she tugs at my heartstrings. As far as I’m concerned, there isn’t much that she CAN’T write from rom-com to contemporary to romantic suspense.
Also, I’m not a fashionista. I have a basic working knowledge of the fashion world, and I definitely don’t ascribe to the latest trends. Instead, I do me. I like what I like, and I buy it. Period. End of story. When she announced that she was writing a series of standalones centered in the world of fashion, I was open to it, but I didn’t think I could connect with her characters. Yet, that’s fiction, right? We don’t always run into billionaires in our life. But whatever…
So here’s my confession. I liked her first book in this series, Discretion. Notice I said “liked.” Olivier and Sadie were fiery tempests of bedroom canoodling, and the overarching story of the Dumonts kept me reading it. But, unlike her other books, I wasn’t in love with it. I said so in my review of that book. There was some Karina Halle magic missing, and her acknowledgments for that book indicated why. Yet, after meeting her at Book Bonanza, I became excited about this next book, Disarm, and DEFINITELY for the third book, Disavow. Why? Because Halle undertook to make us, her devout readers, fall in love with some characters that seem unlikeable. I was colored excited.
When Disarm hit my Kindle I was engaged in reading other ARCs, but I saw it sitting there with its hot cover model, and I was dying to read it. How could Halle make me fall in love with Blaise, the son of the villain of the story? Well, she does it beautifully by handing us his soul in this book. It is clear from the first page that this story fell out of Halle’s heart. Seraphine and Blaise’s journey in this book will pull at your soul and place you squarely in her “edge-of-your-seat” storytelling.
Disarm offers us the story of Seraphine and Blaise, cousins with no blood relation. Blaise feels like an outsider in his family. He is invisible and decides at some point that living under his family rule won’t help him, so he undertakes to live life on his own terms. At least for a while. Seraphine is adopted, and her adoptive parents provide her with a life of her dreams. On the death of her father, Seraphine is suspicious that her father was murdered by her uncle, Blaise’s father. Undertaking to investigate this, she enlists the help of people who undermine and put her life in danger.
From their youth, Seraphine and Blaise have been attracted to each other. Seemingly forbidden, both fight their attraction. Giving into it one night, they are almost found out, and Blaise hides behind his mask to push Seraphine away for her protection. However, life eventually puts them together, and Blaise can no longer keep his distance. When her life becomes endangered, will Blaise stand with his family, or will he accept his love for Seraphine and protect her?
One of the issues I had with Discretion was its lack of depth of character. I struggled with understanding Olivier’s motivation and intense attraction to Sadie. On a surface level, it made sense, but I never felt connected to them. In Disarm, this is NOT the case. From the outset of the story, your heart bleeds for Seraphine and Blaise. Both of them seemingly don’t belong. It’s the tie that binds them, but it also makes your heart hurt that, surrounded by family, they feel like outsiders. As they age, their connection grows stronger, and they can see that alienation in each other. It’s in that connection where you find the beauty of this story. I love Blaise and Seraphine more than Olivier and Sadie because their pairing makes sense even though it has a forbidden nature.
Halle’s Disarm has a story that pulls you forward. When I finally sat down to read her romance, I could NOT put it down. From its beginning to its end, your heart is pounding out of worry for Seraphine and Blaise’s safety because Gautier is dastardly. Between Pascal and Gautier, there is no sense of rightness. From one page to the next, you never know who Blaise can trust to keep Seraphine safe from the evil of his family. The care that Halle takes in crafting the suspense of this romance makes you turn the page, hoping they will find their happy ending. I loved the suspense of this book. At its end, it’s unclear how the Dumont label will survive.
Even more, Blaise’s journey towards Seraphine offer some of the most sentimental, heart-wrenching parts of the story. In the first book, we get a sense that Blaise is different from his brother, Pascal. However, Seraphine and her brothers cannot trust in him. In Disarm, Blaise’s true nature shows us his sensitivity and his love. He really is “disarming” in this story, upending his narrative in the context of his family’s story. He is believable as a romantic hero, and Halle’s genius in this book is making us fall in love with him.
As I stated at the outset of this review, I didn’t know what to think about The Dumonts. What I’ve come to find, especially through Karina Halle’s newest book, Disarm, is a story of second chances. We should all deign to withhold our judgment of others because, as this book suggests, love can prevail. It can change our hearts and push us to be better people. One thing I can guarantee about Disarm: you will fall in love with Seraphine and Blaise, and you’ll look forward to Halle’s rendering of Pascal’s story in Disavow.
“It was this. It was a future. It was love. It was creating a life and sharing a life of love. And I found it with this man.”
4.25 stars–DISARM is the second instalment in Karina Halle’s contemporary , adult THE DUMONTS erotic, romance series focusing on the wealthy Dumont family of France. This is twenty-nine year old Blaise Dumont, and twenty-six year old Seraphine Dumont’s story line. DISARM can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order for backstory and cohesion.
SOME BACKGROUND: Several months earlier Ludovic Dumont, of the Dumont fashion dynasty died under mysterious circumstances, and in the aftermath his brother Gautier has all but removed any trace of Ludovic’s heirs from the family business.
Told from dual first person perspectives (Blaise and Seraphine) using present day and memories from numerous timelines in the past, DISARM follows the forbidden relationship between cousins twenty-nine year old Blaise Dumont, and twenty-six year old Seraphine Dumont. Adopted at nine year’s old Seraphine was welcomed into her new family but felt like an outcast when it really mattered. Over the course of several years and several face to face confrontations, Seraphine would discover that her cousin Blaise was the only member of their extended family who accepted Seraphine for who she was, until the day her pushed Seraphine out of his life. Fast forward to present day wherein, Seraphine, the only member of her immediate family still employed by the Dumont Fashion House of France, begins a search for the people she believes killed her father, and betrayed the family. Enter Blaise Dumont, the man with whom Seraphine will fall in love. What ensues is the search for the truth, and the potential fall-out as Serpahine has caught the attention of everyone involved.
The Dumont Fashion House of France hides many secrets behind the illustrious parties and fashion line debuts. From illicit affairs to murder the Dumonts are no strangers to controversy but Seraphine Dumont is front and center when secrets and lies force our heroine to take matters into her hands. Blaise Dumont has loved Seraphine Dumont since the day his aunt and uncle brought her into the family. A forbidden love that forced Blaise to step away when his secret is discovered by the brother whose own actions and allegiance is questionable and wrong.
The relationship between Blaise and Seraphine struggles in the face of the forbidden. With her brothers now living in America, and her parents dead under mysterious circumstances, Seraphine feels abandoned when she needs them the most. Several attempts on her life including threats from an unlikely source find Blaise protector and guardian of his cousin Seraphine, a young woman who stole his heart, years before. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
We are reintroduced to Seraphine’s ruthless uncle Gauthier, and arrogant cousin Pascal. Her brothers Olivier (Discretion#1), and Renaud are more or less absent from the ongoing story line. Pascal’s story line is next in Disavow.
DISARM is a story of family, betrayal, secrets and lies; of vengeance and murder; power and control. The premise is engaging and captivating; the characters are energetic and colorful ; the romance is seductive. DISARM is story of dysfunctional family dynamics in the face of public perception, and private h*ll.
I LOVED Seraphine and Blaise’s book! The second in the Dumont series, Disarm picks up where Discretion left off. IMO, you do need to read the first book due to the same….mystery, I guess I could say, that started in the first book. Blaise and Seraphine were so perfect for each other! I wasn’t so sure in the beginning, but as the story unfolds…PERFECTION! I’m going to leave this short and sweet, there is too much potential for me to inadvertently give pieces away. I’ll simply say this is an absolute must read!
Sweet Baby Jesus…. if I would want to find one perfect blind date…. It would be my first meeting with this author !
Disarm is the very first book from Mrs Halle and I’m in shock that I haven’t give her a chance earlier. OBVIOUSLY I saw her name here and there, but I thought (ALWAYS) – OK maybe another time…. WELLL, stupid, stupid Girl I was. I decided to read this book because one friend of mine was telling me akl the time – read this author, You won’t be dissapionted – AND IT IS SO TRURE !!! Bookish friends are the best and giving the best recomendation – always!
Disarm sucked me in from the first chapter, I just couldn’t put this book down. From one paige to another one my heart just loved this story more and more. It’s book with great story line and amazing characters. Aut
I liked how author tell us history between Blaise and Seraphine…. and because Mrs Hale described so petfectly that true love between people can makes us sacrifice lot of things around, because love is the only thing that matter.
I’m sure I will come back for this author because I just need more.
Must Read book !!!
4 ‘My chaos. My Blaise’ Stars!
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
What a freaking rollercoaster! This series just keeps getting more suspenseful and I have to say, I really enjoyed it. I confess I had a bit of a hard time with the first book in the series and it took me a bit to connect with the story and characters. In this case though, I am happy to say, this book was definitely so much better for me. Especially in regards of the storyline and how the romance was developed.
Disarm is the second installment The Dumonts series and it keeps getting inside of the wealthy and scandalous Dummont family. Now Seraphine (Olivier’s adopted sister) is alone in the family business and she is not in a good place after her father’s death. She suspects there is a lot more behind it and that her vicious uncle is involved. She is getting too close when Pascal (one of her cousins) asks Blaise (her other cousin) to follow Seraphine. That is the start of a love story full of action, secrets, angst and a whole lot of tension.
Just the sight of her makes something inside me unravel.
I can’t let that happen.
I have to stay intact. I have to avoid her.
Wow, this series just keeps getting more dramatic with every installment! Disarm is more packed with suspense and action than Discretion was and I really liked it. This family and the secrets around them, everything is just insane! Of course, this is also a romance and I have to say Karina did a great job with this one and these two characters. I loved Seraphine and Blaise, they are both kick ass protagonists and their story (past and present) keep me hooked from start to finish.
I just want to trust him.
I want to let him in.
I want to lose myself to him, go up in the heat and flames, and somehow manage to not get burned in the process.
Yes, these two are family but not by blood! Actually, Blaise and Seraphine had feelings for each other much earlier than I expected and it made the story even better for me. Blaise is so protective of her and I loved him for it. He loves her so much and he will do anything for her. And when she realizes that and she accepts her feelings too, their chemistry is burning hot! It was a slow burn romance (maybe it took a bit too much for my taste) but it was definitely worth it in the end.
He will remind me that it happened.
And he will remind me of who we are in the midst of chaos.
This is my chaos.
This is my Blaise.
Therefore, my rating for Disarm is 4 STARS because it was a good continuation of the Dummont family story. I enjoyed this dramatic and kind of taboo love story and seeing how the whole storyline with the death of Seraphine’s father was developed. The romance was a bit slow but smoking hot and the chemistry between these two was on point! Now I am surely curious to know how everything concludes and I am even more curious to know about Pascal’s story. Is he as bad as he seems? I guess we will find out in the next installment!
Let me start off by saying I loved Disarm, the second book in The Dumont series, a Romantic Suspense kept me on the edge of my seat and had my heart pounding more than once. I really recommend you read the first book so you get a feel of the family dynamics and backstory involving the Dumont family and the empire they built. One that they will literally kill to hold on to.
The writing is suspenseful and kept me on my toes, trying to guess what was goint to happen next and wondering who the real villain in the story was. Because there are several, some worse than others. I’m happy Karina Halle decided to return to this genre with this series, I fell in love with her writing after reading the Artist Trilogy and she’s definitely a master at her craft. I can’t wait to see what else is in store for the Dumont’s; I really want to see the guilty get their due and I’ll have to wait patiently until then. There’s no doubt in my mind that revenge is a dish best served cold. Something good is coming, I can just feel it in my bones, and I can’t wait!
“You’re the only one for me, Seraphine. There has never been anyone else.”
Seraphine Dumont was adopted, at the age of nine, by Ludovic and Eloise Dumont and was raised as their beloved daughter and a Dumont, alongside her brothers, Olivier and Renaud. Sadly Eloise died a few years ago and after Ludovic’s sudden and unexpected death, a few months ago, Seraphine is still mourning her loss and feeling like an orphan again. Both of her brothers moved to the United States after her Uncle Gautier took over the family business. The Dumont brand is known for its exclusive luxury items, such as makeup, clothing, and leather handbags coveted by the rich and wealthy. She’s still working at her position in the skin care and cosmetics department, alongside Blaise, her cousin. Someone she’s had a love-hate relationship for years; it’s hard to believe she was attracted to him, years ago, and he almost destroyed her heart.
“He came in with the look in his eyes of a man who has been lost at sea, finally seeing land. I’ve never been look at that way before. I’ve dreamed about it.”
Blaise Dumont always felt he was the outcast in the family, inferior to his older brother Pascal, something his parents reinforced. His father was controlling and often cruel; he always demonstrated his preference for Pascal and confided in him. Blaise feels they’ve kept him in the business to keep an eye on Seraphine; they seem to distrust her for some reason. Blaise knows she dislikes him but it wasn’t always the case, once upon a time they shared an attraction until it ended badly, something he had to do at the time to keep her safe.
“There’s nothing in this world more beautiful than her, not even a million rising and setting suns.”
Seraphine suspects her uncle had something to do with Ludovic’s death and she wants to prove it, damn the consequences. But she has no idea the lengths Gautier will go to keep her from discovering the truth. If he was capable of murdering his own brother, what won’t he do to silence a girl who isn’t really a part of his family? When Blaise finds out about her suspicions he feels compelled to protect her; he knows how evil his father is and who his associates are and now Serephine’s in real danger.
One of these days Gautier will get what’s coming to him, he can’t get away with his crimes forever; he needs to pay the piper and the suspense is killing me!
Yes for all of the action and suspense of this book! I love the writing of Karina Halle! I read her first book of the series Discretions and couldn’t wait to hear about Seraphine’s story. And, I wasn’t disappointed at all. Blaise and Seraphine soo good. I could not recommend this book enough. If you like a little mystery, suspense and action this yes please one-click this immediately!
Disarm follows on with the story from Discretion the first book in this series, it’s about the Dumont’s. They are a ruthless and wealthy french family that run a designer fashion label amongst other many other things such as hotels and a vineyard. This book tells the story of Seraphine Dumont, while trying to prove that her father was murdered she tries to fight against her feelings that she has always had, for her in name only cousin Blaise. As he becomes her only ally it becomes harder for her to resist his help and his charms.
This story I found was really fast paced and full of all the excitement of a spy thriller, as much as I liked Discretion this book was on a totally different level. I really love the strength and bravery Seraphine showed while trying to find out the truth and Blaise was an amazing hero, he really showed his metal by facing up to his family because of his love for Seraphine.
The writing was really engaging and I just couldn’t put this book down as it was so good. I’m really looking forward to the next book in this series as the intrigue just became that more explosive!
I loved “Disarm” and highly recommend it for both new and existing readers of Karina Halle’s work. Even though it is the second book in a series, it stands fairly well on its own. That said, in my opinion readers would benefit from reading the series in order to fully understand the Dumont family and all of their dynamics. (Besides that, the first book, “Discretion,” is a really good story and totally worth a read on its own merits!)
I adored Seraphine, the female lead character of “Disarm.” Despite her rough start in life, she managed to become a strong, confident, independent, tenacious, and brave woman who I really admired. The book’s male lead, Blaise, was an incredibly complex and mysterious character, and when he was introduced in the first book of this series, I wasn’t sure I liked him very much. It wasn’t clear that he could be trusted because it seemed as if he was part of whatever schemes his father and brother had cooked up. However, after getting to know Blaise better in this book, I think I might be in love with him myself! He’s far from perfect and has made his share of mistakes, but he seemed to genuinely care about Seraphine and did everything possible to protect her.
I also adored the slow burn of Blaise and Seraphine’s relationship growth. Even though they’ve known each other since childhood, their romance takes quite a bit of time to develop. The chemistry between them is scorching from the very beginning, however, and I was waiting on the edge of my seat for their feelings to finally take over. Combined with the suspenseful plot as Seraphine pursued an ill-advised investigation into her adoptive father’s death, it kept me turning the pages well into the early hours of the morning.
I can’t wait to see what happens next with the Dumont family in book #3 of this series, especially because Blaise’s brother, Pascal, will be the main character. It will be incredibly interesting to see how Ms. Halle manages to redeem him since he has come off as such a villain in the first two books. If anyone can do it, it’s her!
*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
Gripping suspense romance. After Discretion, the first book in the series about the Dumont family, I was completely addicted. This second novel focuses on Seraphine, the younger sister, and Blaise, her black-sheep cousin.
The relationship between them is slow-burn and punctuated with glimpses of the past as they grew up, their feelings getting more complicated and sensual in the process. I really loved it, the taboo of it all, the subtle communion as they navigated the rotten patterns of the two sides of their family feud. Though the romance takes a long time to develop because the story has a stronger feel of mystery rife with mafia vibes.
Seraphine is suspicious about her father’s death and she embarks on a mission to uncover ugly truths that proves to be suicidal. Blaise is the lesser of all the evils, and she can’t quite let herself believe in him despite the fiery chemistry they share. I enjoyed his tormented thoughts and her endless hope. I think we really get to know the characters and what moves them beyond what they feel for each other. In particular, I loved her origins and also the difficult path their relationship goes through.
The villains are blood-thirsty and the race to the end is full of adrenaline and neck-breaking confrontation. It’s a struggle between trust and betrayal. Can she put her faith in a man who wasn’t trustworthy in the past? It was a long wait, but when the passion makes an appearance is ravenous and hot. The ending is a pact of sorts that feels like a promise and a chessgame tie. What’s more, the face-off with Pascal is phenomenal and I can’t wait for his own novel!
I think the first book was more exciting and luxurious, and this one tends to be more serious and angsty. As a series, it is great entertainment.
I’m gonna talk about the cover for a quick second. I’m pretty easy when it comes to covers but this cover has turned me off since I saw it a while back. I really don’t know what it is that turns me off… if I had to guess, I think it’s because it gives me a 80s Fabio feel. Gahhhh, I’ll give it to you real, I nearly didn’t read the book. Just because the cover was off putting. What can I say? I’m seriously a cover wh@re and this one is just not for me. I obsessed over Discretion’s cover and just saw Disavow’s cover and it’s sexy AF!! I don’t know what happened here.
Saying that though I really don’t feel the exterior matches the interior. Disarm was high action with a fast-paced suspense. I loved the suspense. I loved the high action. Blaise and Seraphine were just adorable and fierce together. Blaise was the best of the best! He was totally head over feet for Seraphine and would have moved Heaven and Earth for that woman. His live was strong. That is what stuck with me here. I was so smitten with Blaise. He was charming and when he loved, he loved with every fiber of his being. It’s admirable. Seraphine was reckless. She just didn’t seem to think until he acted. Thank the Lords for Blaise!!
I am enamoured with the Dumont family and with this series. Disarm is actually my favorite of the two books thus far in this series but we still have Pascal’s story and I’m already vibrating for it. Karina Halle writes on the edge of taboo for some. Technically Blaise and Seraphine are cousins. Only through marriage since Seraphine is actually adopted and there is no shared blood. But, there is some people who would squeak over that. Considering some states allow marriage between first and second cousins I’m not too worried about non-blood related cousins. Halle really give us an impossible story to put down with its fast pace and sexy times with love oozing from the cracks!
I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… my opinions.
Angsty, drama filled, and the perfect amount of mystery and suspense.
The Dumont family is more complicated than most. I highly recommend reading book one, Discretion, before diving into this one. Seraphine was adopted into the family when she was just nine years old. When her father died, her world fell apart. Her brothers live in another country and she’s all alone with her evil uncle and her cousins. She is filled with questions and the determination to get answers.
Blaise was so amazing in this book. He loved Seraphine with a fierceness I loved. No matter what happened, once he came to terms with his feelings, he refused to give up on her. He was protective and always put her first. Blaise is Seraphine’s perfect match. She is strong, fierce, and knows when she is right. They compliment each other wonderfully.
Some may see this as a taboo story as they are cousins but they are not blood related. I was a little worried at first, as to how I would feel about it but I ended up really enjoying the story. The slow burn of their romance was perfect for the situation and I enjoyed watching them deal with everything thrown at them.
I’m looking forward to reading the third book, Disavow, which is Pascal’s book when it comes out early next year. I’m still a bit surprised that it is not about Renaud. I’m very interested to see how the author can turn Pascal around and if he can be redeemed.
Grateful to have received a complimentary ARC copy to honestly review.
Seraphine was adopted by the Dumont family when she was six years old and now she is attempting to keep the family business afloat While her uncle and his son try to destroy the business she also suspected that they where the ones to kill her adopted father. No one will believe her the only person willing to help is her cousin Blaise (he isn’t a blood cousin) He has tormented all of her life with the Dumonts but at least he is now by her side As they spend more time together emotions come to the surface Blaise has loved Seraphine for years and is only waiting for her to fall for him. Can they get a HEA and can he keep her safe from her uncle.
Seraphine and Blaise took my breathe away! The chemistry! Wow! I loved every minute of their actions pact, thrilling story and you could cut the tension between them with a knife! For two people that come from such different backgrounds, they have so much in common. It’s not wonder there has always been something drawing them together! Seraphine, the orphan Indian girl who was adopted by two loving parents, rich, with two older sons to call brothers. Blaise, the youngest son of another wealthy couple, unloved and punished at every turn. Two brothers at odds. One kind and loving, adored by the world, successful in business and in life. The other jealous, coveting all the other has, who will seemingly stop at nothing to have it. Which is exactly what Seraphine suspects. Her father was murdered by her Uncle. But where will her quest for answers and justice lead her? Will she be next? Who can she trust when she has no one left? Blaise has always wanted his adopted cousin, but circumstances have always had him choosing to protect her by pushing her away. Now her life hangs in the balance and he wants nothing more than to prove to her that she can trust him, despite everything. Will they get their happily ever after? Or will the rot that is the Dumont family destroy them too?
Karina Halle, the New York Times bestselling author of Discretion, lifts the veil off a privileged family dynasty to reveal a wealth of secrets and dangerous obsessions.
Seraphine Dumont seems to have it all: she’s gorgeous, brilliant, and part of one of France’s most illustrious dynasties. But underneath the facade, Seraphine struggles to hold it all together. Besides grieving her adoptive father’s suspicious and sudden death, she also shares a tenuous role in the family business with Blaise, her in-name-only cousin. As tumultuous as their history is, he may be the only member of the deceptive Dumont family she can trust.
Seraphine is a temptation Blaise can’t resist. The torch he’s carried for years still burns. It’s his secret—a quiet obsession just out of reach. Until his brother demands that he spy on the increasingly cagey Seraphine, whom their father considers a dispensable Dumont outlier. But the more Blaise watches her and the closer he gets, the more he sees Seraphine may have every right to be suspicious. And she could be the next one in danger—from his own family.
As blood runs hot and hearts give in, Seraphine and Blaise have only each other. But can their love survive the secrets they’re about to uncover?
Wow! There is no way my words can do this amazing book justice! It was freaking amazing! Seraphine and Blaise’s story was flawlessly written. Thier pasts were heartbreaking and their journey wasn’t an easy one. I absolutely loved every single page of this book!