I was hooked from the very beginning of this beautiful, romantic story. Sadie is backpacking across Europe with her boyfriend when an unexpected breakup occurs. She is a strong, brave female that continues on her adventure alone. A series of unfortunate events for Olivier leads him into Sadie’s path at just the right time. Olivier and Sadie had an attraction that was instant and their love story flowed with ease. The romance of Sadie and Olivier, the side characters you love and hate, and the air of mystery untwined into the story makes it hard to stop reading. I loved the happily ever after. Very well done!

This book has the perfect backdrop for falling in love and I could visualize it every step of the way! Karina has a knack for writing complex characters and story lines and this is shown not only in this book but others of hers as well. This is truly what I look for in a romance. Something with more complexity, feeling, and heart. Karina nailed it with Discretion and I am really looking forward to the next one.

Discretion is the first book in Karina Halle’s new series, The Dumonts, and, I am in love with everything about this lush, compelling family-centric saga and cannot wait for more. In Discretion, you’ll meet my new book-husband, Olivier Dumont, who is a gorgeous, international playboy and hotel mogul with a cynical and slightly tortured soul. He meets Sadie, a young American traveling in Europe (who may or may not remind me of myself at that age), and he finds himself captivated by her. They have a whirlwind romance, but Olivier’s past and his powerful extended family will put their newfound relationship to the test. Prepare yourself to be enthralled with this potent blend of sexy, swoon-worthy romance and intense, intriguing family drama.

DNF @ 45%

I had heard a lot about Karina Halle and I had been so looking forward to reading one of her novels. Unfortunately, Discretion fell super flat.

There was too much telling and not enough showing. I didn't feel any attachment towards any of the characters. I made it about halfway through the story but I can't even tell you what the plot was. To be totally honest, I forgot I was even reading this until I checked Goodreads.

I'm planning on giving the author another chance, but this book was just not for me.

2.75 stars

It's been a minute since I've read a Karina Halle book. So, I was looking forward to Discretion. Unfortunately, I was left underwhelmed. I didn't hate it. It was sexy and full of captivating family drama. But still, I thought it was just okay.

It took me a while to connect with the main characters. Sadie and Olivier were definitely hot. However, I wasn't fully sold on their connection. I don't mind an instalove. That's not what turned me off. It just felt like something was missing.

Honestly, the ending was what bothered me the most. I hated how the hero handled the situation. It felt like a cop out and weak.

As I said above, I didn't hate it and I wouldn't discourage anyone for reading it. But, at the same time I'm not dying to continue the series.

Book Title: Discretion (The Dumonts #1)
Author: Katrina Halle
Pub Date: August 6th, 2019

***ARC was provided to me by Net Galley and the Publisher for a fair and honest review***

Overall rating: 3.5/5 I really enjoyed everything before they get to Paris.

Heroine (Sadie Reynolds): 4/5 Sadie is a twenty three year old communications major from Seattle. At home she took care of her mentally ill mother and grew up mostly without a father.

Hero (Oliver Dumont): 4/5 Oliver was born into wealth but still broke away from the family to start his own business of high end hotels. His father still hopes that he will one day run the Dumont business.

Plot: 3/5 Sadie is on a tour of Europe and finds herself in France. She is mugged but saved by a handsome stranger who turns out to be the very wealthy son of a high end designer. Sadie and Oliver find they don’t want to part and she becomes his secret lover. Oliver doesn’t want his uncle finding out about Sadie, he likes to take the things that make Oliver happy away from him. Can their love survive Oliver’s family feuds?

Personal Review: Oliver and Sadie have great chemistry and if you’re into a sugar daddy relationship then this is a great read. But if that’s not your thing then get ready for a girl in a foriegn country, who doesn’t speak more than a handful of phrases in the language, who has no money to her name who is completely dependent on her new rich boyfriend. I get it, it’s hot to be taken care of, but at the same time this girl could be in a very bad spot if Oliver’s kindness suddenly ran out.

*Spoilers* For a story that puts Oliver in the plot of the Lion King, he never really takes back the throne. It would be like Nala showing up to pick up Simba and then instead of overthrowing Scar, they just moved to a new kingdom to start their own pride. I don’t know, this story which I know is only part one, really just felt like we let the bad guys win despite the happy ending for the couple.

“How was I able to go through life not knowing just what it was like to have someone be so in tune with every cell in your body, every drop of blood pouring through your veins?”

Discretion is a modern day fairy tale that will fulfill all your grown-up fantasies. While backpacking through Europe, Sadie finds herself in need of a little help. Olivier, son of the Dumont dynasty, happens to be in the right place at the right time and that’s where this story begins. This was such a cute love story filled with emotion and selflessness.

Sadie is super sweet and unassuming, yet can give a little sass when she needs to. Thrust into Olivier’s world of wealth and backstabbing, it would be easy for someone to either get carried away, or get scared and run. Sadie does neither, staying true to herself while also giving up everything for the man she loves.

“He saved me in so many different ways. And now it is my turn to save him.”

Olivier is truly a prince out of a fairy tale story, caught between supporting his family and being with the woman he loves. Forever dealing with the aftermath of a young mistake, Olivier is forced to make important choices.

“…she feels like home to me, like this is a place I’ve been searching for, a place I’ve just found, a place I never want to leave.”

3.5 stars!

Discretion is the first in the new Dumont series by Karina Halle.
I was super excited to read a book by this author for the first time. And that blurb was very intriguing.

The book started out very strong. Sadie is a twenty-three-year old American who is backpacking through Europe. While is France, she finds herself in a bit of trouble. Our hero, Olivier swoops in to save her. And from there on out everything develops pretty quickly.

Their chemistry is undeniable and sizzling. This author really knows how to write that part of the relationship very well.
Their romance was a whirlwind. A little too fast in its development for my taste. It was a bit of a case of insta-lovey. But that’s ok, it didn’t bother that much.

What did bother me was the off-balance flow of the story. It was dragging in part where there was no need for it, and sped up in places that had me wondering what the heck was happening.
It wasn’t as seamless as it could’ve been.
The plot was smart but I’m not sure it was perfectly executed.

That being said, I appreciate the intrigue and the mystery. It left me with lots of questions, I’ll be looking forward to the answers in the next book.

The romance was lovely, sweet and hot. I will continue to read from this author as she’s clearly very gifted. I’m hoping the second book in the series will meet my expectations.

First off, thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book early.

I am disappointed. I mean, I should've known better, but this book fell prey to every. single. cliche. possible. Surprisingly, the main girl was the LEAST annoying, but Olivier was a wasteful, wealth-flaunting punk, and the villains were so stereotypical it wasn't even funny. The plot was predictable, and I got very intense 50 Shades of Grey vibes, which isn't a good thing.

The blurb of this story really intrigued me so I was excited to read Discretion. This was a romance mixed with suspense, mystery, secrets, and an interesting family dynamic. The Dumonts are a fascinating family that's for sure. Oliver and Sadie were likable main characters. They had their strengths and flaws so seeing how that would go with everything else that was going on was intriguing. There were parts of the plot that I really wanted to know what will happened. As this being a series, I can’t wait to find out the answers. I did like the writing style and some of the characters-of course there would be villains. I am interested in the next book of the series because of the push-and-pull between Seraphine and Blaise.

I’m always so excited to read a Karina Halle book. Her characters, settings, worlds all feel so alive and vibrant. Discretion had parts of this... I loved the setting, I loved the dialogues and culture. You felt the culture she was setting. The opulence and wealth. (A part of me wants her to dabble back into paranormal bc she is so great at world building and setting stages for the story she wants to tell).
Where I lost it was the connection between Sadie and Olivier. I never really understood why he was so into her... from the very beginning. It was hard to connect with them and find their romance believable.
I loved the family drama and how this sets up nicely for a series. It reads like a romantic soap opera with some suspense and suspended belief. I think Karina did so well at building this world and this family that the main characters relationship just felt week in comparison. I will def continue with the series and I will always read this author!

** ARC PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW **

Karina Halle has done it again!!! Another amazing book that I couldn’t get enough of.. exotic locations.. a dreamy Olivier who made my heart explode. I fell in love with Olivier and his sister Seraphine, the Dumonts.
Karina Halle has a way of writing that sucks you in and holds you captive until you finish. Takes you to the amazing locations that you have only dreamed of, yet making you feel like you were really there. She’s outstanding!
Sadie and Olivier were addictive. I couldn’t get enough. I can’t wait for more of the Dumonts!!

First off, let me say that if I had started reading Discretion earlier in the day, I’d have finished it in one sitting. It’s an easy read that kept me interested the whole time. I was never bored, and I went from start to 85% in just a few quick hours. Anything that can keep my attention span that long is a winner in my book.

Next, I wish I was Sadie! And, I wish Olivier was real. Because hot dang that man is perfect. Sweet, charming, sexy, successful, French…I’m totally in love with him in every way.

Olivier and Sadie come from two different worlds. She’s a broke college student backpacking through Europe, and he’s a billionaire playboy that belongs to one of France’s most influential families. I don’t typically care for the heroine in “opposite side of the tracks” love stories, but I really loved Sadie. Smart, independent, not a victim of her circumstances, but totally gracious despite the whirlwind adventure she found herself wrapped up in.

The suspense aspect of the story was kind of predictable. I called most of the twists early on, and I feel like the “big secret” that got Olivier into his mess in the first place was kind of lackluster. Though I was intrigued to see how these characters would handle these circumstances, I didn’t really experience any element of surprise that I’m sure the suspense factor was hoping to create.

The love story is the winner of this book for me. Though the story (and the romance) moved quickly, I really loved the dynamic between the two characters.

If you need me, I’ll be on my way to France to pick up a handsome hotelier!!

4🍒🍒🍒🍒popped!

I enjoyed the beginning of this book with the secrets and the angst between Olivier & Sadie.

The storyline in the beginning had me intrigued and wondering what was going to happen.

Author Karina Halle gives us a picturesque world that I felt come off the pages as I read. IT was stunning and all the love that poured off the pages from the main characters came alive.

I will say I found Sadie to be such a bad ass and Olivier at first a bit Alpha but then I feel he got a little to mushy for me. I wanted him to stay his strong self like he did in the beginning of the book.

Overall I enjoyed this book and look forward to what comes next in this series.

Stay discrete.

Interesting set up of a world of intrigue and deception. Somewhat shy, insecure girl meets rich older boy who keeps himself hidden. Cue the instalove.

While I loved the set up, and the later weaving of the family ties and where it is all linked, the main romance fell somewhat short to me, being much too insta-lovey, without ever diving into what they truly loved about each other.

"The Dumont brand took a hit on the CAC 40 today. The Heir apparent playboy was seen leaving a restaurant while a fight broke out. It's said that the Dumont bad boy was the cause of the incident. More news after a word from our sponsors...

Dumont luxury line..."

They run it all. Clothes. Handbags. Suits. Hotels. Dumont is the name to wear. Too bad it's too rich for my blood. Now Olivier, I would take him for a spin! Lol. Sexy, charming, and French...ohlala!

I may have forgotten most of my 4 years of Frnech but this naughty Frenchman had me wanting to learn it all over again

Discretion has it all. Conspiracies, romance, and danger. A sexy savior and a free vacation in France...what's not to love!?!

Remember Discretion for the sake of our clients. No photographs in our lobby. Dumont is a name you won't forget. We look forward to captivating you. Just beware of your surroundings. It's about to get bumpy.

With a bit of a mystery and a lot of family drama, Discretion will keep the pages turning.

4.5☆
I love the drama, the high society and insta passion of Discretion. I love the world Olivier comes from and all that twisty family drama that comes with it. He such a swoony frenchman it's no wonder Sadie is immediately smitten. He is a good man and such an interesting one. I love how far apart him and Sadie are yet thet have this instant connection. Sadie is cute and enjoyable and I love how she fits with Olivier.
The storyline was fantastic, I love that high society drama! It fit well with all the romance and heat of Sadie and Olivier. I am really excited to see more from the Dumont world!

Release Date: August 6, 2019
Montlake Romance
The Dumonts #1
Romantic Suspense
Review copy provided by publisher

Nikki's Review:

Nothing says romance and sexy times like a whirlwind romance in Europe. I was so excited that this book took place in France!

I really liked both of the characters. Olivier and Sadie were both likeable people. Their characters were thoroughly developed, and the dialogue between them was always entertaining.

The two things that made my eye twitch in this book really stole something from the story. The reasons behind Olivier being blackmailed by his uncle were ridiculous. I couldn’t figure out why he thought the information his uncle was lording over his head was all that destructive.

The other thing that bothered me was the fact that there was zero conflict between the hero and heroine. There wasn’t any tension that was building to that climatic moment. They just fell in lust and then love, and then they lived happily ever after. Honestly, it was disappointing. I liked these two so much, but I wanted them to have to work for it. Don’t get me wrong, I need a definite HEA in my romance, but I also like the road to their happiness to be a bit bumpy.

This was an ok read, but because of those two things mentioned above, it just fell a bit short for me.

A stunning and exciting new series from an author that captures emotions and human nature like few others and paints a vivid picture of a family fraught with lies, deception and hate and even a touch of evil at its core, where one side will stop at nothing to have it all. Against all odds, the other half inspires goodness and at its core wants to keep the family business as its always been, wholesome, family oriented and of the highest standards one would expect to see in a French designer company. Olivier has unbeknownst to his father and siblings been keeping a secret, one that will cost him, them everything if he does not do what his evil uncle says. As his time to make.a decision draws nearer he stumbles upon a woman being robbed, and everything changes. Sadie oozes goodness and charm and all that is good in the world. He can't help but want to soak in every minute of it. Sadie is taken by this charming Frenchman that shows her a world of opulence she never could have imagined. But time is running out, danger lurking at every corner, and things will never be the same for any of them. A new family full of lovable characters and even a few you want to hate so bad, full of potential and everything you've cone to expect with a Karina Halle book. I cannot wait for the next one and all the deliciousness it's sure to bring.

It is just about impossible not to get lost in a story of Karina Halle's, and Discretion was no different. From the South of France to Paris, these characters and settings took my breath away at times.

I will say that it took me a bit to really get into the story of Sadie, a broken-hearted college-age backpacker in Europe, and Olivier, a French billionaire. At first I thought their relationship/attraction was too contrived - too instant; but then you get to know both of their stories and backgrounds, and you will fall for these characters!

Sadie is your typical college girl who was swept up in the idea of traveling Europe with her boyfriend. I admired her tenacity and bravery for continuing on her trip solo when events happened to separate them. Her travels took me back to a time when I, too, traveled across Europe backpacking with my college friends. K Halle paints the picture and scenes so well that you feel you are a part of them! When Sadie meets Olivier, their connection is instant but does not seem that it is ever-lasting. But as their story unfolds, and different characters come into play they begin to rely on each other for more than a hot fling.

I was captivated by Olivier and the life he led - the Gala balls, billion dollar company deals, and of course, his family. The secrets and twists that played out kept me glued to the pages, and falling for Olivier more and more. I felt almost protective of him at times, and desperately wanted him to set the truth free and end up with the girl of his dreams, Sadie.

The side characters in this book play a big part in keeping this story moving, and will keep you guessing who is loyal and who is not. I was swept up in Sadie & Olivier's love story and how it bloomed - the circumstances that drew them closer together, and how their initial attraction eventually turned into true love.

This is an easy read that will allow you to escape to France and experience family drama, love and loyalty. Well done once again K Halle!!