So this is what happened. I was super excited to read this book. I started it. I was feeling it. Then I got about halfway. It just started dragging. It felt like hurry up and wait on something to happen. I took a break and read another book. I got back into it. I’m still waiting. Oh! Something finally happened. The excitement just wasn’t there for me. I knew if I kept pushing it, I would end up hate reading. So I’m putting it back on the shelf. Hopefully when I dive back in again, I will enjoy it. I really did enjoy the beginning. I want to want to read the rest of the books in the series.


I voluntarily read an early copy.

Pure passion. This novel feels like a summer dream complete with leisurely breakfasts in bed, swoony hero, Parisian romance and endless nights of luxuriant lovemaking.

I loved this story. It's light and heavy at the same time. Like a rollercoaster of unbridled lust and holidays in Europe under the Mediterranean sun. Soon followed by a twisted family feud of greed, sin, power and betrayal.

It reminds me of this old TV soap operas depicting ambitious tycoons, luxurious lifestyle, brandnames rife with obscure secrets and envious siblings.

I really liked the main characters. Olivier is the perfect French hottie, elegant and intense, but never a player. Sadie is outspoken, honest, but also keenly aware of her humble persona. They start this summer fling born of a heroic rescue that sparks all kinds of hungry and very eloquent intimacy in stunning backgrounds.

At first, I thought it was all about the physical side of the relationship, but then the plot takes a dramatic turn and the Dumont family is shaken in violent ways. That's when the bond this couple shares becomes as strong as it was growing to be. I relished that part and how it all led to it.

The thrills kept mounting up as well as the interesting traits about the Dumont cousins. I enjoyed the fast-paced ending full of sacrifice, fury and life-chancing decisions. It's not totallly orthodox because it's the precursor to the arc of more books to come. Will they be about Blaise, Renauld or Pascal? I think I'm biased towards evil Pascal. He promises to be a real challenge :-D

A really hot, dashing entertainment. I'm in with this series!

This one took me a couple of days to get through. Oliver and Sadie were okay characters for me, they didn’t blow me away or anything. Sure there’s a lot of family drama, but I did find myself putting the book down or skimming through a couple of parts. It did pick up more towards the end. I will probably read then next one because I want to know what’s going on with his sister.

A light entertaining read, but I don’t think it was really my cup of tea. I just wasn’t interested in the issues or problems of the rich main lead, there was little tension or chemistry for me. Just not for me.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Backpacking through Europe, American college student Sadie is looking forward to forgetting about her breakup with her boyfriend and experiencing life in her journey around Europe. But when she is followed and put in a situation where she wishes she was still with her boyfriend, a stranger saves her and takes her in until she is back on her feet enough to do her traveling. With her bank account quickly dwindling, Sadie isn't sure how she is going to afford this and still stay her three weeks left in Europe before needing to head home. She soon realizes that the handsome, french guy who saved her life is actually a french billionaire who owns numerous hotels, and whose family is as well known and sought after like Chanel. What she didn't know was he had secrets and ghosts haunting him. When a tragedy hits Olivier's family, his hand is forced to do the opposite of what his father wanted, and soon he and his siblings, along with Sadie, are in danger. 


This story was super good. I loved the suspense and "action" of it all, and it was super steamy as heck too which is always a plus. 
I loved how even though there was an age-gap between the two main characters, they didn't let that get in between what they had. Though it seemed their relationship moved SUPER fast, and a little too fast for me, I hoped throughout reading it that they would hold strong together and make it through to their happy ending.

I have loved almost every book that I have previously read by this author but this book just didn't live up to the expectation and excitement I was so looking for. The story had all the basics that made for a great romantic suspense novel but it just didn't live up its blurb and description, for me it fell a little flat of its full potential. Olivier Dumont is from a rich well known family that own a fashion label and hotels in France. The Dumonts consist of Olivier his father, his sister, his uncle and his two cousins. Olivier runs the hotel side of their family dynasty while the others run the fashion label. There is a underlying sense of ruthless greed and want from the uncle and cousins that does become very clear in the story, but as for the excuse that is used to have total control over Olivier (as they have a secret hold over him) I felt it to be a little weak to say the least and made the story feel a bit out of date for a modern day romance.
Nevertheless I did really like the parts where the love story that blossoms between Olivier Dumont wealthy hotelier and Sadie Reynolds a young poor American student. They first meet when he comes to her aid in her time of need and it does become quite an intense read as their holiday romance becomes something more. It felt like all good fairytale stories where the prince rescues the damsel in distress. I absolutely felt their connection with each other so that I could engage with their emotions and feel all the hurt and distress that they both go through to do with their relationship but still it was not enough to make think that the villains of this book were believable.
This was just an ok read for me and I was so hoping for something more from this author.

This is the first book in "The Dumonts" series.

Sadie is backpacking through Europe with very little money and a broken heart. Growing up in a difficult situation Sadie is learning to flex her own wings.

Olivier is a French businessman who could have any girl he wanted at any time. Olivier is guarded and closed off. His heart is seemingly made of stone. One bad decision irreparably changed the course of his life.

A chance encounter sets these two on a path of self-discovery and self healing. Together they will overcome guilt and shame, as well as family secrets. The bond that they forge will be tested in ways neither see coming. When a tragedy strikes too close to them, it will push them together or tear them apart. Forced to work through their collection issues, Sadie realizes there is much more intrigue and drama in Olivier's family than she baragained for.

This perfect was the perfect mix of mystery, suspense and romance. I loved the way the relationship of Olivier and Sadie progressed. Their chemistry was immediate. The ebb and flow of this story was set at a perfect pace, not rushed nor slow burn. Ms. Halle's writing was smooth and linear and the story simply pulled you in.

Dumont... Olivier Dumont! Sexy af French man! I rarely read books centered in France. It was a nice change of pace. This book is completely different from Shambles. One thing that I love about Halle's books are she takes you all over the world. The last three books I have read from her, I've lived in Hawaii, Ireland, and now France... and of course the US. She is a very worldly author and it is something I love about her.

Sadie, an American girl backpacking through Europe meets Olivier when he saves her. She is alone and he knows she needs his help, so he offers her his help and she takes it, knowing she doesn't really have a choice. Things bloom from there.

I was hooked on this book. I messaged Amber at 3am saying she needed to hurry and catch up with me and then ended up finishing the book before me. But... let me tell you, this book took a turn I didn't see coming.

Something about me, I don't read synopsis's. So I didn't know anything about the book. That's how I like it. All I need to know is that it was written by Karina Halle. So when that twist came in to play, I was like what! Olivier Dumont is a man with many secrets. His whole family, the twist and turns, the secrets, it really all explodes.

There was a lot of drama, but my only reason for giving four stars is because of how it ends. I LOVE the ending, but there were some things left open, some thing that left me questioning some things. There was a lot of drama at the end and then all of a sudden it is over. Again, I loved Olivier and Sadie's ending and I do think that we will be seeing more of Olivier and Sadie in book two... which I am so excited for!

j'ai trouvé que le contexte et les personnages étaient vraiment bien amenés et que l'on vivait chaque instant avec eux d'une très jolie manière. Il m'a manqué quand même une petite étincelle pour que tout s'embrase mais on ne voit pas défiler les pages et j'ai apprécié aussi bien la romance que le petit côté suspense qui concerne la vie d'Olivier. On navigue donc à vue avec eux et on découvre les tenants et les aboutissants à la fin de l'aventure. Une romance simple et assez légère qui nous donne le sourire et nous fait vivre des moments très intenses entre nos protagonistes !

Money, family drama, mystery, and steaminess all set in France. I was intrigued by the blurb and the moment I started this story I was completely hooked. I read this book in one sitting, I just couldn’t put it down.
Olivier is a wealthy French hotelier, also a member of the famous Dumont family. A fantastic hero. He is protective, caring, 100% sexy alpha male. Sadie Reynolds is an American college student backpacking her way through Europe, until she has a run in with Olivier and everything changes for the both of them.
The Dumont family is at war with each other and Olivier is right in the middle of it all. There is LOADS of family drama and of course it always revolves around business and money. There is so much mystery and suspense to this story. That is what truly got me hooked. I had to know what was going to happen next!!
It did take me a bit to warm up to Olivier and Sadie’s relationship. I felt there was some missing chemistry in the beginning but definitely started feeling it between them the more I kept reading and by the end I was completely in love with them. Olivier is seriously swoon worthy.
With all the crazy family drama, the suspense and the steaminess I can’t wait to read the rest of this series!

3.5 to 4 stars
This is the introduction to a new series based in France about an extremely wealthy and powerful family. This centers around Olivier Dumont, who runs the hotel side of the Dumont empire while his other family members deal with the haute couture and other subsidiaries.

But there are some serious family dynamics and secrets in play. Olivier made a mistake ten years ago and is still paying for it, and the situation is about to get even more complicated. He is handsome, charming, intelligent, rich, and known as a playboy. He does not really get close to people and lives with his guilt and shame.

Sadie Reynolds is a poor student from the US just backpacking during her summer. She has not had good luck with men, and is barely scraping by during her trip. But she is smart, resourceful, spunky, and independent. When Olivier comes into her life unexpectedly, he offers to change it for the time she remains in Europe. And due to their new connection both of their lives do change significantly. It is pretty much insta-chemistry and insta-love for these two. But they are good for each other and seem to provide a much-needed anchor when needed. And suddenly Olivier has someone to lose.

But is it just a short fling? Is there any way for them to find a way to make it work with them living in two different countries and really two different worlds?

And as tension mounts in the Dumont family, will the innuendo and threats become all too real? Would it be safer for Olivier to just let her go? How far are people willing to go to have the power and money they want?

In addition to the quick and steamy romance, it's got intrigue, secrets, and suspense. I will admit I had a hard time getting into this one at first, but by the end, the author had really introduced this intense cast of characters and family drama and made them seem more real. I honestly did not think his big secret was that big a deal although I could see how a young man could be guilted and influenced. But in the present day, it did not seem as significant anymore. Some of it felt a bit over the top and some of it will probably bleed into the next two books. I am looking forward to more with Seraphine and Blaise's love-hate relationship in the next book, Disarm. It is going to take some work for the author to make me like his malicious cousin, Pascal, but I have faith that she will manage it in his book, Disavow.

Blog and social media links to go live on release day 8/6/19

I received an ARC from Netgalley and I am happy to give my honest review.

This is the second book by this author I have read and I think I'm not her target audience. This book was like a Bond soap opera with rich conniving families and stolen weekends to luxurious hotels. The book was okay but nothing I could really get into.

Sadie is a student from Seattle backpacking across Europe after she broke up with her boyfriend. She meets Olivier in Paris when he saves her from being mugged. He's rich and she doesn't trust him but still goes with him to his hotel. They spend the week together and it's insta love/lust.

Instead of going back home she decides to stay with Olivier even though he won't show her to the public. They only date in secret. He smuggles her into a masquerade ball where someone dies unexpectedly. Gasp! Is it murder? Who knows! And now his family is pressuring him to give everything up because blackmail!

To be honest, I skimmed most of the book. There was very little angst between Sadie and Olivier and most of the drama was surrounding his family's business. The side characters were a little over the top. Not my cup of tea but entertaining enough that I finish the book.

My first thought when I picked up Discretion by Karina Halle was "Wow, that cover is stunning". So, yes, I am shallow. But, the story sounds interesting: billionaire French playboy meets poor American student. Also, the setting sounded stellar: The French Riviera! Karina Halle has certainly caught my attention from the start!

Olivier, our hero, has one seriously dysfunctional family. They are greedy, secretive, and cruel to each other frequently. He is beholden to some in his family due to some information he doesn't want shared. I struggled with this a bit because it felt a bit weak. I think Olivier could have handled it differently and it wouldn't have been such a big deal. But, that's totally just my opinion! Sadie, our heroine, is backpacking in Europe and dealing with her own issues. She was relatable in many ways. She is young, undecided about some things in her life, wanting to explore and find herself. Its all very common for college age kids (except many of them don't get to leave the country and travel). She is freshly single and there certainly is instant chemistry between her and Olivier. Beyond the chemistry, I am not sure I totally understood their relationship. I didn't FEEL it. I can't quite put my finger on why, but something about these two didn't feel believable.

Discretion has some suspense to it as well which was satisfying. What I loved most was the way Karina Halle created such a beautiful setting. Discretion doesn't just take place in the Riviera, the Riviera is a part of the story in each beautiful description. If you like soap opera type families, gorgeous settings, and a touch of suspense, you will enjoy Discretion by Karina Halle!

But the chemistry between Olivier and Sadie was off the charts and the connection was amazing. I just kind of wish that there was a little more development on the relationship as a whole. The development, for me, was a little rushed. I would have loved another chapter or two on the relationship. I think it would have added a lot to the book but not having it didn’t detract from the book.

Discretion is about more than Olivier and Sadie’s relationship though. It’s also about familial relationships.

Olivier Dumont was not very clean-cut. His family, albeit extended family, was mixed up in all sorts of crimes and ne’rdowell things. His immediate family much less so. But because the Dumonts had built an empire, the entire family was involved. And that became a problem when half the family was working to overtake the other half. Karina Halle describes the Dumont family as having two halves, a light and a dark side. And that dichotomy rings true throughout the entire book. Discretion was a work of art in that sense. The Dumonts were trying to save their business and Olivier was being blocked by an old mistake. He had been trying to overcome his past and especially with Sadie but his uncle kept pushing him back.

This is my first time reading this author but I am sad to say this book is just not for me. The sexual chemistry was HOT but that is about all that this book had going for it.

I actually really enjoyed this story. While some of the storyline is a little over the top, I still found myself pulled in by the characters and wondering what would happen next. The chemistry between the characters was off the charts and I had fun reading this story. I am looking forward to seeing what Karina has in store for us next.

Unfortunately I did not enjoy this book. I have read and liked work by the author in the past but this was a kiss for me. I felt the plot plugged along slowly as link between one awkward sex scene to the next. The “suspense” element felt forced.

I received a complimentary advance copy of this title from the publisher. All comments/opinions are my own.

Karina Halle always takes you on a journey through her books, this time Its France where we meet Olivier and Sadie. The story starts in the French Riviera traveling on to Nice, Paris and Bordeaux. The settings are so well written you feel like you’re there with the characters and you can almost smell the roses, grown lovingly for their scent and not their longevity, and taste the food prepared by Oliviers chefs.
I’m in love with Oliviers tortured soul and even though Sadie was on hiatus from men after her last relationship ended she couldn’t ignore the connection she has with Olivier. Follow these two as they journey through France but also through their emotions and discover what secret Olivier is keeping and why he’s made the decisions he’s made through his life.
I loved Discretion and honestly can’t wait for the other books to be released.

Was a pretty good story. I liked the characters and the storyline went pretty smoothly. Not a whole lot of drama or umm sexy times, but it did keep my attention, for the most part, from beginning to end. Overall, I enjoyed it.

DNF at 36%

Sadie is annoying. She apparently cannot function without a man in her life, and her decisions always seem to revolve around whatever person she's with at the time. She goes to Europe with her boyfriend, discovers he's been cheating on her and ends things, and then she attempts to scrape by on her own until her (already scheduled) flight home. She's in an unfamiliar city, an unfamiliar country, but chooses to walk around alone in the dark in the middle of the night. She only has her phone for directions, and continues walking down empty streets with little to no light. Are you screaming at her stupidity? I was.

After her perilous encounter with the bald man, she tries to brush off what happened like it's not a big deal. If someone attacked me in the middle of the night, it wouldn't be something I quickly forgot. I wouldn't care that my attacker was handsome, or even notice what his eyes looked like, if I had just been fighting for my life. I would likely thank whoever it was and then wait for the police to arrive. I would not follow another stranger into their car with few reservations. Especially one that claims to be rich and willing to pay for my medical care.

I get it. It's a romance book, and unlikely scenarios sometimes make amazing stories, but Sadie was incredibly frustrating. She had no sense of self-preservation, and very little self-respect. She doesn't think she's very attractive, slept with her best friend just to get the experience out of the way, and then chose to date someone boring, safe, and predictable. She didn't want spontaneity, and she didn't think very highly of herself. However, she's totally okay with finishing her trip through Europe broke and solo, getting into a strangers car in the middle of the night, and then proceeding to stay with him for the duration of her trip. Additionally, she complained nonstop at the start of the book about not wanting his charity, and repeatedly said she didn't want him to spend so much money on her, but then was fine with him surprising her with expensive champagne, lavish dresses, and luxurious dinners. *pulls hair out*

Sadie was so hot and cold, and it was difficult to keep track of her thoughts and feelings. Did she want to make it on her own, or did she want to let someone help her? Does she want to fight with him about money, or want to enjoy the experience? She was all over the place! I'm also okay with having adventurous sex and exploring your options, but she went from being a person that wanted to "get it over with" to someone that wanted to "have amazing sex nonstop" in a very short amount of time. It was too easy for her to dismiss who she'd been her entire life. She was shy one minute and cheeky the next𑁋it gave me mental whiplash. No one becomes a new person overnight.

"He might be able to fit me in a flattering and beautiful dress, but it might be akin to putting lipstick on a pig. Or at least designer clothing on a girl from a trailer park."

Also, if she couldn't walk on her ankle, she definitely couldn't swim on it. At least, not enough to tread water while making out in the middle of the ocean. It sounds romantic, but the logistics don't work. I had a similar experience in my youth, and sexy times in the ocean are difficult and really not that exciting. I'm not saying it cannot be done, but it didn't seem plausible in this scenario.

I guess I had more to say about this one than I thought... but when woman in books act like airheads, it really grates on my nerves. I wish Sadie had been a little more confident in herself and what she has to offer the world, but she only talks negatively about herself. He tells her she's beautiful, and she's mentally congratulating herself for not correcting him and just being in the moment. I wanted to yell at her to embrace her beauty and enjoy the experience for what it was.

Needless to say, this one didn't work for me. Although I am curious what "big secret" Olivier has been keeping for ten years. Details were trickling in, but what he did honestly didn't seem like that big of a deal. I'm assuming there's more to the story, but I just couldn't deal with Sadie anymore.

*review will post on Amazon on its release date, and on my blog at the end of the month
*will provide links when available