Sexy, addictive, and did I mention sexy? With the perfect touch of forbidden, Karina Halle has outdone herself with this angsty, intriguing slow burn romance that will have your feelings pulled in every direction. Disarm is one of those books you don't want to put down, and at the same time, you don't want it to end.

Everything about this story was more intense-the writing, the storyline, and the character development was stellar. And now that I have finished it, I'm already so fucking eager to get to know more about the Dumont family-their secrets, lies, and fascinating members.

I'm still in shock to know that the third book is not going to be about Renaud, but PASCAL!! I'm dying to know how Karina will turn Pascal around.

Disarm by Karina Halle was an explosive and passionate story that had my heart and soul captive from the beginning. Disarm was an epic love story of two star crossed lovers spanning across time and space with the forbidden thrill.

The story follows the story of Seraphina, the daughter of Dumont empire and Blaise, son of the vile and evil Dumont. It picks up from the time of sudden death of Seraphina's father and the owner of Dumont empire. Now her disgusting and corrupt uncle has the rein of the company. And Seraphina has been reduced to almost nothing. She is fighting so many things. Her own insecurities, guilt, abandonment issues and anger. And Blaise, her cousin from the wrong side of Dumont family may or may not be the unlikely alliance in face of grave danger she is facing. But the question is: can she trust him after he broke her heart years ago?

I loved Blaise even more than Olivier. He is a rebel, a good guy with bad edge and in deep pain himself. He never belonged to his side of family. And the girl he should not want yet could not resist is in trouble. After years of watching from sideline he is finally done. He has no doubt about his loyalty but he has to navigate the dangerous roads while dealing his nefarious father and brother. I love his rough, broken and vulnerable heart. I love how he went above and beyond for Seraphina. Seraphina is an amazing character. She is so strong in spite of every force breaking her down. She is persistent in pursuit of truth and vulnerable when comes to falling for her cousin. They have insane chemistry. Which ranges from soul deep longing to fiery hot passion to bone deep love. I loved how the author portrayed the evolution of their relationship. The story has a very important element of suspense and secrets which kept me at the edge of my seat. I did not feel comfortable till the very surprising yet fitting conclusion.

<b>Karina Halle created a beautiful and enticing love story with edge of suspense and thriller. I was completely mesmerized with the writing and story line. I cannot have enough of Dumont world.

Received ARC for Honest review

I am a huge fan of Karina Halle's suspense books, and this one did not disappoint.
I don't think I've ever rooted for the antihero more than I did with Blaise. While his character was definitely seen in a different light (or dark, as it would be) in Discretion, I think he more than redeemed himself in Disarm. Sometimes appearances are not everything, and he definitely didn't fit the mold I had cast him into in Discretion.
This book still leaves a lot of family secrets buried, but Seraphine is able to get some resolution with her father's death. She was introduced in Discretion, but Disarm was HER book. We learned a lot about her background and her upbringing, both before the Dumonts, and up until now.
I can't wait to see what the third book will bring, and I hope we finally get to experience the thoughts going through Pascal and Gautier's heads, and their downfall.

Thank you to Karina Halle, Montlake Romance, and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy of Disarm,
This story is totally in the vein of Karina's past romantic suspense novels. She is an amazing author, one of my faves so I am always excited to review for her regularly.

Characters: Seraphine and Blaise are the main characters in Karina's latest installment in the Dumont series. Having met them in the previous book I had thought I had made up my mind about who these characters were, but in true Karina fashion, she made me second guess the conclusions I had drawn. Seraphine is a Dumont in name alone, having been adopted by the family as a young orphan of Indian descent from London. She is an outsider, and many Dumonts have never and will not ever see her as a true member of the family. This deeply affects every move she makes, and she sure is very calculating. Blaise is Seraphine's cousin, and being from the evil branch of the family I had already discounted him. What Disarm eloquently displays is that Blaise has many sides to him and that he is truly an outsider as well.
Setting: You cannot beat Karina's books set all over Europe. The Dumonts transports readers to a lush Parisian setting.
Pacing: Karina always paces her books extremely well.
Romance: Seraphine and Blaise as I described above are both outsiders within their larger family. It was this fact that made them perfect for one another, in a world that pitted itself against them. Seraphine and Blaise only have each other to lean on, and they both have such a rich history of finding solace in each other. There is the taboo element of this romance, they have been in fact raised as cousins. They are not blood-related, instead they are the perfect example of even when you fall in love with the worst possible person, that loves finds a way.

4.25⭐

Disarm was an intriguing and riveting story. That was full of angsty situations, and manipulative characters. As well as a slow burn romance that crosses both the past and the present between cousins and main characters Seraphine and Blaise. Who were both likable and who both have vulnerabilities and issues with trust. Especially Seraphine who at the age of nine was adopted into the Dumont family, and is only too aware of how different she looks and is.

And with a storyline that was both addictive and dramatic I was easily hooked, and I must say I enjoyed it a great deal more than I did Discretion. And I'm certainly intrigued to see where this series goes next, especially as Pascal is still very much inside the family and seemingly doing his father's bidding.

Would happily recommend.

„You’re mine, you always have been, even if you didn’t know it.”


Disarm is a romantic suspense at its best! Angsty, thrilling, full of twists and turns. Mystery and danger is lurking from every side. The sexual tension between Seraphine and Blaise is off the charts, just like their chemistry. And the forbidden type of their relantionship? Cherry on top! I absorbed this read in one sitting and I was unable to break away until I knew all the answers. The Dumonts series is captivating and addictive!


I loved how Karina showed the Dumonts family, how power and wealth come at a price. I also love how using flashbacks she revealed the past between Blaise and Seraphine. These two never had a great sense of belonging and maybe that's exactly what connected them in the first place. The author beautifully depicted that neither blood ties nor position and money shape you as a human being. She also wonderfully showed that the heart wants what it wants, even if it is a forbidden fruit.

Blaise was a real surprise to me. Despite the influence and wealth, this guy has a solid moral backbone and is faithful to his beliefs. He’s also caring, protective and if he gives his heart to someone, he gives 100%. He will stop at nothing to protect his loved one. He's a real swoon-worthy hero!

Seraphine is a strong and brave heroine, determined and stubborn. But she also has a vulnerable side that wants to be loved and accepted. She’s a perfect combination of strength and sensibility.

Their romance is a delicious slow-burn wrapped in taboo. Although for the world they should never be together, the uninhibited passion and sizzling chemistry that connects them for years, couldn’t be silenced forever.


Disarm is a perfect combination of romance and thriller. Karina combined a hot, steamy read with suspensful and angsty mystery that keeps you at the edge of the seat. This book is full of lies, betrayals, family feuds and power play, and with small steps it leads us to unfold the secrets about murder in one of the most influental Parisian families. But Disarm is also a hot forbidden romance that will steal your breath and make you blush. I’m obsessed with The Dumonts and I need more answers. I can’t wait for Pascal’s book!

DISARM ~ KARINA HALLE



Plot: 3.75/5

Characters: 3.5/5

Writing Style: 4/5

Personal Enjoyment: 4/5

0verall Rating: 15.25/20



Book 2 in the Dumonts series, Disarm is follows Seraphine, the adoptive sister of Olivier (who we met in Book 1: Discretion)

The story starts where we left off at the end of Discretion. Seraphine is still working in the family business though she is suspicious of her Uncle. It was a very interesting insight into her mind as we see how she struggles with the death of her adoptive father and all her suspicions around his death. All the while trying to do her job in the company that she loves despite being undermined by all of the Dumonts. To that effect she is forced to work with her cousin Blaise (cousin in name only) who she shares a tumultuous history with.

This story definitely benefited from having dual POVs as we were able to fully understand the depth Blaise has gone to keep Seraphine safe and all that he has sacrificed. The slow-burn romance was really well done and realistic as it could not have happened any other way considering the misunderstandings and deliberate heartbreaks in their past. This story is quite fast paced but with flashbacks we had enough insight that the romance was believable.

The writing style was easy to follow and with added elements of suspense to propel it, the story progressed really nicely and had a nice flow to it. I am looking forward to reading book 3 in the series as I really want answers regarding their father and to see how justice is done.

A great forbidden, second chance storyline. The angst is real and the suspense will keep you wondering. Can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

Received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Disarm is the second in the Dumonts series and was set up rather well by the author in the first book, Discretion (for which you can read my review here). Karina Halle established an intriguing connection between the protagonists of this book--Seraphine and Blaise--so much so that I immediately pounced on this book as soon as I saw it!

The little we knew of Seraphine from book one is utterly turned on its head. Now, Seraphine Dumont was farther away from family and is alone in ways that is felt by her physically and emotionally. She stands alone against people that she begins to doubt and this uncertainty of people so close to her wrecks her emotional stability. She's often a mess, desperate, pushed to corners and trying her best to just find the truth while struggling to trust anyone in the process. 

Blaise, however, seemed almost exactly as I remembered him from the first book. His interest in Seraphine was evident in book one and further evident here. There are parts of his past that are difficult and you wonder how he made it out sane. His life too, gets tangled in the knots of the mystery that surrounds the death of his uncle (Seraphine's adoptive father). Was the answer closer than he thought? Worse than he thought? If push comes to shove, who will he stand by? 

Personally for me, my favourite part of the book was the uncertainty of the mystery. You start to wonder if the hints the author is dropping, you're meant to pick up or are meant to distract you. We find shades of black in previously white tinted characters and strange hues of grey in wholly dark painted personalities. Now, I'm not sure I know anything for sure. 

There is also a particular scene, where in desperation to prove something to the heroine, the hero kisses her when she says she doesn't want to pursue anything further. I was very glad to see the heroine not melt against him and stand firm and react angrily and not feel okay that he pushed when he shouldn't have. The hero acknowledges his mistake in another scene later and apologises as well. 

However, my struggles with Seraphine had to do with my not feeling like I got to see her real personality at all. We only see her in the throes of all the chaos; we see her as someone grappling to handle the panic, grief, worry and anxiety, but who Seraphine is doesn't come through. She's caught in the box of her circumstance and we can never see her outside of it.

I especially wanted to see Seraphine handle her ideas on colour and self-worth. When the heroine was younger, she went through issues such as: "I'm dark skinned" and "I'm from India", both of which I wish were handled or shown as having been handled. I'm unsure what to feel about having a character point out, repeatedly, that she's from a specific country that is not Paris. I would've preferred if it had been phrased better to mean that Seraphine was not born and brought up in Paris and that always made her feel an outsider, which is true for any place and a feeling any person can have. Or, if there was a reason for pointing out the country and linking it to the character's self-worth, I would've loved to see how Seraphine grew into her sense of self and out of her doubts and insecurities. The only link the reader can make from what is addressed, is that Seraphine feels an outcast and never part of a family because she's adopted and it's a feeling that has nothing to do with how she was treated by her parents or brothers.

I do feel the conclusion of this book reminds me of the conclusion of the previous. There isn't any actual closure. The protagonists take a turn away from what is typically expected from a mystery theme and that worked for the first book, but it seemed a little weaker in this one, especially given the risks that the protagonist takes to get as far as she did and the obsession with which she wished for justice. The ending isn't one where the protagonist wishes to live above everything either, it was more of a compromise. Perhaps, this is a set up for the third book, I'm unsure.

Three stars! I probably am going to pick up the third book because the author is great at setting the stage of intrigue and curiosity for the next book and I want to see how this series concludes and what she is possibly going to do with Blaise's brother: Pascal.

Karina Halle is a MUST-READ for me. Her books are edgy, complex and completely unputdownable. I love this Dumont series that’s filled with suspense, romance and fashion. I loved it. .

Another great addition to the series, I can’t wait to see how book 3 plays out! I loved Seraphine and utterly adored Blaise! I’m very interested to see what happens in the end!

4 1/2 "Second Chance" Stars!!

Disarm is Seraphine and Blaise's story. They are cousins, but not by blood since Seraphine was adopted. Perhaps the closest bond they have is their feeling of not belonging. Each of them feels a sense of disconnection with their families. Seraphine feels left out because she is of Indian descent and doesn't look anything like her adoptive brothers or parents. Blaise simply knows that he doesn't fit in with his family - - at least not his father and brother. They are both harsh and cold and only seem to value material things, not people or relationships.

Blaise has been in love with Seraphine since they were young. Life took them in different directions but ultimately, they end up working together and feeling emotions that they don't know how to deal with. Seraphine's father recently died and she is convinced that her uncle, Blaise's father, had something to do with it. She becomes obsessed with trying to find evidence to support her belief.

I absolutely loved this story. Ms. Halle blends flashbacks in with present day in order to help the reader understand Seraphine and Blaise's history. It was a beautiful way to understand how their love for one another began. It also helps to understand the obstacles that got in their way as well.

“I love you, and I’ve never loved anyone before. Never said it to anyone. Never even thought it. because ever since you came into my life, those words have belonged to you, and they’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting for the chance to be heard.”

**Thank you to NetGalley, Montlake Romance and Ms. Halle for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.**

Seraphine Dumont seems to have it all: beauty, brains and she belongs to one of France’s biggest dynasties. But regardless of what she has, she struggles to keep it all together. She is grieving the death of her adoptive father and believes his sudden death to be suspicious.
Blaise, her in-name only cousin, shares roles with Seraphine within the Dumont dynasty and could very well be the only member of the deceptive Dumont family that Seraphine can trust. Blaise has kept his attraction to Seraphine to himself. His brother asks him to follow Seraphine and he begins to believe that her suspicions may not be wrong.
The attraction between the two was instant, but the slow burn between them makes it worth the wait. This book has a little bit of everything: angst, romance, suspense, and heat. I’ve never been disappointed in a Karina Halle book and I’m so glad that I enjoyed this one as much as I did! This was book two in the Dumont series. I can’t wait for book three, Pascal’s story.
Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Disarm
(The Dumonts #2)
by Karina Halle

Kindle Edition
Expected publication: November 19th 2019 by Montlake Romance





Goodreads synopsis:
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?


***

4.5 Stars

This is the second book in the Dumonts series by Karina Halle.

In the beginning of this we get the much needed (and not realized) backstory of the confident designer Seraphine. She is the sister of Olivier from book one (DISCRETION) in the series. I appreciated this bit of history since it gave us such insight into who she was before she changed her name and became the adopted daughter in such a powerful French family.

The death of Seraphine’s father happened in book one and a lot of the mistrust of Blaise’s father is accounted for in book one. So if you are curious and want to know more about this particular backstory, go back and read Discretion. It is totally worth it and such a good read as well.

Seraphine doesn’t trust her father’s brother and fears he had something to do with his death months earlier. We jump back and forth in time in this book quite a bit since Blaise and Seraphine have known each other for such a long time. Deemed cousins but are really not related at all. You get a much better idea of who Blaise is in this book compared to book one. Originally, I thought he was quite the butt head. Glad to be put in my place and discover who he really was behind the thick mask and family drama.

This book is just as exciting as book one. It takes us on quite a ride making this sophomore book such a worthy investment in your time. I think the author’s writing just gets better and better. I guess I would call this romantic suspense since it is more chase and getting away from bad guys than any actual romance. And I would add the moniker hate-to-love since that definition fits this as well.

I adore the stories Karina Halle tells and would recommend them to anyone. Definitely check this book out and give it a try. You won’t be disappointed. Fall down the rabbit hole as you discover the plethora of books by Halle. Not a bad one in the bunch as far as I can tell.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Karina Halle’s The Dumonts series is action packed, full of secrets, scandals, betrayals, and suspense. While I enjoyed the first book of the series, this one was so much better for me. Mainly, because I loved the romance so much more!

The Dumont family is a complicated one… if you’ve read the first book in this series, you know that already. Seraphine was adopted into the family at the age of nine. Her life truly started then. She came from a loving family, but then her father died and everything fell apart. All she wants now is answers, and she’ll get them no matter how dangerous. The only person out there to protect her is someone she’s not sure she can trust. Blaise Dumont, her evil uncle’s son.

The best part about this book was Blaise… I loved Blaise so hard. What I loved about him most was how he loved Seraphine something fierce. He always put her first and never gave up on her. He was such an amazing and strong hero.

Seraphine is going through a lot and she’s determined. At times, she’s reckless and stubborn. Thank goodness she had Blaise by her side, and thankfully, eventually, she grew to trust him. I loved these two together. It was a very slow burn romance, but so worth the wait.

Some would consider this book a bit of a taboo/forbidden love story as the main characters are cousins (one is adopted so no true relation, and they didn’t grow up close by any means) but I found it to be a beautiful love story full of sacrifice and growth. I truly adored Blaise and Seraphine’s love story and can’t wait to see what direction Karina takes the next book in this series. I want answers about certain things and I’m dying to see how she turns Pascal around. All in all, this was a fabulous romantic suspense!

I loved Disarm. You finally get to know Seraphine and Blaise more in this one. You finally get some answers to book one. Family secrets finally come out. Can I say I love Seraphine so much. She is so strong and doesn't give up until she gets the answers she seeks. You feel for her when you get more of her back story. You feel the pull between Blaise and Seraphine from the start. When you get to see more of Blaise you start to really feel for him. I love him for Seraphine. Disarm keeps you on your toes so enjoy the ride as you find out all the secrets that surround the Dumonts. I couldn't put this one down.

***ARC Provided by the Publisher via NetGallet***

I loved the first in this series, and Seraphine and Blaise's story picks up pretty much right after the end of the first.

There was a lot that was not resolved in Discretion. The central relationship was, but there was a lot more than just the central relationship that was going on, and a lot of questions. I thought this one was not only a great resolution to a lot of what was going on, but a fun romance in and of itself.

It's a little forbidden, but only a little and in the way that allows you to ignore the fact that they are sort of related, as she is adopted and he is more than a little estranged from his family...so, this is forbidden in name only.

I loved Seraphine and Blaise together. I believed their connection and I was willing to believe they would be ok with risking the family not being happy with their relationship. This helps a lot as Seraphine thinks that Blaise's father is responsible for her father's death, so being willing to date her own "cousin"? Sure, no problem.

But, this was never really much of an issue for me, and I don't think it was meant to be more than a bit of information that made the relationship a little forbidden.

Overall, this book was a little grittier than you would usually expect from a romance, and I liked that about it, I liked that it felt dangerous and you never totally knew what was going to happen. I really enjoyed the last 25% of the book, I liked the way their relationship evolved, and it felt like it would happen the way it did (or at least I think it did, I can't say I have ever been through anything like what they experienced) and I loved the way it developed their relationship.

I also liked the ending. It was tied up nicely, but it was also realistic...again, I think. I am not sure from personal experience, but I think, were I to experience what they did, I would react in the same way.

I enjoyed and recommend this title.

I always enjoy Karina's work and this one was no exception.

This story focused on the adopted Dumont daughter Seraphine. As a child, she was folded into the Dumont family and hat a few brief interactions with her cousin Blaise as a child. They had a connection and one shared encounter with each other, but have been out of each other's lives for years.

When the patriarch of the Dumont family dies, Seraphine suspects foul play, and believes her uncle and older cousin had a hand in his death. Blaise is sent by the two to spy on Seraphine.

While there is a connection between the two and a romance, it is a really slow burn and their interactions revolve a bit more around the suspense of Seraphine's investigation into her father's death.

What appears to have a bit of an abrupt ending, I have a feeling will be a continued story in the next book. Not a cliffhanger, but not all things are resolved here.

I was a little worried starting this one because the first book disappointed me. I will say that I enjoyed this book a lot more than the first book. There is a second chance, slow burn between the past and the present. I ate it up. There was some suspense to it that was ok. I’m all ready for the last book in the series.

I voluntarily read an early copy.

This was a great second installment into the Dumont family. The sexual tension was top notch and a little forbidden. The back story that was created between these two helped me feel the connection. The chemistry was real. The forbidden aspect made this book full of angst. I was waiting on every page for it to finally happen. The creativity of the story kept me turning the page. This was just the right level of suspense and angst. This is a great series and a very dysfunctional family!