Thursday, August 8, 2019

Blog Tour: Discretion (The Dumonts #1) by Karina Halle


Discretion
The Dumonts #1

By:
Karina Halle

Publisher:
Montlake Romance

Published:
August 6, 2019

Source:
eARC from the publisher in exchange for a honest review

Book Synopsis:
From New York Times bestselling author Karina Halle comes a delicious saga of wealth, luxury, and scandal—and the wicked secrets of success behind an envied family dynasty. 

The Riviera means indulgence—if you’ve got money. For Sadie Reynolds, a down-on-her-luck student, the Riviera means dingy hostels and back streets. When a wrong turn puts her in jeopardy, the last thing she expects is to be saved by the most handsome stranger she’s ever locked eyes with. When she later wakes up in a luxury suite with a Mediterranean view, she’s in the tender care of her rescuer: Olivier Dumont, France’s most eligible bachelor, billionaire hotelier, and heir to the Dumont fashion fortune. 

Olivier also owns his reputation for scandal. But Sadie is unlike any woman he’s ever met. Her humble persona and wild innocence promise real passion. He’s promising Sadie something too: anything she wants. From Bordeaux to Cannes to Paris, Sadie’s past in America is swept away and replaced with a fantasy too good to be true.

Pulled into Olivier’s orbit of wealth, glamour, and excess, Sadie discovers that the Dumont dynasty comes with a legacy of wicked secrets. And Olivier’s secrets may be the most damning of all…



The Dumonts Series:
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My Thoughts:

I have read a few books by Karina Halle and really enjoyed them, so when I saw that she was coming out with a new series, I was so excited!!!  Needless to say, Discretion moved to the top of my TBR and was featured on my Waiting on Wednesday Post.  

Sadie Reynolds is down on her luck.  While traveling through  The French Riviera, her boyfriend Chuck dumps her.  Then when she is running to catch her train to Barcelona, Spain, she gets injured when a thief is trying to steal her pack and purse.  A gorgeous, sexy, and sophisticated frenchman rescues her, and just like that, her luck changes!  

Olivier Dumont comes from wealth, privilege, and power.  His family dynasty owns some of the most luxurious hotels and high-end fashion house's synonymous with Chanel.  Unfortunately, there is a lot of family drama, feuding, and a major power struggle taking place in his life.  On one end of the battle line, there is Olivier, his adopted sister, Seraphine, and their father.  On the other end we have Olivier's Uncle Gautier, and his cousins, Pascal, and Blaise. 

Uncle Gautier made a "bargain" with Olivier, for an indiscretion he made ten years ago, when he was twenty; and now Olivier is backed in to a corner.   Unfortunately, time is running out for Olivier on his deal/blackmail bargain.   When he see's Sadie, he feels an instant attraction, and offers her a place to stay, food to eat, and luxury at her fingertips while she recovers.

Sadie begins her adventure with Olivier by staying in a beautiful villa in one of his family's luxury hotels.  She is in awe, as she has lived in a small trailer with her mom all her life, and money has always been a struggle.   Sadie is only on vacation for a few more weeks, and then must return to the states to attend college and take care of her mom, but what happens when she falls head over heels in love?

I enjoy stories with travel, where I get to "visit" places that I've never been before.  I was excited to "explore" France.    Sadie was a likable character, and Olivier was sexy, sophisticated, debonaire, and very attentive.  He treated Sadie like a queen, and I swooned every time he spoke French to her.  My one conundrum with the story is that I enjoy a slow-burn romance, and Sadie and Olivier had a whirlwind insta-love type relationship.  I would have liked more substance and believability to their love.   

The passion these two shared was intense, and beyond scorching hot!  The love scenes were amazing!!!  There was no doubt in my mind that these two couldn't get enough of one another.  I loved the way that Olivier attended to Sophie during her injury, the way he wined and dined her, and dazzled her.  

The family dynamics kept my eyes glued to the story, and I want more!  Seraphine was a wonderful secondary character, and I can't wait to get her story next in Disarm!   If you enjoy a story full of steamy sexiness, family drama/feuding, and power plays, you should check out, Discretion! 









Book Teaser:



Excerpt:

“Care to go for a swim?” Olivier asks, his tie now loose, his hands deftly unbuttoning his shirt. 

Oh God.

“Um,” I manage to say feebly, “I don’t have a bathing suit.” 

“Go in your underwear.”

“I’m not wearing a bra.” He smirks. “I’ve noticed.” Then he shrugs off his jacket and shirt until he’s topless. 

 Even in the dim light, he’s a sight to behold. Wide, firm chest, rigid abs, those lickable Vs on the side of his hips—all wrapped up in a smooth golden package. 

 Speaking of package, now his fingers are undoing his belt, and I’m not sure I’m ready for what’s next. 

“I’m going in,” he tells me. “You’re free to join me. I highly advise a dip in the Mediterranean. The sea salt here is good for your soul.” 

I’ll tell you what else is good for the soul: watching Olivier Dumont take off his clothes, that’s what. The sound as he undoes his zipper is so loud it seems to bounce off the waves. 

I quickly avert my eyes, even though the temptation to stare is overwhelming, and then he moves into my vision: his perfect shoulders, back, and, yes, one hell of an ass, all lit by the soft moonlight. 

He stops just at the stern of the ship, climbs over the railing, and with one quick smile back at me over his shoulder, swan-dives naked into the sea with barely a splash.

I get up and scramble over as quickly as I can with my ankle and peer over the side. 

He’s swimming and grinning up at me, his wet hair pushed off his face. But that’s not the only thing that’s taking my breath away. 

The water around him is lit up, like the moon’s glow has saturated it. The light continues out from around him along the dark waves, like cool white trails snaking through the sea.  

“It’s called une mer de lait,” he says. “The sea of milk. It’s bioluminescence from a type of Mollusca.” 

“It’s magical,” I say breathlessly, trying to soak it all in. “We have something like this in the Pacific Northwest, but it’s more blue and green. This is like . . . you’re swimming in the Milky Way.” 

“Doesn’t it make you want to jump in?” 

It does. And so does the fact that he’s so effortlessly bobbing in the waves. 

“Is it safe?”

“Very much so.”

 “Warm?” 

 “Bien sûr.” 

 I think about it for a minute. “What about my ankle?” 

 “You can use the steps and platform at the back, just there. Unwrap your ankle so the bandage doesn’t get wet, and we’ll put it back on you after.” 

 “And my lack of bathing suit?” 

 “I just went in naked.” 

 “I didn’t see anything,” I tell him quickly.

 “No? That’s a shame. It was the whole point.” 

 I smile, feeling extremely giddy all of a sudden, like everything inside me is fired up and ready to go. Fuck yes, I’m going in. 

 “Okay,” I tell him, walking around to the back, where there’s a step leading down to a wide wooden swimming platform. I sit down on the step and start unwrapping my ankle. “But you have to turn around when this dress comes off.” 

 “You do know by now that most women in France swim and sunbathe topless anyway?” 

 “And you know by now that I am not a Frenchwoman, nor am I most women,” I tell him, pulling the rest of the bandage off and setting it aside before easing up to my feet. “Okay, turn around now.” 

 He sighs but pivots in the water so he’s facing the shore. I quickly reach down and slip off my underwear, not wanting to get them wet, then unzip my dress and pull it over my head. I toss it back on the deck and look to see if he’s peeking. 

 To his credit, he’s not, but he is letting out a sly whistle of sorts as if he might have been earlier. 

 “You better not have seen anything,” I warn him as I hobble over to the edge. 

 “My imagination is pretty good at filling in the blanks,” he says, and I can hear the grin on his face. “Though I have no doubt it won’t do it justice for when I see the real thing.” 

“When?” I repeat with a dry laugh, but inside a million fireworks are going off. 

 Time to take the literal plunge. 

 There’s nothing as nerve-racking as the moment before you’re about to jump, when something goes from a concept that you’ve talked about and considered to a real, actual thing. It’s scary. It doesn’t matter if it’s taking your first trip overseas or jumping into the Mediterranean Sea at night. The abstract becomes your reality, and it’s happening. 

 So I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and jump.


Purchase At:
Download your copy today or read FREE on Kindle Unlimited!




Amazon US  | Amazon Worldwide


About the Author:
Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Love, in English, The Artists Trilogy, Dirty Angels and over 20 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books. Halle is represented by the Root Literary and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.




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26 comments:

  1. wonderful review. i love a series that highlights a set of characters in each book. i can tell you love this author and i hope the series continues to give you tons of enjoyment
    sherry @ fundinmental

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  2. I usually really enjoy the books by Karina Halle and I haven't tried this one

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  3. She's a new to me author but wow that cover and description have my attention :)

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  4. Great review! I love to read books where they travel too. And add in family drama and some steam too and I am in!

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  5. I see Karina Halle’s books around a lot but have yet to read anything by her. Even so, this one has really caught my eye! I love the sound of the relationship between Sadie and Olivier (even if it does happen quickly).

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    1. She has written a variety of books that I have Really enjoyed.

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  6. I havent read anything by this author, but I know a lot of readers absolutely love her and that cover is very pretty to look at. Great review!

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  7. I have enjoyed a Lot of Halle's books, but I feel she shines, when she "takes" us to the setting. That former travel writer in her is still super sharp, and I am glad to hear that Halle did a great job taking you to France.

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    1. Yes, she really shines when it comes to her descriptions Sam!

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  8. Argh! Computer stole my comment! *sobs*
    Lets see if I can remember...

    I quite like Halle's books and the more reviews I see for this one the more I want to read it! :)

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    1. Oh no! I hate when that happens!

      I love Halle's books too :)

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  9. This sounds awesome. I'm sorry it didn't have that slow build up. I like those stories a lot too, makes the romance feel more real. Thank you for sharing a great review and an interesting book.

    Sharrice @Reese's Reviews

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    1. Thanks Reese! I enjoy this author's stories :)

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  10. This is the second review I've read saying the romance was a little unbelievable. I've really loved Karina Halle's books in the past but I've read some that didn't work for me too. It is a plus that this is a Kindle Unlimited read and listen for free. Wonderful review, Lindy! :)

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    1. Thanks Rachel! Yes, Kindle Unlimited is awesome :)

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  11. This sounds like escapism fiction at its best Lindy!! I would take all of her trials to be swept away in the wake of them... I'm sad for you that the romance is so insta-love. I got that sense reading the excerpt too. Though I too love to explore new places through books!!

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    1. Exploring places through books is such a fun way to travel though our imaginations.

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  12. I've been meaning to try her books since I saw those Swedish royals series. I'm right there with you when books take me to a new locale and let me see a new place. Both characters sound fab as well as the set up for the rest of the series.

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    1. I haven't heard of her Swedish Royals Series. I'll have to check it out :)

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  13. I do love that cover. I've enjoyed her books as well though haven't read many of her recent ones. One day :)

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    1. The cover was the first thing that drew me to this book!

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