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Blurb
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?
Review
3.5 stars
The second book in the Dumonts series, this book takes us back into the world of wealth and privilege with the story of Seraphine Dumont, sister of the hero of book #1, and adopted daughter of the head of a Parisian fashion dynasty. I love the first book of this series, where we were given a glimpse of Seraphine and the intense chemistry between her and her adopted cousin, Blaise. And with that twisted family dynamic, and the fact that their two families have a long-running rivalry, I was really excited to read their story.
Seraphine was adopted into the Dumont family as a 9 year old. Welcomed with open arms, she was loved without reservation by her parents and brothers. Her interactions with the extended family weren’t so positive, except for young Blaise. Though adopted cousins, they never shared a familial bond, but there was always something ‘extra’ about them, and as teenagers that began to develop into something more, but it ended before it even really began and both were left broken hearted.
Years later and Seraphine is grieving the death of her adopted father and trying hard to hold on to his legacy. Her uncle (Blaise’s father) seems determined to push her out of the family company and destroy everything that her father built, and when she begins to suspect that her father’s death may not be accidental, with her uncle at the centre of it all, she starts investigating her suspicions.
Blaise has spent years pining for the girl he’s loved his whole life. It’s an obsession he’s kept secret, but when Seraphine runs into trouble while investigating her father’s death, he is there, determined to protect and be there for her. It’s been years since they’ve spent any time together, but their feelings for each other haven’t diminished, and after all this time, Blaise refuses to hold back any longer and finally lays himself open for her.
“What I felt for you, what you did to me, body and soul, I was never able to find in anyone else. Not even close.”
He is fierce and protective and so freaking swoony, and as things progress between them, he’s hot as all hell. But just as they find what they have longed for with each other, they begin to realise the extent of the danger they are in as Seraphine’s investigations uncover devastating secrets. Neither of them are safe and they don’t know who they can trust, and there is action, excitement and intrigue as they fight for the truth and to escape the situation they have found themselves in.
The mystery/suspense part of the story is really well done, and though there is some progression with that, it remains unfinished, to be picked up in the next book. I was stunned to learn that the next book will be Pascal’s, and after establishing himself as a major asshole with only a glimpse of humanity, I’m looking forward to seeing him redeem himself in Disavow.
This was an enjoyable read. It’s a quick one, and it moves pretty fast so there’s not a whole lot of depth, but we get flashbacks of Seraphine and Blaise in the past which helps to build the anticipation of the love story, and I like the way their romance unfolded with honesty, passion and lots of heart.
“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.”
3.5 stars.
An Advanced Reader Copy was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Dumonts
Discretion (#1)
Review
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Disarm (#2)
Review
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Disavow (#3)
Review
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Excerpt
“We can never be together, Blaise,” Seraphine says, like frustration is rolling through her. “I know you understand that.”
“But it doesn’t mean we can’t try.”
“No,” she says and suddenly gets up to her feet, walking out of the room. “No. I can’t do this. I can’t handle this,” I hear her cry out as she heads down the hall.
I get up and run after her, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her right up against me, and she opens her mouth to protest and then my mouth is on hers, swallowing her words.
I kiss her with everything I have, every bit of anger and frustration and the years of lust and pining and wanting. I should be more gentle after the night she’s had, but I can’t help myself; in fact, I think I’m seconds from turning into an animal as I hold the back of her head and press my hand at the small of her waist, keeping her pressed as close to me as possible.
Her tongue slides across mine, hot and fevered and—
She pulls back, gasping for breath, and slaps me across the face.
Whack.
That hurt.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” she says. “What are you doing? What am I doing?”
Her face is red with anger, perhaps even shame. I mean, my cheek is stinging from her powerful wallop, but even so, I expected it. She’s always been the type of woman to put you in your place. But I didn’t expect her to slide so easily back into hating me.
“Don’t pretend you haven’t been dreaming about that,” I tell her, trying to control myself. “Don’t pretend that you haven’t wanted that, wanted me, all these years.”
“The only thing I’ve been dreaming about, Blaise, is getting justice for my father. That’s it. That’s all that matters. And as far as I’m concerned, you’re no better than the rest of them.”
Anger pokes at me, building up inside. “Hey,” I say, my inflection razor sharp. “I risked my neck tonight for you. I saved you from a bad situation. And more than that, I let you know the truth. I chose you over my family.”
“And I’m choosing not to trust you,” she says. “You’ve given me no sign over the years that I mean anything to you at all. Why should I believe you now? Why do that when it might derail everything I’m working on?” Something comes over her, a flash in her eyes, as she’s realizing something. “This is all a setup, isn’t it? This is just something that Pascal is having you do, just like you followed me. You’re supposed to tell me all this nonsense about wanting me and staying celibate like some joke and waiting for me, and it’s all a lie to get my guard down. If you’re telling me I’m in danger, it’s because you’re putting me there.”
I knew she’d go this route at some point, but even so, it stings. “That’s not it at all. Seraphine, please, I’m serious.”
“You just want me to back off because I’m close to the truth,” she says, shaking her head wildly as the idea takes over. “For all I know, every single thing this evening that’s come out of your mouth has been a complete lie, all to throw me off.”
I run my hands down my face, trying to squash my frustration. I knew this was coming, and yet that tiny coal of hope was always burning inside. “That’s not true,” I mutter into my hands, but I know when she gets like this that there’s no changing her mind.
“Get out,” she says.
I look up to see her opening the door and gesturing for me to hurry up.
“You’re making a big mistake by not trusting me,” I tell her.
“And I don’t take threats very well. Get out, and if I see you around me again . . .”
I almost laugh. “You will see me again. At work tomorrow.”
“Right. I almost forgot that you’re taking over my job.” She runs her fingers under her eyes and sighs so defeatedly that leaving her feels like a crime.
“It’s not like that,” I tell her.
“Just go,” she says quietly, holding open the door and looking away, like she can’t be bothered to face me.
“You know where to reach me, if anything happens,” I tell her as I walk past and out into the hall.
“If anything happens, you’ll be the first one I’ll blame,” she says to me.
Before I can say anything in response, she closes the door in my face.
Q&A: Author Karina Halle
Seraphine and Blaise Dumont are (gasp) cousins. But not to worry, they aren’t blood-related. Seraphine is actually from India and was adopted by Ludovic Dumont when she was a young girl. Even though she was brought into the “nice” side of the family, she has always had trouble fitting in. Her looks, her accent, the fact that she was born poor and discarded like trash, gives her a very different perspective to life than her affluent family. This POV has colored her into the very outspoken, vibrant and feisty woman she is today – she is definitely one of my favorite female characters I’ve written.
Blaise, of course, belongs to the bad side of the family, though there were hints in the first book, Discretion, that he’s not as bad as you would think. In fact, he’s a lot like Seraphine, a bit of an outcast and the black sheep of his family. As we read Disarm, we also discover the history that Blaise and Seraphine have together which sets up for the angst, tension and hate for each other that they have in the present day, especially as Seraphine thinks Blaise has something to do with her father’s death.
2. They live in a world of privilege that most of us cannot fathom. What are the biggest pluses and some minuses of living with fabulous wealth?
The biggest plus is the material things: houses, cars, clothes, jets, vacations. You name it, they have it. You would also think a great deal of freedom comes with money too and it does but with that sort of wealth, it makes you go to great lengths to keep it. So that freedom still ties you to the wealth, in maintaining it and getting more of it. Of course, it breeds some pretty out of touch and unscrupulous characters, too, and you can never know who to trust when your world (and family) revolves around money instead of love.
3. What about Blaise makes him totally unique and different from all other book boyfriends?
4. Seraphine has faced many difficulties during her life, but one of her toughest challenges is thinking Blaise abandoned her. How does she deal with this heartbreak?
She deals with it the way that Seraphine deals with any hardship—she tucks it away deep down inside and rises above it. She’ll force herself to be strong – her pride is very powerful – and she’ll trick herself into thinking she never cared about him to begin with. It’s much easier to paint Blaise with a villainous brush, that way it doesn’t hurt so much.
6. What scene from the book do you think readers will enjoy the most and why?
7. It is often said that writing is re-writing. What were some things that didn’t make it into the book that you were hoping to add?
Nothing. It’s all in there, baby! If anything, scenes were added during edits.
I learned a lot about Muay Thai fighting moves haha.
10. Who is the next Dumont on your list to receive their own story?
Giveaway
To celebrate this release, the author is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card, and a digital copy of Disarm!
ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE
The Escapist Book Blog is not responsible for this giveaway
Meet Karina
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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