This is the second book in the Dumont series and even though Discretion was not my cup of tea. I enjoyed this one more in these sense of wanting to know what would happen next, more than the romance itself. I think these books would work well in a set since the intrigue is the hook that keeps it going.

Holy cow! This book.

I love this series and this might be my favorite one! I could not put it down. I devoured the story.

Karina Halle is one of my top go to authors when it comes to great character building, romance and some shocking moments.

Disarm is book 2 in the Dumont series and after the insane craziness of the first book and the ups and downs of this rich and famous family, I had to know what was going to happen next.

Seraphine was an intriguing character in the first book and I was excited to see how her characters turn was going to go. She was adopted and this a little bit of an outsider to the family, however she her work and dedication was top notch. She grew up loved by her adoptive parents and brother and worked her way up in the family company. When her father dies in a tragic and suspicious way her life is turned upside when her uncle takes over.

Blaise is her cousin and of course not related by birth. He too is like an outsider in his family, as he's nothing like his father. He and Seraphine have this undeniable connection that neither can ignore. However Seraphine is trying to uncover the truth of what happened to her father and how her uncle is linked to it, 

Overall I really enjoyed this easy to read and suspenseful romance. I loved that Blaise always stood apart from his family as he never wanted to be like the cruel and unloving side of his family. In the end I loved reading about this secretive wealthy family and all the drama, romance and secrets that lie within it.

Disarm is book 2 of the Dumonts series bringing us Seraphine and Blaise's story.

Overall, I enjoyed this one, it was a bit slow here and there as the story goes on, but things got pretty suspenseful towards the end. 

There is a taboo element of sorts that felt a little off to me, they are cousins, but not blood related... If you want to get technical. But the fact that it was constantly mentioned that they were indeed cousins throughout the whole book, it felt unnecessary to me. 

I'm soooo glad we got a happily ever after and it's such a change to see Blaise so at peace, and just happy. And I do love seeing them both together. Seraphine has faced and lost so much, but she remained resilient through it all.

I'm rather curious about Pascal's story, he's a character I want to know more about.

Disarm is a dramatic and sexy romance between Seraphine and Blaise . Both are great characters and I really enjoyed this story.

I didn’t read this book sorry I wasn’t aware of how this works. I didn’t read this book sorry I wasn’t aware of how this works.

A suspenseful, chaotic romance read! I really liked both main characters. Seraphine was pretty resilient from the very beginning. She was an outsider who had something to prove to the Dumont family.

At first I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the taboo aspect of the love story, but it grew on me as the story progressed and it was revealed just how detached from their families the two characters were. I felt like neither character received the justice they deserved at the end of the book but I’m hopeful that more will happen in future books in the series!

It was a good read overall. A little slow at times but a solid 3 stars!

I really enjoyed how this book continued the overall story line of the first book but we got to be centered around a new set of characters. The steamy scenes did NOT disappoint and the mystery was just as good as the first book.

I really loved this one. Seraphine and Blaise are definitely my favorites so far although the open ended question of Pascal is making me clap my hands like a little kid! This book was intense, and in the best way! I love a good romantic thriller and this felt like that to me. Seraphine and Blaise were so well written, and I loved their backstory. It was so sweet, and awkward just like both of them. 5 out of 5 stars!

This book (especially the audiobook) read like an action/suspense/romance movie and I was there for it! When the action kicked in, I couldn’t stop reading and I was so happy with the ending! The Dumonts are a messed up family, but that’s what makes these books so addictive!

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own. 

When I read Discretion and we first met Seraphine and Blaise I was very curious about both of them and the strange relationship that they had. I was so eager for this book and to hear their stories.

What I love about this book is that it shows that sometimes things are hidden beneath the surface. Not everything is always what it seems, and that goes for people as well. 

This story was told through alternating from the past and present with Seraphine and Blaise. We get a look back at some of the key moments between them and we see important things from their pasts. I liked having this perspective. It felt very intimate and it really allowed the reader to get to know the characters. 

With that said, the character development was fantastic in this book. Getting those glimpses of the past really cemented some deep feelings and attachment to the characters. I really felt drawn to them and I connected with them easily. 

Seraphine and Blaise definitely have a chemistry between them. They have a very complicated relationship because of all the circumstances in their lives. I loved how loyal Blaise was to Seraphine even when he was hiding from the world. 

I enjoyed the plot of the story and I loved all the unexpected twists and turns that kept me turning the pages. The author has a beautiful and clean writing style that is fantastic to read. 

Overall, this was an excellent story in the Dumont series. Each of the characters in this series has been a delight to read about and I am so eagerly awaiting Pascal's story in the next book. This author really makes you care about these characters and you will be addicted to them and their stories.

I will always and forever read anything Halle writes. Her writing style is smart and witty and never ever disappoints. Her characters are beautifully built and perfectly real. She is a creator of strong and independent women that are a breath of fresh air in a world of virginal damsels waiting to be saved. This story was no exception. Loved it.

The audio is even better!

Disarm is my favorite of the series so far. I'm not sure if it's the taboo aspect, the enemies to lovers, or all of the above. Just know that where the Dumonts are trouble isn't far behind.

Seraphine and Blaise are two Dumonts who feel the name is just a title. Neither has ever really felt like a Dumont. Both struggle with their perceived, whether real or not, alienation.

All it takes to bring them together...is a little murder. Sometimes a little good can come from a terrible thing.

I can't wait for the truth to come out!

Disarm is the second book in the Dumonts series. While this story focuses on two different characters from the first novel, it also picks up where the first novel left off. This is a series that definitely needs to be read in order.

I liked disarm and the look into the past of the Dumonts, however I wish I had enjoyed it as much as the first one and that's made it harder for me to write a review. I enjoy the authors writing and the story in disarm but i just found (insert) more intense and full of mystery. Disarm feels more like a sequel that's used to build to something more so I'm excited to see how the third book in the series follows. I feel like it will pull everything together and I will appreciate this story more.

I loved Blaise and Seraphine’s story, and I was hooked from the very start. There is a lot going on in this book, from the beginning of a forbidden romance to the ruthless actions of a powerful family. There’s mystery, drama, and an electrifying love story. Very well done and I can’t wait to read Pascal’s story.

***3.5 Stars***

Is it a bad thing that I found myself more interested in the mystery and suspense side of things and Pascal, than I was in Seraphine and Blaise?

It’s probably a “No.” when it comes to the mystery/suspense side and an eyebrow raise when it comes to Pascal, but truth is truth.

I didn’t not like Seraphine and Blaise, I actually did like them. Seraphine is strong and determined, even when her insecurities rear their ugly heads. I didn’t always agree with some of her choices, but I could never fault her for wanting to find out all that happened with her father. Blaise was an interesting one. I liked seeing him finally find his backbone when it came to his brother and father, something he didn’t have for awhile ~ though I understood why he chose the path he did ~ so I was pleasantly surprised when he did find it and became the man he truly wanted to be. 

As for their relationship/journey to their HEA. First thing:the fact that they were cousins, Seraphine was adopted, didn’t bother me in any way. I did like that they attempted to not step over that line, but as the flashbacks showed, they were inevitable. But outside of that obstacle, I just found their journey to be a little flat. Not boring per se, it just couldn’t out do the suspense aspect for me. I liked them together and I like that they got their HEA in the end.

Then there is the mystery surrounding Ludovic’s death. I have to say, I’m good with how things played out for the most part. Nothing is resolved and a ton more questions are needing to be answered, but I liked how there is a lot more gray at play now.

This may not be my favorite book of the author’s, but it still has me intrigued enough to see how everything comes together in Disavow ~ especially when it comes to Pascal. So, here’s to hoping that the finale will bring me the closure I want.

~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

Book Review- Disarm by Karina Hale 

Wow! This story was crazy.  This family is truly messed up.  This book is my first from this author and it was quite a doozy.  Dumont is the name in high fashion and the family has grown an empire.
Seraphine has been adopted into the Dumont family when she was little.  Blaise is the son of her adoptive uncle.  So, the family dynamics are complicated.  She has a crush on Blaise from the beginning.  Her treatment by her uncle and Cousin Pascal is horrendous.  She is not their blood.  There is a mafia mentality front and center in this story.  Seraphine knows her uncle killed her father and wants answers.  It floors me at what Seraphine has to go up against.  I’m a bit surprised at how naïve she is too.  If her uncle killed his own brother, doesn’t she know what he would do to her?
The author creates this dark side of the Dumont family that no one ever sees.  Seraphine sees it but I’m surprised that she doesn’t take it into as much consideration as she should have.  That was probably the most frustrating part.  She was smart and brave, but she ignored the obvious at times.  What did she think would happen when she started digging around?
Blaise was a weak character until the end.  I could not stand how he acted and let his family control his actions.  It drove me crazy.  I didn’t really like him at all until he started helping Seraphine.
The ending was a bit anticlimactic in the sense of what happened between her uncle and Seraphine, but the author reveals that the clock is ticking.  So, I am speculating about what could happen next.  This family is so toxic, anything is possible.  I give it a 4 out of 5.

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy Disarm as much as I enjoyed Discretion, the first book in this series, and overall, it was a pretty boring read.

While I read Discretion in two sittings, it took me more than two weeks to finish reading Disarm. I really loved Seraphine and Blaise in book one and was so excited to finally read their story. Since they've known each other for many years, this novel was a mixture of flashbacks to their childhood/teenage years and scenes from present day. The flashbacks were okay but overall very boring and made me kind of lose interest in Seraphine and Blaise. Furthermore, the present day scenes weren't really any better. Most of them really dragged on and I often found myself skimming passages of the novel. The scenes that were supposed to be a little more suspenseful and exciting felt pretty unrealistic, over the top and it was quite easy to predict how those scenes would unfold. 

However, one of the reasons I kept reading this novel even though I wasn't really enjoying "Disarm" was that I was hoping I'd begin liking it a little more after Seraphine and Blaise had gotten together. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. The way the two of them ultimately got together was pretty weird and quite disappointing. Also, when they finally admitted their feelings, they ended up having sex in an abandoned apartment and that whole scene in my opinion, was just very gross and they deserved better. So once they'd gotten together, I pretty much lost all interest in this novel. I mostly skimmed the rest of the book and was once again disappointed when the ending of this novel also wrapped up a little too easily. 

I love Karina Halle's writing and will definitely keep reading her other books, but I won't be continuing this series.

i need to read the dumonts #1. I listened to this book and it was very good with the narrators chosen. I think this book was quite unexpected for me and i really need to keep reading this author. I say that every time i finish one of her books and somehow i havent read her entire backlist yet. I think her story was quite unique in this and i did not expect nearly half of the shenanigans this books entails. I reccomend this audible as it is a short one and enjoyable.

This is another great book in this series. I look forward to the next one.
I recommend this author and this series.