I'm giving this one five steamy stars.

I love how Karina can write a story based in another country and make you feel like your actually there. She is descriptive when creating these places so much so that you can actually picture them. It's one of the the things the always draws me to her books.

I also love how the story seems like just a typical romance at the beginning but quickly heats up and turns dark, especially in the second half of the novel. There is a lot of steamy romance in discretion but also dark family drama.
The characters Karina creates really make the story what it is. If she hadn't made each character so different, even within the families, this story wouldn't be as good.

The only thing I would have like differently is the amount of sex scenes. I would have liked a little less of the story taken up by them and more of Sadie and Oliver's story and the drama that follows them.

Overall I loved Discretion and recommend it to other romance fans who like their books to be a bit more on steamy side.

3.5

I have loved all the books I’ve from this author. However, I wish I had seen more of a spark between the two characters. With that being said, I still enjoyed it. Sadie is traveling abroad by herself and she meets Olivier when he saves her from being mugged. From there he puts her under his protection since she is hurt and broke.
.
It had romance, intrigue and action! I love it when a romance book also has some action in it. Olivier is being threatened by his uncle and cousins and therefore keeps Sadie a secret. However, no secret remains a secret and Sadie is soon being followed and threatened. This book is part of a series so I will definitely be reading the second book in order to follow the next couple being featured.

Thanks for Montlake and NetGalley for my review copy.

This book just didn't click with me. It didn't have the full character development and connection I normally find in a Karine Halle book. I also wasn't a big fan of the insta love. I do plan on reading the next in the series, because it does show promise.

First half, three stars, second half, two stars. Overall I enjoyed this romance set in the French Riviera/Paris, despite some misgivings. Who doesn't love a sexy rich Frenchman? The author does a nice job of describing lush and luxurious settings in the first half of the book, as well as creating nice sexual tension between the two main characters. It may have been fulfilled a bit hastily, but the first part still worked well and gave that true sense of an escape from reality. The Paris half of the book is less successful. Sadie started to seem less intelligent and the whole Dumont family drama didn't always work for me since I didn't feel the underlying scandal was worth all the fuss. That said, I liked that the surrounding drama was so over the top - it provided a nice soap opera quality to the story, which works well in the romance genre. The romance in the second half was less convincing also - how do they get from this strong attraction and chemistry to love? It's not explored well, it just happens.

Interestingly, the author note indicates that she struggled to finish this book due to depression. I think this really shows with the definite difference in tone between the two halves of the story. It ended a bit abruptly as well, but I see this is intended as a series. I would definitely read more based on the writing in the first half of the story.

Okay, so here´s the thing. I LOVE all the books Karina has written in the past year as in 2018. I have some troubles with the books she has written this year and that makes me very, very sad because I love her and I sure as hell loved her books. A lot. I don´t know what is happening this book wasn´t for me. Again. :(
I was really hoping that I´ll like this one because it definitely has potential.

The thing that gives me hope, is that I wanna do a vacation at the French Riviera right now because Karina always had and, thank God, still has the ability to discribe all the places so well, that you wanna book a flight to these places and spend a week there or two.

That was the good thing. Another good thing was that Sadie is very likeable just like Olivier is. I wished there would have been more to get to know each other instead of the Insta love but well. You can´t have it all I guess.

The book was okay, a little too much drama and the plot all around the scandal was meh. Idk, I think I have to take a break from her books in order to enjoy them again.

An intriguing read, with just the right mix of drama and mystery, I didn’t want to put it down. The chemistry starts off a little forced but quickly develops and whilst the romance itself is the main story, the mystery that plays out along side it is what kept me interested. I cannot wait for book 2!

I've been meaning to try a Karina Halle book for some time now and I enjoy her writing style. I will definitely be trying more of her books. In Discretion, the characters were good, the story kept me engaged and I love the poor girl/rich guy trope.

The only reason I liked, but not loved this story was because the blackmail against the hero just felt weak, and it made the hero come off really weak. That's a struggle for me since I like my big strong heroes.

Now, the things we learned towards the end? That made sense to fear the consequences. While this is a standalone, there is more to come in the series and that overall plot did not get satisfied in this book and will continue on to Seraphine's book.

Let me first start by mentioning that I have not read anything from this author prior to this book. So when I saw this pop up on Net Galley (and quite frankly, saw this cover), I thought it was the perfect opportunity for me to give it a go. Well...here I am a couple days post finishing the book and I'm still having problems putting my thoughts about it in to words...

Sadie is a college student who has saved up to tour Europe with her boyfriend. But as luck has it, they break up while on their trip, leaving her alone and without most of the finances to fund the rest of the trip. So she's backpacking it, and making the best of a crappy situation. That is until she runs in to an unfortunate situation with a mugger. Thankfully someone came to her rescue...and he couldn't have been more perfect.

Olivier has everything, a family fortune and good looks. At least that's what everyone sees on the outside. On the inside, he's living with a horrible mistake he made ten years ago and time is running out before he has to "pay up" on said mistake. So instead of dwelling on what's about to happen, he throws himself in to owning and running hotels. But life throws him a curve ball when he helps a woman being mugged on the streets. Because his mistake just might put her in danger.

I think it's easy to assume that the chemistry between Olivier and Sadie is off the charts, right? I mean, hellllllo, it's a romance we're reading. So I'm not even going to address that part of the story. Well, except for this part. Sadie is backpacking through Europe by herself after breaking up with a boyfriend and then finds herself in a hotel room with a handsome man who she then has sex with within a twenty-four hour period. Doesn't sound too bad, right? LOL But I DID have an issue with the "mistake" and everything that transpired because of it. It just didn't..."flow" well for me. It's hard to explain without giving away the book. So I'll just leave it at that.

I'm not gonna lie. This one was difficult for me to stay focused on. Probably because of the "mistake" issues I have. Not that it wasn't written well, there were just a few parts that read slower than I'd like. All in all, good book to pick up and escape reality with.

P.S. - The cover doesn't indicate that this is a series, nor did the description in Net Galley. So when I was finished with the book and was left with unresolved issues, it was a pleasant surprise to see that this was indeed a series, listed on Goodreads.

4.25 stars

A sweet and sexy story of two people who randomly meet during what could have been a horrific event, and find comfort, passion and hope in one another.

Sadie Reynolds is just trying to get by.
Finish her European vacation tour, alone.
Find enough money to keep her fed.
Try not to get robbed in the process.
The last point doesn't work out too well for her, but it is how she meets Oliver Dumont.

Where Sadie is far from set financially, Oliver is dripping in wealth, as part of the Dumont fashion empire. And Oliver proves to be her savior in more ways than one.

If you are looking for a rude Alpha male, this isn't your book. Despite Oliver's playboy past, he is 100% the gentleman with Sadie. There is an immediate connection to her, and he doesn't resort to games. He tells her what he wants fairly early but doesn't push more than Sadie can handle. But he does insist on keeping her a secret, hence the book title.

Although Oliver seems to have the perfect life, not everything is as it seems, with a mistake from the past haunting him. It is clear that his Uncle Gautier and cousin, Pascal, are huge douchebags. And the two of them taunt Oliver throughout. So rather than put Sadie in their crosshairs, he "attempts" to keep their budding relationship a secret.

I would have expected more angst in this story, given what is at stake for Oliver and Sadie, but they both do a really good job of putting the other's feelings first, which is something you don't see often.

I thought this was a great start to the series, and I'm eager to see what else the author has in store (no, this doesn't end in a cliffhanger).

This was my second Karina Halle ARC. I was so ecstatic when I received this... The blurb lured me in and I devoured this book in one day.

This is Olivier's and Sadie's story. It started off with Olivier saving Sadie and the rest they say is history...

I had butterflies in tummy. I was excited for them... its the classic Cinderella story where the business mogul falls in love with a simple college student. I know this is a series because it says Dumont#1, but I hope Olivier's and Sadie's story doesn't just stop where it ended... I felt like it was left hanging... am I the only that thinks this?

And... I think that Olivier was avoiding or escaping. He has bigger problems and he shouldn't just leave them be. It was almost perfect but I felt like it was anti-climactic that he just up and left to start anew with Sadie... although there's nothing wrong with that, it's just... I've got some niggling questions that were left unanswered when the book ended.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book... it was fast paced and still built excitement, but the last couple of chapters just left me baffled.

Maybe the next books in the series will straighten everything out.

*ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review*

I immediately loved Sadie. I think she’s such a great female character and I liked her backstory a lot. Olivier was definitely hunky and sexy, and his family drama made the story interesting for sure. There was definitely some good intimate scenes but I wasn’t completely feeling the chemistry. But overall the story was good and well-written. There was drama, romance, a little bit of mystery, and interesting family dynamics. I’m excited to see whose book will be next!

Every time I pick up a book from Karina I can't put it down until I am finished and this first book in the new Dumont family series was definitely no exception. This is such a beautiful love story, set in romantic locations with a hero who is a sexy incredibly rich Frenchman. Now what's not to love about that?

The heroine is Sadie an impoverished American student backpacking alone around Europe after dumping her cheating boyfriend. She's a very ordinary girl unused to glitz, glamour and riches who suddenly finds herself in the middle of a fairytale when she is rescued from an attacker on the streets of Nice by Olivier Dumont. Sadie has no idea who Olivier and his famous family are which is both refreshing and intriguing to Olivier. As Sadie has a sprained ankle Olivier takes her to a hotel room so she can recover and she wakes up to luxury she can never have imagined.

Slowly Sadie finds out who Olivier really is but she is falling for the man she knows not the image or the money. Olivier is also falling hard but he has to keep her hidden from his family or there will be consequences for both of them.

I was totally riveted by this exciting fast paced love story and family drama. There's an evil uncle and cousin who will stop at nothing to keep their wealth and position and other intriguing characters whose stories hopefully will come in the future.

Sadie and Olivier's story is so beautifully written, with a good balance of intrigue and mystery and scorching hot chemistry and sexy love scenes. Definitely not to be missed, and I can't wait for the next book about the Dumonts.

First book in a new series by Karina Halle. Discretion is set in France based on jealousy, blackmail, privilege and wealth. Olivier and Sadie meet when she is being attacked on the street. He is very chivalrous and rescues her and takes her with him, setting her up in a hotel. Olivier is quite smitten and wants Sadie to remain in Paris with him. The only downside was the reason he was being blackmailed. In this day and age I think it was a weak reason to be the main focal point of the story.

An incident of crime leads to being saved.
Oliver is a hotelier, a rich Frenchman who seemingly is living the playboy life.
Sadie is on her last dollar or Euro backpacking through Europe.
As scenes unfold, there is confusion & mayhem until pieces of clues start fitting together and the puzzle becomes a solid picture.

**I very generously was given an ARC of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you to Karina Halle and the publisher**

I recently binge read Karina Halle’s excellent Experiment in Terror series (if you haven’t read it yet, you’re missing out!). I enjoyed the slow burn, the paranormal aspect, the romance and the characters in the series tremendously. I’ve also read several of Halle’s standalone romances (one featuring a trope I despise) and was equally impressed by them. So when I was granted an ARC of this book, I have to admit I was having one of those totally giddy fangirl moments. A new book by a talented author whose books I like?? I was so in.

Discretion features the very handsome Olivier Dumont. He comes from a very wealthy family whose name is synonymous with the money and prestige of, say, the Hiltons, if they also had a line of luxury clothing and handbags like Hermès. He’s driving home after a particularly disastrous date with yet another waifish model when he turns down the wrong street and happens upon 23 year old Sadie, who is being attacked by a thief. Olivier steps in and fights off the attacker, whisks her off to a hospital, then convinces her to stay in one of his hotels to recuperate. Sadie is a short, curvy American on a backpacking trip. She’s recently broken up with her cheating ex, and is completing the vacation they’d planned together on her own.

What Karina Halle does particularly well is paint characters in a realistic way. They are not perfect, in looks or in character, and they are wonderfully real and human. I also enjoyed the secondary characters introduced, such as Olivier’s ballsy sister Seraphine and his cousin Blaise.

Unfortunately, where the story fell apart for me was the plot with Olivier’s family, and the secret his uncle holds over his head. It was very weak as a plot device to ask readers believe there was so much drama over the secret, for such a long time. Another reviewer commented it wasn’t as though Olivier was a murderer, and had been found out, and I have to agree. It was also ridiculously easy to figure out, so something that should have added tension and drama just didn’t. Even worse, Olivier’s secret, and the decisions he makes as a result, did not serve to make him seem noble and self sacrificing. Instead, it made me think he was weak and immature.

All in all, this was still an enjoyable read. The strong characterization and the romance between Olivier and Sadie was compelling. I enjoyed their happily ever after, and would still be interested in reading another novel about the Dumonts. (I’m hoping Seraphine’s story is in the works). But due to the backbone of the novel being built around this “secret” that’s just not shocking, the book was not nearly as good as it could have been.

I flew through this book and I had a lot of fun doing so, this one really is pretty much the perfect sexy, summer read.

Sadie is backpacking alone through Europe after a breakup with her boyfriend when a man tries to mug her and Olivier comes to her rescue. Sadie's ankle was injured during the attack so Olivier takes her to one of his hotels to rest and recuperate after she misses her train.

The romance that blossoms between Olivier and Sadie is simple and never feels too angsty despite the question of her leaving that hangs over them, but there's a lot of drama always happening in the background. We know from the beginning that something happened ten years ago leading Olivier to sign a contract which his uncle now holds over him. In fact Olivier's whole family seems to be full of blackmail, betrayal and secrets which his and Sadie's new-found relationship manages to fall right in the middle of.

I haven't read many of Karina Halle's previous works but I know most of them do have a deeper story to them than this one so if you go in with the wrong expectations I think this book could be disappointing. However, if you're in the need for a quick, sexy read full of OTT rich people drama then this is the perfect read for you!

⇨ R E V I E W ⇦

Not my first review by author and it’s always a good surprise and a big variety when it come from Karina Halle, the blurb got me very interested in this not to mention the beautiful cover itself!

Well this was an unexpected brought out feelings type of book! Was apparently not ready for all the world-win i guess. I want to talk about the characters first: Oliver is a 30 year old FILTHY RICH business man, who owns lot’s of properties along with hotel-chain. His family comes from big money as well, so either way he would always be taken care of financially. Now, Sadie is a college student that went on an adventure only to end up alone…literally and figuratively speaking. She is backpacking and very broke, but getting by, she is not going to let a set-back hold her back from exploring. Until that one night she took a wrong turn and luckily for her Oliver the knight-in-shining-armor was there to save her. It all kind of went like a roller coaster from then on, for both of them.

I really loved the idea of this story, the romance portion was VERY SWOON WORTHY, not just Oliver but the surroundings and all. The author if you’ve never read her is very keen on detail, not too much where it over-powers but enough so it can all play out like a movie scene in your head. Even if you’ve never been to that part of the country, this is a international romance as well. That said, this story is every girls dream to be honest, maybe not the family issue one but the whole being swooped of your feet deal.

Oliver becomes infatuated with Sadie not just for her looks but for her smarts and mouth, he can’t believe she didn’t know who he was when they met. They take a journey and adventure together…but all adventures either continue or have a bad ending…I’m leaving it there….

In this book you will have hardship, romance, SWOON SWOON SWOON, adventure, secrets, lies, hurt & pain and of course HEARTBREAK in many forms…oh let’s not forget DANGER! I rather enjoyed the story and the characters, I am looking forward to learn more about them hopefully in the other books to come in that series!

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY!
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

Sadie Reynolds student from Seattle is traveling across Europe after breaking up with her boyfriend along the way. On the south of France, she meets Olivier Dumont France’s most eligible bachelor, billionaire hotelier, and heir to the Dumont fashion fortune. From the moment they meet instant connection forms and then begin their relationship that takes us all across France in the world of family drama, intrigue, and blackmail. After some time the long-kept secret is revealed and as expected we get a very sweet happy end.

This was not my first nor will be my last book by this author. She has a great talent for writing books that are a joy to read.
However, I have to say this was rather a forgettable book. The thing that drives the plotline, this huge secret that hero has and for which he makes all his big decisions is just so ridiculous to me.
I just feel like something is missing. Maybe it is my connection to these characters so I can't overcome this "big secret" that is so unbelievable.
I wish that all characters had more substance even villans felt flat.

Overall this is a good book to pass time sadly I wish I loved it more.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

I am rating it 4 stars. Overall, I really enjoyed the story of Olivier and Sadie. Their romance was sweet and the underlying mysteries of Olivier’s past did keep the plot moving.

Karina Halle is a great writer and this book makes you yearn to be on vacation in the French Riviera. Sadie and Olivier had great chemistry and this book was very steamy. Olivier was a great character but I did find myself wanting a little more from Sadie. I don't love insta love books and I needed a little more build up to the relationship between Sadie and Olivier. I did like the suspense factor toward the end of the book. Overall, this was a light and fun summer read. This wasn't my favorite book of Karina Halle's but I am excited to read more of this new series!