Haunting Adeline: Book 1 of 2: Cat & Mouse Duet

I almost didn’t read this book. I am so glad I did. I’m in love! I’m heartbroken and scared but in love with Zade and Addie.

I’ve struggled to be swept up by a novel since ACOTAR. I stumbled upon this book at Target and read the back and figured, “why not?”. This book never disappointed and of course I’m already beginning the sequel, “Hunting Adeline”. Absolutely hooked.

Keeps you interested with mystery and the relationship together. Definitely would recommend this book to others. Can’t wait for the next one

I’m always into old murder cases. The cat and mouse relationship is a tad weird in this sense but I enjoyed it. Human trafficking always hits me hard, and makes it hard for me to continue. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 because I will read the second book.

I COULD SCREAMI skipped sleeping hours, workout sessions and even a shower to read this book people. SPOILERS I think the author did an awesomejob in tackling this sensitive topic (having a stalker), and making it thirlling, sexy, and... relatable? Just like Adeline, as much as I was squealing while reading, a voice in my head (moral compass) kept saying "this is so wrong", it would be so wrong if it were happening in real life. So. I can't quite pinpoint what would've made this story even better for me, but is was well enough written to be convincing and not put me off. I loved the constant feeling of DANGER while reading the book, whether it was because of Zade himself, the Society sick people, or Gigi's murder case. The atmosphere was excellently built! I FELT the darkness, storms, rain, adrenaline, terror. UghI guess the only thing that disappointed me was that the stalking started out of the blue; it was some kind of "obsession at first sight" and Zade just decides to stalk Adeline after watching her for a while when she was at a book event. Apparently, considering the way she's described, she's both hot and charming in a natural way so. That's that; no "real" reasond behind it. But well, this wasn't terrible enough so as to prevent me from enjoying the book! Zade's still a psycho if you ask me, but he's more focused on protecting Adeline (so that no one else has her lol?) than hurting her (can't deny he's hurt her, forced her to do sexual stuff, and even threatens to end her with his belt if she bit his c0ck), he kills "bad guys" and saves vulnerable children/women, and he's attractive, sexy, intense, beastly, committed, devoted, and wants to be a daddy (in every sense of the word lol). So these are the traits that end up convincing you as a reader, I guess, making you believe that "it's not that bad".I LOVED Zade as a character! He's so masculine and intense... the way he speaks! And kisses, and touches lol I'm just so grateful that he didn’t turn all vanilla at some point. It's so refreshing, in a sick way, how he takes whatever he wants from Adeline and owns his fantasies when he's with her (he tells her what to do or even say sometimes). Sorry I'm just tired of all these men (characters) asking for permission lol. So yes; I appreciate that the author truly shows us that Zade is "bad", and that feeling lasts till... the end of the novel. I also love that there's no traumatic story behind him lol and that he never regrets nor apologizes for stalking Adeline; he totally owns it.And Adeline... Even though not that relevant to the story, I loved that she's a writer and socially anxious! I enjoyed reading her! I loved that, at least, she's aware of how "stupid" she's been for "allowing" certain situations with her stalker (not that she could've stopped him, really), and that little by little she just accepts that she likes it all; the thrill, danger, horror, being forced. Of course, she ends up LOVING it and practically begging for more. But her inner conflict, her mixed feelings were very well developed, to the point of her experience being relatable.Something I loved regarding their whole dynamic, apart from the cat and mouse chase, and the fire and juices between them, was how... the deeper they went physically, the more they developed their connection. I just loved reading that! Without making it sappy. They found each other in sex, and that helped with their connection outside of sex. (Oh and I LOVED the built up tension and all the sex scenes!!!!). It was refreshing reading how wanted Adeline was by this beast of a man. Okay so, in case it wasn't clear I LOOOOOOVED this book! It's definitely one of my favorites now! On the downside, I was so gripped by it and obsessed with what was going to happen with them, that Zade's point of view (when he was out doing "humanitarian" work) and Gigi's diary pages felt more like a hazard than something that I was interested in reading and enjoy. Finally, though this is a romance and I AM here for it, a part of me had the crazy idea that by the end of the book, Adeline was so freaked out about the "being a mommy" coment that she had decided to run away! (And that's why the title of the second book is "Hunting" Adeline). I cannot deny I felt disappointed when that wasn't the case lol. Still an awesome book that I totally recommend!

No mucho que opinar creo que casi todo el mundo sabe de que va esta saga de dark romance, sencillamente cautivador.

This book is action, packed with sexy details. Quite a cliffhanger at the very end. I loved it. Can’t wait for the next one

This book was truly something else, it was my first taste of anything like it and now it’s the only type of books I’ll read. I’ve passed this book onto a friend I know will like it and told her to do the same once she’s done lol

Warning: this book is very dark and has some dark tropes and kinks involved into it.The warning page says: non/dub con, graphic violence, human trafficking, stalking, child trafficking, child sacrifice, child death, and explicit sexual situations. Gun play, somnophilia, bondage, and degradation.I will say my one problem is that the fmc isn’t as obviously into the whole situation, she is described as enjoying it but hating herself for it, horror and fear turns her on, she’s obviously excited and turned in by all of the stalking and dominating from the mmc but I wish we got more of her internal dialogue earlier in saying how she knows it’s wrong but she’s very much into it, it happens later on sure but at the beginning I wish we got that.There are some scenes which I didn’t like but that’s just because I don’t like gunplay and degradation, just not my yum personally. Other than those things it’s a good read, it’s very explicit in the sexual scenes which is a pro for me, I liked it but please do not read if you are not going to like it. If you’re going to read it and disregard all the warnings and then complain about being uncomfortable I do not know what to tell you… for taboo lovers, dark romance lovers, etc., I will say you probably will like this

So I had to get the audio book so I could keep up with the book while driving; worth it!!! So good, so much happening and so much more than I thought!! Yes, read it!

Haunting Adeline had me hooked from page one. It’s dark, twisted, and full of suspense with just the right mix of romance and psychological thrill. The characters are complex and the story keeps you guessing. Not for the faint of heart—but if you love dark romance, this one’s unforgettable

Loved this book. I couldn't put it down. I read in in two days. So happy that I ordered them both so that I could continue after the cliffhanger. I'm obsessed with the two main characters. It's an easy read. Please do see my review of the second book, I had to take a break.

Okay book. The length is a lot, the book is repetitive, it has dark themes, but once your in your in.

these books have been some of the best i’ve ever read, I love that she wasn’t scared to go above and beyond the normal boundaries. i seriously have tried to read other books & it’s difficult. i have always said i don’t trust anyone who writes, paints or draws that hasn’t gone through some trauma because i don’t believe they can achieve a good masterpiece. idk what she has gone through but these are amazing. and Does It Hurt is sooooo good also. loved that book so much especially because i’m a huge shark & ocean person 🖤

Is this book intense? Yes. Does it have out of pocket sex scenes? Yes. Is it crazy to fall in love with your stalker? Yes. But did I finish this book in 3 days? Yes!!!! I was wildly surprised with this book. I’ve heard many mixed reviews on it. Many did not finish it. I am immediately starting the next book. It has me hooked.

This book was a true test to see if I really like dark romance and I passed the test.It’s very intense so make sure this is a path you want to follow before diving in because it ends on a cliffhanger and the second book is painful.Just a heads up because I think it’s important information before starting this series. The second book… the first half is completely brutal and not spicy just torture. I skimmed it but I don’t think you even need to do that. Just start at part 2 if you can’t handle that part. They talk about everything enough that you’ll know what happened.Now it lost a star for me because it needs a better editor. Easy errors to spot and numerous.

(Spoilers so beware)My favorite dark romance book ever so far. I started reading this months ago when I was new to this type of genre… and I stopped reading after the whole “gun scene” but I forced myself to start again and keep going and I’m glad I did because wow wow wow I’m in love with Zade. His love and devotion for Adeline is otherworldly. At first I was confused about how he forces himself on her and stalked her. But after finishing, I realize that he did what he did because 1: he knew both of them were kinky and loved the thrill. He wouldn’t have touched her if he thought she wasn’t into it. And 2: he wanted her to fall in love with his dark side first so once she did, she could love all of him fully and deeply. He always made it clear how much he needed and wanted and loved her. And how protective he was over her. Had a weird way of showing it of course but that’s just the point of the book and their story. I’m obsessed. Aside from that, the whole plot and Zades side of things and his work is just so enticing. I can’t wait to begin reading Hunting Adeline!

Ok...The good, the bad and the ugly...WARNING...SOME POSSIBLE SPOILERS:I had waited a long time to read this one. I had seen it all over tiktok and other forms of social media. I knew going into it that it was going to have some raunchiness to it. I have read a decent amount of books and I am no prude but I also feel that there's a certain amount of the raunchiness where certain people begin to start skipping over those parts. I found myself doing this because I felt that there was a point that it got really cringe-y. For one,..the fact that he is supposed to be saving women and children from trafficking situations and he himself is practically stalking this girl and forcing himself on her and saying that he knows she likes it or her body wouldn't react. uh...How many times to you hear a ra@@ist say that. I know that you see her side of things...but it still doesn't make his approach okay. Plus the fact that he supposedly had a vanilla childhood with wonderful parents and no problems...sure...okay...Doesn't explain why he is the way he is.I GET IT...I GET IT!!! DON'T COME FOR ME..I know this is a dark romance and the triggers are listed. BUT, there are things that just don't seem realistic to me.After you get past that the underlying mystery is good. I found myself flipping over the steamy scenes to get to the mystery.If you are in it for some demented, steamy material and REALLY DARK stuff...Go for it.But don't look for some touch feely romance. This ain't it.Again...I know I read the triggers.. I'm just warning others.

Wow. I was not expecting myself to love this book. But I did, and here we are. First off, it is non-con for about half of the book. If this is something you are not okay with, I do not recommend reading this book. I understand. We all have our limits. Just stop reading this review and find another book to read. I shall carry on in the meantime.H.D. Carlton’s WritingCarlton’s writing was addicting. The way she was able to build scenes is a craft. If anything, she’s the manipulator. In some of the more intense scenes between Addie and Zade, she built up suspense to it. She created enough suspense so I could feel Addie’s fear. I could visualize the scene in my head through her eyes. There were scenes I played over and over again in my head. I haven’t been able to do that with other authors in a while. I found myself highlighting on my Kindle lines that I thought were so well written. Carlton made Addie funny without being cringey, and the humor she used wasn’t overdone. I loved the use of the journal entries throughout the book, it added another layer of suspense and build up towards the plot. Ugh. I just loved her writing.AddieThere were some questionable moments I had with Addie. But, she was self-aware about herself and how she was feeling about Zade. Heck, she even admitted that she gets off on being scared. She was brave, strong, and was funny. She definitely had a morals battle with herself over the course of the book, but like Zade said, she didn’t really have a chance (if you read the book you’ll get what I mean). I do think she made her own choice about starting to have feelings for Zade (ones other than fear).ZadeOkay, I have to say what everyone else is saying. The conflict of Zade’s profession while he stalks and *youknowwhats* Addie. I think it’s actually passively brought up in the book at one point. Haunting Addie is a dark romance novel, so this is something you have to accept. But yeah, it’s not a good look. He is very intense with Addie, even when he professes his feelings and plans for their future with her. I’m not sure if the author made him be a vigilante to placate readers feelings, or even her own feelings, about how there is some good in Zade, to make him likable in some way. Or take for example when he k-worded Arch. Arch just happened to be a bad guy. It certainly would’ve made Zade an evil guy if he had k-worded an innocent guy. I feel like these things are to kind of justify that we still like Zade even though he does stalk and *youknowwhats* Addie. Whatever makes us feel better at the end of the day, yanno? I still enjoyed his character and his obsessed with Addie. The roses were a sweet detail.The Plot(s)*spoiler* I thought the plot was crafted extremely well. To me, I thought there were 3 plots/storylines (whatever you call it). 1) Addie and Zade’s relationship 2) the investigation of Gigi’s k-word and 3) Zade’s own investigation into the videos. They all intertwined smoothly and all felt relevant. They kept the story flowing nicely and I didn’t feel like there were any parts of the book that felt stalled.This book does end on a cliff-hanger, which I am actually okay with just because the sequel is coming out in the end of January lol. I am very interested to see what direction Carlton has taken the story in.

There's a reason I don't read incomplete duets or series because then I'm sad when I can't read the next book. I went against my better judgment with this book and I have no regrets (okay I have some because I hated waiting for book two) because I loved this story. The great news is the second book is out now, so you don't have to wait if you're reading this review!I've never read anything remotely similar to this book and I don't know that I ever will. This was my first time reading something truly as dark as this. I've read other books with heavy triggers, but this book was different. I read Satan's Affair beforehand (highly recommend reading that first) and I wasn't entirely sure what this book was going to be about. I knew a past murder, stalking, and love were involved, but that was it. If you had told me one of my top reads from 2021 would've been a stalker romance, I would've laughed in your face. Not only is the romance good, and the spice is off the charts hot, but the overarching story is just so good.Adeline is an author who moves into her grandmother's old home after she passes away. Adeline was close to her grandmother and felt a pull to come back to the home that always fascinated her. While living in the house, she discovers family secrets that have been buried for a long time, secrets involving her great grandmother. Her great grandmother was stalked, but here's the kicker? Her great grandmother had a spicy affair with her stalker! Adeline's great grandmother was murdered and she works with her best friend to figure out who did it. While trying to solve this mystery, Adeline finds herself in the same place as her great grandmother did with a hot stalker.Zade is a leader of a vigilante group that's only mission is to bring down trafficking rings and the horrible people that run them. And not just any type of trafficking rings. Rings that are linked to very powerful people in the country and the world. Zade is determined to get as many women and children to safety as he can. He puts himself in the line of fire to save the lives of the innocent people taken by these rings. He sounds like an ideal guy right? Well, did I mention he's also Adeline's stalker? Zade stumbles across Adeline by accident and it's a wrap for him. He wants to make her his and there's nothing that's going to stop him. Now I'm not saying he's still not an ideal guy (I do love him), but let's just say these are two VERY opposite qualities. On one hand, you have this man trying to save women and child, but on the other hand he's stalking a woman. Many would argue he can't be both a good and terrible guy at the same time, but I think this book begs to differ.I personally loved Adeline and thought she was a dynamic heroine. She was sassy, fun, and radiated fierceness. She does stand up for herself throughout the book, even to Zade, although standing up to him doesn't do much. I liked that we get her inner thoughts on Zade as their relationship plays out. I like watching her slowly open up to him and trust that he'll protect her, which seems like the opposite thing a stalker would do. One of my favorite things was when Adeline told her friend about one of her spicy encounters with Zade and that he "took her soul". I couldn't be more jealous of her, trust me. Based on the cliffhanger, book two isn't going to be an easy ride for Adeline, but I know she's going to be okay. Someone as fierce as her work her way through any situation, even if it takes some time.I cannot explain how much I love Zade. I know, I know, he's a stalker. Here's the thing: I just don't care. He really had me contemplating if getting stalked is that bad (it is, but let's ignore that). I loved how he was written to be so multilayered. H.D. Carlton knew what she was doing when she wrote him this way. He's meant to challenge everything you know and make you wonder if he's really all that bad. His qualities are so opposite of each other that he left me spinning so much throughout this book. I would take pauses while reading and say out loud, "Am I actually into this man?" or "I'm in love with this unhinged man. Am I good?" I laughed way too many times when doing this because I just know how people would react in my life if I told them how much I love Zade. The mouth on Zade is UNMATCHED. God, that man says the wildest stuff, but it's so unbelievably hot. And the things he does with his hands to Adeline? Where do I sign up??? I love his love for Adeline and I can't wait to see what he does in book two knowing how this book ended.The writing in this book is beautiful and so good. H.D. Carlton is talented and it shows in this book. I enjoyed the different storylines taking place and how they all connected to one another. I thought it was interesting to see Adeline live a similar life to her great grandmother. I think getting to read her great grandmother's thoughts on her own personal stalked helped Adeline in her own way. This book is just so so so good! I canno...