REVIEW: Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton

   Book Review

"𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 π’—π’†π’“π’š π’π’‚π’–π’ˆπ’‰π’•π’š, π’π’Šπ’•π’•π’π’† π’Žπ’π’–π’”π’†. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 π’šπ’π’– π’Œπ’π’π’˜ π’˜π’‰π’‚π’• 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒔 π’˜π’‰π’†π’ π’šπ’π’–'𝒓𝒆 π’π’‚π’–π’ˆπ’‰π’•π’š?"

𝑨 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒉𝒆 π’‡π’Šπ’π’‚π’π’π’š π’ˆπ’“π’π’˜π’π’” π’Šπ’ π’Žπ’š 𝒆𝒂𝒓, "𝒀𝒐𝒖 π’ˆπ’†π’• π’‡π’–π’„π’Œπ’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒏."

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: πŸ”₯πŸ”₯πŸ”₯πŸ”₯πŸ”₯
Tropes: Stalker, dark, forbidden 
Series: Cat and Mouse Duet Book 1
Triggers: Graphic violence, dub/non con, stalking, and discusses matters around human sacrifice and child trafficking.

*If any of the triggers are not for you, I encourage you to not read this book. I loved it, but I recognize it's not for everyone.*

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 hate waiting for book two) because I loved this story. I just know that book two is going to be so so so good.

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 cannot recommend it enough. I do STRONGLY encourage everyone consider the triggers before reading. I look forward to book two!

Book Information

Release date: August 12th, 2021

Description:
*The description comes directly from H.D. Carlton's website*

The Manipulator

I can manipulate the emotions of anyone who lets me.
I will make you hurt, make you cry, make you laugh and sigh.
But my words don't affect him. Especially not when I plead for him to leave.
He's always there, watching and waiting. And I can never look away.
Not when I want him to come closer.

The Shadow

I didn't meant to fall in love.
But now that I have, I can't stay away.
I'm mesmerized by her smile, by her eyes, and the way she moves.
The way she undresses...
I'll keep watching and waiting. Until I can make her mine.
And once she is, I'll never let her go.
Not even when she begs me to.

While not required, it is highly suggested to read the novella, Satan's Affair, first.

Trigger warning: This book ends on a cliffhanger. It is a dark romance that contains graphic violence, dub/non con and stalking between main characters, explicit sexual situations, kinks such as degradation, gun play, and somnophilia, and deals with subject matters such as child trafficking, child deaths, and human sacrifices.

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