Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: Dark Romance, Psychological Thriller, Dark Erotica, Vigilante Romance

Available On: Amazon

If HD Carlton’s Haunting Adeline was a plunge into obsession, Hunting Adeline is the deep, unflinching dive into the aftermath. It’s brutal, bold, and brilliant—taking everything that made the first book so conflictingly compelling and holding a mirror up to it, shattering any comfortable illusions you may have tried to maintain about what you were reading.

I’ll be honest: I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Haunting Adeline. I didn’t expect to find myself pulled so completely into the DARK dark romance world. The first book challenged me—especially with the thorny issue of consent—but it also left me breathless. Still, I couldn’t quite bring myself to give it five stars. There was a niggling discomfort in the back of my mind, a sense that something about the dynamic between Zade and Adeline crossed a line, even as the narrative danced around the idea that maybe, just maybe, Adeline was into it all along.

And then came Hunting Adeline And suddenly, everything changed.

Consent, Reframed: It’s A Razor-Edge Distinction

What kept Haunting Adeline from being a five-star read for me was the uncomfortable grey area around Zade’s behaviour. He stalked her. He raped her. And while the narrative made a case for her deriving sexual thrill from fear—suggesting perhaps she was non-verbally consenting while screaming “no”—it was still problematic as hell.

But Hunting Adeline obliterates the ambiguity. Because in this book, Adeline is kidnapped. She is raped. She is tortured. She is not aroused. She is not complicit. The distinction is visceral. It’s horrifying, graphic, and not for the faint of heart.

Reading this book was like being repeatedly punched in the gut—and I mean that as a compliment. It’s not just dark. It’s pitch black. And it’s in this harrowing landscape that we finally understand the depth of what Zade never did to her. There’s no “maybe” here. We see what actual rape and torture look like, and suddenly Zade’s actions in book one, while still wildly inappropriate and morally wrong, exist in a different universe.

That doesn’t mean they’re excused. But they are contextualised.

The Continuation: Picking Up Where We Left Off

Hunting Adeline picks up immediately after the cliffhanger HD Carlton inflicted on us at the end of Haunting Adeline. (Major spoiler warning here, obviously—stop reading if you haven’t finished book one.) Zade has just been blown up while infiltrating the sex trafficking ring he’s been trying to dismantle, and Adeline has been kidnapped by that very ring. Her best friend’s life hangs in the balance. The stakes? So much higher. The content? So much darker.

The rescue, when it comes, is brutal and bloody. And the aftermath? Unrelentingly real.

Psychological Trauma and Slow Recovery

This isn’t a romance with quick fixes and neat bows. Adeline is a broken woman, and the novel gives her space to be just that. Her recovery is slow. Painful. Complicated. And Zade, disturbingly obsessive Zade, becomes both the safest and most dangerous person in her orbit.

Their chemistry remains, but it’s different now. It’s tempered by trauma, laced with PTSD, and constantly threatening to implode. And yet, it’s real. There’s a harrowing beauty to watching Adeline slowly reclaim her power—not through blind forgiveness, but through agency. Through choice.

Zade: The Vigilante Monster with a God Complex

In Hunting Adeline, Zade becomes something more than a morally grey anti-hero. He’s a dark god of vengeance, a vigilante unbound by law or mercy. We get deeper into his backstory, his motives, his trauma—and it makes his behaviour marginally more understandable, if not forgivable. He remains a paradox: terrifying yet tender, manipulative yet reverent. He will never be “safe”—and that’s the point.

He doesn’t want to be.

Sibby: From Plot Device to Scene-Stealer

When Sibby first appeared in Haunting Adeline, she felt like little more than a human chainsaw with a Barbie complex—equal parts comedic relief and convenient murder scapegoat. Her role was memorable, yes, but largely peripheral. I knew there was a prequel novella about her, Satan’s Affair, but if I’m honest, I didn’t rush to read it. At the time, she struck me as more of a quirky plot device than a character worth diving into.

And then came Hunting Adeline.

Sibby is back—and this time, she’s bringing the chaos. Her return injects a wild, unpredictable energy into a story otherwise saturated in trauma and darkness. She flits into scenes like a manic pixie dream assassin, trailing blood, glitter, and make-believe henchmen. Her delusions, if that’s even what they are, add a surreal layer to the world Carlton has built—one where ghosts are just casually accepted as real. One of the most disturbing things about Sibby is the question of if her henchmen actually are entirely figments of her imagination, or if there’s some kind of otherworldly truth to them. That’s also a question lingering over her ability to ‘smell’ demons; is this just a delusion, or does she actually have some kind of sixth sense that allows her to recognise the level of evil in a person’s soul. A power that manifests in the way they smell to her?

But beneath her demented dollhouse exterior lies something far more intriguing: heart. Depth. Pain.

Sibby, for all her erratic energy and darkly hilarious one-liners, becomes a source of unexpected warmth in Hunting Adeline. She’s loyal. She’s fearless. And in her own deranged way, she gets Adeline. There’s a sisterhood that forms—unconventional, unspoken, but quietly powerful. It’s clear that Sibby’s madness masks a deep wound, and suddenly, I found myself caring far more about her than I ever anticipated.

Who Is Kraven In Hunting Adeline?

SPOILER ALERT

The arrival of Kraven absolutely floored me. Who is this absurdly attractive enigma who sparks an instant (and clearly dangerous) gut reaction in Adeline? Why does he know Sibby? What’s with his name, and why does it sound like he is one of her imaginary henchmen—except disturbingly real and possibly just as unhinged?

As if that wasn’t enough, Sibby abruptly absconds with him and even Zade can’t find them, what the hell is going on? Carlton drops this mystery with zero resolution, which would be infuriating if it wasn’t so delicious. Thankfully Kraven and Sibby are getting their own book. He’s a product of the psychiatric facility where Sibby was detained between the events of Haunting Adeline and Hunting Adeline, and yes, Satan’s Affair will likely become required reading before diving into their story.

So…guess who’s now reading the book she thought she’d skip?

If Haunting Adeline gave us a taste of Sibby and Hunting Adeline gave us a glimpse of what she’s really capable of, then whatever’s coming next—be it Kraven’s backstory, Sibby’s origin, or their joint descent into madness—is guaranteed to be completely unhinged in the best way.

Looking Ahead: More Madness, Please

Also, sidenote: I am so ready for Phantom, the story of Genevieve Parson (Adeline’s great-grandmother) and her disturbingly poetic stalker Ronaldo. The letters that appeared in Haunting Adeline were creepy and compelling—like a haunting echo from the past—and I can’t wait to see how Carlton explores that twisted romance. There’s a whole gothic rabbit hole here, and I am absolutely diving in. There’s also Where’s Molly, which now intrigues me, as this follows the girl who wrote the diary entries Adeline once again clings to in part 1 to get her through her ordeal.

Is it ridiculously contrived that she would randomly find yet another mysterious diary to act as an anchor for her? Yes, absolutely. Do I care?

No, I’m going to buy the other damn book!

Themes: Revenge, Redemption, and the Duality of Desire

Carlton doesn’t shy away from the darkest human impulses. This is a book about revenge—savage, brutal revenge—and how it intertwines with love, trauma, and lust. It explores survival, not as a victory, but as a daily battle. It interrogates the line between desire and destruction. And it doesn’t flinch from the messiness of recovery, the rage of victims, or the uncomfortable fact that sometimes, the monsters we fear are also the ones who save us.

The Spice? Still Unhinged.

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (5/5)

Let’s be clear: this book is filthy. The sex scenes are just as explicit, over-the-top, and, yes, occasionally ridiculous as they were in the first book. Some of the dirty talk had me physically cringing—and laughing out loud in the middle of otherwise intense scenes. At this point, it’s part of the charm. You’re not reading for realism. You’re reading for chaos. And Carlton delivers.

Trigger Warnings (Seriously, Take These Seriously)

This book contains graphic scenes of rape, torture, human trafficking, abuse, and PTSD. There’s no way around it: Hunting Adeline is not safe. It is not sanitised. It doesn’t pull its punches. If you’ve experienced trauma, this could be deeply triggering.

But for those who can stomach it, there’s value in the unflinching honesty of the depiction.

Romance Tropes In Hunting Adeline

Trope Count: 🖤🗡💥🧨🔥🩹👹

From obsession to vengeance, Hunting Adeline delivers a buffet of dark romance tropes—each more intense, twisted, and emotionally charged than the last. Honestly, I may need to update my running list of romance tropes, because I don’t think most—if any—of these even made the cut!)

Dark Protector

Unlike the first book, where Zade’s “protection” often blurred dangerously into predation, Hunting Adeline flips the script. This time, the threat is real, external, and devastating. Zade becomes the one person Adeline can rely on in a world that’s systematically breaking her. His protectiveness no longer feels like obsession masquerading as care—it feels earned, needed, and viscerally effective. He’s still dangerous. Still obsessive. But now, his violence is pointed outward.

Revenge Romance

Zade’s rage is incandescent. The atrocities committed against Adeline are not brushed aside or romanticised—they’re met with brutal vengeance. This is not justice with a badge—it’s scorched earth. His retaliation against those who hurt her is graphic, horrifying, and weirdly satisfying. In a genre that often shies away from consequences, Hunting Adeline leans into retribution with full force.

Trauma Bonding

Adeline and Zade’s connection has always been based on extreme emotional intensity—but here, it’s forged in fire. Their shared trauma, and the deep scars each carries, create a bond that’s both healing and harrowing. This isn’t romance built on flowers and first dates—it’s forged through pain, survival, and a near-animalistic need to cling to something—anything—familiar.

Redemption Arc

Zade’s redemption is a central question. He doesn’t apologise in the conventional sense. He doesn’t change who he is. But he does shift how he channels that darkness. He becomes a tool for Adeline’s healing and a weapon against her abusers. Whether that redeems him depends entirely on your moral compass. But one thing is certain—he tries. And that effort gives their story a new kind of emotional gravity.

Possessive Obsession

If Zade was obsessed in Haunting Adeline, he’s absolutely unhinged in Hunting. But it reads differently now. His fixation isn’t just lust—it’s devotion laced with desperation. His entire world revolves around Adeline, and while that should be terrifying (and still is, in moments), it also forms the backbone of the book’s emotional intensity. Possessiveness here isn’t framed as cute—it’s raw, primal, and disturbingly moving.

Healing Through Love

There’s no magical fix. Adeline’s trauma is immense, and her journey toward healing is slow, jagged, and real. But love—particularly the messy, all-consuming kind Zade offers—becomes part of her recovery. Not a replacement for therapy. Not a cure. But a salve. A companion to the harder work. Their love is not soft. But it is honest. And that, somehow, is enough.

Beauty and the Beast Energy

Zade is the beast—and he owns it. There’s no pretense here. He knows what he is, and so does Adeline. The attraction doesn’t come from a hidden softness but from the vulnerability he shows in spite of his monstrous nature. This is a tale where the beauty isn’t trying to tame the beast—she’s learning to live with him, fangs and all.

The Verdict on Hunting Adeline

This book broke me. In the best way.

It’s not a safe read. It’s not a morally tidy read. It’s not even something I can recommend lightly. But for those who found Haunting Adeline compelling and came away with lingering questions about morality, consent, and the dark edges of human desire—Hunting Adeline is essential reading.

It doesn’t absolve the sins of the first book. But it complicates them. Challenges them. And maybe, just maybe, justifies them—within the warped, boundary-pushing world H.D. Carlton has built.

If Haunting Adeline made you question your morals, Hunting Adeline will help you understand why.