Hunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton
Review by Ryane P.
Hunting Adeline is the sequel in H.D. Carlton’s Cat and Mouse Duet and continues the abnormal, dark, and suspense-filled story of Zade Meadows and Adeline Reilly. Carlton crafts a dark, oppressive world built on secrecy, corruption, and violence, picking up after the cliffhanger of Haunting Adeline with dual POVs and fast-paced graphic imagery.
The considered audience for a book like hunting Adeline would include fans of dark romance along with readers who can withstand detailed graphic themes and explicit content; not suitable for young readers. Reader discretion is advised for those sensitive to such material. Similar works can be found in Lights Out and its sequel Caught Up by Navessa Allen, Twisted Love by Ana Huang, and Corrupt by Penelope Douglas. These books are comparable to Hunting Adeline because they all feature dark, suspenseful romance with complex or even obsessive love interests.
The story begins with an extremely dangerous human sex trafficking ring that has kidnapped Adeline Reiley, otherwise known as The Society. After months of Adeline being watched, stalked, and ultimately pursued by Zade, a hacker known to make it his life’s mission to dismantle these organizations of traffickers. Adeline finds herself trapped in the trafficking Zade has tried to shield her from.
The book expresses themes of endurance as displayed not only in Adeline and Zade but also in the secondary characters like Molly, a former captive by The Society who fought to survive, once faced with the violence surrounding Adeline. Following her return, the storyline shifts from Adeline’s psychological and physical torment to her emotional recovery. Her and Zade’s relationship shifts from a deviant, forbidden love story into a genuine, fragile connection between.
Overall, Hunting Adeline is a very good book for readers seeking a very intense, psychological, and deeply dark romance. It excels at emotional depth, character complexity, and tension, though its brutality may overwhelm readers unprepared for its themes. For the right audience, I’ve found it delivers a deeply meaningful and unforgettable experience. I would rate this book as being exceptional thanks to the clever twists Carlton has included that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish, combined with the deep emotional development of characters that makes their journeys feel positively real.