Hunting Adeline is the highly anticipated conclusion in the Cat and Mouse Duet, picking up after the chilling events of Haunting Adeline. Not for the faint of heart, Carlton takes a plunge deeper into the darkness, pushing the boundaries of what a romance thriller can be. Where the first book was haunting, this one is harrowing-a brutal journey of survival, obsession, and vengeance that drags readers in with every page.

The novel starts with Adeline in captivity, abducted by a strong trafficking organization, the Society. Without freedom, she is thrown into a nightmarish world where the fight for living is unenduring, resisted by will-breaking processes continuously meted out to her. To them, she is just merchandise, a prize to be sold to whatever bidder offers the highest price. And the psychological torture she would have to go through is just soul-crushing.

Meanwhile, Zade-the gray moral stalker who saved her-is on an unstoppable mission to bring her back. Driven by rage and guilt, he will stop at nothing-murder, destruction, and pure carnage-to bring down the Society and rescue Adeline. His was the path of blood-soaked vengeance, bodies strewn in his wake.

But Adeline doesn’t break, even as she suffers. Instead, a core of steel rises up inside, and she refuses to go down as just another lost victim. In her fighting to get free, Zade fights to find her, culminating in an explosive reunion that is as heart-wrenching as it is deeply cathartic. And even now, when she is finally free, the scars of trauma threaten to devour her-the battle not won just because freedom has been won.

It meant so much more than just survival, taking power back after having it robbed; twisted love regardless of the rest of the world’s opinion in respect of this love and its justice that’s finally prevailed-it came around-the most vicious manner. _

Adeline Reilly:
Some character arcs-mostly one done with Adeline-must be among the tougher ones with the dark romance genre. She, who was so sure and playful even in the worst of situations during Haunting Adeline, broke in this book. But even amidst unimaginable trauma, she does not lose herself. It is in endurance and fighting back that a woman’s strength lies, even when all seems lost. This novel does not spare the reader the psychological havoc of her experiences, and that will make her eventual empowerment all so rewarding.

Zade Meadows:
Zade is a force of nature in this book.
Where he was gray, anti-hero moral type in the first novel, here he’s pure darkness. The lengths to which he goes on behalf of Adeline are frankly appallingly brutal, while his ways of tearing down the Society-with all their deserved violence-really satisfy chills. Guilt over failing her feeds into this rage; hence, he is unstoppable as an avenger. Notwithstanding the methods applied, the love he feels for Adeline is never in question, and his reunion with her is as tender as it is tragic. Supporting Characters:

Rio & The Society Members: These men are evil personified, and each time Zade takes revenge on them is more gratifying than the last.
Daya, Adeline’s best friend, is fiercely loyal, and such loyalty does bring a semblance of normality to Adeline’s shattered world, proving how friendships are integral in the process of healing.
The relationship Adeline and Zade shared was rather complex. There was still that hint of obsession, of control-only more protective than possessing this time around. Of course, the heroin does need rescuing, though she is no passive damsel; actually, she fights to make sure she is not taken care of by him, finding herself quite a great part of her savior.

The story of Adeline is one of survival and repossession of something stolen from her. It is not only growth through captivity but finding herself back to her identity and strength.

Zade loves obsessively, consumingly-questionably moralistically-but unwaveringly, which challenges the notion of romance in this book and pushes the reader onto that thin line that separates devotion and possession.

Vigilante justice is at the core of Zade’s arc. The Society represents real-life horrors of human trafficking, and in turn, the ruthless dismantling of them by Zade himself is a cathartic fantasy for readers.

The novel doesn’t sugarcoat Adeline’s trauma. Her PTSD, triggers, and struggle to feel safe again are in raw realism, serving only to make her eventual triumph all the more powerful.

H.D. Carlton is visceral in her intensity, and brutally honest descriptions plop the reader into Adeline’s unenviable shoes-target of Zade’s wrath.

✔ Dark, poetic, atmospheric writing that submerges readers into it totally.
✔ Trauma and resiliency dealt with unflinchingly.
✔ Deeply emotional and psychological.
✔ Horror, romance, and thriller-these genres combine perfectly.
✘ There is graphic violence depicted in great detail in some scenes, making those scenes difficult to read.
✘ The ending, although satisfying, could have represented more about the long-term healing of Adeline.

The Hunting Adeline is dark and hauntingly emotional. So much more than just a romance, it’s one of survival, vengeance, and healing. Carlton creates such a dark world that it is at the same time hypnotic-a place which will keep any reader from the very first page.

If you liked books like The Sinner’s Duet by S.M. Shade or some of Sophie Lark’s darker series, Hunting Adeline will wrap its terrifying arms around you. I recommend for fans of dark romance with extreme themes, readers who appreciate morally grey characters, and revenge-driven plots. Lovers of psychological thrillers mixed with romance.

Overall Rating: ★★★★★
Writing Style: ★★★★★
Characters: ★★★★★
World-Building: ★★★★☆

Trigger Warnings:

Graphic rape-so very detailed scenes
Graphic violence and gore
Torture
Sexual assault
Kidnapping
Psychological and physical abuses
Human trafficking
Grooming
PTSD
Blood play, knife play, degradation, somnophilia