His mouse is gone and he will do anything to get her back.
Dates read: 18/12/24 to 29/12/24
Word to describe: Twisted
Star rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Dark Romance, Thriller, Stalker Romance.
As with the other book in the duet, Haunting Adeline, this sequel has an extensive list of possible trigger warnings. Please take care when reading. Trigger Warnings: sexual assault, mention of paedophilia, mental health, murder, physical and sexual abuse, stalking, graphic bodily harm, use of a knife as a weapon during sexual acts, blood and gore, kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, hostage situation. Plus many more.
Spoilers ahead for book one Haunting Adeline.
Hunting Adeline by H D Carlton continues the dark romance between Addie and Zade that was left of in the previous book Haunting Adeline. Addie has been kidnapped and Zade is on the hunt for anyone involved in her capture. This dual point of view book captures the story of Addie and her survival in the sex trafficking ring and Zade utter desperation to find her and save her.
Addie's point of view is heart-breaking. Both her journal entries and her experiences in the sex-trafficking house showcase the brutality of sexual abuse and rape. Within moments of being captured Addie is beaten, a sexual assault attempt is made and then she is later revenge raped when she speaks out about the abuse she has witnessed. Her kidnapper Rio becomes an unlikely friend, caring for her wounds and dressing her cuts and bruises after she is repeatedly abused at the hands of Francesca, Rocco and Xavier. There are several further instances of sexual abuse, some that are extremely graphic (the heel incident which left me physically sick) and others are mentioned in brief passing as the reader experiences Addie's despair and loss of hope.
Zade's point of view is similarly drenched in disparity. In the months that Addie is held hostage, Zade tracks down several sales of abused women and rescues all of them from the hands of further abuse, taking them to shelter in his "abused women and children home" on his private land. Zade's obsession with Addie reaches a climax when he single handily hunts down those involved in her kidnapping and makes unlikely accomplishes in his mission to find her.
At the end of part one readers see Zade rescue Addie. But she is broken and her healing journey (or lack-there-of) becomes the central plot of part two alongside her inevitable revenge against those involved in her kidnapping and abuse. With the exception of Rio who she comes to form a trauma bond with and wants to spare him from harm. Sibby from Satan's Affair makes an appearence and joins the duo in the hunt for Addie's revenge. Parts that I loved were specific to certain characters. Rio and Sibby remain my favourite side characters of the storyline (Sibby from her erratic behaviour and Rio for his unlikely knight-in-shining-armour act).
When I finished reading this there were multiple part that I wished H D Carlton had changed. The sexual abuse, despite it graphic nature is a key element to the plot and cannot be changed. Yet, I wish it had been less graphic, I found myself grateful for the scenes that were mentioned in passing without being divulged in. I wish Addie had been given the chance to heal from her trauma before further sexual assault at the her hands of her lover (Addie has a nightmare about her rapist and Zade's great idea is further penetrative abuse?). Really this is just another win for what clearly is stockholme syndrome!
I wish the death of Addie's captors had been graphic - if only for the sick validation that Addie got to experience her revenge.
I'm not entirely sure why I enjoyed this book. The premise is awful and heart-wrenching. It is graphic and gory and has unnecessary character abuse. Yet, the writing is so compelling that I couldn't put it down. This duology has sent me on a search for more Dark Romances - hopefully ones with less sexual abuse and more actual romance.
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