Do I need to read Haunting Adeline before Hunting Adeline?

Reader reviews of Hunting Adeline

Ruhaanika · 2026-09-09T06:08:36.000000Z

This book was tough. The kind of book you put down to take a breather, or just dnf it. Update : this book is f••••• up, but now that i have my mind functioning, we ignore all red flags of zade and believe in his supremacy >>> 🫠✨😮💨 The f••• did i just read? 🫠 Hunting adeline is the second book in the cat and mouse duet by H. D. Carlton. Trigger warnings : rape (I had to blurr it, it’s disturbing), torture, kidnapping, knife play, blood play, death, abuse, murder. Story : ⭐ (i’m sorry but this book was hard to read). Plot : ⭐ (until the 50% the book is so disturbing). Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ updating to five because i figured zade did grow on me and Addie too, and my mind was overwhelmed when i finished this book, but now that it has passed, and i’m okay, yeah, I did love this book, it was messed up, but don’t care. Writing style : well - written, descriptive to the point that i’m disturbed right now. MMC : zade meadows — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ FMC : Adeline reilly — ⭐⭐ (sorry zade). side characters : sibby is the only likeable character, and Jay. Story setting : f•••, i really don’t know what to add here. Summary : Adeline is kidnapped, as we know from the first book, and then she is raped, tortured, and done disturbing things, sold…zade is trying his best to find her, but he is failing, but doesn’t give up, and then when he does find her, they both take their revenge on the people who hurt his girl, and then the book ends on another cliffhanger. Yikes. (What am I gonna do with all that suspense?) Dedicated to by the author : miss ma’am, you may have conquered your anxiety, but you disturbed my mind really. I’m — i don’t know what to feel. Pacing : slow to medium. Tropes : ✅ Touch her and meet god. ✅ Possessive hero. ✅ obsessive hero. ✅ horror elements. Type of romance : dark. (Read the trigger warnings or other reviews, the book is dark). Tags for the book : contemporary, morally gone hero, disturbing elements, revenge. What i loved : I only loved zade’s need to find Adeline, and doing everything in his power to not only rescue her but also to make sure that other women and children are free from being trafficked. Adeline is sweet, she tries too hard to be strong, because she hates feeling weak, but she has inner strength, but i didn’t and won’t ever condemn zade’s actions in this book, even though I do like him. Is a part of a series : yes. Series name : cat and mouse duet. Series order number : 2 of 2. Plot or character driven : character driven. Loveable characters : yes and no. Strong character development : no. (Adeline was always brave, she endured too many things, and f••• — she tries her hardest to cope with what happened because she refuses to be weak, there’s character development for her, but not for zade). Flaws of characters a main focus : yes. Interconnected/ or standalone : interconnected. (Cannot be read as a standalone). Similar books : if you want same vibes, then the eternal possession duet by Maggie Sunseri is absolutely amazing. It has everything, but make it fantasy and actual character development). Things to look forward to in the book — stalked by seduction and shadows by Maggie Sunseri. ☑️ Stalker MMC. ☑️ Fantasy romance. ☑️ Touch her and meet god. ☑️ Smutty. ☑️ Dark romance. ☑️ Character development. (It is not perfect, but you’ll enjoy it if you can ignore red flags like a pro). Last details : if this book destroyed the author, then it destroyed me too, because the f•••, this book too longer for me to read, it weighed heavy. Please do read the other reviews to get an idea of what this book contains before proceeding to read. If you a new to dark romance, i suggest you read : 1) the sweetest oblivion by Danielle Lori. 2) the maddest obsession by Danielle Lori. 3) the darkest temptation by Danielle Lori. 4) heartless beloved by Lola king. (If you are really okay with the warnings of that book) 5) lawless god by Lola king. (This one is dark, dark. Read the trigger warnings). 6) stalked by seduction and shadows by Maggie Sunseri. 7) taken by touch and torment by Maggie Sunseri. 8) little stranger by Leigh Rivers. 9) little liar by Leigh Rivers. You may want to search your books though, because everyone’s tolerance and mental health is different, so read the warnings.

Yes. Hunting Adeline is the second half of the Cat and Mouse Duet and continues directly from the events of Haunting Adeline.

Hunting Adeline

Dark Romance Romantic Suspense

Pages: 531
Published: 2022
Language: English

Synopsis

Hunting Adeline picks up in the aftermath of Haunting Adeline, and it does not soften. Adeline has fallen into the hands of the very organization Zade Meadows has devoted his life to destroying — a ritualistic network of powerful men who traffic women and children. While Adeline endures captivity, Zade unleashes everything he is to find her.

The novel is split in two: the first half follows the hunt and rescue; the second follows the long, difficult work of recovery, as Zade and Adeline confront what was done to her and turn toward the people responsible. Their bond is tested by trauma, vengeance, and the question of whether either of them can be whole again.

The second and final book of H.D. Carlton's Cat and Mouse Duet, Hunting Adeline is an extremely graphic dark romance that deals explicitly with sexual violence, trafficking, and torture. It should only be read alongside its full content warnings.

25 reviews