Book Review - Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton

Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton

After reading the content warnings for this book, I knew it would be dark, but I was not expecting it to be that dark. This is the second series I've read that could be considered a dark romance, and I was wholly unprepared. Apparently, it was so dark that Amazon even banned it for a period of time. At some points, I felt physically ill from how disturbed this book made me feel, but with that being said, I absolutely loved it. This is basically a book about a stalker who's intent on inserting himself into the life of a woman and forcing her to love him. 

We have Adeline, a manipulator because she's an author who can make her readers feel exactly what she wants them to feel. Then we have Zade, a shadow because after getting a single glance at Adeline he's addicted and obsessed and he's never going to let her go. 

The characters in this book are well-written, especially Zade. Despite the fact that he sexually assaults Adeline, kills guys who get near her, and stalks her every move, I still found myself feeling bad for him. If you've ever watched You on Netflix, Zade's character is similar to Joe's and for some reason, you just can't help but be attracted to them despite being absolutely terrified of them. Do I need therapy for saying that? Probably, but it doesn't make it any less true.  

I literally had to force myself to put this book down. Once you start it, you will not want to stop. The plot progresses really quickly but doesn't feel rushed at all. The only weird thing that I didn't like about this book was that there was a big emphasis on paranormal things like ghosts (specifically Adeline's grandmother) but it kind of just disappears completely in the middle of the book. 

This book was just captivating and I didn't want to put it down. I'm so interested to see what the next book, Hunting Adeline, will hold. I've heard it's even darker.