This is not a book for the faint of heart. Its not tale to learn from, or a romance to pine for. It’s a messed-up stalker that’s obsessed with a woman that gets off on fear. And if reading, 'I don’t want this'. followed by being chased until you are physically caught isn’t something you can stomach reading, then under no circumstances read Haunting Adeline. But eyyy that’s why we have trigger warnings. I’m not going to lie, even I became uncomfortable in one of the later chapters feeling like it went a little too far.

I could get very, very hung up on a body showing signs of let’s call it stimulation, whether it be a man or woman, does not imply desire, want or consent. And if you want to learn more about that I would highly recommend reading Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski. Just because a woman is ‘wet’ does not mean she wants to sleep with you. The day I come across a Dark Romance that address that, I’ll have myself a 5-star dark romance read. So long as all the other aspects of it are as gripping as this one.


Back to Haunting Adeline. Zade and those dam eyes, I have been waiting for a dark romance that contained one of my favorite features I’ve read in so many other books, but never a romance. And this delivered. Also, it was clear he was much larger in stature than Addie but it wasn’t harped on about, utterly refreshing when an author leans more into vibes and emotions than anything else to create desire and atmosphere. In other words, if a book tells me how tall he is and how petite she is over and over like it’s the only thing they have going on I’m going to throw it out. This though was all about the eerie atmosphere and electric connection. Yes, this particular vibe was set to make you feel like you where in a haunted house with goose bumps and sweat running down your spine the entire time but dam it was enthralling.

There was no putting this book down, first thing in the morning, lunch breaks at work and before bed, I devoured it. Zade might have eaten the soul out of Addie, but H.D Carlton fed mine. It had me stressing, it had me grinning and it may have also had me pissed off at times too.


My only other negative other than the above about a ‘body implying consent’. There where a few other moments when did not enjoy the langued used, never been a fan of the pet name baby, and nothing made me more uncomfortable than “pretty girl” being used when trying to reassure an assaulted/kidnapped child that she is safe. Finally (its feeling like a number of issues now) the mystery of the cold case murder, I’m not sure about anyone else it seemed pretty obvious from early on who did it. That along with Gigi’s diary entries, I could have gone without.


I wanted to included a quote because I had a surprising number of highlights in this book but I couldn't just pick one;


a quote that made me laugh

“I can smell you,” he says. And if that’s not the creepiest thing I’ve ever fucking heard, I don’t know what is.

a quote I appreciated 

So, you can either redirect all the effort you’ve been putting into acting like a brat and apply it towards something useful, or you can continue to be powerless in the situations life throws you in. You choose, baby, because I’m not going to keep making these decisions for you.”

a quote that made my heart race

“What you’re seeing now is what I see every day. No matter how far I run, how hard I try to escape you—you’re everywhere I go. You’re everything I see. Loving you is like being trapped in a house of mirrors, little mouse. And I’ve never felt so at home while being so lost inside you.”

a quote that I love for all the wrong reasons 

“I also love the possibility that I have fallen in love with you in each life. Fucked that sweet pussy of yours and made you fall in love with me as much as I am with you. What did I tell you, little mouse? That you couldn’t escape me. If it’s real, then I’ve chased you across time and space, and you’ve never been able to get away.”