Hunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton Review

Genre: Romance / Thriller

Total length: 531 pages / 43 chapters + epilogue

Writer: H.D. Carlton

Update status: Published

Synopsis: Addie gets kidnapped by a human trafficking organization and is abused and groomed by her captors to prepare her for a new "buyer." This cruel episode changed her for the worse, and she began fashioning herself as an "angel of death." Now, Addie is determined to get at her abusers with the help of her stalker and now-boyfriend Zade.

Author Introduction | H.D. Carlton

H.D. Carlton is a prolific bestselling story writer who excels in dark romance and similarly themed fiction. She has ten books to her credit, including "Does It Hurt," "Satan's Affair," "The Zero Saga" series, and the "Cat and Mouse Duet" series (of which "Hunting Adeline" is a part).

Theme: The Hunted Becomes the Hunter

While this is a very old theme, this novel handles it from an intriguing perspective. The trope (actually labeled "The Hunter Becomes the Hunted") is rooted in Greek Mythology, which tells of a literal hunter that becomes a deer by Artemis and gets mauled by his own dogs.

Addie, the female lead in this dark tale, becomes the predator after being prey during the first part of the book. Nevertheless, what's added to this formula is Addie's transformation process after enduring all that physical and mental torture from her groomers. This transformation mirrors what goes on in the human mind after falling victim to human cruelty.

She won't change that much for the better by the story's ending (which we won't spoil for this review). Furthermore, she gets acquainted with Zade, who's not what one would call an upright individual and who comes off as rather "creepy." In a way, he somewhat resembles what Addie became after her traumatic experience, though, ironically, he has some semblance of a redemption arc throughout the series.

Characters: Hunter Addie and Her Flawed Companion

"Hunting Adeline" (by H.D. Carlton) contains a host of interesting characters to ruminate about. However, we'll mainly focus on fleshing out the protagonists: Addie and Zade.

Adeline Reilly

Adeline Reilly is a wealthy 26-year-old writer who inherited a very expensive manor called the "Parson Manor" following her grandmother's death. She had moved into this house originally because she was curious about what really happened to her grandma.

Her relationship with her parents is quite rocky, and she has no one to rely on at this juncture, apart from a handful of loyal friends (including Daya) and Zade, whom she met during a book signing but who became quite possessive towards her.

Zade

Zade is a hacker who harbors some good intentions but, at the same time, has some notable quirks and demeanor issues. He obsessed over Adeline upon meeting her and would use his hacking abilities to stalk her. But that doesn't stop there, for he actually gets rather violent (and this is an understatement) towards anyone that dares to even approach her, whatever their intentions may be.

In the book series, he's committed to eliminating the criminal group that ends up abducting Addie precisely because of his affront, a fact that fills him with an immense degree of guilt and anger.

Point of View in Hunting Adeline

The perspective in "Hunting Adeline" switches back and forth between the protagonists as they both narrate their own experiences and give a piece of their minds to readers.

Plot in Hunting Adeline

"Hunting Adeline" begins with Adeline describing the tortures she has been subjected to. She shows concern for her best friend, Daya, because the last text message Addie received was sent from her phone. She then realizes her friend was used as bait so that the "Society" could seize her.

Next, she learns that she's being transferred to a potential "buyer." After a snarky remark, she feels a prick in her arm and passes out.

Zade to the Rescue

Meanwhile, Zade is desperately looking for her, and it takes him a good three months before he finally finds her. In the meantime, we learn a bit more about this Society and its practices. As it turns out, this organization engages in pretty dark stuff, including child sacrifice!

Zade doesn't spare his homicidal instincts while seeking revenge for what the Society has done to Addie and essentially goes for the "eye for eye" approach. Every member of the Society that he captures (including those who betrayed him) is tortured in the most cruel and brutal ways conceivable.

Addie is definitely not the same after getting rescued. She does show more affinity towards Zade but is also seen dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. Next, she is rendered almost as desensitized as her psycho lover and ready to go on a hunt with him sooner than anticipated!

Hunting for the Hottest Chapters

Since the novel comprises long chapters containing a plethora of scenes, the prospect of sticking with one or two chapters becomes a bit of a challenge. Notwithstanding, we could point to moments that help define the characters in a very vivid sense.

One of these moments happens between chapters 6 and 7, which are perhaps two of the goriest in the novel. Zade, despite initially after the "bad guys," demonstrates a degree of wickedness that's hard to differentiate from that depicted by his enemies as he relishes in the pain of another human being. Even if the reasons seem strong enough (they're raping his "woman,") this scene is the most indicative that he's just as bloodthirsty as them.

In chapters 22 and 23, we witness Addie's final moments as a captive before finally being rescued by Zade and a woman named Ruby. The scenes leading up to the encounter are extremely adrenaline-inducing, and Addie doesn't hesitate to express all her fears as she awaits imminent death. Thankfully, she survives.

Writing Style in Hunting Adeline

The language in "Hunting Adeline" (by H.D. Carlton) is very down-to-earth and emotionally crippling while not neglecting some "high-art" inferences. Carlton's style is meant to showcase raw emotion with very mild embellishments inserted, making the most gruesome scenes a bit more tolerable to read. Nevertheless, Carlton doesn't spare even the most uncomfortable and disturbing details.

Is Hunting Adeline Worth a Read?

"Hunting Adeline" is not a novel one should read lightly, especially while on a coffee break. This is the book equivalent of a snuff film (though, of course, no one is literally killed). While they don't detract from its literary value, some scenes are just too much for a regular human to emotionally bear.

From a pure storyline perspective, the novel is magnificent in developing its characters. Their arcs are pretty complex, and readers will be divided on whether the male lead is ultimately likable, which says a lot about the nuanced way that the "good vs. evil" dichotomy is presented.

On another note, the handwritten notes embedded at the end of each chapter help enhance the experience and show just how invested the author is in her work. These are further testaments of how polished the final product is.

If you are not faint of heart and love dark romance tales, you ought to read "Hunting Adeline" (by H.D. Carlton) as soon as possible! (though we wholeheartedly recommend reading its prequel first).

FAQs

Q: What are the trigger warnings for "Hunting Adeline"?

A: Some trigger warnings include murder, sexual assault, and child trafficking.

Q: Is "Hunting Adeline" the first book?

A: The "Cat and Mouse Duet" is a duology consisting of two books: "Haunting Adeline" and "Hunting Adeline." "Hunting Adeline" is the last installment in the series.