I read HAUNTING ADELINE and here are my thoughts on the book

Trigger Warning!

Spoilers Ahead!

I have seen many negative reviews regarding Haunting Adeline but not too many positive ones. Not saying there isn't any but most people don't root for the stalker and the girl to end up together. That being said, given this is a dark romance novel, some people also ship the characters. As for me, I am here for the plot.

This blog is where I will write about my thoughts on the book "Haunting Adeline" by H.D.Carlton. So, of course there will be spoilers. Alright, here we go.

Haunting Adeline follows Adeline Reilly, a successful author who moves into her late grandmother's large eerie mansion, a mysterious house seemingly haunted by ghosts. Adeline is portrayed as a socially awkward writer, who's at times surprisingly oblivious to the dangers surrounding her. This vulnerability makes her the target of Zade, the novel's enigmatic and obsessive male lead. 

Zade is introduced as an undeniably attractive man with striking heterochromia, but his defining characteristic is his relentless obsession with Adeline. He stalks her, invades her privacy, and repeatedly crosses her boundaries throughout the novel. Much of the story revolves around the disturbing dynamic between the two. Initially, Adeline resists both her growing attraction to Zade and his advances, but as the story progresses, she begins to reciprocate his feelings, creating a relationship that is intentionally dark and morally complex. Readers should be aware that the novel contains repeated scenes of sexual coercion and assault, making it a book with significant content warnings.

Alongside the romance, both protagonists have separate storylines. Adeline investigates the mysterious death of her great-grandmother, uncovering secrets hidden within the old mansion. Meanwhile, Zade leads a covert organization Z (very creative!) that targets and kills traffickers, child predators, and abusers of women. This vigilante aspect of his character creates an interesting contrast between his role as someone who fights horrific crimes and his deeply obsessive and controlling behavior toward Adeline. (≖_≖ )

One of my biggest frustrations with the novel was Adeline's repeated lack of awareness of the danger around her. There were many moments where her decisions felt naive, making it difficult to sympathize with her. I also found Zade to be deeply manipulative and controlling. Although the book portrays him as a morally gray antihero, I often viewed his behavior as narcissistic and emotionally unhealthy rather than romantic. 

(｡•̀ ⤙ •́ ｡ꐦ) !!!

The writing itself is engaging and easy to read. The pacing keeps the story moving, and despite the heavy themes, I found myself wanting to know what would happen next. There were moments when the characters cursed quite frequently, but it made their emotions feel more authentic and believable. The mystery surrounding the mansion and Adeline's family history also added an intriguing layer beyond the romance.

After reading the book, I was both frustrated at and scared for Adeline. This girl has no survival instinct and her hero is a morally questionable narcissist stalker. (╥﹏╥)  The cliffhanger also bothered me so I will go ahead and read Hunting Adeline as well. 

Overall, Haunting Adeline is a dark romance that fully embraces obsession, morally questionable relationships, and psychological tension. It is not a book for everyone, and readers should carefully consider the trigger warnings before picking it up. While I appreciated the mystery elements and found the writing compelling, the central relationship was often difficult for me to enjoy because of the repeated violations of consent and the unhealthy dynamic between the protagonists.