Hunting Adeline (Cat and Mouse Duet)

To start, the warnings are never strong enough

Also, everyone in this book needs therapy. A lot of therapy. Including, I assume,the author

This is definitely the better of the two in this series, depite the first being both necessary and an amazing read. This one enraptures you. Totally and completely. Although, I found myself concerned that everyone seems to freebleed at the slightest prick of the skin, every other detail was delivered with realism sucking you in to this world. I found myself completely disappointed and utterly giddy upon reading the last page. If I could raise the rating, or reread it again for the first time, I woyld do both.

spoiler alert Oh boy!! So this book got way darker than the first but it wasn't because of the characters relationship but the storyline and where the characters ended up away from eachother. The first half of this book in part one was intense. I didn't expect it to get as dark and serious but I think it was an important journey for the overall development of Adeline. I had to stop and take some breathers during part one due to just panicking over what she was having to endure. The Culling made me cry hard-core. It does carry a lot of S.A. but considering the story line is involved in human trafficking, that is a dark world. I didn't expect it to be brought so closely to my main character. Once into part two you really ache for Zade and the loss of connection after the journey they take getting Adeline back. But there are so many moments of pain and also excitement in the re-connection. The spicy scenes don't really hit until part two of this book and it makes sense why when you make your way through it. They are heavy as well but darkness of the love to heal the deepness of the pain really seems to pull it all together. I deeply loved these books and was terrified for the ending but overall so pleased in the closing.

Read the trigger warnings before you read. Don't pick up this book with the intention of anything kind or heroic happening. If you do, you have no one to blame but yourself if you dislike it.

This book is not a romance book. It is a dark horror that delves into the bowels of humanity and will remake your own moral compass. THIS BOOK IS REALITY.

TWS: R@P#, Explicit Violence and Details, Murder, Blo0d, S*x Trafficking, PTSD, Psychological torment, Trauma, Dubious consent, CNC

Hunting is as enthralling and real as Haunting was. It is completely different but just as enthralling. It is dark, it is unhinged, it is the worst of humanity, and it is unapologetic. There is also strength and resilience.

This book hurt and you bled when Addie and Zade bled. You cried for them and you felt for them. I have my own traumas and this was as close to reality as I have ever read. This book broke open the heartbreaking reality of what happens to women and children around the world every day and that reality deserves to be unpacked and witnessed. Having to witness it through Addie hurt more than I can say. We all need to take a page out of Zade's book and adjust our moral compass when it comes to fighting for the freedom of the reality that is outside this book.

This book broke me and put my jagged pieces to fit with Addie and Zade, and I was okay with that. Addie's experience is painful. I liked that HD didn't shy away from that and put it to paper. Usually, the hero saves the heroine before the trauma occurs or the trauma is light in comparison to what Addie experienced. A small part of me hoped she would follow that plot line but then I realized this book mirrors reality and the hero doesn't always show up or arrive in time. I cried for Addie. I lived her pain in my own life and then I lived it again through her story, but I was okay with that pain. There was no mercy for Addie. She tore her moral compass to pieces, broke her own heart, took a life, and contemplated the end. HD gave her a real experience with real thoughts and reactions. I have never had an author write such an authentic character with real-world experiences and reactions

Rio, our new character and participant in Addies horror show, has me conflicted. He has his own moral compass and like Addie, I'm blurring mine when it comes to him. Rationalizing his choices, his actions, and his treatment. I can empathize with him though. Is it not the same thing that many would do to save their own sister? I can't wait to unpack his story when HD writes it.

<<<Fast forward to after her escape>>>>

The psychological and physical trauma that Addie has experienced wrecks both her and Zade. There is no happily ever after or easy ride into the sunset. It is raw and devastating. Addie is not the little mouse Zade tried to tame in book 1. She's a broken shell. I have experienced all of the emotions Addie did and all I wanted to do was scoop her up in my arms and remind her that one day in the future it will get better. One day the darkness will lighten and you will be able to take baby steps. Then those baby steps will lead to bigger steps until finally (however long it takes) you can stand in the light again and breathe.

We see the side to Zade we knew was hiding in there. Addie hadn't seen that side of him yet, she had only seen his jagged pieces. Zade stands strong behind her and holds her up when she falters. He is patient, he is loving, and he will wait until the end of the world for her if he has to. There is no force or pressure. The Zade from book 1 regarding their s*xual encounters is gone. He doesn't take and watch her body for responses he lets her set the pace. He said in book one that she "holds my life in the palm of her hand, she’s just incapable of seeing it that way" and this is proven in this book. He lives for her and slowly she starts to see that no matter what her inner thoughts and feelings tell her from her trauma he will never leave her.

Zade helps her take ownership of her trauma from her time with Xavier. One of my favorite scenes, which he does only with her consent (such a change from book 1), is when he uses a knife over the scars Xavier left giving her a new experience and new emotions to tie to them. He helps her heal through s*xual, physical, and emotional needs. He molds himself into whom she needs and what she needs and my heart beats for him more because of it. He helps build her up and heal her into the new version of Adeline. The version that matches all of his jagged pieces.

I am in love with Zade and Addie. I am in love with their story. I am in love with the reality and truth that shines from this book. I am grateful to have read it and for HD for bringing it to life.

This book was intense! It had me at the edge of my seat! Not going to lie I lost track of time because I got so sucked into their world that I pulled an accidental all nighter! I gasped, teared up, laughed and all! I even read some parts of this book out loud to my bestie which made her want to read it too! So if you want a book took keep you on the edge of your seat and fall absolutely in love with the main characters despite how dark it is. This book is for you. You won’t be disappointed because I sure wasn’t. I loved every minute of it!

The first half of this book was difficult to get through. Which is the point, but definitely be mindful of the trigger warnings. I can't even imagine the emotional and mental impact this would take to write. It probably felt like the most real book I have read in terms of dark romance.

While the first half was difficult, the second half was healing. It was still dark but more lighter and focused more on revenge and healing.

I can't wait to read Molly's and Sibby's story and I loved how this duet sets up the side characters, to where I would like a book on all of them, especially Rio.

I am a new fan of dark romance. I'd been in a reading lull for YEARS, never having enough time or mental energy to open a book that didn't have to do with grad school. The cat and mouse duet changed all of that. Absolutely pulled me into their world w/the danger, spice, chase, and drama. I couldn't stop reading Haunting, and the same goes for Hunting and I am so glad I didn't! Addie's character growth was sooo satisfying. She was written as a survivor and a strong female character, and I LOVE that. I love that he bows to her and melts for HER. I love the push and pull fantasy and the danger of it all. I am now a forever a fan of HD Carlton and will be finishing off the other 2 books in the cat and mouse world before moving onto the stand alones. I have never been so excited to read! 😁

This book from the duet of the first one (Haunting Adeline) had me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it. It is a bit darker than the first one, but still just as good as the first book if not a little better. Adeline’s character growth showed a lot, strength, bravery, stealth, etc. Zade never gave up, he did everything and anything to find Adeline. The plot is definitely thickening for sure. I would love to go back and read the first book (Haunting Adeline) and then this book (Hunting Adeline) again for the first time. A very good book duet.

It was about a 3.8 for me. Some parts still just fell flat for me and i was sad about what happened to her but then on the other hand i was like "well you chose to get involved in this life?". I was happy when he finally saved her and at some points i was like that's sweet. But the chemistry is still very much toxic which I'm not really here for. I skimmed quite a few parts because i jist felt like they repeated and the whole first half of the book was like the movie sucker punch and hunger games which kind of bored me at times because it felt repetitive. And then after when he was basically forcing her to accept his touch i almost threw the book screaming. Its not that freaking easy man! Like a man should want to take her nightmares away not become them. Im sorry but i wont be reading this series again 🤦🏻‍♀

Hunting Adeline begins where Haunting Adeline ends with Adeline being kidnapped after the car crash and Zade injured after the bomb. Hunting Adeline is separated into two parts. Part one is about Adeline’s living with sex traffickers and Zade desperate for a way to locate her. Part two is about Adeline shedding her old skin and transforming into something to be feared. … The days of Adeline believing a stalker was the worst thing to happen to her is sadly not the case. Adeline lived a true horror story with scary crazy people who take from people leaving them empty. Zade has his work cut out for him. Hunting for skin traders has been his mission long before he met Adeline. The work never ends. Zade continues to rights the wrongs in the gray areas of justice. … H.D. Carlton kept the same style of writing as Haunting Adeline. The dark witty humor is still shining through the evilness. The writing is an extension of Haunting Adeline following the same pace and witty snappy comebacks from the sassy bold mouths of both Zade and Adeline. H.D. Carlton wrote an intensely passionate story about Zade aka The Hunter (apparently he’s no longer The Stalker or Shadow) and Adeline aka The Diamond (she’s no longer little mouse). … If you desire a dark unconventional unorthodox taboo romance then you’ve met your match. H.D. Carlton will take you places your mind probably has never been before. Prepare yourself to be grossed out, nauseated, shocked, and scared by the world she exposed you to. If you got a faint heart you might want to skip this one. Keep a very open-mind and know this is a book designed for dark book lovers. There are triggers around every corner. … If there is a notch to climb up on then I’d venture to say H.D. Carlton reached the top of it with this story. Wow! The horrific gore of skin trade was taken to a level I didn’t need to know. If anyone ever thought I needed reminding of what sick people do to young girls I don’t. Having this visual is haunting to one’s soul. The point is made at how evil these men are. If anyone questioned what Zade is trying to accomplish then shame on them. Eradicating sex traffickers is a necessary task. I’m proud of myself for not giving up or backing down. I made it through those horrific dark moments. I didn’t allow trauma to stop me from finishing those scenes.

3 stars ⭐️ Oye 🙈

I gave it 3 stars because while the book kept me hooked with the NEED to know how it finished, it was d🅰️mn horrific read

This book was difficult to get through. It’s broken down into 2 parts Part 1 is Chapters 1-22 Part 2 is the remaining 20+ chapters

Part 1 was a b!t€h to get through!! I’m not even kidding a little bit. Brutal, demoralizing, & awfully ugly are the only words I can think of to describe how truly heinous and demented it was.

Skip it if you can. If you don’t read the MANY triggers and take them seriously, you’ll only have yourself to blame, like I did. This isn’t just a case of these triggers being mentioned, it’s legit FULL on happening in this book

Chapter 22, I was legit on pins and needles and SOBBED at the end of 22. Full on cry fest.

Part 2 is all about vindication and retribution as well as growth and character healing. I’m ALL FOR part 2, minus the brutality that Adeline seems to enjoy for whatever hellish reason 🤦🏻‍♀️

Definitely a series I will never EVER read again.

And no. I don’t EVER want to be loved like Zade loves Adeline 🤢

P.S. - Can we find out about Sibby??? Like, for real! She’s my FAVORITE character!!