Hunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton picks up right after that gut-punch cliffhanger in Haunting Adeline, diving deeper into the dark, brutal world of Adeline Reilly and Zade Meadows. Addie’s been ripped from Parsons Manor, trafficked into a sadistic underworld by a cult tied to her great-grandma Gigi’s murder. She’s fighting to survive unimaginable horrors—think torture and assault—while clinging to her fire, even as hope fades. Zade, the obsessive vigilante who’s both her stalker and savior, is tearing the world apart to find her, his hacker crew dismantling the trafficking ring from the shadows. Their love, born in twisted games, is tested through pain and guilt, with moments of raw, healing intimacy that hit hard amid the violence. The dual POVs amplify the stakes, weaving Addie’s trauma with Zade’s rage, though some fans say the 700-page beast lingers too long on suffering or feels repetitive, and others cringe at Zade’s lighter side clashing with his darkness. The resolution ties up Gigi’s mystery and delivers justice, but the triggers are relentless. It’s a TikTok-loved finale that’s as cathartic as it is polarizing.

Who Should Read It? This is for die-hard dark romance fans who loved Haunting Adeline and crave a brutal yet redemptive end, readers into stalker romances with vigilante twists, or those who can stomach extreme trauma for a fierce heroine’s comeback. If you’re hooked on Den of Vipers or The Ritual and don’t mind triggers like graphic rape, torture, and trafficking, this is your fix—but you must read Haunting Adeline first and check Carlton’s trigger warnings, as it’s one of the darkest out there. If heavy trauma or drawn-out plots aren’t your thing, steer clear.