Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton Book Review

Ratings

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Content Warnings: human trafficking, murder, blood, rape, explicit sex scenes

Introduction

DNF @ 49%

I probably should have read the synopsis of this book first. But, then again, I never read the backs of books. There was also so much hype around this book that I had to read it for myself. 

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

Review

I don’t even know where to start.

I guess I’ll start here: Zade is a rapist. Regardless of how you twist it, those first two encounters with Addie, he raped her. She clearly told him “no” and pushed him away, but he still continued.

I literally was not prepared for the main love interest to SA Addie. That is not what I gathered from the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book.

Then I couldn’t get over the fact that Zade is rescuing children and women from human traffickers, but turning around and abusing Addie the way he did. He is literally doing the same thing as the men he kills. Talk about hypocritical.

I was on board initially with Zade until he turned utterly creepy and raped Addie. I drew the line there and decided not to finish this series.

But let’s talk about Addie, too. While I love her crass personality, she’s as dumb as a box of rocks. And the worst part? She knows it.

“I’m scared, but I’m also stupid. So, I’m not leaving.”

She ignores her instincts to run or call the cops; she stays in the damn house even after figuring out she has a stalker; and she has zero critical thinking abilities.

And to be completely honest, I skimmed the latter 20% that I read, even skipping over large sections because I was bored and disgusted at this “romance.”

I was so hyped for this book, but I couldn’t continue when rape is justified. It’s never okay.

This book is far from my expectations and it left me so uncomfortable.

I like dark fantasy, but I want the male main character to appreciate and support the female main character. I want consensual smut. I want a brut of a man who is raging at the world, but is tender and soft with his woman.

So, yeah. Glad this was included on Kindle Unlimited.

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What did you think of the book? Did you like it or could you have done without it? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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