ebookreview | Entries tagged with series: cat and mouse

Hunting Adeline (Cat and Mouse #2) by H.D. Carlton

Genre:
Contemporary, Dark, Dark Romance, Thriller, Smut, Horror

Publication Date:
January 25, 2022

Page Numbers:
702

Read/Finished Date:
June 10th, 2025 - June 14th, 2025

Rating:
DNF @ 70%

Premise:

The conclusion to the Cat and Mouse Duet is here...

The Diamond

Death walks alongside me,
But the reaper is no match for me.
I'm trapped in a world full of monsters dressed as men, and those who aren't as they seem.
They won't keep me forever.
I no longer recognize the person I've become,
And I'm fighting to find my way back to the beast who hunts me in the night.
They call me a diamond,
But they've only created an angel of death.

The Hunter

I was born a predator,
With ruthlessness ingrained in my bones.
When what's mine is stolen from me in the night,
Like a diamond hidden within a fortress,
I find that I can no longer contain the beast.
Blood will paint the ground as I tear apart this world to find her.
And bring her back to where she belongs.
No one will escape my wrath,
Especially not those who have betrayed me.

Review:

Before I begin this review, let me start by prefacing this by ensuring you read the trigger warning list before this book. It contains heavy themes of kidnapping, sex trafficking, violence, and sexual assault, all of which are portrayed in a very intense and disturbing manner. While these elements are central to the plot of the book, they may disturb the viewer.

The first book was okay, don't get me wrong. It was nothing stellar like many other dark romances, but it had its following. I thought the second book would be another book I just might enjoy in the duet. WRONG. My experience with Hunting Adeline was different. The story delved into extremely dark and sensitive territory, and for me, it crossed lines that made the reading uncomfortable. The portrayal of certain scenes and themes felt problematic and deeply troubling on so many levels. I just could not stomach the book anymore. I just ended up DNFing it.

Will I read anything further from this author? Maybe, I don't know. Phantom looks promising but after this one, I might just be wary of her books for now.