The Manipulator

I can manipulate the emotions of anyone who lets me. I will make you hurt, make you cry, make you laugh and sigh. But my words don’t affect him. Especially not when I plead for him to leave. He’s always there, watching and waiting. And I can never look away. Not when I want him to come closer.

The Shadow

I didn’t mean to fall in love. But now that I have, I can’t stay away. I’m mesmerized by her smile, by her eyes, and the way she moves. The way she undresses…I’ll keep watching and waiting. Until I can make her mine. And once she is, I’ll never let her go. Not even when she begs me to.

my thoughts:

Before you consider reading this book, please be sure to check the content warnings thoroughly. As a fan of dark romance, having read works ranging from mildly dark to quite intense, I can confirm this one firmly resides on the more extreme end of the spectrum.

Haunting Adeline follows Addie, an author living alone in a haunted manor she inherited from her grandmother. Shortly after moving in, she uncovers a dark family secret: her great-grandmother was murdered in the house, and the case was never solved. To make matters more unsettling, Addie begins to notice eerie parallels between her own life and her great-grandmother’s, most notably that both women had a stalker. Addie realizes she is being watched, both inside and outside her new home. This mysterious stalker is relentless, and as she delves deeper into her great-grandmother’s journals, Addie becomes increasingly convinced that history is repeating itself.

I found Haunting Adeline genuinely creepy. The atmospheric, haunted manor was enough to suggest daytime-only reading for me. However, the introduction of Zade, Addie’s formidable and frightening stalker, elevated the tension to another level entirely. While the spirits in the house didn’t seem overtly malevolent or intent on harming Addie, their presence was distinctly disquieting. If you live alone, this book might just make you start hearing things in the night.

Now, here’s the complex part to articulate: the relationship between Addie and Zade. Zade is unequivocally Addie’s stalker. The narrative doesn’t shy away from his obsession, and Addie never trivializes the disturbing nature of their connection’s origins. Zade’s actions towards Addie are morally reprehensible. This is far from a traditional romance, so if that’s what you’re seeking, look elsewhere. Surprisingly, however, I found myself drawn to their dynamic. Zade seemed to provoke a sassier side of Addie, and she consistently held her own against him. Their chemistry was undeniably intense—dark, kinky, and electrically charged.

The mystery element was reasonably well-executed, though don’t anticipate groundbreaking originality or major surprises. I deduced the truth about the great-grandmother’s fate relatively early on. That said, since this serves as a secondary plotline, it didn’t significantly hamper my overall enjoyment.

My primary criticism lies with character development. Both Addie and Zade felt somewhat one-dimensional. Addie’s personality lacked depth, and her attraction to Zade appeared purely physical, fixating on his looks rather than any redeemable personal qualities. As for Zade, beyond his role as a stalker, his character is fleshed out almost exclusively through his work combating sex trafficking. Frankly, this aspect felt somewhat forced, repeatedly emphasized seemingly to offset or justify his disturbing behavior towards Addie.

Overall, Haunting Adeline sits squarely on the borderline between mediocre and good. It showcased significant potential but occasionally fell flat. I enjoyed it sufficiently to plan on reading the sequel, especially given the cliffhanger ending. I genuinely believe H.D. Carlton is an author worth watching, though I’m unsure if this particular book is the ideal starting point for new readers.