Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton has become a phenomenon in the dark romance community, captivating readers with its high-stakes narrative, obsessive anti-hero, and willingness to explore the genre's most shadowy corners.
If you were enthralled by the intense dynamic between Adeline and Zade and are searching for another story that delivers similar psychological depth and thrilling suspense, you're in the right place.
This list features novels that share the core elements that make Haunting Adeline so compelling: morally ambiguous characters, complex power dynamics, stalker themes, and relationships forged in danger and obsession.
A Note on Content and Trigger Warnings
The books on this list are categorized as dark romance for a reason. They deliberately explore mature, intense, and potentially disturbing themes that may not be suitable for all readers. Please proceed with caution. Common content in these novels includes, but is not limited to:
Stalking and obsession
Non-consensual themes and dubious consent
Graphic violence and gore
Captivity, abduction, and confinement
Psychological manipulation and emotional abuse
Trauma and trauma bonding
We have included a brief content advisory for each book, but it is always best to check for more detailed trigger warnings provided by the author or community resources before diving in.
The most logical place to start is with the direct sequel that concludes the duet. Hunting Adeline plunges readers back into the chaos, picking up immediately where the first book’s cliffhanger left off. The stakes are higher, the dangers are more severe, and the bond between Zade and Adeline is tested in the most harrowing ways imaginable.
This sequel deepens the exploration of their dark, consuming connection while confronting the brutal realities of the world they inhabit. Content Advisory: This book is significantly darker than its predecessor and contains explicit depictions of human trafficking, torture, graphic violence, and severe trauma.
From the same author who created the Cat and Mouse Duet, this standalone novel delivers a masterful story of revenge, obsession, and twisted attraction. When Sawyer is kidnapped and wakes up on a remote island, she finds herself at the mercy of Enzo, a man with a dark past and a singular, terrifying focus.
The narrative is a masterclass in psychological tension, blurring the lines between fear and desire as two damaged souls collide. It’s an ideal choice for readers who appreciate Carlton's signature blend of suspense and dark, all-consuming romance.
Content Advisory: Features themes of kidnapping, confinement, violence, and intense psychological manipulation.
Tillie Cole’s Sick Fux is a raw and visceral journey into the minds of two characters irrevocably shaped by trauma. After meeting in a psychiatric institution as children, Ellis and Heathan are reunited years later, their bond now forged in a shared, twisted desire for vengeance.
Cole does not shy away from the grotesque or the controversial, creating a narrative that is both disturbing and deeply compelling. This novel will resonate with those who appreciate unflinching explorations of mental illness, trauma, and a love born from the bleakest of circumstances.
Content Advisory: This book contains explicit violence, self-harm, themes of severe mental illness, abuse, and graphic sexual content.
A foundational text in the modern dark romance genre, Captive in the Dark introduces Caleb, a man who abducts Livvie with the cold, calculated purpose of training her to be sold. The story is a slow, unsettling burn that delves deep into the complexities of Stockholm syndrome and emotional manipulation.
Roberts expertly builds a disquieting bond between captor and captive, forcing the reader to confront uncomfortable questions about power, consent, and survival. Its morally gray landscape and intense psychological focus make it a classic of the subgenre.
Content Advisory: Includes kidnapping, non-consensual themes, emotional abuse, and psychological conditioning.
Peter is a dangerous, obsessive anti-hero who has been watching Sara, a brilliant doctor, from the shadows for years. When he finally decides to claim her, he inserts himself into her life with terrifying force.
Anna Zaires crafts a gripping narrative heavy with the tension of being stalked, where fear, resistance, and a forbidden spark of desire create a volatile mix. The story is a compelling choice for those fascinated by meticulously constructed stalking dynamics and possessive anti-heroes who refuse to be denied.
Content Advisory: Deals with themes of stalking, abduction, dubious consent, and intense power imbalances.
This series revolves around a group of wealthy, ruthless friends known as the "Four Horsemen" and the dark games they play. The first book, Corrupt, sets the stage with a story of revenge, obsession, and twisted traditions.
When Erika Fane returns to town, she finds herself once again caught in the web of Michael Crist, who is determined to make her pay for a past transgression.
Penelope Douglas excels at creating morally ambiguous characters and intricate power dynamics, making this series addictive for readers who crave high-tension bully romance and dark, all-consuming obsessions. Content Advisory: Features themes of bullying, harassment, stalking, dubious consent, and violence.
This standalone novel presents a harrowing and unique premise: Cora and Dean, who loathe each other, are kidnapped and chained together in a dark basement. Forced to rely on one another for survival, they form an unimaginable bond forged in shared trauma and desperation.
Jennifer Hartmann provides a profoundly emotional and psychologically realistic portrayal of trauma bonding. For those interested in how relationships can form under the most extreme and terrifying circumstances, Still Beating is an intense, impactful, and unforgettable read.
Content Advisory: Contains graphic violence, kidnapping, sexual assault, and intense psychological trauma.
Part of the Legacy of Gods series but readable as a standalone, God of Malice introduces Killian, a possessive and cruel anti-hero who becomes dangerously fixated on Glyndon. He is her professor, her bully, and her tormentor, yet she finds herself inexplicably drawn to his dark charisma.
Rina Kent weaves a complex psychological narrative centered on control, emotional manipulation, and the vulnerability that lies beneath a hardened exterior. This book is a standout for its exploration of a powerful, morally bankrupt hero and the woman who challenges his darkness.
Content Advisory: Includes themes of bullying, stalking, dubious consent, and significant power imbalance (professor/student).
The first book in the Buttons series, this novel introduces Pearl, a woman forced into servitude to pay off her father's debt to a brutal man. However, it is the man's enigmatic and ruthless son, Crow, who takes control of her fate.
Their dynamic is a tense battle of wills, charged with themes of captivity, dominance, and a slow-burning, forbidden attraction. The narrative excels at building tension between captor and captive, creating a compelling story of survival and defiance.
Content Advisory: Features captivity, explicit power exchange, non-consensual themes, and emotional manipulation.
Sebastian Lindstrom is not a hero pretending to be a villain; he is, proudly, "the bad guy." When he sees Camille, he knows he must have her, and he orchestrates her abduction without remorse.
What follows is a dark and engrossing tale of a captor who is unflinching in his obsession and a captive who must navigate her terror and an undeniable connection. This novel will appeal to fans of unapologetically villainous anti-heroes and the intense, charged dynamics of a captive romance.
Content Advisory: Includes kidnapping, stalking, non-consensual themes, and psychological coercion.
Set against the backdrop of the Boston mafia, Sparrow is a story of a brutal arranged marriage. Troy Brennan, a cold and ambitious mob boss, marries Sparrow, the daughter of his rival, to seal a deal. She is an outcast, considered strange and silent, but beneath her quiet exterior lies an unbreakable will.
L.J. Shen delivers a powerful narrative filled with tension, secrets, and a slow-burning passion between two people bound by duty and surrounded by danger. It’s a perfect read for those who enjoy mafia settings and the intensity of forced proximity. Content Advisory: Features an arranged marriage, emotional abuse, violence, and dubious consent.
Lexi is a therapist, and Twitch is her mysterious, unnerving, and dangerously alluring client. He is an informant for the police, living a life steeped in violence and shadows, yet Lexi finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. Belle Aurora crafts a narrative charged with suspense, obsession, and unexpected emotional depth.
Raw delivers powerful emotional turmoil and a gripping story for those who are drawn to anti-heroes battling their inner demons and the women who dare to see past them. Content Advisory: Contains themes of violence, stalking, and exploration of past trauma.
This is the first book in the Sinners Duet, a dark, stylish, and suspenseful romance that feels cinematic in its execution. The story follows Mara, an artist who captures the attention of Cole, a charismatic and terrifying serial killer.
What unfolds is a cat-and-mouse game of obsession and seduction, where the lines between hunter and prey become dangerously blurred. Sophie Lark delivers a thrilling narrative that is as seductive as it is horrifying, perfect for readers who love a true villain protagonist.
Content Advisory: Features a serial killer protagonist, graphic violence and murder, stalking, and psychological horror elements.
In this quintessential stalker romance, Gav has been watching Kat for a long time, convinced she is his destiny. He finally acts on his obsession, kidnapping her and taking her to his isolated home.
Aubrey Dark paints an unsettling portrait of a dangerously devoted man who struggles with his violent impulses and his tender feelings for his captive. The story is a raw and intense exploration of obsession, control, and the twisted ways a connection can form in captivity.
Content Advisory: Includes stalking, kidnapping, non-consensual themes, and confinement.
For those who appreciate the darkness of Haunting Adeline but are open to a historical setting, Lemonade is a powerful and controversial choice. Set in 1950s rural America, the story follows the harrowing relationship between a young woman and the brutal, reclusive man who claims her.
Pennacchi does not shy away from the story's deeply troubling themes, delivering a narrative fraught with brutal realism, difficult power dynamics, and a complex, unsettling romance that will linger long after the final page.
Content Advisory: Contains themes of abduction, non-consensual sexual content, graphic violence, and severe emotional abuse.
The world of dark romance is vast and varied, offering everything from psychological thrillers to harrowing tales of survival. The novels listed here represent some of the best in the subgenre, each providing the kind of intense, boundary-pushing experience that fans of Haunting Adeline crave.
Whether you're drawn to the psychological tension of a stalker, the complex dynamics of captivity, or the raw intensity of trauma bonding, your next unforgettable read is waiting.
Happy (and safe) reading