Booktok 📚 discussion
Discussion on ZADE.🤢
Now I totally get you girl it’s harmful and very very dark. But that is what dark romance is. It is about dark topics and the men do dark and very…interesting things. People like what they like to read
Hi Sylvie I really appreciate your thoughts on this! I personally enjoy characters like Zade Meadows, along with others like Kai, Bishop, Dante, and Alex. They offer such an intense and exciting experience that really keeps you engaged. I also recognize that the genre is evolving, and sometimes sensitive topics can be mishandled. It’s a delicate balance between enjoying the thrill of the story and being mindful of how these themes are portrayed.
I understand your concerns about the darker aspects of romance; they are definitely valid. Characters like Zade often have a complexity and moral ambiguity that can spark intrigue. Many readers are drawn to flawed characters who challenge norms and provoke deeper questions about human nature, desire, and redemption. These stories allow us to explore darker aspects of personality and relationships in a safe, fictional environment.
Dark romance can also fulfill a desire for intense emotions and drama that some may feel are missing in mainstream romance. The heightened stakes and passionate interactions provide an escape from everyday life, and for many readers, it’s not about condoning harmful behaviors but engaging with narratives that confront taboo subjects.
I think it’s important to look at the characters’ journeys and emotional growth over time, rather than endorsing their initial actions. Most readers can distinguish between what’s acceptable in real life and what’s part of the fictional landscape.
That said, it’s crucial to discuss how these relationships are portrayed and their impact on our perceptions of real-life interactions. While we enjoy complex characters, promoting healthy relationship dynamics and engaging in conversations about consent and abuse is essential. This way, we can strike a balance between enjoying the genre and addressing any harmful messages to ensure they’re not normalized.
OK, I’m gonna give a different take on this because I am a dark romance, writer and a reader, and I have to ask. Have you ever been SAed or assaulted?I learned in therapy and from myself who is a survivor of these kind of things that a lot of people who have been through it often find healing in seeing other people have the same experience. That’s why dark romance is the way it is. Now Addie, on the other hand, I can relate to her because in the first book she likes horror movies she likes to be scared, and Zade tells her you wouldn’t want me to whine and dine you. You would rather see the real me and that’s what he gives her. A lot of guys don’t do that. They’ll hide their intentions and then gaslight into you believing that that was always the real them.
Another thing I like about Zade is, he only cares about her yes, in the first book kind of agree he was a jerk and a douche. But the second book is where I fell in love with him. He stopped smoking as much around her, and actually not throwing the butts on the ground, he brushed her teeth for her when she was in an episode, and he gave her the ability to fight back. That’s why Zade is top-tier for me. He didn’t have all of the good guy abilities he knew who he was. But he still loved her regardless of his flaws and let him self be vulnerable around her.
I completely agree! That's exactly why I'm drawn to dark romance too. There's something so powerful about exploring those darker themes and seeing characters navigate their vulnerabilities. It creates such a deep connection and resonates with a lot of readers. Zade’s growth and authenticity really showcase that complexity.
Exactly! I think because Zade is one of those characters that you want to hate, but then when you actually look at the ambiguity of his moral compass like he doesn’t hide who he is, and I think that throws a lot of people off because they’re thinking how normal situations that guys are just gonna hide themselves and I think in dark romance because a lot of guys don’t hide themselves I think that throws people off. He’s such a complex character because he has all these dark and depraved tendencies. But he also is deeply caring and he’s deeply affectionate. Yes, he does those things he even admits to her in the second book we’re actually very morally wrong but he even understands that you need to see the worst in a person to grow to love them and that’s very true. I mean how many guys do we have today that hide how they are and then women wonder why they stayed in a relationship like that and I think that’s the poignant part of Zade. He’s got these flaws of being a murderer and being a psychopath and being you know, depraved and dark, but he also rescues children from sex trafficking rings and he even admits the moral complexity of that. He says I’m the same guy that will do this, but I’m also rescuing these kids And women!
For dark romance readers when those episodes of trauma and dangerous things happen to us like with assault, and you know being abused and being gaslit, and SA, We didn’t have a sense of control. Whereas with dark romance, we have that sense of control that we lost that’s why dark Roman is so beautiful because it gives control back to people who did not have control.
I think there's a big difference between liking a character who is fiction compared to a real life person. Zade is written in a book and not actually harming an actual human being. So what I enjoy is getting the opportunity to see into a dark romance character's mind, educate myself in that kind of lifestyle safely, and at the same time question my own morality. Do I approve of him as a character, yes, as an actual human, definitely not.
I read this duet a while ago, could you remind me if Zade uses his knife in all of Addie's healing physical scars to make her wounds his or something like that and calling her his little girl and slut etc. in the first book or second? My memory is fuzzy
That was in the second book because every time she looked in the mirror, she saw herself as disgusting, and she asked him to do that. That was the same time. He also carved the rose into her to prove her loyalty to him because she wanted to show that she was all in love with him. Yeah, that’s really a messed up part, but it’s super sweet at the same time because she felt so gross in her own skin and yet she fell in love with him despite her mental pain. And it was like I think the first time that she actually told him that she loved him.
Sonja, you’re exactly right because he’s not harming anybody in real life and I think that’s the good thing about him specifically is he’s not abusing people in real life and he’s a fictional character and I think that’s what a lot of people don’t rationalize with dark romance is yes it’s about you know giving victims of trauma a sense of control again but it’s also these characters are fiction. They’re not meant to be real life people. Like me and my husband have been compared to this book, but is my husband gonna go out and murder somebody no but does he have some of the same anger. Does he take care of me the way that Zade took care of Addie when she was at her lowest and having her trauma, yes But is he going to literally go out of his way to call himself a God for me, no.
What I’ve seen is some people cannot distinguish fact from fiction and the thing is Zade is fiction. He’s not meant to be a good guy. That’s what a lot of these dark romance characters are. They’re not meant to be good guys, but you can relate to them because of real life situations. Some people just can’t separate fiction from reality and that’s I think we’re the stigma is with dark romance.
Hey, Alex, thanks for that, I didn't remember it. Sarah, you're right about the people commenting above you being lovely people, because they explained their perspective really well with valuable points without attacking people who don't agree with them and labeling them as people who can't separate fiction from reality.
Maybe people consume this kind of fiction from different levels of enjoyment and disgust, and I think that's fine. It's personal, meaning, you can read whatever the hell you want, and I can read whatever the hell I want, and enjoy it without getting too annoyed that other people loved things we hate and that others hate things we love.
That being said, there are other aspects besides the point of separating fiction from reality. This is way beyond Zade's discussion and more about the point of separating fiction from reality, but when do we as a group, as a society, put a stop to what's okay to be published? I just saw on GR many one stars reviews about a "dark romance" with age gap trope, the old guy loved and was sexually aroused by the H when she was three, and during sex, he wants her to behave as if she was three years old. It gets worse according to the reviews. Well, this is pedophilia, one of the biggest taboos in society. Now, a couple of people liked the story to the point of giving it 3 or 4 stars, apparently there's a kink community for that. It's fiction, not reality, we all know it. But again, some people will defend it as something worth reading while many others, albeit very capable to separate fiction from reality, will condemn it and try to remove it from being around.
PS: please don't personally attack me.
Lilly, You are exactly right! That book has actually gotten a lot of criticism. A lot of people that promoted her have actually basically backpedaled and she has deleted all of her stuff off of Instagram and other platforms because we all got after her. You are exactly right! There’s a limit with dark romance, even with dark romance writers that we don’t push, and she pushed it we all were angry And we all called her out!
I think you’re exactly right. There has to be a limit and some of these people don’t know the limit just like some people don’t understand that writing is not really that easy. They think it is but it’s not. And I do agree that you know some dark romance needs to stop, but I think if it brings an honest discussion about what people can and can’t handle and helping, educate the public on the fact that There is a difference between fiction and reality. The people can love what they love in a book. But it’s also the fact that it brings education to victims like it opens a discussion about something that a lot of people cannot talk about like most assaulters that SA never see prison and it gives the people that have suffered a chance to have control again. But it also brings the awareness that. we can talk about it and talk about it through a character rather than our own experience and how some of us have these horrible challenges of opening up. So that’s why I think dark romantic is such a great genre but a lot of people think that they’re talking and glorifying these things that’s not the case at all
HD Carlton actually has stated that she is a victim of. SA and this book was kind of written as a Therapy for her so I think a lot of people just missing her story is basically in a way kind of dismissing her because you might not agree with the characters always but the fact that this is something that does happen. These kind of violent crimes and some people just cannot separate that I think that’s the beauty of dark romance is the conversation starter.
But no, really you are completely right that was too far and we all called her out. I mean we ALL have blasted her and we have boycotted her book, we’ve reported her, and everything yeah there is a limit and some people have crossed it and they give the ones that are writing these stories from a personal standpoint, a bad name. Like all of my books take from my own trauma and experience and that’s why I write it’s therapeutic for me but not everybody’s gonna see that. They’re only gonna see it’s dark romance and just judge it.
Alex, you make valid points! I get what you're saying and I thank you and the others for giving me that perspective. I personally love more how some books like My Dark Vanessa and The Perks of Being a Wallflower portray SA and that writing style than let's say HD Carlton's, but that's my personal preference and then again they're not even romance so I'm digressing lol.And I'm glad to hear you agree that there should be a limit in dark romance for example that book we discussed because then it's less about personal taste and more about avoiding taboo subjects like pedophilia or incest getting mainstream acceptance in romance.
Alex wrote: "But no, really you are completely right that was too far and we all called her out. I mean we ALL have blasted her and we have boycotted her book, we’ve reported her, and everything yeah there is a..."Kudos for being a writer! That's awesome.
Thank you! I’m currently in school for creative writing and I think that’s why I have a different perspective on dark romance, as well as other genres cause I read every genre we have to for class and so being able to talk about it even though some people just don’t find Zade that great of a character I did, but that doesn’t mean everybody does and that’s OK. But the fact that she was called out and we made sure she was called out is why I’m like there needs to be a guideline and they’re usually is like we all kinda know it especially a dark romance writers we know there’s a limit of how far you can take something, but that one she’s still so new in the dark romance world that it really actually turned a lot of us who read dark stuff I mean, we read some pretty messed up stuff even off! It made us all pissed and sick just because that was uncalled for on her end!
That's great that you guys called her out. :) Maybe she'll learn from this and come back with better plots within the genre of dark romance.
Hi, I read this at the end of last year and fell in love with Zade. I like Zade because he wasn't afraid to be who he was. He also took a stand on a very dark crime that happens every day. I know that it is fiction, but I also know that this effects a lot of people. This was an eye opener for me and the things we would like to be able to do in real life. It would be nice to know that we had an agency like Zade's doing the same thing in real life.
When it comes to the relationship, I love Zade for pushing Addie. He made her feel beautiful without ever touching her. He allowed her to do things that turn her on but society frowns on. He was venerable with her without her knowing it. To know that a man would go through hell and fire to make sure you're ok. Zade was also the one to make her strong again. He didn't allow her to wallow and stay in that house after she got herself out. He allowed her to use him for her own pleasure until she was ready to share it with him again. That takes a lot of trust on both parts.
I think people miss the devotion in everyday life now. We are creatures of instant gratification do too social media and we don't put the work into our relationships that we use to. I think that is one of the reasons Dark Romance is so popular now.
Also, this is a way for a lot of people to get through traumatic experiences in a safe and controlled environment. It is a way to see it happen and have a different outcome. To see that if you write it a different way maybe your brain can process it a different way.
This is just my take on this story and hope it helps start a conversation on some of the harder things in life.
Lilly. Yeah, we’re hoping that she tries to come back and actually does a better job, but I don’t think she will because of how much backlash she has gotten and three people that are connected to her have gotten death threats because of the shit she pulled so that’s immediately number one.Heather. You are exactly right a lot of people don’t wanna work for their relationships and I think the fact that there is an organization like Zade in a book that could be brought to real life is profound not like that but you’re right they don’t wanna work for their relationships because they have the instant gratification culture and I think that’s what’s so beautiful about this book too is Zade loves to push Addie and Zade wants her to be the best version of herself and he recognizes that she needs to be pushed. He’s not saying that to be perfect. He wants real and a lot of people only focus on the negative of the book just like they do with everything in life rather than recognizing the positive benefits of certain situations and that’s another thing about dark romance two that I love it focuses a lot on the negative, but there’s so much small of the good And so many beautiful moments that makes it human and with a lot of emotions.
I think if we all could start you know working on relationships again maybe something would change and I think that’s another reason why I love dark romance and I think a lot of of us too. But also because you’re right of the controlled environment I had said something about that before, but I think the safety and the control of the environment is what makes this book and other books like it’s so profound and beautiful. And it’s funny a lot of people who don’t read this kind of stuff are like dark romance isn’t beautiful, but I say it is because those simple moments that you don’t realize happen in a day make it amazing and profound. A.k.a. beautiful.
@SobooksEven in books [which are totally fictional] SA shouldn't be called dark or interesting, its a crime, and that's what it should be called even in those books, And people do NOT like what they like to read, at least they do not like those things happening to themselve, I imagine if I ever met someone. who fantasise about such stuff happening to them, and in fact would like something similar to the gun scene, id be sure that they are sick in their head.
I find it amusing that some people like to read a girl getting SA'd by a fricking gun, and some [not you, here] even say that she wanted it or enjoyed it.
@ThoneyThere is nothing wrong in understand the mind of a flawed charachetr or what provokes their behavior, but one thing, If this story is made for us to explore darker aspects of personality, why do some [not all, but quite a big no] people who read these books are obsessed with romanticizing abuse? It one wants to understand their nature it's not wrong, but fantasizing about the wrong things is wrong.
Those people that say that they enjoy it are saying it because of the thrill that the dopamine gives them from reading that. In those that say they want it in real life, I can’t speak for them just saying. But I do know the people that read it that enjoy reading it it’s because of the dopamine and a lot of us that don’t have a good quality of dopamine is why we enjoy it. Because I know like for me, for example I can’t have caffeine, which is a dopamine stimulant for ADHD. Because I have a heart condition and one of the ways that helps my dopamine level is reading and writing stuff that has high energy and horror brings the adrenaline and dark romance is horror and romance combined. That’s what a lot of people don’t understand, it’s basically horror that has romantic elements. We’re not donating this behavior in real life. I’m gonna make that very clear we’re not donating it because this kind of stuff happens every day. It’s just not really talked about or it’s just not really brought up in conversation. But these books like haunting and Hunting Adeline actually give survivors a platform to speak about their trauma. I actually know plenty of people that have said that it’s not just me.There’s a scene in hunting Adaline and I think it’s very poignant. Addie just had a flashback after capturing one of her characters that assaulted her and abused her to the point that she could not be touched in any possible way. She grabs the gun from Zade because she wants to blow her head off , and he literally doesn’t know how to help her until finally, he gets the gun away from her and throws it to the side so she cannot grab it and hold her and comfort her. Now you’re thinking of all the stuff that he did in the first book, but something like that to a survivor like myself who has contemplated suicide because of being molested and being sexually assaulted by someone who I was supposed to consider my husband now X, I should mention. To me it made me ball because it made me realize I was seen. That’s what dark romance is it gives a voice in those situations because until I read that, I did not have the courage to talk to my now current partner about what I was going through.
And see that’s where a lot of people don’t understand we’re not romanticizing abuse. Far from it actually. It’s about the fact that dark romance gives people like myself and others that have been through some seriously messed up trauma a sense of control that we’ve never had.Let me put it this way, if you were picked up by a man or a woman, and they made you feel good and everything and then they started slowly attacking your character. Making you feel judged. Then ridiculing you for every detail of your life and then guilty you into believing that you’re worthless. You would want justice right because you’ve been wrong. You’ve been victimized. Then they start talking to their friends about how terrible you are how useless you are and how much you are a failure as a human being because you’re that stupid. Or that much of a damn idiot. Now you’d want justice? Like I asked before. You would want someone to relate to your story because you’re being abused?
So someone that has been through that trauma they’re not always represented in books. So people like you or I if you’ve gotten victimized, wouldn’t you wanna see that because you can’t talk to other people about it because they ask you well why did you stay? Why did you accept the abuse? Why didn’t you just walk away? If you were sexually assaulted, why were you wearing that? Why are you making a big deal? It’s that kind of thing is why dark romance exist. It’s not romanticizing abuse it’s giving that power back to the victim and saying you’re not alone.
@Alexyou are talking about how Zades real intentions were to stalk her? Scare her? and put a gun up her...?
And if a person is like that deep down, how does hiding it or not hiding it give it an excuse, if he is deep down a bad horrible rapist then him being his true self throwing people off is normal, I understand that good stuff he did, all the help he did, but what kind of monster would still adore him after what he did to Addiline? I understand that she has a weird kink but she is fictional...and real people having that kink is not good.
@alex, how exactly does it give you the feeling of control? and I understand feeling relatable and seen, but in the end she fell in love with her abuser, who finds that relatable?
Because like myself, I have been gaslit, and I have actually been sexually assaulted. And I have been sexually assaulted by my own father and every boyfriend I was ever in contact with. I never saw somebody that went through what I went through in a book and it actually turned me away from reading. Then I found haunting and Hunting Adeline Along with others in the dark romance genre. You have to understand those books saved me. I’m not romanticizing the bad stuff that Zade did. A lot of of us aren’t. What we are romanticizing since you believe that we are is the fact that these men in these books, listen to the victims of the crimes and they don’t hold what happened to them over their head. The reason these book saved me is because I saw the red flags that my ex-husband was doing from these two books. Zade actually didn’t show me the red flags ironically it was the side characters. Tamlin from ACOTAR showed me more red flags than Zade and Rhysand or Cassian. A lot of people think because we talk about dark romance so much we’re romanticizing it. But it’s actually the farthest thing from it. What we are doing is talking about something that saved us. You wouldn’t tell a survivor of cutting themselves that they’re romanticizing cutting. so why are you telling a victim of severe complex trauma that what they’re reading is romanticizing when it’s far from it?
He’s not an abuser in the way that you think. An abuser does not admit that they have moral flaws or that they have dark and deprived thoughts. I know my ex-husband did not and I know my father and mother who did abuse me did not multiple other people that I have talked to that have survived, religious, narcissistic, Psychological, and every other type of abuse, including some therapist I know have said abusers will never admit they are morally flawed, or abusive. It gave me a sense of control because when Zade even admitted you’re seeing the real me not some cookie cutter version. Do you realize how many men actually have never said that this is the real me and you’re getting the honest and blunt truth of who I am? The only person I’ve heard say that is my current partner let that sink in. No other man in my life and others who read dark romance‘s life have said that, but maybe one person. And the fact that even Jade did not hold her PTSD and her trauma over her head admitted what he did in the second book was not the smartest thing and was not a good character flaw, but wanted her to see the real him is exactly why he saved me. If a man is truly abusive, he’s never gonna admit he’s abusive same with women.
It gives a sense of control because I could not control being molested at four years old. I couldn’t control my flashbacks. I had no control over what people said to me and how they made me feel for so long because I could not even regulate my own emotions when everybody was telling me you’re fine it’s all in your head. But a man who is morally flawed, and everybody sees as a bad guy is even saying to Addie, you’re not at fault for what happened to you? Imagine a man saying that in real life. My partner is the only one that’s ever said that to me when my own father was abusing me he literally said it was my fault. That’s what control is getting that power back through the fictional character to feel seen.
OK, Zade even admitted that you know he’s not a good guy. I mean, he admitted that and yes, she had a kink. There are a lot of people who have a kink of being raped and scared. I don’t understand it but they do and that’s what HD Carlton was referring to. I mean, I’m a horror movie lover. I enjoy a good scare, but it still doesn’t change the fact that yes he did stalker he even admitted I’m not a good guy, and he even cleared that up in the second book. Second because of that kink, she started actually enjoying it at first because she was so you know thrown off I mean when you’re stressing a situation where you’re like what is going on and you’re thrown off how are you supposed to react you’re freaked out. It makes the most sense. That’s why it’s called dubious consent. It’s a part of the trigger warnings. It’s not 🍇 in the same way that you think. If someone has that kink, it’s actually not considered a form of that. And the other thing that you have to realize is she held the power to walk away. It even mentions that in the second book and he even told her you can walk away you know that right. He makes that point to her even in the first book Because he said the whole time she had control over saying that she loved him and he actually gave her a countdown to walk away. That’s why I say you all are actually getting this wrong. She had ample opportunity to walk away. She did not. And that’s why trigger warnings are very critical because if you don’t read them and you go into this book you know what you’re getting into. That’s the difference.
@HeatherAnd irl agency in witch they protect trafficking victims and save SA victims and all in the day and stalk and rape girl at night?
And I’ll make this clear too some people fall in love with their abusers it’s happened in criminal cases. It’s not that they you know had Stockholm syndrome. There’s actually a case and this is an extreme case. I’m not going to lie, but Rosemary and Fred West they abused each other And they fell in love. The thing is it also points out in this book. You can’t help who you fall in love with. Some people fall in love with their abusers doesn’t mean that it’s OK and yes in a real life situation the stuff would not be appropriate. That’s why I brought up the Fred and Rosemary West situation because it’s very similar and what a lot of people think this book is about. But I think a lot of people don’t realize that this is fiction and he is listening to her because that’s why I recommend the second book more than the first because the second part of the second book you see the compassionate side, and you see the man behind the darker ax in the first book. Like I said she had an opportunity to walk away she didn’t. He told her that she had the power the whole time which she did because she was the only one that could give her love to him. He couldn’t force that and third, he gave her the power back to hurt her abusers the same way they hurt her. Now, for me that’s romantic. Because I’m getting ready to take my ex to court, and I’m gonna have to physically fight him in a verbal altercation in the courtroom. I’m taking my power back, which I wouldn’t have been able to do when I was married to him because he threaten to kill me. But some women believe that they deserve abuse as love and some women crave that. Rosemary West is a great example. She was groomed from a young age. She only felt like she deserved abuse and then she became a psycho masochist. But Addie and Zade are fiction and I stress that because I’m in a literature class right now And we have to read different stories and I can kinda understand why people think that it is abuse if they don’t understand the genre, but someone who is a writer and a reader of this genre it’s very different the way it hits. You can’t look at all of the negative because everybody has moral floss. It’s bringing more of a real life sense of how a couple should act not in the abuse sense, but in the sense that a man should listen to her, and she should listen to him. And in the first book, it’s not in as much detail as I think it should’ve been, but in the second part of the second book you see it. I mean, he doesn’t push her for sex, he actually helps her brush your teeth when she can’t do it. He doesn’t force her to have sex in. Anyway he lets her have control in a lot of situations and that’s what a lot of survivors don’t have is control and because of seeing that in somebody like Zade who the world Villa allies because yes, he’s a fictional character and they think he’s abusive. He actually gives her that control and he just doesn’t care and I think that’s another point thing is he doesn’t care what people think about him and everybody is making these nasty assumptions about him but he’s fiction if he was a real person, yeah stay within. You know a 10 foot pole but he’s not and I think that’s part of the problem. Addie is not condoning abuse but when you read the second book, she has brought down to a point of such a low that it is sickening and a lot of us have felt that low, but say rebuilds her in a way to show that she’s not her trauma and that’s what makes him one of the best in my opinion. He’s not hiding who he is, but he knows the line of not to cross and in the first book he gave the most extreme version of himself so he didn’t have her experience that later on and I think that’s really sweet because even my partner has done that and I see it nowthat he did that so I wouldn’t run away because I would see the man behind the pain.
No, you’re completely right but he even admitted and he was even asked like you know this is wrong right and he’s like I know but it’s just how I am. I have these fantasies in my head some people do. Not saying that it’s appropriate but some people do I mean let’s just be real. I’ve been through sexual assault and I watch literally BDSM porn, which is not normal for somebody who has been through sexual assault but another thing I talk to my therapist about is people that have been through trauma have hyper sexualization. They’re more heightened to their surroundings and I actually think Zade is traumatized in a way because in the book his mother died he said he didn’t have a terrible childhood, but that’s just from his perspective when I talk to people I’m like oh my childhood you know was average before I went to therapy and come to find out my childhood was messed the hell up. If Zade’s childhood was so great why do we never see his dad? Why do we never see any of his family? And I think that’s what a lot of people are also missing too. There’s those cute little details that are never brought up and yes, you know stocking is not appropriate. I mean in real life. It makes sense but a lot of women want a man to be obsessed with them and I think that’s why Zade is so good because he shows that there are men that can be obsessed With a certain woman. It doesn’t mean that he could do what he did cause he even said that he didn’t condone what he did as far as the stocking and you know he’s like I rescue kids, but I’m a stalker and a creep. That’s very accurate though, but he even admits the contradictions in himself so the fact that people are saying oh he’s just this mean guya man that is actually reflecting on that and can admit that that’s a creepy aspect of himself is actually somebody who is more trustworthy because they can at least least you know have the empathy, and the reflection on their own personality were a narcissist, and a true abuser cannot.
Because when you look at a narcissist or someone who is an abuser, they don’t think that they are a perpetrator. They think they are a victim. And Zade has never once admitted that he’s a victim. Because he admitted stalking was wrong. And he admitted that you know what he did was not normal behavior but at the same time he admits that he’s like I know who I am and I’m not gonna just hurt somebody for any reason. And when you look at Addie in the first book. She kind of has this belief system that she is untouchable. At least that’s how I took it because you know she’s a very assured woman you know she basically doesn’t have a good relationship with her mother, but then when she’s broken down by being trafficked and the fact that Zade went out of his way to hunt her down to get her back because he’s like I have failed. I mean what abuser a narcissist is gonna say I’m a failure. None I mean, let’s just be real. I have never heard an abuser or a narcissist ever say in their life I’m a failure. And I’ve met plenty so that’s why I think with Addie and Zade. It’s very poignant because in the second part she starts to gain the confidence she never had and he helps her. He’s not basically pushing for sex immediately. He’s not basically wanting to have that kind of sex with her. I think that’s another thing that people miss is the fact that when you look at the chapters from the first book to the second book, there’s not as many chapters of sex from Zade in the second book versus the first book, and the reason that is because he showed her the darkest parts of himself so that way then he could be his most authentic self for her and her needs. That’s what a lot of people don’t understand the fact that he admits his faults, which most men don’t do, he listens to her and doesn’t force her into a situationis critical, and you know, he built her up in a way that she never believed she could be and lets her take control again of the situation. I don’t know many men that would do that.
If you go and watch the videos about this book, you will notice a lot, especially in the dark romance category like clear your mind of what you know of all the bad. Think about yourself in an abused victim standpoint. Then look at everything that he said, and how he treats her and acts not the bad parts. If you can do that and actually open your mind, then you can actually see what we see. We had to do this exercise in therapy as well as in my classes because I’m currently in college for creative writing and it was eye-opening. Absolutely eye-opening. You can tell Zade loves her. Just like she loves him because even at the end of the second book, he gives her a ruby ring because she was called the diamond in the sex trafficking ring, and abuser would not do that and I know because my own father an ex-husband told me that I deserved what I got. Where my current partner wants to give me a tattoo, something my family hates, because it shows that it’s more my personal choice. Something I was not given growing up.
@alexin one message above you said that "the safety and control of the environment is what makes this book beautiful" , where was the safety and control? zade had her suck a gun and she was freaked out he was gonna shoot, and in the next scene she was even more freaked out, and before these scense she was hiding from him.
I understand that zade did comfort her and make her strong again, but but he did before was not forgivable of this goodness. and if someone [or you] are reading for representation or understanding complex or messed up charachters or understanding the book, then I'm not talking about that, waht I want reasons for is why some readers say taht it was litrally not SA or that she enjoyed it [and even if he did later acknowledge what he did was wrong or even [if] he changed, his previous behavior which was wrong and a crime too cannot be justified,] or why they fantasize about this man, if you do not that fine, I just wanted to know their opinion.
Sylvie wrote: "Okay, again.In current times dark romance has become romanticize rape or abuse and its full of weird stuff, so people who like or liked Zade Medows, can you give me an actual reason that is not "w..."
Hi! It appealed to me because I viewed it purely as a book – fiction that is dark, intriguing, and tense. It may not be for everyone, but for me, it provided an exciting reading experience. I enjoy the way it's written, the dynamics between the characters, and the mysterious atmosphere. I don't look at it through the moral lens of the real world, but rather through the lens of a story that kept me hooked from start to finish. Please dont judge me :)
Hi,to me reading books/watching tv/ect. is purely for pleasure and entertainment. As much as I understand trigger warnings, none of them relate to me so whatever I happen to read is just fiction in my mind.
Would I want Zade to stalk me? Hell no but it was a good book.
Would I want to ride a dragon and fight in a war? No, thank you.
Would I kill someone? I believe not but still crime is one of my favourive genre.
Like Issa said above: when I read a fiction, I do not put morals from reality on the book. I only judge the story from the perspective of the world it is located in.
Guys, all I have to say is I’m fine with every single part of the book, I just wished it wasn’t zade who sa’d her, and that it was someone else whom zade could’ve killed or something like that, like in the second book. I just feel like it justifies it as right in a way, and he hardly feels remorse for what he did to her. But anyways, everything else in the book was good
what's there to discuss? it's a disgusting book with a rap!st as a main leadand pple are fine with that?
now when we have a book that is romanticizing pedo--ph!lia
and another that used racist lines as if choosing juice
I am convinced that Haunting Adeline paved the way
I love Dark Romance
but using the excuse "it's a dark romamce" to justify crossing lines is sick
seek help if you liked this book
OK, I gotta say something else. This book is like cake compared to other dark romance books. Why do we always talk about Zade when they’re Sibby, who literally flung body parts around after you know they all three killed Addie‘s abusers? Then we have the guys in the background and the side characters that are way worse than Zade? The thing is if you don’t like dark romance, that’s fine, but I’m gonna be very pointing on this, it is a book. It is fiction. It brings a sense of control to people that didn’t feel like they had control. I have read some books where Zade looked like a Saint. And I mean that literally like there are some books that there are so much darker. A.k.a. Malachi from Little stranger. Diesel from den of vipers. But somebody answer me that why are we so focused on Zade and not focusing on the other dark romance books because literally I didn’t think she has seen her because that’s a kink there is a kink about getting raped or having the fetish of getting raped and that’s actually something that Addie had. If you’re gonna talk about just Zade then talk about the other characters too. That were just as depraved. And talk about other dark romance books that’s not just him. Because he’s not the worst actually he’s one of the more team ones in my opinion and people might not agree with me, but there’s a lot of people that do because I’m talking to him right now
The thing is, we have you know Colleen Hoover, who doesn’t put trigger warnings at the beginning of one of her books and she doesn’t get as much shit as this book to where the author gets death threats. But yet this author had trigger warnings. And also this book literally been out for a good couple of years now and you either love dark romance or you hate it and if you hate it then don’t read these books. I mean it’s just that simple but it’s like you know, sitting here and only talking about this one character in the book versus the rest of the ensemble who are just deprived I think it’s just doing a disservice because if you really don’t like the book that’s fine but if you like Sibby, but you don’t like Zade then you might just have a problem with the one character and the fact that you know you’re only looking at one aspect versus the whole book or the whole books. Is kind of why I’m like why are you discussing and arguing this? Because I’m not gonna lie there are some way worse men in dark romance books that I would never want to even lead the book pages. A.k.a. Enzo, Malachi, diesel, Killian. But yet you know the only one anybody ever focuses on in dark romance is Zade. I mean, think about that for a second. They have so many worse but yet we only talk about him and we don’t even talk about the side characters and one of them, I absolutely adore, but the men that actually were in that house and never apologized or the fact that Francesca, who literally beat Addie and you know, let her get assaulted and basically did the calling we don’t talk about. That’s exactly why I’m like why are we sitting only talking about him. We can’t just talk about it and not talk about the other characters.
I totally agree with the point u made about the other charcters!!!! Personally I think they did so much worse than zade but I do love them.And yeah why are we hating on zade so much when Francesca literally beat her and gave her to men to get r*ped. Why doesn’t anyone talk about how she basically assaulted her and abused her?!?
I love them too! That’s the thing we’re only focusing on one guy and it kinda reminds me of the Rina Kent shit going on. Because he was not made straight he was made gay in the latest book from her. It was a huge problem and people were boycotting her. And yet you know she did with the character wanted not what she wanted like she wanted to do it but really when you’re writer, the character speak to you. Not the other way around. Like I’ve had books go in a direction. I didn’t think they were gonna go in and it turned out so much better than I expected.Next we really do need to talk about the other characters like if we’re gonna be honest Zade is actually tame. I mean when you first introduced to him it’s a culture shock. Because he’s not you know the nice hearted you know, lovable guy. He’s just very much himself, but then you have a characters like the guy who sold her you could have the guy that helped her escape, even though he did not help her for the longest time then you have Sippy‘s younger sister who is a menace to society and I think 1000 times worse than any character I’ve actually ever read besides Francesca and then you have Claire who lets these kids get abused. Actually sells them off to the highest bidder, but yet Zade is the bad guy. Make it make sense.
YESS!!! Omg I agree. Like zade is mild compared to the others!!!!!
Exactly! And that’s why I say if you don’t read the book you can’t say that he is this horrible guy because abusers don’t admit that their abusers they act like victims he never admitted that he was a victim. He actually said I have fault. I am flawed. On top of that Sibby threw body parts around and was a serial killer locked in an asylum. Then she had sex with her henchman that her make believe on the island and Zade and Addie had to watch. Like they were grossed out! Not to mention Francesca getting Xavier to cut Addie and break her down so bad that literally she felt like she was just in adequate and then started abusing people outside of there and the Culling, I mean oh my God. You wanna talk about true trauma that was traumatic to read. I would take seeing what they did in the first book over again to that. I mean a little girl because she got shot with an arrow in her back and another little girl got shot somewhere else with an arrow. Had to be sexually tortured for hours while the others got rewarded with a cheeseburger from McDonald’s, even though they were literally being hunted like animals by these men that Francesca brought in. On top of that, then Addie and the other girls had to bash these teenage and preteen girls heads in, but yet you’re gonna compare Zade to being a problem.
What do you wanna talk about trauma hearing the little girl have her head bashed in by a rock in the second book when Zade was trying to find Addie. You cannot sit here and say that is the problem. Sounds like it didn’t compare to your book standard of a book boyfriend. And that’s not me being mean far from it. If you are comparing a character like say who is very mild compared to the rest of the book and only comparing one scene that you’ve actually seen or read in a comment you might wanna go back and reread the entire book and both books mind you as well as Satan‘s affair because I can tell you Zade is mild the other characters or a totally different breed and they are 10 times more frightening. I mean, if I ever saw some of the side characters in person I would run for the fucking hills compared to Zade. And here’s the thing, if he does not compare to the proper book boyfriend for you then that’s a you problem that’s not the problem because just like with Rina Kent and the fact that her character was gay by awakening, but yet everybody wanted him to be straight. That’s not the author‘s fault that that’s a problem. I get if you don’t like the book but actually go back and really reread it because the last three perspectives from Addie in Hunting Adeline this first part mentally made me sick and I had to literally go to eight chapters. I actually found refuge in his chapters. The person that you’re saying is a problem compared to her sections. That should be a really big sign to you because I’ve survived some seriously messed up crap and that shit freaked me out! And I love horror movies so that should tell youeverything you need to know Zaid is actually not a bad guy in those books. He’s actually tame and the fact that you’re verifying him shows you did not read the book the same way that it should’ve been read. Because that book is very mild on that part like that is like the basic stuff and that’s only in the first book read the second book and then come back to me.
Yesss exactly!!!! There are something called trigger warnings, that your suppose to read at the start to know if you can carry on. Plus guys there are many more worse character, in the dark romance genre I would say zade is the most mild character there is. Killian basically said he was gunna eat Glynn fall of the ledge is she didnt suck him off and ur complaining about zade!?!?? I love dark romance and know when it goes too far but haunting Adeline isn’t it.
Yeah, haunting and Hunting Adeline is very mild in the dark romance genre. I mean, we have Enzo! And I say he’s actually worse! But then you have like Nico, which I love Nico he’s so freaking adorable, but he is psychotic! Any of Rina Kent’s characters are so good they’re psychotic
So yeah if you’re gonna shit on one character, it’s a you problem but if you’re gonna sit on the whole book because it wasn’t your thing and it freaked you out that’s different. But read the book and don’t just read comments before you just sit there and say one thing about the book or one character. Read the trigger warnings and understand that those are there for a reason. I mean you guys can Colleen Hoover, but she didn’t put trigger warnings and actually triggered a therapist with the shit that she put in that book and actually triggered a lot of people. But yet you will still read her books. Do your research before you just start picking up a book. Because if you can’t put yourself in the authors perspective or the fact that dark romance isn’t written for everyone, it’s written for people who need control and need to feel safe and like unhinged stuff and like the thrill of it with the horror and the romance combined, then don’t read it just because it’s popular and everybody shits on it doesn’t mean you should read it.
Urgirl_amara wrote: "I totally agree with the point u made about the other charcters!!!! Personally I think they did so much worse than zade but I do love them.And yeah why are we hating on zade so much when Francesc..."
I think people don't focus on Francesca and such because she's the cartoonish villain and not the love interest who SA and physically hits the main character with branches until her legs are bloody (in the second book) .
No need to answer, I personally think that this discussion is gonna go in circles because people are going to like reading what they're going to like reading, for fun, for the adrenaline, for a kink, who knows, and some are going to have their own fantasies and dreams about peculiar book boyfriends and declare it publicly or keep it for themselves, it's a free world. This is an online community so we don't even know who's who in real life (pretty much like fiction). I hope both Zade haters and Zade fans get the healthy love and care they need and deserve irl
In current times dark romance has become romanticize rape or abuse and its full of weird stuff, so people who like or liked Zade Medows, can you give me an actual reason that is not "we all have our own opinions" because, yes ofc we do. But your opinion is that you like this? That you support this? That you are fine with this? So isn't that basically supporting more authors to write and promote such harmful content?
And please don't come at me, this is a discussion wehre I'm trying to understand your point of view, not a fight.