Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy!

Chrysantha Stathos things she has it all planned out--she's fooled everything into thinking she's an air-headed girl, not a threat. And when her elderly husband dies, she inherits all the money left behind. Now she has all the freedom women in her station never have--that is, until an unknown heir comes to take it all from her. Eryx, apparently the duke's long-lost grandson, hopes to take all the duke left to Crysantha. Crysantha tries to discredit him and keep the fortune to herself as the duke's widow, but that gets harder as the handsome Eryx and Crysantha grow closer.

This was a great sequel to The Shadows Between Us! This second novel follows Alessandra's sister, Crysantha, but still lets you see what Alessandra and the Shadow King are up to (from the first novel). Crysantha is just as devious as her sister, and it's fun to watch her schemes. It's good to see both sisters find a somewhat happily ever after. The audiobook reader also did a great job!

I liked this book and sometimes I didn’t like this book. Many interesting elements to the characters. The Milan character, Chrysantha was unlikeable at times and charming at others. I’m still not sure I liked her or whether I didn’t like her. There was the interesting twist although the set up of the book was more social and then the twist occurs. I’m not sure if this was a bit of a set up for a series, but I think it had too many mixed messages and didn’t quite find its place.

This excellent audio book of The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller is an exciting combination of fantasy, heated tension, and female empowerment!

Chrysantha Stathos has hidden behind a beautiful, air-headed mask for years waiting for her chance to get all the things she’s desperately wanted - freedom, wealth, and safety. She finally achieves all this and more after her awful husband dies. That is until a mysterious man, Eryx Demos, shows up claiming to be the true heir and steals everything Chrysantha has worked so hard for. But never underestimate a Stathos girl. Chrysantha is determined to get what she wants by any means necessary!

The audio book of The Darkness Within Us was so good that I gobbled it up in two days. Chrysantha's quick wit, conviction that she deserves more, and determination to get it, won me over right away. I love a good enemies-to-lovers trope and this book delivered in abundance. The appearance of Eryx after Chrysantha has finally found happiness and peace, is devastating and once again, Chrysantha is under the control of the men around her. But Chrysantha is made of strong stuff and plots a new path to freedom. And Eryx isn’t everything he seems at first.

I highly recommend this audiobook not only for the excellent romantasy but also because the narrator, Caitlin Davies, is a master of emotion and voices. I never once questioned who was speaking but was instead fluidly drawn into each character.

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As a fan of "The Shadows Between Us", I was excited to get my hands on this book set in the same world. Levenseller knows how to write morally gray characters! While I didn't like this one as much as it's predecessor, it was still a refreshing take on upper YA fantasy.

The Darkness Within Us is the tale of Chrysantha, who has married a vile, older man in the hopes he will die soon and she will inherit his wealth and her own freedom from her role as a pawn for her father's power.

Chrysantha pretends to be meek and stupid, but upon her husband's death she releases her salty, sharp wit and finally begins to live the life she wants. A wrench is thrown in her plans with the appearance of a heretofore unknown relative with a claim to the title and estate. Chrysantha spars and schemes to keep her assets in this enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity romance. This second title in the series can standalone, although now I am interested in reading the previous title focusing on Chrysantha's sister.

Great narration.

This second book in the series features one sister who married an old sick duke, counting down the days until he passed and she was left free and with his fortune. Until a long lost grandson shows up and claims the title and estate. Something is off about the grandson, plus he is her age and wildly attractive... Meanwhile she finds out that her sister, her rival, is marrying the king. Can she plot to use the wedding as a means of ridding herself of this fake duke?

This was a really enjoyable book. I'd read the first in the series, but I think this could be a standalone. The reader was also quite enjoyable. More than that, no spoilers, but I love that this ended on a less than conventional note.

I loved this one just as much as the first. I really didn’t want to read about Chrysantha and thought she was intolerable. But she really redeemed herself for me. Chrysantha was the ultimate hbic and she worked for that title. I loved the tension between her and Eryx. Oh Eryx. He was angry and sweet and perfection. I’m glad her and Alessandra got to start mending their relationship. Their bickering was just so true to the both of their characters. Also love checking in with Alessandra and hear all the kick ass things she’s delivering on while being queen.

Tricia can do no wrong. And the audio was great. This was my first time listening to Caitlin Davies and I have no critiques.

Thank you to net galley and to macmillan for the ARC. Even though I received this copy the review are my honest thoughts and opinions.

First, thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, Tricia Levenseller, and Caitlin Davies for my ALC of this book. I would like to say that the audiobook itself is a full five stars because Caitlin does an incredible job narrating and bringing this story to life.

The story picks up right after the events of The Shadows Between Us, which if you haven't read that you should because it's great. This book can technically be read as a standalone, though. Chrysantha has spent a good majority of her life convincing people she's a simpleton to get what she wants. Ironically, the more of a simpleton she acts in front of the men who control her life, the more she's able to control their decisions for her. I thought this was really fun and I love the idea of undermining men who are underestimating a highly intelligent woman.

My main problem (that may draw others to this book) was the amount of this that went on. Chrysantha had become this person for seven years and could see nothing else through the lens she'd created where men = bad and women = deserve better. Chrysantha points fingers at her sister and says that all she's fueled by is her status and greed, but this is literally Chrysantha. I ultimately liked the way they both matured and moved past their differences, but getting there was a little tiring considering they hate each other so much and then a single letter just... ends that.

Things for this story start when she pulls an Alessandra, inherits an entire dukedom, and then loses it all when the duke's long lost heir comes barreling into the estate. I enjoyed the dynamic between Chrysantha and Eryx and how they were both bookworms. I hate when books literally say tropes within the book, but I thought that during Chrysantha's book club meeting when they were talking about how enemies to lovers is so loved because people enjoy the passion and how the story goes through trials to shift from the one kind of passion to another, I thought it was well done.

The stakes were not very high in this book. Eryx is part monster that he supposedly can't control, until he does control it, multiple times. Chrysantha brings out the worst in him and nothing happens, and then the Rhysand moment of kicking everyone out to make love was SO FAST. Then everything tied up in a little bow and it was over.

Overall, I enjoyed this story, but I'm not sure how wide I'll be recommending it.

I got this as a free audio book on NetGalley.

4.5 stars

Narrator: 5 stars

Story: 4.5 stars

I listened to this audio book in about 6 hours. I enjoyed Chrysantha growth in the book. It is such a sweet romance and an easy world to absorb and get lost in.

Omg marvelous, wow, loved every second of this book. The audio was beyond amazing 5⭐️. Now the story loved it as well, well I knew this was going to be good but I was impressed how quickly it hook me , definitely recommend to everyone, indeed already getting people to add into their tbr because wow.