This author never disappoints! I loved this book! I enjoyed the strong female main character! I don’t like the cover of the book though, I wish it matched the story. 5 stars from me!

This was just as good as the first one I couldn’t put it down! This book follows the love story of the sister. I was not expecting to like her our care about her story but this just sucked me in and I ending up loving this story. The audiobook narrator did a fantastic job. They brought so many voices to the characters. I really enjoy them telling me this story.

This is a fun read if you want something short and entertaining. It has hate-to-love romance and a strong FMC, what more do you really need? The main character, Chrysantha, gives me Nesta Archeron vibes. She takes no crap and is entirely unapologetic.

The book starts off pretty dramatic and it draws you in from the get-go. Chrysantha is a young woman with one ambition, freedom. Married at 19 to a wealthy, old duke, she finds herself counting down the days until his death. After he dies, she will inherit everything and gain the freedom she has yearned for. However, when her husband inevitably dies, things don't go according to plan. Eryx Demos, her husband's estranged grandson, comes into the picture and is there to collect what is rightfully hers. Chrysantha does not take this lightly. She's on a mission to expose Eryx as a fraud and regain the life she is owed. But when she starts digging, she begins to find dirt that could bury Eryx alive.

This romance is a true hate-to-love scenario. And it was fun to see how things developed over time. I do wish there was more of the "love" aspect, by the time they realized their feelings and acted upon them, the book was over. It was a slight buzzkill, but their story is still a good one that I enjoyed very much.

As for Eryx, I wish we got more. The stuff we did get didn't make me empathize with him or gain an interest. He feels a bit cookie-cutter. It would've been nice for him to be a more layered morally grey character. It might have helped to have some chapters from his POV. I did find his form and "skills" to be unique and interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC. These are my thoughts after listening to the audiobook in full.

So you've finished [book:The Shadows Between Us|35702241], and you've heard there's a companion book with the story of one of the characters. Who would you guess as the subject of their own book?

Hestia? Nope.
Rhoda? Nah.
Rhouben? No.

How about Chrystantha?

<record scratch>

Yeah, I'm pretty sure nobody set down The Shadows Between Us, turned to the person next to them, and said - "you know who I'd like to know more about? The sister who features only as the writer of passive aggressive letters and is repeatedly cited as the most dull person anyone at court has met."

But somehow, it works. Granted, the story takes a LONG time to get going. The entire first half of the audio book should probably be avoided while driving to avoid causing the listener to nod off. But once it FINALLY finds its rhythm, it will suck you in. There is absolutely nothing unpredictable in what happens if you've ever read any kind of fantasy romance, and many plot elements don't hold up too well to close scrutiny - but Tricia Levenseller has that knack for writing characters in whom everyone can find a glimpse of themselves or someone they know. As usual, she leans into the unlikability and lets the characters be amoral, selfish, petty, and sometimes downright evil, which is a blessing in itself in this era of morality plays disguised as novels. This particular cast of characters takes a bit longer to reveal their personalities and motives than most of the author's other character sets - but just put it on double speed for the first 50% and you'll be past the stock character portion of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Fuelled by feminine rage. Chrysantha has played the game of men for 7 years trying to get the life she's always wanted. After being married to a dying old man, his death brings her the freedom she's wished for until someone shows up to ruin everything.
She has to fight, scheme, lie, investigate, and even deal with murder to save her happiness and the happiness of those around her. The journey she goes on is a complicated one of understanding herself and how she has been affected by the world around her and the choices she makes. I enjoyed the growth her character goes through and the active change to her mindset about how she wants to move forward with her life. Especially concerning her relationship with her sister.
It's easy to get pulled into this story with the unchecked teasing and banter. A great story for fans of enimes to lovers.
Just couldn't stop reading.
Audiobook was fantastic.

FYI: This is a companion novel to the The Shadows Within Us. It can be read as a standalone, but I think I got more out of it having read the TSWU first.
🎬Pairing: Pretty Woman.
Let me make myself very clear, Eryx was not a prostitute, although Chrysantha dabbled with some. However, my favorite part of the plot was when Chrysantha took Eryx to the tailor and started giving him etiquette lessons. I don’t know why my mind went straight to Pretty Woman, but it did and I’m sticking with it. Now that I type this out, there are some more parallels. Edward was morally grey. He made his fortune by buying companies and selling them for parts. Some might call him a “monster.” Vivian was a prostitute with a heart of gold and a moral compass that pointed due north. In her own way, that was also true of Chrysantha. They were more than the sum of their parts. We all play a part in this world and they both learned to wear their own masks to survive.

🎵Pairing: “In the Dark” by Opus Orange.
I really struggled to find a song that paired well. I thought of “Animal I Have Become” by Three Days Grace and “Warm Shadow” by Fink. Roses (feat. ROZES)” by the Chainsmokers. There is the concept of the darkness within Eryx and Chrysantha, but there is also the concept of being left “in the dark.” I really struggle with the miscommunication trope, and that was a big part of the climax/exposition.

📖quote: “I think we are a good match.”
“If you think fire and oil are a good match.”
“Exactly. Together we could burn the world down if we wanted to.”
I liked the slow-burn between Eryx and Chrysantha. Forced proximity worked well in this novel. It was plausible, and outside of the lies Chrysantha kept telling to herself and Eyrx, it was super enjoyable. Their relationship felt a little rushed at the end, but not terribly so. I actually enjoyed the relationship between Eryx and Chrysantha in this novel more than Alessandra and Kallias.

Issues:
👉There were some anachronistic inclusions that felt too convenient for the narrative. They were more subtle in the Shadows Between Us but were full force in the Darkness within Us. It had me Googling, “did indoor plumbing exist at the same time as horses and carriages?” I believe there was also a reference to turning off lights instead of blowing out candles. There was also a reference to some sort of indoor plumbing.
👉I love that Chrysantha was a book girlie, but the inclusion of some of the terms like “mood reader,” to contemporary. Also, Chrysantha being in a book club with her servants gave me a mental pause. I wouldn’t expect literacy to be that rampant or that they would have much time to read with all of the responsibilities that I would assume they have.
👉The normalcy of same sex couples felt like social pandering instead of an organic inclusion in the narrative and overall disconnected within the presented time period.
I understand creative license and support it, but my brain struggled to reconcile these disparate concepts that point to a very specific time in history. Maybe it’s just my lack of knowledge or my inability to see Chrysantha’s world as something wholly different than the world I know.

📣I listened to this novel immediately after listening to The Shadows Between Us. Both are narrated by Caitlin Davies. At first, it was disorientating, but I think she gave Chrysantha her own unique voice. She did a good job with Eryx, too. Overall, the narration is 5/5 stars.

Final Thoughts
💭 Though it may not seem like it coming off the heels of my issues, I really did like this novel and absolutely would recommend that you read it, especially if you enjoyed The Shadows Between Us.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Release date for the audiobook is July, 9 2024!

(This will be posted to my Goodreads account and a version will be shared to my Bookstagram @thebooksnuggery)

I was excited to read this book because of how much I enjoyed The Shadows Between Us, but I was a little concerned that I would not really be a fan of Chrysantha based on how she was portrayed in the first book. I could not have been more wrong! I actually ended up loving this book even more than the first, and even prefer Chrysantha over Alessandra now. I don’t want to include too many details/spoilers but I really loved getting to see into Chrysantha‘s internal world, understand who she really is and what drove all of her decisions and actions. Eryx was also great and I enjoyed going along with Chrysantha as she worked to unravel the mysteries that shrouded him while also standing up for herself and the independence she had worked so hard to achieve.
The audiobook narration was fantastic, very clear and easy to listen and soak up the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This is a highly anticipated follow up to the Shadows Between Us but is a separate standalone. I really enjoyed this fresh story. I love a badass FMC and this was full of twists and turns that kept you reading. I really enjoyed the audiobook and it was produced very well.

The Darkness Within Us is the companion to The Shadows Between Us. It’s a fun and fast-paced, enemies to lovers read with elements of mystery and f the patriarchy vibes. Chrysantha is a strong FMC, who is constantly scheming, even pretending to be unintelligent for years in order to get what she wants. I did find her personality to be a bit annoying. She is solely focused on herself, gaining all money, and has an immature need to compete with her sister. Eryx is a morally gray MMC who is secretive with shadow powers. Overall, this was an enjoyable read, but the stakes felt too low for me to be super invested in the outcome. I listened to the audio and absolutely loved the narrator.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC.

I devoured this book in one day!

Chrysantha was such an amazing FMC and I felt so connected to her. And Eryx, he had me on a roller coaster. Initially I hated him but by Chrysantha’s sisters wedding, I loved his protective manner. The enemies to lovers was perfect and not obnoxious like some books can be. I hope we get more books because I was so in love.

I absolutely adored this medium paced fantasy romance and it was the perfect standalone duet follow up to The Shadows Between Us.

We follow along the story of a strong, power thirsty fmc that is taking her future back into her own hands. There are plot twists, schemes, secrets, and amazing banter. If you love bad*ss women then this is for you!

I would rate this book a 4/5 stars. It was a fun audiobook listen and I enjoyed it!

Thanks to Netgalley for this book! (:

What do you do in a world where marriage is more likely to be your Father's bargaining chip to gain wealth rather than secure a love match for his daughter?

Well, if you’re Chrysantha Stathos, you plot, plan, and scheme your way into marrying a lecherous but rich Duke who is not long for this world. After he dies and right as everything she ever wanted is within her grasp, his alleged grandson Eryx appears claiming the inheritance is rightfully his. And as if that weren’t bad enough her little sister is going to be a queen!

Not to be outdone, Chrysantha decides she’s going to upstage her sister at her wedding and use Eryx to do it. And if she just so happens to uncover something to blackmail Eryx with along the way, well then that’s just icing on the cake. The man has to go, no matter how alluring he might be…

After missing out on getting a physical ARC of this book at a convention (I was 22nd in line and they only had 21🥲) I submitted requests for the ARC and ALC of this book hoping for at least one request to be granted and to my surprise I received both!

I devoured the entire thing over a day, switching back and forth between the audiobook and ebook. I had fun listening to Eryx and Chrysantha’s story unfold, their banter was perfect for an enemies-to-lovers story! This book kept me hooked with its mixture of romance, intrigue, and character development.

This book could be read as a standalone because I haven’t read The Shadows Between Us yet and I understood perfectly what was going on! But since I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I do plan on reading it soon (after I catch up on all my ARCs for June 😆)

Audiobook review: I loved this narrator’s voice, it was just haughty enough to truly embody the character, she was the perfect Chrysantha!! Her pacing was just right for the flow of the story and I can’t wait to see what other novels she’s narrated so I can enjoy more of her performances!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and @Macmillan.Audio for allowing me to write an honest review of the ARC and ALC for The Darkness Within Us!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5

My review was posted on Goodreads and Instagram on 6/3/24.

I will post my review on Amazon on 7/9/24 for approval, it should be live within 48 hours.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the eAudiobook ARC! The Darkness Within Us returns us to the world of The Shadows Between Us, but this time we follow Alessandra's sister Chrysantha. Chrysantha has hidden her true self and schemed her way to the marriage she wanted all in order to gain her freedom. Now that her husband has died, she believes that her life will finally be her own. However, her peace is soon interrupted by the arrival of a young man claiming to be her late husband's grandson and heir apparent. Now Chrysantha must find a way to get him out of the way so that her peace can be restored, but as they cohabitate, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to him. Tricia Levenseller spins a lyrical and thrilling narrative for Chrysantha that makes her so much more than the side character she was in The Shadows Between Us. Caitlin Davies returns to narrate the audiobook and brings the perfect sass and cunning to Chrysantha.

I really enjoyed this book, with themes of feminism in a world run by men, I was very happy to see a strong woman be cunning and independent. It was great to see the character development and story progression from her point of view. The narrator did a great job, would definitely recommend giving it a listen!

I loved The Shadows Between Us so I was excited to dip back into this world. At first I wasn't crazy about the book being about Chrysantha because she wasn't a favorite in the first book but that changed. I enjoyed seeing Chrysantha's true side. All she wants is freedom to make her own choices. This was a great enemies to lovers story. I was also so happy to get cameos of Alessandra and Kallias. I will read anything Tricia Levenseller writes!

By hiding her intelligence and ambition behind the mask of a beautiful air-headed girl, she has become a wealthy duchess. And, once her elderly husband dies, she will have all the freedom, money, and safety she’s ever wanted.

I love a strong FMC! Chrysantha set a goal, made a plan, and carried through. Victory! Until Eryx Demos arrives and tries to steal everything she worked for. I love how she uses the patriarchy against itself. However, the slow burn of enemies to lovers took too long for my taste. I enjoy YA and think this is appropriate for teens, though. The tension and the banter between the two was quite humorous and sharp.

I did not read the first book, but it did not seem to matter. I might have to read it though because I am curious about the sisters’ relationship. I would have enjoyed more interaction with them as a subplot to keep me more interested when things lulled with Chrysantha and Eryx. Overall, this was just an average read for me.

In this wild, beautiful, enemies to lovers, romantasy book, The Darkness Within Us follows Chrysantha Santos (Alessandra's sister) as she becomes a widowed duchess BUT she could never be more excited for the prospect of ultimate freedom. When a new claim to her estate, Eryx, shows up and claims that he is the heir to the estate, Chrysantha has to fight him and his "bodyguards" to keep her freedom.
After I read The Shadows Between Us, I was SO excited to have this sequel butttt was a little disappointed when this book picked up with Chrysantha as the female main character instead of Alessandra👀...it reminded me of The Cruel Prince versus The Lost Sister by Holly Black, like the entirety of The Shadows Between Us, we are taught to really dislike Chrysantha BUT that makes this book THAT much better because we are able to see the REAL Chrysantha and start to love her as much as we loves Alessandra! As well, the tension and chemistry between Chrysantha and Eryx is SO good! And I was so glad that we also still got cameos of Alessandra and Kallias!🥳
While this wasn't entirely what I was expecting, I was still SO happy to pick back up in the world of The Shadows Between Us because I love it so much! This audiobook was so great and made the magical and romantic story so amazing!
Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an unbiased review!💖

I loved the shadows between us (that I read a few weeks ago) and I was very excited to read this sequel. I was surprised to find out it was about Chrysantha because in the first book, she is portrayed a certain away that didn’t make me think that I wanted to read a whole book about her. Until I did.

She had to marry because that is what girls have to do and to make sure she made a perfect match, she has been playing a part for the last seven years. She also chose a very old and rich Duke without heirs so that once he died, she would inherit everything. But someone shows up at the estate shortly after the death of the Duke seeming to be the rightful heir. She hates him from the beginning and they clash, but something else is going on here and she is determined to find out what.

I loved the mystery around who is Eryx and why is he here? I loved the relationship that develops between the two of them, it starts out like hate and it turns into something else. I loved her growth as she goes from petty jealousy to understanding to wanting a relationship with her sister, even though this is a sequel you could read it without reading the first book it is more a connected story than a true sequel.

I loved it and I am so grateful for the opportunity to listen to and the narration is fantastic. It’s a fun story and one that is worth listening to.

I loved this book and the narrator! I believe that an audiobook is only as great as the narrators who read it and it did not disappoint. I loved this one because it was different from the start and it got even better the further you got into it. I highly recommed it, especially if you love Sarah J. Mass. 5 star!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free audiobook of The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller

This book was enjoyable but wasn’t anything that knocked my socks off, much the same as the first book. The writing style and having the same narrator for both made me feel like I was reading the first book all over but from a different perspective which I didn’t care for. This feeling lasted only a few chapter though and then the story went its own way and I stopped having Deja vu. The main problem this book had was that the main female character is so unlikable that it’s hard to root for her in any capacity, and she paints the duke in such a terrible light that I could not care less about him. The thing I really liked about this book was the sister aspect. I loved getting to see their relationship and I wish we had gotten it sooner and more of it.