“The Darkness Within Us” is a fun enemies-to-lovers story with a Victorian feel. It is a story of a nineteen-year-old Chrysantha and her younger sister, Alessandra, who don’t get along. Chrysantha is jealous of Alessandra’s easy success, and it starts a much interesting story given below. If you like to read romance books you can checkout our latest Play Along Review.
About the Author:
Tricia Levenseller is an NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of eight YA romance novels, including The Daughter of the Pirate King duology and The Shadows Between Us. Her novels have been translated into 20 different languages, and continuing.
The Darkness within Us Summary (Spoilers)
The main short summary of the book is Alessandra thinks Chrysantha is foolish. But Chrysantha uses this to her advantage. She waits for her rich, old husband, the Duke of Pholios, to die. After he dies with her help, she plans to enjoy her freedom and money. Chrysantha Stathos is finally free. Her husband has died, and she will inherit his manor and money. She plans to live as a dowager duchess, never marrying again.
But a young man, Eryx, arrives claiming to be the true heir. Chrysantha’s plans are shattered. He says he is the duke’s heir. Eryx is handsome and distracting. This ruins Chrysantha’s plans. She decides to make him a proper duke. She wants to outshine Alessandra at her wedding and then betray Eryx. She is clever and cunning. She has spent years pretending to be timid. Now, this is the right time that she fight for what she believes is rightfully hers. She hates Eryx more than anything.
Meanwhile, they are forced to live together in the manor. The tension between them is clearly visible. Chrysantha’s main issue is not being kicked out but losing access to the money. She wants it for her grand projects which she feels robbed of what she deserves. Yet, as a dowager, she could still live a peaceful life. Her situation isn’t ideal, but it’s not terrible either.
The book offers a strong hate-to-love romance. Eryx is secretive and has control issues. He is part beast but shows good restraint. Chrysantha has a special connection with his beastly side. She can bring him back when he loses control. Their romance develops with significant sexual tension. However, the ending feels rushed. More chapters would have made their final stretch more satisfying. Despite this, they complement each other well. Their chemistry is undeniable.
Chrysantha competes with her sister constantly. This rivalry is annoying at first. But it allows for growth and maturity. By the end, Chrysantha realizes the futility of their jealousy. The sisters start rebuilding their relationship. The future promises happiness for them. Chrysantha tends to see all men as villains. This is understandable in a patriarchal society. But not all men are out to abuse women. She often assumes the worst of them.
The book ties into “The Shadows Between Us.” but you do not need to remember all details of the first book. They just need to know Alessandra and the Kallias. There are a few scenes involving them, including their wedding.
Chrysantha’s journey is compelling. She is strong-willed and determined. She stops at nothing to achieve her goals. Her scheming and cleverness shine through. Despite some flaws, her story is engaging. The Victorian ambiance adds to the charm. The hate-to-love romance is well-developed, though slightly rushed at the end. Overall, it’s a short and sweet read with strong characters and a satisfying plot.
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The Darkness within Us Review
Many Victorian prose reader and fans loved “The Darkness Within Us”! This book is a fun mix of romance, drama, and humor. Chrysantha Stathos is strong and smart. She wants freedom and wealth. She married an old duke and put up with him. Now, she hopes to live freely as a dowager duchess. But Eryx, the duke’s grandson, changes everything, this is the main storyline of the novel.
Eryx is mysterious, cocky, and clever. He wants the inheritance and title. This challenges Chrysantha’s plans. Their interactions are full of sharp words, lies, and tricks. The enemies-to-lovers romance is exciting. The slow build-up is very satisfying. Their chemistry is strong, even without detailed romantic scenes. The story moves quite fast as the chapters are short and quick to finish and at the same time the plot has lots of twists and power plays which is a good thing. The fantasy part is small, with only a few characters having magical powers.
Chrysantha’s viewpoint shows her clever mind. Her rivalry with Eryx turns into respect and love. Their growth is well done, making their romance believable and sweet. The book also features Alessandra and Kallias from “The Shadows Between Us.” This is a nice bonus for fans. It adds to the story’s depth.
Overall, “The Darkness Within Us” is full of drama and fun. It will keep you engaged till the very end. The flaws in the characters can be there but they are interesting. Those who loves enemies-to-lovers romance with a Victorian feel can straight away go for it. It’s a great follow-up to “The Shadows Between Us” and even better in many ways!
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