Lord of the Abyss is the fourth and last novel in the Royal House of Shadows series. The series follows four siblings, prince's and princess of the magical realm of Elden, who were magically cast out by their parents to save them from the evil Blood Sorcerer who murdered the King and Queen and captured the kingdom, tainting it with his evil and nearly destroying the land. This last installment follows the youngest brother, Micah, who was just a boy when this tragedy occurred. Sent to the Abyss, he wakes knowing himself only as the Lord of the Dark Castle and of the Abyss, protector of the gateway where malevolent souls are taken. Until a strange creature, announcing herself as Liliana, drops from the air onto his floor... 
 Liliana may be the daughter of the Blood Sorcerer but she is in no way evil. Biding her time and perfecting her magick, Liliana escapes her father's castle for the Abyss seeking the last chance to save Elden and destroy the Blood Sorcerer forever. But first Liliana must make it out of Black Castle's dungeon before she can force the Prince Micah to remember his past and his legacy. Time is running out though. Charming the dark Lord with her bravery, storytelling and cooking, Liliana slowly see's the man hidden behind the intimidating armor and every time a piece of it recedes she loses a bit of her heart to him. But can this fearsome lord ever love the homely daughter of his enemy, even if they make it to Elden in time? 
 Lord of the Abyss was a fantastic conclusion to the rich and unique series of the Royal House of Shadows. A first read for me from author Nalini Singh (I know, I know! *hangs head in shame* But she's on my TBR list!) I can easily see why she has such a huge fan base. The romance of the story was heart-warming and not what you would typically find in a Paranormal Romance. Essentially a retelling of Beauty and the Beast; Liliana is not a beautiful heroine, at least on the outside. But Micah easily sees the true beauty of her beneath the exterior. While Micah is a sexy, fierce and greatly feared man, Liliana views the compassion in him that no one else sees and the joyous little boy he must have once been. Their dialogue together is what really made the novel for me. Both are innocent in the ways of love and sexuality but Micah is also un-socialized so tends to be quite blunt with his need and feelings, whether it is commanding Lily to limit her crying to only four times a year or to stop talking and kiss him. The relationship that builds between Micah and Lily's is natural and balanced with several steamy scenes to get you squirming in your seat. An emotionally riddled story, the final battle scene tore at my heart. 
 Nalini Singh weaves a captivating fairy tale giving new readers essential background information from the first three novels making Lord of the Abyss a good standalone, as well as new information on the four royal heirs through Liliana's storytelling. Some loveable secondary characters provide readers with some understanding into life in the Abyss and insight into the Lord of the castle. The action and suspense is balanced well with the romance for a satisfying read and the epilogue provides the happy ending that all fairy tales need to be complete, with all four siblings and their mates. 
 Creative and captivating, Lord of the Abyss is a recommended read!