"As the dark Lord who condemns souls to damnation in the Abyss, Micah is nothing but a feared monster wrapped in impenetrable black armor. He has no idea he is the last heir of Elden, its last hope. Only one woman knows—the daughter of his enemy."
Pages: 288 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Nocturne
Published: November, 2011
Form: E-book (review copy from the NetGalley for an honest review)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: The Royal House of Shadows #4
Amazon: Buy / $5.50 (Paperback)
Barnes & Noble: Buy / $5.50 (Paperback)
The Book Depository: Buy / €5.50 (Paperback)
Excerpt: 1st Chapter
Liliana - the abused daughter of the Blood Sorcerer who conquered Elden twenty years ago, killing the King and the Queen and cursing the four children who only nearly escaped the battle - has had a vision, so she escaped her father to find the youngest of the four siblings, Micah. The only problem is she will have to get him to remember who she is because she only has a week before it will be too late.
Micah is fascinated by the woman who dropped out of nowhere to his castle and isn't afraid to meet his eyes. Eventually he agrees that she may cook for him, but the outspoken Liliana is so much more than meets the eyes and it doesn't take long before he begins to be tempted by the woman who seems oblivious to how she makes him feel.
"He was the most beautiful monster she had ever seen.
It was the first thought Liliana had as she lay weak and drained across the black marble of the floor, her face reflected in its polished surface. As she watched, the one they called the Lord of the Black Castle rose from his ebony throne at the head of the room and walked down the ten steps with a lazy grace that spoke of power, strength…and death.
Trying desperately to close her hand into a fist, she attempted to push herself up onto her knees, unwilling to meet him at such a disadvantage. But her body was debilitated beyond bearing by the blood she had spilled to make the crossing, her wrists spotted with it, though her magic had sealed the wounds. Her father would’ve sacrificed another without a thought to the life he took, would call her a fool for using her own blood.
“Weak.” He had spit the judgment at her more than once. “I took a beautiful witch to wife and got a hatchet-faced mewling brat in return.”
Sensing the vibration of the monster’s boots getting ever closer, she took a deep breath, able to feel it rattle in her throat. It wasn’t meant to be like this. The spell should have deposited her in the forests beyond his domain, not in the midst of his great hall, where he stood as the lone, lethal shield against the vicious beings beyond. She could feel eyes on her, hundreds of them. And yet no one made a sound.
The boots were almost to her now."
I loved this book, Liliana and Micah make a sizzling hot couple! Both completely new to the other genre one because of his duty and one because of her lacking outer appearance. Of course Liliana's hidden mission to make Micah remember who he is, after all he was only 5 when his parents cast a spell on him to save him from the Blood Sorcerer, might but a damper on their budding romance.
I loved how arrogant and possessive and cave-man Micah was, but he also had a deliciously wicked sense of humor after her got to know her. Liliana I loved because she was not a norm beauty, but was "ugly", eyes too close to each other and too small, hooked-nosed, hair like straw but she still didn't pity herself, she accepted what she looked like and when Micah begins to show interest on her she becomes baffled.
I haven't read Nalini Singh before but I'm a FAN now! This story was great! The plot, the characters, the weird creatures, burning hot romance, tension, fantasy and truly great finish for the Royal House of Shadows series! I suppose this could be a stand-alone, but at least read 1st and 2nd book before reading this, because they are just GOOD and the siblings from all the books make an appearance in the end battle. But like I said this can be read alone because a lot is explained about thing got to this point (and without spoilers! because it does not ruing the other books, so you can read these in mixed order!).
You'll like this if... you like fantasy, paranormal romance and like your heroes bit on the domineering side. ;)
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