Sekarrah is a leader of a Royal Guard security team, the first woman to be in such a high position. She had been the third woman to be accepted into the Royal Guard Academy, though she had doubted she would get in. She was completely taken by surprise when she was the highest scoring in the aptitude tests, the resultof which being that she was assigned as an instructee to the best instructor in the academy, Dezmon – her secret lover. That they were lovers was a fact known only to them. With her acceptance into the academy, their relationship had to come to an end. It is a criminal offence for a cadet and instructor to engage in a personal or intimate relationship. Furthermore, should people find out about their past, rumors and accusations would abound, about Sekarrah trading sexual favors to get into the academy to get to the position she is in. The relationship between them became and remains strictly platonic, as they suppress their deep feelings for another, knowing that they could never be permanent mates in any case. Sekarrah is not a member of the elite, and as such Dezmon cannot take her as his bride; she would be shunned by his peers.

Now, it is seven years later, and Dezmon seems determined to change the status quo. He is unable to face another day without Sekarrah by his side. But members of the Royal Guard are not permitted to marry one another, nor is it in anyone’s power to make Sekarrah a member of the elite. Is there any way this pair can forge a relationship?

This is the fourth tale Ms. Ross has written for the Agency of Extraordinary Mates and I have so far read and enjoyed three of them. They are highly unusual, as is the whole series itself. If you have been following these charming and quaint novellas, as I have, then getting your hands on them all should be imperative. Whilst many are only connected by a slight background theme, Ms. Ross’ tales can stand as a sub-series of the Agency of Extraordinary Mates, connected as all four are by the relationships between the characters. This tale differs from the other three in that it does not involve a dichotomy as a lead character. If you have not yet read The Carousel, I would advise you do so before reading this one. Indeed, I would advise reading them all in the order they were published, since doing so will familiarize you with the types of characters in the plotlines. Until I read this series, I had no idea what a dichotomy was, and it took me a little while to get a firm understanding of what exactly it means to be a dichotomy. I have not come across such a character before in my reading; the uniqueness of the series is partly what keeps me coming back for more, with the other reason being they are all well written.

This novella details the hot relationship between the characters. Unusually, the prologue is quite long, taking up a much larger portion of the story than one would normally come across or expect. I liked this very much, since it helped to set up the story for the reader and also I like it when I know what comes before and after the story tales place. The sex between the characters is hot and detailed, with hints towards bondage and submission. The characters are obviously drawn to one another, though the path to a relationship between them remains carefully concealed by the author until the end. The activity for which this novella is named is not one I have come across before. I don’t know whether it exists in reality or whether it sprung from Ms. Ross’s imagination, but it is unique and gave me a unexpected chuckle. Snow Blind must for followers of the series, though not the best one to start with.

Reviewed by: Elizabeth