Reviewed by Donna
TITLE: Driven Snow
SERIES: The Pennymaker Tales #2
AUTHOR: Tara Lain
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 210 Pages
BLURB:
Young Snowden “Snow” Reynaldi is brilliant, beautiful, and alone. Though he’s shy, weird, and tolerated by the NorCal University students because he’s a renowned whiz at chess and helps put the school on the map, that doesn’t keep him from dreaming of the object of his desires: Riley Prince, championship quarterback.
When Riley needs a physics tutor, Snow jumps at the chance, and their relationship heats up—but Riley has to come out of the jock closet to get anywhere. Meanwhile, Snow’s one true friend and mentor, Professor Kingsley, marries a woman who secretly wants the chess tournament glory and money for herself. Soon after, the professor collapses and Snow finds himself underwater—literally. In a car!
Seven frat brothers from Grimm College rescue Snow just in time for his life to get even worse, and Snow discovers the one relationship he always wanted slipping away. With evil looming at every turn, Snow must survive if only to prove he’s the fairest of them all and regain the trust of his handsome prince.
REVIEW:
As soon as I read the blurb for this book I just had to add it to my review list. I love when authors rewrite and modernize fairytales, though to be honest, the results often leave me cringing in horror. Not so with this story, which Tara Lain has successfully taken, twisted and sexed up for our reading pleasure.
Snowden Reynaldi (I just love saying that name out loud) is NorCal’s chess playing prodigy, a surprisingly respected position that gives him celebrity status and some protection from homophobic fratboy jocks. He goes about life with his head down, eyes on the ground, quite content to shut himself away in his unfurnished apartment with his chest sets for company. Only two people are truly able to draw his attention – his best friend/father figure, Professor Kingsley and the drool worthy, much-worshipped quarterback, Riley Prince. Little does innocent Snow realize that Prince has been looking right back at him for many months.
There was a lot to love about this story. Firstly, although it has plenty of fairytale references, to go with the Snow White storyline, nothing feels forced and uncomfortable about it. Instead of poisoned apples the author compromises with apple martinis, instead of Prince waking Snow with a kiss, he uses an epi-pen. The key elements are all there but well woven into the modern setting.
Oddly enough, what I appreciated most about this story were the sex scenes, which, if you’ve read enough of my reviews, you’ll know are usually my least favourite part of a book. For most of the story the author sticks with the assumed stereotypes, virginal Snow and confident Prince, so I guess I expected to end up in the bedroom with a shy, awkward Snow and Riley (Prince) tenderly showing him the ropes. Nah ah! Yes, the awkward thrill of first time sex is there, and it was conveyed very well, but what came as an exciting twist was the change in the two men once they hit the sheets. Snow turned into a rather vocal toppy top, and Riley became a screaming bottom and although it seems like it shouldn’t have worked, it totally did. Tara Lain impressed the heck out of me with that bit of writing.
Some parts are a little worthy of an eye roll or two. Like, how can the villains be so obvious and get away with it for so long, but I think that’s something I’m willing to excuse as “part of the fairytale”. The villains have to be over the top bad and the good guys have to be a little clueless and after I accepted that it really didn’t bother me anymore.
This is the second Pennymaker Tale, Pennymaker referring to a secondary character who sweeps in like a fairy godfather to help out our heroes. I haven’t read the first story yet. Driven Snow is definitely a standalone but I guarantee that if you haven’t read that first book, this will leave you curious enough about the almost magical little man that you’ll want to go check it out.
Recommended for lovers of cuteness. If you don’t do cute then you may not enjoy this so much. Me, I loved it!
RATING: 
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