Driven Snow (The Pennymaker Tales, #2) By Tara Lain
Snowden Reynaldi is pure entertainment.... he is now one of my top 5 characters! I love the development of both Snow and Riley. They don't rush into anything... This is a great take on a fairy tale romance! Snow is a geek (physics and a chess master) who has a crush on the football quarterback Riley. Riley who is playing straight has a crush on the Chess Master Snow. What a great read, this story has the evil witch and a fairy godmother and fairy godfather Mr Pennymaker. This is one that will go on my re-read list for those times when I just need to giggle!!!!! Driven Snow (The Pennymaker Tales, #2) Is Snow underage? 'Cause the kid on a cover sure looks like it...and what's with the infodump in the blurb?
I like me some nerd/jock combo,but not so sure about this one.
Waiting for reviews... Driven Snow (The Pennymaker Tales, #2) Driven Snow is a fun m/m take on an old fairy tale. You have Snow an introverted chess grandmaster and physics major. You have Riley Prince quarterback and closeted gay man who Snow has crushed on and who has crushed on Snow but neither let on till senior year when Prince needed a physics tutor. Not one but 2 fairy grandparents and seven frat brothers from Grimm College. Oh and lets not forget the evil queen in the guise of a professor and her minion.
Tara Lane takes us on a romp through college and a major chess tournament. She takes us through Snow and Riley’s courtship with humor and gentleness. She fills this story with wonderful characters and you won’t want to let them go. Like any good fairy tale this book is filled with lessons gently illustrated and you can’t help but take them to heart. A fantastic read I highly recommend.
A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review
Driven Snow (The Pennymaker Tales, #2) Driven Snow has all of Lain's trademark wonders, the romance, the laughs, the heartache, the misunderstandings and characters that just make you want more!
Welcome to my stop on the Driven Snow blogtour hosted by Enchantress Design & Promo. I am a huge Tara Lain fan, so when I saw that there was a review opportunity for her newest Pennymaker Tales story, I jumped right on it, and I am so happy I did!
My Driven Snow review:
What was really refreshing in Driven Snow was that both Snow and Prince were accepted as gay by their families, and Snow was out on campus as well. Prince, being the star quarterback of the college was only out to his coach, but when he got to know Snow, that is something he wanted to change really fast! This is a re-telling of Snow White different than any others you've ever seen, so original, and filled with tenderness, the story of the chess master and the evil step-mother was so well done!
The writing in Driven Snow is spotless, and the story unfolded beautifully! Strong characters and a solid plot made reading this story a pleasure. Character-driven and with quite a bit of suspense, I was at the edge of my seat as the evil stepmother made her play to become not only the fairest in the country, but also the new master when it came to chess. Because Snow was very smart, she had her work cut out for her, especially because once Mr. Pennymaker showed up, he had more help than he should have needed.
There are a lot of truths being shared in Driven Snow, just beyond the surface, we see that judging someone on only one part of who they are could make us miss out on getting to know a great person. And I think the message Lain shares in most of her stories, about solidarity, being open and to not judge is a great part of what makes her writing amazing. She is never preachy, but she still manages to always hit the nail right on the head! If you enjoy heart-warming stories, fairy-tale re-tellings, and a little bit of smexiness as well, you should definitely pick up Driven Snow! It can totally be read as a stand-alone.
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The Zetas don't want me in their house or at their party. He didn't have the heart to say they didn't want Winston either. The Big-Men-On-Campus jock fraternity did not do nerds. Especially not gay nerds.
H sprang up and started cleaning his pile of papers, extra chess pieces, leftover sandwich crusts, and glasses of tea. Still, no quieting the racing blur of his mind. Why was Riley coming over? Maybe he'd failed and he blamed Snow for it?
Snow nodded. Truth having two forms. Looking like something else.
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About Tara Lain:
Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 23. Her bestselling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soulmate husband and her soulmate dog in Laguna Beach, California, a pretty seaside town where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”
Author Links:Website | Blog | FB Author Page | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest
Driven Snow excerpt:
“There are rumors here and there, but I’m a big guy, and nobody says it to my face.”
Snow shrugged. “So why change now? You’re a senior. You can do what you want next year.”
Riley leaned his head back against the couch. “Because it’s chickenshit, like I said. People are always going to give gay guys crap when they don’t know anyone who’s gay. I can change that. A lot of people think they know me. I mean, look at you. Chess champion. Much bigger than I’ll ever be. But you never claim to be anything but gay.”
“I’m so weird, nobody’s surprised.”
“No, you’re not. You show the world that gay guys can be brilliant geniuses and beautiful. I can show them that gay guys can be big and strong and well coordinated. We all have a part to play.” He chuckled. “I have to confess, I practiced that speech, but I’m hoping it’s true.”
Snow’s heart beat so loud he could barely hear. Could this really be happening? “Umm, so you said you have enough experience to teach me.” He stared at his moo shu.
Riley sat up and got a very serious expression. “You see, Mr. Reynaldi, it’s all a matter of physics. Your quantum physics says that electrons can be in two places at the same time.” He leaned forward and pulled Snow across his lap, somehow managing to not spill any Chinese food in the process. “It’s like my tongue can be in my mouth—” He ran his soft tongue across Snow’s barely parted lips. “—and inside your mouth at the same time.” He insinuated inside and kissed Snow slowly and thoroughly. So that’s how it feels. Invasive and completing at once.
Riley pulled his lips back from the kiss but kept them close to Snow’s so his breath warmed Snow’s wet mouth. “And just as particles can be waves and waves particles, so I can feel completely relaxed and completely excited simultaneously.”
Snow grinned. “I knew physics could be fun, but this is far beyond my expectations.”
“You didn’t have enough faith in your subject matter.”
“Clearly.” He smiled and whispered, “What happens now?”
“First, I want to know if you’re interested in me, or am I just living in fantasyland?”
Snow’s eyes widened. “Oh, did I not show enough interest?”
Riley laughed. “Yes, but I don’t want to take anything for granted. You’re too special.”
My, that moo shu is interesting. “I’ve been dreaming about you ever since the first time I saw you. I didn’t think you were gay, so I never even hoped it could be more than a dream.”
Riley caressed Snow’s hair. “Think of all the time we wasted dreaming about each other.”
“In quantum physics, particles in contact become quantumly entangled. Perhaps we simply needed more time for the entangling to occur.” Snow smiled softly. This had to be a dream.
Thanks for stopping by today, and good luck in the giveaway!This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews Driven Snow (The Pennymaker Tales, #2) 3 stars for the story. Negative stars for that cover. Driven Snow (The Pennymaker Tales, #2)
This book was seriously so cute!
So this author wrote a cute little mix on snow whites story but a lot more um how to say this.. Graphic then snow whites story lol and of course in this book Snow white is really a man named Snowden. Snowden is in collage and is extremely smart and a awesome chess player. Well he has a huge crush on Riley Prince but thinks Riley is straight so there is just no way he would every feel the same about him. Well little did he know Riley is not straight and has feelings for him too.
This book was honestly so funny with the inner dialogue of Snow then there was all the characters you meet in this book. Between the seven dorm mates and many other characters who I loved but there were also the evil characters too.
There was steam in this book and angst mixed in with misunderstandings which the way everything went together I thought it was perfect. I also loved the way these two MC's were together especially after for lack of better words Riley pulls his head out.
Now this is the point were I say I 100% loved were this author took this story and the characters she created. Now I hope Romeo will be getting a book. I loved his character too! He was just so Sauvé and the way he came across yea I just hope he will get his HEA too.
So all together I really loved this book!
I would 100% recommend this book!
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads. Driven Snow (The Pennymaker Tales, #2) I get that this is based on a fairy tale, and that is actually what drew me to it. I loved Truth in the Dark by Amy Lane, and other stories with roots in fairy tales and I love seeing how they are changed and how the morals are woven in. Unfortunately, it didn't work here.
I enjoyed the first half of the book and thought it would be a solid 3 star, maybe rounded up to 3.5 stars. Snow was shy and sweet, I enjoyed seeing his interactions with his mentor, Mr. Kingsley, and watching things begin with Riley. I started noting some inconsistencies, they claimed Snow was so shy to the point where it almost debilitates him, yet he verbally sparred at times. Some of his actions were so odd that you'd believe he had some strange or horrible upbringing , but while sad, it was fairly average . But I wanted to see Riley and Snow together, so I just ignored that.
It all started going downhill with the introduction of the Evil Queen. Like I said, I love contemporary books based on fairly tales, but it should be subtle. This was not subtle. It was so obvious to the point of slapping us in the face, yet of course it goes on for more than half the story and no one does anything until nearly the end. Besides hating black and white villains, I hate stupid people. Snow was the only one who noticed anything off, yet he continued with inaction even when it was time to finally act! And the police work left a lot to be desired It was just all over the place.
That's not even TOUCHING the strange last minute addition of the 7 dwarves, I mean, the random frat from a neighboring school with an allusive and flamboyant benefactor. It was just so random, and so weird. Self defense, fine. But WHY in the midst of a chess championship and murder attempts did Snow need seduction lessons? And the makeover actually seems like it might have hurt his legal case
And to wrap things up the last chapter became a string of stilted speeches and discussions of life lessons about love, life, and family. I really prefer my emotional reveals to be in private, so that 'heart-to-heart' that took place between Riley and Snow with Mrs. Wisham and Mr. P directing their every move felt so strange and forced. All the love I felt in the beginning just sort of petered out under the force of attempts to make this story fit with the Snow White story. In the end it was trying too hard to be something, instead of taking the original story and making it it's own. That's not even mentioning every SINGLE person who meets Snow saying, wow, you truly are beautiful or you're really pretty, who does that?
Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire Driven Snow (The Pennymaker Tales, #2) A great twist on Snow white and the seven dwarfs. A lot of fairytale spinoffs fall short however this was not the case in Ms. Lains version. Her retelling is filled with awesome characters, evil villains and an interesting look at the game of chess. Snow is a beautiful geek, important to the school because he is a genius at chess and keeps them on the map so to speak. He has always been alone and longs for someone to love. Riley is the star quarterback and has secretly wanted Snow from the first time he saw him. Someone is out to destroy Snow, will Riley be the prince snow thinks he is or will he be a tarnished knight. This was a great storyline filled with some colorful characters. Who knew the game of chess could be so cut throat. The characters were well developed, easy to like and I had no problem being caught up in the exciting drama that was unfolding. I liked that even though it had a fairytale base it still touched on the hard choices that gay athletes face by coming out to the public. Riley had some great advice for his team and the readers about what is important in life. I truly enjoy Ms. Lain's stories and would recommend them to anyone who likes the m/m genre. Driven Snow (The Pennymaker Tales, #2) This was another fantastic ready by Tara Lain. She is one of my all time favorites when it comes to m/m romance. She really knows how to suck you into a story and make you feel as if you are a part of it.
This book was so easy to fall in love with the characters. They have so much depth to them. They are not one dimensional characters but have so many characteristics to them that make them seem so real that they practically jump off the page.
The dialogue between the characters is so engaging that you feel as if you are part of the conversation. The descriptions to details are done well and are easy to visualize. I had heart twinges when I read this book. I become emotionally attached to the characters and I hated for their story to end. There was heart ache, heart break, deception, redemption, romance and some pretty hot naughty yum yum bits as well :)
This can be read as a stand alone.
All in all, another great read by Tara.
Would I recommend this book? Absolutely!!!
Would I read more from this author? Absofreakinlutely!
Sassy Beta Reading & Review
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Driven Snow (The Pennymaker Tales, #2) Sinders and Ash, the first Pennymaker Tales book, was a cute enough read. I am always up for a good Cinderfella, so I didn’t mind the silliness too much.
Driven Snow, unfortunately, didn’t work for me.
Let’s start with the cover, which features a disturbingly underage-looking kid in a come-hither pose. Squick factor: high.
Cover aside, Driven Snow features one-dimensional MCs and a rather nonsensical plot loosely based on Snow White.
Snow is a shy but brilliant college chess champion pining for a hunky football player (and quantum physicist at heart) Riley Prince. Too bad Prince is straight and has a girlfriend. Of course he does. (Most of Lain’s MCs have a girlfriend at some point, until they don’t).
Snow’s chess coach is getting married to a beautiful woman with red hair. Oh, and by the way, she wants to murder Snow, and maybe the kind-hearted coach to boot.
There are also the “seven dwarfs” posing as frat guys with hearts of gold who take care of Snow following a murder attempt that in a stroke of evil genius utilizes peanuts as a weapon.
The, um, non-dwarfs are tolerant and super gay (friendly), and show Snow how to handle a dick by practicing on a pink dildo.
The romance between Snow and Riley is juvenile and absolutely devoid of chemistry.
I found the story to be incredibly frustrating. None of the characters are more than caricatures, and the soap-narrative-cum-serial-melodrama overshadows the (nearly nonexistent) romance.
Even the fairy tale ending couldn’t save this book for me. An unearned HEA for two characters you care nothing about falls flat every time.
I wanted to like this book. I so loved this author's Knight of Ocean Avenue.
My reaction may not be the same as yours, so give this one a try if you loved the first book. Just because it didn't work for me doesn't mean it won't work for you.
~1.5~ Driven Snow (The Pennymaker Tales, #2)
Tara Lain ¸ 9 review
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. Driven Snow (The Pennymaker Tales, #2)