Snow of the White Hills

by Wendy Rathbone

A Gay Fairytale.

Once upon a time an imprisoned prince was rescued by seven beautiful men.

For two years, Prince Snow has been locked away in the palace tower. On the night Queen Serena decides to do away with him for good, seven beautiful men with equally tragic pasts appear out of nowhere to rescue him.

Starved for affection, hurt, and in fear for his life, Snow is shown attention and care he has never known. The seven men teach him what real loyalty and love can be.

Doc, their leader, will heal him.

Sleepy, the most devoted, offers to become his love until the end of days.

All yearn to fight to gain Snow his rightful throne.

But Snow cannot justify his new friends putting their lives on the line for him. His heart will break forever if anything happens to Sleepy. Maybe it would be better for all if he just left…

You will love Prince Snow, but you will fall in love with Sleepy!

M/M romance, non-magical fantasy, abduction, imprisonment, rescue, hurt/comfort, and a sweet love story with a happy ending!

Genres: Fantasy, M M Romance, Romance, Historical, Gay

204 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 19, 2019

About the author

Wendy Rathbone has had dozens of stories published in anthologies such as: Hot Blood, Writers of the Future (second place,) Bending the Landscape, Mutation Nation, A Darke Phantastique, and more. The book "Dreams of Decadence Presents: Wendy Rathbone and Tippi Blevins" contains a large collection of her vampire stories and poems. Over 500 of her poems have been published in various anthologies and magazines. She won first place in the Anamnesis Press poetry chapbook contest with her book "Scrying the River Styx." Her poems have been nominated for the Science Fiction Poetry Association's Rhysling award at least a dozen times.

Her recent books include:

"Pale Zenith," science fiction novel

"The Foundling," male/male romance novel

"None Can Hold the Dark," sequel to "The Foundling"

"The Secret Sharer," science fiction romance novella

"Unearthly," omnibus collection of 7 out-of-print poetry booklets

"The Vampire Diaries: The Myth," available from Kindle Worlds

"The Vampire Dairies: Deep In the Virginia Woods," available from Kindle Worlds

"My House Is Full Of Whispers," erotica short story collection

"Letters To An Android," science fiction novel

Upcoming very soon:

"Risque Science Fiction," short stories by Wendy Rathbone

"The Red Fountain, Where Vampires Come to Drink," short stories and poetry by Wendy Rathbone

Look for more novels and short story collections coming up in 2014.

She lives in Yucca Valley, CA with her partner of 32 years, Della Van Hise.

Reviews

[Barbara➰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3.5 Stars**

Snow has been imprisoned in the castle tower for two years. The queen has been using him for her pleasure (read rape here). He just wants someone to love him. When she no longer has use for him he is taken to the woods to be killed. Seven men find him and take him back to their home to heal.

When I picked this up I thought it was going to be harem-like with Snow the main course, so to speak. But this wasn't the case. Snow and Sleepy are the couple. They were very sweet together and I enjoyed their relationship. I also liked how all the men came together to form a family bond if unconventional. Each man has a heartbreaking story of how he came to be in the group.

I will say, I feel this could have benefited from being a bit shorter. A lot of it is just day to day stuff while Snow heals. I also was hoping a little more for the ending. Don't want to spoil anything but I wanted to know how all this was going to work because it's eluded to that MM pairings are not accepted so how will the kingdom handle Snow and Sleepy?

But it was definitely a sweet romance and a different take on Snow White.

[Rachel Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ooooh, this is swoon-worthy! What a beautiful retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

I absolutely loved Snow, all 7 of his men - Sleepy and Doc especially. I love the nods to the fairy tale and also the ways that the author kept it unique and different. There wasn't actual magic in this story like the Disney version - but there was magic between the characters and the storytelling in this one.

I think this is the first book I have read from this author, but I'll have to go check out her backlist. Beautiful story, fans of fairy tale twists and interpretations will enjoy this one!

[Funzee Shu · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fairytale lovers I must admit that I’m SOLD to the blurb instantly.

Reading gay version retelling about a very well-known classic fairytale always excited and intrigued me, and picturing Prince Snow surrounded by seven beautiful men instead of seven dwarfs added more curiosity in me.

I love how the author trying to mix the already well-known plot from the original story and smoothly change and adjust it to fit with the gay romance genre the author trying to offer us in this story. And it made this book feels so intriguing and really hard to put down.

The journey Prince Snow been through since being held captive by his stepmother at the cold lonely tower, the abuse he must endure for two years, the nearly dead experience on the huntsman hand and being rescued by seven men that later show him the attention and care he has never known and also teach him what real loyalty and love can be are blended very well in the author’s good writing. I like the little twist at nearly end of the book about Doc, it added the element of surprise to the already interesting story. The story itself had successfully warmed my heart and put so many smiles in my face while I’m reading it.

The most lovely scene from this book that leave deep impression in me is the cuddling scenes between Snow and Sleepy. It made me crave a cuddling with someone too. I never get so jealous with the characters activities in a book, but Snow and Sleepy had made me jealous for no logic reason!

Snow of the White Hills is my kinda fairytale and if you’re a fairytale lovers like me, I would gladly recommended this book for you!
So, give this book a try and meet the beautiful prince with platinum white hair and his seven protectors.

Snow smiled. “Through fate and pain and suffering I found you. The best of the best. And I would go through it all again to keep you. I am strong now. Because of you. I’m just a man, yes. But a man in love with you. It makes me feel real for the first time. And all I really want is you. To be together. The rest is like a dream, but you’re my reality. You are Benjamin, the man who has made me whole. You’re mine, Sleepy. First and foremost.”

*ARC is kindly provided by the Author in exchange of a fair, unbiased and honest review*

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was quite a lovely retelling of Snow White. With Snow being male then. And with the dwarfs being handsome horny men.

Snow has been imprisoned by his evil stepmother for 2 years when she orders him to be escorted to the forest and be killed.

Snow gets rescued by 7 handsome men and they take him into their home.

They try to take care of Snow the best they can. They have bandaged his frozen feet and do everything in their power to make Snow comfortable.

Snow likes Doc, Bash, Grump, Dope, Hap, and Sneezy . But most of all he likes Sleepy, who sleeps next to him every night to give him some comfort.

It’s not long before Snow figures out the men know who he is and that they’re ready for him to overpower the Queen at any time. But Snow isn’t ready yet.

He needs time to recover, and to explore what’s happening between him and Sleepy some more….

I liked this story. The romance wasn’t quite what I’d hoped, but it was nice anyway. It was just this slow transition from being friends to kissing and being lovers. It wasn’t this big BAM in your face romance. And that was fine, but guess I just like the romances with this overwhelming attraction more.

I wasn’t a big fan of the casual way these men saw sex or nudity at first, but I just went with it (orgies galore! But without Snow and Sleepy). I guess when you’re living in a small home you don’t have much of a choice but to hear (and see) others having sex. But those parts were just a bit too overly sexual for me.

Overall this was a nice fairy tale with a lovely HEA.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good v Evil

This was my first time reading anything by this author and it won’t be my last. It was a fantastic read from start to finish.

Snow has been held captive in the castles prison for the last two years with no one to keep him company and just the clothes he was taken captive in. When the evil Queen has decided she has no more use for snow and decides it time to get rid.
When he wakes up in a strange place with seven handsome men he will be forever grateful. But snow needs to keep his true identity for their sake.
With love and friendship can good over come Evil.

Fairy tales seven hot men and a price what more could you ask for . Such an enjoyable read.

[PaperMoon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A huge warning for those triggered by sexual assault/violence and abuse at the very start. Once past that - Snow presents as a fairly naive MC with not much agency and falls into the damsel/hero trope with one of the rescuing 'dwarves' (no actual little people are harmed or maligned here). The romance arc was OK with the eventual denouement of the baddies fairly believable. 2.5 stars generously rounded up to 3.

[Lelyana's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairytales, the actual roots of violence and abuse in this modern world. Name one fairytales that doesn't include mean characters. One. I don't remember. There's always abuse, kidnapping, attempted murder, and so on and so on.
Of course there are always cruelty in this world, fairytales, at least gave an option of HEA.
Snow of the White Hills, started with a gut wrenching opening of how much Snow suffered for something he cannot fight alone. The abusive step mother, the cruel Queen of all cruelest.
As you knew already, this is a twist based on Snow White, the gay version. And I think this is even harder to chew.
This book is a silent book, Snow with his seven knights, who were basically knew who he was from the beginning. Doing a boring life in their cave, and listening the gut wrenching stories of the seven men who saved him, wasn't a lighthearted one.
Snow is not a typical sweet adorable story like any other fairy tales, this is a harder one (in my opinion), sad, bitter, but at some point, also an uplifting tale.
But, I know that you'll fall for Snow and Sleepy, guaranteed!
If you like this kind of story, prepare for some twist and heartbreaking story.
Recommended read.

[Gabrielle Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a new rendition of a fairytale we all know well. Snow is a young man who has become the receiver of a cruel and painful punishment since his mother dies and his father the king took a new wife. Snow has been locked up in the tower for years now and the evil Queen has taken over and now seeks to rid herself of him permanently. Will this be the last of Snow or is there hope for him and the kingdom?

I love new versions of the old fairy tales that we all know and love. This version gives us a male lead and a wonderful love story. I enjoyed watching Snow grow and find his way with the help of the seven men who have come to his rescue. It was nice to see the relationship blossom between Snow and Sleepy. Right from the start you can see the strong emotions beginning to develop between the two men. As Snow heals with the help of the men, we see the strength in not only Snow but the seven men as well. As the men help Snow, they must also find a way to help the kingdom. Love can make you stronger and Snow and his friends learn this the hard way. I loved seeing the friendships and relationships in this story. It is full of emotions and had my attention from start to finish.

[L.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love fairy tales that take a well-known classic and make something original out of it. Everyone knows the tale of Snow White and her evils stepmother, and this tale of Prince Snow is a wonderful version of that story. Prince Snow is locked away by his evil stepmother, Queen Serena. Queen Serena subjects Snow to horrific acts before she decides to just get rid of him. Snow escapes and ends up in the care of Doc and his fellow rebels. While Snow heals from his ordeal, he forms a bond with Sleepy which turns romantic and hot. The sex scenes were lovely, and we got to see the other men get down and dirty as well. In true fairy tale style, Prince Snow and Sleepy get their happy ever after.

Overall Rating: 3.75 Stars. I really enjoyed this book. It was sweet and steamy, with protective characters and handsome men. The writing was good and the sex was hot. I definitely recommend this book.

[DC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent! What a wonderful reinterpretation of that famous children’s fairytale; except this is a better and more adult version. The seven men - Doc, Sleepy, Bash, Hap, Grump, Sneezy and Dope - who rescued Snow are a treasure; all coming from tragic pasts to form an unbreakable bond with each other. And Sleepy, aka Benjamin, was a lover we all can only dream about, but he was Snow’s reality. I really liked the twists, turns and intrigue of the story, although it did seem to drag quite a bit between Snow’s final healing from the first attempt on his life and his recovery from the second. There were also a surprising number of mistakes (spelling, incorrect words, etc.) that slipped past the editors. Overall though, I highly recommend this book as a thoroughly enjoyable read.

[Theresa Burrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! Snow has been imprisoned by the evil queen, who is indeed mirror crazy. When Snow can't get the Queen pregnant, the Huntsman is summoned to take him into the woods and cut out his heart. But Snow is saved by seven men...sound familiar? But the story becomes a story of love and belonging...learning to find himself and find love. I loved the way the dwarfs became decent and loving men and Snow found his way to love.

Their was enough of the fairy tale to give the story form and was fleshed out into a beautiful love story.

I must admit I found myself in tears throughout the bppk and couldn't put it down.

[Nanna Mørk-Sander · Rating 4 out of 5]

The blurb made me think I would be reading some sort of reverse harem situation, but that wasn't the case at all, even if some of the men were very open with each other.

Instead, it's a sweet love story between a man, his new lover, and his new-found family.

Because it is a re-telling of Snow White, Snow occasionally acts stupid, and I couldn't help but scream at him internally for doing something that is obviously a bad idea, but alas. That's how the story goes..

NB. there is a potential trigger risk while Snow is imprisoned due to rape-like situations, but that's only for a few short scenes right at the beginning.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!

I loved this retelling of the fairytale Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I loved how the author made the fairytale her own. The storyline was entertaining and sucked me in from the first page to the last. The interaction between Snow and his seven "dwarfs" was wonderful. I especially loved the chemistry between Snow and Sleepy. I can't wait to read more books by this author. I recommend reading this book to everyone that loves to read gay fairytales. I read this book using the Kindle Unlimited program.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I found the premise to be a little, I don't know, eye rolly or something, but before long I was totally invested. There's a good heart to this story beneath all the sex (why are there so many sex scenes? I had to skim some) and I actually quite enjoyed the way the various Snow White story components were worked in. There was a bit of WTF-ness toward the end, but, all in all, I enjoyed the time I spent reading this one. I may have to check out some other titles by this author.

[Myeshia Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the twist.

This was a trust on a classic fairytale and I absolutely loved it. Snow was reimagined as a gay man and that was awesome. All the seven dwarfs were reimagined as hunky, sexy, muscular gay men and that was fantastic. This was an overall a great read. I hope she does more fairytales.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet retelling of “Snow White,” with a man as Snow. It features a young and sheltered prince, an evil queen, and seven hunky miners living in a cave. There’s a touching romance between Sleepy and Snow. At the end is a battle to retake the kingdom.
Typos: an adverb used as an adjective, to for the, what for want, an adjective used as an adverb, the for then, two sentence fragments.

[Marguerita Howze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Snow

I really enjoyed reading this fairytale. It brought out all the feels. No one was who you'd think they were. I think if you loved Snow White you will love Snow, only with men. One click this book now.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such an amazing retelling of a classic. I’ll never look at the 7 dwarves the same again. A beautiful, tragic, heartwarming story.

I’ve never read this author before so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’m glad I took the chance.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want more...

I truly loved this book. I related to each of the characters...I truly hope you write more fairy tales retold like this. I love your work please keep up the good work.

[Mim Crenshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Read

I loved this fairytale retelling. It was extremely well written with characters that had incredible depth. The storyline drew me in and kept me read. I'll definitely be looking for more from this author.

[M'rella · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

A little long winded with more sex than was needed, imho. However these are my personal pet peeves, has nothing to do with the book itself. Hence 4 stars, not 3.

This was a pretty cool version of the Snow White. There is no magic, but the story doesn't suffer from it. I enjoyed it very much most of the time, but the ending didn't seem to fit, I think, at least, not the way it was executed. HEA, though, so it's hard to complain ;)

[Leticia Bushong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

This take on snow white was amazing. I loved it so much. It was different yet kind of familiar with the original story. I strongly recommend this book.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snow of the White Hills

Great retelling of the fairy tail we all know and love lol. I really love all the guys and Sleepy is just adorable. Really good book.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. Not to many MM Snow White tales out there, so this was golden for me.

[Li Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

Not read this author before and this was recommended in a fb group and it’s very good. A little different from the norm but enjoyable

[Kaila · Rating 5 out of 5]

omg this was hott.. this was sexy and this was so much fun to read.. this is def not my fairytale from when i was a child.. this was amazing and wonderful.. i loved it

[Bran Zesti · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a different view on snow white! I love this story, from beginning to end it keep me hooked. It show many things real men are and I loved it

[Denise White · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well written

It was well written but boring for me.... Maybe if It was from more than Snow's POV idk but I barely finished it.. I didn't even read the epilogue...

[Ron-Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5