This one quickly becomes hilarious when Taylor falls for his boss Amy's Ex husband while planning their daughter's wedding who also happens to be older than him. What could go wrong? It's not just Taylor's heart on the line but his career as well.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Harlequin for providing me with the ARC for this book.

I have been a fan of Timothy Janovsky since I read "Never Been Kissed" back in 2022. I have since read almost everything that he has published. I was so excited to be selected for this ARC because I knew it would be good and I was not disappointed. I enjoyed learning about the characters. I definitely could relate to both Ethan and Taylor throughout the entire story. While I did feel like the connection between them seemed a little rushed, I did like watching it develop. The end of the book also seemed a bit rushed but I liked how it all played out. The spice level was good and did work with the development of the characters, rather than just being thrown in just because. While there were some moments that I wanted to see some more insight and development from the characters, overall, I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you Harlequin and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. Ethan and Amy started Storybrook Endings Inn, now it’s Storybrook Endings Resort and the two are divorced. All Ethan wanted was to be able to keep running the inn, he works for his ex-wife and hardly sees his daughter. But they’ve decided to host her 16th birthday party at the inn. Amy sends her assistant Taylor to help Ethan with the getting the party ready. When the two meet there’s an instant attraction and as it grows they’ll have to navigate their feelings while also keeping it secret. Afterall, dating the ex-husband of your boss and your ex-wife’s assistant is a recipe for disaster right? Another hit for Timothy Janovsky! A sweet, charming, romance with complicated family dynamics that had me feeling all the feels!

I wish I could say that I loved this book but I didn't. The storyline didn't pull me in and I found it boring. The characters were bland and uninteresting, but I like the overall idea; unfortunately, it just wasn't enough for me. I really enjoy Janovsky's writing and I look forward to his next novel. Thank you NetGalley for an early read.

Thank you to Harlequin Romance and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

Once Upon You and Me is a gay rendition of a fairytale, something that most queer people seek that can be diverse and vary differently than how heterosexual relationships and their fairytale endings could be defined. As a fan of this author's previous novels such as New Adult, The Fake Dating Game, and You're A Mean One Matthew Prince, I was really excited for this novel because it's a new release of his, but also because it feature the age-gap trope, which I have never read about.

We follow Ethan, who is the property manager of the resort that his ex-wife owns. Amy and Ethan have a daughter Samara, who is having her sweet sixteen soon at the property. Taylor, Amy's assistant, is in charge of making this party a success for sweet Samara. What begins as a horrible start as when Taylor arrives to the property, his room has issues and Ethan invites him to stay at his house. Ethan begins to find himself attracted to Taylor, and Taylor begins to notice this attraction within himself as the day goes on. However, Taylor struggles with following this attraction, as he doesn't want to jeopardize his job as Amy's assistant.

This book succeeds in crafting a really great overall plot line and the ethical/moral decisions that must be made, as well as the theme of re-defining our happily ever afters. Ethan has to recognize that he does have a future after him and Amy's divorce. The character that really stood out to me was Samara, she has a great personality and closely resembled how teenagers talk nowadays.

With such a promising story comes the parts that lacked for me. First, the ADHD representation was very clearly copy and pasted. At times, I thought to myself at what point does this dialogue provide in the sense of the romantic dialogue and conversations occurring. I also felt that Timothy did a lot of telling, and we didn't see Ethan really have difficulties with the ADHD, which I would appreciate if we are making it a point to discuss. It felt very out of place for me. Ethan and Taylor unfortunately felt very two dimensional. I didn't connect with them very well and they honestly felt similar to the characters in You Had Me At Happy Hour. Again promising, but no depth or spark there. There was also talk about Taylor's brother abandoning/disowning his family, then speaking how he struggles with feelings and relationships because of that. But there isn't any time dedicated to exploring this in great nature. The spice scenes in here felt very PG-13 to me, and I know Timothy has written great spice scenes before, and it's sad that I felt like those could have been strengthened. The ending also felt quite predictable.

Overall, I thought it was okay. There was definitely room for improvement in the spice department, developing our main characters a little bit more, and an added seventy five pages.

4.5 stars

I think this one is now my favorite coming from Timothy Janovsky. This story is super cute and a little spicy while drawing off the fairy tale vibes. Our MCs, Taylor and Ethan, are complex and layered but so real and believable. They are just so loveable. The relationship development was so much fun to see. It happened very naturally, and it ended up being so sweet. And there was very real character development alongside all of that, which I really appreciated. I especially loved the friendship between Taylor and Ethan's daughter. It's just one of those side things of a story that I really love seeing. All in all, I had so much fun with this story, and it was something that felt just a *little* different from the other stories I have read from this author, which I really loved to see. Definitely worth checking out!

When personal assistant Taylor Frost is sent to the Storybook Endings Resort to organize his boss’s daughter’s sweet sixteen, he doesn’t expect to be drawn to the resort’s rugged manager—who also happens to be his boss’s ex-husband. For Ethan Golding, love once felt like a closed chapter, but Taylor’s charm has him reconsidering his own happily-ever-after.

Author Timothy Janovsky delivers a heartfelt and witty modern fairy tale in “Once Upon You and Me,” where love, self-acceptance, and the magic of everyday moments give the story life. The novel’s lovable, deeply real characters navigate their insecurities and fears while learning to open their hearts to something new. I found this story to be a celebration of what makes us uniquely human as well as a reminder that the real triumph isn’t just finding love, but choosing it, embracing joy, and refusing to let our doubts define us.

This has fantastic LGBTQIA+ representation as well S age gap romance all wrapped up in a spicy little package.
Taylor and Ethan fall in love and in the process Ethan has an awakening to the fact that he is Bi. Both guys have some personal things they need to unpack. There is a little bit of family drama, some hurt, some comfort found in one another and some delicious spice. I highly recommend this read.

A Charming, Spicy, and Heartfelt Fairy Tale Romance

Timothy Janovsky’s Once Upon You and Me is a charming, delightfully queer fairy tale with just the right amount of spice, humor, and heartfelt moments. Told through the dual perspectives of Taylor Frost and Ethan Golding, this romance balances swoon-worthy tension with a deeply emotional journey that makes it impossible to put down.

Taylor, 27, is the ever-capable assistant to Ethan’s ex-wife—the supposedly evil (but perhaps not so evil) publishing mogul who still looms over his life. Ethan, on the other hand, is almost 40 (which, as someone closer to that age, really hits home), recently divorced, and convinced that his ADHD makes relationships a challenge. While the age gap isn’t their biggest obstacle, professional boundaries and external judgment create a seemingly insurmountable wall between them. And yet, Janovsky expertly crafts the cutest, most irresistible scenarios that chip away at that distance, leaving you grinning as you eagerly flip to the next chapter.

Ethan’s struggles with ADHD are handled with nuance and authenticity, highlighting not just the challenges but also the strengths that come with neurodivergence. Taylor, having neurodivergent siblings, sees and understands Ethan in ways others haven’t, offering support and perspective that feel both natural and deeply moving. Their dynamic is electric, filled with banter, stolen moments, and the kind of tension that builds until you’re practically yelling at them to just give in already.

But this isn’t just a fluffy romance—there are moments of heartbreak, scenes that will make you pause to collect yourself, and plenty of emotional depth that adds weight to the story. And of course, there are plenty of those moments that will have you blushing and maybe looking around to make sure no one’s reading over your shoulder.

With Once Upon You and Me, Janovsky delivers yet another gem of a romance—one that will make you laugh, swoon, and fall hopelessly in love with these beautifully crafted characters. It’s sweet, it’s spicy, and it’s absolutely worth the read.

Thank you Harlequin - Romance, Afterglow Books, Timothy Janovsky, and NetGalley for this eARC!!

Timothy Janovsky is a hit or miss author for me but when he hits, he hits and this is one of those cases. The protagonists are a 40 year old fat, bisexual with ADHD named Ethan and his ex-wife's gay assistant named Taylor who's 27 years old and has 6 siblings. Ethan runs a storybook themed inn in the Catskills while his ex-wife is the CEO of the larger chain. Taylor visits to prepare for Ethan's daughter's sweet sixteen party which is when they meet. The storybook vibes really carried throughout and worked for me. I often hate third act breakups but this one made sense and made the book stronger. Overall, I really enjoyed this read and getting to know the characters!

Once Upon You & Me is a low angst sweet MM romance following Ethan, the manager of a fairytale resort, and Taylor, who is a personal assistant to Ethan’s ex. Taylor is sent to the resort by his boss to prepare for her and Ethan’s daughter’s 16th birthday and the connection between Taylor & Ethan sparks. Age gap, single dad, forced proximity, somewhat forbidden romance. This was a fast pace story that was fun to read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

This has the makings of a cozy romance set in a fairy tale-esque setting. I was excited to read about an older MC and a younger MC who needs some practice standing up for himself. The plot was enjoyable, and both of the MCs believably were drawn together throughout the story. I didn't particularly enjoy the frequent use of simile/metaphor in the prose, which did knock the reading experience down just a smidge for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc. I rate this 4 stars and 2.5 chili peppers for spice. I really enjoyed this book. It’s my favorite Timothy Janovsky book to date. I loved how Ethan was just your typical middle aged guy. He had lots of love to give and no one really to give it to. He was dealing with trying to still be business partners with his ex wife and a teenager daughter who was growing up. In walks Taylor who is Ethan’s ex-wife’s personal assistant and sparks fly. I think this insta love was done really well. It made you feel like more time had passed but a majority of the story really only takes place over about a week and a halfish. There is spice but some of it is open door and some of it is closed door. It was a really nice mix. In the end this was just a really pleasant cozy read.

I always love the growth that janovsky has his characters go through. there's never truly an antagonist character, they're so well fleshed out every character in the story. This is no exception. Instalust complicated with chemistry is such a common romance set up, and it's easy to fall into predictable tropes with uninteresting characters and I never see that with janovsky. Truly one of my favorite romance authors.

I haven’t really come across many age gap romances before and I was more than happy that this was my first go at it. It was mostly seamless, the two characters just different enough to emphasis the gap between them but it was clear where they connected at the same time. I appreciated that it wasn’t a question of Ethan never having loved his wife but a loss of love between them. I appreciate any time bisexuality is shown in all its nuances and variations. I’m also a huge sucker for scenic locations, never having to be to places like that myself.

It was most lighthearted, a back and forth that felt organic and spicy scenes that were not what I expected but fun. I think the only damper was maybe how childish Taylor could come off at times, younger than his actual age. As if he didn’t know how to handle adult situations. It made them feel a tiny bit mismatched at times though it came back around in the end.

Thank to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The story is a twist on several of the tried and true tropes - Age Gap, Enemies to Lovers, Work Obsessed meets Laid Back, Bear meets Twink, and Secrets/Misunderstandings. Each of these on their own can be great but mixed together with interesting tweaks give the story something fresh and new feeling.

There are moments in the book when I thought I missed a paragraph or a page because there are so weird jumps where is feels like a detail is missing here or there to get you into the next paragraph.

I will say it also has a great level of spice, but the plot os so much more that romp after romp after romp.

- The cover art is one of my favorites. Its give you such a spoiler, but you don’t know it is and it is so innocent but so important to everything about Ethan and Taylor.

Once Upon You and Me is a fairly short but sweet romance following Taylor, a late 20s personal assistant looking to get started in hospitality, and Ethan, the divorced (from Taylor's boss) property manager of a Catskills resort. Taylor is sent on his boss Amy's behest to prepare the resort for her and Ethan's daughter's birthday party, leading to a week of bonding with Ethan after sparks fly and tree branches fall. This was a fun read with almost too quick conflict resolution. Thanks to Afterglow Book and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This LGBTQ romance will likely please readers who are fans of low-conflict, cozy storylines. That's not to say there is zero conflict, but it takes a backseat to the developing relationship between the main characters, who go from strangers to lovers remarkably quickly. While the storyline was not my particular favorite, I was pleased to see a romance featuring older, LGBTQ, neurodivergent, and larger-bodied characters. Overall it's a cozy read in a unique setting, perfect for romance fans who crave a fast-paced, low stakes read.

I don't know what Timothy Janovsky puts in his novels, but they are always a treat. <i>Once Upon You and Me</i> was such a fun, cozy romance to read.


Taylor is busy planning his boss's daughter's sweet 16 and ends up staying at the resort her ex-husband (Ethan) manages to put the final plans together. After an unexpected weather mishap, the two end up finding themselves stuck under the same roof. Taylor is blown away by the person Ethan is and Ethan is impressed with all things Taylor. They both have to decide is it worth it to act on their attraction and is there something more there?


I couldn't put this down, it was charming and happy and kept you rooting for the characters the whole book through! If you love romance I absolutely recommend this one! Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was really sweet! I loved the emphasis on fairy tales and the spin on the resort and how Ethan called his daughter Princess. It was cute. This book had a little romance, a little ex-wife drama, and a really cute dog to boot! I really liked the characters and how relatable and realistic their story felt. They had a pretty significant age gap, but they were both mature and practical while simultaneously being very romantic.

I could have had a little more of the daughter and her relationship with both her parents. I felt we needed a scene or two with Amy realizing her daughter was growing up. Amy was initially painted a the horrible ex-wife, but she does get some redemption towards the end. I liked the ending a lot with Amy orchestrating Taylor’s new job.