Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was, I think my second novel by this author and it will not be my last. The writing style, the characters, the representation? My goodness, it was just SO SO good. I really loved seeing a plus sized bi-rep in an older male - throw in the forbidden romance vibes and I am giddy.

Taylor and Ethan are adorable and I love absolutely loved how Taylor really helped Ethan explore and have his bi-awakening so well done. Their personal lives are a mess, but hey, the romance and spice was fun! Their dynamics just brought me so much joy.

The only thing that fell flat for me was the connection was really superficial at most - I kind of wanted a bit more than that, but it's alright!

Timothy Janovsky is an author I can rely on to deliver a solid queer romance, but this one was unfortunately a miss for me. I could see other folks enjoying it, but I just didn't get lost in the world or the characters.

I think my main issue was probably the way Ethan and Taylor communicated. I thought it was very odd, especially since they seemed to be capable of good communication, but then they frequently assumed the worst/weirdest possible meaning behind innocuous comments.

I'm not automatically opposed to the miscommunication trope because I do think that miscommunication is a common source of conflict in real life, so stories reflecting that makes sense! But it has to be done well and make sense for the characters. In this case, both Ethan and Taylor are full adults who demonstrate introspection and in-depth understandings of their own selves and the circumstances that shaped them. So it really didn't make sense to me that they would so frequently miscommunicate.

And logistically, the miscommunications weren't necessary for the story, imo. You already have an excellent source of tension from the taboo-ness of "the boss's ex," and there's also an age gap that could be explored and navigated by the characters.

Although I will say that I felt the whole "boss's ex" thing to be a bit overblown... Like yes, it might be awkward and require navigating difficult social situations, but Taylor's constant fear of losing his job felt... Bizarre. You can't (or at least *shouldn't*) be fired for something that doesn't impact your job performance, endangers anyone, creates conflict of interest, etc. I could understand Amy being upset or feeling awkward about Taylor and Ethan's relationship, but it honestly isn't any of her business?? Ethan and Taylor don't have a boss/employee relationship and haven't even met in person until this point, so I honestly don't see how them dating could be a problem (aside from making Amy mad, I guess??)

Unfortunately, I never got entirely lost in the story, probably due to the characters lacking a lot of depth. Even the MCs felt a bit tropey more than actual people. And the SCs felt especially one-dimensional.

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the eARC of this title. All thoughts expressed in this review are my honest opinions.

Once Upon You and Me is a charming, whirlwind romance set against the whimsical backdrop of the Storybook Endings Resort. Timothy Janovsky delivers a swoony, steamy tale packed with chemistry, emotion, and just a dash of fairy-tale flair.

Taylor Frost, loyal assistant and party-planning extraordinaire, is sent to the Catskills to organize a sweet sixteen—but instead of a smooth work trip, he finds himself falling for the resort’s ruggedly irresistible manager, Ethan Golding… who just so happens to be his boss’s ex-husband. Cue the delicious tension.

Taylor and Ethan’s connection is immediate and electric, with plenty of sweet (and spicy) moments to keep the pages turning. While their romance unfolds quickly—maybe too quickly to feel entirely believable—it’s heartfelt and laced with vulnerability, especially in Ethan’s honest portrayal of living with ADHD. His struggles and the way others misunderstand or dismiss him add depth and emotional weight to what could have been a lighter romp.

However, not everything in this fairytale sparkles. Amy, the ex-wife and boss, borders on villainous, and her character lacks the nuance needed for a proper redemption arc. Her presence as an obstacle feels more like a plot device than a fully fleshed-out antagonist.

Despite the rushed timeline, Janovsky’s storytelling is witty and warm, with just enough heartache to balance the happily-ever-after. If you can suspend disbelief and enjoy a forbidden fling with fairytale vibes, this book offers a lovely escape with a strong emotional core.

This is an absolutely charming M/M romance complete with a fairy tale resort and an age-gap budding relationship with possible work conflicts. Taylor and Ethan have chemistry, but they are both concerned about Amy (Taylor's boss and Ethan's ex-wife), and everything will reach a crisis point at the celebration of 16-year-old Samara's birthday celebration. The characters and the setting contribute to making this a fun and appealing read. Recommended.

Ethan and Taylor both love fairytales. From the romance to the grim tales. I love the romantic fairytale between these two that are happening. Their connection between each other is so real. They both are learning to navigate new feelings. They very patient with each other. Like that they got to build relationship. To be able have happy endings.

Open up this bewitching book that reveals that love truly can have a fairy tale happily ever after!

Y’all, it’s no secret that I am a fan of my friend Timothy Janovsky’s romance novels, and his newest, ONCE UPON YOU AND ME, might be my favorite one yet. Janovsky’s newest, part of his steamier works published with Harlequin Books, has one of his most clever setups, and a couple worth rooting for until the very last page.

Happily ever after is a great thing to aspire to, but what if you could visit it any time? Well every visit to Storybook Endings is a chance to immerse yourself in the fairy tales you know and love. When Taylor Frost is sent by his boss, Amy, to check in one the hotel chain’s first location to prepare for her daughter’s Sweet Sixteen, Taylor has no idea how freeing it is to be out from under his boss’ thumb. Only, it might be a little too freeing, because he’s fallen for the location’s manager, Ethan, who... just so happens to be his boss’ ex-husband, and the father of the young woman he’s here to celebrate. But can big, burly Ethan open himself up to the charming, intriguing Taylor? Throw in a leaky roof, a failed attempt to bond with children, and archery classes armed by Cupid’s bow, and, well, you’ll have to see what happens next.

Once you get a bite of this not-poisoned-apple of a book, you’ll want to devour the whole thing real fast! Taylor and Ethan are expertly drawn out here on the page, with relevant backstories, experiences navigating mental health issues, and enough repression to make their fiery nights on the picturesque property really, REALLY pay off. This age gap romance offers far more than the standard fare, and though you’ll be able to finish this brisk novel, quickly, you’ll feel wholly satisfied and, like Taylor and Ethan, ready for another round with it real fast.

I loved this read! The characters were so lovable and I wanted to fit into their cozy camp (though minus the tree -iykyk). I cannot wait to read another from Timothy, a quick instant buy author!

Taylor Frost is not sure what to expect when his demanding boss sends him across the country to lead the planning for her daughter’s sweet sixteen at a resort in the Catskills. He certainly does not expect to be powerfully drawn to the resort’s manager, Ethan, who also happens to be the ex-husband of Taylor’s boss. Neither Taylor nor Ethan can ignore the chemistry between them, even as both question whether falling for each other is a potential happily ever after or the recipe for disaster.

Charming and full of captivating characters, this heartfelt story will keep you fully engaged and hoping for a fairy tale-like ending.

Highly recommended!

I liked this book. It was a cute and cozy romance that was very fun to read. The characters were well written and I enjoyed the banter and the relationship they developed. Very fun

Thank you to Timothy Janovsky, Harlequin Romance and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was really enjoying this book up until about ~12-13% in. Then the author had to go and trash talk large families and inferring that having a large family "might have more to do with deep-seated immaturity rather than firm beliefs in destiny and fate". As a mother of 7 children myself, this was a sentence that immediately put a bad taste in my mouth and really changed my views on the book as whole.

DNF at 16% when I couldn't force myself to read anymore of this book without finding it childish, insta-lovey and overall "meh"

Taylor's organizational skills are unmatched. That's what makes him a great PA. So it's perfectly natural that his boss, Amy, sends him cross country to get things set up for her daughter's sweet sixteen. What he doesn't expect to find at Storybook Endings resort is his boss's burly ex-husband, Ethan. Ever since his divorce, Ethan has thrown himself into managing Storybook Endings. The thought of romance never entered his mind. But when circumstances force Ethan and Taylor to share a cabin, the thoughts entering Ethan's mind aren't fit for storybooks. The only problem - what happens when Amy finds out.

I really wanted to like this book. The setting sounded perfect for romance, the premise fun, the characters intriguing, I was disappointed it didn't deliver. I couldn't connect with any of the characters. They were bland and superficial and lacked any kind of depth . All we know about Amy is she is stereotypically a type "A" personality who lives for her job. Ethan comes off as lifeless and dejected. We know nothing about the divorce, how Amy and Ethan might feel about each other or how they interact now. We don't even know much about the daughter. Taylor is the only one who has the slightest bit of personality which we discover when he considers goals and plans and how to best reach them.

There could have been so much more to this story. I would like to have seen more interactions between Ethan and Amy, maybe some scenes with Amy, Ethan and their daughter. Why was there no strong reaction when Amy found out about Taylor and Ethan. The story didn't just lack strong emotion, it lacked any emotion at all.

I liked the two main charaters and janovsky renders them well and full enough to get past the very immature misunderstandsings that build the conflict.

I loved this. The story was a lot of fun and also really heartwarming. The characters were definitely opposites but they fit together so well. This book is a great summer read and will have you wanting to take a vacation to the mountains asap!

3.5 stars.
I really enjoyed this book and the characters relationship. Each character had a believable story and development arc, with relatable traits. The setting was so magical, which really contributed to the overarching fairytale theme. I do wish we got more scenes of Ethan with Gabriel as he is described as the best friend and yet there are only approximately 4-5 scenes where they interact. Although the final scene of them together with the voice memo fulfilled that wish a bit.

Taylor flies across the country to one of his boss's many resort locations to prepare for her daughter's sixteenth birthday. Things are going smoothly, until a falling tree breaks the window of his cabin and he has to stay with his boss's ex-husband who he can't help feeling attracted to.

I liked Ethan and Taylor, and I thought the stakes of their respective relationships with Amy made for good conflict within the book.

Just like the rest of Janoveky’s books, it is a heart warming love story that will leave you smiling.

It was a nice change of pace to read a more realistic age gap relationship especially with a bigger guy. I loved the fairytale aspect without it veering too much into the cheesy territory.

Thank you so much for letting me read this ARC! I really enjoyed the book! This is my first time reading Timothy Janovsky's work and I will definitely be reading more!

The story was super sweet!

First and foremost, UGH THESE TWO. They are SO adorkable and so cute. Their chemistry and interactions are still living rent-free in my brain. This is a modern-day fairytale romance, it is even set at a fairytale-themed resort, people. The story is not trying to hide what it is that is for sure, and I am here for it. Ethan and Taylor, on paper, have everything stacked against them from minute one in the book, but as the story unfolds and they get to know each other, you can see how well matched they are and how much sense they can make together.

Ethan has struggled with maintaining his ADHD for years, those struggles were something he felt his ex, Amy, wasn’t supportive of. It can be hard for the neurotypical partner, especially if no one else in their life has been neurodivergent. Taylor helped raise his neurodivergent sibling, though, so it turns out he gets Ethan in a way no one ever has before, and Ethan treats Taylor in a way no one in his life has treated him – like he’s important and that his needs and wants matter too.

Watching the guys go from pining from afar, to pining while Taylor sleeps in Ethan’s daughter's old bed in his cottage, to the progress of sharing Ethan’s bed and then eventually his life, is such a sweet and emotional journey. But it’s also hilarious, especially when Taylor has to be Ethan’s right hand, literally, for a bit.

I’ve never come across another author who could make a blended family work as well as this one, especially given the weirdness around the workplace aspects of the various relationships between the characters.

⭐️:️ 5/5
🌶️: open door scenes

💭 what I loved about Once Upon You & Me:
- The sensitive portrayal of adult ADHD.
- The banter and teasing and flirting between Ethan and Taylor. Their chemistry is amazing from the moment they meet.
- The improvement of Ethan and Amy's co-parenting relationship by the end of the book.
- Taylor's relationship with Ethan's daughter Sam; so wholesome. The only thing this book was missing was more scenes between Ethan, Taylor and Sam.

✦ tropes etc.:
- Achillean mlm
- age-gap
- boss's ex
- third act break-up
- mutual pining
- resort
- divorced
- workplace romance
- neurodivergence
- forbidden romance
- body positive
- family drama

“𝘛𝘰 𝘮𝘦, 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘤. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯.”⁣⁣⁣
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QOTD: what was your favorite fairy tale growing up? ⁣
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AOTD: Beauty and the Beast! ⁣
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Thank you so much to @harlequinpublicityteam @harlequinbooks @afterglow_books and @timothyjanovsky for my #gifted ARC of 𝐎𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐔𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮 & 𝐌𝐞!⁣
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I really loved this age-gap, small town #romance , and I especially loved the #neurodivergent rep (ADHD) which I feel was really well explored in the context of Ethan’s character. I also really loved how fairytales fit into the narrative of the story, with the emphasis on Grimm’s fairy-tales, and how while not all of them have a happy ending, they all have something to teach us.⁣
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This story does have an #HEA, so don’t fret, and it will be released on April 29! Swipe over to read more about this one and preorder your copy now from wherever you buy books!!

Once upon a time there were two charming princes looking unironically for their happily ever afters. Spoiler alert: they found them! 🤴🏻💘🤴🏼

What a lovely fairy tale come true! Amazing, adorable premise, Timothy’s inimitably detailed and luscious writing, fabulous characters (Ethan and Taylor, of course, and also Samara and Sasha and Gabriel and Nana (named for the Darlings’ dog), and even Amy, although she was tough to love) and lush east coast and west coast settings. 🏡🏄‍♂️

Ethan Golding is the general manager at his ex-wife’s Catskills resort, Storybook Endings. Taylor is the ex-wife’s (Amy Lu’s) personal assistant who wants nothing more than to leave his PA work and actually get into the hospitality business. 🦄

He’s sent out by Amy (from California) to the resort to do week-long advance work for Samara’s (Ethan’s and Amy’s daughter’s) sweet 16 birthday party and he and Ethan meet and, well, have a hot and heavy fling. That is, until Amy gets there and catches them together and fires Taylor. Ugh that hurt. 😫

The start of Ethan’s and Taylor’s relationship was quick - and did I say hot? - and being forcibly separated was ultimately good for them. They took a long time and a long distance coming back together - aided by voice notes of them reading fairy tales to each other - but they got their own fairy tale ending, as well. With each other, with their extended families, with their professions, and with their happily ever after. 📚

The epilogue made me cry. And now I want a Snow White cabin. Actually, make mine a Cinderella cottage, please! 👸🏻

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC. 🧚🏼‍♂️