I really loved this book. It was my first time reading anything by Janovsky, and his writing just clicked with me—I’m already looking forward to picking up another one of his novels. The pacing kept me hooked the whole way through, and the spice scenes? So well done—hot without feeling over the top. I have a soft spot for older characters like Ethan, and he totally had that irresistible charm that made him feel real. Taylor was just as lovable, and I adored how they both helped each other grow and figure themselves out. It just felt genuine. Honestly, this was such a cute, feel-good queer romance, and I’m so glad I picked it up.

Thank you to Afterglow Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

An adorable love story that faces certain challenges throughout the book. The two MMCs are absolutely enchanting, and I am obsessed with them.
Who doesn't love a gay story with a happy ending?

Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy of this book.

Love a trusty dog companion and a small town romance. This book fit the bill perfectly! Also!!! Loved the adult representation of ADHD from Ethan. I felt there could've been more character connection and depth to the both of them.

Once Upon You & Me was such a great fairytale inspired romance! Divorced dad Ethan hates being across the country from his teen daughter Samara and can’t help but feel a little lonely at the resort he and his ex began years ago, Storybook Endings. In preparation for Samara’s upcoming sweet sixteen party, his ex sends her assistant, Taylor, to oversee party prep at SE. Taylor enjoys his work but has been wanting to advance in his career for years. Maybe a successful party is what he needs to prove himself for a promotion. Neither Ethan or Taylor expect the sparks to fly or to find their HEA in each other - but anything can happen when you’re in Storybook Endings!

This might be my favorite Timothy Janovsky book yet. And look at that cover! Timothy handles banter and pining so well, and I loved how these two just “got” each other immediately. I also adored Taylor’s relationship with Samara, and their shared music playlists. Ethan and Taylor’s voice memos were just the sweetest, too. It does get a bit hot, too, for all of you spice fans!

Overall, I highly recommend this romance for anyone who loves a swoony love story between two men who are just perfect for each other.

Moment of honesty: third person reads are typically not my favorite. BUT!!!!! This was my first read by Timothy Janovsky and it certainly won't be my last. I loved Taylor and Ethan 😍. I was enthralled while watching these men figure out their own lives, as well as how they fit together. Seriously, while this book is not huge, I read in an evening. It is safe to say I really enjoyed this book. I was so caught up on their story that I don't think my brain even realized it was a third person pov 🤣.

Playful and a bit chaotic, this story blends fairy tale charm with modern romantic messiness. Fun while it lasts, even if the magic fades a little early.

Thank you to Harlequin for this e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion! I loved this book! Timothy Janovsky does charm and tenderness so well - I've loved almost everything I've read by him and this is no exception. In Once Upon You and Me, we get the sweetest age gap romance between Ethan, a divorcee in his 40's, and Taylor, his ex-wife's youthful assistant. They're both a little lost until they find each other and it was such a joy to see the sparks fly between them as their friendship and relationship developed. The emotional connection they had felt so deep and so real and I was rooting for them so hard - set against this adorable fairy tale resort, I was kicking my little feet the whole time.

Dreams really do come true in this fairy tale-esque, age gap romance where a single dad finds a second chance at love with his ex-wife’s assistant. When Taylor Frost travels to Storybook Endings to prepare for his boss’s daughter’s upcoming Sweet Sixteen, the last thing he expects to find is happily ever after. But from the moment he meets Ethan Golding, there’s romance in the air and a connection that won’t be denied. Falling for Ethan is easy - until reality comes crashing back in.

I loved every second of this low angst, heartfelt story from the humor and wit to the fairy tale lore. Timothy Janovsky is a gifted storyteller who seamlessly crafts a cleverly woven tale of complex characters, romance, and emotion. The easy attraction and chemistry between Ethan & Taylor leads to a slow building tension that’s as sweet as it is satisfying. Theirs is a story that’ll tug at your heartstrings and have you rooting for their happy ending every step of the way.

This book exceeded my expectations; it was both emotional and heartwarming, and the characters were so memorable. I was totally engaged throughout the entire novel.
The book was full of vivid descriptions and vivid imagery to the point where I felt like I had slipped into the pages.

Cheesy as HELL but very camp and fun. While it was weird for me once i realized i know the author personally from college, it was still a good time

Another adorable, spicy story from Timothy Janovsky! I loved all the tropes, age gap, forbidden (bosses ex), and opposites attract. The beefy, older hunk of a man becoming obsessed with the soft sexy young twink is one of my favorite pairings. Ethan and Taylor have instant chemistry and end up being so compatible. Of course, the ex-wife/ boss is awful. But I appreciated the men handling the situation with a somewhat less dramatic and more mature process than just running away from each other. Eventually. The ending was totally worth it.
I also love the found family and bi rep.

A huge thank you to @harlequinbooks
@harlequinpublicityteam for my ARC and audiobook.
The audiobook narrator, Anthony Myatt, did a great job, making this one a quick, enjoyable read. I recommend the audiobook for sure.❤️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love Timothy Janovsky and this book is why! We have a plus sized burly hero who is a divorced single dad forced to work with his ex-wives adorable assistant on his daughters birthday party! That right there is enough but add in slow burn, bi awakening, spice and the sweetest fairytale-esque moments and I was swooning and giggling through the enite book. This book makes me believe that love is always possible no matter you age or what life has looked like until now. And true happiness is being true to yourself and your heart.

Thank you to Harlequin - Romance | Afterglow Books by Harlequin, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was playful and light-hearted, but I unfortunately won't remember a damn thing about it as soon as I finish this review.

There wasn't anything super compelling about either MC (except maybe for Nana 🐶), and while this was really fast-paced which I enjoy, it left a lot to be desired for character depth and connection.

✨ Review ✨ Once Upon You and Me by Timothy Janovsky; Narrated by Anthony Myatt

Thanks to Afterglow Books by Harlequin, Harlequin Audio, and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

I loved this M/M romance set in the Catskills at a fairytale resort. Single dad Ethan manages the resort, and Taylor works for his ex-wife as his personal assistant. They’re brought together when Taylor arrives to prep for his boss and Ethan’s daughter’s birthday party at the resort. When Taylor's cabin has a window broken in the storm, he moves into Ethan's home to stay while it's being repaired. The two quickly find a sense of camaraderie and connection.

This brings together great tropes including single dad, age-gap, forced proximity, and forbidden romance.

Both are forced to reckon with their relationships to work, family, and friends, while they talk about passions in sports (archery and surfing) and (for Taylor) hospital management. Will they get their fairytale ending that they both deserve?

There was something that wasn't quite relatable about the lifestyle of Amy (the ex-wife) and their daughter, and by extension, Taylor...there was something about it that felt too good to be true, but this is really just a minor quibble.

🎧 The audio narration was really enjoyable, and while I alternated between audio and the physical book, I read this in one sitting, I was so hooked.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4.25)
Genre: m/m contemporary romance
Setting: the Catskills
Length: 6 hours 48 minutes
Pub Date: Apr 29 2025

Read this if you like:
⭕️ age-gap and single parent romances
⭕️ rural/remote settings
⭕️ ex-wife drama
⭕️ mid-luxury resorts and fairytale experiences

Once Upon You and Me is an adult romance by Timothy Janovsky . An age gap romance between a divorced single dad and his ex wife's personal assistant. With body positivity, ADHD rep, bi rep, characters with depth, a slow burn, and a charming setting make this a well rounded romance.

3.5 stars

This was a quick romance story. I enjoyed it but compared to Timothy Janovsky's other books, it didn't hold up. I liked the setting and the teen daughter was a fun character.

*thank you Afterglow Books by Harlequin for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Always enjoy Timothy’s books!
A mm age gap with your boss's ex husband. I love when books have bisexual representation. Ethan co-parents and runs a fairytale themed resort in the Catskills while his ex-wife runs the other resorts similar to this one and their daughter lives with her full time.
So many dynamics in their relationship were noticed when they came to visit for their teen daughters birthday and he started to speak up for himself.
Relationships good and bad change people and they sometimes need to process to see who they are in or outside it.
Starting a new relationship can happen quickly and the exwifes assistant Taylor was already lusting after Ethan from the website. So he already knew he was his type. I loved their chemistry and their communication. Loved how Taylor was like Ethan’s daughter's fun guncle.
That ending was just the sweetest!
If you haven’t read Timothy’s books, you should check them out!

Thank you to Harlequin for my gifted eARC. My opinions are my own.
Released 29 April 2025

Synopsis: A charming fairy tale meets spicy bedtime story in this deliciously enchanting age-gap LGBTQIA+ romance

Read for:
- age gap
- selling happy ever after
- archery
- planning an over the top sweet sixteen
- bisexual/gay mm romance
- a little bit of insta lust/love

My thoughts: I have read several of Timothy’s books and honestly this was not my favorite by a long shot. I enjoyed it for what it was, but it didn’t hit my sweet spot that I was looking for after the lovely You Had Me At Happy Hour. There wasn’t a lot of build up to the relationship, but there was some lovely discussions about sex and consent, which is always a good thing to have. I did like how the story ended because Taylor needed that time to grow from out of Amy’s shadow, and Ethan needed to stand up to Amy.

I do recommend this, it was well written and the characters are fun, it just didn’t quite hit the mark for me at this moment in time.

Once Upon You & Me by Timothy Janovsky
Pub Date: 4/29/25
Format: ebook
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oooooh I love Timothy’s books and this was no exception! This romance was heartfelt and humorous with such lovable main characters!

Taylor finds himself falling for his boss’ ex husband Ethan when he flies out to help prepare for her daughter’s birthday party. Let’s just say there is forced proximity & age gap goodness and emotional vulnerability isn’t all they’re sharing during their time together! Even with this being a lighter and shorter book, I feel like we truly see growth from both main characters and you’re rooting for them big time. I really loved our supporting characters and the setting so much also.

If you are looking for a book with storybook vibes, awesome bi representation, fun banter, & a mature conflict that feels genuine…this book is for you!

This is an absolute fairy tale of a romance. A perfectly done age-gap with a side of Bear rep. It was equally sweet and spicy, perfect for the setting of a hotel based on fairy tales. I loved the relationship between Ethan and Taylor, even as they fought their attraction because of Ethan's ex-wife, Taylor's boss. But the romance of it was just too much. Especially all the references.