This is the third book I’ve read by Timothy Janovsky and I think it’s my favorite one yet! I will definitely have to check out his other books.

In this novel, Ethan (a divorced dad of a teenage daughter) falls for Taylor (his ex-wife’s personal assistant who happens to be thirteen years his junior). The two men instantly find each other attractive, and the author does a great job of showing how that visceral physical attraction builds into an emotional admiration and connection.

Their physical attraction is so believable. The two men are physically very different than each other – Ethan is plus-size and hairy, while Taylor fits the stereotype of the slim surfer. They are so genuinely into each other bodies, which was so delightful to read about.

I think this author has a special talent for writing open door spicy scenes that really capture the humanness and vulnerability of intimacy, while still being sexy. I adored the open-door scenes in this book.

This book also contains some commentary on biphobia amongst some gay men, because Ethan faces rude comments from a potential romantic partner early in the book once he realizes that Ethan was previously married to a woman.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you like reading about characters who don’t believe in fairy tales finding their own happily-ever-after. The characters reading fairy tales to each other is so heart-warming and the spice delivered exactly what I wanted. Overall, this was a great and body-positive read!

I also wanted to briefly comment on the age gap. I find some age gap romances feature power imbalances, but that wasn’t the case here. Ethan is 40 and Taylor is 27, but both are adults and treat each other as equals. They have a realistic conversation about their age difference, but it doesn’t play a big role in their relationship.

Highlights:
- gay x bi
- body positive
- reading fairy tales out loud to each other
- plus-size divorced dad falls for his ex-wife’s personal assistant

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book!

This was a really enjoyable m/m romance set in a fairytale nature wonderland. I really liked the diversity between the main characters (both physically and emotionally), and the nature camp-y setting. This was my first book by this author but it won't be my last!

Another sweet and emotional read from this author!

I enjoyed this age gap forbidden romance quite a bit. The MCs were absolutely adorable together and it was easy to forget why they shouldn't be a "thing"--until Ethan's ex/Taylor's boss shows up, that is. Amy was a bit OTT of an antagonist, but she did get better by the end. No notes on Ethan and Amy's daughter--she was an absolutely lovely character.

As long as Mr. Janovsky keeps writing for HQN, I'll keep reading them! I haven't been disappointed yet :)

Rating: 4 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

4.5 stars

This is a new-to-me author, and I’ll definitely be reading more from him. This book felt like a warm hug. Not that there aren’t problems and some angst, but Ethan and Taylor are such lovable and kind characters that I couldn’t get enough.

I love that these characters have been emailing for three years (Taylor is Ethan’s ex-wife’s assistant) but never met in person. Because of the nature of their relationship, neither thought too highly of the other. Ethan thought Taylor would be frigid and boring, and Taylor thought Ethan would be stubborn and rude. Not only are they both wrong, but they also feel an instant connection once they finally meet face to face. Yet, neither of them wants that connection. It would be nothing but a complication to act on their chemistry. It may be a challenge for them, but it’s a joy for the reader!

Taylor and Ethan are both caregivers. They thrive at taking care of others in different ways. When they are put together, those differences complement one another. They’re great at helping others, but not so great at speaking up for what they want and need. That makes the growth of their relationship much harder than it has to be, yet the relationship still grows because of the strength of their chemistry. These two are meant to be.

It was hard for me to see Amy, Ethan’s ex and Taylor’s boss, the way they saw her. Frankly, I didn’t like her. I knew a lot of the issue was her being too in her own head, and she has a bit of a redemption toward the end, but she was quite selfish and was always the foil to the natural progression of the relationship between this couple.

I appreciate that Taylor and Ethan got their HEA, even though it took some time. True love is worth fighting for, and it’s also worth waiting for.

Super cute and fun read! I loved the coming-out story and I enjoyed the whimsical elements as well as the real life hard elements!

This was such a fun read. I really enjoyed the character development and pacing on the romance aspect. Taylor’s relationships were so real and genuine and just made the story that much better. He was my absolute favorite character, well maybe Nana was too.

Once Upon You and Me was an enjoyable read. Taylor and Ethan are two souls looking for something more and It was fun watching them find each other and themselves. I didn’t like the ex wife at all and even when trying to redeem her character I still didn’t like her.

Need a quick, sweet book this is it

Timothy Janovsky does it again. After discovering one of his books entirely by accident, he’s now an auto buy author for me. He’s just so consistently good and this book was exactly what I’ve come to expect from him. The story was so cute, I adored the setting and the fairy tale references. A real missed opportunity for a joke about happy endings and sex, but I’ll forgive. I love Ethan and Taylor; they’re wonderfully flawed lovable humans. I really liked how the age gap wasn’t a huge deal. They’re just two people who fall in love. I love the bi AND ADHD rep, something there’s not enough of in books!! The spice was spicing, as always. Overall, a wonderfully classic romance and I can’t wait for the next one!

By the time I was a tenth of the way into this I had highlighted two dozen lines to which the only possible response was "WUT":

Snickering is simpler than attacking the hurt feelings whirring like an out-of-control chainsaw within Ethan. [a chainsaw, sure]

laying the timber wood frame [is there some other kind of timber, or some wood that is not made of timber? youth wants to know]

[A cottage is] ensconced by balsam trees [which I think is supposed to mean it's surrounded by them???]

The white, pumpkin-shaped contraption invades Ethan’s peripheral vision and plunks down the gravel [are we at war, and if so why? and unless the contraption is dropping the gravel, somebody, not naming names, doesn't know what "plunks" means] [also, the driver of this invading wagon is holding the "reigns" and yes I did silently scream]

the resort has solidified itself as a mainstay [previously, the resort had no existence on the material plane]

the curve of the road, which is artfully concealed by the exacting brush. [I'm so baffled by "exacting" here that I can't even get sarcastic, because I can't tell what I'm being sarcastic about.]

Five years ago his marriage ended, and five months ago his thirties ended. [Bathos. It's a thing. Timothy Janovsky should look it up.]

Taylor Frost sits in the driver’s seat of his bluish silver used sedan [I'm so glad he's in the driver's seat, considering that he's driving. This sentence is an excellent example of an attempt to set a scene by cramming in detail. Not illuminating detail, mind you, just detail. Who cares that Taylor's car is bluish silver? Show of hands, please?]

Something new to lure and appease Taylor’s eye. [Why is Taylor's eye angry?]

the doors to the school clamber open [*pictures the doors rappelling up the side of the school*]


Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4.25⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: contemporary romance 📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
A sweet and heartfelt romance with humor, spice and emotional depth mixed in

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Age gap
Emotional depth
Divorced dad
Forced proximity
Whimsical resort setting
Found family
Opposites attract
Hallmark movie vibes
Cozy reads

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
ADHD rep
Plus size male rep

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
The conflict resolution was tied up a little too fast
The characters could have been a little more developed

This was a cute read. I really enjoyed the storybook aspect and loved these two me. falling in love. I did feel like the side characters were pretty flat and the ex wife was just written as a villain. Overall it was a cute book.

A sweet and charming spin on the age-gap romance trope. I enjoyed the picturesque setting of a resort and the undeniable chemistry between the MCs. I appreciated the books inclusion of themes like neurodivergence, which adds a layer of complexity to the characters. Overall it was a light and fluffy romance and quick read.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Afterglow Books by Harlequin for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rated up.

Honestly, this was cute but at the same time, felt a little meh to me. I really liked the premise, but felt the character of Amy was so unfleshed out that it was almost a stereotype, and the two leads were just kind of boring. I really loved Samara's relationship with Taylor though. I don't really have a lot more to say...it wasn't terrible, just a little forgettable.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Thank you very much to the publishers and NetGalley for a copy. The book is funny to read and quite entertaining. I highly recommend reading it.

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.