I received a free early copy of this book for review. This is my own opinion. Thank you to Netgalley and Afterglow by Harlequin for the opportunity to review!

<b>Genre:</b> MM contemporary romance

<b>Tropes:</b> only one cottage, retelling lite, golden retriever x orange cat

<b>Spice Level:</b> 2.5/5

<b>Content Warning:</b> I cant immediately come up with any but if I do I’ll update

I have read several Timoth Janovsky books over the years, and I think my favorite thing about his writing is the depth of his characters. They feel real and lovable, like I actively want to be friends with these people and that’s not something I say light or often. There are so many little details (like Ethan’s one unruly lock of hair and Taylor’s socks and Birkenstocks) that feel so REAL. And I always love them.

Once Upon You and Me is low angst, spicy, soft, and sweet. The setting of a fairytale resort is so lovely I need to go to the Catskills immediately to find the Snow White cottage.

I would compare this to a lighter version of Helena Greer’s Carrigans series. (There’s a whole lot less self loathing in these but the tension and setting have similar vibes.)

Thanks again to Afterglow/Harlequin for the arc!

cute enough story. The author used very strange metaphors. It is what it says on the tin, low stakes age gap romance in the Catskills. Not great, but not bad. I appreciated the take on dealing with ADHD.

Once Upon You and Me was cute and had some solid rom-com charm, but the vibes didn’t totally click for me. I loved the idea of a fairytale-esque resort and the age-gap, ex-wife’s-assistant drama should’ve been messier in a fun way, but it all felt a little too neat and safe. Taylor was likable, Ethan had his gruff-dad appeal, and the spicy moments were definitely there—but I didn’t feel super swept up in the emotion or the stakes. It’s giving cozy weekend read with a sprinkle of forbidden romance, but not one I’ll be rereading. That said, if you're into soft gays, sweet settings, and a hint of scandal, it might still be your jam!

4⭐️ first book I’ve read by this author and it won’t be the last! This book was so easy to read and the romance felt like it progressed at a really natural pace. If you are looking for a book with Bi/Gay rep, plus size mc, ADHD rep, and a little secret/forbidden romance, this one is for you! Only reason it was a 5 star was bc of the third act breakup and the way the ex wife reacted.

What a lovely way to introduce Timothy Janovsky works to my library.
First things first, I appreciate the trigger warnings. Sometimes you start reading a book and are blindsided by certain topics so it was nice to see them mentioned beforehand so as to not be surprised.
A wonderful story that had me cheering on the main characters. Timothy does a good job in fleshing out their personalities and you really feel for them and their situations.
Overall I had a nice time reading this and will give it 3/5 stars ⭐️
Thank you Afterglow and NetGalley for the E-Arc!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7419266479

This was a sweet, fairytale style romance that warmed my heart. For starters, I instantly fell in love with Storybook Endings Resort and the nearby town of Calico. I loved the wholesome small town vibes, beautiful wilderness, and overall picturesque setting. I also loved the characters. Ethan was a giant teddy bear and so easy to love, with his devotion to his home and family. It took me slightly longer to warm up to Taylor, but in the end I loved him for his drive to fulfill his career goals. Both Taylor and Ethan had amazing development as they examined what they wanted from their lives and their future. I will say I struggled a bit with their initial chemistry. It took me a bit to buy into and support, but in the end I loved their relationship. I also liked all the opportunities for angst, and I wish more of them had been capitalized on. In the end the conflict was very predictable and could have been stronger. The only other thing I wanted was more of Ethan and Samara’s relationship. But overall this was a lovely read and I recommend it.

Another delightful, tender novel from Timothy Janovsky! Set in a fairytale-themed Catskills resort, Ethan, the burly resort general manager and ex-husband to resort chain CEO, and Taylor, the tidy on-time twink assistant to resort chain CEO, are forced together into a shared cabin by Mother Nature.

You spend the whole novel charmed by and rooting for each and every character. It’s both sweet and spicy. Tender and tangy. A fairytale like those you’ve read before!

I enjoyed and devoured this book. My only wish is that Janovsky trusted his reads a bit more. Sometimes when our main characters are experiencing hardship or emotion as a result of something which has already been explained to us, the explanation awaits again in the next sentence.

Thank you Afterglow and NetGalley for the E-Arc! Pick up this book!

I adore almost all of this authors books! I had fun nd li laughed and tiered up. There was so much beautiful heart I am so happy I got to reward this story and smile like a dork.

Thank you so much for the arc!

💙📖✨ BOOK REVIEW – ONCE UPON YOU AND ME by Timothy Janovsky ✨📖💙

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

Huge thanks to Afterglow Books, Harlequin and NetGalley for the ARC! This was an incredibly engaging read. Janovsky delivers another charming, heartfelt romance, this time set against the dreamy backdrop of a New England resort. Ethan and Taylor’s chemistry is undeniable, and I loved watching their connection deepen as they navigated family complications, self-discovery, and just the right amount of forced proximity. Some of the ADHD representation felt a little forced at times, but overall, this was a sweet, satisfying story with plenty of warmth, humour, and swoony moments. If you love age-gap romances with great banter, a touch of angst, and a big-hearted Newfoundland named Nana, this one’s for you!

#OnceUponYouAndMe #TimothyJanovsky #QueerRomance #LGBTQBooks #NetGalley #RomanceReads

A cute premise with a sweet sense of humor. Taylor and Ethan are both charming, and they were undeniably adorable together. Their immediate physical and interpersonal chemistry felt authentic, and I appreciated Ethan's growing acceptance of his own neurodivergence and Taylor's efforts to move beyond his childhood emotional scars. I think for those looking for a mostly light and fluffy, Hallmark-style romance will be delighted.

Overall, however, the execution fell a bit flat for me. The main obstacles to their relationship -- their age gap and Ethan's obnoxious ex-wife -- didn't feel sufficiently weighty, so I found the third act frustrating. "Evil ex-wife" is a trope I can live without, especially with a bisexual main character, and Amy was so aggravating that I didn't find her either believable or sympathetic. In fact, there weren't any other characters in the book who felt fully drawn besides Taylor and Ethan. Some of the writing felt overworked, like there'd been too much consultation of the thesaurus. I wanted to like this one, but it was just so-so for me.

This was a cute little romance book. A tad bit of forbidden romance, a little bit of forced proximity, and you get a book that I will sit and devour in one day.

I do wish the characters were a bit more fleshed out and the last chapter to the epilogue jump felt a bit much but that wasn't enough to make me dislike this book. I very much enjoyed my time reading it.

I love this author. I have read a lot by this author and have loved every book I have come across. I was sucked into this book from the first page and wished I had more story to read.

Thanks again, NetGalley!!
I have heard a lot of great things about Timothy Janovsky. I’m glad my first book by him was a cute experience. This somehow felt like a slow burn and instalove at the same time. Usually instalove is not my thing, but the two MMCs were so likable, I was rooting for them from the very beginning. I couldn’t get enough of their scenes together. The story took a bit to find it’s groove, but once it did I didn’t want to put it down.

Once Upon You and Me is really adorable. Timothy Janovsky keeps things at a low simmer for Ethan Golding and Taylor Frost as they find themselves inexplicably attracted to one another in the span of one week. Ethan, as the manager of a storybook resort he and his ex-wife Amy created in the Catskills many years ago, is blown away when her very organized and friendly assistant Taylor arrives to make sure daughter Samara's Sweet 16 is what she has always dreamed about and finds himself wanting the younger man more than he ever thought possible. The bi-sexual Ethan is a bear of a man, both figuratively and literally and everything about his quiet yet strong nature calls to Taylor like no one before him. Then, as friendship turns to much more as they spend plenty of time together tending to guests needs, both men find their own desires satisfied as well.

What a pleasant surprise this book turned out to be. I was taken with how caring both Ethan and Taylor were towards those around them and most importantly to each other. How each saw the other like most didn't, especially for Ethan, since Amy pretty much painted him as difficult and hard to be around. I loved that Taylor understood Ethan's ADHD and that Ethan understood how Amy simply didn't see how capable and worthy of more her assistant truly was. It's like a light shone brightly on both men, as they were finally in someone's field of vision, knowing exactly just how special they were.

The pace was good for the most part and I really did enjoy all of the characters, with Samara the true surprise voice of reason for her parents. Taylor was a joy and a half and I was happy that his nonstop selflessness was finally rewarded in the form of the man he deserved more than he thought possible. There is plenty of sweet and enough light angst to keep me engaged. And in the end, it was Ethan for me who was the driving force in this story, who finally found his happy and finally realized his own destiny, with his man by his side. Each found the bravery from the other to be more, and it truly was a lovely thing to see.

3.5 stars.

This is my 3rd Timothy Janovsky book and it's my favorite so far! Once Upon You and Me is a beautifully sweet story. I adored Ethan and Taylor and I found their chemistry totally believable. I usually have a hard time with age gap romances, but this one felt respectful and balanced. I also thought the spicy scenes were well done.

The tone of the book is mostly light and silly, but there is depth with the exploration of Taylor's hyper-vigilant people-pleasing due to being responsible for his younger siblings growing up, and Ethan's grief and loneliness over the distance between himself and his daughter along with how his late ADHD diagnosis affected him. Both characters' lives are highly impacted by Amy, Ethan's ex-wife, and what could have been a shallow, villainous character was also given a more rounded treatment.

I also really enjoyed the New England woodland resort setting, as well as the contrast with the scenes we got in the sort of LA West Coast area. So many of the side characters felt like they could have been cameos of characters with their own books; the world felt real.

Highly recommend to readers looking for a heartfelt mlm romance who appreciate some nice gooey cheese.

Content Warnings:
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Biphobia, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug use, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

4/5 stars: This is Janovsky's 2SLGBTQIA+ Steamy Romance stand-alone that follows a rugged divorced resort manager who finds himself falling for his ex-wife's, who and happens to be his boss, cute younger assistant as they work together to prep for the man's daughter's sweet sixteen dream getaway. The only problem... their boss, AKA the ex-wife, and how she'll feel about a relationship between the two men. If only forbidden flings ever led to happily-ever-afters. Told in dual POV with plenty of humor and heartfelt feelings, Janovsky's writing and character work are excellent; the characters are well-rounded, complex and yet remain likable. Ethan, who's bisexual with ADHD, and Taylor, who's gay, are great and I liked seeing the two work on their personal issues so that they can get their much deserved HEA. Oh and I have to say I love Ethan's lovely Newfoundland, Nana. Additionally, I really liked the charming atmosphere of the Catskills, NY Storybook Endings Resort and all the classic fairytale nobs Janovsky includes. This is a age-gap (27/40) romance with top notch swoony banter and OPS scenes that are incredibly steamy, oh so steamy.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin - Romance | Afterglow Books by Harlequin in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

I have loved every single book by Timothy Janovsky and I can never get enough. I highly recommend this book and all of their other books.

I will always enjoy a Timothy Janovsky book. They tend to be more light-hearted and sweet reads, which I do tend to enjoy. Once Upon You and Me was no exception.

In this book we follow Ethan, a divorced dad who works as the manager of a storybook themed resort. A resort he started with his ex-wife who went off and grew the resort into a chain. Ethan is lonely and misses his daughter, but he could never leave his home. Enter Taylor. Personal assistant to Ethan's ex-wife, aspiring hotel manager, and the ultimate temptation for Ethan. Despite their attraction, the two know a relationship just isn't in the cards for them. But after a storm leaves Taylor without a room to stay, the two end up in much closer quarters than expected. The proximity and undeniable attraction between the two make keeping their hands off of one near impossible. Scratch that: it is impossible.

I enjoyed this book and look forward to Janovsky's next project!

When I first read the blurb for Once Upon Me & You, I absolutely knew I wanted to read it.
And while, the book was able to keep my attention, I felt myself not being as drawn to the characters. More often than not, I was being told about everything, rather than shown which made the book difficult to get into. Also the book breezed around multiple heavy topics/representations and gave the vibe that they were thrown in to be superficially inclusive.

I also wouldn’t really call this a “charming fairy tale meets spicy bedtime story” as the spice was…where exactly? However, the archery lessons were done so well and I wish that had been a little more developed.

Personally I have liked some of Janovsky’s books in the past, this one simply didn’t work that well for me.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Romance, and Timothy Janovsky for an advanced reader copy to enjoy and review.

I enjoyed a previous work by Janovsky (You Had Me at Happy Hour) and Once Upon You and Me continues on the hospitality romance motif. The Catskills setting is perfect for the story in which Ethan, working for his ex-wife's flagship themed resort, becomes more than acquainted with said ex's PA, Taylor. Their lightning quick attraction and attention to each other was fun to read and the path to their eventual HEA genuine and sweet. I liked the touch of forced proximity that encouraged their romance.