A vibrant New Yorker meets Southern charm…

Eve trades her NYC life for the mountains of Tennessee, hoping to get some writing done and get her life back on track after breaking off her engagement and cutting off her overbearing parents. Jamie is fresh off a custody battle for his son after his decade-long girlfriend falls in love with someone else and is left to figure out what life looks like as a single dad. This unlikely pair gravitates to Gatlinburg for reprieve and healing but ultimately finds love and solace in unexpected ways.

Jamie and Eve have lots of baggage and are in no way ready to explore new relationships, but that’s how life goes. There was a heart wrenching comfort in how they show up for each other and learn to love again. Readers witness them grow, not perfectly, but honestly. Their love is messy, relatable and at times will make you scream, but it’s real.

Tennessee makes and remakes these characters. The story covers many difficult topics, so please check the TW’s before reading, because this is a story about healing first and then it’s a love story. Eve grapples with her conservative Haitian parents and healing from past events that she’s carried all her life. Jamie grows a backbone and learns much-needed boundary setting with his ex. They must earn each other’s trust with their walls still high, and anyone who’s been hurt by someone they loved will understand the vulnerability in starting over.

This was described by the publisher as… “For fans of Emily Henry, Tia Williams and HBO’s Insecure” which meant an instant download for me. The way Eve and Jamie work through their emotions and trust felt comparable to Issa and Lawrence’s journey in many ways for sure.

Thanks for having me as part of the blog tour and for sending me a finished copy @ Berkley Pub.

This was a really strong debut novel! I was drawn into from the very first chapter.

This book deals with heavy topics like pregnancy loss, child custody, grief and other traumas. All topics were handled with care and respect.

I really appreciate when an author paints a realistic journey of overcoming trauma. The characters in this book faced real obstacles, and they put in the work to be better. I also liked the vulnerability that was shown in the intimate scenes. Those were very real and relatable.

The only reason I docked a star is that this book was a little longer than needed with one too many break ups. Otherwise it was a very solid read.

I enjoyed this book of self-discovery and realistic romance. It features a Black woman play write, who spends time in an Appalachian cabin with her white neighbor who offers...comfort. There are some heavy topics dealt with, so please check the content warnings before engaging and before selecting for a reading group. That said, I could easily see this as a great buddy read and a book to annotate.

I started this book with high expectations. From the first page, it was clear that it would deliver. The prose was captivating, the characters seemed relatable, and the overall story seemed compelling. I appreciate the author's note cautioning readers about the heavier topics involved throughout the story. Unfortunately, I am in a season of life where these themes were too heavy for me to complete the book. That said, I am not finished with this story. I have purchased a copy for the day when I can finish it with a clear heart and open mind. It is a story worth revisiting when I can give it the attention that it deserves. <3

4.5⭐️

Wow wow wow. What a stunning debut from Ashley Jordan!! This book is an emotional roller coaster that packs a punch dealing with heavy topics like childhood trauma, parent relationships, grief, and healing.

Eve is done with New York life and toxic relationships with her ex fiancé and her parents so she excepts to the Tennessee mountains in order to reset and get her life back on track. Enter Jamie, a single dad to an 8 year old boy, who is dealing with the aftermath of his custody battle with his ex.

When Eve and Jamie meet, there is immediate tension and chemistry. They are two damaged souls coming together and I was rooting for them the whole way through. Eve is a deeply emphatic person and her backstory of trauma was so sad but also relatable. Jamie is too good for this world!!!! Despite all the traumas from his childhood and past relationship, he is so incredible patient with Eve. His son, Jack, was soo adorable and added so many cute and funny moments to this otherwise heavy read.

As Eve and Jamie began to open up to each other and let love in, I was grinning ear to ear. They took the time to confront their trauma, heal, and grow together. Once Upon a Time in Dollywood is a raw emotional read and a stunning debut! Everyone needs to pick this book up!!

Thank you to Berkley for the e-ARC in exchange for my review!

Thanks so much to @berkleypub for the free book! #BerkleyPartner

🎉 HAPPY PUB DAY to Once Upon a Time in Dollywood by Ashley Jordan aka the debut that shook me, healed me, and made me believe in messy love stories again 🥹❤️‍🔥

Let’s be clear: this is NOT your average lighthearted rom-com.

This is grief, healing, heartbreak, and hope wrapped in a beautifully written small town escape.

Eve is emotionally wrecked, Jamie is a single dad trying to keep it together, and when they collide? It’s tender, gutting, and everything in between.

✍️ Eve is a playwright in creative crisis

👨‍👧 Jamie is a single dad rebuilding his life

💔 They both have baggage

🌄 But in the Tennessee mountains under firefly skies and Dollywood magic they find something worth risking it all for.

I laughed. I cried. I annotated like a madwoman.

This book tackles trauma, therapy, family dysfunction, and Black mental health in such an honest and layered way. Eve and Jamie’s story felt so raw and real, and I was rooting for them the entire time even when they were their own worst enemies.

Favorite tropes you’ll love:
✨ Small Town Escape

✨ Single Dad Softie

✨ She’s guarded, he’s patient

✨ Emotional healing arc (done so well)

✨ Fling turned forever

I cannot believe this is Ashley Jordan’s debut. The way she writes emotion?? UNREAL. You feel every ache, every joy, every messy choice.

Once Upon a Time in Dollywood is out TODAY so run, don’t walk. This book deserves a permanent spot on your shelf

Eve retreats to the Tennessee mountains after upending her life, only to find herself unexpectedly drawn to her single-dad neighbor, Jamie. As their connection deepens, both must confront their past wounds and decide if they’re ready to risk love again.

I loved Ashley Jordan’s debut, Once Upon a Time in Dollywood! I really appreciated that she included a note at the beginning explaining that this isn’t a romcom and listing content warnings. Eve and Jamie were deeply complex messy characters. The dual POV worked perfectly. The audiobook narrators chosen for each perspective did a great job bringing them to life. There were definitely moments when Eve and Jamie made choices, either on their own or together, that made me want to shake them. But that only made the story feel more true to how people act in real life. Ashley handled difficult subjects with care. The push and pull of Eve and Jamie’s relationship was frustratingly beautiful in a realistic way. Their individual journeys were compelling especially in how they came together. I highly recommend picking this one up!

Ashley Jordan this was a really good debut. She’s writes to make the readers feel. Really bringing the characters to life. So many emotions were felt and topics were touched on. From how one feels about themselves, lost of child, relationship with parents and feeling abandoned from childhood to adulthood. I enjoyed getting to know Eve and Jamie. How they interacted with each other and navigate their families.

When Eve left to a place that made her safe and ran into the sweet Jamie their chemistry was immediate. They were so adorable. However, these two had quit the similarities in dealing with family issues during their childhood. That led to how they dealt with things and how people handled them in the now. Jamie, even though sweet, was such a push over. When he found his voice i was too proud. Lucy was such a parasite in Jamie’s life. At one point Eve got on my nerves and with the never ending cycle of tug a war these two had. This is why healing and speaking your truth is important. So many people (including me) need to heal in order to have something healthy. I love that Ashley paid attention to those conversations each character had with people that hurt them and also each other. There was a lot of realizing how messy and self centered some people are. Some parents should not have become parents. We know parents aren’t perfect but certain actions are truly damaging to your child’s mental.

There’s honestly so much to unpack in beautiful book. Such a beautiful cover with deep issues buried in the pages. Oh yeah shout out to the character Maya for make me laugh and lighting up the mood sometimes.

Thank you Berkeley and NetGalley for my ARC.

Thank you to Berkley Pub for the gifted e-arc!

4.5⭐️
Just Wow! What an amazing debut! This story is heavy, throughout a good portion of the book, but I love the way Ashley takes us on en entire healing journey. If I had to sum it up- this book is a lesson and exploration in healing. The FMC was in a really bad place. She was frustrating, one of those characters where you want to grab hold and shake them. She was avoidant, rude, dismissive, flaky, and self sabotaged. While she was frustrating, there was a reason for this. She was deeply hurt and this stemmed from an incident during her teenage years. Despite all her issues, she meets Jamie. As much as she tried to run away from what was budding, she couldn’t escape the way he made her feel. After longing to feel something for so long, could he be the key that healed her and made her want to love again?
I loved to see Eve, come into her own and figure her life out. I was so proud of her eventual growth not only emotionally/mentally but even with her career. The ending perfectly tied everything up!

Jamie, the MMC was such a gem! I loved him from the minute he was introduced. As great as he was for Eve, he also had his own emotional issues to work through- family trauma, failures, regret, hurts, etc. He was patient, kind, thoughtful, well read, open, and the way he loved his son was heartwarming.

I highly recommend this beautiful story. Please check your trigger warnings, however! **miscarriage/pregnancy loss

Perfect for fans of:
Single dad
Mental health representation
LGBTQ rep
Interracial relationship(BW/WM)

In Once Upon a Time in Dollywood, Eve pulls a hard stop on her rapidly accelerating life in New York (an unsatisfying engagement, a rising career, and a boatload of unmanaged trauma) by heading to the Tennessee mountains for a writing retreat. At the site of her greatest heartbreak, Evie meets Jamie, a single dad fresh off a gnarly divorce, and the two strike up a friendship that quickly becomes more.

For a debut, Jordan hits a lot of great notes. The Being Mary Jane/Joan Clayton/Molly from Insecure of it all is highly entertaining even as it is maddening. Eve is a thorny flower, and Jamie is a recovering people pleaser all too eager to fall at her altar, which makes both of their perspectives a little hair pull inducing. I can’t share my most heated annotations without spoilers but just know there was some screaming involved.

For all that though, I think this is a grounded, worthwhile read. There are some heavy themes, so heed the author’s note going into this one. I don’t think it was what I expected, but I enjoyed the experience.

Ashley Jordan’s debut, Once Upon a Time in Dollywood, is a deeply emotional and beautifully layered story of healing, heartbreak, and hard-earned hope. Centered on Eve and Jamie—two people burdened by past trauma, grief, and complex life decisions—this novel explores what it means to love when you're still learning how to live with your own scars.

Set mainly against the lush backdrop of the Tennessee mountains, the setting is vividly drawn, giving the story an intimate, grounded feel that makes you feel like you’re right there with them in that cabin. The romance is a whirlwind! Messy, vulnerable, and at times, painful—but it’s also honest and very rewarding.

What stood out most was the depth of character development and how Ashley Jordan doesn’t shy away from portraying the hard work of healing. The inclusion of Audre Lorde quotes adds literary weight and emotional resonance.

This is not a rom-com—it comes with important content warnings for topics like fertility struggles, infidelity, depression, and more—but for readers open to a tender, difficult, and ultimately hopeful story, this is a standout debut.

This is a grumpy/sunshine romance book and she’s the grump. Well, she’s more than just a grump but it’s with reason. Eve has gone through trauma and she’s trying to navigate her life with a fiancé she’s no longer happy with, overbearing religious parents who aren’t supportive all the while being a playwright looking to put together a very poignant piece. She decides to go to a little town in Tennessee to run away from her trauma while there she meets Jamie a single dad whose also trying to get away after having gone through a long custody battle with his ex-girlfriend.
.
From the beginning of this book I disliked Eve. She was so off putting and just rude, but we find out why she’s like this and still I didn’t like her. If wanting to slap someone into reality in fiction was possible I would slap Eve. When she meets Jaime she is so callous towards him. He was so patient and caring with her and all she had was anger. Yes, she was dealing with a lot. Yes, she had a lot of trauma but to be that rude was not needed. What made me most mad with her was when she said she trusted him because he was so open and honest with her but she wasn’t the same way with him. She kept herself hidden but wanted him to be accommodating to her. Did I mention that Eve is half Haitian 🇭🇹 By the mid-point of the book it felt like there was no redeeming her, but she did a complete 180° and I liked her a lot more. She found herself and was able to make amends with her trauma and learn about herself and her own experiences and how they didn’t diminish her light. Jaime also comes to his own realizations and takes charge of his situation. The book ends really cute and I was very pleased. 4⭐️ read for me with all the dislike I had for Eve the book kept me engaged and wanting to see the happy ending

Title: A Heartfelt Debut That Explores Love, Healing, and Hope

Ashley Jordan’s debut novel, Once Upon A Time In Dollywood, is a stunning exploration of love, healing, and the lingering shadows of childhood trauma. Jordan masterfully navigates complex emotional landscapes, creating a poignant narrative that resonates deeply with readers.

At the heart of the story is Eve, a brilliant playwright trapped in the bustling, suffocating environment of New York. Her struggles with heavy childhood trauma are depicted with raw authenticity, making her journey both relatable and heart-wrenching. Seeking solace, she relocates to Tennessee, where the enchanting charm of Dollywood serves as more than just a backdrop—it’s a symbol of transformation and hope.

Enter Jamie, the epitome of sunshine despite his own set of personal scars. A single dad and business owner, Jamie’s warmth and resilience contrast beautifully with Eve’s guarded demeanor. Their "grumpy x sunshine" dynamic isn’t just delightful; it’s layered with genuine emotion and depth. As neighbors turned lovers, their relationship unfolds organically, rooted in mutual understanding and the courage to confront past wounds.

Jordan’s nuanced portrayal of how childhood trauma subtly influences adult relationships is both thought-provoking and compassionate. She sheds light on the coping mechanisms we adopt, the walls we build, and the fear of vulnerability that often lingers in the aftermath of early pain. Yet, through Eve and Jamie’s journey, we witness the transformative power of connection and the healing that comes with letting someone truly see us.
Once Upon A Time In Dollywood is not just a romance; it’s a testament to resilience, the beauty of second chances, and the magic of finding love when you least expect it. Ashley Jordan has crafted an unforgettable debut that is heartfelt, honest, and profoundly moving. This novel is a must-read for anyone who believes in the redemptive power of love and the strength it takes to confront our pasts.

When a single dad with anger issues and a playwright with religious trauma collide in the Tennessee mountains, what you get is a love story that's messy, mature, emotionally brutal, and achingly beautiful.This isn't a meet-cute—it's a meet-broken.And yet somehow, it’s one of the most hopeful romances we’ve ever read.


🏷️ Tropes You’ll Find:

Grumpy x Sunshine (but both are a little stormy)

Small Town Escape

Single Dad Softie

He Falls First

She’s Running from Her Past

Found Family

Therapy & Healing

Slow, Earned Second Chance at Love

Blush Meter 💖💖💖💖💖/ 5Blush Meter:

Grown folks’ business. Deep kisses, flirty tension, and a sex scene that actually feels like part of the healing. The intimacy feels like the final act in a long play about trust.

🌟 TAK Girlie Rating: ★★★★★

Ashley Jordan’s storytelling is layered, tender, and raw in all the best ways. There are some books that love you back. This is one of them.

Once Upon a Time in Dollywood is a story that knows Blackness, trauma, faith, and joy intimately—and refuses to reduce any of them. Eve Ambroise is a Haitian-American playwright leaving behind the wreckage of a miscarriage, a broken engagement, and decades of religious shame. Jamie Gallagher is a single father in Tennessee, still angry at the world, his ex, and a past that keeps replaying itself.

When they meet, it’s a clash of grief and grit. You think the contrast will be too jarring—big-city Eve and small-town Jamie? And yet… the emotional intimacy builds with such patience. They're honest with each other. They mess up. They own it. They grow.

And that growth is the star of this book.Jamie, who could’ve been a red-flag nightmare, instead becomes one of the most complex and endearing romantic leads we’ve seen in a while. His backstory is heartbreaking—but it never excuses his behavior. Eve challenges him. He listens. He steps up.

And Eve? Eve is chaos and grief wrapped in ambition and heart. We would’ve followed her across five more cities just to see her find peace. Her relationship with her Haitian grandmother, her Spelman years (briefly mentioned but haunting), and the weight of cultural expectations around marriage and motherhood—it's all rendered with such care. You don’t just root for her healing, you ache for it.

The emotional realism here is staggering. The characters speak like adults. They pause to think. They name their fears. It’s honestly rare to see communication written this well in romance without feeling clinical or preachy.

And still—this book is funny. The banter lands. The chemistry pops. And Dollywood? Surprisingly romantic. Ashley Jordan’s Tennessee is lush, not sanitized, and it has just enough country-fair charm to make you want to pack a bag.

Also: Jack. Jamie’s son. CUTEST KID IN ROMANCE. Please give him a sticker chart, a spinoff, and all the hugs.

✍🏾Final Thoughts:

This isn’t a fairy tale. It’s a romance for people who’ve been through it—who know what it’s like to love with bruises, to parent with doubts, to choose softness anyway. Eve and Jamie fall in love like grown folks do: slowly, painfully, beautifully. And somehow, that makes it even more magical.

Ashley Jordan’s debut doesn’t just deserve hype—it demands it.

For Fans Of:

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

The Friend Zone (TV show) meets Queen Sugar vibes

+ Cozy mountain vibes
+ Interracial romance (BW/WM)
+ Fling-to-forever
+ Single dad romance

Ashley Jordan’s Once Upon a Time in Dollywood is a tender, deeply felt debut about heartbreak, healing, and finding your way back to yourself.
We meet Eve, a playwright whose personal life is crumbling. Seeking solitude and a fresh start, she escapes to the Tennessee mountains, only to find herself next door to Jamie, a single dad rebuilding after a painful custody battle. Their connection is immediate but layered, shaped by Eve’s guardedness and Jamie’s own grief and scars. As they push and pull, help and hurt, their love story becomes one of reclamation, of both romance and self-worth.

While their chemistry anchors the novel, what truly shines is the emotional depth of their individual journeys. Eve’s path to self-love and Jamie’s evolution as a father and partner are beautifully written. Ashley Jordan doesn’t rush their healing. She gives it space to breathe. These are messy, flawed, fully human characters, and their growth feels deeply earned.

I especially appreciated the way Jordan centers Black women’s mental health and joy with care and nuance. There’s a scene where the actresses in Eve’s play (all Black millennial women) perform a pre-show ritual to Beyoncé’s Church Girl “to embrace the freedom of spirit and renounce the shackles of judgment. A song for saints and sinners alike, it was essential to spend those four minutes celebrating that Duality living in every single one of them.” It’s moments like these that made me feel seen and deeply connected to the characters in the book.

The setting is another standout. I haven’t been to Gatlinburg in years, but the descriptions made me want to pack a bag. The Dollywood scenes, in particular, felt especially magical.

I’ll be first in line for Ashley Jordan’s next book. If you love second chances, slow-burn healing, and love stories that honor emotional truth, Once Upon a Time in Dollywood deserves a spot on your shelf.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for the eARC. Once Upon a Time in Dollywood hits shelves August 5!

4.5 ⭐️ | Ashley Jordan definitely unpacked a lot in this story and took us on an emotional roller coaster. She dove into some series topics such as childhood traumas and complicated parental relationships, yet at the same time gave us characters like Maya for some comic relief. It was simply a perfect mixture of emotions.

I don’t think there will be a single person that was not rooting for Eve and Jamie’s love story to blossom. When these two damaged souls collided, I could definitely feel the chemistry through the pages. It truly showed how people should take the time and heal to try and prevent past emotional traumas to follow you into your future relationships. Eve had so many layers to peel back and I absolutely love how Ashley showed us in this book that sometimes “it’s ok to not be ok.” I absolutely loved Eve and Maya’s relationship, and Maya is simply that friend that everyone needs..

I don’t even know where to start with Jamie. He was simply too good for those that did not appreciate him. Literally the best man, despite his own past traumas that have also followed him from childhood. He has definitely made the book bae & super dad list.

I don’t know how personal this story was to this author, but it definitely felt personal as the emotions radiated throughout the story. It’s not often that a story makes you fall in love with the main characters and the supporting characters. I also loved Casey, his bluntness and caring demeanor was a highlight for me.

Being a Tennessee resident, it was so cool to hear about all these cities that I am very familiar with and a lot of the story took place where I live now.

Overall and simply put, a really great, emotional, and unforgettable read. The only thing I would have loved to see was maybe an epilogue about a year or so later. However, the author definitely gave enough for readers to have an idea of how things turned out. Thank you Berkley Publishing Group, Penguin Random House Audio and NetGalley for the advanced reader & listening copies. All opinions are my own.

Publication 🗓️ : 08.05.25

✨ Small town romance
✨ Single dad
✨ Fish out of water
✨ Friends to lovers
✨ Interracial romance
✨ Emotional / healing
⚠ Teenage pregnancy/adoption and infertility
⚠ Cheating

This is a fantastic and emotional debut that details how love and acceptance of oneself is an arduous and nonlinear journey. Eve Ambroise is a playwright who has endured a difficult year filled with infertility and an unfulfilling relationship with her fiancé. She decides to leave her life behind and escape to her late grandmother's house in Gatlinburg Tennessee to write, only to discover her new neighbor, Jamie Gallagher. Jamie is a single dad who has taken care of Ms. Hazel's house for years and is fighting his own demons, especially after a contentious custody battle. What starts out as a fling turns into something that could be more if they can get out of their heads and lead with their hearts.

It's hard to believe that this is a debut! I was instantly gripped with Eve's plight and how unresolved trauma affects every relationship. I loved how Eve's relationship with Jamie started and evolved into something messy and beautiful, because that's how life really is. Mistakes were made and lessons learned, because a powerful love story is never easy. Healing, growth, and therapy were major themes and were portrayed beautifully and realistically.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a good emotional story about finding out what you really want in life, healing from unresolved trauma, and discovering new love along the way.

Thank you so much to Berkley for the advanced copy! 🖤

One of my most anticipated books of August, and it was absolutely worth the wait. This is a gorgeous romance (definitely not a rom-com, and the author makes that clear in her note before the story starts) with characters who are vivid and real- sometimes flawed and broken, but with a lot of depth that shows how deeply the author knows these characters. I love Eve's career as a playwright and the role of theater, and that her experience as a Black woman and artist play a big role in the story. I think I'll be a big fan of Ashley Jordan from here on out.

For this to be a debut Ashley did her big one. The journey this book takes you on is so beautifully written. I enjoyed it and can’t wait to buy a physical copy

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review: Once Upon a Time in Dollywood by Ashley

As an East Tennessee native, I was instantly drawn to the title — but I stayed for the heartfelt story, layered characters, and emotionally rich writing. Ashley did a phenomenal job with both plot and character development. I especially appreciated the millennial humor and Little Mermaid references (as a millennial and lifelong Ariel fan, I felt so seen!).

Jamie and Eve are beautifully written characters with real pasts, emotional baggage, and personal struggles that made their connection feel authentic. I was so invested in their journey — both individually and as a couple. This story tackled realistic life challenges in a way that felt deeply relatable and not sugar-coated. I love when a book showcases the messy, complicated parts of love and growth rather than just delivering a perfect fairytale ending.

By the end, I was genuinely proud of both characters. My only complaint? No epilogue! I selfishly wanted just a little more of their story.

Highly recommend this book for anyone who loves emotional, character-driven romances with heart, humor, and a whole lot of Tennessee charm.