Ethan runs the resort who used to co-own with his ex wife Amy. Taylor is Amy's assistant. Taylor is tasked with throwing Amy and Ethans's daughter's Sweet 16 at Ethan's resort. Taylor goes there early to take care of things and immediately clicks with Ethan. They have to hide it from Amy, but Amy finds out and fires Taylor. Amy it's pretty terrible. This book has spice and angst, but importantly, a happy ending.

Having previously read other books by Timothy Janovsky, I knew this book would not disappoint! There were many different factors to this story from all the characters that played an important role to the main two characters, Taylor and Ethan.

Ethan is the manager for Storybook Endings Resort, a hotel chain owned by Amy his ex-wife and mother of their soon-to-be 16 year old daughter, Samara. Taylor, Amy's assistant is sent to the resort to over see the details for Samara's birthday. The moment Taylor and Ethan meet, there is an instant connection. They must learn to navigate their forbidden connection and hopefully at the end of the road find their storybook ending.

This was a great book all around. Between the connection of Taylor and Ethan and how they worked off each other to the other characters that played a pivotal role to the story. There were many funny moments and hot ones as well. You can't help but feel what the characters are feelings and route for them to make it. I highly recommend this book! Especially if you have read other books by Timothy Janovsky! You won't be disappointed.

This is my first Timothy Janovsky book and let me tell you it will NOT be the last. I love love loved this book! I can’t wait for people to start reading it so I can talk to someone else about it.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for this eARC.

Ethan is a single dad who lives all the way across the country from his daughter (Samara) and ex-wife (Amy). When his Amy's assistant (Taylor) flies in to prepare for Samara's sweet 16 birthday, sparks fly and a forbidden romance starts to bloom.

I really enjoyed this sweet age gap romance. Taylor and Ethan are both lovely characters and their romance felt natural, believable, and had the perfect amount of spice, The story was charming but I do think it veered a bit too cheesy for my taste at times.

It took me a little bit to get into in, but towards the middle it got a little good. Overall the storyline and main characters make sense, I can understand why certain choices made/make sense. I think the plot of the book is solid. it could be 2-3 chapters shorter as in some cases it feels like it drags a little.

As always Timothy did it again! I love the relationship that Taylor has with each of the characters. It is great to see a “fluffy” main character, co parenting, blended family and all of the things! There is some spice (of course), and some drama. I say it every time, this might be my favorite book. I love how every book though each subject is different the writing gets better and better! Way to go Timothy!

Enjoyed this one for the most part. I liked both characters and their relationship, but every once in a while one of them would be set off by something and I didn't really understand it. The ex-wife was annoying and honestly I thought they let her off the hook way too easily.

This book has an absolutely charming setup: divorcee and his ex-wife's assistant have to plan his daughter's birthday party. Charming because of the characters, and charming because of the setting, a fairy-tale themed resort. The romance takes a while, and is absolutely believable.

A cute, fun romcom with great bisexual representation and a sweet love story at its core - I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

I loved these two and their romance. It was wonderful to follow and it took you through all the ups and downs and feelings of a romance and while also having a large cast of charters for you to get to know. I think this was a great romance and I highly recommend it. The characters felt real and I was rooting for them the entire time

I enjoyed getting to see Ethan and Taylor recognize that they both deserve to be happy, and then even happier! I also appreciated that the age gap was still age appropriate. This was a cute read!

Sweet age gap romance between two men not looking for love. Ethan, still recovering from his divorce from Amy, feeling the loss of their daughter who moved with Amy after the divorce, and finding his new path meets Taylor, his ex-wifes assistant and sparks fly!

Taylor, used to caring for others from growing up in a household with several siblings and not the most present parents, finds he does well as Amy's personal assistant, although he has aspirations for much more.
Amy send Taylor to their resort, Storybook Endings, in the Catskills to prep for Amy and Ethans daughter's sweet sixteen birthday party.
Situations unfold that through these two together until they cannot resist each other. The romance progressed well, not a terrible slow burn, and the spice was hot.
I love how Ethan is so caring and supportive of Taylor providing the piece that he has been missing. Taylor brings a light and openness to Ethans world.
Really enjoyed this one.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.

Once Upon You and Me: Timothy Janovsky at His Absolute Best!

Once Upon You and Me is an enchanting age-gap romance that captures your heart and keeps you turning the pages. Timothy Janovsky weaves a delightful tale of love, self-discovery, and second chances that’s as heartfelt as it is compelling.

The story centers on Ethan, the manager of Storybook Endings Resort, who finds himself in a bit of a life rut post-divorce. When tasked with planning his daughter’s Sweet Sixteen, he crosses paths with Taylor, his ex-wife’s quirky assistant. Taylor’s charm and goofiness light a spark Ethan didn’t know he was missing. As the two navigate their budding connection, they realize they share more than meets the eye. But can their relationship withstand the challenges of bringing it into the open?

While age-gap romances may not appeal to everyone, Once Upon You and Me had me hooked from start to finish. Janovsky’s character development is nothing short of brilliant, with Ethan standing out as a particularly relatable and memorable protagonist. Though I wasn’t sure I’d connect with him at first, his chapters quickly became some of my favorites.

The supporting cast also deserves high praise. Gabriel, Amy, Samara, and Sasha bring so much vibrancy and humor to the story, enriching every scene they’re in. Their unique quirks and hilarious moments added layers of charm that made the narrative even more enjoyable.

And let’s not forget the humor—Janovsky’s comedic timing is impeccable. The blend of heartfelt emotion and laugh-out-loud moments strikes the perfect balance, making this story a joy to read.

In the end, Once Upon You and Me is another triumph from Timothy Janovsky. It’s a celebration of queer love and joy, delivered with the wit and warmth that Janovsky is known for. Whether you’re new to his work or a longtime fan, this novel is sure to leave you smiling. Highly recommended!

Thank you Timothy Janovsky and NetGalley for this eARC.

#agegapromance

When Taylor is sent to rural New York by his boss, he does not expect to like for his boss's ex-husband, Ehtan.
I appreciated the relationship between Taylor and Ethan. In other age-gap romances I have read, the younger character is portrayed as immature and not having anything together. This was not the case with Taylor. I had Taylor Swift's 'The Archer' running through my head multiple times as I read! I loved the relationship Taylor had with Samara and I felt like their bond was important to the storyline.

I wish Samara and Ethan's relationship was more of a focus in the book. I loved the glimpses we saw, especially the waffle scene. I was left wanting more of that father-daughter banter. In my opinion, there were times when the ADHD representation was on point, and others when it fell flat.

Cute read that I really enjoyed. 3.5/5 stars

This was a beautifully done romance novel and I enjoyed getting to know the characters in this world. The overall story worked well and was written perfectly from Timothy Janovsky. The characters had that realistic element to them and cared about what happened to them.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!!

What a great book!! It had me hooked from page one! I couldn’t put this down. I finished it in one sitting. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters. This was a first for me by this author but it will not be my last!!

This book was an easy fun read. It was cute and liked the ADHD representation and the age gap. Don’t expect it to be super spicy as it only had a couple moments and some of them were just summarized instead of delving into it. I would recommend this book for someone looking for a cute queer romance!

This was my first book by Timothy Janovsky. I was so pumped by the blurb and the premise of the story. I did not realize it was in third person. It made it super hard to get into and to truly care about the characters. If you are OK with third person, I think you would really enjoy this book. It just wasn't for me.

Thank you for the ARC!

Absolutely adorable! Great pacing, a relationship you want to root for. My only qualm is Amy…she is unforgivably awful. And she doesn’t change.

But I adore Ethan and the way he shapes his life to suit his needs. I love Taylor for being a free spirit with uber romantic tendencies.

This book is short and sweet, just like a modern day fairytale.

I don’t know why this book made me so emotional but it did and I adored it. This was so fucking precious and the cover it to die for.