Every book I read by Timothy Janovsky cements himself as an auto buy author for me! He has nailed the science of crafting the perfect rom-com with mental health rep behind it. I loved Ethan and Taylor and thought they were such a well matched pair. Taylor is so emotionally intelligent with the role he played with his siblings growing up and I love how he was able to be there for Samara and how that lead to such a dynamic of trust and respect to form between him and Ethan (on top of the lust and chemistry!!)

I always love seeing ADHD representation in books and I thought it was portrayed really well in this story. Ethan has been able to identify the things he struggles most with and which tips/routines work best for him, but he still feels a sense of shame having to admit that. I loved the way that Taylor was so easily able to show him "hey its perfectly okay that you're like this"

Thank you Harlequin and NetGalley for an ARC of Once Upon You and Me

4.25 stars

Thank you to Harlequin Romance and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this one. All thoughts are my own.

This??? Way too cute, oh my gosh. The archery, the sleepy, accidental kiss, “I need you to be gentle with me,” the voice messages?!

I really loved this romance. It was soft and sweet and heartfelt. Ethan and Taylor were so, so good together right from their first meeting.

I loved how drawn to each other they were. There is a whiff of insta-love in here, but it didn’t bother me in the slightest. It felt organic, it grew and developed slowly over the course of the book. It was absolutely wonderful to read.

Even the third act breakup, which normally makes me heave a giant, disappointed sigh, felt organic and realistic and barely breakup-ish at all.

3.5 stars. This was a cute story and I liked the plot, but something was just a little off for me. I think the pacing was too quick for my liking and the book may have benefitted from being longer.. While I enjoyed Ethan and Taylor a lot, I don’t feel their characters were fleshed out enough. But that might be the result of the book being on the shorter side. I would have liked 50 or so more pages, sans ongoing mention of Ethan’s hand injury lol. I adored the ending where the two of them started sending Grimm stories back and forth. That was such a sweet and clever way of reconnecting. And that epilogue added 10 years to my life it was and raised my serotonin levels significantly 🥹

4.5 🌟
Janovsky has a way of creating characters that makes them feel like they could be my friends and relatives. They have the same insecurities that most of us do, they feel deeply and communicate badly, and they meet people who make them better versions of themselves. That was clear with Ethan and Taylor - flawed, but trying their hardest, and together, they shine. I adored this story and this world!😍

I was looking at 4 stars but then the ending was so freaking sweet that I had to jump it up. I have read one other book by this author and I liked that one too so I may need to check out his other books. Ethan was married and has a teenage daughter. He runs a resort that his ex-wife and him built from the ground up. His daughter is having her sweet sixteen birthday party at the resort so his ex-wife sends her assistant, Taylor, to make sure everything is perfect for the party. Sparks fly between Taylor and Ethan but they obviously want to keep it on the down low. Taylor will only be there for a week and he does not want to get fired. I loved Taylor and Ethan! I would have liked more romance before the sex but that is usually the case with me. I guess with only a week things had to speed up. They read to each other I thought it was great. It is under 300 pages so a quick read.

As a fan of cute MM romances, I’ve been a fan of Timothy Janovsky’s for quite some time, always picking up latest work whenever one hits the shelves. Life has gotten in the way so I never make it very far before putting them down promising to return. Well, I’m glad I had a moment to sink in to his latest “Once Upon You and Me,” which follows Taylor and Ethan, the latter an older divorcée who happens to be the ex husband of Taylor’s boss. When they catch feelings for one another in this storybook setting the two must come to terms with falling in love without falling out with other important people in our lives.

It’s funny that it’s taken me so long to read something from Janovsky, kind of like how Ethan has taken a minute to be true to himself and let himself love. It’s a nice balance of sweet and spicy (blushing thinking back at a few of the scenes) and while there are some quirky (and tropey) moments, enjoyed seeing this relationship grow between these two. Also, special shout out to Janovsky for centering it around men with different ages and body types! Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for this ARC.

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**

Timothy Janovsky presents his newest contemporary romance novel Once Upon You and Me. Readers follow alternating perspectives from our two main characters. Ethan, general manager of Storybook Endings Resort in the Catskills, is divorced from his wife, Amy, with whom he built the business. Taylor, personal assistant to Amy with dreams of working in hospitality, has been tasked with arranging the sweet sixteen party for Ethan and Amy's daughter at the Catskills resort. Despite the age gap and employment circumstances, Ethan and Taylor have an instant connection. Ethan and Taylor must decide if their happily ever after is worth fighting for.

This story was a sweet and spicy contemporary romance that leaned into genre conventions and a plotline that would not have been out of place in a Hallmark movie. Both of our main characters are competent in their chosen fields, but seem to suffer from some self-doubt in their personal lives. Both men are true cinnamon rolls with a mutually supportive dynamic that comes across as healthy and respectful of each other.

I definitely enjoyed my time with this story, though it did not necessarily stand out among its peers. I would happily recommend it as a feel good, no thoughts romance read.

Another great Timothy Janovsky book! I enjoyed this M/M romance with tropes of forbidden romance, bosses ex, age gap, and forced proximity, the Bi and ADHD representation are great.

Thank you HTP and The Hive for my gifted copy.
Available April 29.

Firstly, I want to thank @htp_hive and @htpbooks for the eARC and ALC. Another great read from Timothy Janovsky, and as always, I am never disappointed. This book features a perfect blend of spicy romance, heartwarming comfort, and a dash of family drama. The premise of "Falling for Your Ex-Wife Assistance" is scandalous and had me locked in! Yall know I love a good messy book🤣.

I absolutely love the chemistry between Taylor and Ethan. The fairy-tale-style resort described in the story makes me want to visit one immediately. Timothy does an excellent job of transporting you to this resort, making you wish it were a real destination.

Additionally, the representation of an adult with ADHD is commendable. Knowing individuals who struggle with this, I found Ethan's challenges to be very accurate compared to what I have observed in others navigating similar experiences. The age-gap relationship is significant but doesn’t overshadow the overall storyline.

I actually think the writing was well done, unfortunately a little too graphic for me. I realize I probably was not the intended audience, but nice story line and well written.

This was such a cute and fun romance. As a 27yro (for now) I have a pet peeve where people in their late 20s are either written as children or like they’re already middle aged, but I was pleasantly surprised that Taylor actually felt like an authentic man in his late 20s.

There’s also a cute dog, and that’s always a win in my book!

I liked this M/M age gap, dual POV romcom but I wouldn't say it was my favorite by Janovsky. There's great ADHD rep, a parent with Multiple Sclerosis and a complicated love interest involving the assistant of the love interest's ex-wife. Good on audio and recommended for fans of authors like M A Wardell. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio and digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

This was my second Janovsky and now I'm determined to go back and read the rest. This book was overwhelming sweet, but with a decent amount of spice, and I couldn't stop reading.

Thank you to Afterglow Books by Harlequin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Once Upon You and Me, Timothy Janovsky’s new queer romcom is here, and it’s as sweet as pie, and filled with enough charm, steam and heart to satisfy any romance reader. Hearts collide in this idyllic meet cute when Taylor is sent to Storybook Endings Resort to prep for his bosses’ daughter's sweet sixteen. The property is owned by said boss… and her ex-husband, the rugged and friendly Ethan, whom Taylor should definitely not be coveting. As Taylor and Ethan work together on the celebration, sparks fly, and the name of the resort may prove more genuine than expected.

This one has so many different tropes–age gap, forced proximity/sharing space, second chance love–and more! Taylor and Ethan are immediately attracted to each other but forced to work through some personal issues before being able to fully claim their love; it’s a fairly low-stakes game, and one that's pretty easy on the eyes. I don’t know that it changed my life, but it put a smile on my face and helped me escape for a few hours into something nice. Sometimes we feel like storybook endings are confined to pages, unlikely to find us in life. But maybe we just have to believe, given time, we’ll find something so simple and right.

Once Upon You & Me is an adorable queer age gap romance. Timothy Janovsky creates the best characters, and it’s a delight to watch them find their HEA.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Taylor isn’t sure what to think when his boss sends him to a Catskills resort to plan her daughter Samara’s sweet 16. After all, he’ll be spending a week with Samara’s dad, who is also his boss’s ex. He certainly doesn’t expect to feel a magnetic pull towards Ethan, a golden bear of a man who run the Storybook Endings Resort. For his part, Ethan hasn’t dated much since his divorce five years ago, but he can’t ignore this attraction to younger, sunshiny Taylor. Can these two navigate their feelings and their complicated relationships?

Ethan and Taylor are great together. I love the way Taylor nudges Ethan out of his comfort zone. For his part, Ethan shows Taylor his worth, and that he deserves happiness and professional success too. I also need to shout out Nana, the Newfoundland, who I want to take home and keep for myself.

If you are a fan of forced proximity, age gap romances, Once Upon Me & You is a treat you shouldn’t miss. Timothy Janovsky once again works his character magic, along with steamy chemistry and some terrific ADHD rep too.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

I LOVED this book. It is my first Timothy Janovsky book and after finishing it I immediately went in search of more. I enjoyed his style of writing. I fell in love with both Ethan (immediately) and Taylor soon after. This was a short and not overly complicated read but there is a genuineness to it that left me wanting more. I'd be first in line for a sequel.

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.