Once I started reading this title, I couldn't put it down. I loved the story of a second chance romance featuring neurodivergent and bi representation. The setting added something extra and I wish this place existed so I could take a vacation there.

I didn't expect to be so caught up in Ethan and Taylor's story, but when I put the book down in the middle, I couldn't stop thinking about them. Their love felt authentic and valuable, and their story compelling and believable, despite the romantic tropes and quick pace. The portrayal of Ethan's ADHD was earnest, as well as the mentions of fear of bi-phobia and fear of fetishization over the age gap. This book never portrayed the age gap as something negative or exaggerated and showed the two characters to be adults with equal maturity and real feelings, while being authentic to their ages. Even Amy, the pseudo-antagonist, was believable in her flaws and feelings, and wasn't a villain as much as a flawed person like everyone else. Essentially, this was a fun and well conveyed romance, with well rounded characters and an engrossing love story.

I enjoy this author loads. I feel so blessed for the publisher to reach out to me for most of his releases now. These are so feel good, along with a little smutty a good mix i must not lie. this book is such a spring release book the release day makes so much since. OH AND PLUS SIZE REP WE LOVEEEE
4/5 stars!

Lovely romance, far spicier than other Timothy Janovsky books I’ve read. I loved the characters and their story and the backstory of the resort.

This was so cute. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect because I haven't read any of Janovsky's earlier books, but this was everything that I wanted. Once Upon You and Me was sweet, warm, funny, sexy, and deeply emotional, and I highly recommend it to romance readers looking for a queer, Hallmark-feeling romance novel about finding your second chance in life, and how it's never too late to find love, or to do what will make you happiest. Just delightful.

Timothy Janovsky is one of my favorite authors in the game when it comes to LGBT representation, and the sheer amount of books he’s pumping out without the quality being hindered should be celebrated. A lovely addition to his bibliography!

Just an interesting story about finding your person. Love the camp vibes made me wish i found love at camps when i was a kid.

This one quickly becomes hilarious when Taylor falls for his boss Amy's Ex husband while planning their daughter's wedding who also happens to be older than him. What could go wrong? It's not just Taylor's heart on the line but his career as well.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Harlequin for providing me with the ARC for this book.

I have been a fan of Timothy Janovsky since I read "Never Been Kissed" back in 2022. I have since read almost everything that he has published. I was so excited to be selected for this ARC because I knew it would be good and I was not disappointed. I enjoyed learning about the characters. I definitely could relate to both Ethan and Taylor throughout the entire story. While I did feel like the connection between them seemed a little rushed, I did like watching it develop. The end of the book also seemed a bit rushed but I liked how it all played out. The spice level was good and did work with the development of the characters, rather than just being thrown in just because. While there were some moments that I wanted to see some more insight and development from the characters, overall, I really enjoyed this book.

Thank you Harlequin and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. Ethan and Amy started Storybrook Endings Inn, now it’s Storybrook Endings Resort and the two are divorced. All Ethan wanted was to be able to keep running the inn, he works for his ex-wife and hardly sees his daughter. But they’ve decided to host her 16th birthday party at the inn. Amy sends her assistant Taylor to help Ethan with the getting the party ready. When the two meet there’s an instant attraction and as it grows they’ll have to navigate their feelings while also keeping it secret. Afterall, dating the ex-husband of your boss and your ex-wife’s assistant is a recipe for disaster right? Another hit for Timothy Janovsky! A sweet, charming, romance with complicated family dynamics that had me feeling all the feels!

I wish I could say that I loved this book but I didn't. The storyline didn't pull me in and I found it boring. The characters were bland and uninteresting, but I like the overall idea; unfortunately, it just wasn't enough for me. I really enjoy Janovsky's writing and I look forward to his next novel. Thank you NetGalley for an early read.

Thank you to Harlequin Romance and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

Once Upon You and Me is a gay rendition of a fairytale, something that most queer people seek that can be diverse and vary differently than how heterosexual relationships and their fairytale endings could be defined. As a fan of this author's previous novels such as New Adult, The Fake Dating Game, and You're A Mean One Matthew Prince, I was really excited for this novel because it's a new release of his, but also because it feature the age-gap trope, which I have never read about.

We follow Ethan, who is the property manager of the resort that his ex-wife owns. Amy and Ethan have a daughter Samara, who is having her sweet sixteen soon at the property. Taylor, Amy's assistant, is in charge of making this party a success for sweet Samara. What begins as a horrible start as when Taylor arrives to the property, his room has issues and Ethan invites him to stay at his house. Ethan begins to find himself attracted to Taylor, and Taylor begins to notice this attraction within himself as the day goes on. However, Taylor struggles with following this attraction, as he doesn't want to jeopardize his job as Amy's assistant.

This book succeeds in crafting a really great overall plot line and the ethical/moral decisions that must be made, as well as the theme of re-defining our happily ever afters. Ethan has to recognize that he does have a future after him and Amy's divorce. The character that really stood out to me was Samara, she has a great personality and closely resembled how teenagers talk nowadays.

With such a promising story comes the parts that lacked for me. First, the ADHD representation was very clearly copy and pasted. At times, I thought to myself at what point does this dialogue provide in the sense of the romantic dialogue and conversations occurring. I also felt that Timothy did a lot of telling, and we didn't see Ethan really have difficulties with the ADHD, which I would appreciate if we are making it a point to discuss. It felt very out of place for me. Ethan and Taylor unfortunately felt very two dimensional. I didn't connect with them very well and they honestly felt similar to the characters in You Had Me At Happy Hour. Again promising, but no depth or spark there. There was also talk about Taylor's brother abandoning/disowning his family, then speaking how he struggles with feelings and relationships because of that. But there isn't any time dedicated to exploring this in great nature. The spice scenes in here felt very PG-13 to me, and I know Timothy has written great spice scenes before, and it's sad that I felt like those could have been strengthened. The ending also felt quite predictable.

Overall, I thought it was okay. There was definitely room for improvement in the spice department, developing our main characters a little bit more, and an added seventy five pages.

4.5 stars

I think this one is now my favorite coming from Timothy Janovsky. This story is super cute and a little spicy while drawing off the fairy tale vibes. Our MCs, Taylor and Ethan, are complex and layered but so real and believable. They are just so loveable. The relationship development was so much fun to see. It happened very naturally, and it ended up being so sweet. And there was very real character development alongside all of that, which I really appreciated. I especially loved the friendship between Taylor and Ethan's daughter. It's just one of those side things of a story that I really love seeing. All in all, I had so much fun with this story, and it was something that felt just a *little* different from the other stories I have read from this author, which I really loved to see. Definitely worth checking out!

When personal assistant Taylor Frost is sent to the Storybook Endings Resort to organize his boss’s daughter’s sweet sixteen, he doesn’t expect to be drawn to the resort’s rugged manager—who also happens to be his boss’s ex-husband. For Ethan Golding, love once felt like a closed chapter, but Taylor’s charm has him reconsidering his own happily-ever-after.

Author Timothy Janovsky delivers a heartfelt and witty modern fairy tale in “Once Upon You and Me,” where love, self-acceptance, and the magic of everyday moments give the story life. The novel’s lovable, deeply real characters navigate their insecurities and fears while learning to open their hearts to something new. I found this story to be a celebration of what makes us uniquely human as well as a reminder that the real triumph isn’t just finding love, but choosing it, embracing joy, and refusing to let our doubts define us.

This has fantastic LGBTQIA+ representation as well S age gap romance all wrapped up in a spicy little package.
Taylor and Ethan fall in love and in the process Ethan has an awakening to the fact that he is Bi. Both guys have some personal things they need to unpack. There is a little bit of family drama, some hurt, some comfort found in one another and some delicious spice. I highly recommend this read.

A Charming, Spicy, and Heartfelt Fairy Tale Romance

Timothy Janovsky’s Once Upon You and Me is a charming, delightfully queer fairy tale with just the right amount of spice, humor, and heartfelt moments. Told through the dual perspectives of Taylor Frost and Ethan Golding, this romance balances swoon-worthy tension with a deeply emotional journey that makes it impossible to put down.

Taylor, 27, is the ever-capable assistant to Ethan’s ex-wife—the supposedly evil (but perhaps not so evil) publishing mogul who still looms over his life. Ethan, on the other hand, is almost 40 (which, as someone closer to that age, really hits home), recently divorced, and convinced that his ADHD makes relationships a challenge. While the age gap isn’t their biggest obstacle, professional boundaries and external judgment create a seemingly insurmountable wall between them. And yet, Janovsky expertly crafts the cutest, most irresistible scenarios that chip away at that distance, leaving you grinning as you eagerly flip to the next chapter.

Ethan’s struggles with ADHD are handled with nuance and authenticity, highlighting not just the challenges but also the strengths that come with neurodivergence. Taylor, having neurodivergent siblings, sees and understands Ethan in ways others haven’t, offering support and perspective that feel both natural and deeply moving. Their dynamic is electric, filled with banter, stolen moments, and the kind of tension that builds until you’re practically yelling at them to just give in already.

But this isn’t just a fluffy romance—there are moments of heartbreak, scenes that will make you pause to collect yourself, and plenty of emotional depth that adds weight to the story. And of course, there are plenty of those moments that will have you blushing and maybe looking around to make sure no one’s reading over your shoulder.

With Once Upon You and Me, Janovsky delivers yet another gem of a romance—one that will make you laugh, swoon, and fall hopelessly in love with these beautifully crafted characters. It’s sweet, it’s spicy, and it’s absolutely worth the read.

Thank you Harlequin - Romance, Afterglow Books, Timothy Janovsky, and NetGalley for this eARC!!

Timothy Janovsky is a hit or miss author for me but when he hits, he hits and this is one of those cases. The protagonists are a 40 year old fat, bisexual with ADHD named Ethan and his ex-wife's gay assistant named Taylor who's 27 years old and has 6 siblings. Ethan runs a storybook themed inn in the Catskills while his ex-wife is the CEO of the larger chain. Taylor visits to prepare for Ethan's daughter's sweet sixteen party which is when they meet. The storybook vibes really carried throughout and worked for me. I often hate third act breakups but this one made sense and made the book stronger. Overall, I really enjoyed this read and getting to know the characters!

Once Upon You & Me is a low angst sweet MM romance following Ethan, the manager of a fairytale resort, and Taylor, who is a personal assistant to Ethan’s ex. Taylor is sent to the resort by his boss to prepare for her and Ethan’s daughter’s 16th birthday and the connection between Taylor & Ethan sparks. Age gap, single dad, forced proximity, somewhat forbidden romance. This was a fast pace story that was fun to read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

This has the makings of a cozy romance set in a fairy tale-esque setting. I was excited to read about an older MC and a younger MC who needs some practice standing up for himself. The plot was enjoyable, and both of the MCs believably were drawn together throughout the story. I didn't particularly enjoy the frequent use of simile/metaphor in the prose, which did knock the reading experience down just a smidge for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc. I rate this 4 stars and 2.5 chili peppers for spice. I really enjoyed this book. It’s my favorite Timothy Janovsky book to date. I loved how Ethan was just your typical middle aged guy. He had lots of love to give and no one really to give it to. He was dealing with trying to still be business partners with his ex wife and a teenager daughter who was growing up. In walks Taylor who is Ethan’s ex-wife’s personal assistant and sparks fly. I think this insta love was done really well. It made you feel like more time had passed but a majority of the story really only takes place over about a week and a halfish. There is spice but some of it is open door and some of it is closed door. It was a really nice mix. In the end this was just a really pleasant cozy read.