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.

I received an ARC of Once Upon You and Me from NetGalley and Harlequin; All opinions are my own.

The story behind Once Upon a Time You and Me is cute, fluffy, etc. Kind of your typical age-gap romance (our MMCs are 13 years apart). Nothing sticks out about the story as far as new or groundbreaking, but I did appreciate the representation of Bi, ADHD, Burly MMC, etc. That said, there are a couple of things that fell flat for me:

First, our ex-wife character. *audible groan*

Secondly, some of the ADHD representation gave me the ick a bit. Points for trying, but some of the scenarios felt like they were used for comedic relief instead of representing the impactfulness they can/do have IRL.

I don't know that I would market this as "spicy." There is some spicy content, but it is kind of tame, considering other books in spicy genres. Overall, this is a cute story and is a decent cozy read if you're looking for a queer representation book.

Timothy Janovsky's novel, set against the whimsical backdrop of the Storybook Endings Resort, offers a charming and engaging read. Taylor Frost's professional ambition collides with unexpected romantic feelings for Ethan Golding, creating a compelling dynamic. This book provided a comforting and enjoyable experience, earning a solid four stars. While not revolutionary, it excelled at crafting relatable characters and a warm, inviting atmosphere. As a reader with ADHD, I found the representation to be both accurate and personally resonant, even if some references felt a little direct. I'm eager to explore more of Janovsky's work and see where he takes his characters next.

This was such a cosy age-gap romance!

Told in alternating POVs between Ethan and Taylor, the story first follows Ethan, a 40-year old divorcé who runs a storybook-themed resort that he co-founded with his ex-wife Amy. Amy has been busy with work, living on the other side of the country trying to expand their business. So she sends her 27-year-old assistant, Taylor, to oversee the preparations for Ethan and Amy's daughter's sweet 16th birthday celebration at Ethan's resort location. When Taylor arrives, sparks fly between Taylor and Ethan, especially when the cottage Taylor was staying in gets damaged during a storm, forcing Taylor to stay with Ethan ;). But Ethan is worried about their 13-year age gap while Taylor is worried about getting it on with his boss's ex (and potentially losing his job). How could they make their relationship work?

I previously read and enjoyed You Had Me at Happy Hour which featured a neurodivergent character. Once Upon You and Me was no different, and also featured a neurodivergent character (this time one with ADHD). The characters in this book were similarly endearing and it was a joy to read this lighthearted romance.

This was quite a sweet with a little spice book, that had good character development. I enjoyed the story and pace. Overall I would recommend the book to anyone that is looking for some ADHD representation and agent romance. A cinnamon roll and golden retriever meet up.

With the leading character a burly, handsome divorced dad finds himself falling in love with a much younger love interest who happens to work for his ex-wife. This issue made for a lot of tiptoeing around and an slow burn.

I love the characters and how the author built them. They definitely offset each other well, and the most uncomfortable part really was the ex-wife. The guy’s discovery of each other was very sweet and they were very comfortable together, balancing well. There was not a whole lot of that getting to know you awkwardness to get through which was nice.

The setting was perfect and it really enhances the story by the fact that they could have time to get to know each other. While I would rate this as steamy, some of the spicier scenes were moderate and left me a little confused a time or two.

This book dived into a lot of introspection about loneliness after divorce and the difficulty in finding someone to share your life with again, especially when your ex is highly involved in your life.

I was a bit disappointed in the ending because I wanted something more than a long distance, but in the end we got our happily ever after and that is the most important part.

Overall, this book is a sweet read that fulfills our romance needs and desires. From loneliness to a long-distance relationship in less than ideal circumstances. So sweet and a bit steamy for the romantics out there.

I really love Timothy Janovsky’s books, so of course I have to read this! And I like it. I mean, the romance felt a bit flat to me, but it’s cute and funny and the characters are well written.
The rep is very good, as usual in his books.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free ARC of this book, in exchange for my review. Despite, my opinions are my own.

Spicy -Age Gap - M/M - Plus size - Bi rep - - - so many things to enjoy.

I loved this story. The characters grew on me quickly, and I was super invested in their happiness.