***copy provided by publisher through NetGalley***

The Warlord and the Nightingale by Jeannie Lin (✵)

I wasn't impressed...I wasn't anything, really, except feeling disconnected from the story and the characters.



A Happily Ever After of Her Own by Nadia Lee (✵✵✵½)

This one was a hoot to read with Edward (Beast) experiencing cultural shock as he accompanied Melinda to the real world.

I liked both protagonists, though I wish the romance would've been developed a little bit better, but I guess the author was pressed for time.
The final resolution also felt a bit rushed, but "they all lived happily ever after".



Kiss That Frog by Cate Rowan (✵✵✵✵)

This story made me smile. It was super short, resulting in a feeling everything was resolved in quite a rush (they only knew each other—as humans—one afternoon), but it was super cute, and it didn't turn to the cultural-shock, time-travelling-hero-too-out-of-his-depth trope to keep things going.



Runespell by Sela Carsen (✵✵)

The premise was interesting, and the beginning of the story intriguing. Unfortunately, it was too short for the plot to be developed properly, for the characters to shine, and for the romance to blossom gradually.


After the Stroke of Midnight by Jennifer Lewis (✵)

It would've worked better shorter and with a less self-absorbed, self-pitying heroine. The conflict dragged on for too long.



Braided Silk by Ella Drake (✵✵)

The premise was interesting and intriguing, so it's a pity the story wasn't executed better. I felt no connection to (and between) the two protagonists, the beginning read more like PWP than a real story, and the world-building had much to be desired. I know it's the second installment in a series, but I was rather lost at times.



Loving a Fairy Godmother by Danielle Monsch (✵✵✵✵✵)

A gem of a story and the absolute best this collection has to offer. Nicely developed characters, some drama, some conflict (resolved in a rather timely manner), and a wonderful (dual) romance.

I'll definitely read more by this author.



Love After Midnight by Dee Carney (✵)

An interesting premise with a twist on the Cinderella fairy tale, but I didn't particularly like the heroine and how she turned into something she wasn't to "please" those around her.
Yet the lack of a "proper" ending and a lengthier resolution (pages that were spent on the sex scene could've been used to actually build the story) made it appear PWP-ish.



Firebird Sweet by ELise Logan (DNF)

DNF@63%

I just couldn't finish this one. It took too bloody long, the pace was plodding, the quests, tasks etc. etc. etc. kept coming, the story kept circling while nothing significant happened. I got bored.



What Big Teeth You Have by Jennifer Blackstream (✵)

I weird twist on the Red Riding Hood story that could've worked if it didn't involve already established characters (I'm not familiar with the series, so I was lost), and was a bit longer to establish a decent storyline.



Snow's Salvation by Cate Dean (✵✵)

Yet another slight twist on the known fairy tale with the role reversal, yet nothing new, really, with characters feeling rather disconnected.

I've always been a fan of fairy tales, so I was excited to read this anthology of short stories that reimagined some of my favorites with a modern twist. I wasn't disappointed! Each story was well-written and engaging, and I found myself rooting for the characters as they faced challenges and found love.

One of my favorite stories was "The Frog Prince" by Danielle Monsch. In this version of the story, the frog is a handsome prince cursed by an evil witch. The only way to break the curse is for a princess to kiss him. But the princess in this story is not the damsel in distress we're used to seeing. She's a strong, independent woman who is unafraid to stand up for herself. She's also a talented artist, using her art to help the prince break the curse.

Another story that I enjoyed was "Cinderella" by Jeannie Lin. In this version of the story, Cinderella is a Chinese peasant girl forced to work as a servant by her cruel stepmother and stepsisters. But Cinderella is not the downtrodden victim that we're used to seeing. She's a kind, compassionate woman determined to find her happiness. She eventually finds love with a handsome prince, but she doesn't need a fairy godmother to help her get there. She achieves her happy ending through her hard work and determination.

I could go on and on about the other stories in this anthology, but I'll say I enjoyed them all. If you're a fan of fairy tales or looking for a good read, I highly recommend Once Upon a Fairy Tale.

I enjoyed some entries more than others, but in general this was a cool way to explore some new to me authors.

ARC provided by the Publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the retelling fairy tales with a romance theme. I also enjoyed reading the collection because of the short stories.

I'm sorry I was not able to read and review this book before it was archived due to serious health issues.

I love fairy tales! and I love romance. This was a wonderful collection of novels that were quick reads, but still very satisfying. What a great way to find new authors and be introduced to their writing!

I like these short stories. Retelling of fairy tales are always great and even though these stories were very short they are no exception. I liked that the beauty and the beast version had a more modern twist to it.

An OK collection. Nothing really blew me out of the water. I love fairy tale retellings, so I had higher hopes for this collection.

Who doesn't love a good fairytale inspired romance? I certainly do, that's for sure, so to be able to read 11 stories appealed to me to a massive degree.

Overall, the romance is the main theme with these stories and it didn't disappoint. The pacing was good, the themes were interesting and the overall read was captivating and kept me interested. The characters and their love stories were the best part, hands down, which for a romance book, is a job well done in my opinion. Definitely fun and enjoyable reads!

Thank you for the opportunity to read Once Upon a Fairy tale. Unfortunately, I did not complete my reading of the book before it was archived. I do not plan to finish the book.

I absolutely loved these stories! I'm a sucker for modern retellings of fairy tales and this absolutely did not disappoint! My favorites included Nadia Lee's and Cate Rowan's stories. Definitely check this amazing collection out!

This collection had some highs and it had some lows. In fairness, the lows were still entertaining. It went from "wow that's something I never knew i wanted to read, it was really fun" to "silly brain candy".

I"ll certainly never look at fairy tales quite the same way ever again. Some of the "tales" were much better than others but overall a solid 3.5 stars.

This collection was absolutely amazing. I enjoyed every single story and all the romance was amazing! Highly recommend!

This was difficult to review since each story was so different. I loved some, while some, not so much. It was an enjoyable read and I recommend giving it a try!

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book.The fairy tales were awesome and I loved the collection.The characters are believable and amazing.

I love fairy tales. So when I saw this collection I had to read it. I like this type of format. Multiple stories in one book.. It makes the reading faster but you still have good quality literature.

I"ll certainly never look at fairy tales quite the same way ever again. Some of the "tales" were much better than others but overall a solid 3.5 stars.

These are some of my guilty pleasure books. I enjoyed them so much. Romances and fairy tales. Yes please. Thank you for letting me review this!

Great read, well written with a great plot and characters. I was engrossed from start to finish with each story. I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Netgalley.