Romance and Healing in Once Upon a Time in Dollywood by Ashley Jordan | Book Review #OnceUponATimeInDollywood

Once Upon a Time in Dollywood follows a successful playwright and a single dad, both carrying heavy pasts, as they discover love, healing, and second chances in the Tennessee mountains.

Summary:

In this emotional debut by Ashley Jordan, rising playwright Eve Ambroise escapes a crumbling personal life by retreating to the Tennessee mountains, posing as a writer on retreat while secretly battling heartbreak and creative burnout. Her plans for solitude unravel when she meets Jamie Gallagher, a single dad navigating life after a tough custody battle. Though neither is looking for love, their connection deepens from a fling into something real—forcing Eve to confront her fears of vulnerability and loss. As their lives slowly align like the fireflies around them, they must decide whether to protect their hearts or take a chance on a future together. 

My Thoughts:

Ashley Jordan’s debut novel, Once Upon a Time in Dollywood, is not your run-of-the-mill romance. While it certainly delivers the tension and spark you’d expect in a love story, it also delves into weightier topics such as teenage pregnancy, infertility, and mental health. Readers should be aware that these themes are woven throughout the narrative, and while handled with sensitivity, they may be difficult for some.

The story alternates between the perspectives of Eve Ambroise, a rising playwright whose personal life is in tatters, and Jamie Gallagher, a single dad navigating a new normal after a tough custody battle. Eve retreats to her late grandmother’s cabin in the Tennessee mountains, trying to rebuild her life and overcome writer’s block. Jamie, next door with his son Jack, is looking for ways to fill the gaps in his own life. Their first meeting doesn’t exactly go smoothly, but it isn’t long before a spark grows between them.

What starts as a fling quickly becomes more complicated, as both Eve and Jamie wrestle with their pasts and what they’re willing to risk for the future. While their romance is passionate, I found the heart of the story lay more in Eve’s personal journey—her grief, her healing, and her tentative steps towards trusting both herself and others again. One of my favourite parts of the book was watching the bond develop between Eve and young Jack. It was tender, believable, and at times, even more compelling than the central romance.

The Narration:

I chose the audiobook edition, narrated by Matt Haynes and Adenrele Ojo. Both gave engaging performances, but I did notice a puzzling inconsistency: Jamie is described as having a southern drawl, which Ojo captures in Eve’s chapters, but Haynes doesn’t carry this through in Jamie’s own narration. That lack of continuity pulled me out of the story at times. I also personally prefer when each narrator sticks to voicing their own character’s dialogue, rather than handling every voice in their assigned chapters.

Final Thoughts:

Once Upon a Time in Dollywood is a heartfelt, emotional debut that blends romance with themes of resilience and second chances. If you enjoy character-driven stories with a mix of tenderness, passion, and personal growth, this one is well worth picking up.

You Might Also Enjoy:

Can’t Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan