Once Upon a Time in Dollywood

A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK - AN AMAZON BEST ROMANCE BOOK OF THE MONTH!

"A moving, captivating, beautiful debut! I can't wait for the whole world to read it."-Jasmine Guillory, New York Times bestselling author of Flirting Lessons

A playwright must grapple with her difficult year and writer's block while falling for the single dad living next door in this emotional debut novel from Ashley Jordan.

Eve Ambroise may be a rising star playwright, but her personal life is falling part. Desperate for a fresh start, she breaks up with her fiance, cuts off her parents, and heads to the Tennessee mountains. But keeping up the lie that she's just on a writing retreat becomes near impossible when faced with the well-meaning townspeople and a neighbor who has just as much baggage as she has.

Coming off a contentious custody battle, Jamie Gallagher is restructuring what his life looks like as a single dad, and spending more days at his cabin makes his new "free time" a little less empty. Especially when he meets the beautiful-and prickly-woman next door. The last thing he needs is a new romance to shake up his family dynamics even more, but there's something about Eve.

What starts out as a fling quickly becomes more serious, and it's not long before Eve is running scared once again. She's loved and lost in every possible way, and risking it one more time could finally break her. But like the fireflies that fill the mountains around them, Jamie's and Eve's lives keep falling into sync. A fairy-tale ending could be in the cards, but only if the new couple can get out of their heads and put their hearts first.

"An entertaining, sexy novel that boldly explores trauma and healing yet still manages to be laugh-out-loud funny"-Library Journal STARRED review

From the publisher

Penguin Random House/Berkley | August 5, 2025 | 448 pages | ISBN:9780593819128

Once Upon a Time in Dollywood is a moving, captivating, beautiful debut! Ashley Jordan is a star in the making. This book and these characters will stick in your head for a long time. I can't wait for the whole world to read it."-Jasmine Guillory, New York Times bestselling author of Flirting Lessons

"Amusing one minute and heart-wrenching the next, Ashley Jordan's deeply emotional debut is a lesson in learning to forgive, heal, and love. It is, in a word, breathtaking."-Farrah Rochon, New York Times bestselling author of Pugs & Kisses

"[A] masterfully wrought and tender romance about rediscovering joy after heartache."-Noue Kirwan, author of Frequent Fliers and Long Past Summer

"Tender and sexy all at once, Once Upon a Time in Dollywood is a beautiful story about learning how to face who we truly are and what we truly want. A heartfelt, emotional journey, and one I would take over and over again."-Ashley Herring Blake, USA Today bestselling author of Dream On, Ramona Riley

"Ashley Jordan's debut is a richly emotional romance between two people with guarded hearts who find solace in each other. Once Upon a Time in Dollywood is the perfect reminder that sometimes new beginnings require a change of perspective and the courage to let someone in."-Regina Black, author of The Art of Scandal

"Jordan has crafted an entertaining, sexy novel that boldly explores trauma and healing yet still manages to be laugh-out-loud funny." -Library Journal (starred)

"Jordan's debut is an exhilarating climb through Tennessee's mountains and the depths of passion."-LA Times

"Once Upon a Time in Dollywood is a highly readable novel, grappling directly with what love can and can't do, transcending every cliche and elevating the genre while never sacrificing its romantic and erotic appeal...Once Upon a Time in Dollywood succeeds in fulfilling all the juicy expectations of its genre, while also giving us a maximum amount of heart."-Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"This is part rom-com and all heart. Watching these two forge ahead and try to put the pain of their pasts behind is refreshing and well-written. This is the debut novel from author Ashley Jordan, it's a winner."-Red Carpet Crash