Once Upon a Rose by Monique Brasher: Book Review

 **ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own. 

The Book

I learned to stay, and he teaches me how to step out.

I don’t plan on colliding with Flynn Jackson again—especially not when my whole life fits inside a greenhouse café that smells like warm sugar and roses and finally feels like mine. But Storywood Ridge has a way of tugging old threads, and one unexpected TV production later, the boy I almost kissed under Fourth-of-July fireworks is suddenly the man racing down the old tubing hill like he never left.

Flynn is all grit and gravity—the mountain’s favorite son and my brother’s best friend—who learned to live in the spotlight while I learned to bloom quietly, one buttercream cookie and one ranunculus stem at a time. He calls me Buttercup like no time has passed, and I hate how my heart remembers exactly what that used to feel like.

When the reality show sets up at the Sugar Plum Inn and asks me to do all the florals, I tell myself I can handle it. I’m supposed to stay behind the scenes—wire garland, provide the roses for the Ever After Ceremonies, pretend I’m fine—but a too-charming producer decides I’m “ratings gold” and shoves me into the house, into the narrative, and into proximity with the boy I promised myself I’d stop loving. The cameras have a way of finding old wounds, and Flynn keeps showing up—steady hands, quiet rescue—the kind of kindness that makes my carefully built tower feel less like a fortress and more like a door. The café needs the paycheck. My heart needs a plan. And Storywood Ridge—bless this town—has a way of nudging what’s meant to be right when I’m trying to be sensible.

I’ve spent years pretending I’m safer in the walls I wove around my heart, but with him, the world tilts—like stepping out of the woods and into light I didn’t know I was missing. So I set new rules...boundaries to protect us both.

And I face one impossible truth: if I let down my guard—if I climb down from the tower I built and meet him where the lights string the night—maybe we don’t go back. Maybe we will finally become the story we almost were.

This book was previously published as Love at the Flower Cafe, but has been altered and expanded to fit the fairytale it was originally meant to be.

Once Upon a Rose is a cozy, closed-door (light) magical realism winter romance featuring brother's best friend, second chances, small-town charm, holiday magic, opposites attract, a fairytale themed reality show, water kisses, and a Rapunzel vibes that will have you grinning the whole time.

The Author

Monique writes sweet, no-spice, small town romances. While they might have a smidge of angst, you'll always find a happily ever after with swoony couples and character growth. When she's not writing, she can be found watching The Big Bang Theory or Friends (or a Marvel movie), on the water with her family, or reading a book. She lives in Texas with her husband of 18 years, four kids, two dogs (Thor and Loki), and a cat.

Book Review

Imagine having a moment with your brother's best friend only to have him leave right after... then years later agreeing to work as the florist to the Bachelor-type reality show he's starring in to find a wife... then getting roped into actually competing on the show! If Flynn and Harper's story sounds a bit familiar to you, you may have read it when it was previously published as Love at the Flower Cafe. But as someone who doesn't typically reread books, trust me when I say this one was absolutely worth it. I loved their story the first time around... I mean, with a story like this, how could you not? But this time around, I loved it even more. Honestly, I've loved all of Monique's books that I've read, but it's definitely the fairy tale retellings where she really shines, and I loved that she's added some more of those elements that I love from the Enchanted Hollow into this story I had already enjoyed making it that much better! I loved the nods to Rapunzel. I loved the (light) whimsical magic. And of course, I loved the chemistry between Flynn and Harper. If you love reality dating shows and/or fairy tale retellings, this is one not to be missed!  

Once Upon a Rose is a closed-door romance with kisses only and no language. It is part of the Once Upon a Time in Colorado series but could be enjoyed as a standalone as well. 


You can purchase your copy here: https://amzn.to/45Kp1a8