Trapped in Once Upon a Time: (A YA Fairy-tale Romance)

Once Upon a Time #2

by Kristy T. Dixon

Lottie can’t remember the last time she believed in happily-ever-afters. For her, life as Cinderella’s stepsister and focusing on finding a rich nobleman to marry is the only life she’s ever known—or so she thought.After the world starts to crumble around her and other people begin to blink in and out of focus, Lottie questions everything she’s worked toward for years. Is a loveless marriage with a rich duke something she can truly live with?Finding herself lost in a forest, she stumbles across a group of people who are lost in a meddling woman’s world—and Carson, a friend from a life she doesn’t remember.After kissing a beast, and discovering her old diary, Lottie begins to remember a life she didn’t know she had forgotten.Somewhere among the chaos, Carson and Lottie open their hearts to the connection that’s always existed between them, and hope reshapes their views on love. But is that enough to get them home?Every tale has an ending… but will this one be the happily-ever-after they’ve longed for? Or will a darkness follow them home…

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Ebooks, Young Adult, Romance, Fairy Tales, Magic

287 pages, Paperback

Published April 22, 2024

Reviews

[toya]

Immature writing

[Kristi]

Lottie is stuck in the land of Once Upon a Time, reliving a fairy tale loop as Cinderella's stepsister. Deciding that marriage to a duke is not her happily ever after, Lottie flees to the woods, where she is reunited with Carson -- a friend, who she does not remember. Everything becomes unpredictable in the destabilized stories, as the fantasy constructed by meddlesome fairy godmother Nancy breaks down. As the world's magic becomes unstable, a group of real people begin to remember another life, and they band together to try to find the way home. But now that the rules of happily ever after have changed, will finding true love be enough to break the spell?

This is second in series, which I hadn't realized and I haven't read the first book yet; but this seemed to function well as a stand-alone novel. Engaging, imaginative, fun, and charming, it was mostly well-written (excepting a few overlooked copyedits) until the last several chapters. Unfortunately, the ending became chaotically messy, with rushed pacing that tried to wrap up the story too quickly, and confusing once outside the fantasy world; the story deserved an ending that slowed down a little; gave some coherence and structure to what was happening; and a properly satisfying conclusion to the journey the reader had been on with these characters. That said, on the whole, I really enjoyed this novel, and I look forward to reading the other books in the series.

[Amanda Thomas]

Waking up from a dream where you are living in a fairy tale is one thing. Waking up and actually living in a fairy tale is something else. What happens, though, if you have lived in this fairy tale for so long you don’t even remember your real life? As Lottie comes to this realization and the fairy tale world starts to disintegrate around her, she has to question her life in ‘happily ever after.’ While she searches for the answers, she encounters others who are struggling with deciphering what is real and what is not, including love. Will she figure out who she is in time to find the love she desires?

The second installment of this series did not disappoint. The characters are believable, even though it is a fantasy novel. I love how the main characters interact with each other and the internal struggles they are dealing with make me invested in their journeys. The fairy tales are usually recognizable, and the ones that didn’t immediately stick out to me, made me want to read more to figure out the stories. I wasn’t as invested in Lottie’s story as I was Olivia’s (from the first book), but I still really enjoyed following her journey. And to be honest, I was kind of hoping to hear a little more about how Olivia was doing. However, I love the escape to the fairy tale world and can’t wait for the final installment of the story.

[Anna Jason]

What happens when fairy tales stop following the script? Trapped in Once Upon a Time whisks readers into a magical world where enchantment, danger, and romance collide in all the best ways.

Kristy Dixon creates a charming fantasy filled with whimsical settings, magical twists, and characters who are forced to discover that happily-ever-after isn’t always as simple as the stories promised. The romance blossoms naturally amid the chaos, blending heartfelt emotions with plenty of tension, witty banter, and the kind of chemistry that keeps you rooting for the couple through every obstacle.

The fantasy elements bring classic fairy tale magic to life while adding fresh surprises, making the world feel both familiar and exciting. Every chapter offers a new adventure, whether it’s escaping magical dangers, uncovering hidden truths, or finding the courage to rewrite fate itself.

At its heart, this is a story about choosing your own destiny instead of accepting the one written for you. The romance adds warmth and hope to the adventure, reminding readers that true love is built on trust, sacrifice, and believing in each other—even when magic seems determined to pull you apart.

[Kimberly]

WHAT. A. BOOK! I was such a fan of this one — everything about it pulled me in and refused to let go. The tension? Perfectly paced and full of that delicious slow-burn energy. The memories and past connections between the characters added so much emotional depth, and the character development was seriously top-tier.
And the groveling? Ugh, SO satisfying. It felt earned, emotional, and just the right amount of dramatic. I loved watching the characters grow — both individually and together — and the way their flaws and fears were handled felt honest and real.
The mix of fairytale magic with raw, real feelings gave the whole story this bittersweet charm I absolutely adored. Definitely one of those books that sticks with you after the final page.

[Ami Jacobs]

What an ingenious story! This was a great mash up of several fairy tales and various legends, all mixed together in a world crated by a fairy who had some issues of her own! It was clean, wholesome, & uplifting with quite a bit of humor and problem solving throughout. I loved how the characters learned from their mistakes and created continuity even when the story itself changed!

[Melanie]

I love it!! I love the references to other stories that I love (Goose Girl is a favorite!), I love the characters, I love the connections that everyone seems to have with each other, and I love how easily the story flows. Can’t wait for the next one!!

[Cym]

It’s a light and quick read if you’re into fairy tales and magic. And imagine being trapped in one, what would happen? It’s hilarious as I found myself chuckling several times. There were some errors and some dialogues were redundant. But over all, it’s okay and quite wholesome.

[Audra Curtis]

fun and clean!

Unlike most sequels, this one doesn’t spend the first chapter reminding you what happened in the first book. Though related to book 1, this was a story all its own, and, like the first, I couldn’t put it down!

[Gaby]

It was okay. I really wanted to love this one as much as the first but was sadly disappointed. ☹️ I did think the book had very good humor but it just dragged on so much. Not sure if I’m going to read the third installment since this second one definitely didn’t need to be made.

[ale]

Great story

It's a wonderful world the one Kristy created in this story. It's really entertaining and I loved to see what happened next...

[Melanie Mason]

interesting

This was a unique and interesting story with lots of twists and turns. It was intriguing to see how the characters changed for the better.

[Alice Buchanan]

creative beautiful writing

I enjoyed this story very much and it is not even my regular subject of interest. Would highly recommend to everyone!

[Alex]

Boring. Simple. No brain cells needed.

[Diane Misztal]

Very interesting read. Loved how they combined characters from present into the fairy tales. Very funny.

[Megan Barnes]

Kristy Dixon does it again. She weaves a spell that leaves her readers wanting more. The world Kristy creates in “More Than Once Upon a Time” comes back to life and grows in its magical way.

We’re back in the world that “Nancy” created and are greeted with some familiar characters and new from story lands in the last book. Still stuck in the world of endless stories while Nancy’s magic is fading and Terry’s magic causes yet more chaos.

I love all the characters and their growth through this book. An unlikely band of friends through adversity are thrown together as they try to find their ways home. Some have had their memories taken and are working through the chaos in the world while slowly remembering and finding themselves again.

This was a sweet and delightful read. Perfect for fans of fantasy and retellings.
No triggers and great for all ages

[Rylee Penrod]

I LOVED this book. I’ve read all of Kristy Dixons books and this series is by far my favorite. I loved the first one and I love this one even more. I liked how they both felt cheated by each other without ever realizing it. It was a great plot. I also loved the flashbacks it gave more context to their fighting. I loved it!