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Once Upon an Ella
TBA
ebook
Published May 22, 2025
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About the author
T.M. Mayfield
10 books45 followersT. M. Mayfield is a small town author who loves all things fantasy. She is currently working to make her dream of being a fantasy author come true. When she isn’t writing or editing, you can find her snuggling her cat, homeschooling her children or picking fights with her cinnamon roll husband. She’s also waiting for the day that Sonic: America’s Drive-In realizes she can give them plenty of advertising and decides they want to sponsor her editing comfort drink.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 19, 2025
"The seductive voice speaks again, his words reverberating in his chest and through my back. “Now tell me, Ms. Oriel. What sins could you have possibly committed to earn an encounter with the Phantom of Death?”" (Ch 5)
Elarian’s nights are wrought with brutal nightmares, and her days are a torment of hate and abuse from her fiancé, Harland, and her step-"family". Her fiancé unabashedly cheats on her under the same roof and abroad. She is beaten and mistreated. She has no one. No one who cares a single lick about her. Not since her father passed away. Now, she is no more than a household drudge, an ill-treated slave, wishing she could somehow escape the Hell of her existence.
Theon, the Nurian crown prince, has compassion for the people who have not faired well under his father's rule. He hopes to turn things around to create a better life for them. Until such time when he can take over the throne, he does what he can to rid the kingdom of miscreants, under the cover of night and through a special organization, the Order.
There is only one female for him, his long-lost childhood friend, his mate. But his father, the king, is holding a ball, and he is to choose his future bride. But a missive from his employer pulls him to Harland and to her... Elarian.
This is an amalgamate of fairytales reimagined and woven into a romantasy for a mature audience, with a bit of darkness, shifters, death, abuse, prophecy, a sprinkle of spice, and more. Check the triggers!
I briefly questioned Elarian’s shift from taking the hits and abuse with little fight to her sudden loose-tongue, willfullness, and bravado once the mysterious Phantom of Death comes a-calling. Why did she suddenly get courage where before she succumbed in resignation to all of the maltreatment she received from Harland and the step-monsters? Guess better late than never, albeit a little misdirected? Or maybe it was temporary insanity after all she went through. She also adapts quite quickly and well to her new circumstances. But her personality runs hot and cold as if it were on a switch.
I like the bits and pieces from different fairytales twisted into this story, but it did seem like there were so many elements crammed into a little over 200 pages. However, despite my initial doubt that it would come together cohesively, it unfolded well, just a couple of holes here and there. I am looking forward to reading the 2nd book to see how it all pans out, if the holes are filled, and how it all ends.
eARC Review.
Elarian’s nights are wrought with brutal nightmares, and her days are a torment of hate and abuse from her fiancé, Harland, and her step-"family". Her fiancé unabashedly cheats on her under the same roof and abroad. She is beaten and mistreated. She has no one. No one who cares a single lick about her. Not since her father passed away. Now, she is no more than a household drudge, an ill-treated slave, wishing she could somehow escape the Hell of her existence.
Theon, the Nurian crown prince, has compassion for the people who have not faired well under his father's rule. He hopes to turn things around to create a better life for them. Until such time when he can take over the throne, he does what he can to rid the kingdom of miscreants, under the cover of night and through a special organization, the Order.
There is only one female for him, his long-lost childhood friend, his mate. But his father, the king, is holding a ball, and he is to choose his future bride. But a missive from his employer pulls him to Harland and to her... Elarian.
This is an amalgamate of fairytales reimagined and woven into a romantasy for a mature audience, with a bit of darkness, shifters, death, abuse, prophecy, a sprinkle of spice, and more. Check the triggers!
I briefly questioned Elarian’s shift from taking the hits and abuse with little fight to her sudden loose-tongue, willfullness, and bravado once the mysterious Phantom of Death comes a-calling. Why did she suddenly get courage where before she succumbed in resignation to all of the maltreatment she received from Harland and the step-monsters? Guess better late than never, albeit a little misdirected? Or maybe it was temporary insanity after all she went through. She also adapts quite quickly and well to her new circumstances. But her personality runs hot and cold as if it were on a switch.
I like the bits and pieces from different fairytales twisted into this story, but it did seem like there were so many elements crammed into a little over 200 pages. However, despite my initial doubt that it would come together cohesively, it unfolded well, just a couple of holes here and there. I am looking forward to reading the 2nd book to see how it all pans out, if the holes are filled, and how it all ends.
eARC Review.
May 12, 2025
Oh my goodness, I think this is Taylor's best work yet. I’ve loved her other books I read but this story has a special place in my heart. It makes the little girl in me happy because Cinderella was a huge part of my life growing up.
Theon and Ella 🥹 my babies, it was so fun being part of their journey. Both going through their own heartache, especially Ella 😭😭 my girl could not catch a damn break. Taylor heard my complaints when it came to these two. She made me cry 😭😭😭 and I still haven’t recovered from that heartbreak.
Anyway, I really loved the way we just dive into the storyline for this book and world build along the way. It made it easy to consume and I didn’t even realize when I was halfway done much less done. Ahem, how dare you end the book this way Taylor!!! I get it but damn 😂 now I’m anxiously waiting for the next book.
This book is a Cinderella retelling with a fated mates fantasy twist. If that’s your cup of tea then this is the book for you! Read your triggers!!
Theon and Ella 🥹 my babies, it was so fun being part of their journey. Both going through their own heartache, especially Ella 😭😭 my girl could not catch a damn break. Taylor heard my complaints when it came to these two. She made me cry 😭😭😭 and I still haven’t recovered from that heartbreak.
Anyway, I really loved the way we just dive into the storyline for this book and world build along the way. It made it easy to consume and I didn’t even realize when I was halfway done much less done. Ahem, how dare you end the book this way Taylor!!! I get it but damn 😂 now I’m anxiously waiting for the next book.
This book is a Cinderella retelling with a fated mates fantasy twist. If that’s your cup of tea then this is the book for you! Read your triggers!!
May 19, 2025
Thank ya so much for the Arc! This was a good quick read. A really interesting take on the Cinderella story. can't wait to see what happens next!
June 7, 2025
Like the classic the Ella has a wicked stepmother and sister but with a twist of a horrible fiancée. She also lost not only her mother and father, and suffers from memory loss. So when a handsome shifter comes to her rescue, and something deep inside of her response she is nervous but leaves with him. This small act changes her life forever. When adventure and spicy romance and a seer to help them along the way. What could possibly go wrong.
4🌟
2🌶
4🌟
2🌶
May 27, 2025
{3.25/5}
CW: DV, threats of SA (to MC), ref/imp SA (not to MC, not by MC), loss of family, ref child abuse, spice, some others
Thank you to the author for the ARC! “Once Upon an Ella” is available now!
An interesting take on the Cinderella tale, though maybe a bit hindered in the execution.
For as long as she can remember, Elarian has been haunted by dreams of a little girl she does not know. Horribly mistreated by her stepmother’s family and by Ella’s own fiance, Ella dreams of the day she can finally make a run for it. Half a kingdom away, Prince Theon yearns for the mate he lost so long ago, convinced that she’ll return to him some day. To spite his malicious father, Theon spends his evenings as the Phantom of Death, cleaning up the kingdom one corrupt noble at a time.
Listen, dragon shifters, fated mates, and buried memories are a recipe for a good time in anyone’s book (pun fully intended). I absolutely enjoyed those parts of this story. It’s the dialogue that’s really killing the vibe for me.
As far as having a different spin on a tale as old as time (sorry, wrong princess), this book fully hits the nail on the head. There are some really intriguing twists that promise this story is going to be something far removed from the original tale. It’s also a lot darker and a lot grittier than the Disney-fied version many of us know, and I think that take on the story is really fitting for what the source material actually is. There’s even some spice, and while it’s comparatively tame when looking at some of the truly smutty stories one can find, it’s still pretty good spice that feels like it fits the rest of the story well.
My biggest issue, and the one thing that consistently pulled me out of the narrative’s flow, was the dialogue. Some of the basic structure overall also was a little off, but I mostly attribute that to this being an ARC and also being less than 250 pages long; there’s only so much that can be stuffed into that sort of page count. The conversations, though, are what really got me. There was just a tremendous amount of almost extraneous information delivered in a borderline stilted, overly specific manner. It’s hard to describe without pulling in whole quotations, but the general feeling was that (most) people don’t talk that way, even in fantasy castles, and it tended to break the story for me.
Other than the dialogue and pacing/world building issues (again, the latter half of that I think is mainly due to space), I did enjoy this story. I’d like to see what happens next, and it made for a fast, easy read on a rainy day. If you’re a fan of shifter romance and/or fairytale retellings, this might be one you give a try.
CW: DV, threats of SA (to MC), ref/imp SA (not to MC, not by MC), loss of family, ref child abuse, spice, some others
Thank you to the author for the ARC! “Once Upon an Ella” is available now!
An interesting take on the Cinderella tale, though maybe a bit hindered in the execution.
For as long as she can remember, Elarian has been haunted by dreams of a little girl she does not know. Horribly mistreated by her stepmother’s family and by Ella’s own fiance, Ella dreams of the day she can finally make a run for it. Half a kingdom away, Prince Theon yearns for the mate he lost so long ago, convinced that she’ll return to him some day. To spite his malicious father, Theon spends his evenings as the Phantom of Death, cleaning up the kingdom one corrupt noble at a time.
Listen, dragon shifters, fated mates, and buried memories are a recipe for a good time in anyone’s book (pun fully intended). I absolutely enjoyed those parts of this story. It’s the dialogue that’s really killing the vibe for me.
As far as having a different spin on a tale as old as time (sorry, wrong princess), this book fully hits the nail on the head. There are some really intriguing twists that promise this story is going to be something far removed from the original tale. It’s also a lot darker and a lot grittier than the Disney-fied version many of us know, and I think that take on the story is really fitting for what the source material actually is. There’s even some spice, and while it’s comparatively tame when looking at some of the truly smutty stories one can find, it’s still pretty good spice that feels like it fits the rest of the story well.
My biggest issue, and the one thing that consistently pulled me out of the narrative’s flow, was the dialogue. Some of the basic structure overall also was a little off, but I mostly attribute that to this being an ARC and also being less than 250 pages long; there’s only so much that can be stuffed into that sort of page count. The conversations, though, are what really got me. There was just a tremendous amount of almost extraneous information delivered in a borderline stilted, overly specific manner. It’s hard to describe without pulling in whole quotations, but the general feeling was that (most) people don’t talk that way, even in fantasy castles, and it tended to break the story for me.
Other than the dialogue and pacing/world building issues (again, the latter half of that I think is mainly due to space), I did enjoy this story. I’d like to see what happens next, and it made for a fast, easy read on a rainy day. If you’re a fan of shifter romance and/or fairytale retellings, this might be one you give a try.
May 31, 2025
Decent story
Once Upon an Ella does something right when using classic fairytales as inspiration, but not copying too much to where it feels un original or deviates so much that you can’t tell what the retelling/reimagining/inspiration is from. This Cinderella inspired tale follows Elarian (Ella) as she discovers that there’s more to life than what she has been led to believe and nothing is ever as it seems, especially when she meets the elusive Phantom of Death.
This book does take place in the same universe as two of Mayfield’s previous books, The River Queen (TRQ) and The Fae’s Deceit (TFD), but it occurs many years prior to those events and can exist as a standalone (no need to read the other books before reading). There are some characters, regions, and other details that appear in this book that will be familiar if you’ve read the other books though so I’m curious to see how the next book in the series will bring more lore and history that leads up to the events in TRQ and TFD.
This novella feels like a good blend of contemporary/fairy tale romance mixed together with fantasy elements like shifters and magic. There isn’t deep worldbuilding that can slow the story down and there’s enough mystery and intrigue to keep interest.
Though there isn’t much graphic detail of events that occur, there is some reference to abu$e, some unsavory language, and there is couple of open door scenes/talks about what they want to happen so if that’s not your jam, they are easily skippable.
Overall it’s a decent story that has me wanting to read the next one so I can start putting more pieces of the Anthean universe together.
Once Upon an Ella does something right when using classic fairytales as inspiration, but not copying too much to where it feels un original or deviates so much that you can’t tell what the retelling/reimagining/inspiration is from. This Cinderella inspired tale follows Elarian (Ella) as she discovers that there’s more to life than what she has been led to believe and nothing is ever as it seems, especially when she meets the elusive Phantom of Death.
This book does take place in the same universe as two of Mayfield’s previous books, The River Queen (TRQ) and The Fae’s Deceit (TFD), but it occurs many years prior to those events and can exist as a standalone (no need to read the other books before reading). There are some characters, regions, and other details that appear in this book that will be familiar if you’ve read the other books though so I’m curious to see how the next book in the series will bring more lore and history that leads up to the events in TRQ and TFD.
This novella feels like a good blend of contemporary/fairy tale romance mixed together with fantasy elements like shifters and magic. There isn’t deep worldbuilding that can slow the story down and there’s enough mystery and intrigue to keep interest.
Though there isn’t much graphic detail of events that occur, there is some reference to abu$e, some unsavory language, and there is couple of open door scenes/talks about what they want to happen so if that’s not your jam, they are easily skippable.
Overall it’s a decent story that has me wanting to read the next one so I can start putting more pieces of the Anthean universe together.
May 15, 2025
OMG, you need this spicy Cinderella retelling with dragon shifters ASAP! 🐉✨ Ella is strong and stubborn, stuck with a cheating fiancé and terrible stepfamily. Theon, the brooding crown prince, has been searching for his fated mate since childhood — and their chemistry is FIRE. 👑❤️🔥
The fantasy and magic add just the right vibe, and the twist on the classic fairytale kept me hooked. My only gripe? I wanted so much more worldbuilding and backstory! Still, it’s a fun, fast, and steamy read perfect for romantasy lovers.
Tropes: Cinderella retelling, dragon shifters, fated mates, he falls first, childhood friends to lovers, hidden identity, prophecy vibes.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5 stars) — Can’t wait for book two!!
The fantasy and magic add just the right vibe, and the twist on the classic fairytale kept me hooked. My only gripe? I wanted so much more worldbuilding and backstory! Still, it’s a fun, fast, and steamy read perfect for romantasy lovers.
Tropes: Cinderella retelling, dragon shifters, fated mates, he falls first, childhood friends to lovers, hidden identity, prophecy vibes.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5 stars) — Can’t wait for book two!!
May 23, 2025
Rating: 3.5 stars — rounded up to 4. I'm intrigued enough to continue the series, but I’m hoping for stronger pacing and world-building in the next installment.
Once Upon an Ella starts as a Cinderella retelling but quickly takes a turn into a world of dragon shifters, masked assassins, and an ancient prophecy. The concept is intriguing and full of potential — a fantasy twist on a classic tale is always exciting, especially with such rich elements in play.
However, while the premise drew me in, the execution left me wanting more. The world-building felt confusing at times: there’s talk of different kingdoms and various races, but it wasn’t clear how people were identified — whether by their realm or their kind. This lack of clarity made it harder to immerse myself fully in the story.
The pacing was also uneven. A lot of time is dedicated to setting the stage, yet when the actual action begins, it feels rushed and underdeveloped. The writing style itself was occasionally dragging, which made the narrative feel slower than it should have, despite the story unfolding over just a few days.
The book ends on a cliffhanger, and while I’m curious to see how things will play out, I genuinely hope the next installment offers a more polished and coherent storytelling experience. There’s a lot of potential here — I just wish it had been more fully realized in this first book.
Once Upon an Ella starts as a Cinderella retelling but quickly takes a turn into a world of dragon shifters, masked assassins, and an ancient prophecy. The concept is intriguing and full of potential — a fantasy twist on a classic tale is always exciting, especially with such rich elements in play.
However, while the premise drew me in, the execution left me wanting more. The world-building felt confusing at times: there’s talk of different kingdoms and various races, but it wasn’t clear how people were identified — whether by their realm or their kind. This lack of clarity made it harder to immerse myself fully in the story.
The pacing was also uneven. A lot of time is dedicated to setting the stage, yet when the actual action begins, it feels rushed and underdeveloped. The writing style itself was occasionally dragging, which made the narrative feel slower than it should have, despite the story unfolding over just a few days.
The book ends on a cliffhanger, and while I’m curious to see how things will play out, I genuinely hope the next installment offers a more polished and coherent storytelling experience. There’s a lot of potential here — I just wish it had been more fully realized in this first book.
May 12, 2025
DNF at 7%. “Demons” aren’t my vibe. I don’t want to read that word, even as a nickname. There was nothing in the blurb or marketing for this book about a character being referred to as a demon or else I would not have agreed to read it. Thank you to the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. (TW: death, blood, nightmares, infidelity, emotional abuse, physical abuse)
Also, the first 17 pages are incredibly confusing and full of trigger warnings! Weird words and names are thrown around and I’m not sure if it’s a person or a place and it’s so messy. Is it really that hard to explain what the random words mean?
Also, the first 17 pages are incredibly confusing and full of trigger warnings! Weird words and names are thrown around and I’m not sure if it’s a person or a place and it’s so messy. Is it really that hard to explain what the random words mean?
May 20, 2025
This is my second book that I have read by the author and her books are sooo good!
I loved our couple. I believe its a requirement for mmc to be obsessed with their fmc! This book gave just that! I love the fated mates trope and how much he took care of her and looked for her.
Following their love story was amazing! There is a slight cliffhanger but honestly something that I wanted to happen did thankfully before the end of this book! I cannot wait for the second book for my questions to be answered and hopefully the prophecy to be fulfilled as well!
I highly recommend checking out this book and also other books by this author!!
I loved our couple. I believe its a requirement for mmc to be obsessed with their fmc! This book gave just that! I love the fated mates trope and how much he took care of her and looked for her.
Following their love story was amazing! There is a slight cliffhanger but honestly something that I wanted to happen did thankfully before the end of this book! I cannot wait for the second book for my questions to be answered and hopefully the prophecy to be fulfilled as well!
I highly recommend checking out this book and also other books by this author!!
May 21, 2025
I got this as an ARC but all opinions are my own!
Absolutely freakin loved this. The beginning is so sad and then the way Ella is treated is so rage inducing until she’s rescued by Theon. The banter between these two was so cute, the spice was amazing, and the way they came together was really beautiful. Nothing better than childhood friends reuniting and getting everything they lost back. I loved Enola and she was such a sweet character. The King totally sucked and so did his little assistant guy. The final battle scene in this was amazing. I loved how everything played out with Theon and Ella and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Absolutely freakin loved this. The beginning is so sad and then the way Ella is treated is so rage inducing until she’s rescued by Theon. The banter between these two was so cute, the spice was amazing, and the way they came together was really beautiful. Nothing better than childhood friends reuniting and getting everything they lost back. I loved Enola and she was such a sweet character. The King totally sucked and so did his little assistant guy. The final battle scene in this was amazing. I loved how everything played out with Theon and Ella and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
May 29, 2025
I loved the Cinderella twist on this ... and enjoyed Theon so much!
I want to say that the Phantom of Death intrigued me more than anything along with the dragons. Gotta love the dragons!
I wished I could have rated this higher, but there were somethings that I wish took center stage, like more on our precious Ella, the powers she possesses, and why? Same thing with our smexy zaddy Theon and how or why he had his powers and the dragon. *I feel that, in general, the dragons were not fully explained, and I wanted more of them.
Overall, I love this author's work ... the way they can have you flipping the page for more and have you entranced is 🤌🏽 Will there be more of Theon & Ella? 👀
I want to say that the Phantom of Death intrigued me more than anything along with the dragons. Gotta love the dragons!
I wished I could have rated this higher, but there were somethings that I wish took center stage, like more on our precious Ella, the powers she possesses, and why? Same thing with our smexy zaddy Theon and how or why he had his powers and the dragon. *I feel that, in general, the dragons were not fully explained, and I wanted more of them.
Overall, I love this author's work ... the way they can have you flipping the page for more and have you entranced is 🤌🏽 Will there be more of Theon & Ella? 👀
May 20, 2025
3.5✨
This book was okay. The Cinderella storytelling with the fantasy twist is a great idea in theory, and I see a lot of potential in it. Unfortunately, the execution wasn't the best in my opinion. There were a bunch of things I wasn't the biggest fan of, some modern language use which threw me out of the story, but more importantly the lack of world-building. Overall, I think it intrigued me enough to read the second book when it comes out, however I do hope to see improvement in the writing.
Thank you for letting me read this book as an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This book was okay. The Cinderella storytelling with the fantasy twist is a great idea in theory, and I see a lot of potential in it. Unfortunately, the execution wasn't the best in my opinion. There were a bunch of things I wasn't the biggest fan of, some modern language use which threw me out of the story, but more importantly the lack of world-building. Overall, I think it intrigued me enough to read the second book when it comes out, however I do hope to see improvement in the writing.
Thank you for letting me read this book as an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 14, 2025
Cinderella Retelling with a fantasy twist! Overall such a great story. Defintely a different version than Walt Disneys! I absolutely loved the dragons. Can't wait to read more works by T.M. Mayfield ❗️❗️
June 30, 2025
Such a good read! This was a new twist on a Cinderella retelling. It’s definitely not your typical fairy tale retelling and that was a breath of fresh air! This book was beautifully written. The only thing I didn’t like was the ending. It left me wanting more!!!
July 9, 2025
They had me at Cinderella retelling. But then they had to make it dark and added Dragon shifters. Be still my heart.... Theon and Ella's story is fraught with peril and hardship but nothing can stand in the way of fated mates.
October 6, 2025
Once Upon An Ella
This book starts out with heartbreak but shows how strong Ella is. I really enjoyed this book and the Cinderella feel of it. I can't wait for book 2.
This book starts out with heartbreak but shows how strong Ella is. I really enjoyed this book and the Cinderella feel of it. I can't wait for book 2.
December 9, 2025
It was a little confusing. I didn't like that there wasn't any explanation throughout the book what the world was like and what the world exactly was but other than that it was very good.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews