From USA Today Bestselling Author KL Donn comes the first book in the Timeless Love Series.Once Upon A Time… Cecilia Marks was bullied. Bullied her entire life because of an accident she had no control over, Cecilia began college hoping for a fresh start. To her dismay, she’s been faced with the same bullies only with crueler taunts and words that can slice deeper than the sharpest of knives. A … crueler taunts and words that can slice deeper than the sharpest of knives. A short run-in with a stunning man had her world turning upside down in ways she never expected.
Landon Powers was possessed.
Walking back into college ten years after he left, Landon hadn’t expected to fall for the gorgeous brunette he ran into. But there she was, soft-spoken, unassuming, and the strongest woman he’d ever met. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. Including making it known, she wasn’t to be bullied.
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What can I say about this book that should touch many readers heart. We have all had a time in our life where there has been someone who has not liked you and for absolutely no reason at all. Well in this tale we have Cecilia Marks who was injured in a crash which she had no control over when she was younger leaving her scarred. She bumps into Landon Powers and it changes her and his life. One look at the doe eyed an shy girl and Landon is ENCHANTED and will do anything it takes to make her his and for her to see the beauty that he see’s. This is a tale that will leave you crying (the vile treatment of Cecilia) and happy when certain individuals get their comeuppance. I loved this story and if it wasn’t for the smoking chemistry between the pair I would have had my nieces and nephews read it to understand that being bullied should and will never be acceptable.
This book was amazing. It broke my heart and pulled it together again. Cecilia Marks was a young woman with the world on her shoulders. She just wanted to belong. Her dreams were wrapped up in wanting to help others in her situation. But she never expected to meet someone that make her their world.
Landon Powers was a man that knew what he wanted and went after her. She became his everything. Now would he convince her that he was for real? Or would she run? Read and find out. You will not be disappointed.
Such a great read. So much emotion and the angst seemed so real. This book does not disappoint.
I loved this so much! Even better than the first time it was released. I really loved the epilogues. They were so sweet and I am so ready for book 2 in this series!
Once upon a time (heh) I found out Kindle Unlimited was a thing. Before this moment (about two years ago now), I hadn’t known KU had a plethora of romance novels on it… Now, finding a romance novel was pretty hard. I bounced around from full length to novellas, from the ones that needed serious editors and lessons in anatomy, to amazingly well written. I went from dark to fluffy, from safe to unsafe, from satisfying to unsatisfying.
I read many, many novels and novellas, never reading a review, and most of the time not even really paying attention to who I was reading. Eventually, I started to take note (thank you goodreads), but some of the earlier novels I’d read were lost among the newer ones I’d devoured. I found many amazing authors and books, and many I’ve followed over the years.
One day, I read this novella about a girl who was bullied for years. It was my first foray into the truly alpha male romance I’m now obsessed with. I could remember the details, but not the names of the characters or the author. A young woman in college falls in love with her tormentor’s brother, and learns not only that she can be loved, but also to love herself. The guy was super growly, possessive, protective, and I ADORED it.
Fast forward about a year, and now I’m fully engrossed in this type of novel. I look for them, read them, review them. I’m in ARC groups, pimping groups, and more. I start thinking of the book I read so long ago, one I’ve thought about before but could never find again, because I suck and don’t remember what I ate for breakfast yesterday. So, I do what any good book nerd does… I turn to google.
I think the words I googled were “Romance novel, girl who’s bullied in college and the guy sees her and falls in love.” There were probably more details in there but, again, I don’t remember. LOW AND BEHOLD, what do I find? It’s called Bullied by KL Donn. I immediately start searching because at this point, I’m utterly obsessed with KL’s words. Turns out, I’ve loved her for longer than I thought I did. But it’s nowhere to be found!! I immediately go to KL’s book club and go “EXCUSE ME???” But she says “Don’t fret, my crazy stalker! It’s being reworked”… or something along those lines.
This was a really long way to say that Once Upon A Time is the reworked version of Bullied. Cecilia Marks is just as strong as I remember her being, and Landon Powers is just as growly. Cecilia, who was in an accident when she was young that left her with scars all over her body, has been bullied and tortured for as long as she could remember.
Her tormentor? Ashley Powers… Landon’s younger, spoiled, bratty sister. Why does she torment this young woman? WHO KNOWS BUT WE’LL FIND OUT SOON. Landon, who hasn’t had much to do with his very younger sister, is horrified to find out that the girl he thought of as spoiled, but harmless, has made a girl’s life living hell. Not only is this some random girl, but a woman he has fallen madly in love with.
I honestly wasn’t sure what I was expecting with the rework… was it going to be the same, just edited? What was going to be added? Taken away? Was this going to change my perspective on the book? The short answer is no. The long answer is that the parts that were taken away were reworked to give it more depth. More emotion. More feeling of helplessness and love. It was a book I quickly devoured!
So TL;DR this book is worth more than 5 stars. And KL, I’m not sorry for stalking you.
Oh the feels with this one! Cecilia has been bullied all her life, it is what she knows and tries to go through life hiding, all because of some scars received before she can really remember receiving them, What started in grade school has continued now into college. While trying to hide behind her hair she runs into the wall, err, Landon Powers, and he is instantly captivated, that is until he clues into the the gossip going on around them and unloaded some possessive and awesome knowledge on how to behave. The only problem is Cecilia’s biggest bullier is Landon’s sister and she has her own brand of cruelty but Landon and Cecilia’s love is building and and it wonderful to watch blossom and bloom. This is a short story and can be read in a couple hours and thoroughly enjoyed. I’m not a fan of instant love but this one had me hooked from the beginning all the way through both Epilogues (which had me smiling and shedding a tear). I definitely recommend this one for a good feel time!
I loved this book the first time I read it. It was one of the first books by K.L Donn I read and it made me a instant fan then and it became even better the next round!
I’ve reread the original many time because it’s just such a emotional book with something we’ve all seen or been through. I wont lie when she mentioned she was redoing the series my heart sunk because I LOVED IT , I didnt want it different and how could she make it better? But of course I shouldn’t have doubted Miss K.L and for that I will Apologize because BAM! She delivered!
It was better then ever! Second time around and it delivers in the emotional heartfelt read department. The new content just adds to the story so if you were like me and are unsure dont be! We get new people who I HOPE gets a book and it still is the book we all fell in love with the first time.
If your just going to read it as a newbie ? This book …the feels… Cecilia is such a strong character who has been through the wringer and just wants to give to others. Landon is an Alpha who falls fast and fierce. It’s a story with deep meaning and feelings as it deals with bullying, something that unfortunately is something to many deal with. So do pick this up because it is NOT to be missed on your must read list.
Cecilia has not had an easy life being bullied all through school because of something she had no control over was hard. She thought going to college would be a new start for her but after more traumatic events occurred she ends up at college close to home. I feel like so many people can relate to Cecilia having been bullied through school. I feel like the author did a great job what’s the Cecilia’s character showing both the troubling side of being bullied along with the growth that can occur from it. she does not get through being bullied all on her own she runs into Landon Powers and that’s when things begin to change. Again I feel like she did a great job with the character of Landon being the popular guy it’s true that you can message people being bullied if it’s never happened to you. This book had my feelings all over the place but I have to say I absolutely love how the author finished up the story the ending could not have been better. This is more than just a great story it really shows how hard it can be for kids to grow up these days.
This is a slightly revamped and updated version of a book previously published titled Bullied, so if you’ve read Bullied you know this story already. It was worth reading again.
KL Donn out did herself with this book. She took the concept of bullying and put it into words so that those of us who have not experienced it know what it’s like. She tore our hearts out b/c it was so sad and real and then turned around and showed us (and Cec) what true love is really like. There is every emotion you can think of in this book. The supporting characters are amazing and the love Cec and Landon share is unparalleled. I’m so excited for the next book in this series!!
This is an amazing book. I absolutely loved Landon and Cecilia. She has been bullied her entire life because of an accident and Landon will not put up with it. When he sees her for the first time he knows she’s his and will not let her go. I just loved how protective he is with her and even though she has scars he sees beyond that and it does not bother him. I really enjoyed this book so much.
Do you love OTT Alpha males and insta love? Then this book is for you.
A very short story but so good!
Cecilia Marks is a scarred and broken girl who is bullied nearly her whole life. I was so mad and sad for her because nobody ever stood up for her (Until Landon).
Landon Powers like his last name is a powerful and rich man and falls head over heals in love with Cecilia. He was so protective and possessive with her. Loved that so much.
Another insta love story with a broken heroine and a insanely alpha hero. Cecilia and Landon have nothing in common, but when they happen to run into each other one day on a college campus sparks fly. The only problem, Landon is big brother to Cecilia’s #1 tormentor.
This story is one of heart ache and redemption. Cecilia and Landon not only find each other in the pages but find out how to forgive. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
This book was tough for me because once upon a time I was bullied. There is so much emotion in every word written in this book. Giving viewers a look at how much bullying can break a person is something we do not see everyday, and I am beyond happy in the way this author addressed this subject. Landon is ready to be the protector Cecilia needs and make her happy. Cecilia wants to trust what she feels for Landon, but her biggest tormentor is Landon’s sister. How can she trust him? Don’t worry guys there is nothing but a happy ending for this gorgeous couple. Big shoutout to this author for keeping me hooked from page one. Every time I finish one of her books I look forward to whatever she releases next.
Another hit by K.l. Donn …
My gosh this book made me so mad sad then excited happy and in live I absolutely loved it ….!
As soon as I see K.L. Donn’s name on a book I know it’s going to have feel and I’m going to enjoy the ride and this book was no exception!
Congratulations K.L on another must have …..
This is a great story about survival. I will say some parts of this are very hard to read. Have faith and keep reading! I’m not sure how I feel about Ashley’s story….it’s going to be hard to read. Ashley was absolutely a horrible person in this book and it will be interesting to see how she redeems herself in the next book. The story for Cecilia and Landon and often heartfelt and heartbreaking at the same time.
This was a beautiful story of fast love! This woman had so little self confidence and was bullied relentlessly, but he saw her for the beautiful woman she is. He stood up for her. It didn’t matter who he had to stand up against. This one hit home on a personal level and I could not have loved it more
Oh Poor Cecilia. The things she had to go through. This story can be triggering with the bullying and ultimately, the assault resulting from that. Bit it’s also a story of strength and determination, forgiveness, redemption, and of course, love. It’s scary to know that these things happen in real life. Landon falling for Cecilia in that love that first sight that all of us wish for, regardless of her scars, was so refreshing. Their chemistry is out of this world. Landon had that alpha possessive trait that’s so hot to read about and had my panties getting wet. He was so hot and sweet and just so protective of Cecilia. This book just had everything and I can’t wait for the next one. K.L. Donn just knows how to weave a story. I couldn’t put the story down once I started and ended up reading it in one sitting; the rest of the world be damned. LOL
A story that keeps you flipping pages and digging into Landon and Cecilia. Her story is heartbreaking and seeing that spark with Landon makes this a great read!
I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Oh, my heart! Insta love at its best! Landon is perfection, every woman wants a man like him. Especially those of us that were bullied. A man to see past the oddities, scars, hurt and loss. Landon is all of theism and so much more! Cecilia is the most beautifully broken woman, with inner strength that is awe inspiring. Together they are magic!