4.5 - A story of heart, healing, and the risks of second chances. When June Wood returns to her old New York brownstone, she’s forced to face not only her past but her estranged former roommate, Adam Harper. As the intimacy that was once between them reignites and the tension burns brighter than ever, the two must learn how to navigate the delicate balance between old wounds and lingering attraction.

Joss Richard's ability to fill these pages with rich emotion and undeniable chemistry is truly something special -- it gave an air of Emily Henry in terms of reading about the beauty of mundane things and regular days. I love how she captured the reality of feeling behind and still trying to find your place in life. Being both Filipino and a musical theatre lover amongst other things, I found myself relating more to June than I expected. This is definitely a book I would recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballentone, Dell, and Joss Richard for this advanced e-reader copy!

I absolutely ADORED this book. This may very well be my favorite romance book of the year.

I want to start by saying that I cannot believe this was the author's first novel?! It did so many things right. There were likeable characters, real struggles, and also some fun! Adam and June were people I felt myself rooting for, and I like that the author didn't make June insufferable like authors sometimes do to FMCs.

The setting in NYC was everything. The fact that June was on Broadway made my little theater girl heart scream. There wasn't a single point in this book where I felt bored or like it was predictable. I honestly just had the MOST fun time and will shout at everyone that they should read this when it's published on 9/30!

I LOVED THIS. I’ve read multiple dual-timeline books recently, and this one was really well done. The communication issues between the main characters made me want to scream sometimes, but then there were glimmers where their communication was so good! And of course I loved Adam so much.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC!

WOW this book is everything!!! Definitely my top read of the year and the perfect fall romance. 🍂 Fall vibes, second chance love, NYC setting, Broadway/theater life, a hot chef- literally all of my favorite things wrapped up in one story!
As someone who lives in NYC, I admit I take it for granted sometimes, but reading this book reminded me of all the magical places here. The West Village especially came alive on the page. And the fact that the brownstone at 74 Perry Street, where most of the story takes place—is real?! I’m 100% planning to stop by one day.

June and Adam first became roommates in a West Village brownstone a decade ago, but after things fell apart, June moved to LA. Years later, a mysterious email brings her back to NYC, where she finds herself co-owning the brownstone with Adam. The story moves between flashbacks and present day,
showing what led to their fallout and the emotions they never stopped carrying for each other. I loved how their connection spoke louder through actions than words, you could feel the love between them even when it went unsaid. Adam is the ultimate supportive partner (I fell in love with his family too!), and June’s best friend was such a fun addition. I especially loved how the author portrayed June’s struggles with her past and self-worth even with Adam’s unwavering support of her dreams. I was hooked the whole way through, needing to know what happened in their past and rooting for them to find their way back to each other. And when they did, it was so beautifully written.

This debut exceeded all my expectations. The writing, the emotions, the romance, it was absolutely incredible. I’m blown away by this author’s talent and cannot wait to read whatever she writes next.

READ VIA:
Thank you, Dell, for this e-arc! I devoured this book!

ABOUT:

When she gets a mysterious email telling her she has important matters to attend to regarding a property she hasn’t lived in in six years, June Wood finds herself in New York and back in proximity of her old dreams, her old apartment, and her old roommate, Adam Harper.

Adam, her former roommate and also the source of her broken heart. Adam, who is a million green flags and whom she is now afraid to even look at.

MY THOUGHTS:
Oh, how this book tugged at my heartstrings. I am a sucker for an extended second chance with a side of friends-to-lovers, and this truly was exquisite.

Told through June’s POV, it is so clear that Adam has been yearning FOREVER. I am obsessed, and I just fell for the way the dual timelines allowed the reader to see the flow of this relationship, from an unlikely friendship to exquisite tension between these roommates.

The current timeline is full of moments where it is unclear if they’re willing to deal with the herd in the past, and I felt that as a debut, the author did an exquisite job of balancing the feelings, the past vs. present, and the strain. I think perhaps there could’ve been a slightly more profound exploration of June’s past and how she was going to be different this time; however, I’m choosing to ignore that because overall I love the book.

Finally, there was a New York vibe that radiated from the page, from the descriptions of the holidays to the restaurants and Broadway that remind the reader how New York is a city unlike any other in the world.

SIMILAR BOOKS:

I got the vibe of the Seven Year Slip minus the magical realism of (New York. He’s a chef, and the apartment is a character.

SHOULD YOU READ
Definitely recommend this for fans of second chances, men who pine, and particularly those who love New York City, and Joss Richard is going to be one to watch out for. I look forward to seeing what she writes next.

This is one of my new favorite romances I’ve ever read!!! I love the second chance trope and the dual timelines! I can’t believe this is a debut novel it is absolutely incredible! The writing the characters the storylines UGH SO AMAZING!!!! I finished it in two days! I can’t wait to see what else Joss writes in the future I just know it will be incredible!

5⭐️ one of my new favorite romance books of all time!! The fact that this is the authors debut too absolutely phenomenal!

A second chance romance that takes place in New York in the fall. The dual timeline in this was done perfectly! I was able to grow so connected to these characters, so much so that I cried so many times because I felt like I knew them personally.

June is an actress who started in theater and now is grabbing roles in TV and movies but not having the best luck. Adam is a chef and owner of a very popular and successful restaurant. They ended up being roommates in this brownstone for years went separate ways and now are back in that very same place years later.

Truly blown away by this romance and highly recommend checking it out!!

🍁 second chance romance
🍁 roommates to friends to lovers
🍁 forced proximity
🍁 New York City
🍁 chef mmc x actress fmc

Thank you Dell Romance and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Thank you NetGalley and Joss Richards for an e-ARC of It's Different This Time in exchange for my honest review.
I just wanted to start off by saying that, for a debut novel, this was incredibly written. Honestly, this would be a 5 star read for me, if not for the FMC's actions. However, with my dislike of that aside, I still highly recommend this read. So, instead of talking about what I didn't like, I'm going to focus on what I loved because there was wayyyy more positive than negative ☺️
I absolutely love a friends to lovers and this was perfection. You could tell Adam and June clearly wanted each other right off the bat but, with the decision to be roommates, they didn't want to cross that line. So with that we have THE TENSION. The slow build up we see of their connection over the years in flashbacks as friends. And then when they finally came together?! Their chemistry was explosive.
Also, I can't get enough of the fall reads as it's one of my favorite seasons. I've never had such a craving to book a flight to New York to experience everything I read. I honestly felt like I could see it all so clearly.
Lastly, it was very healing to read June (who's parents never wanted a close relationship with her), find that close bond in Adam's family. The way his mom was practically her mom. The constant phone calls they'd have where they'd talk like two best friends. It had me tearing up 😭
Can't wait for more from this author because I will definitely be reading it!

Okay I loved this! I've spent a lot of time in the West Village in my life so the setting was perfect for me. I loved the chemistry between the FMC and MMC and thought this was a breezy fun read with unique and interesting characters. I LOVE!

WOW !!!! thank you dell, penguin random house, and netgalley for the arc !!! for a debut novel this was absolutely INCREDIBLE and exceeded my expectations. june and adam’s story had me laughing, crying, and everything in between. getting to walk down perry street myself this summer made this read all so much more special. i loved the time jump between chapters, and even though there were so many events that transpired throughout the novel, it never felt too messy or confusing. i seriously cannot believe i had the privilege to read this before the publishing date !!! joss richard is a name i can’t wait to see again on my next favorite read !

It’s Different This Time completely swept me away with how beautifully Joss Richard conveyed the emotional journey of her characters—the second chance love story was so heartfelt and moving that I found myself really rooting for them. The way she captured their feelings, the doubts, and the tenderness between them felt so authentic, it was easy to get lost in their story. My only gripe was how often June second guessed herself—it was hard to watch her struggle so much when I just wanted her to see her own worth. Still, that aside, I loved this book and can’t believe it’s a debut—I’ll definitely be reading whatever Joss Richard writes next!

3.75/5

Second-chance romance with an NYC backdrop in the Fall…SIGN ME UP! It took a bit for the story to pick up, I found the beginning very slow. I also found myself getting frustrated that the FMC, June, and MMC, Adam, wouldn’t just talk throughout — I wanted a little more tension. But the dual timeline and slowly peeling back what happened between the two was lovely. It really pulled the story together and made for a beautiful (somewhat) second-chance romance. Overall, this was a great debut and I look forward to more from this author. Thank you Netgalley and Ballentine (Dell) for the arc!

It’s Different This Time by Joss Richard totally pulled me in with its dual timeline and second-chance romance. The past/present structure worked beautifully—watching June and Adam grow from roommates to something more, then seeing how their paths diverged, gave the story real emotional depth.

The NYC setting (especially the cozy brownstone) felt almost like another character, and the story had big Friends energy in the best way—shared apartments, close friendships, lots of miscommunication, and that long-simmering “will they/won’t they” tension.

My only small gripe was that the ending felt a bit rushed compared to the slow-burn buildup. But overall, I loved it. It’s heartfelt, nostalgic, and perfect for fans of love stories that are messy, real, and ultimately full of hope.

Thank you for NetGalley for letting my review this book.

This was a cute little fall/second chance romance I love everything about it. I love the plot of the story like you have to best friend that are falling in love with each other but never told each other then event happen and they stop speaking to each other but a huge sad event brought them back together and it like was a a reset on their whole friendship and they had to have open heart to heart conversation about everything that happen and I believe that it help them out a lot. I believe that is was good for them to take that time away from each other since they were so young but I think it was their perfect season for them to come back into each other life’s.

This book delivered exactly what I was hoping for: a warm, emotional, second-chance romance with just enough angst to keep me turning the pages. June and Adam’s story felt authentic, messy, and heartfelt—the kind of relationship where the tension isn’t just about attraction, but about shared history, old wounds, and the question of whether people can truly change.

I loved the New York City brownstone setting—it gave the story such a cozy, atmospheric vibe, especially paired with the autumn backdrop. The forced-proximity element worked perfectly here, and I found myself completely wrapped up in their late-night conversations and the slow unraveling of what tore them apart years ago.

That said, there were moments where I wished the pacing had been a little tighter, especially in the first half. A few of the conflicts felt slightly repetitive, but once the story hit its stride, I was all in.

Overall, It’s Different This Time is a heartfelt, romantic read that balances nostalgia with hope. Perfect for fans of second-chance love stories, found family, and atmospheric New York settings. I’ll definitely be watching for more from Joss Richard.

A new favorite second chance romance for me! It’s a beautiful debut novel. This book makes me so happy. Within the first chapter I knew it was going to be a book I’d love.

I was thinking about it for days.

I adore June and Adam. The love between them radiated through the pages. It felt real to me and the chemistry between them was undeniable. They are meant to be in every universe.

I highlighted so many quotes while reading. As soon as I finished this book all I thought about was wanting to read it again. Overall it was an amazing romance book that I will always recommend.

And the cover is perfect for fall🥹🍂

- second chance romance
- friends to lovers
- forced proximity

Highly recommend adding to your fall tbr!

As a big fan of second chance romances, I had a sneaking suspicion I was going to fall in love with this book. Spoiler alert: I did!


It’s Different This Time follows June Wood, an actress whose show was just cancelled, as she works to figure out her next steps in life. A message from a mysterious accounting agency has her hopping on a plane and heading back to the last place she thought she would ever see - New York. In a twist of fate, June learns she has inherited a brownstone (that was a big part of her past) along side her former roommate, Adam Harper. June hasn’t seen Adam in half a decade and now the two are spending a month together while the paperwork is finalized. Is four weeks enough time for June to figure out a new plan in life? And can Adam and June live together again without any of their old feelings rising to the surface?

Wow - I had such a great time reading this book! In all honesty, I couldn’t believe it was a debut. The story was so well written and it immediately sucked me in. From the beginning, I was fully invested in June and Adam’s relationship. The tension, angst, and buildup only had me rooting for them harder.

What I really liked about the book were the flashback chapters. I thought they added such depth to the story and kept me on my toes as I worked to puzzle out what happened to June and Adam 5 years before. All of the side characters were so wonderful to read, and I loved how supportive they were to June as she worked through everything. Found family was such a strong theme throughout the entire book and made me love all of the characters (Chloe, Lucia, Audrey, Sarah, Ford) even more.

I will say, there is miscommunication that happens at multiple points throughout the book (as typical with a second chance romance). While this is one of my least favorite tropes, I felt like the author did such a great job of handling these issues and crafting characters that had strong growth and development over the length of the story.

Overall, I think this is going to be one of the top second chance romance stories of this year and your next best fall read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for the ARC!

Thank you NetGalley and Dell for the ARC in exchange for my review

This was EXACTLY the book I needed! After a bunch of thrillers and heavier books, I was very excited for a rom com. Not only was this a 2nd chance/friends to lovers story, but it also mentioned 2 of my favorite musicals (Les Miserables and Rent). This is @joss.Richard debut and it was a wonderful one at that! The characters of June and Adam were so endearing and by using the flashbacks, we got to see how their relationship really developed and it was a nice change to some second chance romances. The fact that it was friends to lovers (my FAVORITE) made it even better. This also had a “found family” aspect too so it was really just stacking up all my favorites into one! I will miss these characters now that I’m finished, but I know I will think about them often. Publication day is September 30th, so not too long of a wait to pick this up and get fully immersed in these wonderful characters!

This book was everything I needed it to be and more! After a very hard couple of weeks and finding it hard to do much of anything, I opened this up not knowing what to expect, but hoping for a great read. I am thrilled to say that it ended up being a beautiful light during a tough time for me and the exact escape I needed. The writing was incredible. I felt like I was living every moment beside the FMC, June. Both past and present (which I love) chapters captured my attention more than anything recently and it was such a lovely journey of not just romance, but personal life lessons and growth, too. I truly enjoyed the NYC setting, especially their special brownstone that I could picture vividly, and I loved both June and Adam so very much. They were perfect characters and have a permanent place not just in my mind, but in my heart ♥️ What a beautiful read this was. I finished it with a hint of happy tears in my eyes and so much gratitude that I was able to read this book, especially now. Highly, highly recommend this one.

In this second chance romance, we follow June & Adam - roommates to friends to more to strangers - thrown back together after years of not speaking and maybe, just maybe, it’s different this time.

I adored so many things about this romance - the second chance, the NYC brownstone setting, the fall timeline, the friends to lovers arc, chasing your dreams, the theater / film piece, the chef / restaurant piece, then and now timelines, and the way they came back together. It was so many of my favorite things wrapped into such a well done book. June and Adam were such fun and lovable characters to follow. Their chemistry was so palpable, and it was so obvious they were meant for each other.

I am so impressed that this is a debut novel! Thank you so much to the publisher and author and Net Galley for the ARC!

Content - explicit language, allusions / fade to black (middle of chapter 25), open door scenes (towards the end of chapter 18 and chapter 26, end of chapter 23), LGBTQ side characters