Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for a fair review!

This was such a good and cute fall read! The setting in NYC was perfect and I loved the dynamic between the characters.

I think I need a bucket and a mop after this book to come wipe up all my tears. I will always fall victim to a dual timeline but the way this was executed? Gut-wrenchingly perfect. It’s Different This Time follows June’s perspective across 14 years, two different city and many many many missed opportunities and chances.

“The thing about lightning in a bottle is that it's a fleeting moment in time, a spark that's rare and special... but it's also impossible to re-create.”

I fear I must acknowledge that a miscommunication trope is hereby acceptable in my book when everyone is scared because it’s relatable and raw. Life is hard and every decision you make you live with.

After seeing When Harry Met Sally associated with this book, I immediately requested it! The elements that relate while still standing as its own story were so fun. I cackled during 8 stop subway trip chapter. It was a hard to put down read

Pub Date September 30 2025

ARC provided by Random House Publishing Group— Ballantine, Dell Romance and NetGalley. Thank you.

review posted to NetGalley & Goodreads

📖 eARC Review
🌟 5/5
🌶 PG13++

What You Get
📍NYC
• Broadway Actress X Chef/Restaurant Owner
• Single POV
• Multiple Timeline
• Strangers > Roommates > Besties > Almost Lovers > Strangers > Roommates > Lovers
• He Falls First
• Forced Proximity
• Second Chance Romance
• Fall in NYC
• Amazing Supporting Characters
• For Broadway/Theater Lovers and Foodies
• Found Family

CW: Parental abandonment, parental death, cancer, heartbreak, and angst.

⚠️ Caution: Possible Spoilers Ahead ⚠️

I. AM. WRECKED. 

I rarely feel like this after reading a book outside of an Abby Jimenez or Kennedy Ryan book. That feeling you get when you get emotionally invested in two characters and feel all their feels, whether its good or bad. This slow-burn, will they/won't they is filled with so much love, tension, chemistry, all rooted from a genuine friendship. Angst leading up to a happily ever after is such a hard thing to execute. Third act breaks up don't always work well. But, Oh. My. God. This book is going to be the one living in my head rent-free until another one tugs at my heart strings. I can go on and on about this book. I can only hope there will be an audiobook so I can experience it again.

What I Liked

Realities of relationships
• June and Adam's relationship showed the goods and bads. I love how the growth of their connection was told from start to finish. With romances, you either see it go from strangers to lovers or friends to lovers. You watch June and Adam build up to and maintain a friendship – a friendship so strong, they were afraid to break or with a romantic relationship. You feel the love, longing, heartbreak.

The Dual Timeline Relationship Buildup
• I love a slow burn, but doing it in a dual timeline?! 😮 It just kept adding fuel to the sparks you knew was going to be beautiful once it was lit up.

Fall in NYC
• There's something about fall and NYC that is unmatched.  The air feels different, the trees are changing color, and there's a whole vibe that you can't describe unless you've been there. This book captures the allure of this season in NYC.

Story Details
• There's were so many little details tucked into the story that continued to elevate the plot. Adam and his restaurant, the Harpers, Stanley and how he unknowingly at the root of this love story,  June's back story with her parents, how Dan heard about June. All of it! These are all the little details you read and slowly see how it is a puzzle piece that completes a bigger picture.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the eARC.

This book is a love letter to New York, theater, and second chances.

“It’s Different This Time” by Joss Richard follows June Wood and Adam Harper, ex-roommates / best friends reunited after 5 years when they unexpectedly inherit their old New York brownstone and are forced to live together for a month. As they navigate shared meals and lingering misunderstandings during autumn in the city, old wounds and unspoken feelings resurface—forcing them to confront what drove them apart and whether a new beginning is possible.

This story really kept me on my toes in the sense that I wasn’t quite sure how exactly we were going to get these two to their HEA. I went into it thinking that they were exes instead of ex roommates/bffs, so the flashback chapters (told through dual timeline) didn’t add up for me right away—but that was my fault for not reading the synopsis more closely. That said, this is a sloooow burn with lots of build up and yearning and angst.

These characters are not perfect; they make decisions that drove me crazy, and the miscommunication trope was really a driving force for many of June and Adam’s issues. Joss’ writing style in this story is less lighthearted and more gritty; there are some revelatory scenes between June and Adam that had my chest in a vice—I really felt the pain and jealousy and anxiety right along with them.

While the pacing was a bit slow at times, I was never not engaged—I was really invested in unraveling the past to see where June and Adam would end up in the end.

Read if you like:
- second chances
- Slow burns
- Complex characters / character growth
- Angst and yearning
- New York
- Musical theater

My first reaction when I finished this book: it really felt like the encapsulation of an autumn romance. Seeing this story progress over the timeline of all of the years June and Adam have known each other felt like such a good foundation, and theirs moments were so sweet and nostalgic. I loved the overall feelings that this book gave me. I felt happy, sad, and emotional throughout its entirety, so I really felt invested in their story. This is the kind of story that makes me hope to have what Adam and June have in the future, because it was just really fulfilling and well written. Joss Richard did a lovely job with this book and I cannot wait to see what stories she'll craft in the future!

A second chance romance that left me wanting to move to New York immediately. He’s a chef, She’s an actress. They were roommates, until they weren’t. When they’re unexpectedly brought back together, they have to face each other for the first time in 6 years. Can they work past their past and find love? Or will the past come between them again and leave them both heartbroken while living out their dreams? I’ve never read a book that had more ambiance. Joss made me feel like I was there in NYC, under the golden trees, and living in the Brownstone. It was cozy and romantic and yet felt realistic. The storyline drew me in without being over the top. There’s good food, a side of Broadway, New York in the Fall, need you ask for more?? The whole book felt like curling up in a cozy corner with a warm drink on a rainy fall day.

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Language: moderate

Thank you Joss Richard, Ballantine | Dell, and NetGalley for this ARC!

Joss Richard takes fall romance to the next level in this sparkling debut!! This friends to lovers romance just became the blueprint for all future books. This book is everything a romance lover will want and to top it all off it’s set in NYC during the best season, fall!

The second the calendar turns to September I YEARN for a book that takes place in New York during the fall and this did not disappoint! It was so atmospheric and cozy and incredibly descriptive- I felt like I was in the story! I loved the character development and the deep connection between the FMC and MMC. Overall a really great fall read!

Thank you Ballantine & NetGalley for the eARC copy of It's Different This Time!!

This was such a fantastic debut! Adam and June's story was so deeply emotional, and so many parts of this book absolutely tugged on my heartstrings.

I'm such a sucker for second chance romances and dual timelines, and this book played right into everything that I love about romance novels. Conversely, I'm not a huge fan of the miscommunication trope, and I feel like the circumstances regarding their estrangement were a little bit too forced for me. However, I think that the pacing of the story was great and I think that everything came back together perfectly in the end.

Ugh and the SETTING!! The autumn backdrop, New York City, THE BROWNSTONE! It was everything to me and more. I really love novels where the setting feels just as alive as the rest of the story, and It's Different This Time is truly the perfect example of that.

Overall, such a fun read and an even more incredible debut!

The setting of this story was amazing, who doesn’t love fall in New York City! I loved the dual timelines as well, I think it added an extra depth and emotion. The characters were very well fleshed out by the end. The miscommunication did get frustrating at times but overall this is a perfect cozy romcom to cozy up with!

It was really easy getting into the story about June and Adam. I loved the plot and the in depth emotion between these too characters. The chemistry between the two is undeniable! I enjoyed reading about June and her acting career as well as Adam and his food business. I enjoyed the descriptions of fall in New York. It was described beautifully.

Aside from the relationship between June and Adam, I also enjoyed Chloe, and Adams family. There is greif and also an estranged family member the characters deal with. It felt real overall. I was attached to the characters and felt the grief along side of them along with other emotions.

I can see myself coming back to this whenever I want a fall romance. I loved it and would recommend it!

The novel is a beautiful blend of melancholy and hope, a quiet exploration of the what-ifs and the could-haves that define a huge part of our lives. It’s a book that encourages you to reflect, to feel, deeply and to appreciate the intricate tapestry of your own personal story. It’s Different This Time is a beautifully crafted story that feels like a cozy autumn evening—perfectly suited for a cup of tea and a quiet corner to get lost in.

I loved that this book lingered in my thoughts when I set it down, beyond the final page. Making it a must-read for anyone who has ever wondered if you can ever truly go back.

This was really, really cute! If you love an emotional romance, this will be a great book for you. I had a hard time believing that they were able to stay friends for so many year without being in a relationship, but regardless it was cute. The concept was unique, and I overall really enjoyed my experience reading.

This book is meant to depict fall, cozy vibes with NYC and second chance energy. While it absolutely delivers, for me it wasn't everything I'd hoped. Though honestly, I think this was definitely a mood reading failure for me. When I got the email about this title I was ELATED over its description. By the time I sat down to read, something had changed.

This book is heavy on the miscommunication. It's instrumental for the storyline to work. I felt the tension between the couple from the minute they were on page together. While I rooted for them, I struggled with some of the back and forth. (Again, totally a mood thing for me. You might LOVE it.)

Overall, it's a solid read for the romance genre. I feel like Joss Richard brought these two together in a unique-ish way considering the NYC setting and "why" the previous owner left the place to them. I'm hoping to re-review this in a few months to see if I'm out of this mood and can give this the love it deserves.

5 stars! I loved this debut. It was the perfect warm and cozy read for fall times. I loved the character development for June & Adam. It was dreamy watching them fall in love and have a second chance romance. I can't wait to read more from Joss Richard!

Thank you Netgalley & Ballantine | Dell for the advanced reader copy.

It's Different This Time by Joss Richard is a contemporary second chance romance that was so fun.

June is an actress & Adam is a chef - the two of them are complete strangers looking for a place to live in NYC... but fate intervenes in a fun way and the two of them end up as roommates. A decade later the two of them have parted ways, but the homeowner for some reason decided to leave them the home he rented to them.

I recommend this to the romance lovers out there who don't take themselves too seriously and live for the emotional rollercoaster!

Thank you to Dell/Ballantine & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a cozy autumnal romance that had a good balance of emotional depth, light humor, and romantic tension. Second chance romances aren’t always my thing but I loved the way that June and Adam’s history added to their rekindling. The premise of the story was really unique, which made the book as a whole all the more interesting. The authors love for New York also came through clearly, and added a great atmosphere.

loved this romance at a second chance of love and coming together in brownstone and the story of their love and romance in the new york. loved that they found their way to each other.

I really enjoyed this one!! The writing was incredible and the fall in NYC vibes were immaculate. My inner theater kid loved the broadway storyline and June's overall arc throughout. The romance had tension and pining which. It's a beautiful story of two estranged roommates/best friends who are suddenly thrust back together after not speaking for 5 years. The reason of why was a little :/ for me but loved how everything ended. Overall a really strong debut and I can't wait to see what Joss writes next!

Second Chance, Friends to lovers, Dual Timeline, Found Family, Forced Proximity

This book was tricky to rate- I bounced between a 3 and 4 star, and ultimately landed at 3.5. The beginning hooked me right away; but it lost some of the spark once the reason for the estrangement was revealed. Still, the story kept me invested and the characters felt real and humanly imperfect. The writing was seamless, making it very easy to stay engaged. I think fans of People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry would enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.