5 Stars – I’m genuinely impressed by this debut novel! The story kicks off with the basics: June and Adam share a past, and Adam broke her heart. Right from the start, I found myself disliking the MMC (main male character). However, since the novel is told from June’s perspective, it quickly becomes clear that we, as readers, don’t yet have the full picture. As the story unfolds, we learn the truth—Adam loves June, and it’s ultimately she who made the missteps in their relationship.

That being said, I did find the initial breakup a bit dramatic. June’s decision to move across the country and block Adam after she rejected him and he moved on felt like an overreaction. But as we get to know June, it becomes apparent that she’s a complicated character with a complex backstory, which heavily influences her choices and emotions. All of the twists and turns in their relationship made sense, and Joss Richards did an excellent job of conveying the undeniable bond between these two—soulmates, without a doubt.

The setting of New York in the autumn, with their careers as a chef and Broadway performer, added a delightful layer to the story, making it even more engaging. Overall, I loved the book and would highly recommend it to anyone!

June and Adam meet as roommates. Many years later, fate places them back in the same house together and they rekindle their relationship. As the title makes clear, it's different this time. This is a fun take on a friends-to-lovers rom-com, because they seem to inhabit a space between these categories for much of the story.

I really enjoyed the characters and storytelling. I wanted to keep reading. I wanted them to stay together. Sure, it's slightly predictable, but it was the cozy romance I was looking for.

The "plot points" that created tension, especially the set up that brings them back into the same brownstone, are a bit silly and contrived. This is normal for the genre and it didn't bother me too much, but if you're looking for realistic, this isn't it.

I would read more by this author! Thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this.

Such a cute story. Loved the characters and their bonds formed throughout the book. I couldn’t believe that this was her first book she’d ever written! It was so good! The story hooked me from the beginning. An emotional rollercoaster but I loved it. Well written, can’t wait to read her future books.

It’s Different This Time - Joss Richard - out on September 30, 2025

5 years ago June fled to LA from New York, leaving behind her best friend Adam and the brownstone they shared without telling him she had no plans to ever come back. When she gets a cryptic email enticing her back to New York, it coincides with the show she’s been doing being canceled. When she arrives, she finds herself face-to-face with Adam again where they find out the owner of the brownstone they rented for years together has died and left it to the two of them. All they need to do is wait a month to sign the paperwork and it will be theirs. Easy except when you factor in that they haven’t talked since the day June left and they know nothing about each other’s lives despite years of history.

As they’re forced together, they realize how much unfinished business is still between them and how much there’s still a longtime attraction there, one they both tried to pretend for years didn’t exist. June’s conflicted between returning to LA and her film/tv acting career or pursuing a show on Broadway, something she hasn’t done in years but really, she’s unsure how much of her heart she can give to Adam without being totally destroyed. Adam, for his part, knows June is the one who got away but he’s hesitant after the years apart.

I LOVED this second-chance romance, will probably end up in my top ten of the year easily! It’s a little slow burn at first but I was sucked into the story immediately and curious to find out what happened between these two. Adam is a dream of a character and June has her issues like all of us that she needs to work through as she learns to trust Adam and take a chance. I can’t wait to read more from this debut author in the future!

Thanks to Netgalley and Dell for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Joss Richard for an advance copy of quite possibly my favorite read of 2025 so far!!! Ok, I’m newer into diving into romance books and I think second chance romance might be my new favorite trope but honestly how can it not be with a story like Adam & Junes!!! Watching these two grow their friendship over the years while they both were oblivious to the fact that they are perfect together. I don’t want to give much away but you need to have this one on your radar if you love romance books that include friendship, love, delicious food, some stem, and dual timelines. I cannot wait to have a copy of this one on my shelves on September 30th and I cannot recommend it enough!!

Read this if your favorite romance tropes include second-chance romance, "it's always been you," forced proximity, and strangers-to-friends-to-strangers-to-lovers. I was a little annoyed by how long the reconciliation was dragged out, but overall, it was an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Real rating: 3.75 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel. All my thoughts and opinions are my own.

The more I uncovered about Adam and June’s past, the less I wanted them to be together in the present. In my humble opinion, they have no business being together romantically. June doesn’t deserve Adam, to be quite honest. He deserves better. But unfortunately, who Adam wants, who will make him happy (somehow), is June (for some reason).

I was genuinely floored by June’s behavior towards Adam from the very beginning. The story is told in alternating timelines between the present, at 31 and 33, and the past, starting from the day they met 11 years prior. And as their origin story is unraveled throughout the story, the more dumbfounded I became by (1) their relationship, and (2) June in her entirety.

The way June treats Adam from the moment they meet again in the present is incredibly juvenile for a woman in her 30s. I swear, it’s like she’s allergic to having a conversation. And considering the fact that the other half of this couple, Adam, wants nothing more than to have a proper conversation, like the 33 year old adult he is, I’m left suppressing the deep-seated urge to scream.

The more I think about it, the more irrational and, quite frankly, selfish June becomes to me. Not only as a person, but as a friend. She leads him on, past and present, because she wants to have her cake and eat it too. She’s the most indecisive character I’ve read about in a while. She knows what she wants, but never wants to actually /choose/ it, so she just…dips her hand in every pot imaginable and acts shocked when people tell her that’s not how it works.

This 400-something page novel could’ve just as easily been a novella if June was willing to actually talk to Adam. That’s my biggest gripe with this novel. I don’t believe June exhibited any real character development, which doesn’t sound like a big deal, but I want to remind the audience that the story spans almost 12 YEARS. She did the same things in the present that she did in the past. Everything that goes wrong between Adam and June is pretty much entirely of her own doing.

I think they’re great support systems for one another and are each other’s biggest cheerleaders. I think they’re great friends, but June could be a better one (especially to Chloe). There’s a lot of enjoyable moments in this book, but every time I remember why they stopped speaking, I get upset at June all over again.

I couldn’t have asked for a better read….New York in the fall. Friends to lovers. Chef and Theater Actress. It’s Different This Time was absolutely lovely and I couldn’t put it down. New York itself and a sweet brownstone became a character to be treasured. Thank you so much, Net Galley, for the early copy. I will be recommending this gem over and over!

What a pleasant surprise Joss Richard’s It’s Different This Time was! After her TV show is cancelled, June doesn’t know what’s next, until she gets an email to come back home to NYC—thanks to a clause in the former owner’s will, she and her old roommate Adam now own a multi-million dollar brownstone they haven’t lived in in six years. Or at least they will in four weeks, so for four week, she and Adam are back to being roommates, and the more time they spend, the more old sparks start flying. This is cozy. It feels like fall and it feels like a classic romance. Meg Ryan would have starred in this movie. It’s romantic, with yearning, tension, forced proximity and second chances. I loved the growth of June and the growth of how she and Adam communicate. There’s love, there’s passion, and it’s two people who take big chances for their dreams. It’s emotional, and it’s told in two timelines that add so much depth to this story. It’s elegant, it’s slow burn, it’s everything! Five huge stars.

This book screams "Fall" and falling in love in New York City in the Fall is exactly what I need in a romance. I will definitely be re-reading this book in the Fall with a cup of apple cider! I loved both our main characters and it was really fun to watch their story unfold as friends, roommates and then something more. Each dynamic added a layer of complexity and emotional depth to the story! This was such a wonderful debut and will definitely be reading more from this author.

I was pulled in right from the start.
I loved the flashbacks from past to present story line - it really built the connection between June and Adam. Slow burn perfection!!!

Loved it - five stars!! I will definitely recommend!!

I loved this debut from Joss Richard - a second chance romance set during fall in New York City. Adam, an aspiring chef, and June, an aspiring actress, were strangers that became roommates 11 years ago. Living together in a West Village brownstone over several years, they became best friends (and maybe more?) before their time together ends abruptly (and poorly.) It's now 5 years later, they haven't spoken since June moved to LA, and they learn that their former landlord has willed the brownstone to both of them, bringing Adam and June back together to revisit their past and figure out their future. Through flashbacks to their time as roommates, we get to learn the ins and outs of their friendship - the will they, won't they tension is strong, and really sets up the dynamics for their present day relationship. Their lives have changed so much, but perhaps their feelings for each other haven't. A sweet romance that's full of emotion, unconditional friendships, and family dynamics, I definitely recommend It's Different This Time. Big thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book!

My first read from this author. A love a good fall setting. I am not a fan of slow burns, but this was a cute, easy read. Definitely nice to mix it up after reading about summer romances. The setting had me ready for cooler weather..

Based on the reviews and ratings, I am in the minority but I did not enjoy this read. I love stories with flawed characters that you still can’t help but love, because despite it all the author is still able to get you to root for and care for them. I did not feel this way about June. She’s dour, insecure, self-absorbed, and selfish. She can supposedly belt out a tune, but there was nothing about her I find particularly compelling or interesting. No wonder she could never score a leading role in a film. Girl does not have that je ne sais quoi. So for Adam to be head over heels for her? I didn’t buy it.

Additional thoughts:
*June must be part fish. Her eyes widened or goes “wide-eyed” at least 15 times in the story.

*The spicy scenes would be better if June and Adam weren’t having full blown conversations throughout it. Shouldn’t their mouths be preoccupied with other things?

*Two young, attractive people who liked each other and lived together would’ve hooked up way before 10-11 years later.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Loved it. It was SO refreshing after trying to read superficial stuff like Sarah Adams. Recommend for a slow burn second chance. The author is very clearly not a mom, as evidenced by the naive line about “why do parents even bargain with their children” which just made me roll my eyes so hard. Gotta love single people who think they know more about parenting than parents. Oh how ignorant you are, but good book, anyway. Although in real life, people don’t use each other’s names in dialogue as much as these characters do and that got a little grating.

This book got me in the mood for fall! Loved all the autumn vibes in the book and all the cute city coffee shops throughout the story. Will read any romance that takes place in the city especially in the fall! Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book in advance.

This was such a cute second chance romance. I loved the chemistry between Adam and June. While I feel the book might have been a tad too long, I liked the dual timeline. Overall a cute, cozy read!

Hey, so what… like no actually, what because why has Joss Richard NOT WRITTEN A BOOK SOONER?! I have been down bad the past few months when it comes to reading and this book just sucked the soul right back into my body. Thank you so much to Dell for allowing me to read this ahead of publication. I will be shouting my praises for this book as far and wide as I can. I’m not someone with any kind of professional writing background, I go for vibes and this book is so good! I was screaming and giggling, kicking my feet and there was many a face palm and my kindle may have been tossed. Overall, this book is well worth picking up especially for the second chance romance girlies and the theatre girls lowkey.

“But what happens is after that first night, that first week apart, you learn you actually don’t know how to breathe without the other.”

This book was a solid 3.5 stars for me. I loved June and how unfiltered she was for the most part. I loved how swoony Adam was and how this man, he remembers everything. I loved their bond as roommates, then friends, then possibly more.

These two characters meet when they are at the beginning of their careers, both needing a new place to live and both seeking roommates. They find the perfect place together and one of the rules is not to be together.

This book is about a friendship that transcends just being friends or best friends. These two know each other on such a basic level. They intertwine their lives together in such a way, that you know they’re soulmates, but it has never been the right time.

Tropes:
🍂Second chance romance
🍂Friends to lovers
🍂Dual timelines
🍂Slow burn
🍂Forced proximity
🍂NYC in the fall

I have already posted my review on goodreads and will be posting my review on Amazon on release day.

Okay listen up—this debut ate.

We follow Adam (a soft-hearted cook) and June (an ambitious actress), who used to live together and maybe love each other? before life pulled them in different directions. Fast forward five years and BOOM—they inherit their old apartment… together. The catch? They have to live in it for a whole month if they want to keep it. Yep, cue the forced proximity. 😮‍💨

This is for the girlies who love:
🍂 Second-chance romance
🏙️ Fall in New York City
🏠 Forced proximity
💔 Angst and healing
💬 Emotional miscommunication done right

I adored June—she was such a strong, mature female lead. The way she made tough decisions just to protect others? So real. And Adam?? Watching his growth and the way he loved—UGH, he made me melt.

Their relationship was slow-burn perfection. So many what-ifs, so much tension, and when they finally see each other again for real? I was kicking my feet. 😭

I cannot believe this was a debut. The emotional depth, the writing, the character arcs—everything felt so lived in. It broke me in the best way.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC—this one’s going to stay with me for a while. 💌