*4.25/5 Stars
I'd ABSOLUTELY recommend this book. This is Joss Richard's first book and I’d love more from her. I will honestly be shocked if it doesn't become major on booktok/bookstagram. The writing style was great, the second chance romance was done well (and I'm not always a big fan of that trope), while also doing flashbacks really well. This is set to come out in September of this year, and I'm definitely buying a physical copy when it does!

I don’t give out many 5-star ratings, but this book absolutely earned it!

I was completely charmed by the story and the way it made me feel—warm, giddy, and totally invested. I can’t believe this is Joss Richard’s debut novel!

This is a romance through and through, and it’s utterly adorable. June and Adam meet by chance, and before you know it, they’re taking a leap of faith as roommates in a well-priced New York townhouse. What follows is a delightful journey through their on-and-off "friendship" that keeps you smiling the whole way through.

If you're in the mood for an easy, heartwarming read that feels like a cozy romantic comedy, this one is for you!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC. I’m officially a big fan of Joss Richard and can’t wait to see what she writes next!

READ THIS BOOK!

From the very first page, I was entranced by the characters in this story, how they leapt off the page with witty banter and blink and you’ll miss it quips. The way that Joss Richard (debut author alert!) writes her characters with such distinct voice, it made me want to pull up a seat in that bar in Silverlake and become best buddies with them. Later, it was in a brownstone in New York City, a home in Connecticut and another in Long Island. I saw myself in June so much so that I felt protective of her throughout her journey. This story hit all my emotions. I loved June and Adam’s dynamic, spanning twelve years of will they/won’t they tension that brings up the age old question - can men and women *just* be friends? And, if the answer is yes, can they also be roommates without there being anything more?

You are going to love this book! It’s already a most requested on NetGalley. It comes out in September, so mark your calendars! I already secured my preorder and I am thrilled to support Joss in celebration of her magical debut. She is one to watch.

Fair warning though: Adam is a chef, so there are mouthwatering descriptors that made me race to the kitchen on more than one occasion.

I love a second chance romance and June and Adam were no exception. I loved that the book was set in NyC, my favorite place for contemporary romance settings! Great fall vibes, family, friends, and the romance was so sweet and tender. I love them!

3.75*s

It took me a while to get into “It’s Different This Time”, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down. Each time I took a break, I had the itch to start reading again. I ended up finishing this in a day.

As with any second-chance romance, this is a heartwarming story of two people - June and Adam - finding their way back to one another after a period of separation. I usually struggle with second chance romances because the author has to convince me that the couple still belong together, especially when they spend years apart. June and Adam’s reunion just felt so authentic, I had little doubts about them by the end.

Much of June and Adam’s story is told through flashbacks. While this structure gives some insight into their 12-year relationship, from friends and roommates to something more, it was also lacking a little in substance. There are gaps in the timeline which resulted in gaps in their relationship. For example, after June and Adam first become roommates, there’s an 18-month jump where we’re told that they’ve developed a close friendship, but we don’t really see when or how that happened. This left me to make assumptions about their relationship and so made the early progression feel fragile. Rather than being left to assume, one or two scenes from this year-and-a-half gap could have helped their relationship feel more solid. However, Richard is effective at creating that initial chemistry between June and Adam and at developing that chemistry in the moments that we do get, that by the end I’d nearly forgotten about the clunky beginning.

Richard’s writing is simple, but still evocative. Together with the alternating timeline, she crafts a slow build-up of romantic tension and a palpable anticipation. Richard writes June and Adam’s story with such tenderness, compassion, and empathy that the resolution of the central conflict, and June and Adam’s ability to move forward, felt organic. I also truly appreciated that the resolution occurred in the antepenultimate chapter, rather than being left for the last chapter. This prevented the ending from feeling rushed.

While I really enjoyed this book, connected with the story, and resonated with the characters (especially June) in the moment, I’m not sure I’ll still bring thinking about this months from now. That kind of longevity is what really makes a standout book for me, and would have made this a solid 4*s. Nevertheless, I can confidently say that Richard is an author to watch out for and I will be reading whatever she writes next.

Two former roommates reunite unexpectedly and have to come face-to-face with romance that never was one more time. This is a slow burn told with a dual timeline of where Adam and June before and where they are now. It's the story of them as a duo, as well as looking at their professional journeys. I did like the blend of the romance with the life stuff, and the dual timelines worked really well for the storytelling. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the look at this September 2025 release.

Oh this book throttled me, but by the end I wanted to throttle it. The story was so well written. It latched onto me from the get go and I didn't break free from that...until about 70% in. I am a huge sucker 'then and now' chapters but when a book is set up this way you don't get to the drama of the past until later on in the book. I spent the first half of the book learning to love June and then the last half wanting to strangle her. What she did to Adam was so immature and cruel. It didn't really even seem like she changed that much 5 years later. Adam deserves everything good in the world and I don't know if I would ever be able to get over what June did if I was him. This is still a 4 star read because it was a very captivating story, but just know I am so mad at June. But alas, incredibly impressive for a debut author!

I don’t think I’ve ever connected with a book like this before. I saw a lot of myself in the fmc June, with her love of theatre and her love of New York it drew me in instantly!

The dual timelines piece together the perfect puzzle that encapsulates their relationship as a whole. We get to see these two people grow during the most pivotal times in their lives. It made me think that home isn’t just a place but it’s also people, if you don’t have people by your side life can feel a little pointless. June is person who has a hard time believing people will stick around and finds herself spiraling in her personal and work life because of that very fear. That is until an offer that happens to be in New York and she finds herself stepping into her old life, quite literally. That comfort of home and it just so happens a man she hasn’t seen in years is roped into the same offer as her, Adam. Forced to confront her past June finds herself hopeful for the first time in a long time and finally goes after what she wants.

And Adam I mean MY GOD he is everything, I love a mmc that happens to be a chef. It’s in is nature to be attentive and thoughtful but this man’s patience is something else, don’t get me wrong I love June but girl is messy!! Aside from that the yearning is off the charts and had me addicted from the start!

For a debut novel I am astonished, Joss Richard’s writing is something magnificent! I truly hope she writes more because I would EAT it up

Thank you to NetGalley, Joss Richard, and Ballantine/Dell for the digital ARC!

I lost count of the times I cried! :) Second chance, friends to lovers and found family? SIGN ME UP! Everything from the natural progression of June and Adam’s friendship, the food, the theater. I loved every second of this. It’s Different This Time is a perfect fall read that should be on everyone’s radar!

Sadly this one did not work for me. The writing was a big sticking point here; it felt clunky, didn't flow, and overall the dialogue just felt very awkward. And I think because of the writing, the characters came across as juvenile and simplistic, not as complex as I wanted them to feel and often very immature for their age. I wish I liked this--it seemed right up my alley--but it just didn't end up working for me. :(

June and Adam are interesting characters, and watching them find their way back to each other was very sweet and satisfying. I love a romance with a deep, emotional connection. June's actions didn't always make sense to me, but there was some effort to explain them. The pacing also felt a little strange, because it felt like the climax was hitting in the middle of the book, and I wasn't sure what the next 100+ pages would hold. I liked that it wasn't as predictable as expected, though.

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC!

i devoured this book - i seriously could not put it down. this is going to be such an amazing debut for a nice, cozy fall read 🍂

set in NYC during the fall, june returns to the city after being left a brownstone that she used to rent with adam - who she hasn’t talked to in 5 years after leaving the city suddenly. the book is told in a first person dual timeline, which was excuted perfectly. each of the characters were developed and so beautifully utilized throughout the story (especially as someone who struggles to engage with the side characters because they’re typically flat). such a cute read!

thank you netgalley and ballantine/dell for the ARC in exchange for a review 💕

I absolutely loved this book. The characters emotions and the support system they show. The dual timeline was real orchestrated. I can't wait to purchase the book.

Sinopsis en español:

Tras tambaleándose por la cancelación de su exitoso programa de televisión, June Wood no tiene nada que perder cuando un misterioso correo electrónico la atrae de vuelta a la piedra rojiza de la ciudad de Nueva York que una vez llamó hogar antes de mudarse a Los Ángeles. Gracias a una cláusula en el testado del antiguo propietario, ella y su antiguo compañero de cuarto, Adam Harper, ahora son dueños de la propiedad multimillonaria, o al menos lo harán en un mes, una vez que se firme todo el papeleo.

Cuatro semanas, luego June puede volver a su vida en Los Ángeles y olvidarse de la ciudad de Nueva York y de todo lo que dejó atrás. Claro, el hecho de que June y Adam estén separados y ni siquiera hayan hablado en cinco años, y que su amistad no terminó exactamente en buenos términos podría complicar las cosas, pero esta es la oportunidad de su vida.

A medida que las hojas de otoño caen a su alrededor, a través de comidas compartidas y conversaciones nocturnas, resurgen viejas heridas y chispas enterradas durante mucho tiempo, y se vuelve sorprendentemente claro: June y Adam tienen asuntos pendientes. Frente a las consecuencias de sus elecciones años antes, ahora deben navegar por el campo minado de su pasado de la mejor manera que saben: juntos. Las segundas oportunidades siempre son un riesgo, pero tal vez, si lo hacen bien y finalmente son honestos el uno con el otro y consigo mismos, podría ser diferente esta vez.






Reseña:

June y Adam no se conocían hasta que, por azares del destino, terminaron siendo compañeros de piso. Durante seis años compartieron su día a día, construyeron una amistad profunda y, sin quererlo, comenzaron a enamorarse. Pero ninguno de los dos se atrevió a dar el primer paso.

June, marcada por el miedo al abandono, se convenció de que no merecía a alguien como Adam. Lo veía como un mujeriego y jamás pensó que él pudiera sentir lo mismo por ella ya que las mujeres con las que salía eran diferentes a ella. Por su parte, Adam nunca fue claro con sus sentimientos. No tiene povs por lo que todo fue a través de los ojos de June y parecía que sus sentimientos no iba más allá de la amistad. Mientras ella sufría en silencio, él salía con otras mujeres, aunque supuestamente estaba enamorado de June.

“It’s Different This Time” is a gorgeously layered second-chance romance that made me forget I don’t usually like second-chance romances.

Joss Richard tells the story of June, a Filipina American actress at a career crossroads who inherits half of a $6 brownstone in NYC… the other half belonging to Adam, the former roommate she once loved and lost. He’s now a successful chef and entrepreneur, and when they’re thrown back together under one roof, the novel begins to unravel what went wrong before—and what might be possible now.

Told in alternating timelines, the book gives you the thrill of watching them fall in love for the first time and the slow-burn intensity of rekindling that connection as older, wiser versions of themselves. Miscommunication is often a tired trope, but here it feels heartbreakingly real. The emotional distance between them is never due to laziness in the writing; it’s woven into who they are—how they’ve been hurt, how they’ve learned to protect themselves.

June is a standout heroine. She’s complex: brave, terrified, ambitious, self-sabotaging, hopeful. I cheered for her even when I disagreed with her choices. And Adam? He’s the rare romantic lead who manages to be both soft and strong. He’s open to love without sacrificing his sense of self, and it’s so satisfying to watch him fight for connection without pushing past boundaries.

If you’re in the mood for a romance that’s rich with character development, cultural nuance, and emotional payoff, this one’s worth your time. Joss Richard is definitely an author to watch.

June Wood is a struggling LA actress when she receives an email calling her back to New York City to talk about a brownstone she used to rent. She has, along with her former roommate, Adam Harper, inherited the property, now worth six million dollars. The problem is she hasn’t seen Adam since she ran away to LA six years ago. And her feelings for him come flooding back.

if you’re a second chance superfan like me, let me tell you right now: run, don’t walk to pick this up when it comes out on september 30th! i requested this on a whim and i couldn’t be happier that i took a chance – i completely devoured this in one day, and it was so hard to put it down even for the sake of a meal. i was that locked in.

in particular, i found myself reminded of books like happy place and the ex vows, which are two books that i absolutely adore. one of my biggest pet peeves in second chance and/or friends-to-lovers plotlines is when the author doesn’t make me believe in their history. if this foundation is so completely vital to the storyline, and to this couple’s love story, i need to feel it! joss richard did an incredible job with this exact thing – the flashbacks really brought that part of their story to life, and made me believe in both their friendship and the potential for more that always haunted the narrative. the slow burn was perfect, each flashback was perfectly placed, and even though june was so unbelievably wrong to leave the way she did, i was still rooting for them the whole time. it was perfect!

✨What a beautiful, lovely debut romance story ❤️✨
There were so many moments where I teared up, laughed my head off, and truly felt connected to the characters. The romance was ON POINT and did not feel forced at all. Adam and June are a fantastic example of friends to lovers done right. I honestly could read this story over and over and not get sick of it!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the arc of this book in exchange for my review.

First of all, the cover is gorgeous and gives the best fall vibes; it would be the perfect book to read in the autumn season.

It’s Different This Time by Joss Richards is a beautifully written, deeply emotional second chance romance that completely swept me away. I devoured this book in a single day and went on a full rollercoaster of emotions; I laughed, I teared up, I fell head over heels. This story just got me.

The book is set in New York City, and is packed with all the autumn vibes I love. The city feels like a character in itself because it feels so alive, vibrant, and brimming with memory and meaning. The dual timeline format was so effective at unraveling June and Adam’s past while slowly rebuilding their present. Watching their connection shift from estranged best friends to something more again had me hooked.

June is a TV actress who has been feeling the sting of change and loss, and Adam is a chef with a steady, quiet kind of devotion that made my heart ache. Their unexpected inheritance of the brownstone they once shared forces them to confront everything they’ve left unsaid, which is years of heartbreak, longing, and unresolved feelings.

This book was such a rich blend of tension, tenderness, and hope. I especially loved the theme of returning, not just to a place, but to yourself, your passions, your people. The chemistry between June and Adam was perfection, and the pacing of their emotional journey felt so natural and real. Yes, there’s a third act breakup (which normally is not my favorite trope), but here, I felt like it worked well. To me, it feels earned, and the payoff is so worth it.

Read if you love:
🍂 Friends to lovers
🍂 Second chances that make your heart hurt (in the best way)
🍂 NYC in the fall
🍂 Banter, Broadway, and a cinnamon roll chef love interest

I’ll be picking up anything Joss Richards writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Joss Richard, and Ballantine/Dell for the eARC of this book.

Such a beautiful second chance romance with all the fall vibes! I absolutely devoured this book in one day and had a whole rollercoaster of emotions.