OKAY WOW. Automatic 5 ⭐️’s. This is one of those books that I picked up and refused to put it down until I finished it. The fact that this is a debut novel is mind-blowing to me as Joss Richard writes like a seasoned author.

Being from Connecticut, I was happy to relate to all of the NYC/living in and commuting to Connecticut comments (plus, who doesn’t love a fall romance set in the Northeast?!). And as the biggest fan of RENT, all of the musical references made my heart so happy - yes, I was listening to the soundtrack while reading!

I love love love Adam and June. I thought that the plot was unique: inheriting a multi-million dollar house together in present day, they haven’t spoken in five years, and we get to see their story and history in this house unfold through dual timelines. The flashbacks and watching them go from strangers to roommates to strangers to lovers was both heart warming and heart breaking at the same time. I could read five more books of just Adam and June, I love them so much!

If you take one piece of advice from me: read this book!! I honestly couldn’t recommend a book more, especially if you’re looking for another fall read to add to your TBR this year!

🎵 chef x actress/broadway star
💞 second chance
🛏 ex roommates
🍁 cozy fall romance
🍎 set in NYC
🕑 dual timelines
🏡 found family

This book was such a delight to read. It had me smiling and then happy tearing up at the end.

* second chance romance
* friends to lovers
* found family

Trigger warning: there is a death to a minor character.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is my bread and butter!! Adam and June's story was beautifully told. I was rooting for them the whole time. They are lovable and relatable. You really grow to love and care for them so much while also wanting to yell at them through the pages. I love the authors writing style, it kept the story interesting, leaving the reader wanting to read more! I will definitely want to read more from her!

Speechless. I read this book in one sitting. I shed many tears and had some laughs. I expected to maybe read a few chapters but ended up reading the entire thing. This book is so well written. I got clear imagery and didn't have to use much of my brain while reading this book, which I love. I didn't expect this book to be as emotional as it was and I am so happy about it.

4.5 stars! Joss Richard knows how to write a second-chance romance! I am now obsessed with these characters and this love story. I appreciate when an author can create a romance that is not completely mushy.

Real characters, real lives, real issues. All of the characters, including the side characters, were layered and complex. This made me connect with them at a deeper level throughout their journeys. The characters had their own lives outside of the romantic and platonic relationships. This was a breath of fresh air in a romance novel.

Yes, there is the unbeloved miscommunication trope in this. However, I will say it is done well! Even if someone hates that trope, I think they wouldn't mind it in this story and with this author's writing.

Another aspect of this novel that I liked was the dual timeline. The way that the author utilized this made the pacing work well. Sometimes, authors confuse me a bit with the dual timeline. They will make it not make sense and feels choppy. It can sometimes be hard to keep up with what is happening. None of this was true for Joss Richards! She took the dual timeline writing to a different level, and it made me attach to the story even more.

The epilogue tugged on my heartstrings. This book really made me feel a range of emotions that I was not expecting. The cover drew me into this story, but the writing made me stay.

Thank you NetGalley, Dell, and Joss Richard for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! "It's Different This Time" is published on September 30, 2025!

Overall was just what I needed to get ready for fall! If you are crafting your fall TBR, I’d absolutely add this. Bonus points if you can book a trip to the city!

Oh how I wish I could live in a brownstone in New York. And for a brief moment, it felt like I did. It’s Different This Time is a teleportation device sending me to quintessential New York in the (objectively) best season, fall. Capturing all of the best parts of the city from Broadway, to the food scene, to Central Park. And even though it seems like nothing could top the vivid transportation to the city, the romance did. June and Adam were messy and raw and perfect and real and everything in between. I loved seeing them move from strangers to friends to strangers to lovers. An incredible story that will be one I’ll return to whenever I need a little bit of autumn or a little bit of Broadway. And because I feel obligated to make at least one Broadway pun in this review: it was “practically perfect, in every way” (Mary Poppins).

Instagram post to come

I didn’t expect this cutie little book to make me cry as much as it did?? Wowwww I loved this book SO much!! It had the perfect vibes (who doesn’t love an autumn in New York?) and as a theater fanatic, I loved reading about June’s journey on Broadway. Adam and June are so perfect to me. Their instant chemistry and banter had me giggling throughout the whole book, but there were also moments that made me tear up because they were so sweet and tender. I also think the miscommunication aspect that comes with a second chance romance was done so well, and i was rooting for them from the very beginning. I cannot wait to read more books from this author!

I received this as an ARC.
I am a sucker for a cute NYC romance, especially one made during the holiday season. This was super cute, well written and engaging. I love a second chance romance and this was purely genuine. I did get frustrated with June a bit, but her background gave her a pass to feel the way she had. However, this came together nicely, realistically and I did connect and feel for the characters.

3.5 stars rounded up! I need more by this author. PLEASE! Definitely put me in the fall mood just based off of the cover everything else was just a bonus. Thank you!

This book is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster 🎢 so get ready! I enjoyed Adam and Junes story (this was one of my most highly anticipated reads of fall) but they are not the best at communicating with each other (which always drives me a little nuts) my favorite parts were the moments with them and Adam’s family 🤭🩷🫶🏻 I think this is a great debut novel and I can’t wait to read anything else this author writes!

My review will be on social media on 9/26

First time reading a book by joss and I will be picking up some more by this author.
So heartwarming and much needed for my fall reading mood.

A very cute book, kind of second chance romance? I don’t normally like when the author flips back and forth between timelines but I loved how the past counted down to her leaving in time for the current timeline to hit a critical point.

The spice was great and the instant chemistry between Adam and June was off the charts. I loved that they both were growing and developing their careers while having unwavering support for each other.

I had a bit of a hard time believing they kissed and days went by but suddenly it was understood they would hookup after the gala and then they were suddenly going to be together but they still hadn’t had a major convo about why she left and any risidual feelings from that.

And I totally cried when reading Stanley’s letter 🥰😭 Thanks for a beautiful epilogue!

Overall I can’t wait to see what comes next for this author because this is her first book and it’s fantastic!

Thanks to NetGalley and Dell for this advanced copy.

I think so many people will love this book, but it wasn’t for me. It’s firmly a me problem—I don’t typically enjoy “celebrity”/Hollywood romances, and I should have read the blurb more clearly before diving in. The writing is fresh and voiced, and I know this will be perfect for so many readers moving into fall.

I devoured It’s Different This Time in a single day. I’m such a sucker for a good second chance romance, and this one hooked me right from the start. The mix of mystery surrounding what happened in the past, paired with the yearning and slow build through flashbacks, made the payoff when the characters finally came together both satisfying and perfectly timed.

Told entirely from June’s perspective, we don’t get Adam’s inner thoughts, which I typically prefer in second chance romances, but his steady presence and unwavering devotion still shine through. June’s character growth is where this story truly excels. Watching her discover who she is, what she wants from life, and how to open herself up again made her journey feel both authentic and deeply hopeful.

The touches of found family add warmth and depth, while the fall vibes in New York City setting creates the perfect cozy backdrop for this heartfelt story.

If you love second chance romances filled with tension, character growth, and just the right balance of heart and hope, this one is a must read.

thank you netgalley for the arc!!

this was such a fun read!! forced proximity, second chance, dual timeline romance set in new york city - i’m eating it up!!! broadway performer + chef - so fun!

i loved seeing adam and june together, especially in the past. it was so evident how strong their friendship was - so effortless and full of love - of course it led to more feelings! there were even several moments that featured adam’s family that got me teary eyed!

my only complaints were the conflicts: what led up to their first separation and the ending conflict. both were attributable to june being annoying and not communicating what she actually felt!! thank god adam was understanding cause idk if i would be haha

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

Kudos to this author on her debut novel. Amazing writing and I look forward to her next book. This would have been 5 stars except for a couple things. I wish we had some POV from Adam - not necessarily every other chapter as in dual POV, but I think the story would have benefited from it. I did love the dual timeline, though, as it really gave you insight into June and Adam as friends.. Without giving away spoilers, the one thing I thought was completely unrealistic was how and why June left New York. That didn't sit right with me. I did like June's growth as a character even though she annoyed me at times. Adam and his family were fantastic. Highly recommend.

I LOVE THIS BOOK. It is the New York romance of every 90s girl's dreams. Rom-coms set in NYC were our bread and butter. You've Got Mail? Serendipity? When Harry Met Sally? THE BEST. Well, this book just joined the ranks of my favorite New York rom-coms. I mean, it honestly may be my new favorite! Yep. I said what I said. This book is magic. PURE MAGIC. This is a story about estranged roommates who are forced back together by fate—or by the last will and testament of the landlord of their beloved brownstone.

This dual timeline second chance romance has Adam and June becoming best friends to 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 lovers in the past, while simultaneously reconnecting and reconciling in the present. It is so beautiful when the two timelines intersect! Around the time that their relationship is imploding in the past, they are falling back in love in the present. But did they really ever stop? SO GOOD.

While there were moments that left my heart feeling battered and bruised, there were other moments that made me truly giddy—like “kick your legs and grin like a fool” giddy. Friends to lovers is my favorite trope, and this story is PERFECTION. Adam and June were such a perfect pair! Truly best friends in every sense of the word. He is the chef and owner of New York’s hottest restaurant. She is an aspiring actress starring in Broadway’s latest musical revival. Adam and June’s love story is truly not one you will want to miss! The ending felt like the warmest of hugs. My heart was fit to burst!

This was such a good book. It was a perfect fall book. A friendship/second chance romance. I enjoyed her writing style and will definitely read anything else she writes!

The fact It’s Different This Time is a debut is mind blowing because it is PHENOMENAL! I basically read it in one day and was glued to my kindle to find out what happened between June and Adam.

My pitch for IDTT is that it is the vibes of The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston having a baby with Lease on Love by Falon Ballard and The Bear tv show! All of my favorite elements from these books and show were in IDTT.

The characters: Beyond just Adam & June, the secondary cast is lovely - Chloe, Lucia, Audrey, Ford & Sarah. Even Stanley! I also firmly believe the Brownstone at 74 Perry St was a character itself. I could so easily visualize the inside of it in my mind.

The timeline: I loved the dual timeline because the pacing was well done and had my yearning for both June & Adam in the past AND the present. I truly cannot imagine having the time of roommates to friends to best friends relationship that they had. The mystery of what broke them apart was well hidden away. Every chapter gave the reader more and more insight as to how attached these characters became to each other and left the reader feeling close to them but still curious how it all fell apart. Their growth as they aged was evident in both timelines, at the same time so was the work they still needed to do before they could confess anything to each other.

By the 50% book my heart was in my throat and by the 70% mark, I was just sobbing through the rest of it (not even all of it was sad just one part) because I loved these characters so much.

The banter was hilarious and overall this story is a knockout and a standout. I cannot WAIT to read Joss Richard’s next book.

Spice 2🌶️🌶️ (maybe half a pepper more in the vein of YEARNING). There are open door spicy scenes that deliver.

Tropes:
*friends to not quite lovers to strangers to friends to well, lovers again duh
*forced proximity (oh my god they were roommates)
*NYC setting, actor x chef
*self discovery
*dual timeline
*found family

TW: estranged familial relationships, cancer, cancer death off screen (secondary character)

Thank you to Ballantine/Dell and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.