Joss Richard's debut is truly a can't miss fall delight!!!
With a past and present timeline, we meet Adam and Junewho have found themselver crossing paths again back in New York. With June at the beginning of a challenging time, it will get a bit mreo difficult, when her best friend Adam gets back into her life,
With Adam and June being old roommates, they are now owning a house together, due to the owner leaving it to them.

This bingeable, dual timeline, roommates to friends to more to strangers, the story of Adam and June is cozy, heartwarming, and delightful to start the fall season. Because what is truly better than a fall in New York, and of course, two best friends fighting the feelings that are there?

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Dell Romance, and Joss Richard for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

We first meet June when she learns she’s inherited the NYC brownstone she lived in years ago. The catch is that her former roommate (and so much more), Adam, has also inherited the brownstone. What follows is a sweeping love story, lived in both the past and present, that had me absolutely gripped! I know dual POV gets a lot of hype but this was perfect as a single POV. I was analyzing Adam constantly, trying to get a feel for when his feelings changed and grew or trying to figure out what he was thinking. The moment he finally voiced his feelings was all the sweeter for it! Their friendship was so charming, their sexual tension was palpable, and their falling in love was so tender and all consuming. I dunno guys, I just think I’ll be gushing about this one for a while. Prepare to be sick of me I guess.

* Fall vibes and NYC as a character
* Strangers to “friends” to lovers
* Actress and chef
* Dual timeline

- Fall in New York
- Actress FMC
- Chef MMC
- Friends to Lovers
- Dual Timeline
- Miscommunication Trope
- Second Chance Romance

In her debut novel, Joss Richards blends a story of romance, fall vibes and second chances. After being estranged for five years, two former roommates, June and Adam, are reunited in a twist of fate. As they reconnect, they realize that while the seasons may have changed, their feelings for each other have not.

This book was fun to read and an ideal story to kickoff the fall season. If you're a fan of second chance romances and forced proximity (one apartment listing), this book is for you. It does, however, have a miscommunication trope and the female main character does make some pretty immature decisions that made it difficult to root for at times but the author's writing style kept me intrigued and I'm curious to see what else she comes up with in the future.

Overall: 3.5 stars but definitely would love to see more stories from the author

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this ARC!!
Let me start by saying this book was not for me. The characters were just not my type. The writing was beautiful and loved the cover art! The FMC did a lot if things I wasn’t crazy about. I was just super frustrated reading this book. This just was not for me.
Overall a 3.5 ⭐️

It’s you, it’s you, it’s always been you…

It’s New York or Nowhere, but there’s something downright magical about a NYC love story in the fall. IT’S DIFFERENT THIS TIME had all the right ingredients to create a sweeping love story for the ages and was everything I could want in a romance book. I’m sad I don’t get to read this for the first time again but I absolutely plan on living in these pages and reading it over and over. It takes a lot for me to get emotional over a book but this one did me in. Hard. It’s one of those books that you hate to put down but can’t wait to pick back up again.

🎭👨🏻‍🍳 She’s an actress, he’s a chef
💕🚕 Strangers to roommates to friends to strangers to friends to lovers
😮‍💨 He’s down bad and the mayor of Yearn Town ™️
🫶 Forced proximity, he falls first, found family, second chance romance tropes
📖 Dual timeline from June’s POV
☕️🍂 For fans of Broadway and 90s romcom nostalgia vibes

She’s a Broadway actress, a real-life Life of a Show Girl if you will, who swore she’d never return to NYC. He’s a chef (can I get a YES, CHEF!) who’s been waiting for her to return for five years. They’re forced back together in the brownstone where it all started after going no contact and get a second chance to either fix things and try again or accept they aren’t meant to be and move on.

This made my heart swell! TS Red coded. Easily one of my favorite romances to date. June and Adam were the definition of friends to lovers – they become family and fumble through their 20s figuring it out together. The fear, miscommunication and ego getting in the way was SO REAL and the 3rd act breakup is necessary but will hit ya where it hurts. 74 Perry St. forever!! This deserves a spot on the big screen and I’ll be first in line if it does.

I’m floored this was a debut novel (?!) and can’t wait to see what Joss Richard does next! Thanks @dellromance for the digital ARC. Out 9/30 💜

Heck yes, I was worried my reading slump would continue, but nope!! Slow burn, second chance, friends to lovers, the whole trifecta I love, all within “Its Different This Time.” Our narrator, June is an out of work actor in Los Angeles when she gets an email prompting her to return to NY, something about a brownstone she rented years ago with Adam Harper, Adam who was her roommate and who she left with only a text. Brought together by a new and creative plot line, the sparks fly while they try to navigate whatever it is that they are to each other. I loved June. She didn’t grow up with family so she’s gun shy in who she lets in. Adam has the perfect family and can’t wait to have a marriage like his parents, which triggers Junes flight or fight. The flashback chapters worked, not clunky at all. The push and pull tension was sharp, and their friendly banter and light flirting were swoon worthy. I loved how the city of New York felt like its own character within the story. The descriptions made me feel like I was there.

Awesome debut novel and a new author I’ll definitely watch out for. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC, my review is based on my own opinions.

This book was magic!

I was about 20% of the way into the book when I realized it was going to be one of my favorite books of the year. The way that Joss described literally everything in the book told me that she had experience with what she was writing and it was something that she was passionate about.

The relationship between June and Adam, the descriptions of different foods that Adam cooks. June’s love and trials with broadway, all of it was so beautifully written.

I loved the combination of past and present timelines. I thought it was so helpful to switch to the two timelines to better understand what was happening with June and Adam.

I am so beyond grateful for the opportunity to read this. Thank you to Dell Romance and NetGalley for the eARC!

4.75⭐️

June isn’t sure what she wants in her life or about the choices she has made. When she gets a call from an accounting firm in New York insisting they meet with her in person, she flies across the country to a past life that she thought she was finished with. When her ex best friend Adam walks into the meeting, she is completely caught off guard. June and Adam have to navigate several things throughout the book including coming to terms with who they are now as well as why their friendship ended so many years ago. June has to decide what she truly wants to do with her life and how that may affect her relationship with Adam.

I absolutely adored this second chance romance! The setting was perfect and made me wish I could visit New York in the fall. This book was such an easy read and I did not want it to end. The character development was realistic and I thought the story flowed well.

Thank you to Joss Richard, Ballantine Dell and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Tropes:
Second chance
Forced proximity
Friends to Lovers

Perfect for those who love:
Cooking
Broadway
New York City
Fall/cozy vibes

Pick up your copy on September 30.2025!!

4.5-5??? who knows. i just know this. was. GOOD.

the writing gripped me from the start, there's something about a house trope? the way it holds all the memories, the meaningful moments, and when they can be gone in a blink of an eye when you sell it to someone else. june & adam's journey was beautiful. i just loved their connection, how they both really were best friends - you could feel it through the pages. all with new york as the background just really made me happy inside.

i also really loved sarah and june's relationship - they seemed to have just clicked and no hard feelings were had when june went to LA. that family's devotion was unmatched 😭

i read this in one day it was so addicting. i can't wait to have the physical copy and reread it again... just to feel something🤎

thank you netgalley for the arc!!!!

🧡ARC Review
🍂It’s Different This Time
🧡By Joss Richard
🍂Releases Sept 30
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

I was so excited to receive an ARC of It’s Different This Time by Joss Richard after seeing so many folks raving about it and wow—what an emotional, cozy fall treat! 🍂📖

From the first page, I was completely grabbed by June and Adam’s story—the way their friendship blooms, fades, and then finds its way back to something even more beautiful is just… perfect. When June returns to NYC after her show gets cancelled, she finds herself back in the brownstone she used to share… and with the roommate she left behind. Talk about serendipity. Their chemistry is electric, full of nostalgic warmth and bittersweet longing as they navigate years of “what ifs.” A few scenes had me so emotional I had to stop and take a break so I could catch my breath and keep the tears from flowing. Joss has a way of writing that just made me feel everything these characters were feeling, especially June.

The lush NYC setting—especially in the fall—is practically a character itself. Every page I turned, I could see the golden leaves, feel the crisp air, and taste the late-night conversations over shared meals.

What really got me were the layers: June’s career crossroads and Adam’s culinary dreams, the found-family vibes, the slow-burn pacing, and those dual timelines that weave together past hopes and present revelations.

This was a tender, modern-day romance. It’s deeply emotional, beautifully written, and unforgettable.

Highly recommend this one if you’re craving slow-burn second-chance love (my absolute fave), NYC vibes, and a story that tugs at your heart and sticks with you long after the last page. 🧡

I cannot wait to see what’s next for Joss Richard! This book made me a fan for life!

Thank you NetGalley and Dell for the ARC!

🍂Contemporary Romance Novel
🍁Forced Proximity
🍂Dual POV’s and Timelines
🍁Second Chance Romance
🍂Friends to Lovers
🍁New York City
🧡ARC Review
🍂It’s Different This Time
🧡By Joss Richard
🍂Releases Sept 30
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

I was so excited to receive an ARC of It’s Different This Time by Joss Richard after seeing so many folks raving about it and wow—what an emotional, cozy fall treat! 🍂📖

From the first page, I was completely grabbed by June and Adam’s story—the way their friendship blooms, fades, and then finds its way back to something even more beautiful is just… perfect. When June returns to NYC after her show gets cancelled, she finds herself back in the brownstone she used to share… and with the roommate she left behind. Talk about serendipity. Their chemistry is electric, full of nostalgic warmth and bittersweet longing as they navigate years of “what ifs.” A few scenes had me so emotional I had to stop and take a break so I could catch my breath and keep the tears from flowing. Joss has a way of writing that just made me feel everything these characters were feeling, especially June.

The lush NYC setting—especially in the fall—is practically a character itself. Every page I turned, I could see the golden leaves, feel the crisp air, and taste the late-night conversations over shared meals.

What really got me were the layers: June’s career crossroads and Adam’s culinary dreams, the found-family vibes, the slow-burn pacing, and those dual timelines that weave together past hopes and present revelations.

This was a tender, modern-day romance. It’s deeply emotional, beautifully written, and unforgettable.

Highly recommend this one if you’re craving slow-burn second-chance love (my absolute fave), NYC vibes, and a story that tugs at your heart and sticks with you long after the last page. 🧡

I cannot wait to see what’s next for Joss Richard! This book made me a fan for life!

Thank you NetGalley and Dell for the ARC!

🍂Contemporary Romance Novel
🍁Forced Proximity
🍂Dual POV’s and Timelines
🍁Second Chance Romance
🍂Friends to Lovers
🍁New York City

Absolutely nothing could have prepared me for the sucker punch this book would deal to my soul. There are only a few books that exist in the world where the temptation exists to flip to the beginning immediately upon reading the last word and It’s Different This Time is one of those stories for me.

June & Adam are characters I will constantly think of as people I wish so fervently were real. Their love is so palpable through the pages; every word to each other filled with intention, every act, however subtle, a clear demonstration and it reads so beautifully, I literally hated whenever I had to put the book down to return to real life. A story spanning across as many years with as much deeply rooted history as theirs calls forth a certain expectation of angst and yearning and these elements were conveyed and fleshed out so perfectly that I was physically impacted, my lungs burning due to every conscious thought being used to sear these scenes permanently into my memory. If I had to hold Adam next to anyone else in the romance genre, think a delicious cocktail of The Seven Year Slip’s Iwan Ashton, The Ex Vows’ Eli Mora and One Golden Summer’s Charlie Florek with a sprinkling of Beach Read’s Gus Everett. It’s thoroughly impossible not to love him.

June’s voice was the perfect narrator for this story. She is someone I could relate to so much (whoa, scary!) but I felt so comforted in her character as she navigated her career challenges and wariness towards the pressure of decision making. We all at times carry a wariness of making the wrong choice and fear the potential weight of regretting the outcome. I feel like this book reads like a letter to anyone who’s ever felt that way and delivers a poignantly compelling reminder that every pivot in a journey contains purpose. Hope is a feeling that blossomed in my chest while reading and I will gratefully foster the warmth it created there.

The incorporation of my favorite musical Les Miserables, particularly the character Eponine, was such an unexpected but truthfully full circle experience for me. This character has been a closely knit part of my existence since seventh grade and “On My Own” continues to be one of my go-to karaoke songs (because nothing screams gifted burnout kid like performing broadway songs at a karaoke bar). This added so much depth to the story personally and solidified this as a new soul book.

For fans of Jessica Joyce, B.K. Borison and Carley Fortune, put this stunning debut to the TOP of your fall reading rosters. You’ll thank me later.

Themes:
- Second Chance
- Friends to Lovers
- Dual Timeline
- Slow Burn
- Forced Proximity
- Broadway Star x Master Chef
- Fall in New York City

Content Warning:
Cancer & loss of a parent (on page).

4/5⭐️! What a great start to the cozy fall book season!

It’s Different This Time centers around June and Adam, two roommates who find out that they now own the brownstone they used to share, which wouldn’t be a problem if they were actually in touch over the past six years. The story takes us through their relationship - how they became friends/roommates/more than, how it fell apart, and maybe its rekindling?

This book was really good!! It’s a second chance trope with some spice sprinkled in (2/5) and chapters that flip between past and present. When I had time to sit and read I flew through this book - it is such an easy read and great for fall.

June, Adam, and their relationship developed throughout the story very well and their conflict felt very layered and complex. This is one of the few romance books where I didn’t get frustrated at the fact that the solution to the conflict could’ve been a text/phone call. They made me feel all the feels!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! Can’t wait for everyone else to get a chance to read this!!

One of the most beautiful things about reading this book was how it made me feel like I was right there with them. It gave me such a strong urge to visit New York, fall in love, walk through autumn streets, and become one of those hopeless romantics who still believe in everything. 🍂💛

It’s a story that is both breathtakingly beautiful and achingly sad. While reading, I kept imagining scenes between June and Adam, and I loved watching how they slowly fell in love—even if those fools didn’t want to admit it… because after all, they’re “just friends.”

What I loved the most was the dual POV and the use of timelines. Books with shifting timelines don’t always work, but in this case, it was flawless. This was my very first read from this author, and oh my god—I already want more.

✨ Tropes:
Contemporary Romance Novel
Forced Proximity
Dual POV’s and Timelines
Second Chance Romance
Friends to Lovers
New York City Fall

Wow!!! This is a debut novel! I’m genuinely shocked because it is sooo freaking good! The story timing and the hops between time told this tale so well. I loved our characters and the journeys they both went on, even though we only saw it through her eyes. This romance story was beautifully woven through with friendships, family and passion.

If you like a complex but funny romance this is perfect.

"A soulmate-level second-chance romance that absolutely wrecked me in the best way."

I’ve read over 100 books this year — most of them romance — and This Time Will Be Different by Joss Richard is without question landing in my Top 5. From the very first page, I was hooked, and I devoured the entire book in about 24 hours because I simply couldn’t bear to put it down.
This is the kind of second-chance romance that aches. It’s rich with longing, steeped in emotional depth, and grounded by a friendship that made the romance feel so authentic and earned. It’s not just about two people rekindling love — it’s about understanding, growth, timing, and choosing each other again. And again. And again.

The chemistry? Off the charts. The pining? Deliciously drawn out. But what truly set this apart for me were the love languages on full display — if you swoon over Quality Time and Acts of Service, prepare to be ruined in the best way. Every small gesture carried so much weight, and every shared moment felt like a love letter.

It’s one of those rare books that reminded me why I read romance — to feel something real, to believe in second chances, and to fall in love right alongside the characters. I already want to reread it just to feel that magic all over again.

If you're a romance reader who loves emotional depth, slow-burning reconnections, and characters who feel like soulmates, you need to read this book.

This amazing debut romance by Joss Richard was fun, emotional, addicting and drew me in from the very first chapter!

June wood and Adam Harper are estranged former best friends who are thrown back together through a crazy twist of fate. They somehow inherited their old NYC brownstone from their landlord after not seeing each other for years. And they didn’t exactly end their friendship on good terms. Now they are forced back together and have to work on their unresolved past or risk losing the house all together.

This adorable story is filled with tension, longing, banter and romance, but also, misunderstandings, hurt, resentment and buried feelings.

Read this one if you love:
-fall in NYC vibes
-second chance romance
-forced proximity
-friends to lovers
-miscommunication trope
-some spice
-dual timeline

The miscommunication trope, as always, was frustrating but somewhat understandable based on June’s childhood. The dual timeline showed the progression of Adam and June’s relationship as well as their growth in their lives and careers. And all of the side characters added so much to the story. Overall, I loved Adam and June’s story and absolutely adored this book! I read it in less than 24 hours! I highly recommend it to all romance lovers out there!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine for the opportunity to read an eARC of It’s Different This Time. All opinions in this review are my own.

This story was such a nice surprise! Friends to lovers and second chance romance is definitely one of my favorite duos with all the angst and emotions it comes with. Adam and June had me rooting for them from the start. I loved the set in New York and in one of those beautiful and charming brownstones during the fall.

The story leaned a lot towards June discovering herself, dealing with traumas and coming to terms with mistakes she made in the past, which was great, but at the same time made me miss seeing more of her and Adam together.

Their friendship is so sweet from the start. They care for each other and are always there for everything, but there’s always this inevitable pull happening that they seem really scared to act upon in fear it will destroy the great relationship they have built as friends.

The banter and the spice are great. There’s angst, tension, unresolved feelings and a story that could have had its happy ending years ago if they just put all fears aside, communicated better and gave it a try. There are so many moments when they are almost there but something always stops them, so there’s a lot of frustration too. Afraid that she could lose him as friend if they tried something, she ended up losing it all.

I wish June could have been more mature and dealt with her feelings better from the beginning, Some of her actions were really irritating, but because of being raised by and awful mother, she was constantly afraid of being inconvenient and losing the little people she had around her.

I couldn’t stop reading this, I needed them to be okay and find their way back to each other, but I wanted more of their romance. It took them so long to go through everything that happened to them and the little we got from their HEA was not enough!!!!

I loved this story, the setting and the writing. Excited to read more from this author!

Thank you NetGalley and Dell for this eARC!

WOW! what an amazing debut novel. i love a second chance when it has a dual timeline and getting to see both characters in the different time periods and their relationship. it allows the reader to experience it with them rather than being told what happened. i love both of the main characters, adam and june. it’s also set in nyc (one of my favs) and its during fall time (another fav). can we also discuss how adam is a chef and he cooks for june!!!!! i laughed, i cried, and i fell so in love with this book. it was truly beautiful and unforgettable.

five years ago, best friends, june and adam lived together on perry street in nyc. fast forward to present day, living in los angeles, june gets an email from her old residence that turns her entire world upside down. turns out, she and adam will now own the property if they can live together in the brownstone apartment they once did for a month. with her career going downhill, she has nothing left to lose. adam and june have unfinished business as they ended on bad terms and haven’t spoken since she left new york. everyday living together again, they have to navigate the misunderstandings, resentment, and buried feelings they had for one another.

in one timeline you said adam and june’s journey as friends to lovers whereas the other timeline you said them as now strangers and getting their second chance.

tropes: second chance, friends to lovers, dual timeline, slow burn, forced proximity, nyc during fall
content warning: cancer and death of a parent

4.5/5

Sometimes love is inheriting a six million dollar west village brownstone with your former friend and love of your life who looks a little bit like David Corenswet (niche people understand). That’s exactly where Joss Richard’s debut, It’s Different This Time begins. Two former best friends, Adam and June, are reunited after six years apart when they learn they've inherited their former apartment building after the death of the owner, their former landlord. Sell or keep, they'll have to spend a month together before they can sign away ownership but that means facing what drove them to separate sides of the country six years ago.

Ensuing your classic dual timelines where the past is flung wide, Joss Richard builds a friends to lovers saga where an aspiring chef and theatre actress/part time bookseller agreed to be roommates, but ended up becoming the best of friends. Adam and June really are that classic romance novel couple. Unlikely friends they may be, the friendship between them is unmistakable as is the support they lend each other across the years. Richard knows how to plot out an electrifying slow burn and with an entire decade since their first meeting, June and Adam are ripe for that angst and tension I need from my romances. It’s Different This Time feels like a When Harry Met Sally style story, both narratively, and in the relationship between June and Adam. Where the fall feels like a separate character—as does the city of New York. I love a dash of miscommunication in my fiction (for good health) and boy do we get that here. Really I expected nothing less from these two, but Richard grounds it in their individual pasts so it never feels overwrought, only typical of two people scared of change and scared to reach for what they want. It’s Different This Time is an impressive, nuanced love story between two people at first scared to try and then brave to start all over again. That it’s enough that it is different this time to hold onto a second chance with both hands.

This review will be featured on my Fall Romance recommendations.

I saw a few people that I love to follow and fully trust their reviews RAVE about this one and had to get in on it! It didn’t ensnare me right away I found it slightly hard to get into but the romantic fall cozy vibes are definitely there!