I really wanted to like this book more! I really liked their meetcute and the tension of them starting to live together and navigate that friendship. But if there's one thing I really dislike, it's when the MMC sleeps with other women while he has feelings for the FMC. Maybe it's me, but I prefer a yearning man. Sadly, I didn't see enough growth through all the hurt they go through.

⭐️⭐️⭐️¾ (3.75 stars)

It’s Different This Time by Joss Richard is a nostalgic, emotional, second-chance romance with heart, chemistry, and just the right touch of angst. When June and Adam are unexpectedly thrown back together by a quirky inheritance clause, they’re forced to confront the past they left behind—and the feelings that never quite faded.

I enjoyed this story! I often get frustrated when characters avoid conversations that could solve everything, but in this case, that silence made sense. June and Adam needed time to grow on their own before they could come back together, and that growth made their reunion more meaningful. The pacing was solid, and I loved the way the dual timeline added emotional depth.

One note: this is not a closed-door romance—the chemistry is definitely there! Overall, a thoughtful and emotionally satisfying read with a strong second-chance arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

June and Adam thought they had seen the last of each other, though neither wanted that to be true. After years of living on opposite coasts they are both drawn back to the place it all began. Can they find what they once had or is too far in the past to find even friendship?

In this book we follow Adam, a cook, and June, an actress, who both used to live together before drifting apart. Five years later, they get reunited after becoming the owners of their old apartment out of their will. If they want to keep the ownership of it, they both need to live there for a month.

The main tropes are second-chance romance, forced proximity, and a story happening in New York City during fall.

For the characters, I liked June's maturity, she was such a great representation of women having to take a risky decision even though it's going to hurt them just to protect someone else's feelings.

Now, for Adam's character, I liked seeing his growth throughout the story; his character development was so well written, and I loved the way he cared for his cherished ones.

For their relationship, I liked the build-up to it, this was a relationship built on years of "what if". Any miscommunication was explored in such a great way, they were beautiful together.

Writting this book as a debut novel is kind of crazy considering how good it was, I felt so many emotions throughout my reading, seeing the character's growth was amazing.

Thank you Netgalley and Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 (𝐀𝐑𝐂) • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It’s Different This Time by Joss Richards tells the story of June and Adam, former roommates and friends, who reconnect when they inherit the brownstone they lived in for six years. This is a friends-to-strangers-to-lovers, it’s always been you, dual timeline, heartbreaking and beautiful story that everyone should read!! I loved both June and Adam’s characters and the detailed writing that made the tension between the two characters so palpable. June’s best friend Chloe also plays a part in this story and I loved her character in both timelines. I loved the fact that this showed June’s journey on Broadway and Adam’s journey as a chef. This was so, so, so good! It’s Different This Time comes out September 30th, be sure to check it out!

𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬:

“Being close to him feels as natural as breathing.”

“What Adam and I shared was few and far between. It’s a bond that happens once in a lifetime, if you’re to be so lucky. Friendships like that take time and effort to build. Relationships like that require trust, openness, and honesty. They’re like beautiful trees with deep roots. You don’t cut them and expect them to keep growing. It’s impossible.”

“I don’t know what to do,” I say, and I hold my breath waiting for his answer. Expecting him to say stay here, choose me. “You’ll make the right decision for you.” He looks at me, his eyes warm. “And I’ll support you either way.”

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this novel. I was pulled in quickly and I think this will be an instant hit with romance audiences.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for allowing me the honor to read this book. I absolutely loved it! So hard to believe this was the first book by this author! I absolutely devoured this book in one day-it was that good! Can’t wait to read more by this author!

4.5 stars! Once I got into this I could not put it down. Fans of Maybe Once, Maybe Twice will love this. Slight drop from 5 stars for the sheer amount of times these two manage to make a mess of things but I fell in love with them regardless!

Huge thanks to Ballantine for this advanced reader copy! I was completely hooked.

It’s Different This Time is a beautifully written slow burn, second-chance romance told across dual timelines, with New York City pulsing in the background. The love story is heartwarming, spicy, and everything you’d want in a romance, but it’s also so much more! This book reminds us that we’re always one choice away from a completely different life… and another choice away from redemption.

The characters are deeply developed. I grew attached to them fast and found myself aching to know more about their pasts. This story made me laugh, cry, and wish for an on-screen adaptation, ASAP!

Also a very special thank you to Joss Richard for not only writing such a beautiful story, but for being a kind, present author who connects and actively engages with her readers.

*This review also shared to Goodreads.

This book left me with a very mixed bag of feelings. I liked the characters, but everything around them drove me nuts. Let’s start with the issues, because honestly, they were hard to ignore.

Realism? Not Even Close
Some parts of the book were so implausible, they completely pulled me out of the story. I actually found myself reading sections aloud to my husband (who already thinks romance novels are ridiculous) just to confirm how off-the-rails it felt.

The NYC Real Estate Fantasy: Two young twenty-somethings supposedly rent an entire brownstone in the West Village for $1,700/month — in 2014. My husband was apartment hunting back then and the cheapest place he could find was a studio deep in Harlem for $1,400. So a whole brownstone in one of Manhattan’s most desirable neighborhoods for just $300 more? Not a chance.

Then He Just Gives Them the Building? That’s not romantic, it’s just baffling. This kind of thing doesn’t happen. There’s no plausible setup, no legal or financial reasoning. Just, here’s a multimillion-dollar property, enjoy.

The Baby/Toddler Confusion: The portrayal of children was truly bizarre. The friend’s child is treated like an infant — burp cloths, head support, being carried everywhere — and then we’re told he’s two years old. Two-year-olds are walking, talking, eating real food. Later, there’s a scene where a toddler climbs out of a pool and gets wrapped in a towel. That’s not something a toddler does. That’s what a six- or seven-year-old does. It felt like the author has never spent time around young kids.

Long Island Train Logic Fail: A cab ride from a Long Island train station costs $50? Not likely. Most towns on Long Island are close enough to the station that a cab would be cheap, especially over a decade ago. My husband is from Long Island and laughed out loud at that one.

Restaurant Hours Confusion: There’s a scene set around sunset, which in the fall is about 6 p.m., and the restaurant is already closed for the night. What kind of restaurant closes before dinner?

Also, About That Address
The author gives the characters a real address: 74 Perry Street. That building last sold for $15 million. The book says it was bought for $6 million, which is incredibly inaccurate. If you're going to write about real New York addresses, do some basic research.

What Worked
Despite all of that, the chemistry between the two leads worked for me. I love a second-chance romance, and this one had enough emotional pull to keep me interested. I didn’t love the reason for their breakup — it felt underdeveloped — but their dynamic had heart.

Final Verdict
If you love second-chance romances and can suspend a whole lot of disbelief, this might still work for you. But if you know anything about New York or kids, be warned: the inaccuracies might drive you up the wall. I’m giving this a generous 3 stars because the character dynamic had something to it, even if everything else felt wildly off.

This book sounded totally perfect for me, as a huge theater fan and foodie who also loves NYC, especially in the fall. And (surprise) I really enjoyed it! The story follows June and Adam, once roommates and best friends, who are unexpectedly thrown back into each other’s lives again. Can they salvage the close bond they once had—or will their unresolved feelings for each other and secrets of their past get in the way?

I loved how dialogue-focused the story was! All of the banter and just overall interactions between June and Adam were so much fun to read about. It was clear that they just had this instant connection, and hit it off right away. I also really enjoy when the characters’ careers play a strong role in a romance, and that was definitely the case here. June is an actor and Adam is a chef and restauranteur, and Joss Richard infuses so much depth and detail into their respective career paths, and the ups and downs they go through trying to pursue their dreams.

The side characters were also great, particularly June’s best friend Chloe and Adam’s family. June’s own parents were not particularly the most present or supportive, so it was especially heartwarming to see how Adam’s family immediately welcomed and accepted her. I also loved Stanley and how his apartment truly brought June and Adam together, time and again. Plus, the city itself felt like its own character, which made the story feel even more vivid and immersive.

If you love second-chance romances, dual timelines, and cozy fall reads, IT’S DIFFERENT THIS TIME is definitely the book for you! This was a super strong debut from Joss Richard, and I’m excited to see what she does next. Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine, and Dell for the ARC.

Such a satisfying read. The pacing was perfect and I really enjoyed the writing style. Definitely an author I’ll be keeping an eye on

As a foodie and theater nerd I loved every second of this! Perfect fall romance to give you the warm and fuzzies!

“Don’t you know by now that it’s you? It will always be you.”

5⭐️ 2🌶️

- second chance
- dual timeline
- friends to lovers
- forced proximity
- found family
- “Yes, chef”
- NYC in the Fall

This was so, so good, an absolutely amazing debut novel!!

A few years ago, June was trying to find a new apartment in the city, and happened to cross paths with, Adam, who also was looking for a new place to live. When they both end up at the same 2-bedroom showing, they decide to move in together to split housing costs. They live together for a few years, and then June leaves for a new acting job in California and never even says goodbye to Adam.

Fast forward a few years and June is now back in New York, and unbeknownst to her (or Adam), they are the new owners of their old apartment. Now that they’re back in New York together, will they pick up where they left off? Or are all of the emotions too much for them to be vulnerable with each other again?

THANK YOU to Joss, Dell & NetGalley for this arc. thoughts are my own!

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Publishing House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Let me start by saying I cannot believe this was a debut novel, it was so amazing!! Adam is my favorite MMC I've one across in a long time. And I loved the setting in NY and June off and on Broadway. Their story snuck into my heart. This would be an awesome movie showing the place on Perry Street and their lives weaving back and forth over the years. Pub date 9/30!❤️

this book story line was good. however so much spice and language for my taste. this cover is so cute but very misleading to be a light hearted romance

3.5/5

Hats off to Joss Richard on a fantastic debut! I didn’t know the actress x chef combo is something that would suck me right in like it did, but wow! Maybe it’s because my husband loves making food for people, but Adam’s passion for his craft is absolutely swoon-worthy.

This was such a great story of risk-taking, recognizing one’s value, and just saying what really you feel. Yes, miscommunication in romance novels makes me so angry sometimes and yes, June and Adam both made some questionable decisions, but I still just loved their story so much!

This was a great cozy fall read with a little dash of spice that I would suggest to anyone!

Thank you Dell Romance and NetGalley for providing this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

I loved this book. I lived in NYC for some time so I love stories set there as they provide me with nostalgia as well. The author did a great job of character development, realistic dialogue, and though this is a romance, it’s also an ode to the greatest city in the world.

I love fall in New York and honestly anything based in New York! I think this was a beautiful story of friends to lovers, and June and Adam made a great pair for each other. It was nice to see how they made great friends, and even greater lovers. Adam's family too were a huge highlight of the book. I love how they basically took June in as one of their own right off the bat. Also, what are the odds that both names June and Audrey appeared in the book, both of which are family names for me.

If you’re looking for two people overflowing with the most delicious kind of yearning - who are truly the epitome of “it’s always been you” - you’ve found them in June and Adam.

They completely stole my heart from the very beginning. Richard does an incredible job seamlessly weaving between past and present, giving us a full picture of these two beautiful idiots (yes, I yelled at them multiple times while reading, with love ofc) who just need to be together and love each other already 🥺

It’s Different This Time is one of the most beautifully written debuts I’ve ever read. Richard is absolutely a new voice to watch out for this fall. I can’t wait for you all to experience a crisp NYC autumn alongside June and Adam - and feel all those big and small emotions as they find their way back to each other.

@netgalley @dellromance @penguinrandomhouse - thank you for the ARC in exchange for an honest review 🫶