This book was AMAZING! The way the story is told is so well done and unfolds with perfect timing. The story of Adam and June is swoon worthy and the perfect build up. No time is wasted in this book and it is such an easy read. This book is a must read and was an immediate purchase for my bookshelf!

Wow wee, I just finished this, and I’m not ready to let go of Adam & June yet. I’d like to just keep reading about their lives indefinitely over the years in their West Village brownstone. One nice thing, at least, about an alternating timeline story, is that it makes it really easy to just start right back at the beginning and read it all again, once you know all the facts!

I’ll be honest, I only read this because Sarah Adams kept raving about it, but she was totally right, obviously. Adam & June’s story is told through flashbacks mixed in with the current timeline, so by the end, it feels like you’ve watched eleven years of their lives go by in their little corner of New York City. Joss does such a good job describing everything in a way where you get completely lost in the story. But she also managed to rip my heart out and stomp all over it, in multiple timelines, because I was so deeply invested in the story. It’s so obvious that this couple belongs together, and so hard to watch them struggle to make it happen.

The fact that this is a debut novel makes it even more impressive, and also exciting, because it means there will hopefully be many more novels from Joss Richard to look forward to over the years!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine/Dell for the ARC of this book!

Update: Oof, the book hangover was real with this one. I actually did have to go back and re-read it immediately before I was ready to move on, which I’ve only done a handful of times, so that’s saying something!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the digital ARC! I really enjoyed this book, and I am amazed that it is the author’s first published novel. I loved the super cozy fall New York vibes, the FMC working to become a Broadway star, the cutie MMC who was so sweet. I thought it was a well paced slow burn, and the story keeps you intrigued throughout as to why and how their relationship fell apart so hard.

The flashback chapters felt Iike it was too much at times. Like, I can’t believe I had to sit through 6 years of them being friends with a a ‘will they, won’t they’ vibe. That was too much, in my opinion. The reasoning for them not getting into a relationship was frustrating (though I understand it, based on the FMC’s characterization). But I think if their time living together as platonic friends was like, 4 years shorter then it would have felt more believable and less frustrating. ALL THAT BEING SAID, I genuinely did really like this book. I loved a good second chance romance, and this one had so much yearning and tenderness and sweetness that it was wonderful. Read this if you want to feel cozy and happy and yearning and love!

This was so cute. I liked the nonlinear timeline. I thought the characters were cute and had good chemistry. They had interesting backstories and careers. There wasn’t really a third act breakup

The book was a little hard for me to get into for a few reasons. For starters, all of the legal talk right at the beginning of the book took me out of the narrative, and because the POV character was so confused, I was in turn confused. I also felt that the main character was very wishy washy on her feelings and actions. She would say that she felt one way and then act in a way that conflicted with that emotion.

I will say, once I hit the 40% mark, I was a lot more attached to the narrative, but the sheer amount of miscommunication between these two characters was astounding. For a debut, the dual timeline was done effectively and I'll definitely check out future books from Richards.


3.5/5⭐️

June and Adam, former best friends, haven't seen each other in five years. And now, they're suddenly about to become co-owners of a multi-million dollar Brownstone and will have plenty of time to hash out what happened. This book is about honesty, the consequences of leaving things unsaid, and second chances.

I thoroughly enjoyed It's Different This Time! Joss Richard's writing is cozy and descriptive and her dialogue had me experiencing a full range of emotions. I really appreciated the dual timeline and thought it was well done, giving the reader context for June and Adam's relationship history at moments that felt most heart-wrenching.

The character development for these two felt accurate to their ages, as time progressed. June and Adam in their 20s were still growing in communication, individuality, and self-confidence - and it shows. At times, I was occasionally frustrated with their decisions but in reflecting, it really feels true to the experience of being in your 20s and suddenly finding yourself figuring out the who/what/why/hows of life. Now in their 30s, June and Adam are still trying to figure out some of these questions - but are also more willing to take some risks - and I found myself relating to them (as someone also in my early 30s) and feeling seen in that.

The relationship between the two is full of yearning, care, and hot, hot sexual tension. I am a June/Adam stan and will be for the rest of my life (!!!!!!!!).

No review for this book is complete without mentioning the gorgeous setting, and Broadway!! This book is a love letter to musical theater nerds everywhere. Joss Richard's writing was atmospheric and I felt immediately transported to NYC in autumn - with a scarf tucked around my neck and a cup of hot chocolate in my hands. I cannot wait to read this book again in the fall as it practically begs you to. And if you catch me listening to the Les Mis cast recordings too? Well autumn and Les Mis are forever connected for me now, so there you go.

At times I got a little irritated with the miscommunication between Adam and June, but overall I thought it was well written and I appreciated the empathy that ensemble characters give these two mcs (specifically June, which then helped June give herself compassion).

All in all, a fantastic debut romance. I cannot wait to read what Joss Richard writes next!

Thank you to Dell Romance and NetGalley for this e-arc!

This was so cute! I loved the back and forth timeline and seeing how their relationship unfolded. The side characters were so great and fleshed out. Perfect fall read.

It’s different this time is a perfect fall read!
It’s a second chance romances with a little bit of miscommunication ( but it’s done well), best friends to enemies to lovers with some forced proximity. And lots of yearning on both sides.
I don’t typically love the miscommunication trope but this was done so well but still at times I want to yell “what do you want?!??” I absolutely devoured this book and read it in a day. I was so impressed that it was a debut novel. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy in September!

Thank you again to Dell and Netgalley for sending me this EARC

ARC releasing 9/30/25. Two former roommates reconnect after 5 years when their old landlord leaves them their NYC brownstone upon his death. There's a specific insta creator who mocks best friends to lovers trope and this book feels exactly like her Reels. It was fine, but mostly unbelievable and also just tell others how you feel!!!!!!! Be a grown up!!

Disclaimer: I did not finish the book

For me this book is an issue of character development. Two years into their friendship, and I still feel like I don’t know Adam at all and barely know June. Adam tells June that he didn’t think women and men could be friends until he became friends with her, and that line is so unearned—they’ve have about 1.5 serious conversations during that time span (one of those being about June’s mom, where Adam doesn’t even say anything besides “I’m sorry”), and their friendship feels barely developed. Adam is aloof and personality-less; the book just doesn’t seem at all interested in him as a person outside of who he is to June. (Spoiler: Skimming to the end justified my quitting the book: June’s present-day huffiness and indignation toward Adam, given what took place in their past, is beyond non-sensical.)

I really loved this book. Sometimes second chance romances can be a bit draining, but I really fell in love with Adam and June. I loved seeing how they found their way back to one another. The miscommunication made me want to slam my head into a wall, but I'm happy with how they worked it out.

Ok so it’s fall. It’s New York…the leaves are changing. We have Broadway, we have a handsome and successful NYC restaurant owner, we have a brownstone, unexpected luck just in the nick of time, off the charts chemistry and dilemmas that are “should we choose the amazing thing or the also amazing thing?”

This was exactly my brand of cozy and romantic and unrealistic and emotional and totally hot. Where my escape readers at?! This one is for you. It was the absolute cutest, but also sexy, but also endearing, but also touristy.

Loved and also LOVED. Why only 4 stars? Have you SEEN the perfection 2025 is delivering? This would have been a 5 star in a drier year, it was such a fun read.

My casting for June - Zoe Kravitz
My casting for Adam - Lee Pace

I loved this book! The author did a great job of showing the progression of their relationship. I felt the new york and felt the brownstone was its own character. I keep thinking about this book and how it made me feel. I loved both character and seeing their growth and relationship in the past and present.

I devoured this in one sitting. I love June & Adam’s story so much. Sometimes having back and forth time jumps can get confusing or redundant, but it is perfectly done in this book. The pacing is great, the story is wonderful, the characters (main and side) are all lovable. This will definitely be one of my new favorite romance novels. & it’s a debut?! Outstanding. I cannot wait to read more from Joss Richard.

This was the absolute cutest book! A must-read for fall! Super swoony and even though I wish two things had been different with the ending, the book was so good everywhere else that these aspects didn't affect my rating. Highly, highly recommend! The setting was literal perfection.

first thank you to joss and her team for allowing me to have an early copy!!!

this was so refreshing as a romance!! both characters were flawed and they admitted to it!!! it also felt like such a realistic second chance romance with how june and adam handled the situation they were in, i really appreciated how they were actually willing to have hard conversations instead of avoiding them and their really was no mis-communication, it just felt like flawed people being flawed and working through life❤️ i also loved that adam was a chef omg it’s so hot and seeing june get her dream was so sweet and so full circle at the end

First of all, this place takes place in a NYC brown stone in the fall and I just loved the setting. Chapters alternate between present and past, as we gather Adam and June’s backstory and their current situation with the house they once rented together. We have another second chance romance, but this one is done right. The characters are so well fleshed out, and the timing of the story went along well. To be honest, I was surprised this was a debut book from this author, I will definitely be looking out for future reads from her! June and Adam go from being strangers to friends to something to strangers and then reuniting and figuring out what they want. There is so much longing and you just cant help but root for them and be like HELLO!!! RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!!! but in the best way. This one was hard to put down, I really enjoyed it!

Bottom Line: Read it!

**I received a copy of It’s Different This Time from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Ate and left absolutely no crumbs. Joss Richard, queen. 👑

I feel like a massive appeal of this book is, in addition to the fact of being fun and well-written, is while reading it, you get to fantasize about randomly inheriting a Brooklyn brownstone. I’m just saying.

Extremely fun premise. Super well done! Yippee! She is one to watch. 🥰💕💪🏼🥹

If you love NYC in the fall, enjoy a plot that takes place in the past as well as the present, and a beautiful second-chance romance, then this is for you! Joss Richard has created a wonderful debut novel where Adam and June have been left a brownstone filled with so many memories which forces them to revisit their complicated history.

Thank you to Dell | Ballantine and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of this book!

I read this book in 1 day because I just could not put it down. There are OLYMPIC levels of yearning on both sides, and a beautiful friends-to-lovers, second chance romance. I too am in love with Adam Harper. This was just fantastic. I am looking forward to rereading this via audiobook whenever it comes out.