i can't believe this is a debut novel as richard has managed to tell both a story about love but a story about moving up in this world despite the countless setback life throws at us. besides the romance, i loved how layered the family dynamics were with june not having a relationship with her dad while still navigating possibly holding onto a relationship with a mom who resents her success. adam's loving family with parents who are soulmates in their own rite and a loving sister served as a perfect foil to june and i loved how each of them became family to each other over time. the discussion around a sick parent also added additional layers. i can't wait to see what richard gets up to next!

Tropes: Second-chance, longtime-friends, best-friends, friends-to-lovers, miscommunication, missed-connections, misunderstanding, beta-hero

3.5 total stars. I give it a 4.5 stars for the writing and 3 for the conflict.

This is Joss Richard's debut novel, and her writing is amazing! However, I don't know if it's a new trend to market women's literature as romance but this felt more women's lit for me. Yes, there was romance, but the feelings I got were more complex and confusing. I knew that it had a happy ending but things felt a bit iffy there in the middle.

This is the kind of book where you literally want to shake the heroine/MFC and shout in her face about being dense. She behaved immaturely and it pissed me off so bad. The Hero, on the other hand, was beta but super passive too. Like, hello? Get the words out, dude. Stop fucking around with other women if you love the MFC!!!! What else will she think when you are out each weekend with a different girl?

Also, from a struggling chef to a (apparently) Michelin-star restaurant owner in 5 (6?) years? It's make-belief, but come on. And why did the MFC run to LA? She could have moved out in NYC and kept working in Theatre?

Like I said, the plot and conflict was a mess. The writing and format was stellar. I wish the author had focused more on something tangible as the conflict because as a reader it was super frustrating to see all this time wasted on a non-issue.

It’s Different This Time by Joss Richard is the kind of debut that makes you stop and wonder, where has this author been all this time!

Set against the golden glow of New York City in the fall, this emotionally rich second-chance romance delivers everything I crave—sharp banter, aching vulnerability, undeniable chemistry, and the kind of love that feels lived-in and earned.

The story follows June, a Filipina American Broadway actress at a professional and personal crossroads, and Adam, a kind-hearted chef who wears his devotion like a second skin. Once inseparable friends, they haven’t spoken in five years—until a shared inheritance forces them under the same roof again. A multimillion-dollar brownstone becomes both battleground and bridge, where old wounds resurface, long-buried feelings stir, and the question lingers: is this reunion a second chance, or just history repeating itself?

Told in dual timelines and dual POVs, the structure beautifully captures the rise, fall, and potential rebirth of their connection. We see them grow from strangers to roommates to best friends, then watch that bond unravel—only to be rewoven thread by thread in the present day. It’s heart-wrenching, nostalgic, and oh-so-satisfying.

June is messy, ambitious, and raw in a way that makes you root for her even when she stumbles. Adam? He’s everything a romance lead should be: patient, grounded, quietly romantic, and so deeply attuned to her pain and joy. Their dynamic is electric, and their journey—filled with simmering tension, moments of levity, and devastating truths—feels heartbreakingly real.

There’s a lot to love here: a swoony friends-to-lovers arc, found family that tugs at your heart, a dreamlike New York backdrop that becomes a character in itself, and a sprinkle of spice for good measure. The themes of healing, identity, and returning to yourself are handled with a maturity.

If you love cozy fall reads add this one to your TBR immediately. P.S. You might need some tissues!

I absolutely loved it. I wasn't sure what to expect from this book; I knew nothing about it. But it was phenomenal. I loved June, and I loved Adam. Their friendship and the tension behind their history was excruciating in the best way. Chloe and Lucia were excellent side characters (but I'd love a whole story just about them, too). And the Harper family was a lovely aside. The will they/won't they vibe was excellent throughout, even to the end. I liked the back and forth between the before and the present. And all of the Broadway talk was perfect, especially since in my real life it was just Tony season and the second half of the Wicked movie is coming out this year and I'm full on in musical mode in my brain. This was just beautiful.

Joss Richard's debut novel is the biggest warmest hug.

We meet June right as she "loses" her job and then immediately is thrown in to what could possibly be her worst nightmare.

We meet Adam and assume the worst simply because of the way June has painted him.

Then the story begins.

It has taken me weeks to think about the right words for this book, because it simply is that good. There is something so nostalgic about June and Adams story that I have been recommending this book to EVERYONE.

It is just so pure. One of those instant classics that I will always run back to.

Two kids falling in love. Two kids losing each other. Two adults finding their way back to each other, finally loving each other loudly.

- Second chance
- Friends to Lovers
- SLOW BURN
- Forced Proximity
- Dual Timeline

I am guilty of judging books based on their covers, and I am so glad I did it to It's Different This Time because I finally have an answer to the question "what's your favorite book?"

I absolutely loved this book! I was able to finish it in two days because I could not put it down. The writing was very beautiful, and I loved June and Adam's dynamic. All of the side characters were very well developed, so I was never confused when reading this book. I absolutely loved how it switched between the past and present. This was a great way to show how the character's friendship formed, and it kept you wanting to read in order to see what led to the characters falling out. This was everything I love in a book!! I can't believe this is the authors debut novel. Can't wait to read more from her!

Oh my goodness. I’m not sure if I’ve ever been this blown away by a debut novel. Everything about this book just hit like coke for me. The characters, the relationships, the friendships, the tension, the career stress, everything was just so incredibly well written and lovely. I was kicking my feet and squealing like an over excitable child the first time June and Adam kissed and crying like a baby when Audrey passed away. I am in awe of Joss Richard’s writing and storytelling ability and will be a die hard fan from this moment forward.

𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦
It’s hard to believe that this is a debut author. I couldn’t wait to pick this one back up every time I put it down. Definitely add it to your fall reading list. I’m excited to see what Joss does next.

𝗠𝗬 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘
When June’s show gets canceled, she’s left with no job, no plan, and a legal matter that pulls her back to New York and back to Adam, her former roommate. Apparently their old landlord has left them his Perry Street home (a brownstone in NYC), but to claim it, they’ll have to live together for a month and finally face what broke them. He’s a chef with a soft side; she’s figuring things out. Neither expected to end up here again, especially not together.

Told through a dual timeline, the story follows June and Adam as they move toward a shared future on Perry Street, all while confronting the mess they left behind. Their past is marked by missteps, unspoken hurts, and feelings they thought they’d outgrown, but time has a funny way of bringing things back to the surface.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗚𝗘𝗧
🍁 Fall in New York City
👨🏼‍🍳 He’s a chef
🎭 She’s in theater
⏱️ Dual timeline
🧡 Second chance

Fans of Emily Henry & Jessica Joyce, this is the book for you. It's a romance book mixed with some women's fiction type topics surrounding careers and finding your purpose. It's got its share of classic romance tropes--strangers to friends to lovers, second chance, miscommunication, flash backs, etc--but all through the lens of an FMC who was struggling both in the past and the present to find her way in her career. I wouldn't say her career options are exactly relatable (she has to decide between acting in TV/film or on Broadway), but the core issues she faces are definitely something a lot of us have gone through. Do you take the "safe" option or do you take a risk? But I will say, as a former theatre nerd, I did really love the Les Mis references.

The whole book is from the FMC's POV so we don't get as much insight into the MMC. I think that made him lack a little depth because sometimes I felt there wasn't enough dialogue from him to fully understand him. These MCs suffer quite a bit from miscommunication, or really lack of communication, so you had to read a lot into a little with him at times. I really loved the flashbacks though, from them meeting for the first time to becoming roommates and progressing into best friends. There was a lot of slice of life moments in the flashbacks that gave you cute little glimpses into what their lives used to be like, although that sometimes made their present day predicament more depressing knowing they could be happy together if they just talked to each other.

Overall though I really do think this book is absolutely perfect for Emily Henry fans, and I personally enjoyed it more than Emily Henry books so I expect this to be a fan favorite.

Genuinely dumbfounded that this is a debut novel. I haven’t felt like this about a romance book in a while. So good I sat there staring at a while with tears in my eyes questioning my whole life. I truly felt like I was living alongside these two characters for 12 years. Wow, wow, WOW. Favorite romance I’ve read so far this year! Can’t wait to get my hands on it after release.

Thank you NetGalley & Random House for the chance to read this early in exchange for an honest review.

I really love finding debut authors that blow me away. Joss Richard will definitely be on my radar going forward.

As a die-hard second chance fan, this was executed perfectly. The transitions between timelines were seamless and I enjoyed my time spend in each period equally which isn't always the case.

This was packed full of all the tension, angst, chemistry and bittersweet moments you hope for in a second chance. Their reunion felt earned and believable with the slow build up of romance through a roommates to best friends to lovers history.

The backdrop of New York was captivating and this novel was so well written and full of heart.

This book pulled me out of a horrendously long reading slump and I have to credited to the banter, romance, and characterization of these two leads. It also helps that it has my favorite type of romance character (actress struggling to succeed in both love and career).
June and Adam are former roommates who had a falling out that lead to no contact for 5 years. When they inherit the NYC brownstone they used to rent together, the two are reunited and have to acknowledge the undeniable chemistry and tension that is still between them, as well as confront what happened 5 years ago. This story is told between flashbacks and the present over an 11 year period, which adds to the tension between the two.
This is an excellent romance and debut book for Joss Richard and I hope she writes more. Also, Isa Briones if this ever becomes a movie I hope your agent calls you!

I do have one complaint that is a SPOILER for the ending, see below.
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In the epilogue, June wins a Tony for Best Actress in the revival of Les Mis as Eponine. Eponine is a Supporting Actress role and this was a glaring error to me in an otherwise excellent book.

3.5 stars rounded up

I struggled with this book at times, because if there's one thing I hate about second chance stories, its endless dual timelines with flashbacks. As always you have to wait for 75% for the characters to finally confront their estrangement, and the answer is always the same: they misinterpreted the other and pushed them away. While it’s true to reality, I find it predictable and would much rather the author just reveal it early and stick to the present day. I was going to start skipping the flashbacks but found myself reading most of them because they were engaging (though I skimmed the last few ones leading to the big reveal because I found it excruciating and dragged the pace. Plus, it was covered enough when they finally talk about their estrangement).

And yet, this book was well-written (hence I think its a 3.5 star reading experience for me, but the quality of writing is a 4) and I was deeply moved by June and Adam. June was such a fascinating character who wouldn't stop getting in her own damn way even in present-day. Her treatment of Adam in both the past and present made me feel so heartbroken for him. And yet I found it understandable because of the fantastic characterisation by Joss Richard. I was so invested in Adam and June. It was clear how much he was down bad for her straight away, but her own hang ups and fear of more rejection forced her to keep him at arm's length.

Overall, a wonderful debut that was poignant and tugged at my emotions.

Thanks to Ballantine/Del and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book is such a great dopamine read! I needed a palate cleanser and went in blind, only to be surprised by NYC, musical theatre and food, three of my most favorite things! New York is so present in this book, it’s cozy in such a good way. There are frustrating parts, the miscommunication trope always gets me because I just want them to have an honest conversation. It creates the central problem of the book, though. Such a fun read!

Sweet New York backdrop debut novel! I’ll definitely be following Joss Richard’s! I adored this book. The break up was a bit over the top considering the circumstances but there are plenty of MCs I want to yell at! lol

This is the perfect fall read, the chemistry these two had was great. It’s definitely a 5 star when the end has me crying. I can’t wait to read more by this author!

An Emotional Second-Chance Romance That Will Linger Long After the Last Page

It’s Different This Time by Joss Richard is the kind of novel that wraps itself around your heart and refuses to let go. Poignant, romantic, and emotionally resonant, this story is a masterclass in slow burn chemistry and the tender ache of what might have been.

The setup is irresistible! Two estranged former roommates inherit their old New York brownstone, and what begins as an awkward cohabitation quickly evolves into something much deeper. Joss Richard writes with such vivid emotional clarity that I felt every bit of tension, longing, and bittersweet memory between June and Adam.

The romance builds naturally, fueled by history, unresolved pain, and a sharp undercurrent of hope. The brownstone itself becomes a character, steeped in nostalgia and quiet magic, providing the perfect backdrop for the healing and reconnection that unfolds. The dialog is heartfelt and humorous.

This book immersed me so deeply I didn’t want to put it down and finished it in a single day. It’s is a five-star gem you’ll want to hug when you’re done!

ARC provided by NetGalley

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Thank you NetGalley for the arc!
This is a debut for this author?? Joss Richard’s is gonna be on my list of always buy authors because this was amazing!!
If yall love New Girl then you will love this because Adam and June are so incredibly Nick Miller and Jessica Day coded and it was everything I needed 🥰
The story was so well written and had so much heart to it. June’s relationship with Adam’s family (specifically with his mom😭) was so sweet and I loved how much Adam got along with June’s friends🥹

It’s a moment that looks like one’s years before, but it’s not. It’s different this time

This book started out perfect for me. Friends to lovers is my favorite and this angst friends to almost lovers to kind of enemies to lovers just hit me right where it was supposed to. I fell in love with these two and Chloe is the best best friend. This book also had the best banter I’ve ever read and I am still obsessed with the kitchen scene.

That being said. I am livid with that third act break up. JUST HAVE A CONVERSATION. What do you mean we’re breaking up because the MMC lived and dared other people after you left with no notice and then never talked to him again!!!??? I’m still so mad about it.

this book had so much I love! second chance, deep deep layers of past tension and friends to lovers! The forced proximity was wonderful and the NYC setting was icing on the cake. The lack of communication was for sure frustrating but I loved them and their love so I can look past it!