Easiest 5 stars ever and maybe my top book of the year. Second chance and friends to lovers are two of my favorite tropes and Joss Richard DELIVERED!!! The longing and love between June and Adam was addictive. Then add in all the musical theater goodness, the found family and the fact that he cooks for her—it was a dream! The pacing was great and I liked the jumps from the past to present. I couldn’t put it down and I’ve already preordered my copy, because I need it on my shelf ASAP.

loved the writing of this and loved the dual timeline! didn't love the source of some of the conflict but it by no means ruined the book for me.

thank you penguin random house for the early copy <3 excited for this to release in september

This story follows Adam Harper and June Wood as they are forced to reconnect back in New York after 5 years apart. It is told in a dual timeline jumping from current time to back when they first met 11 years ago (talk about slow burn). Seeing each other again and spending time together reminds them of their past- both the best parts and worst. They have to dig up and deal with the past in order to heal and move on. I loved seeing their passion and drive to achieve their dreams. June’s best friend Chloe and Adam’s family are side characters that add so much to the story and make it that much better! And loved both the NY and autumn vibes! But the one trope I really can’t stand is the miscommunication trope and unfortunately that was apart of their story. But I can understand why. June’s past shaped the way she values herself and her view on relationships. I just want to scream at her, “JUST TELL HIM HOW YOU FEEL!”. But in reality, it’s not always that easy. Their story shows the importance of loving and healing yourself and how it impacts the relationships in your life.

I love a flashback and I love a second-chances romance. This was so well written and I enjoyed it from start to finish (and definitely stayed up past my bedtime to finish this one!)

this was so cute. I needed a sweet second chance romance. I felt completely overwhelmed by June and Adam and their friendship/ relationship. Crazy how your soulmate can be right in front of you the entire time, but fear gets in the way of taking the leap. After 6 years of no contact, and clandestine moment occurs that gets them both in the same place at the same time. With one month of living in their old home, they soon realize that years may have gone by and relationships have come and gone.. but for them it's different this time. I loved it. such a good, cozy, fall read.

Loved this book. A well-done second chance romance that was able to move back and forth between past and present without fumbling. The characters had chemistry, though I did find the FMC a little irksome towards the end in the third act. Overall would recommend!

The FMC was really whiney for me. Like victim complex. Wasn’t my cup of tea unfortunately. I get she was pissed that her job ended but theater is still amazing. Soft DNFed the book and may try again after publication.

I absolutely adored this book and have nothing but amazing things to say. It's hard to encapsulate how well written, thought provoking, and emotional this book was. The difficulty in writing a second chance romance is always the dual timeline and building up the relationship prior to justify the yearning and continued feelings. Joss did that phenomenally in a way that was very believeable and realistic. I immediately was drawn into the story and was very curious how it will play out. I like the refreshing tone of Joss' writing voice it felt comfortable and casual which made me feel like these were real characters I would encounter. The pacing of the story was great I don't think things were rushed, and things were explained well vs shown. I finished this in less than 24 hours and experienced every emotion on the way. I laughed, cried, felt sentimental, sweated (because omg the spice!!) and burst into tears during the epilogue with the letter. To touch on the spice, it was placed perfectly in the story and not cringey! It felt appropriate for how the story was progressing. All that to say this book reminded me why I love second chance romances, and romances in general. I will be shouting this book from the rooftops until further notice. Thank you thank you for giving me an early copy!! Will be adding to Goodreads and instagram soon :)

“It will always be you.” 🥰🫶🏼💌🫧

I’m so incredibly grateful to have received this as my very first ARC. From the very beginning, I was drawn into a story that held my heart tightly and never let go. I have so much love and adoration for the storyline and the characters—each one felt real, layered, and unforgettable.

One of the things I loved most was the seamless connection and flow between the past and present. The way the timeline was woven together made every emotional moment land with even more weight, and it helped me understand the characters on a deeper level. The realism in this story is what made it resonate with me so profoundly—there were so many instances where I could see parts of myself in their journeys.

The MMC absolutely stole my heart. He’s everything—family-oriented, patient, understanding, loving, caring, handsome, successful, and incredibly respectful. And his family? Just as wholesome and wonderful. Their warmth and support beautifully balanced the much different, more turbulent childhood of the FMC.

Speaking of the FMC, I loved her character development. It was inspiring to watch her try—imperfectly but earnestly—to respond to life more maturely with age. I related to her so much in those moments of growth, where she was learning to meet life with strength and softness.

And don’t even get me started on their former landlord—what a touching, endearing character. Truly unforgettable. Same with their best friend; they brought so much heart to the story.

One quote that stayed with me:
“Maybe the things worth having in life aren’t supposed to come easy.”
This book embodies that sentiment in the most beautiful way.

Overall, this is one of those rare books that will stick with me for infinity.
I adored it in every possible way. ✨

This was super well written. I enjoyed so much about this. I loved the time line of going back and forth. I loved that the author keeps you in the dark. I wanted to read this and finish this until I got to the end. I just had a hard time with the leading lady. She Needs therapy so bad! The choices she makes at the end threw me and I wanted to strangle her. Man that was hard to read! In the end everything was well done and I had a smile on my face but man for a min I was worried.
This book is for adults. Adult themes. There is some drinking and swearing but not tons. There is a couple of sex scenes. There is emotional abuse by a parent and some cancer to even out this very emotional roller coaster of a story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Joss Richard for the arc of her first book! This book was super cute! I loved the characters, I loved the setting, and I loved the story overall. I absolutely love books written with dual timelines, and this one was done amazingly! This book is fun and cozy, and I would definitely recommend!

I was starting to believe the contemporary romances weren’t my genre after being let down on the last few I’ve read. But this book made me believe in love again!

The book alternates between the present timeline where aspiring actress June is returning to NYC to take care of some business centered around a brownstone she used to rent. This event puts her on a crash course to face all the things she ran from when she abruptly left NYC for LA 5 years earlier. Namely Adam, her roommate and best friend for 6 years.

In the past, we see how June and Adam met in their early 20s and ended up becoming roommates. We see them navigate fledgling careers as an actress and chef respectively, family and love. As they grow closer in the past and the present, they must deal with the hurt, grief and anger they are holding on to.

It’s been awhile since I’ve read a romance with a FMC that I found funny, relatable, flawed and likable. And a MMC that wasn’t a caricature of “the perfect man.” They clicked very well from the start and their relationship was believable. And when there was conflict in the relationship, they communicated with each other.

This is a debut novel and I would definitely read more of this author’s work. Her writing style was engaging, descriptive and quick. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. This book will be published in September 2025.

3.75/5 rounded to 4

This was cute and fun and I love the book cover! The premise was engaging and I liked the flashbacks. I'm not usually a huge second change romance fan but I thought this one was done well, especially for a debut novel!


**some mild spoilers***
Likes: characters, dialogue, musical theater references
Dislikes: I'm never a huge fan of third act miscommunication

4.5 rounded up, but I really liked this. Great use of back story and the back and forth timeline, plausible misunderstanding and relationship interaction, and interesting semi-famous people who were still obviously people and not a "billionaires, they're just like us!" trope. Solid romance novel entry.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley.

i'm a sucker for second chance romance and this one did not disappoint. this book was so well written and thought out, i legit couldn't believe that this was a debut novel. it was truly well done. i really enjoyed the slow burn and i thought the characters really stood out.

“It’s Different This Time” by Joss Richard
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
To say I’m impressed is an understatement! “It’s Different this Time.” Is a debut novel for Joss and I am truly baffled. The composition and organization of this story is so well thought out and flows so nicely as a story. The characters, the writing, THE COVER, are all amazing. The excitement I felt for these characters so was real that the depth to the characters and their backstories only makes me feel more connected to them. I love Adam’s and Junes sense of humor, because why was I belly laughing at words on paper?! 🤣 This is definitely a slow burn story but because it all flows so nicely I was just constantly ready to see what would happen next, I think it’s also why I was able to stay hooked while reading. The sweetest fall vibes come with this book and it couldn’t be cozier. I cannot wait to reread again in September when it releases. Thank you so much dell romance for the arc copy I adored it all! I really love the genuine friendship that the MC are able to have before anything romantic, I like the message of friendship and its importance, especially In our lives. As someone who doesn’t love time jumps in books I didn’t mind it as much in this story. The flip from past to present gave me stronger feelings towards the characters and what they were each going through. I also enjoyed her message of family! Family isn’t someone who is in your life by blood, it’s the act of choosing constantly and everyday to live your life with the people you feel closest too. Also how freaking beautiful is it them both having dreams that seem harder to reach and even though it wasn’t their time line things happen the way they’re supposed too. The cover itself is absolutely stunning!! I quite literally just want to jump into the pages…. If you can’t tell this book was so bittersweet for me, I loved it and know you will two!!
Tropes in this book
* Friends to Lovers
* Second Chance
* Roommates
* Chef x Actress
* Family Dynamics

first off thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this arc!! as well as thank you to the amazing author who wrote it!!


i read this book in one day and i don’t regret a minute of it. as someone who lives in nyc, i absolutely loved how detailed the author was with the scenery. it felt like i actually was in the subway, in the house, in the theater, in central park, etc.


i’m not usually a fan of the miscommunication trope but this book changed my mind on that. i loved how each chapter was present time and then years ago and went back and forth, until we got to present time.


june is one of the best characters. i like how it’s clear that her commitment issues and feeling worth it, is because of her parents and childhood but it’s not shoved in our faces all the time that she has mommy and daddy issues.


adam is such a caring character and has sooo much patience. i absolutely loved that he has his own restaurant and then opens a small one after his mother in LA was so beautiful.


i really enjoyed the fact that we got some background information on the side characters and we got to feel a connection with them. they felt like main characters because we got to know them.


the pacing of the book was phenomenal. the book didn’t feel too short or too long which i liked a lot. i am definitely recommending this book !! it’s a great one sitting read. you feel all the emotions while reading it and you just want more and more!


the ending was so beautiful and the little details that were put in about their relationship was so heartwarming. the book felt complete but a little part of me wants more to their story.

This was a delight. Friends-to-lovers, the slowest of slow burns with interesting main characters and delightful friends and family. I enjoyed this one so much!

5⭐️
╰► 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄!

❰𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐜 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰!❱

lıllılı.ıllı.ılılıılıı.lllııılı.
Now Playing:
[Strange - Celeste]
0:26 ———♡——— 3:31
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“𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒊𝒔—𝒘𝒆 𝒅𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆'𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒇 𝒘𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆'𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒆 𝒊𝒇 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉- 𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒇 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒔𝒐 𝒘𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈.”

₊˚ʚ ➼➻❥𝙨𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨📋
╰┈➤ when a twist of fate reunites estranged former roommates june and adam in their shared new york city brownstone, they're forced to confront the unresolved past that drove them apart five years ago. with just four weeks until they finalize ownership, the pair must navigate lingering feelings, old wounds, and the possibility of a second chance. as autumn settles over the city, june and adam discover that maybe love—and forgiveness—deserve a do-over.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨💭
╰┈➤ i am in absolute disbelief that this was a debut book. the writing style was just so good and easy to follow. this usually wouldn’t be a book that i’d typically go for, but the cover and the description intrigued me. i don’t read a lot of second chance romances, but MY GOD—this book was amazing.

₊˚ʚ ➼➻❥𝙟𝙪𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙤𝙙 + 𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙢 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙥𝙚𝙧💌
╰┈➤ usually, i’d do a separate analysis of the two main characters, but in this case, it just makes sense that i do an analysis of june and adam as a whole. first of all, i loved june and adam’s story. i feel like dual ownership of a house as the plot for a book seems plain, but this author made it to where it was so interesting, that you couldn’t help but want to be more invested into the lives of adam and june. for me personally, i don’t enjoy dual timelines because each one i’ve read, i didn’t like as much as i’d hoped. however, i loved it in this book because you really got to see the foundation of what june and adam’s relationship was built upon. there was a lot of miscommunication involved in the story, but it was so relevant to the plot. i feel like usually, when there’s a fallout between the characters in a book, the author makes it a big deal, and then once the reason behind the fallout is revealed, i’m just like… oh…okay….but not with this book… no no no… i felt like the reason behind their fallout was valid and interesting, and the way june and adam ended up communicating the problem was mature (kind of). in general, adam and june were just such a good pair for eachother and they worked so well. they went from strangers to friends, to bestfriends, to strangers again, to friends again, and then to lovers. this book was a roller coaster and it’s one of the best that i’ve ever been on.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣🔒
there’s so much more i want to write about this book, but it’s more than i can type and i want to keep this review somewhat short. i loved these characters and i loved the passion inside this book—romance and dreams. my second 5 star of the year was an absolute banger!

I can’t believe this was a debut novel! I literally loved this book from start to finish. A friends to almost lovers, second chance storyline that shows past and present timelines. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and I am dying for more from this author. Well done 🫶🏼