What do you think?
Rate this book
It's Different This Time
In this sweeping, second-chance romance, a twist of fate forces two former roommates to move back into their beloved New York City brownstone and face the events that led to their estrangement—and confront their unresolved feelings for each other.
Subject 74 Perry Street
So begins the email that turns June Wood’s entire world on its head. Five years ago, she lived on Perry Street with her former best friend Adam Harper. But why is the management company reaching out to her about it now?
Still smarting from the news of her hit TV show being canceled, June has nothing else to lose. She boards a plane from Los Angeles to New York City to find out more about the mysterious email and the promised opportunity it alludes to. It turns out that, thanks to an unbelievable legal loophole, if she and Adam can live together in the stunning West Village brownstone for a month, it’s theirs. Any true New Yorker knows you don’t pass up prime city real estate, and that fall in the city is magical—so what’s there to think about?
And yet, though most things have changed in the time since they last spoke, one thing hasn’ June and Adam have unfinished business. They didn’t exactly end on good terms when they each went off to chase their dreams. Now, confronted with the consequences of their choices, they must navigate the minefield of their past the best way they know together.
Every day they move closer to owning Perry Street reveals misunderstandings, long-term resentments, and long-buried feelings . . . which are suddenly feeling very, very not so buried. But they’ve already lost their friendship once before, devastating them both. Can they risk losing it again for something a little different this time?
Subject 74 Perry Street
So begins the email that turns June Wood’s entire world on its head. Five years ago, she lived on Perry Street with her former best friend Adam Harper. But why is the management company reaching out to her about it now?
Still smarting from the news of her hit TV show being canceled, June has nothing else to lose. She boards a plane from Los Angeles to New York City to find out more about the mysterious email and the promised opportunity it alludes to. It turns out that, thanks to an unbelievable legal loophole, if she and Adam can live together in the stunning West Village brownstone for a month, it’s theirs. Any true New Yorker knows you don’t pass up prime city real estate, and that fall in the city is magical—so what’s there to think about?
And yet, though most things have changed in the time since they last spoke, one thing hasn’ June and Adam have unfinished business. They didn’t exactly end on good terms when they each went off to chase their dreams. Now, confronted with the consequences of their choices, they must navigate the minefield of their past the best way they know together.
Every day they move closer to owning Perry Street reveals misunderstandings, long-term resentments, and long-buried feelings . . . which are suddenly feeling very, very not so buried. But they’ve already lost their friendship once before, devastating them both. Can they risk losing it again for something a little different this time?
Paperback
First published September 30, 2025
1138 people are currently reading
44594 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,351 reviews
September 20, 2025
this is what I get for having high expectations.
I 😉 have 😉 never 😉 read 😉 a 😉 fmc 😉 this 😉 insufferable 😉
⤷ {you’ll understand if you saw my updates LMAO}
Anyways, this was actually awful, like I thought I could give this a least 3 stars but not even the ending could save it😔 this ranking lowkey hurts me, I really wanted to love this book but oh god there were so many things that I hated in it
rtc
________________
┆ ⤿ 🍁 ༝ pre-read:
I know I’m going to love this cause second chance + set in nyc = perfection for me🤭
One of my most anticipated reads of this year, hopefully it doesn’t let me down🤞🏻🤞🏻
I 😉 have 😉 never 😉 read 😉 a 😉 fmc 😉 this 😉 insufferable 😉
⤷ {you’ll understand if you saw my updates LMAO}
Anyways, this was actually awful, like I thought I could give this a least 3 stars but not even the ending could save it😔 this ranking lowkey hurts me, I really wanted to love this book but oh god there were so many things that I hated in it
rtc
________________
┆ ⤿ 🍁 ༝ pre-read:
I know I’m going to love this cause second chance + set in nyc = perfection for me🤭
One of my most anticipated reads of this year, hopefully it doesn’t let me down🤞🏻🤞🏻
October 2, 2025
You all need to read this asap
May 11, 2025
♥ My Overall Thoughts ♥
This contemporary romance novel was so adorable and addicting! I absolutely loved it! The cover of the book is so cute too! This story had balanced perspectives on the main characters, a clear thesis and was easy to follow. I feel like the minor characters stood out as well in this book. I really like that these characters felt real and were a little bit of a mess, to say the least. I also enjoyed the dual timelines, because it gave me insight into how they came together. This is for the broadway lovers that like to read about a second chance romance. This book is at the medium spicy level. One thing I found a little frustrating was the miscommunication trope between the main characters. I really liked the beautiful setting of the story. It is set in New York, during the fall season. That’s one of my favorite seasons! This book had effective visuals and I found it to be a cozy, medium paced read. It is also very emotional and uplifting!
♥ Synopsis (no spoilers) ♥
“It's Different This Time” is a book that is about a woman named June and a guy named Adam. These two used to be roommates and friends, where things happened between them. However, it left them both with unresolved feelings for one another. This ultimately left their friendship not on good terms at all. June starts off living in LA, then ends up moving back to New York City brownstone. After five years of June and Adam not speaking together, they are now forced to. June and Adam end up with a multi million dollar property, thanks to the former owner’s will. While they have to wait a month to get all the paperwork done, they are forced to talk to one another. A bond between them starts resurfacing, the more they speak to each other. Will this end up being a happily ever after second chance romance or will this second chance romance ultimately come to an end? Be sure to check the content warnings. This book is spicy! Overall. I rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars!
♥ Thank You ♥
Thank you to NetGalley, author Joss Richard and Ballantine | Dell for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
♥ Publication Date ♥
This book is set to be published on September 30, 2025!
♥ Quick Review ♥
💝 Contemporary Romance Novel
✔️ Forced Proximity
💝 Dual POV’s and Timelines
✔️ Second Chance Romance
💝 Friends to Lovers
✔️ New York City Fall vibes
💝 For the Broadway Lovers
✔️ Medium Spicy Level
》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《
❥ ୨⎯ Connie ⎯୧ ❥
ツ౨ৎ
This contemporary romance novel was so adorable and addicting! I absolutely loved it! The cover of the book is so cute too! This story had balanced perspectives on the main characters, a clear thesis and was easy to follow. I feel like the minor characters stood out as well in this book. I really like that these characters felt real and were a little bit of a mess, to say the least. I also enjoyed the dual timelines, because it gave me insight into how they came together. This is for the broadway lovers that like to read about a second chance romance. This book is at the medium spicy level. One thing I found a little frustrating was the miscommunication trope between the main characters. I really liked the beautiful setting of the story. It is set in New York, during the fall season. That’s one of my favorite seasons! This book had effective visuals and I found it to be a cozy, medium paced read. It is also very emotional and uplifting!
♥ Synopsis (no spoilers) ♥
“It's Different This Time” is a book that is about a woman named June and a guy named Adam. These two used to be roommates and friends, where things happened between them. However, it left them both with unresolved feelings for one another. This ultimately left their friendship not on good terms at all. June starts off living in LA, then ends up moving back to New York City brownstone. After five years of June and Adam not speaking together, they are now forced to. June and Adam end up with a multi million dollar property, thanks to the former owner’s will. While they have to wait a month to get all the paperwork done, they are forced to talk to one another. A bond between them starts resurfacing, the more they speak to each other. Will this end up being a happily ever after second chance romance or will this second chance romance ultimately come to an end? Be sure to check the content warnings. This book is spicy! Overall. I rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars!
♥ Thank You ♥
Thank you to NetGalley, author Joss Richard and Ballantine | Dell for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
♥ Publication Date ♥
This book is set to be published on September 30, 2025!
♥ Quick Review ♥
💝 Contemporary Romance Novel
✔️ Forced Proximity
💝 Dual POV’s and Timelines
✔️ Second Chance Romance
💝 Friends to Lovers
✔️ New York City Fall vibes
💝 For the Broadway Lovers
✔️ Medium Spicy Level
》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《
❥ ୨⎯ Connie ⎯୧ ❥
ツ౨ৎ
October 23, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
I don’t have it in me to even write a recap or summary for this book. But I do want to make one thing clear: I did not hate this book. I just didn’t like it. Before I tackle the negatives, let me start off with some positivity.
Joss Richard is an amazing writer. There were a lot of sentences that I liked, and the writing was really immersive and descriptive, with some prose and figurative language that made this bearable to read. Whoever designed the cover needs a raise because gosh dang it’s cute! 😍 It’s what drew me in to request this arc. I also liked the side characters like June’s bff and Adam’s family, and the situation that brings them together was quite interesting. There were also cute moments June and Adam had together. But that is the end of what I liked about the book. Let’s get to the negatives, shall we?
Oh, where do I begin? Let me start with Adam. Look, he was tolerable, and I found it really attractive that he was a chef and a really, really good friend to June. I honestly felt bad for him because of June’s insecurities and mind games. Like, girl, stop! He doesn’t need your defensiveness and indecisiveness! He’s got better things to do than to go along with you and your immaturity! Move on, dude! 😭🙏🏼 However, what I didn’t like about Adam was that he leaned and winked way too much. Sounds trivial, I know, but when you read it, you’ll understand. I get it–winking is cute and can make a girl’s stomach flutter, but with how often he was winking, you’d think he had a constant nervous twitch in his eye, probably from the stress of dealing with June (which I get). Sir, no. Please stop. You’re already attractive enough. Stop trying to be sly. It isn’t working.
And then there’s June.
June, June, June. It is criminal how you treated Adam and your friends just because you were uncomfortable with the basic adult responsibility of what we like to call ✨communication✨ and ✨problem solving✨. Like, there was no reason for her to be so indecisive about what she wanted when she KNOWS what makes her happy and it’s all working out for her. It’s not that hard. Stop playing games! Stop trying to create drama and problems out of thin air because it’s “too good to be true”! It’s okay to be happy, you know. There’s no need to sabotage your life and relationships because you can’t handle hard times and speed bumps that are supposed to build character. There were reasons why June is the way she is, but I feel like there could have been more depth and lore into that, so I can at least sympathize with her.
Ugh, the book should have ended at chapter 30! I didn’t need the six chapters after that, which only infuriated me and ruined the ending for me in the process. And the way she was with Adam was unbelievable because of her fear of losing him and not deserving him (which he never alluded to, ever), and that is coming from someone who is very insecure. I swear, June was so clueless. It’s okay to feel things for your best friend, who is clearly into you and yearning for you! Do you not see it? I mean, what have you got to lose? Life is full of disappointments, failures, and relationships that don’t work out, but you won’t know unless you go for it. And this is what kinda ticks me off about the friends-to-lovers tropes. The characters are scared of ruining the friendship if they allow their feelings to develop, but if it’s reciprocated and your relationship has a chance to only get better, what’s the problem? It doesn’t matter if you feel nothing for your bff or they don’t feel the same way about you because life moves on, but if there is attraction and you don’t try to be a couple, you are going to drift apart anyway if you both end up in relationships. That is just how life goes.
Goodness me, I don’t think I have ever been this mad at a character before. I’m sure I would have enjoyed the book more if June weren’t June. I don’t hate her, but she annoyed me beyond comprehension. This was so disappointing. I was hoping that I would love this book, but as you can see, I clearly did not. However, if you choose to read this book, I hope you enjoy it! Maybe I’m wrong about June, and it’s just me being in my logical, critical state of mind again, or what I like to call “my villain era.” Well, I’ve said my piece. I’m going to go watch a cute rom-com or something to remove the memory of this book from my brain. 😭
Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own.
❗Content Warnings❗
Loss of a parent & grief
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Yes (🌶🌶🌶/5)
I don’t have it in me to even write a recap or summary for this book. But I do want to make one thing clear: I did not hate this book. I just didn’t like it. Before I tackle the negatives, let me start off with some positivity.
Joss Richard is an amazing writer. There were a lot of sentences that I liked, and the writing was really immersive and descriptive, with some prose and figurative language that made this bearable to read. Whoever designed the cover needs a raise because gosh dang it’s cute! 😍 It’s what drew me in to request this arc. I also liked the side characters like June’s bff and Adam’s family, and the situation that brings them together was quite interesting. There were also cute moments June and Adam had together. But that is the end of what I liked about the book. Let’s get to the negatives, shall we?
Oh, where do I begin? Let me start with Adam. Look, he was tolerable, and I found it really attractive that he was a chef and a really, really good friend to June. I honestly felt bad for him because of June’s insecurities and mind games. Like, girl, stop! He doesn’t need your defensiveness and indecisiveness! He’s got better things to do than to go along with you and your immaturity! Move on, dude! 😭🙏🏼 However, what I didn’t like about Adam was that he leaned and winked way too much. Sounds trivial, I know, but when you read it, you’ll understand. I get it–winking is cute and can make a girl’s stomach flutter, but with how often he was winking, you’d think he had a constant nervous twitch in his eye, probably from the stress of dealing with June (which I get). Sir, no. Please stop. You’re already attractive enough. Stop trying to be sly. It isn’t working.
And then there’s June.
June, June, June. It is criminal how you treated Adam and your friends just because you were uncomfortable with the basic adult responsibility of what we like to call ✨communication✨ and ✨problem solving✨. Like, there was no reason for her to be so indecisive about what she wanted when she KNOWS what makes her happy and it’s all working out for her. It’s not that hard. Stop playing games! Stop trying to create drama and problems out of thin air because it’s “too good to be true”! It’s okay to be happy, you know. There’s no need to sabotage your life and relationships because you can’t handle hard times and speed bumps that are supposed to build character. There were reasons why June is the way she is, but I feel like there could have been more depth and lore into that, so I can at least sympathize with her.
Ugh, the book should have ended at chapter 30! I didn’t need the six chapters after that, which only infuriated me and ruined the ending for me in the process. And the way she was with Adam was unbelievable because of her fear of losing him and not deserving him (which he never alluded to, ever), and that is coming from someone who is very insecure. I swear, June was so clueless. It’s okay to feel things for your best friend, who is clearly into you and yearning for you! Do you not see it? I mean, what have you got to lose? Life is full of disappointments, failures, and relationships that don’t work out, but you won’t know unless you go for it. And this is what kinda ticks me off about the friends-to-lovers tropes. The characters are scared of ruining the friendship if they allow their feelings to develop, but if it’s reciprocated and your relationship has a chance to only get better, what’s the problem? It doesn’t matter if you feel nothing for your bff or they don’t feel the same way about you because life moves on, but if there is attraction and you don’t try to be a couple, you are going to drift apart anyway if you both end up in relationships. That is just how life goes.
Goodness me, I don’t think I have ever been this mad at a character before. I’m sure I would have enjoyed the book more if June weren’t June. I don’t hate her, but she annoyed me beyond comprehension. This was so disappointing. I was hoping that I would love this book, but as you can see, I clearly did not. However, if you choose to read this book, I hope you enjoy it! Maybe I’m wrong about June, and it’s just me being in my logical, critical state of mind again, or what I like to call “my villain era.” Well, I’ve said my piece. I’m going to go watch a cute rom-com or something to remove the memory of this book from my brain. 😭
Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own.
❗Content Warnings❗
Loss of a parent & grief
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Yes (🌶🌶🌶/5)
October 1, 2025
The fact that I love Adam Harper so intensely even though he’s a Yankees fan should be enough proof of how talented Joss Richard is. I loved EVERYTHING about this book. It really set the standard for best friends to lovers, and the New York setting made me feel like I was in a Nora Ephron movie (god I wish). Truly a new fave, and the audiobook had spectacular narration.
November 6, 2025
5💫
oh my gosh. im a sucker for second chance romances and this DID NOT DISAPPOINT. their story was so beautiful. wow.
i just absolutely adore june and adam. their chemistry was sooooo good and their relationship as friends and lovers was just SO PERFECT.
guys honestly i just want to keep telling you how much i love and adore and appreciate them. like just trust. this book is perfect.
the most atmospheric fall read- set in NYC!!!!! please pick this book up if you are a second chance lover like me
oh my gosh. im a sucker for second chance romances and this DID NOT DISAPPOINT. their story was so beautiful. wow.
i just absolutely adore june and adam. their chemistry was sooooo good and their relationship as friends and lovers was just SO PERFECT.
guys honestly i just want to keep telling you how much i love and adore and appreciate them. like just trust. this book is perfect.
the most atmospheric fall read- set in NYC!!!!! please pick this book up if you are a second chance lover like me
October 27, 2025
✩ 4.5 stars ✩
What to Expect:
➼ Second Chance
➼ Forced Proximity
➼ Friends-to-Lovers
➼ Roommates
➼ Chef x Actress
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Set in NYC in the Fall
➼ Dual Timeline
➼ Narrated by Ferdelle Capistrano
➼ First Person Single POV
“Tell me when you wanted me,” I say.
“The moment I first saw you,” he says
Another near perfect Fall romance! I usually think of Fall standalone romances more like cozy palette cleansers, but the ones I’ve read this year have been phenomenal! As a former New Yorker, I’ll probably always have a soft spot for books set in New York, but I think I would loved this no matter where the characters lived. The MC’s were best friends and roommates for years, but neither of them ever came clean about their feelings. They were both so afraid of losing each other that they ended up doing exactly that. Part of me was frustrated by their lack or bravery, but there was something so relatable about their fears. Who hasn’t had a crush at some point in their lives that they were afraid to act on?
The story is told from the FMC’s point of view which allows the reader to really understand why she didn’t believe that her feelings were returned. He tried so hard to follow her directive that they could never be together since they were roommates, that I understood why she believed he didn’t have feelings for her. This story had a lot of emotional depth and portrayed both characters in a very positive light. Even though he was dating or hooking with lots of other people when they lived together, it was clear that many aspects of their relationship were unique and special to them. The strong connection she had with his family and the city also gave their relationship more credibility. She tried working in movies and television in LA, but Broadway clearly had her heart. It also seemed to be where her talents could really shine! Everything in her life was pulling her back to him and the city. I loved that it felt like coming back was the right move for her in every area of her life, not just romantically.
Such a beautiful book! The only reason I’m withholding half a star is because their miscommunication was so prolonged. Even if I did relate to it this time, miscommunication will never be a very welcome trope.
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: Alright… spending a New York minute on this cute little number before I dive into Alchemised! The ratings for this are promising and it’s giving Fall! 🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram
What to Expect:
➼ Second Chance
➼ Forced Proximity
➼ Friends-to-Lovers
➼ Roommates
➼ Chef x Actress
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Set in NYC in the Fall
➼ Dual Timeline
➼ Narrated by Ferdelle Capistrano
➼ First Person Single POV
“Tell me when you wanted me,” I say.
“The moment I first saw you,” he says
Another near perfect Fall romance! I usually think of Fall standalone romances more like cozy palette cleansers, but the ones I’ve read this year have been phenomenal! As a former New Yorker, I’ll probably always have a soft spot for books set in New York, but I think I would loved this no matter where the characters lived. The MC’s were best friends and roommates for years, but neither of them ever came clean about their feelings. They were both so afraid of losing each other that they ended up doing exactly that. Part of me was frustrated by their lack or bravery, but there was something so relatable about their fears. Who hasn’t had a crush at some point in their lives that they were afraid to act on?
The story is told from the FMC’s point of view which allows the reader to really understand why she didn’t believe that her feelings were returned. He tried so hard to follow her directive that they could never be together since they were roommates, that I understood why she believed he didn’t have feelings for her. This story had a lot of emotional depth and portrayed both characters in a very positive light. Even though he was dating or hooking with lots of other people when they lived together, it was clear that many aspects of their relationship were unique and special to them. The strong connection she had with his family and the city also gave their relationship more credibility. She tried working in movies and television in LA, but Broadway clearly had her heart. It also seemed to be where her talents could really shine! Everything in her life was pulling her back to him and the city. I loved that it felt like coming back was the right move for her in every area of her life, not just romantically.
Such a beautiful book! The only reason I’m withholding half a star is because their miscommunication was so prolonged. Even if I did relate to it this time, miscommunication will never be a very welcome trope.
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: Alright… spending a New York minute on this cute little number before I dive into Alchemised! The ratings for this are promising and it’s giving Fall! 🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram
September 30, 2025
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.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the advance review copy.
Bookstagram | Blog
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.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the advance review copy.
Bookstagram | Blog
November 5, 2025
An adorable friends-to-lovers, second-chance romance between two roommates who are thrust back together when they inherit a brownstone in the West Village.
This book starts with such a fun and absurd chance of fate, but hey I’ve known some really eccentric old guys in the West Village (I’m thinking of you Chuck) — so really anything is possible. I thought the concept was spectacular and while dual timeline isn’t always my favorite this one was pretty compelling.
I liked a lot about this book, and in the end I do think it’s an excellent read but I have some thoughts.
This leans heavily towards women’s fiction. This is definitely more an Emily Henry kind of romance, than an Abby Jimenez romance… It is single POV, which I don’t usually mind but in this case I felt like it really could have benefited from a peek inside the MMCs head.
This book is much more about the FMCs self-discovery journey, her finding out the right path and accepting mistakes she’s made in the past, than about the romance between the two. We do not get nearly enough time with both of them on page.
What we do get in terms of romance is excellent. The tension is top notch, the banter is fabulous, and the spice is perfectly steamy and well placed. There just isn’t ENOUGH of it. I found myself desperate to get through the scenes where the FMC is working on her career or herself so I could get MORE of the couple together.
Marketed as a women’s fiction, or even “for fans of Emily Henry,” I would say this book is a knockout. But as a Romance it misses the mark just a bit. If you dive into this book with tempered expectations I’m confident you’ll enjoy this one!
🌶️ - Open Door. Only one full scene, but a little something in other chapters too (Ch 18, 23, 26). Very mildly explicit imho.
4.25⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Thank you Ballantine/Dell for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
This book starts with such a fun and absurd chance of fate, but hey I’ve known some really eccentric old guys in the West Village (I’m thinking of you Chuck) — so really anything is possible. I thought the concept was spectacular and while dual timeline isn’t always my favorite this one was pretty compelling.
I liked a lot about this book, and in the end I do think it’s an excellent read but I have some thoughts.
This leans heavily towards women’s fiction. This is definitely more an Emily Henry kind of romance, than an Abby Jimenez romance… It is single POV, which I don’t usually mind but in this case I felt like it really could have benefited from a peek inside the MMCs head.
This book is much more about the FMCs self-discovery journey, her finding out the right path and accepting mistakes she’s made in the past, than about the romance between the two. We do not get nearly enough time with both of them on page.
What we do get in terms of romance is excellent. The tension is top notch, the banter is fabulous, and the spice is perfectly steamy and well placed. There just isn’t ENOUGH of it. I found myself desperate to get through the scenes where the FMC is working on her career or herself so I could get MORE of the couple together.
Marketed as a women’s fiction, or even “for fans of Emily Henry,” I would say this book is a knockout. But as a Romance it misses the mark just a bit. If you dive into this book with tempered expectations I’m confident you’ll enjoy this one!
🌶️ - Open Door. Only one full scene, but a little something in other chapters too (Ch 18, 23, 26). Very mildly explicit imho.
4.25⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Thank you Ballantine/Dell for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
October 16, 2025
4/5
- Wow! This book was so beautiful and I love how it was such a layered story! The balance between familial struggles, navigating friendships & work while falling in love was exactly what I needed to read.
- If you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing in your 20’s, this is the book you need to pick up! Love that this book spans years at a time and we really got to grow with the characters!
- The tension and swoon worthy slow burn made this book everything that it is!! This just might be my favorite autumn read of the season!!
- Wow! This book was so beautiful and I love how it was such a layered story! The balance between familial struggles, navigating friendships & work while falling in love was exactly what I needed to read.
- If you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing in your 20’s, this is the book you need to pick up! Love that this book spans years at a time and we really got to grow with the characters!
- The tension and swoon worthy slow burn made this book everything that it is!! This just might be my favorite autumn read of the season!!
October 5, 2025
i’ve never met a more insufferable fmc, the miscommunication trope will be the death of me.
September 29, 2025
4.5 stars!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
this one comes out tomorrow and omg if you’re looking for your next cozy fall romance, here it is! it’s friends to lovers in the past & second chance in the present, with so many warm fall vibes 🍁 new york city, shared meals, late night talks… I really felt the connection between June & Adam as they worked through their history. I also loved that they both go to therapy (thank god lol) and that the story leaned into their growth and accountability 🫶
the writing is super straightforward & solid. it is a teeny bit long for a romance and I felt like it could’ve been a bit tighter in moments, but honestly, other than that, I have nothing bad to say! yes, it’s predictable at times, but so is every romance, and that’s part of the charm 🤷♀️ it’s sweet, cozy, and heartwarming in all the best ways!
if you love nyc, musical theatre, found family, and maybe romanticizing your partner being a chef so you never have to cook again 😂 this one is for you. this book feels like if ‘the seven year slip’ and ‘people we meet on vacation’ had a baby & it was just such a cute read!
thank you to dell for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review! 💌
this one comes out tomorrow and omg if you’re looking for your next cozy fall romance, here it is! it’s friends to lovers in the past & second chance in the present, with so many warm fall vibes 🍁 new york city, shared meals, late night talks… I really felt the connection between June & Adam as they worked through their history. I also loved that they both go to therapy (thank god lol) and that the story leaned into their growth and accountability 🫶
the writing is super straightforward & solid. it is a teeny bit long for a romance and I felt like it could’ve been a bit tighter in moments, but honestly, other than that, I have nothing bad to say! yes, it’s predictable at times, but so is every romance, and that’s part of the charm 🤷♀️ it’s sweet, cozy, and heartwarming in all the best ways!
if you love nyc, musical theatre, found family, and maybe romanticizing your partner being a chef so you never have to cook again 😂 this one is for you. this book feels like if ‘the seven year slip’ and ‘people we meet on vacation’ had a baby & it was just such a cute read!
thank you to dell for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review! 💌
June 22, 2025
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
◁◁▐▐ ▷▷
“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!
━═━═━═━┤➴├━═━═━═━
𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱
𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝗰! 𝘂𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗶'𝗱 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗼 𝗶'𝗺 𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗱 𝗶 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗰😊 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼, 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆 𝟮𝟰 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 😏
╰► 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
◁◁▐▐ ▷▷
“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!
━═━═━═━┤➴├━═━═━═━
𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱
𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝗰! 𝘂𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗶'𝗱 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗼 𝗶'𝗺 𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗱 𝗶 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗰😊 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼, 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆 𝟮𝟰 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 😏
October 29, 2025
Four weeks. One house. A decade of unresolved tension. It’s Different This Time is the perfect storm of heartache and heat, where every glance hurts as much as it thrills.
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
The story follows June, a thirty-something freelance actress who’s just lost her job and is struggling to stay afloat. She’s been dreaming of getting her own place, but with her bank account dwindling, she’s stuck living with friends… until an unexpected email pulls her back to New York. The message comes from an accounting firm tied to her old home, and before she knows it, she’s boarding a plane to face not just legal documents, but ghosts of her past.
That past? Adam . For six years, he wasn’t just her roommate. He was her confidant, her best friend, and eventually, something more. But time and distance pulled them apart. Now, with the passing of their old landlord, Adam and June discover that the brownstone they once shared has been left to them. The catch: they must wait a month before deciding whether to sell it or rent it out. Which means four weeks of living under the same roof. Four weeks of facing everything they left unresolved. (forced proximity?????? i think YES 🫡)
The book alternates beautifully between past and present. In the past, we get to see Adam and June’s friendship bloom slowly, tenderly, into love. It’s such a satisfying slow burn—roommates becoming friends, then something deeper—and I couldn’t stop smiling at their little moments together. (like cheek aching smiles and laughs. it was so cute) In the present,there is layer upon layer of tension, angst, and longing, showing two people cautiously relearning each other while trying to decide what their future looks like. (the way my heart kept beating so fast waiting for them to accept each other… it was absolute TORTURE 😭)
What I loved most was how real June and Adam’s dynamic felt. Their history made every glance, every near-touch, every argument carry weight. You can feel the ache of their unresolved feelings, but also the joy of watching them rediscover not only their love, but their friendship.
This book absolutely wrecked me in the best way. The push and pull, the heartbreak, the laughter, the quiet moments of reconnection… I literally couldn’t put it down. And by the end, I felt like I had lived every beat of their journey with them.
If you’re a fan of A Love Letter to Whiskey vibes, second-chance romance, slow burns, friends-to-lovers, and the delicious ache of unresolved tension finally snapping into something inevitable, It’s Different This Time will sweep you away.
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-favorite quotes-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
”Looking at Adam is like watching one of my favorite comfort movies—I already know every line like the back of my hand, so now I look for the smallest details I may have missed the first time around.”
⸻
"You are my person, Adam, my home.”
⸻
“June... Don't you know by now that it's you? It will always be you."
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
things to know about the book ↓
✨dual timeline
✨strangers->friends->lovers
✨second chance
✨forced proximity
✨single pov (hers)
A huge thank you to Netgalley, Ballantine, and Joss Richard for allowing me to read this arc. These are all my honest opinions in this review.
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
The story follows June, a thirty-something freelance actress who’s just lost her job and is struggling to stay afloat. She’s been dreaming of getting her own place, but with her bank account dwindling, she’s stuck living with friends… until an unexpected email pulls her back to New York. The message comes from an accounting firm tied to her old home, and before she knows it, she’s boarding a plane to face not just legal documents, but ghosts of her past.
That past? Adam . For six years, he wasn’t just her roommate. He was her confidant, her best friend, and eventually, something more. But time and distance pulled them apart. Now, with the passing of their old landlord, Adam and June discover that the brownstone they once shared has been left to them. The catch: they must wait a month before deciding whether to sell it or rent it out. Which means four weeks of living under the same roof. Four weeks of facing everything they left unresolved. (forced proximity?????? i think YES 🫡)
The book alternates beautifully between past and present. In the past, we get to see Adam and June’s friendship bloom slowly, tenderly, into love. It’s such a satisfying slow burn—roommates becoming friends, then something deeper—and I couldn’t stop smiling at their little moments together. (like cheek aching smiles and laughs. it was so cute) In the present,there is layer upon layer of tension, angst, and longing, showing two people cautiously relearning each other while trying to decide what their future looks like. (the way my heart kept beating so fast waiting for them to accept each other… it was absolute TORTURE 😭)
What I loved most was how real June and Adam’s dynamic felt. Their history made every glance, every near-touch, every argument carry weight. You can feel the ache of their unresolved feelings, but also the joy of watching them rediscover not only their love, but their friendship.
This book absolutely wrecked me in the best way. The push and pull, the heartbreak, the laughter, the quiet moments of reconnection… I literally couldn’t put it down. And by the end, I felt like I had lived every beat of their journey with them.
If you’re a fan of A Love Letter to Whiskey vibes, second-chance romance, slow burns, friends-to-lovers, and the delicious ache of unresolved tension finally snapping into something inevitable, It’s Different This Time will sweep you away.
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-favorite quotes-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
”Looking at Adam is like watching one of my favorite comfort movies—I already know every line like the back of my hand, so now I look for the smallest details I may have missed the first time around.”
⸻
"You are my person, Adam, my home.”
⸻
“June... Don't you know by now that it's you? It will always be you."
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
things to know about the book ↓
✨dual timeline
✨strangers->friends->lovers
✨second chance
✨forced proximity
✨single pov (hers)
A huge thank you to Netgalley, Ballantine, and Joss Richard for allowing me to read this arc. These are all my honest opinions in this review.
September 30, 2025
[arc review] HAPPY PUB DATE!!!!!!
I’ve been looking for a really good autumn / fall read and I think I’ve found it.
it’s different this time is a second chance romance set in new york that follows in the point of view of june wood.
june is an actress who—five years ago—dropped her life in new york, her career on broadway, and moved across the country to LA.
she swore never to return but finds herself back in the city after inheriting half of a $6.2m brownstone—the other half belonging to former roommate and best friend, adam harper.
adam harper is far from the aspiring chef she once knew, and is now the owner of a popular restaurant in the centre of new york—everything he ever dreamed of.
they’re both thrown under the same roof again for the first time in five years, except now there’s animosity in the air and a lot of questions—that were once unanswered—that are now coming to the surface.
I’m not usually someone who enjoys a second chance romance because I struggle to feel engaged by them—but for this story it really worked! I really enjoyed this and loved the dual timeline.
with that being said—it’s different this time has to be one of my favourite reads of 2025 and I can’t wait to pick up my own copy when it’s published. I’ll literally be running to B&N when I arrive in LA next month!
the story was fleshed out between past and present, and you got to see firsthand the yearning from both characters as they navigate feeling more for each other.
even though this is all written in the pov of june, I could feel the yearning from adam reading through the eyes of june. there was a flirty banter between them—both past and present—that really had me smiling while reading because I just loved them as a pair.
june is a very complex character who—despite her best efforts to be a good person—is ultimately a product of her upbringing.
I’d probably go as far as saying she has an anxious avoidant attachment style.
because june never got to see what makes a good and healthy relationship from her primary caregiver(s), when she does find something good, she doesn’t want to change anything in hope it remains the same—and I totally get that and felt for her reading this!
both june and adam are equally flawed with insecurities and anxieties that—in an ideal world—if they just communicated, they wouldn’t be in the mess they are now.
but what works is that when they do come back together, all cards are on the table. they’ve aged 5 years, experienced more of the world, and it’s a real opportunity to see if what they felt all those years ago is still there.
I loved the ending—and without spoiling it—because it was a full circle moment. it was perfectly written in line with the characters we had just read 400 pages about.
overall this is a stellar debut and I can’t wait to read more from the author in the future!
“you know, despite being just friends, this is still the best date.” “why?” “because I know that whatever happens tonight, you’re still coming home with me.” !!!!!!!
I’ve been looking for a really good autumn / fall read and I think I’ve found it.
it’s different this time is a second chance romance set in new york that follows in the point of view of june wood.
june is an actress who—five years ago—dropped her life in new york, her career on broadway, and moved across the country to LA.
she swore never to return but finds herself back in the city after inheriting half of a $6.2m brownstone—the other half belonging to former roommate and best friend, adam harper.
adam harper is far from the aspiring chef she once knew, and is now the owner of a popular restaurant in the centre of new york—everything he ever dreamed of.
they’re both thrown under the same roof again for the first time in five years, except now there’s animosity in the air and a lot of questions—that were once unanswered—that are now coming to the surface.
I’m not usually someone who enjoys a second chance romance because I struggle to feel engaged by them—but for this story it really worked! I really enjoyed this and loved the dual timeline.
with that being said—it’s different this time has to be one of my favourite reads of 2025 and I can’t wait to pick up my own copy when it’s published. I’ll literally be running to B&N when I arrive in LA next month!
the story was fleshed out between past and present, and you got to see firsthand the yearning from both characters as they navigate feeling more for each other.
even though this is all written in the pov of june, I could feel the yearning from adam reading through the eyes of june. there was a flirty banter between them—both past and present—that really had me smiling while reading because I just loved them as a pair.
june is a very complex character who—despite her best efforts to be a good person—is ultimately a product of her upbringing.
I’d probably go as far as saying she has an anxious avoidant attachment style.
because june never got to see what makes a good and healthy relationship from her primary caregiver(s), when she does find something good, she doesn’t want to change anything in hope it remains the same—and I totally get that and felt for her reading this!
both june and adam are equally flawed with insecurities and anxieties that—in an ideal world—if they just communicated, they wouldn’t be in the mess they are now.
but what works is that when they do come back together, all cards are on the table. they’ve aged 5 years, experienced more of the world, and it’s a real opportunity to see if what they felt all those years ago is still there.
I loved the ending—and without spoiling it—because it was a full circle moment. it was perfectly written in line with the characters we had just read 400 pages about.
overall this is a stellar debut and I can’t wait to read more from the author in the future!
“you know, despite being just friends, this is still the best date.” “why?” “because I know that whatever happens tonight, you’re still coming home with me.” !!!!!!!
October 16, 2025
5⭐️
june and adam have officially stolen my heart, their romance was extremely swoon worthy and i loved reading about their friendship, both of them chasing their dreams and their time living in the brownstone. i am so impressed that this was joss richard's debut novel and to be honest, i can't wait to read more of her work in the future!
when june wood receives an e-mail regarding an old apartment she used to live in while in new york, she's startled because she left that place in the past; but it's non-negotiable and she has to fly out. when she gets there, she's faced with the one and only adam harper, her old roommate (with a bit of history). together, they find out that they have inherited the brownstone home they previously lived in. with all of the mixed emotions, they come to an agreement where they will both live there for the month before signing the paperwork.
i really enjoyed the two perspectives of the flashbacks and the present - learning more about adam and june's past made me feel much more connected to them. seeing their friendship bloom and seeing the yearning on both ends just had me swooning. i was seriously rooting for them the whole way through - even during the present time. no way they could be "just friends" with the incredible chemistry and the 11 years they've known each other. with adam in the culinary industry and june in acting (broadway/tv), new york was truly the perfect setting for this cozy fall romance.
read this if you like:
🤎 friends to lovers
🤎 men who yearn!!!
🤎 nyc setting
🤎 second chance-ish
🤎 found family
🤎 musical theater
june and adam have officially stolen my heart, their romance was extremely swoon worthy and i loved reading about their friendship, both of them chasing their dreams and their time living in the brownstone. i am so impressed that this was joss richard's debut novel and to be honest, i can't wait to read more of her work in the future!
when june wood receives an e-mail regarding an old apartment she used to live in while in new york, she's startled because she left that place in the past; but it's non-negotiable and she has to fly out. when she gets there, she's faced with the one and only adam harper, her old roommate (with a bit of history). together, they find out that they have inherited the brownstone home they previously lived in. with all of the mixed emotions, they come to an agreement where they will both live there for the month before signing the paperwork.
i really enjoyed the two perspectives of the flashbacks and the present - learning more about adam and june's past made me feel much more connected to them. seeing their friendship bloom and seeing the yearning on both ends just had me swooning. i was seriously rooting for them the whole way through - even during the present time. no way they could be "just friends" with the incredible chemistry and the 11 years they've known each other. with adam in the culinary industry and june in acting (broadway/tv), new york was truly the perfect setting for this cozy fall romance.
read this if you like:
🤎 friends to lovers
🤎 men who yearn!!!
🤎 nyc setting
🤎 second chance-ish
🤎 found family
🤎 musical theater
September 23, 2025
I loved the writing, I can’t believe it’s a debut!
But. It looks to me like this author read People We Meet on Vacation and thought to herself, “I can do it better!” She did do it better, but… it’s still People We Meet on Vacation.
So I spent a whole day reading this and I’m giving it four stars, but I also need to rant.
June and Adam used to be roommates, and much more, but they haven’t spoken in six years. We don’t know why and it takes excruciatingly long to find out.
This was a dual-timeline, friends-to-lovers, second-chance romance that was so well written that I enjoyed it despite all the issues I had with the story.
The heroine was a mess and I wanted to smack her over the head with my kindle. Multiple times. I felt really sorry for Adam. He wasn’t perfect, but he deserved better. She deserved for him to be married with kids by the time they met again.
I enjoyed their chemistry and easy banter and I absolutely adored their friends and Adam’s family. The romanticized New York setting was great too. I love books that take me places, and this one was written so vividly I could almost smell the autumn leaves, coffee and everything bagels. It felt like a Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks movie.
What I didn’t enjoy was the miscommunication and all the people June and Adam were dating. I don’t get that whole you’re-my-best-friend-so-we-can’t-be-dating philosophy. You’re telling me, you want a bf to sleep with, but plan to keep the best-friend-with-occasional-touching status with your roommate? That’s messed up and people older than 16 really shouldn’t embarrass themselves believing it would work.
That said, I will be absolutely looking forward to this author’s next book!
Thanks to Headline and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
But. It looks to me like this author read People We Meet on Vacation and thought to herself, “I can do it better!” She did do it better, but… it’s still People We Meet on Vacation.
So I spent a whole day reading this and I’m giving it four stars, but I also need to rant.
June and Adam used to be roommates, and much more, but they haven’t spoken in six years. We don’t know why and it takes excruciatingly long to find out.
This was a dual-timeline, friends-to-lovers, second-chance romance that was so well written that I enjoyed it despite all the issues I had with the story.
The heroine was a mess and I wanted to smack her over the head with my kindle. Multiple times. I felt really sorry for Adam. He wasn’t perfect, but he deserved better. She deserved for him to be married with kids by the time they met again.
I enjoyed their chemistry and easy banter and I absolutely adored their friends and Adam’s family. The romanticized New York setting was great too. I love books that take me places, and this one was written so vividly I could almost smell the autumn leaves, coffee and everything bagels. It felt like a Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks movie.
What I didn’t enjoy was the miscommunication and all the people June and Adam were dating. I don’t get that whole you’re-my-best-friend-so-we-can’t-be-dating philosophy. You’re telling me, you want a bf to sleep with, but plan to keep the best-friend-with-occasional-touching status with your roommate? That’s messed up and people older than 16 really shouldn’t embarrass themselves believing it would work.
That said, I will be absolutely looking forward to this author’s next book!
Thanks to Headline and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
October 9, 2025
Oh June... She is the main reason why I couldn’t fully enjoy this book. She was so freaking annoying and hypocritical!! She had to be difficult and stubborn with every single thing. It was totally irrational and it made me want to just strangle her.
The male lead Adam was the saving grace for me. He was so sweet and kind and you could just tell how much he cared for June and how in love with her he was. However, June was constantly getting on my nerves and so I couldn’t fully ship them together. Adam deserved better. He had the patience of a saint to deal with June. I also hated how miscommunication was the reason for their broken friendship. It was so underwhelming.
Overall, this book had potential and I definitely would have loved it more if there was a better protagonist leading the story.
The male lead Adam was the saving grace for me. He was so sweet and kind and you could just tell how much he cared for June and how in love with her he was. However, June was constantly getting on my nerves and so I couldn’t fully ship them together. Adam deserved better. He had the patience of a saint to deal with June. I also hated how miscommunication was the reason for their broken friendship. It was so underwhelming.
Overall, this book had potential and I definitely would have loved it more if there was a better protagonist leading the story.
July 14, 2025
The main characters share a past—for a long time, they rented the same apartment in New York and were very close friends. But something happened between them, and June moved to Los Angeles. They haven’t seen or spoken to each other in five years, until June finds out that the owner of that same apartment has died and left it to both her and Adam.
Let me start by saying I really enjoyed the first part of the book. June is a stage and film actress struggling with her career, and Adam is a well-known chef. Their past and present are intertwined, and from the very beginning, my heart was clenching as I waited to learn what had caused their falling out. This is a debut, but the author writes masterfully—I was so emotionally invested in the characters that I honestly wanted to throw my Kindle at the wall at times. I won’t spoil anything, but I’ll say the reason didn’t work for me. And later on, I got even more frustrated by some of the heroine’s actions—so unfortunately, I can’t give it a higher rating. Also, I was expecting a second-chance romance, but it didn’t quite feel like one.
The cover is beautiful, but don’t be misled—this isn’t a light romantic comedy. This story will make you feel deeply, get angry, and empathize with the characters.
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓friends to lovers
✓dual timeline
✓forced proximity
✓found family
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine (Dell) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Let me start by saying I really enjoyed the first part of the book. June is a stage and film actress struggling with her career, and Adam is a well-known chef. Their past and present are intertwined, and from the very beginning, my heart was clenching as I waited to learn what had caused their falling out. This is a debut, but the author writes masterfully—I was so emotionally invested in the characters that I honestly wanted to throw my Kindle at the wall at times. I won’t spoil anything, but I’ll say the reason didn’t work for me. And later on, I got even more frustrated by some of the heroine’s actions—so unfortunately, I can’t give it a higher rating. Also, I was expecting a second-chance romance, but it didn’t quite feel like one.
The cover is beautiful, but don’t be misled—this isn’t a light romantic comedy. This story will make you feel deeply, get angry, and empathize with the characters.
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓friends to lovers
✓dual timeline
✓forced proximity
✓found family
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine (Dell) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
October 7, 2025
you know what's different this time? i genuinely believe the fmc could win an award for a masterclass in how to consistently make absolutely worse choices.
October 26, 2025
Two ex-roommates are thrust back into each other’s lives when the landlord of their former brownstone apartment leaves it to them in his will with one big caveat— the two must live together again for one month. But when old unresolved feelings threaten to resurface, June and Adam will have to decide just how much they are willing to risk for the chance at everything.
Almost immediately after starting this book, I knew I was going to end up loving it. As a major fan of the friends-to-lovers meets second chance (have you seen how many times I have read People We Meet on Vacation), I knew going in that I would enjoy this debut romance. But what I had not anticipated was the amazing cozy fall vibes, the characters you cannot help but love, a fun plot line that forces them back into their old apartment, and a love story it’s hard not to swoon over. Adam is easily a new favorite book boyfriend, in large part because of his profound love for June. I could not get enough of these two or this story. I will definitely be adding it to my reread list.
🎧 I absolutely flew through this on audio, narrated by Ferdelle Capistrano. I am completely taken with her very immersive narration and cannot wait to listen to more from her in the not-so-distant future.
Read if you like:
▪️debut romance
▪️friends to lovers
▪️second chance
▪️ex-roommates
▪️dual timelines
▪️NYC setting
Check out my Bookstagram post here ♥
Thank you Dell Romance and PRH Audio for the gifted copies.
Almost immediately after starting this book, I knew I was going to end up loving it. As a major fan of the friends-to-lovers meets second chance (have you seen how many times I have read People We Meet on Vacation), I knew going in that I would enjoy this debut romance. But what I had not anticipated was the amazing cozy fall vibes, the characters you cannot help but love, a fun plot line that forces them back into their old apartment, and a love story it’s hard not to swoon over. Adam is easily a new favorite book boyfriend, in large part because of his profound love for June. I could not get enough of these two or this story. I will definitely be adding it to my reread list.
🎧 I absolutely flew through this on audio, narrated by Ferdelle Capistrano. I am completely taken with her very immersive narration and cannot wait to listen to more from her in the not-so-distant future.
Read if you like:
▪️debut romance
▪️friends to lovers
▪️second chance
▪️ex-roommates
▪️dual timelines
▪️NYC setting
Check out my Bookstagram post here ♥
Thank you Dell Romance and PRH Audio for the gifted copies.
October 7, 2025
I loved this book!
A beautiful love story.
Roommates, to best friends, to lovers.
A second chance romance.
Very emotional.
Told only by the FMC.
Two timelines: the present and 11 years ago when June and Adam first met.
A brownstone house: 74 Perry Street in West Village, New York.
June Woods (32) an actress, living in LA, lost her job, and is short of money.
Her father left when she was 2 years-old.
Her mother blames her for getting pregnant.
Has a best friend, Chloe and an amazing agent, Theo.
She's beautiful, works hard, but always sells herself short.
Adam Harper (34) a Chef, that not only works in the most talked about restaurant in town, Alden, but owns it too.
He's very close to his family, loving parents and a smart sister.
He's a handsome, athletic, tall, and charismatic man.
The owner of the house on Perry Street, now deceased, left it to both of them, and the CPA company taking care of that matter needs 30 days to process the paperwork.
June not having money to stay in a hotel or a flight home, accepts Adam's proposal to live in the house, with him, during that time, her agent trying to find something for her to work there.
And they're roommates again!
The interaction between the two is minimal.
June stays out of Adam's way and vice versa.
She's still deeply attracted to him, misses him, wants him.
In the past timeline, in the beginning, June and Adam rarely saw each other, her because of her acting classes and shifts at the bookstore, him because of the heavy schedule at the culinary school and working weekends.
But slowly they become the best of friends having a routine. He cooks, trying to create new recipes, they watch rom-com movies, talk about their day, about anything and everything.
June trusts Adam completely!
They both feel for each other more than just friendship but are unable and afraid to express out loud the love they're feeling for one another.
Bad decisions, insecurities, harsh words between them, Riley a woman he starts dating and brings home, just to change his working clothes, something that never happened in 6 years, and refering to June as his roommate, pushes her to leave with a one way ticket to LA, not even telling Adam she's not coming back and blocking him.
Now, together after five years, will they forgive each other the past mistakes, and not loose this second chance on love?
Because Adam loves no one else but June, and June loves no one else but Adam!
Prepare yourself to cry buckets reading this book!
A beautiful love story.
Roommates, to best friends, to lovers.
A second chance romance.
Very emotional.
Told only by the FMC.
Two timelines: the present and 11 years ago when June and Adam first met.
A brownstone house: 74 Perry Street in West Village, New York.
June Woods (32) an actress, living in LA, lost her job, and is short of money.
Her father left when she was 2 years-old.
Her mother blames her for getting pregnant.
Has a best friend, Chloe and an amazing agent, Theo.
She's beautiful, works hard, but always sells herself short.
Adam Harper (34) a Chef, that not only works in the most talked about restaurant in town, Alden, but owns it too.
He's very close to his family, loving parents and a smart sister.
He's a handsome, athletic, tall, and charismatic man.
The owner of the house on Perry Street, now deceased, left it to both of them, and the CPA company taking care of that matter needs 30 days to process the paperwork.
June not having money to stay in a hotel or a flight home, accepts Adam's proposal to live in the house, with him, during that time, her agent trying to find something for her to work there.
And they're roommates again!
The interaction between the two is minimal.
June stays out of Adam's way and vice versa.
She's still deeply attracted to him, misses him, wants him.
In the past timeline, in the beginning, June and Adam rarely saw each other, her because of her acting classes and shifts at the bookstore, him because of the heavy schedule at the culinary school and working weekends.
But slowly they become the best of friends having a routine. He cooks, trying to create new recipes, they watch rom-com movies, talk about their day, about anything and everything.
June trusts Adam completely!
They both feel for each other more than just friendship but are unable and afraid to express out loud the love they're feeling for one another.
Bad decisions, insecurities, harsh words between them, Riley a woman he starts dating and brings home, just to change his working clothes, something that never happened in 6 years, and refering to June as his roommate, pushes her to leave with a one way ticket to LA, not even telling Adam she's not coming back and blocking him.
Now, together after five years, will they forgive each other the past mistakes, and not loose this second chance on love?
Because Adam loves no one else but June, and June loves no one else but Adam!
Prepare yourself to cry buckets reading this book!
September 30, 2025
4.25 ⭐️ ITS FINALLY OUT TODAY
This was a beautiful debut novel, and I absolutely loved reading about June and Adam's love story. Second-chance romance has always been one of my favorite tropes, and I knew this story would deliver the moment I realized it included flashbacks to their past relationship. Those flashbacks were beautifully placed, aligning so naturally with the present that it made their emotional journey feel all the more real. I especially loved the premise of them reconnecting through the apartment. It felt intimate and meaningful, the kind of setup that makes you believe love can find its way back when the timing is right. The emotional tension and the final turning point in their relationship truly pulled at my heartstrings. Yes, there’s miscommunication, but in this case, it made sense. It felt necessary for a female main character who had been shaped by a difficult and painful childhood. Her journey toward trust and vulnerability added so much depth, and watching her open up made the romance feel even more earned and powerful.
On a side note, the male main character reminded me of Iwan from The Seven Year Slip—make of that what you will. And no, it definitely was not just because I read this book directly after, and Adam also happens to be a chef (or maybe it is?).
Thank you to Netgalley and Dell Romance for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a beautiful debut novel, and I absolutely loved reading about June and Adam's love story. Second-chance romance has always been one of my favorite tropes, and I knew this story would deliver the moment I realized it included flashbacks to their past relationship. Those flashbacks were beautifully placed, aligning so naturally with the present that it made their emotional journey feel all the more real. I especially loved the premise of them reconnecting through the apartment. It felt intimate and meaningful, the kind of setup that makes you believe love can find its way back when the timing is right. The emotional tension and the final turning point in their relationship truly pulled at my heartstrings. Yes, there’s miscommunication, but in this case, it made sense. It felt necessary for a female main character who had been shaped by a difficult and painful childhood. Her journey toward trust and vulnerability added so much depth, and watching her open up made the romance feel even more earned and powerful.
On a side note, the male main character reminded me of Iwan from The Seven Year Slip—make of that what you will. And no, it definitely was not just because I read this book directly after, and Adam also happens to be a chef (or maybe it is?).
Thank you to Netgalley and Dell Romance for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 30, 2025
4.75/5
no one, and i mean no one, wants this to be a five star more than me...
there is something to be said about binge reading an anticipated release. even though i only hear of this book like three months ago, i have been over the moon with excitement waiting to read it. i saved the arc for close to release date because its the perfect fall book, i mean look at that cover, the foliage!! i read the first half in three hours last night and stayed up way to late, if i didn't have class this morning i would have stayed up and finished it and that would've made it a five stars... maybe.
something about this book felt like a warm hug, it genuinely was so fun to get into because i was hooked the second chapter one ended. adam and june had such good chemistry and you could feel the tension from the very beginning. i could feel their love for the house through the page and i just wanted to be there, in new york, experiencing the feeling of coming home with them. seeing their bond from the very start was lovely and the past chapters held so much angst and love, i was entranced by the writing. following adam and june in the present was just as rewarding. they are accomplishing so much, the restaurant and les mis, plus they're being the cutest couple there ever was.
truly nothing could have convinced me this wasn't going to be a five star when i went to bed last night. this book is still perfect, don't get it twisted. i just wasn't a huge fan of the miscommunication that we went through at the end, the one that separated them and their "third act breakup." i think adam's father said it best when he was being nosy, "you're going to lose it either way... you win, you lose, but you can't do either unless you take a chance."
joss richard should be incredibly proud of herself. she states at the end that this is the first book she's ever written an its spectacular!! the odds i look back at the end of the year and up this to a five are very high but it will be a favorite nonetheless!! i cannot recommend this enough for romance lovers everywhere!
*thank you netgalley and dell for the arc!*
no one, and i mean no one, wants this to be a five star more than me...
there is something to be said about binge reading an anticipated release. even though i only hear of this book like three months ago, i have been over the moon with excitement waiting to read it. i saved the arc for close to release date because its the perfect fall book, i mean look at that cover, the foliage!! i read the first half in three hours last night and stayed up way to late, if i didn't have class this morning i would have stayed up and finished it and that would've made it a five stars... maybe.
something about this book felt like a warm hug, it genuinely was so fun to get into because i was hooked the second chapter one ended. adam and june had such good chemistry and you could feel the tension from the very beginning. i could feel their love for the house through the page and i just wanted to be there, in new york, experiencing the feeling of coming home with them. seeing their bond from the very start was lovely and the past chapters held so much angst and love, i was entranced by the writing. following adam and june in the present was just as rewarding. they are accomplishing so much, the restaurant and les mis, plus they're being the cutest couple there ever was.
truly nothing could have convinced me this wasn't going to be a five star when i went to bed last night. this book is still perfect, don't get it twisted. i just wasn't a huge fan of the miscommunication that we went through at the end, the one that separated them and their "third act breakup." i think adam's father said it best when he was being nosy, "you're going to lose it either way... you win, you lose, but you can't do either unless you take a chance."
joss richard should be incredibly proud of herself. she states at the end that this is the first book she's ever written an its spectacular!! the odds i look back at the end of the year and up this to a five are very high but it will be a favorite nonetheless!! i cannot recommend this enough for romance lovers everywhere!
*thank you netgalley and dell for the arc!*
October 2, 2025
4.5 ★ Oh how I loved this!! I’ve said it before: I’m a second chance fan first, human second, so I ate this book up. Add in friends to lovers and I am SOLDDD!! I absolutely loved this story and our 2 main characters. The NYC setting was perfect, making this the perfect fall romance. I thought the circumstances for June & Adam’s reunion were so creative and so sweet. I loved both of these characters separately and together. He’s a chef…? Say less. Also loved June’s storyline and seeing her grow!! The dual timeline made it all the more emotional and really added depth (and pain) to their story. Literally made my heart HURT! I loved watching them reconnect and fall back in love. I really could feel the chemistry and connection between these two and truly felt their character growth. The writing, pacing, and plot were all great in my opinion, and the ending was AMAZING. I literally shed a few tears at the end, how could I not?? This story was so emotional with so much depth but also so sweet and lighthearted at times. Can’t believe this was a debut!! Will read anything Joss releases in the future!! Highly recommend adding to your tbr 🧡
September 30, 2025
This truly felt like a nostalgic 90's rom-com, specifically When Harry Met Sally. It is a second chance romance where a twist of fate forces two former roommates back into their beloved New York City brownstone where they must confront the events that led to their estrangement. It's dual time line & in both I was begging & screaming for them to get together and JUST KISS ALREADYYYY.
It felt like finishing a favorite comfort TV Show that you just want to go back to time & time again. I will look forward to revisiting this every fall, I just know it.
I miss the characters and their story already.
It felt like finishing a favorite comfort TV Show that you just want to go back to time & time again. I will look forward to revisiting this every fall, I just know it.
I miss the characters and their story already.
September 29, 2025
Absolutely nothing could have prepared me for the sucker punch this book would deal to my soul. There are only a few books 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 grieved whenever I had to put the book down to return to real life. A story spanning across so 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 Mis, 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 7th grade and “On My Own” continues to be one of my go-to karaoke songs (bc 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 Actress x Master Chef
- Fall in New York City
Content Warning:
Cancer & loss of a parent (on page).
Thank you to Ballantine Books for a gifted digital arc in exchange for my honest thoughts 💌
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 grieved whenever I had to put the book down to return to real life. A story spanning across so 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 Mis, 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 7th grade and “On My Own” continues to be one of my go-to karaoke songs (bc 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 Actress x Master Chef
- Fall in New York City
Content Warning:
Cancer & loss of a parent (on page).
Thank you to Ballantine Books for a gifted digital arc in exchange for my honest thoughts 💌
October 2, 2025
One of the best debuts I’ve read this year!!!!! (And I don’t even love friends to lovers)
my favorite book of September, the most perfect fall NYC-set romance, and one of my favorite debuts came out on Tuesday!!
June and Adam were roommates. With a hard boundary of nothing can ever happen between them. But when their friendship developed into something more, June is basically in denial. And then she runs away across the country!!! But she’s called back to NYC when her old landlord left that house to her and Adam and they have to figure out what they want to do with it.
Second chance romances hitttttt for me and this one is no exception. Adam is so soft and loving and perfect and a CHEF and I loved him so much. June’s journey between the then and now chapters and her character development were so poignant. I loved watching these two fall in love twice and finally get the courage to commit to each other because they’re perfect for each other!!!!
Thank you so much Dell romance for the arc!!
my favorite book of September, the most perfect fall NYC-set romance, and one of my favorite debuts came out on Tuesday!!
June and Adam were roommates. With a hard boundary of nothing can ever happen between them. But when their friendship developed into something more, June is basically in denial. And then she runs away across the country!!! But she’s called back to NYC when her old landlord left that house to her and Adam and they have to figure out what they want to do with it.
Second chance romances hitttttt for me and this one is no exception. Adam is so soft and loving and perfect and a CHEF and I loved him so much. June’s journey between the then and now chapters and her character development were so poignant. I loved watching these two fall in love twice and finally get the courage to commit to each other because they’re perfect for each other!!!!
Thank you so much Dell romance for the arc!!
October 3, 2025
oh this book was so perfect for me! written for me!!!
i love it when a book sneaks up on you and makes your bones ache from the longing between two characters and this book did it for me.
i am a friends to lovers truther and every time i read another "when harry met sally" -esque book, it cements it as my favorite trope. add on "it's always been you" and the quintessential "'you remember that?' 'i remember everything'" moment and you will have me in your clutches forever!!!
this book broke my 5 star drought and i think will quench my thirst for many weeks to come bc i cannot stop thinking about it! the characters, the setting, the yearning, the angst, the DUAL TIMELINES (love dual timelines down) and of course the friendship turned something more. i devoured this book in one day (which i have not done in ages) and i can't believe this is a debut and i have nothing more to read from Joss Richard.
June and Adam are everything to me and i could read about them forever, just doing mundane things! love them so so so much!!!! ugh i already wanna reread this book bc i miss them!!!
thank you Dell and Netgalley for this e-galley! it's out everywhere now!!
i love it when a book sneaks up on you and makes your bones ache from the longing between two characters and this book did it for me.
i am a friends to lovers truther and every time i read another "when harry met sally" -esque book, it cements it as my favorite trope. add on "it's always been you" and the quintessential "'you remember that?' 'i remember everything'" moment and you will have me in your clutches forever!!!
this book broke my 5 star drought and i think will quench my thirst for many weeks to come bc i cannot stop thinking about it! the characters, the setting, the yearning, the angst, the DUAL TIMELINES (love dual timelines down) and of course the friendship turned something more. i devoured this book in one day (which i have not done in ages) and i can't believe this is a debut and i have nothing more to read from Joss Richard.
June and Adam are everything to me and i could read about them forever, just doing mundane things! love them so so so much!!!! ugh i already wanna reread this book bc i miss them!!!
thank you Dell and Netgalley for this e-galley! it's out everywhere now!!
November 1, 2025
Loveee a drawn out will they/won’t they romance, so this was definitely the book for me! AND set in my favorite place NYC, and in Fall. Couldn’t have loved this more!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,351 reviews