It's Different This Time: A Novel Book Review - No Spoilers
My husband Matthew is not exactly what you'd call an impulse decision-maker. This is the man who made a spreadsheet before we bought our couch. So imagine my utter disbelief when he came home last spring and announced he'd signed us up for a couples' pottery class—no discussion, no spreadsheet, just a bold leap of faith. Reader, it was a disaster. I ended up with clay in my hair and a newly broken mug. But here's the thing: it was also kind of wonderful. That feeling of throwing yourself into something uncertain and real is exactly what It's Different This Time is all about. Joss Richard's debut novel captures that terrifying, beautiful feeling of choosing someone again—even when history makes it complicated.
Plot Summary
It's Different This Time by Joss Richard is a contemporary debut romance set in New York City. June and Adam were once roommates, best friends, and almost something more—until circumstances and poor timing drove them apart. Years later, a twist of fate throws them back into each other's orbit in the city they both love. As they navigate old wounds and new sparks, June must reckon with her own ambitions and the part she played in what happened between them. Told against a lush New York backdrop full of Broadway references and autumn atmospheres, this is a friends-to-lovers, second-chance story driven entirely by character and emotional longing.
Why I Love This Book
I love how It's Different This Time uses New York as more than a backdrop—it's a full character in its own right. The pining is heavy and delicious, and the banter between June and Adam feels effortlessly real. What I appreciate most is that the miscommunication here actually makes sense: these are two people shaped by years of distance, creative ambition, and unresolved feelings. Their history feels genuinely lived-in rather than manufactured for drama. Richard's debut is one of the most emotionally satisfying slow burns I've read recently—think 90s romcom energy with real literary depth. I couldn't stop rooting for these two.
Who Will Like This Book
If you enjoy friends-to-lovers, slow-burn second-chance romance, or atmospheric New York City fiction, you'll adore It's Different This Time. This book is character-driven and emotionally gentle but packs real emotional punch—ideal for fans of contemporary romance who love strong banter, a lush setting, and a lot of heartfelt longing. It's cozy, witty, and quietly devastating in the best way.
⚠️ Trigger warning: Mild miscommunication, past relationship fallout, career stress, brief mention of parental pressure.
Tagged As
contemporary romance, friends to lovers, second chance romance, slow burn, New York City, debut novel, Broadway, emotional, pining, dual timeline, low steam, HEA, character-driven, autumn setting
Steam Level
🌶🌶🌶 Moderate
It's Different This Time features well-placed, open-door steam that serves the story beautifully. The spice is moderate—not gratuitous, but definitely there. The real heat, though, comes from the tension, the pining, and the long-awaited emotional connection between June and Adam.
