It's Different This Time: A Novel

Joss Richard
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It's Different This Time: A Novel

Joss Richard
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Overview

CANADIAN432 PAGESENGLISH

Promotional Details

Shop All Buy 1, Get 1 50% off Select Books

*Valid June 2, 2026 - July 2, 2026 at Canadian stores and indigo.ca. Discount applies to lowest priced qualifying product purchased. Not valid on previous purchases.

*SHORTLISTED FOR CANADA READS 2026*
INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER
Globe and Mail bestseller
Toronto Star bestseller

One of:
- CBC's "50 Canadian fiction books we're excited about this fall"
- Chatelaine's "Fall 2025 Reading List"
- ELLE's "Best Books of Fall 2025"
- HELLO!'s "Books I'll be devouring this fall 2025"

PRAISE FOR IT'S DIFFERENT THS TIME:

“Debut author Richard crafts emotionally complex characters full of yearning, and the lush New York setting adds extra appeal. A deeply felt, passion-filled, dual-timeline love story.”
Kirkus Reviews

It’s Different This Time is the rich, decadent romance of the year we’ve been waiting for! From the romance to the setting and the friendships, I loved it all. This story is complex and something really special. Joss Richard’s voice is so fresh and captivating, you’ll forget you’re even reading.”
—Sarah Adams, New York Times bestselling author of the Rome, Kentucky Series

It’s Different This Time feels like the warmest sweater, soft and tender, somehow both familiar and new. I was completely immersed in June and Adam’s love story over the years, transported to this exact brownstone, to New York in the fall. Deeply emotional and layered, this second-chance romance is an instant classic!”
—Naina Kumar, USA Today bestselling author of Flirting With Disaster

“It’s Different This Time is a gorgeously nostalgic second-chance romance that will simultaneously break your heart and mend it. A tender and atmospheric slow-burn—this is a book you can’t stop thinking about.”
Amy Lea, international bestselling author of The Catch

“A sparkling, romantic love story that moonlights as a love letter to second chances, Broadway, and chasing big dreams—this book is an absolute winner!”
Kayla Olson, USA Today bestselling author of The Lodge and The Reunion

Overall rating: 4.3636365 / 5 from 11 reviews.

AI Generated Review Summary

Summary topics

Review topics: [feel, cover, romance, book, characters, novel, adam, timeline, richard, june, spice].

Review highlights

Reviews

Humour, heart + a RomCom movie vibe!

"4. 5 STARS - This was a wonderful contemporary romance set in New York City filled with two of my favourite romance tropes: second chance romance and friends to lovers. Add in great tension, some spice and found family, and I was totally swooning over this debut book by Canadian author Joss Richard. This is a story about two ex-roommates who are forced back into each other's lives after their former landlord leaves them his amazing brownstone in NYC. Naturally. It gives serious RomCom movie vibes with its setting, awesome banter, romantic NYC setting and unresolved feelings between two people who have a LOT of history. The story is told in dual timelines, both of which were equally compelling and the complications between the two felt so REAL! Adam was *sigh* perfection and June was . . . complicated. She had a lot of insecurities, but I appreciated how Richard helped the reader understand June's internal struggles and how her emotional baggage continued to impact her life. This is a page-turner of a romance for readers who like some humour, heart, complicated feelings and a couple you'll totally root for. I don't know who recommended this book (I have a feeling it was a fellow bookstagrammer) but THANK YOU! I am delighted to have found this author and was in awe that this was her debut. I cannot wait to read Joss' upcoming book Let's Kiss and Tell which hits stores in August 2026!"

The B. (5/5)

Cute!

"June has just learned her show was cancelled. She’s scrambling to figure out what to do, when a strange email about her previous apartment in New York pops up. She follows-up and soon she learns her and her ex-roommate, Adam, are soon to be the new owners of a multi-million-dollar home in New York. But feelings were left in the past, and perhaps June must face those now. Okay this is not my typical genre. I read this for Canada Reads 2026 because I wanted to try to read all the selections for the debates. This was better than I thought it would be. It ended up being my third favourite of the five. So I am a person who needs plot and lots of it. I love great characters, but some romance leaves me wanting more when it comes to plot. This second-chance romance was cute. Everything kind of happened exactly how I thought it would. I would have liked more conflict, I think. I appreciate the inner-turmoil and confusion over feelings, but I like when there is more conflict coming externally. I really liked Adam as a character and his family as well, and I wish June had been a little more complex. Sometimes I felt she was a little basic I guess for lack of a better word. The romance is cute; the spice is moderate but fun and placed in the right moments in the book. Lots of tension there, and I think a lot of my romance girlys will be swooning over Adam! So check this out, going to be a huge hit for people who enjoy this genre!"

Wes u. (3/5)

Perfect Fall Romance

"This book is the perfect romance novel! It pulled at the heart strings in so many ways. I really loved everything about it. The characters were well thought out, well developed, original, and made you feel like you knew them. The dialogue was believable, not cheesy or cringey. And I mean it’s set in my favourite city (NYC), during my favourite season (fall). It doesn’t get any better than that. I didn’t want it to end."

Kasia (5/5)

June and Adam 4Ever!!

"I loved every minute of this book! The dual timeline was written so well that I really was on an emotional rollercoaster. Who doesn’t love New York in the fall, friends to lovers, second chances and a hot chef?! Incredible debut novel from Joss! Recommending this to my book club :)"

Guytingz (5/5)

Shined in some ways, failed me in others.

"4. 25⭐️ Have you ever just started a book and been so smitten. This was me with this one. I fell so hard for fall in NewYork, the brownstone and Michelin star chef Adam. I was all in. So much so that I never saw my own disappointment coming. Miscommunication is a hard one for me. To a point it is relatable. I have been dumb, young and self destructive once too. But time hasn’t given our FMC much emotional maturity. It ended up taking away some of the magic for me. Still Adam is pretty perfect. I ate this book up for the first 75% and I would love to read more by this author. “Perry is home,”Adam says intently, and it knocks the wind out of me. ”And I’ve always been most comfortable with you. Maybe I thought you’d feel the same way. ”🥹♥️"

Annie T. (4/5)

Perfect fall read

"Loved this book. Such a cute romance and the cover is super cute"

Nicole (5/5)

Perfect Fall Romance

"I bought this honestly because the cover was stunning, and I devoured this book within 5 days of purchasing. The srcond-chance romance was so well done, and I absolutely loved the flashbacks of the protagonists showing the development of their relationship. I was sad that I finished the book because I just want to pick it up and start all over."

Ellypaulinem (5/5)

Don’t bother

"This book is a clumsy rehash of romance novel tropes with really bad editing. Too many things. Not enough reasoning. It started out ok but then it felt like the author and the editor just said f*ck it, just leave it all in. 😵‍💫"

PawneeGoddess1959! (2/5)

Slow Burn, Second Chance, Friends to Lovers

"It's Different This Time is a heartfelt, slow-burn second chance romance set against a dreamy New York fall backdrop (which I love!). June and Adam's story, told across past and present, felt emotional, messy, and real. Former best friends and roommates turned almost-lovers, June and Adam reunite years later when they unexpectedly inherit their old brownstone. Joss Richard perfectly captures that ""right person, wrong time"" ache and the bittersweetness of finding your way back to someone who's always felt like home. The dual timelines worked beautifully, slowly revealing their shared history and why things fell apart. It leans more women's fiction than pure romance, but I loved the focus on June's growth and the quiet, steady pull between ner and Adam. The miscommunication frustrated me (as it always does 😅), but it fit their story. A heartfelt, beautiful debut that blends nostalgia, emotional vulnerability, and quiet longing. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry…. l'm looking forward to reading whatever Joss Richard writes next!"

Alaynaisreading (4/5)

Big-hearted, sweet, and engaging!⁣⁣⁣⁣

"𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 is an emotive, charming romance between Adam, a driven, successful chef, and June, a heartbroken, struggling actress, as they navigate miscommunication and past secrets, rediscover a deeply rooted friendship layered with sizzling attraction, and finally recognize an unconditional love that still smoulders, and one that might just deserve a second chance. ⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ The writing is fluid and inviting. The characters are caring, hesitant, and appealing. And the story unfolds effortlessly into a touching tale of family, friendship, self-discovery, happiness, healing, second chances, growth, revelations, tender moments, gentle drama, promises, dreams, and new beginnings. ⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ Overall, 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 is a charming, colourful, tender tale by Richard that I absolutely adored, and which beautifully blends heart-tugging dilemmas with a generous dash of nostalgia. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣"

Zoe C. (5/5)

Q&A

  • Published date: Sep 30, 2025
  • Language: English
  • No. of Pages: 432
  • Publisher: Penguin Canada
  • ISBN: 9781037802041
  • Dimensions: 5.12" W x 0.92" L x 8.0" H
JOSS RICHARD (she/her) is an editorial and social director who’s worked at companies such as Hello Sunshine and Reese’s Book Club, The Walt Disney Company, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Netflix, and Paramount. She’s also the creator and host of Three’s Company, Too: A Rewatch Podcast and has been formally recognized with a Daytime Emmy Award. Born in Toronto, Ontario, to Filipino immigrant parents, Richard currently lives and works in Los Angeles, California.

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