There’s something undeniably magical about the idea of fate delivering a second chance wrapped in prime New York City real estate. Joss Richard’s debut novel, It’s Different This Time, takes this enticing premise and transforms it into a thoughtful exploration of missed connections, unfinished business, and the courage required to rebuild what was once lost.
The story follows June Wood, a struggling actress fresh from the disappointment of her TV show’s cancellation, who receives a mysterious email about 74 Perry Street—a West Village brownstone she once shared with her former best friend and roommate, Adam Harper. Through an almost too-good-to-be-true legal loophole, June and Adam discover they can inherit this multimillion-dollar property if they can manage to live together for just one month. The catch? They haven’t spoken in five years, and their last interaction was anything but amicable.
Character Development That Feels Authentic
Richard demonstrates remarkable skill in crafting characters who feel genuinely human rather than romance novel archetypes. June emerges as a complex protagonist whose career struggles and personal insecurities ring true for anyone who has ever questioned their life choices. Her journey from a canceled TV actress living in Los Angeles back to the theater roots that first defined her feels organic and well-motivated.
Adam Harper, the aspiring chef turned successful restaurant owner, could have easily fallen into the “perfect guy” trap that plagues many contemporary romances. Instead, Richard gives him depth through his relationships with his family, particularly his mother Audrey, whose health challenges add genuine emotional weight to the narrative. The way Adam processes grief and responsibility while navigating his complicated feelings for June creates a three-dimensional character worthy of the reader’s investment.
The supporting cast, from June’s best friend Chloe to Adam’s family members, serves meaningful purposes beyond mere plot devices. Each character contributes to the larger themes of friendship, loyalty, and the different ways people cope with change and loss.
A Nuanced Approach to Second-Chance Romance
What sets It’s Different This Time apart from typical second-chance romances is Richard’s commitment to addressing the real damage that time and misunderstandings can inflict on relationships. The book doesn’t shy away from the fact that some wounds cut deep, and healing requires more than proximity and shared history.
The central conflict—June’s abrupt departure to Los Angeles five years earlier without telling Adam she wasn’t planning to return—provides substantial emotional stakes. Richard handles this betrayal with nuance, allowing readers to understand June’s motivations while not excusing the hurt she caused. The gradual revelation of what really happened between them unfolds naturally through flashbacks that illuminate rather than frustrate.
The romantic tension builds believably as June and Adam rediscover not just their attraction to each other, but the friendship that originally brought them together. Richard wisely focuses on emotional intimacy alongside physical attraction, making their reconnection feel earned rather than inevitable.
New York City as a Character
Richard’s portrayal of New York City, particularly the West Village setting, adds considerable atmosphere to the story. The brownstone at 74 Perry Street becomes more than just a plot device—it’s a character in its own right, holding memories and representing both the past they shared and the future they might build together.
The autumn setting provides the perfect backdrop for a story about second chances and new beginnings. Richard’s descriptions of the city capture both its romantic appeal and its practical challenges, from the impossibility of finding affordable housing to the way certain neighborhoods can hold entire lifetimes of memories.
Where the Story Stumbles
While It’s Different This Time succeeds in many areas, it’s not without its flaws. The legal loophole that drives the central premise strains credibility, even within the forgiving confines of romantic fiction. Readers may find themselves questioning how such a specific and convenient inheritance condition could exist in real-world estate law.
Some secondary plotlines, particularly June’s career decision between a Broadway revival and a film opportunity, feel somewhat rushed in their resolution. While these elements serve the larger narrative about choosing between different life paths, they could have benefited from more development to feel fully integrated into the main story.
Additionally, certain moments of conflict resolution happen perhaps too smoothly. Given the five-year separation and the depth of hurt involved, some readers might find the characters’ ability to move past their issues proceeding at a pace that feels more novelistic than realistic.
Themes That Resonate
The novel explores several compelling themes beyond its central romance. The question of whether we can truly return home after we’ve changed resonates throughout June’s journey from Los Angeles back to New York. Richard also examines how our career ambitions can both define and confine us, as seen in both June’s struggle with her acting career and Adam’s success with his restaurant.
The book thoughtfully addresses the way grief can bring people together or drive them apart, particularly through Adam’s relationship with his mother and how that affects his ability to commit to his own future. The theme of timing—how the right people can meet at the wrong time, or how growing apart can sometimes be necessary before growing back together—adds depth to what could have been a simpler story.
Writing Style and Pacing
Richard’s prose style is accessible and engaging, with a contemporary voice that feels natural rather than forced. She has a particular talent for dialogue that captures the rhythms of real conversation while still serving the story’s needs. The dual timeline structure, moving between the present-day inheritance situation and flashbacks to June and Adam’s original relationship, maintains momentum while gradually revealing crucial information.
The pacing generally works well, with the month-long deadline providing natural urgency to the characters’ emotional journey. Some sections, particularly in the middle third, could have benefited from tighter editing, but the overall structure serves the story effectively.
A Promising Debut
It’s Different This Time marks Joss Richard as a romance author worth watching. Her background in television and media brings a contemporary sensibility to the genre, while her understanding of the entertainment industry adds authenticity to June’s professional struggles.
The novel succeeds most when it focuses on the genuine emotional connection between its protagonists and the realistic challenges of rebuilding trust. While some plot elements require suspension of disbelief, the character development and emotional authenticity carry the story through its weaker moments.
For readers who enjoyed similar contemporary romances, this book pairs well with works like:
- Beach Read by Emily Henry – for its dual-timeline structure and characters reconsidering their life choices
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid – for its entertainment industry setting and complex character relationships
- The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren – for its forced proximity premise with genuine emotional stakes
- One Day in December by Josie Silver – for its exploration of timing and second chances in love
Final Verdict
It’s Different This Time delivers exactly what it promises: a thoughtful, emotionally satisfying second-chance romance that doesn’t take the easy path to its happy ending. While Richard’s debut isn’t flawless, it demonstrates a mature understanding of both the romance genre and the complexities of adult relationships.
Readers seeking a romance that balances emotional depth with the escapist pleasure of a Manhattan brownstone inheritance will find much to appreciate here. Richard has crafted characters worth caring about and a love story that feels both aspirational and grounded in recognizable human experience.
For those wondering whether it’s worth investing in a debut author, It’s Different This Time suggests that Joss Richard has the talent and insight to become a significant voice in contemporary romance. Sometimes the best stories really are about discovering that while you can’t go back, you can choose to move forward together—and sometimes, that makes all the difference.
