Life can change in a flash.Marriage and a baby wasn’t Amy Forsythe’s college plan. After a shotgun marriage glued together by her son, she’s convinced that love isn’t meant for her. Now nearing forty and single for the first time since her senior prom, her friends are pushing her to date. Her teenager isn’t thrilled by the idea and neither is Amy.Silver fox Thomas Popov isn’t looking for The One. … Popov isn’t looking for The One. He found her decades ago. And fell apart when she died. At fifty-three with a new job, a new city, and an empty nest, he’s focused on climbing the corporate ladder.
When a softball accident lands Thomas in Amy’s dental chair, sparks fly.
Lightning doesn’t strike twice. But love might.
This time is different.
This Time Is Different is a steamy contemporary romance.
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I want you to read this book. Let me tell you why.
First, it’s a lovely, emotional story. It’s not ugly-cry-emotional but you absolutely feel these characters as they’re experiencing each step of the relationship. There’s a bit of angst as both Amy and Thomas are caught in precarious situations that they must handle with deference and grace, and that often means setting their own wants and needs aside. That’s real life, and it’s tough.
Second, the characters themselves are beautifully developed in rich, round ways. You really know them as individuals and part of a couple, and you care about them.
Since the characters are worth another mention, they’re my third point. These are mature characters. They’ve both been married previously and have mostly grown/adult children — and it’s so refreshing to read a book with a healthy co-parenting relationship for once. The evil ex-wife trope is pleasantly absent.
I imagine that many of us will see ourselves in these characters, regardless of whether we’re single, married, divorced, widowed, whatever. I recognized some friends/extended family in Thomas’s children, and I saw bits of myself in both Amy and her friend Diana.
This story doesn’t rely on crazy twists or dramatic revelations to move you along; it focuses on the developments of these characters as they experience something they hadn’t planned on experiencing again. There are moments when the developments are quick, and moments when it’s more gradual. Again, that’s real life.
This novel is a gorgeous treat of second loves, doing it all over again, and trying to find balance or space in your life when it’s already full of career, family, and spy movies.
Different is Beautiful!
This Time is Different is a mature love story. It showcases the fact that love can be experienced at any stage in life. A new love may look different from a previous love we have experienced, but it doesn’t have to be any less beautiful. Our life experiences shape who we are and in turn our connection to others. I really enjoyed the fact that Thomas and Amy were close to my age (late 30’s to early 50’s). I loved this silver fox and his accomplished counterpart. Their relationship felt palpable and genuine. The chemistry and sex were fun and fantastic! As usual, Mae Wood’s writing is witty, radiant, and thoughtful. This story will bring a smile to your face and warmth to your heart.
This Time Is Different was so different from the books I usually read. The characters and experiences are so real.
Amy is adjusting to single parent life after getting a divorce. She’s has a fantastic son and a great job. Thomas is a widower who is adjusting to being an empty-nester now that his children are college-aged. Their meeting is hands down the most adorable thing I’ve ever read. The story follows them navigating an adult relationship. Should I get married again? How will my kids react to me dating someone new? How do we merge our lives if we decide to move forward?
Once I started reading, I wasn’t able to stop until I reached the end. There’s definitely heat but there’s also fun, conversation, and deliberation on how to move forward. There wasn’t angst and drama. These mature characters are just that, mature. I loved the careful consideration of their children and each other. This book completely blew me away and I am looking forward to whatever comes next from Mae Wood!
There is plenty to love about THIS TIME IS DIFFERENT but upfront, I have to admit that I have a huge crush on Thomas Popov. He is everything I love in a romance book hero. He is a romantic soul and is not ashamed to show the women in his life how he feels. He does not play games. He is sexy. He is thoughtful and kind. He is a good father and provider. He is not perfect; he’s just flawed enough to make him seem like an actual person, and one that I would love to meet in real life. He has more appeal than any 53-year-old man should!
With my gushing out of the way, let’s focus on the story. The plot and prose flow effortlessly as we follow the lives of Amy and Thomas. They both have grown children, Amy is divorced and Thomas is a widower. When they meet, their attraction is obvious and like any new relationship, there’s the excitement and giddiness of finding a person you click with. I love reading about the times they spend together because they take immense joy in being with one another. Their relationship also compels them to consider and make peace with the past. Their thoughts are honest and often bittersweet.
There are no big dramatic moments or manufactured angst here. Mae Wood has delivered a story about appealing characters with real life issues who meet, fall in love, and give us readers a delightful romance to indulge in.
I love Amy and Thomas’s story! Their HEA is the kind we all want!
Love sneaks up on you when you least expect it and embraces you with joy and laughter that you hope never goes away. Amy and Thomas never would have met if it hadn’t been for a misdirected swing of a baseball bat that landed him in her dental chair and at the mercy of his “Dr. Angel.” Thomas was persistent and slowly wore Amy down with his thoughtful gifts, sexy smile and mesmerizing blue eyes, until she finally agreed to go out to dinner with him. He is just the type of man she could picture herself with if she was a lonely divorcee in a romance novel. Thomas is a sexy silver fox who works hard, loves his family and goes after what he wants and never gives up. Amy had no choice but to accept Thomas’s dinner invitation because she loved his gifts and he had made reservations at her favorite restaurant. How could she possibly refuse one date with an extremely sexy and fun guy? But what if their first date wasn’t there last?
“This Time Is Different” is such a positive and uplifting book that I smiled after just reading the blurb. Love is different for Amy and Thomas this time because they are wiser, established in their careers and weren’t searching for someone, which made it that much more romantic and endearing. I love second chance romances especially with mature, sexy couples because they are always surprised, and never expect the love to be so sweet and magical.
Looking for a mature, original romance? Look no further!
Mae Wood is quickly becoming a ‘go-to’ when thinking of an auto one-click author. Although I love consistent storytelling, I really appreciate when an author can give me original and entertaining all in one bite. This story is more than mature adults finding another chance at happily ever after. This is romance in real life. Characters with humor and smarts that you will find rooting for finding their perfect happy – which readers isn’t book world happy but real world happy.
If you follow my reviews, you know I love (and prefer) a strong heroine. Amy delivers on all points. Young men sporting an eight pack worth of abs are drool worthy, but come on. I am a woman of a ‘certain age’ so YES I am all over that silver fox Thomas. But seriously it’s not the romance or steamy – Ms Wood does deliver – it was how the characters navigated this world of blending families and blending past loves. You never empty that part of your heart and Mae Wood’s characters give you that glimpse into finding a way to make it all work.
On the Fence: Okay I’m rather known as a Series Bully. I hate readers who series jump then complain in reviews about ‘confusion’ or ‘lack of connection’. This book is set in the Pig & Barley universe. Do you have to read Plus One? No not really. But I really feel you will do a disservice if you skip to this. I think the background of Plus One is well worth the time to get understanding of Amy and Thomas’ story connecting with Amy’s past and present. In addition, I loved Plus One and think it remiss if I don’t tell you to read it. ( my review here). But I can say this book could be read as a standalone < sentence typed under duress. If you are not familiar with Mae Woods, she is a talented writer that brings original story ideas to romance. If you are looking for more mature characters, this story is for you. But for the love of my sanity, do read Plus One too. 5 out 5 stars.
4.5 Irresistible Stars!
I absolutely adored this beautiful second chance at love romance! It was so refreshing to read about mature adults who are given a second chance to get it right, and find love again. They don’t have ex’s who were awful, and there is no crazy drama, just two loving, caring people, putting their children before themselves. Both Amy and Thomas are single parents, and successful in their careers. They had an unusual meet cute that was crazy, and cute, and unexpectedly for them, leads to more. They weren’t looking for love, but their connection was undeniable. I loved their excitement over exploring the chemistry between them and their need to balance that line of being together with demanding careers, and easing their children into the idea of them dating again. I loved both Amy and Thomas, they had fun together, and had amazing chemistry that leaped right off the page, and Thomas was especially swoony!
Narrators, Emma Wilder, and Sebastian York were amazing as they brought this sweet and steamy story to life! They were so perfectly cast as Amy and Thomas, nailing each character with all their strengths and vulnerabilities, making them feel very real and honest.
This story had the perfect balance of humor, heart, and steam, and I loved every minute of it!
I have had this book for awhile and now that I finished it I am wondering what took me so long because it was fantastic! I love second chance love stories and add into it mature characters…so good! Thomas is a 53 year old widower with three young adult children in college and he’s totally dedicated to them and his career. The last thing that he ever expected was to be smacked in the face by his coworker’s baseball bat at practice and rushed to a dentist and meet one of the loveliest women he has seen in a long time. Amy is a divorced almost 39 year old single mother and orthodontist. She’s as devoted to her son as she is her practice. It truly is kismet when these two meet and I loved watching their story unfold. Relationships are hard when you’re young and have no one to consider but yourself. Add in 4 children, and ex-husband and work schedules, this story is as close to real as life can get! I connected with both of the characters and teared up a time or two. This Time is Different is told from dual POV and has all the feels! I cannot wait to read more set in the fictional Pig and Barley world!
I love discovery new authors, whether from word of mouth, or from one of my favorite authors. I discovered Mae Wood, early this year with Plus One. I enjoyed her writing so much, that I purchased Risking Ruin and Borrowing Time and well, now she is basically stuck with me stalking her, I mean following her now.
This Time is Different is a standalone, but to get the full effect, you should definitely read Plus One. I briefly met Amy in Plus One, she was married to Bert, the hero in Plus One. Amy and Bert got married young, they had very passionate affair that produced their son Grady. Bert, being the stand-up guy, did the right thing, married Amy and tried to make a life together. But trying to stay in a marriage and raising a son and although Bert was a great dad and husband, that passion Amy thought she had with Bert, really wasn’t there.
After being divorced and co-parenting, Amy is at a happy place in her life, running her practice with her BFF and getting ready to become an empty nester now that Grady is at his last year of high school. That is when Thomas Popov lands on her dentist chair after taking a nice bat to his mouth. She fixes Thomas up as best as she could, since really, Amy is an orthodontist. After Thomas is hopped up on some good drugs, the things he says to his Angel Doctor Dentist is priceless. Yeah, Thomas has taken a lot razzing from his friends.
Before I continue, Thomas is a widower, in his early 50s, with three grown children, all in college. He’s not a Memphis transplant, per say. He’s been in Memphis for several years as a hospital administrator big wig. He had a beautiful and loving relationship with his wife Laura until her untimely death. It’s been eight years since he felt passionate about any woman. The connection he felt with Amy was something he really wanted to pursue. Of course, that’s if her son or his kids stop cockblocking him at every turn.
I adored Amy and Thomas together. They took whatever it was they were feeling slow. Their passionate sexy times will leave you panting. Thomas has it going on for a man in his 50s ladies, don’t let his age fool you. Yet they are both trying to balance their relationship without ruffling their kids feathers, sort of speak.
I have had many discussions with fellow readers, even authors seeking a book with a much older couple. Yes, we still like reading books where the h/h are in their 20s, but us readers, over the 40 age range, we like some semblance of a real relationship with couples that have grown children and how they make it work. Ms. Wood delivers in all fronts. Although not a lot of drama or angst per say for that matter, but she writes about real situations where couples that have adult or almost adult children and how they make their relationship work. I loved the communication between Amy and Thomas, which made reading This Time is Different so enjoyable. There are no head games to be played, if there is a serious situation, they both talk it out. If the situation got heavy with their children, they had serious conversations with them. Hell, Thomas even had a nice man-to-man with Bert at one point. That’s how it should be.
Again, for those of you who have been asking me or have been wanting a much more mature take on romance, This Time is Different should be your next one-click. Mae Woods delivers a hot #SilverFox with a touch of #DILF. For us ladies that may have been divorced and think a second chance at love isn’t in the cards, well read this book, you might think differently.
This Time Is Different is a second chance at love for widowed Thomas and divorced Amy. It is low on angst, but it’s not just fluff. From the cute of their first meeting – “Doctor Dentist Angel” – to navigating the minefield of getting to know each other’s grown children, I completely enjoyed this story.
“You’re funny. And you’re headstrong and confident and braver than anyone could guess. You’re soft and kind and easy and sexy and smart and a million things that add up to you being you.”
This was my first book by Mae Wood and I am definitely a fan and can’t wait to check out her other books.
“This,” he said. “This isn’t that. That’s done. That’s over. And there isn’t any getting that back. But this, Amy? This time is different,” he pleaded. “We can have this.”
4.5 Stars
Oh Mae! Thank you, thank you, thank you! You wrote the perfect story, you made me embrace my age! We were introduced to Amy in Mae’s book “Plus One” and you did get a very brief glimpse of Thomas too towards the end. This is Amy and Thomas’s story and it was fantastic! It flowed brilliantly and it was so realistic. From the funny way they meet to the angst of their blooming relationship as it pertains to their respective kids, this story grabs you from the get go. I love the references to things that I remember growing up and wished this story had happened to me. This story can honestly be read even before Plus One and you won’t miss a thing. I cannot wait for the next story comes from this gifted author! Brava Mae!
Running more or less concurrently with Plus One, This Time is Different reads as a standalone within the Pig & Barley universe. We got to meet Amy a little in Plus One, but now we get to hear her story. What was nice was that Amy was never portrayed as the “evil ex” in Plus One so there was no need to work through a redemption storyline. And this has to be one of the more original “meet cutes” I’ve had the pleasure to have read.
Frankly, I love that this is a story for “grown ups” – and I don’t just mean that the characters are Gen Xers. These characters are normal people with real life issues – work, kids, body image concerns, normal insecurities, etc.. There are no 20-year old billionaires, crazy plot twists or over-the top story lines to contend with. Listen, I enjoy reading about younger characters as well, but there is something refreshing about reading a story and really, truly being able to relate to so much of what the characters are experiencing or have experienced. I might not have a teenager (yet) or be divorced (thankfully), but I “get” where Amy and Thomas are coming from in so many ways and their story really resonated with me.
I can’t wait to see what Wood serves up next!! I have hopes that there are future books about some of the supporting characters we’ve been introduced to so far. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that we’ll get a chance to read more about them sometime soon.
**An ARC was provided by the author for an honest review but I loved it so much I purchased a copy as well**
This book was so swoony and romantic. I enjoyed the progression of Amy and Thomas’s relationship from Doctor Dentist Angel to where they eventually end up. Both of them have a hard time moving on from their lives before. Navigating life through their jobs and dealing with their children’s reactions to them dating again. Thomas was so adorable when he was flirting with Amy and all the lengths he went through to get her to date him. Such a fab book!
Emma Wilder and Sebastian York were perfect in this audiobook.
Really good. And it took place n my hometown. Cool they went to places I know.
I just finished this one late last night! Loved it! If you’re a fan of #over40 romance then you definitely want to get your hands on this one. The male lead, Thomas Popov, was so sweet and sexy. And Amy was a curvy woman after my own heart – wine and all! This book gave me the butterflies, too! A sweet and steamy 5 stars!
This Time Is Different is a cozy, low-key romance. It’s about a second chance at love and about navigating the unfamiliar waters of dating as a more mature adult.
There was so much I liked about this read. I liked the whole ambience of the book. The homey picture Wood painted of Amy’s and Thomas’ lives. The portrayal of their relationships with their (almost) adult children that couldn’t have been more on point. But most of all, I liked how Wood managed to describe that precarious balancing act of being a parent while also acknowledging your own wants and needs. That part was simply brilliant.
But even though I really liked this read, and even though it’s so very, very well written, I didn’t love it. Maybe it was the more subdued style of the love-story that had me not overly invested in the characters. Maybe I need to have more passion and grand gestures in order to fall in love with a romance-read. And, maybe, it would have been good if I thought the leading lady ended up with the right guy. Because, yes, I thought Amy’s ex Bert was much more intriguing than Thomas. In every aspect. And even if that was an obvious set-up for the sequel – Bert’s story – I’d say Wood did too good a job of it when the ex outshines the actual love-interest. My feelings towards Thomas’ character were of the luke-warm variety I’m afraid.
In my opinion, this is a perfectly lovely read that is genuinely warm and through-and-through feel-good. There’s no angst and no downs to speak of. The highs aren’t particularly high either, but you’ll walk away feeling quite content after finishing This Time Is Different. In conclusion, it’s the perfect comfort read.
https://reflectionsofaswedishgirl.blog.se/
Read via KU, and it was so good. Loved that the hero and heroine were older and had both been previously married. It’s very sweet with some sexy times. The chemistry is right on point. It starts at what seems at a fast pace, but then evens out. Usually in romance you get that major event that causes the hero and heroine to separate and there is a grand gesture or major epiphany that brings them back together. This story doesn’t have that because they actually communicate like adults. It was just so easy between the main characters. There were a couple minor continuity issues. Also a couple times there are places a character repeated themself in a different way, like maybe some editing was done, but in the final copy somethings weren’t removed.
KU. 3.5 stars.
This was an enjoyable “mature” romance. Thomas is 53 & Amy is 38/39. He’s widowed and she’s divorced. I really enjoyed the mix of serious and fun. I found myself really rooting for this couple and enjoying as they navigated their relationship as well as their children’s reactions to it.
It lost me a little in two places. Amy’s son, Grady, is 17 and about to graduate high school. He came off overly petulant for that age AND Amy gave his opinions way too much weight/consideration.
What was a only a single paragraph but really angered me was Thomas asking Amy’s EX for “permission” to ask her to marry him. No. Nope. No way. This is not in any way appropriate, cute, sweet, or funny. Can I point out Thomas didn’t talk to Amy’s dad ~ but asked her ex? <> Since this was the last paragraph before the epilogue it really ended the book on a bad note for me.
Up until that point this was a 4.5 star read for me ~ and I *really* enjoyed the writing, so I’m willing to try this author again and hope it was just that misstep and I’ll be good in the future.
Amy and Thomas had a super cute meet cute and I loved that they were both older, with older children. The story was cute and the way the kids reacted to both parents dating again were very much real reactions which was appreciated. It seemed a little rush at the end but overall adorable.