This Time Is Different by Mae Wood

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.

It’s about Amy Forsythe who is nearing forty and single for the first time since her senior prom. Her friends is pushing her to date but her teenager isn’t thrilled by the idea and neither is Amy.
Whereas silver fox Thomas 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.
But then a softball accident lands Thomas in Amy’s dental chair and sparks fly.

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.