DNF 315

4.5 stars



I happened upon Mae Wood's Pig and Barley series after my sweet friend Beth of Panda & Boodle reached out, asking if I wanted to review Plus One. I adored Bert's story. When I found out that his ex-wife Amy would be getting her own book, I absolutely jumped at the chance to read it and I'm so glad I did!

This Time is Different starts before Plus One and works it's way into the same timeline. It's a complete standalone, and works well if you haven't read the previous books in the Pig and Barley series.

Amy and Thomas meet during a dental emergency - why does that sound so funny? Thomas gets whacked with a softball bat and needs emergent care, Amy is the only local doctor around. She helps him even though she's an orthodontist. Even when Thomas is under the influence of anesthetic, he is completely drawn to Amy and wants to know more about his Doctor Dentist Angel. Thomas goes out of his way to send her tokens of appreciation and thanks and decides to ask her out on a date.

Amy is completely set in her ways. She's got a great schedule at her dental office, her son is about to graduate high school, and she's cordial with her ex-husband. She's not looking for any sort of relationship, but is drawn to Thomas. The two have a nice age gap going on, and Thomas' #SilverFox status doesn't hurt one bit.

I absolutely adored this book. I recall a few times saying out loud "man, I love this story!" There's something special about an older couple. In this romance world, so many books we read are about twenty-somethings, or people who don't have their lives together. It's nice to read a story where the couple is established singularly, and then we get to experience them blend their lives together. I loved that about this entire series, really. As I stated previously, I started Pig and Barley with Plus One, then This Time is Different. Immediately after finishing Amy and Thomas' story, I started from the beginning with Trip and Marisa. Each story is easy to read, and I enjoyed every word.

My first book by this author, but definitely will not be my last!

Great "older" romance. I liked that the characters were grown, had lived lives and were looking for romance again.

Thomas was swoony and I like the way their romance played out, and showed struggles while incorporating their children, and even her ex.

It was fun & romantice, but also true to real life! Great story.

**3.5**

Nice, realistic, no-angst story.

I loved this. I'm resolved to be more discerning about how I rate the books I read but this is the 3rd book in a row that I've given a 5 star rating to and here's why. It's refreshing because it feels real, and it's relevant because these characters are my contemporaries (well, Amy is in her late 30s while Thomas is 53) and it's different because these are GOOD people who love their grown children and because their children are grown, their issues aren't about having to find a babysitter to find time together, rather, they're about how to navigate this second act in their love life and possibly knit together their families.
Amy is Bert's ex (the foodie single dad from Plus One which was my last 5 star read) so these can be read as a duet because we get her perspective of their marriage and why/how it broke down and how she navigates dating with a 17yo son at home part-time while juggling her orthodontic practice.
Wood does a fantastic job building a world with rich characters, and it's not limited to the hero/ine. The children are integral to the story and we have such a clear sense of who they are - and perhaps it's because they are grown and do have distinct personalities. Much as I do enjoy the cute antics of kids in books, this is far more interesting.
Amy on Grady - "Even as a toddler, when he did wrong, he hid. He didn't hide under his bed or behind furniture anymore, but he hid with his eyes."
Thomas on his trio - "Each call reflected the chocolate-vanilla-strawberry contrast that was my kids. Miller asked pointed questions and demanded a copy of my chart, including X-rays. Cassie cried and chastised me for being an old man buy playing like a young one. Claire, my sweetness. Claire congratulated me. On playing softball. On getting "out there". Wherever "out there" was she didn't say and I didn't know."
This is a bit of a whirlwind romance but this, too, feels real because Amy and Thomas ARE mature adults. They know exactly who they are and what they are willing to put up with in life and I believe that given their life experience, it's true that "when you know, you know."

Well I can't say I'm ecstatic about this the way some other people are but I did like it. It featured nice people acting like grown-ups, people with adult children, good jobs and good hearts.

Thomas Popov is a widower with three adult children, he is the Chief Operating Officer of Methodist hospital in Memphis and now that his children have all left home he's starting back on a career track that will probably see him moving from city to city. In his wisdom he thinks getting together a hospital softball team would generate some team spirit in the management team. Instead one of his colleagues swipes his face with a bat whilst warming up and socks him in the jaw.

Amy Forsythe is an orthodontist in partnership with her best friend Diana who is a dentist. Although not strictly her role, she agrees to see Thomas while her business partner attends her daughter's dress rehearsal, after all that's what the two of them agreed - kids come first. Amy is divorced with a son about to go to college.

Under the influence of the pain-killers Amy gives him Thomas declares his undying love for "Doctor Dentist Angel", something his skanky colleague films and then shows to anyone and everyone he can, but although his tongue may have been loosened by the pain-killers Thomas does feel a connection to Amy and they embark on a series of dates, but Thomas is still in love with his wife and Amy has no desire to ever get married again. Can there be a future for them?

I think that all the hype about this book is because Thomas is 53 years old, I mean that's positively decrepit in the Romanceland, and also there's very little angst. Sure there are ex-husbands and moody teenagers who don't want their Mum dating again and moody twenty-somethings who don't want their Dad getting taken in by a gold-digger or trying to replace their Mum. But all of these things are dealt with appropriately and in a mature fashion. It's like a breath of fresh air. Thomas also has a line of cheesy Dad jokes and a wicked streak of innuendo - I just loved the banter between Amy and Thomas about the wine she buys from the supermarket - so true to life.

So, if all the current romances with their 20-something characters who are either gazillionaires or terribly tortured (or both) are starting to get on your very last nerve this could be the one for you.

Off to see what other goodness Mae Wood has written ...

I listened to the audiobook and the narrators did a great job. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for older H/h and a great story with low angst.

I picked this book up first for the cover, because silver foxes with smiles are a weakness I find I have. Reading the blurb convinced me that this was more than a skin deep interest. THIS TIME IS DIFFERENT was low on angst but full on story with two main characters that I really liked.

Thomas, in his early 50s, widowed some years ago was something of a delight. Not overly perfect and a little under-confident. Amy was a 39 year old orthodontist and she was not looking for anything but really, Thomas was charming in a convincing, swoony way. These two had great chemistry and family complications which made for depth of storyline.

Mae Wood writes a great story and I’m definitely interested to read more by her, especially as I see some of the characters in this book have their own standalones. I particularly want Bert’s story. I highly recommend this for a good, easy read when you don’t want angst.