[3] The album's repertoire is predominantly standard material with two songs added that were already played by the band, the lauded "Freddie's Yen for Jen" (see 'Reception' below) and McCoy Tyner's "My Love, Effendi" with lyrics by Elling, and "Where I Belong", another original.

[3] The bossa nova classic "Rosa Morena" by Dorival Caymmi is the first song Kurt Elling recorded in a foreign language,[4] accompanied here just by acoustic guitar and bass.

The Allmusic review by Tim Sheridan awarded the album four stars, and said Elling "finds a happy medium between romantic rumination and vocal experimentation.

The highlight of the disc is "Freddie's Yen for Jen," a stellar jazz experience that comes pretty damn close to committing the pure emotion of love to tape".

[1] Morton and Cook wrote in their Penguin Guide to Jazz: "The highlight of This Time It's Love is a superb vocalese based on Lester Young's solo on "She's Funny That Way", but" –agreeing with Sheridan– "it is almost topped by "Freddie's Yen for Jen", which takes its inspiration from Freddie Hubbard and is one of the most compelling vocal performances in recent times.