I always enjoy Lyla Lee's stories that have a unique blend of queer, Asian, and displaced identities, specifically with an emphasis on Korean identity and culture. In her previous YA stories, these elements were very well-represented, and especially grounded in settings that aren't generic to the genre. This one is my first adult romance novel by her. We love to see both protagonists have very specific and distinct relationships with their Korean identities. Also love to see one of them being bisexual and having to navigate unfair assumptions and attitudes both within and outside the queer community. It's a second chance romance, and I'm glad we get both POVs as well as a lot of honest communication around how to navigate a past relationship and a current work relationship. For someone who has been writing largely in the children's and YA worlds, the spice was surprisingly spicy, which is a rarity in sapphic romances. All of that said, I DO know how much better a work from this author could be and there were elements that I kept waiting for that never materialized. The story was heavily focused on Gemma and Celesete's POV was severely limited, even though she is the protagonist that has a more complex family background of being queer, growing up IN Korea, and having displacement trauma. This is a much more interesting character to center this narrative around, and one I would imagine is closer to the author's own experiences. Not that there's anything wrong with Gemma, but her POV is somewhat more akin to any California Asian, where their Asianness is more of an accessory than something central to every facet of their life, with conveniently understanding immigrant parents tucked away in the suburbs. Also, if you've seen any Kdrama (which the characters apparently do) or the movie Past Lives, you'll know that the theme of souls fated to intersect in every lifetime is a big spiritual trope in love stories, much like a lot of other Asian cultures. And yet, this was never once alluded to, and only the token woo-woo non-Asian queer mentions anything remotely close to that in all its white girl cringiness. Both of their social circles are severely limited to one set of queer friends, and Celesete's best friend barely even makes an appearance, which felt severely unbalanced and lacking that queer found family fullness. The work project that brings them back together seems cute but flimsy to have such career make or break weight behind it for both of them. Despite all the grumbles, I have to say, the story does stick the landing for me in a way most romance novels don't. Not in a happily ever after, but a "let's slowly learn to be unafraid together with no grand romantic illusions".

I love Gemma and Celeste so much! I didn't care much for Celeste chapters since they were in 3rd pov she sounded a little robotic. But I loved everything else about this book! The spice, the friend group, the drama, the flirting. It's all perfect!

Love in Focus by Lyla Lee was one of my favorite second-chance romances! I loved how the issues that led to their initial breakup were addressed pretty early in their reconnected relationship. Now that they are more mature, they are able to handle the harder conversations with only minor issues.

Gemma and Celeste are a perfect couple that I was rooting for the whole time. The Korean influences on the Sapphic relationship was predominant features in the book. The story was well woven and made it a breath of fresh air! Second-chance can be really hit or miss for me, and I can say this was a hit! If you're looking for your next romance, look no further!

I was drawn to Love in Focus by the stunning cover art and was genuinely excited to dive in. Unfortunately, the story didn’t quite deliver on that initial promise. Celeste and Gemma were once college sweethearts, but after Celeste abruptly left school, she was seeing someone else just two months later. That relationship ends on page one, with no real explanation, and the rest of the book follows suit.

The story was filled with miscommunication, which is a trope I usually struggle with, and in this case, it felt especially frustrating. The plot was minimal and relied heavily on dialogue without much development or progression.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the ARC of Love in Focus by Lyla Lee.

This one is one I'm going to recommend reading with your eyeballs and not your ears. Gemma's pov is 1st person with a great narrator and I really connected with her. Celeste is in third pov and unfortunately the narrator fell very flat for me. You could tell me it's ai and I would believe you. Honestly to get through it I started skipping Celeste's chapters after the 60% mark. If I had the time I would have eyeball read those parts but I was walking dogs 😉.

This is
second chance, 8 years later
workplace romance
sapphic
close proximity

They both hurt each other 8 years ago in college. Gemma has recently broken up with her fiance of 7 years and is dealing with that grief when she finds out Celeste will be the photographer on her journalism project she is working on.
The journalism project was my favorite part of this book! Getting to hear from some many different couples and what they think about love! So good.

Thank you Forever Pub and Hachette audio for this ALC/arc

*Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the ARC and to Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review*

I love how Lyla Lee writes queer love stories. The entire focus on defining love and how it evolves with the 'Modern Love in Focus' magazine feature series was genius. I also enjoyed seeing so many queer couples in love, with her roommates and other interviewees. She really approaches portraying cultural differences and lack of queer role models with care. Natalie Naudus's narration was EVERYTHING. She made Gemma come to life, trepidations and all.

I did feel like Celeste's chapters didn't add much to the book, and Catherine Ho's narration fell a bit flat for me. It also felt like there were several false starts at an ending post break-up, though you can't say Lyla Lee didn't make us wait for their happy ending. But overall, a really cute second chance sapphic romance.

3 ⭐️ AN INTERESTING BOOK


WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ second chance romance
✨ forced proximity
✨ dual timelines discussed
✨ jealousy scenes
✨ tension & yearning
✨ friends to lovers
✨ spice 🌶️🌶️
✨3rd act situation


Quick Thoughts:

I loved the concept of this book. The idea of being forced to work with the girl that made you realize you were bisexual and then disappeared?! Wow what a concept. The execution of the concept fell a bit flat for me.
I loved:

Plot
The main “plot” was simply forced proximity of working with her ex and I love the concept for a plot. It slightly disappeared at times to focus on other ideas, sometimes that worked and sometimes it made the story fall a bit flat. I overall loved the main plot of the book though.


Celeste
I loved Celeste. She was honest about her feelings from the start, gave her perspective and attempted to be civil at all times. At times I definitely think Celeste deserves better than Gemma.


Friendship
Gemma had fantastic friends and I definitely loved how it was showcased through the good and the bad of Gemma’s life. I also loved how she reflected on her friendship, and apologized for not always being the best friend.

Dislike

Ex Situation
I definitely felt too much of the book focused on the ex. I understand Gemma just came out of a breakup and did need time to heal, however I felt Celeste was a side character for most of the book instead of a love interest. The focus being so much on the ex really took away a lot of my love for the book.


Overall, I am going to recommend this book to those seeking out sapphic second chance romances that don't mind a bit of the focus being on an ex and the past.

A sweet, sapphic second-chance romance that had me smiling and swooning throughout. I absolutely adored this book. It was everything I hoped it would be and more.

My literal only issue was there was a line that I'm paraphrasing but was along the lines of "she moved on, and with a man, which is a lesbian's nightmare" and that just really didn't set well with me—it just felt biphobic and out of place, because aside from that there was no biphobia or shaming of sexualities. Because it was handled well everywhere else it didn't know down a full star, but I couldn't quite justify giving it 5 because of that line.

After seven years together, Gemma Cho's fiancé breaks up with her without explaining why, and it leaves her wondering whether true love really exists. But when she's paired up to work with photographer Celeste Min, her first love, the woman who helped her realize she was bisexual, and also the woman who ghosted her for eight years, Gemma finds her heart still capable of old feelings.

This was a super cute second chance romance, and I loved that even though the MCs hadn't spoken to each other in eight years, they were able to act and speak maturely with each other during and after clearing the air. Both MCs are Korean, and I thought the open discussion about their culture and the fact that neither of them saw sapphic representation growing up was very interesting.

The only thing I didn't love was the fact that the different POV chapters were also told in different tenses, which felt weird and unnecessary. Gemma's POV chapters were told in present tense first-person while Celeste's POV chapters were told in past tense third-person. Luckily, the majority of the story was told from Gemma's POV.

Read if you like:
Sapphic romance
Second chance
Korean rep
Forced proximity
Late 20s MCs
Friends with benefits

I love the premise of the is book and I love that there are more sapphic books there is more variety to enjoy. This one was not my thing, but it's still a solid book for the genre and I am sure many many people will want it and more like it. Personally I find hot mess main characters difficult to read and Gemma is a huge hot mess. I just didn't mesh with the writing style which I think could have been fixed with a better editor - the writing to be a bit too heavy handed at time with a lot of tell not show and I feel like I spent a lot of time when reading re-writing it to make it flow and be more realistic, and why are one POV 1st person and the other 3rd person. It made Celeste feel like an afterthought in her own story. Editing mistakes are a bit unforgivable for me from a major publishing house - why didn't the editors pick up on these?
I think there is an audience for this, but it is not me, and I think it could have a broader appeal with some re-working that a Big 5 editor should have provided

Lovely romance with likeable fmc’s. I enjoyed the Korean culture references added since one fmc is from s Korea. The chem between the two is natural and exciting. Second romance chance trope. Very fast breezy read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Pub for the *free* ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a cozy, heartfelt sapphic romance that had a lot of moments I really enjoyed. I loved the premise—two exes forced to work together on a project about modern love—and the story really shines when it focuses on healing, second chances, and the different ways we find and choose love. I also really loved the whole cast of characters, especially how much space was given to friendships and community outside of romance. The whole *you’ll always find your way back to your person* trope is really done well here, I love a second-chance romance, especially when the love interests have had time to grow since their last encounter.

That said, there were a few things that pulled me out of the story. The POV shifts were jarring—Gemma’s chapters were written in first person, while Celeste’s were in third—and it made it harder for me to stay fully immersed. I also found the ending a little messy; the pacing felt all over the place, and some of the emotional beats got lost because of it. The stakes never felt super high, which made parts of the story a little less gripping than they could have been.

The writing itself was accessible and easy to move through, but the dialogue sometimes felt stiff and inauthentic, especially during emotional moments where I wanted more depth and nuance. I could see this story working really well as a movie—the premise is strong, the characters are likable, and the themes are thoughtful—but on the page, it sometimes felt like it only skimmed the surface of what it could have been.

However, I will say, this story is short and I flew through it in a singular flight so that’s saying something! If you want something cute to binge read, this is a great option.

Overall, Love In Focus is a sweet, hopeful story about second chances, different kinds of love, and learning how to choose yourself. It didn’t hit quite as hard as I wanted it to, but I’m still glad I read it, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for whatever Lyla Lee writes next!

I loved the premise of two queer women reconnecting after a college breakup, but that's all I loved. Let's start with the plot. The idea had potential, but I think the plot started at a weird point. Gemma had already broken up with her fiancé, so we aren't connected to that relationship whatsoever. I didn't care about her ex, and everything I learned about him made me judge Gemma for being with him for so long, because when I met her, she was strong, independent, and I couldn't see her being with a person like that so recently. What was told to me about her past relationship didn't match up with who I knew her to be, so I didn't have any sympathy for that whole situation. Also, she and Celeste dated 8 years ago, so I didn't have a lot of sympathy for the hurt still there either. I'm just callous, I guess.

Onto the characters. No positive personality traits to speak of. Gemma is our MAIN main character and Celeste is a passive main character. I say that because Gemma's chapters are in first-person point-of-view and Celeste's chapters are in third-person. Switching between POVs was jarring. I didn't like that writing choice one bit. It also made me feel disconnected from Celeste. Her chapters were also shorter than Gemma's and there were fewer of them. Either make the POVs more equal, or don't give us Celeste's POV.

Plain and simple: I didn't like the writing.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

On paper, this seems like the perfect read for me. A sapphic, second chance romance? Yes please. But between the miscommunication and one of the longest third-act breakups I've ever read, it leaves much to be desired. Worst of all is the prose, which comes off as repetitive, dense, and juvenile. The first-person narration is ALL tell, very little show. You could skim a full page and the story still wouldn't move forward. I had really high hopes for this one, but ultimately, it fell flat.

Adult Debut
Second Chance Romance
Bisexual and Lesbian FMCs
Queer / Sapphic
Third and First Person POVs
Korean / BIPOC Rep

A cute, funny and spicy romantic that shows that second chances are possible. Gemma is a bit of a bi disaster after her fiancé of 7 years breaks up with her suddenly. She’s sleeping on her friends couch and trying out dating app for the first time. She’s sleeping doesn’t expect her ex-girlfriend from collage to dramatically show back up in her life nor have to work with her while feeling the attraction they always had.

Forced proximity one of my favourite tropes and this is work place forced proximity. There is lots of angst but lot of heart and you really root for these characters to find their way back together.

I'm a sucker anytime there's the Golden Gate Bridge on a book cover, and Lyla Lee's adult romance debut was so fun. I really appreciated Gemma and Celeste's growth arcs and the emotional journey they took together. Yay to characters who go to therapy and work on themselves! This story was fresh and modern, with a great cast and a cinematic feel. I could definitely see Love in Focus adapted into a TV show one day!

Thanks to Forever for the advanced copy. I look forward to reading more of Lyla's work!

Wow, I adored Love in Focus! Gemma Cho's story hooked me right from the start. As a relationship advice columnist reeling from a sudden breakup after seven years, her cynicism about love felt real and relatable. It was easy to understand why she'd be ready to give up on romance altogether, especially after facing disappointments with both men and women.
The dynamic shifts entirely when she's assigned to work with Celeste Min, a world-renowned photographer who is not only incredibly talented and attractive but also Gemma's college ex—the one who broke her heart and left without explanation. The chemistry and unresolved tension between Gemma and Celeste leap off the page.
It was captivating to watch them try to maintain a professional relationship while navigating the undeniable sparks and the weight of their past. I was wholly invested in Gemma's dilemma: needing this collaboration for her career yet desperately wanting to give her heart to Celeste again despite the fear of history repeating itself. The push and pull between professional necessity, past hurt, and the hope for a second chance made this a compelling read. I found myself rooting hard for Gemma to find career success and the courage to trust in love and Celeste one more time. It's a beautifully layered story about vulnerability, ambition, and taking a chance on love even when it feels terrifying.

Love in focus is a really sweet 2nd chance sapphic romcom that I would highly recommend to several customers. Thank you to netgalley for the ears of this book

4/4.25 ⭐️

This was super fun and sweet, but wasn’t anything groundbreaking either but i loved that about it! It felt like a very realistic, ‘normal’ book about two past lovers finding each other again.

I absolutely loved all the representation in this book! I want more bi characters in books! 👏🏼 📣

I really enjoyed our FMCs. I found them to be very relatable in their own ways and because of that I was cheering for them the entire time. I liked how the second chance was handled in this book as well. It felt authentic and almost comforting.

I absolutely loved the interviews and just the overall plot line. The topics that the author touched on in this plot line were so well done - from wanting to see more sapphic OLDER couples printed and on screen to the want to make sure everyone felt seen and represented in the project. I also loved the talk about different types of love - platonic, familial, romantic, etc.).

You’ll find:
-Second Chance Romance
-Bisexual & Lesbian Loveeeee 💕
-Forced Proximity

The narration was really well done! I followed along in print while I listened and the narrator kept me engaged and really connected to the story and characters.

My only critic is that the third person POV chapter from Celeste’s POV were jarring at times. Gemma’s chapters were first person POV, and there wasn’t many Celeste chapters so they sometimes brought me out of the story. I would have preferred an all Gemma POV book or just dual first person POV.

Overall, the vibes were vibing in this & I would absolutely read more that Lyla Lee!

Love is Focus is a very cute second chance romance about Gemma and Celeste. There was a lot that I enjoyed about this story, and unfortunately a few things that I didn't. I really loved the bisexual representation within Gemma's story - I think the author did a wonderful job or portraying the complexities of one understanding their own bisexualty and the journey that this can be. I really loved how Gemma was able to grow within understanding her own sexuality more and more throughout the story, along with asserting herself at times in this way. I would have loved to have had more chapters from Celeste, and unfortunately found it very distracting that her chapters were in third person, rather than first. I think having the opportunity to have more of the story from her perspective would have been really great!

I love the Korean representation we are given in this story, and the familial storylines as well. I think seeing how the families of both of these women treated them was a really important storyline, and I wish we could have had more about Celeste and her family.

Potential spoilers ahead
Unfortunately, I think the storyline of the initial breakup storyline was unfair. While I understand that Celeste had to leave to be with her family, her completely ghosting Gemma felt really unfair, even with them being young, AND THEN Celeste being so upset with Gemma for moving on with her life. Then to have Gemma carry a lot of that guilt 7 years later just felt unfair overall.

I also found it very distracting that age was brought up regularly through the book, in the capacity of "We're almost 30 we can't do that anymore." I found it really frustrating that it came up over and over again about how the characters were almost 30, they weren't in their mid-20s anymore, "Do we even go clubbing anymore?" etc. So often romance novels are about people in their 20s, and it's always great to have people in their late 20s or 30s, so to have this narrative consistently throughout was really disappointing to me as a reader.

I think both of these characters are really complex, and I loved the second chance romance storyline, however there were other narratives throughout that did not work as well for me as a reader.