5/5 stars: This is Lee's BIPOC 2SLGBTQIA+ Steamy Romance stand-alone set in San Francisco, California that follows a relationship advice columnist and a world-renowned photographer, who dated in college and had a very bad break-up, struggle to keep their relationship strictly professional after being paired together to work on a highly visual piece and potentially career-saving magazine piece on modern love. Written in dual POV with plenty of heart and humor, Lee's writing and character work are stellar; the characters are well-rounded, complex and yet remain incredibly likable. Gemma and Celeste are great and I love seeing the two of them come back together and earn their HEA. Additionally, I love Gemma's friend group. This second chance romance is top notch with plenty of swoony banter with OPS scenes that are incredibly steamy. While there are plenty of heartfelt and lighthearted moments, Lee does takes on same sensitive subjects; so take care and check the CWs. I loved this so much; highly recommend!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

This was a really sweet, spicy, and swoony second chance romance. I enjoyed it very much.

I did a tandem ebook/audiobook read. The audio was well done. I appreciated that it was dual narration with different narrators for the two women. Both Natalie Naudus (Gemma chapters) and Catherine Ho’s (Celeste chapters) narration fit the character they were bringing to life. Natalie Naudus in particular embodied Gemma’s emotions and personality of the story for me, which made sense as the bulk of the book is from Gemma’s first person POV. (Celeste’s chapters were in third person POV.)

Onto the story. I thought the setup for reuniting Gemma and Celeste after eight years was a great one. Having them working together on interviews and digital media for couples from different generations worked well as a way to open the two of them up to conversations about their own love story, both its past and maybe potential hopes for their futures. It also gave an opportunity to highlight diverse love stories and viewpoints from all ages and walks of life. The couples they interviewed added a lot to the story.

I liked how Gemma and Celeste approached their past early on as they worked to establish profession boundaries at the beginning of their project. I think the use of third person POV for Celeste’s chapters somewhat prevented me from feeling like I really got to connect with where her head was at and the depth of her emotions at times, though I could appreciate the choice to differentiate between the women’s chapters in that way. I wanted a bit more of the in depth history between Gemma and Celeste, but I still felt the undeniable attraction and chemistry between them despite their many years of no contact. I believed in their second chance.

I also always have to shoutout any secondary characters who I feel really uplift a story, and Kiara and Val absolutely did that in this book. I loved their support of Gemma, and I loved that their relationship gave her a great, up close example of a healthy relationship.

Thank you to Forever for the eARC and Hachette Audio for the ALC, both via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of the story was really cute, but unfortunately, I couldn’t get into it. The plot was a bit difficult to follow, and the characters and drama didn’t quite resonate with me. The switch between first-person present and third-person past POV really threw me off and made it hard to stay immersed in the story.

3.5 Stars

Love in Focus is a soft, queer, heart-eyed ode to reconnection and resilience. Even if this wasn’t a favorite read, it definitely left me smiling. I’ll be checking out more of Lyla Lee’s work - she’s got a great handle on romantic tension and contemporary queer storytelling.

Mild spoilers throughout! Proceed with the knowledge that I can’t talk about this book without getting a little into it.
Let’s start with the good stuff: this was such a fun, quick, hot read. The premise is adorable - two women with a complicated romantic history reunite to work on a project celebrating love, interviewing and photographing couples at all stages of life and romance. I MELT. It’s tender and heartwarming, and sets the perfect stage for quiet reflection, rekindled feelings, and some genuinely swoon-worthy moments.

One thing I really appreciated was how the book incorporates both sapphic “lore” and Korean cultural touchpoints through Gemma’s learning process and her internal monologue. It felt natural and accessible, especially for readers who might be new to sapphic or Korean stories. As someone who’s familiar with a lot of the queer nuances but less so with some Korean cultural elements, I loved learning through the narrative itself.

And listen… I will never officially claim to be a fan of second chance romance, but somehow I keep devouring them. In my defense of this one: I forgive women way easier than men. It’s science. Or delusion. Either way, this is another one I couldn’t put down. Even though Celeste disappeared with no warning and Gemma moved on (with a man!!), I found myself rooting for them immediately. Their chemistry? Off the charts. Their tension? Delicious. I wanted them to kiss like two pages into the reunion. I’m not proud.

Gemma’s POV is where this book shines - her friends Val and Kiara are fleshed out, supportive, and honest in ways that really ground the story. Their openness about the ups and downs of their relationship was refreshing, and their presence gave the book so much heart. Their love felt lived-in, messy, and real, and I adored them.

Celeste, on the other hand, felt a bit distant. Her third-person POV chapters were shorter, and we don’t get the same intimacy or insight into her world. I wanted more of her, and especially more of her support system (justice for Min-Joon, who gets no page time).

Also!!! The spice? The spice s p i c e d. A certain s t r a p scene? Iconic. Sapphic books don’t always go there, and I appreciated it… even if it was maybe a bit fast considering someone was just being called a pillow princess like three pages earlier.

Now, here’s where I got a little tangled. From the start, I understood the circumstances around Celeste leaving - her mom was sick, and grief can be a confusing, isolating thing. That part? Understandable. But disappearing and ghosting Gemma without a word? And then punishing her for eventually moving on after four months of silence? Felt unfair. Especially since Gemma reached out multiple times and got nothing. Personally, I’ve blocked for less. And then Gemma is the one carrying the guilt? Hmm.
There’s also a subtle thread of internalized biphobia in how hurt Celeste is that Gemma moved on with a man. While that absolutely feels real to how a lot of queer folks process trauma and identity, I wish the book had unpacked it more directly. There’s something worth exploring there, but it never quite gets said.

One last note before I drop the big spoilers: James sucked. Just objectively. And while I get that he was more of a narrative hurdle than an actual villain, I wouldn’t have minded if he’d leaned into the drama more. I love a good antagonist in romance, and he had potential.




Bigger spoilers below:
This ends up being a double second chance romance. There's a third act breakup that lasts a whole year - which might be a record. But thank god they got therapy (we love a healing arc). I just wish we’d seen more emotional push-and-pull between Celeste and Gemma. Their original breakup stemmed from circumstance, not incompatibility, so of course the reunion feels easy. And maybe that’s the point: their love was never the issue. But personally, I like a little mess before the happily-ever-after. It helps me believe in them long-term.

That said, it is lovely to see a sapphic couple that just works. Both Celeste and Gemma have been through a lot on their respective queer journeys - Celeste with her family, Gemma unpacking comphet and her bisexuality, and both navigating their identities through the lens of Korean culture. Seeing them at this stage, comfortable in themselves and in love, was honestly really affirming.


**Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for the e-arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was cute! I enjoyed the second chance romance aspect. I loved the way they had a meet disaster for the current timeline and all of their history. I appreciate that they attempt to talk things over and are actually more understanding of doing dumb things in your late teens/early 20s. Not to say it's all swept under the rug, I appreciate that Gemma has a lot of feelings, I can totally relate.

My one issue and reason for minus a star is for the writing style at times. It was overly explanatory. You can definitely trust the reader more to understand a situation or a metaphor or dialogue without beating it to death. One example of this- Gemma's close friend who at this point has been described as in a relationship with another woman makes the quip "this is why I don't date men anymore" and then the auther/FMC inner monologue goes on to explain this joke literally writing "now as a long running joke she likes to say 'this is why I don't date men anymore' whenever a guy does something stupid". Look, I am kind of an oblivious person but even I understood what her friend meant without the explanation.

All told though I definitely enjoyed this. I felt their connection and loved the setting. I would recommend this just with the above caveat and I hope this author's voice just gets clearer and clearer the more she writes. Thank you to Forever for the eARC!

Love in Focus by Lyla Lee is a second chance romance. We are introduced to Genma, a journalist, who recently was dumped by her long time boyfriend/fiance. To make matters worse Gemma discovers the photographer assigned to her latest assignment is her college girlfriend, Celeste, who disappeared on her. Both characters have to deal with their versions of what happpened between them and decide how to move forward both professionally and personally.

While the majority of the book is told from Gemma’s point of view, I appreciated that the author included the occasional chapter from Celeste’s. I feel like this gave me much needed insight into both characters and their actions throughout the book.

I loved the different representation in this book and how identity was discussed amongst the characters.

Also the chemistry between Gemma and Celeste was strong and there was a good amount of spice between them.

This book took me a few chapters to get into it. Gemma starts off this book definitely showing the messy side of the end of a long term relationship. In addition, the miscommunication between her and Celeste took some time to work out. But once that got settled, I found myself vested in what happened next.

Overall, I found this an enjoyable read and I loved that the ending showed real maturity and growth from the characters.

Thank you Lyla Lee, Forever, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I have read and very much enjoyed the author's YA in the past, so when I saw their adult debut was on NetGalley as Read Now, I jumped at the chance to read it. And so much of what I like about the author's writing remains here. I liked the professional collaboration between the FMCs a lot, and thought the story they were working on together was a great way to advance their relationship. If I have a note, I think it's that the book could have done a bit with a glimpse into the past--they're each each other's one that got away but I never fully got why other than it's college and it was all very intense. But overall, had a very nice time with this one.

<i>Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the Advanced Review Copy.</i>

I love a sapphic romance, and I love second chance and the interviews they did with other queer people telling their stories, but for the most part the plot revolved around their jobs which I struggled to connect with.

This was really cute but just didn't quite make it to the "I loved it" category for me.

There is excellent queer and Asian rep and lots of great discussions about parental expectations. Gemma and Celeste were cute but I wasn't super invested in their 2nd chance romance. I kind of wanted more drama and pining?

I really liked Gemma's friends, Val and Kiara.

This was super cute! This was a really sweet lighthearted romance. I really enjoyed the fact that Gemma worked at a magazine--it felt like a 90s rom-com come to life, right down to the fun job in a cool city. Gemma and Celeste had such a good connection and so much history between them. I really appreciated that their shared history (and grievances) was talked about early on rather than letting it fester to build tension. The conflicts and will-they-won't-they felt natural for these two with the baggage they are bringing to the table and the attachment styles they have at the beginning of the book. My only real critique is I wish we had gotten a little more of Celeste's POV. We do get some Celeste chapters, but they were all written in the third person, which disrupted the flow a bit. I would have liked to get Celeste's POV through the first-person, and maybe a little more frequently. Overall, though, that's a small critique. This was a really lovely book and the perfect beach read when you need a light and fun pick-me-up.

I'm a huge fan of second chance romance and sapphic stories, so this was one of my most highly anticipated books of the year! I loved watching Gemma and Celeste rediscover each other and fall back in love. The chemistry and spice were flirty and fun, but it also felt so comfortable in a way that only a longtime couple can. I also loved the community and chosen family that Gemma has built. Val and Kiara are such great friends, and I love how they say that being in a relationship doesn't mean you have to be together 24/7, and it's perfectly healthy to have your own friends or do your own thing! I also love that Gemma had a happy ending on her own, that she was able to find herself without a relationship, before getting with Celeste. All in all, I really enjoyed this one and can't wait for the author's next adult novel!

thanks to NetGalley for the eARC

⭐️=2.5 | 😘=5 | 🤬=4 | 18+

summary: sapphic second chance romance where they have to work together on a project for work

thoughts: this was… boring? or at least incredibly slow for the first 65% or so. like this took over halfway through for me to get super invested, and it’s a romance novel, so that’s not a good sign pacing-wise?? I’m always here for the sapphics and I love a second chance romance but this didn’t quite hit?? idk bestie!! but I did like what was going on thematically!!

This one was not for me, the writing felt juvenile and disjointed. I would not recommend this book to anyone.

A good sapphic romance with Asian representation! We love to see it! And it takes place in San Francisco? Yes please!

While this book overall wasn’t life changing for me, I can see how many people will see themselves in this book. Whether you’re in your late 20s/early 30s still trying to figure out life or seeing yourself represented in the queer community, this book is for you.

While the writing left a lot to be desired, it was still enjoyable of a book. I was pretty invested in the side characters Kiara and Val more than the actual two main characters Gemma and Celeste. Celeste felt mostly surface level and I personally didn’t feel like rooting for them. I am happy they took the time they did to work on themselves to have a healthier relationship.

Some favorite moments: Burrito 🐱, the karaoke trolley chapter, the interview with the couples.

Thank you NetGalley, Forever and Lyla Lee for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

There’s a Korean word, inyeon, for the fated destiny between two people.

this was cute, but felt a touch less romcom-y than the cuffing game. i normally don't like second chance romance, but it was done well.

The beauty of being bi, I learned, is that you can get rejected by both women and men.

gemma has been abruptly dumped by her fiance of 7 years and by the luck of fate, reunites w her old college gf celeste on a new work project - who had also dumped and ditched her out of the blue, moving back to seoul without a word.

as lyla lee's adult debut, i was pretty happy with it. she amped it up w older characters (late 20's) and some adult scenes (strap action ayyyy).

i think my critique would be a reveal later w her ex fiance that was pretty glaringly obvious from the jump and it's a pretty mellow in the coming together at the end... i would've maybe expected a little more sweeping romance w the references to how much celeste used to be a hopeless romantic, but i like how they do deal w their own respective issues.

i liked that it also talked about the lack of older queer couples' stories in media, specifically sapphic. it's something my friends have pointed out for sapphic rep of all ages, tho it's getting better.

"...isn’t it better to be scared and take a shot at happiness, instead of avoiding it all the time?”

overall, it wasn't my fav lyla lee read but i'm v excited for more books from her, esp adult ones!

an honest arc review ♡

Gemma is a relationship columnist, she’s now heartbroken when her seven year relationship ends abruptly. She thinks she’ll never have her happy ending., that’s until she runs into her ex from college. The one who got away, also the one she has to work with on her work assignment.

This was a cute and quick read, I enjoyed it overall. I loved the dual POV, but the difference in characters chapters being in first and third person was somewhat confusing. Other than that I enjoyed it!

very cute story premise, but I couldn’t finish it. DNF at 39%. It was kind of hard to follow and the characters and drama didn’t really land. The POV - first person present vs third person past reeeally took me out of the story.

What a cutie little story! One of my goals for the year is to read more books featuring lesbians as the main characters, so I was so so excited to read this one. I loved this second chance story featuring, not only lesbians, but older characters as well! As someone in their late twenties, I always appreciate characters who are around my age experiencing things for the first time. I really loved this one and it was just a fun time.

Thanks to Netgalley & Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the E-ARC! So cute! Fun characters & loved the romance. Enjoyed the setting too. Will definitely read more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever Publishing for this ARC!

This book was so cute and I always love to read about bisexual representation. I love a second chance romance and this was just what I wanted!