This book wasn’t my favorite. I love k dramas so I thought it would be a good fit. It felt more academic and wasn’t much of a page turner. I was rooting for the main characters reconnecting but there wasn’t enough keeping me locked in to the story. I was easily distracted while trying to read it and kept clicking out.

I opted to read this having enjoyed two of Jayci Lee's previous books, and the description of this one sounded compelling. I was surprised and disappointed to find Give Me a Reason extremely difficult to get through. The characters' emotions seemed overdrawn, and the interior dialogue stilted. I felt mostly frustration and secondhand embarrassment when reading....

A modern day Persuasion retelling that unfortunately kind of missed the mark for me.

To start, I did enjoy most of the characters and found them truly delightful to read about. The first half of this book was enjoyable and I was liking the vibes of the story.

Unfortunately the second half kind of dragged and began to feel a bit repetitive. I think that the book being dual POV kind of hurt it a bit and contributed to that repetitive feeling - I wish it had only been Anne's POV. I also think this book needed another round of edits, as there were several inconsistencies throughout (did Frederick help her to audition for the k drama, or did he actually not know about it?). The writing itself also could be a bit repetitive - in the first chapter alone the phrase "greedy eyes" and similar is used 3-4 times. I found the initial reason for the couples split to be quite flimsy as well. Obviously I get that they were young but it just... didn't entirely make sense to me?

The one issue I had with the characters is that I wish we'd gotten more about the selfish dad and sister. We're told they're narcissistic and not good people but truly they're barely mentioned or seen past that. The aunt almost seems to be a bigger villain considering she's the one who convinced Anne to initially break up with Frederick 10 years prior.

Overall I do think this is a cute second chance romance with some very likable characters and nice moments. I would recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a quick, light-hearted read with a lot of mutual pining.

This is a Persuasion (by Jane Austen) retelling, and it follows the original pretty closely—beat by beat—but set in our modern world. Persuasion is my favorite Jane Austen novel (not counting Pride and Prejudice, of course), and this retelling gave me everything I was hoping for.

Now, if you’re reading this and thinking, “Jane Austen who?” or “Regency romance is not my thing,” don’t worry. What you’re getting here is a beautiful second chance romance set in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. He’s a firefighter. She’s a retired K-Drama actress.

Anne left ten years ago to pursue her acting career in Korea, leaving Frederick heartbroken. Now she’s back, and fate has thrown them together again as part of the same wedding party. Cue awkward run-ins, unresolved feelings, and the kind of emotional tension that makes you want to scream just kiss already!
I do wish there was more cultural references to the character's roots.

There is so much longing in this story, and that’s what made it unforgettable for me. The original Persuasion is, in my opinion, the blueprint for longing, and this book captures that perfectly. Both characters try to hide how they feel, and it makes total sense given their history. Our heroine, Anne, is constantly taken for granted by her family, while Frederick? Total hero material.

Give this beautiful story a chance. Whether or not you’ve read Austen, it’ll sweep you up in all the feels.


This book is for you if you like:

-Second chance romance
-Firefighter heroes
-Slow burn with aching tension
-Weddings and forced proximity
-Longing that *hurts* (in the best way)
-Modern retellings of classic literature
-Found family vs toxic family themes
-Quiet strength and emotional growth

Thank you St Martin’s Griffin for this ARC via NetGalley

I wanted to like this book, but this one wasn't for me. This is a Jane Austen retelling, so the frequent f bombs were really off putting. The other issue I had was the (long and) graphic sex scenes.
This book captured the longing between Anne and Frederick pretty well. It also seemed to differentiate between love and lust, with lust being the stronger factor for Anne and Frederick. If it had just toned down Frederick's language and cut out the bedroom scenes (which were not needed), I would have liked this book.

The first thing that drew me in was the cover. I loved it so much and needed to read the story behind the art, feel the yearning that was sold to me before I even opened the book. Unfortunately, the book didn't deliver what I was looking for and I was left waiting to see how the feelings played out in the second half of the book without having as much emotional investment as I would have liked. I do wish we had learned more about Anne and Frederick in present day and got to see falling in love again with each other's present day selves but I think for the limited page count we got a good story overall.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an E arc in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own and in no way influenced by the publisher.

Ok, I love that it’s a Persuasion retelling. It’s a really great modernized adaptation. The problem I had was in the literal way this book was written. The style led to an immense amount of inner-monologues, but with fewer out loud conversations. This led me to question how the MCs could be so in love after ten years (!) when they’ve barely spoken or reconnected. Or maybe I’m just cynical. Thanks to St. Martin’s for the ARC.

i am a sucker for a second chance romance; while i don't want the characters to be hurting for an overlong amount of time during their break/breakup (and this couple broke up 10 years ago..), there's still something about how there's already a foundation between the leads. even if there isn't a ton shown about it.

i also am hardcore relating to anne (clearly not the k-drama actor part, but the familial dynamics), so i had a good cry through some of it.

i really liked the first half, but then the misunderstandings and lack of communication in the second half were long and kind of frustrating. i also wished that anne's dad and older sister got some sort of comeuppance, or perhaps some sort of recognition from either of them or her younger sister about anne's sacrifices for them, but that never materialized.

i'm not a huge fan of how there were a few very quick and random engagements that happen at the end of the book, which i didn't find necessary at all.

not my favorite jacyi lee book, but i did appreciate the emotional weight of the book, even if i wasn't a huge fan of the plot choices in the second half.

note that i received an arc for free through netgalley.

A Persuasion retelling. It's emotional and you root for them. However, Persuasion is hard to adapt to modern situations.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own

If you are retelling Jane Austen I am SUMMONED. This is a contemporary take on the once scorned turned second chance “I am half agony half hope” angsty romance that’s one of my favorites. In this we have a successful but lonely FMC who moves back home to LA after a decade of success as a Korean drama star and an MMC who was once a starry eyed 19 year old turned fire chief.

This might be a hot take but I actually liked the changes Jayci made from the original, it’s not a one size fits all I would like for every Persuasion retelling but it made it HERS. One big one is dual POV, I was worried it was going to pop all the tension out of the angst but it was just as intense for me, as they mutually pine, he gets set up with another woman (no love triangle), and she regrets the past. I actually felt his hurt more viscerally this way as well.

Also, the family drama is not as much of a present side plot line. Her sister and dad are still just as vapid but I liked taking a break from the usual oppressive family turmoil/underappreciation. This FMC has a softer arc and has some friends and family who do appreciate her from the start, which actually makes this angstier with their forced proximity as they are in the same bridal party of people who are becoming mutual friends. The fates can’t help but intertwine their lives all over again.

Also this is a first Austen retelling for me that’s open door 🤭 it’s the usual slow burn but like okay modern day! Thank you to SMP Romance for the eARC.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!!

Hate to say it, but the cover is indeed the best part of this book. I was quite excited by the cover art and the premise: a kdrama actress + firefighter second chance?? sounds amazing!! but i realize i really cannot deal with a second chance where the couple was together for only 6 months TEN YEARS AGO. That's such a long time to be soooo hung up on someone and still be in love with them (people change!!!)

There was also so much turmoil and inner monologue. I usually love a dual POV but it was so PAINFUL just hearing over and over how much they loved each other but wouldn't do anything about it. There was no tension, just stupidity in the lack of communication.

I really wanted to like this book but there really wasn't much to like.

I enjoyed the writing style of the author a lot. Maybe the story wasn’t for me? But I would read from this author just by the way she writes her characters alone. The writing? Beautiful. The plot? Not for me.

I’ve enjoyed Jayci Lee’s books in the past but this one didn’t quite get there for me. I like the “thrown together in a wedding party” trope, but the whole time I was reading this, I never got lost in it. I was very aware that I was reading the whole time, like I could imagine the book being written as opposed to actually walking through the story with the characters. Maybe it’s the anime-ish cover that gave me pretend vibes most of the way through. I will try other books by this author, but this one didn’t quite do it for me.

I received this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It’s being published on July 29, 2025.

I didn’t like the writing and found it it to be slow. There was so much description except not a simple explanation of the Korean word imo. I only know it cause I am Korean but if you’re going to put those elements in, then you should explain a bit more about the culture.

Book: Give Me A Reason
Author: Jayci Lee
Rating: 4 ⭐ 1🌶️
I was immediately drawn to this beautiful book cover. I wanted to read the book without even reading the synopsis, especially being Asian, I don't see a lot of myself in books so I get very excited when I see it. I normally do not like second chance romance, however, once I started reading I was pulled in right away.
It's a 'modern retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion, a K-drama actress (yay! I love K-dramas) gets her second chance at love with the man she left to save her family'
I loved the angst and yearning from both Frederick and Anne. I completely understand the family duty/loyalty/ responsibility from Anne's perspective.
I only wished there was more dialogue between the characters. We were in their inner monologue too much. Also wished there was more banter and dialogue from the friend group. It was there, but it could have been amped up a little to make it more fun.
If you love a slow burn, angsty, second chance romance, Give Me A Reason is for you. I would totally recommend it and I would read more of this author's work.
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC

Persuasion is quite literally my favorite book, but this book was not a well done retelling at all, sadly. Do not recommend.

I think this is my first second chance romance; I requested it because the cover is gorgeous. This is a slow burn for sure. I liked the writing style, and the way the Korean terms/names being added and explaining some of their meanings without feeling like I was in a classroom. I will be looking out for more from this author.


I felt like the characters' personalities were well rounded but I didn't care about any of them enough to like them. It seemed to me that everyone got over all the problems pretty easily. I wouldn't say this is a miscommunication trope as much as it was a "say the opposite of what I mean and hope they guess my true feelings". I also did not understand the timeline at all. Did the events take place over a few months? A year? Several years? I don't know.

This one is for the Austen lovers. Anne and Frederick are brough to life in a modern, fresh take on Persuasion with a high level of angst and some great romantic moments. It will be easier to follow the fast pace and large cast if you're familiar with the story already, but new readers may find themselves falling in love with a classic.

✨Give Me a Reason by Jayce Lee || ARC Review ✨

I really liked this one!
It’s a Persuasion retelling, but from the eyes of a Korean drama actress returning home for a wedding—and it totally brought the drama (AND SPICE).

Anne Lee left behind the love of her life, Frederick Nam, to save her family from bankruptcy by pursuing an acting career in Korea. It was the only way she could protect him from sacrificing his own dreams for her. Now, ten years later, Anne returns to Los Angeles for her cousin’s wedding…only to find herself face-to-face with the man she never really got over. Frederick has built a new life for himself as a firefighter, but neither of them can ignore the tension—or the feelings—that still linger.

I ended up liking this way more than I expected! Persuasion is one of my favorite Austen stories, and this modern, second-chance spin was so sweet and emotional.
Also…the “Jane Austenception” at the end had me cracking up. (iykyk.)

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Well, this one wasn’t a hit for me. I was excited to read my first k-drama and I am hoping that this isn’t indicative of how I experience the genre in the future.
Like many others the cover is what pulled me in as well as it being a retelling of one of Austen’s less popular works , “Persuasion.” Unfortunately, the cover was the best part.

The prose was choppy and all tell and no show. Because of the massive info dumps there was little way to connect to the characters. I didn’t want to root for anything.

That being said this may appeal to certain readers so I don’t want to be too critical. I’ll leave it that it just wasn’t for me.


I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary eAR from St Martins Griffin through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again