Love in Focus by Lyla Lee is a sweet, engaging romance that had me rooting for Gemma and Celeste from the start. Gemma’s voice—warm, witty, and honest—drew me in immediately as she navigated her seven-year breakup and the skepticism it left behind. Being paired with her ex, Celeste, for a high-stakes feature on modern love creates instant tension, and their chemistry still crackles even after years apart. Watching Gemma wrestle with old wounds and new feelings felt genuine and kept me invested in their story.

My one quibble is the switch in perspective: Gemma’s chapters are in first person, while Celeste’s are rendered in third person. That choice made Celeste feel just a bit more distant—especially since I was already so attuned to Gemma’s inner thoughts. I wish the entire novel had maintained a first-person POV to give both women equal intimacy. Still, Celeste’s talent and vulnerability shine through, and seeing them rediscover one another was fun and heartfelt.

Overall, Love in Focus is a quick, enjoyable read that balances humor with emotional depth. While the POV shift was a minor distraction for me, the genuine connection between Gemma and Celeste more than makes up for it. If you’re looking for a light contemporary romance with relatable characters and a solid happily-ever-after, this book is worth a spot on your reading list.

I loved the fun and summery vibes of this book. I think the way Celeste and Gemma meet again is hilarious. It gave me the best version of "if you are not right for each other, you will never see each other again. But if you are you will meet each other over and over again."
Also: Fuck James.
Overall this is a great read for pride month and I'm so happy I'm gay.

thank you netgalley and hachette audio for the audiobook!
the narrators and production were amazing.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. It’s a great sapphic love story that’s not too sappy or fake, with some pretty damn hot sapphic bedroom action too.
It’s well written and narrated; I really like Natalie Naudus and I’ve not come across Cathrine Ho before but I could listen to her voice all day! She sounded a bit older than the character she was voicing but honestly I don’t care, that voice is lush.
The pace of the audiobook is just right and I enjoyed the switching of narrator, it kept the whole thing moving and there was a different feel then for each character, making them more distinct.
The story is set in San Francisco with the two main characters being South Korean. It’s got some really important layers to it focusing on cultural expectations and acceptance of queerness. And the representation, or lack of it, for Asian queers.
The central character is also Bi and it’s nice to read a book that is entirely sapphic that also doesn’t diminish or belittle the Bi part of the main character.
With some healthy coping mechanisms coming into play it feels like a book I wish I could have read a long time ago.
I definitely recommend this one but maybe listen on headphones if kids are around as it gets steamy!!
I definitely recommend this one but maybe listen on headphones if kids are around as it gets steamy!!

The book started off great but a little overwhelmingly sad when literally everything goes wrong for Gemma. It all made me feel sorry for Gemma and question her choice in all her romantic and professional endeavors. I did enjoy the premise of the book and the project that brought the women together but really could have done without the beginning and the inclusion of her fiance. 
There was a Bi-phobic flashback from Celeste pretty early on and the general sentiment seemed to follow her character throughout the novel with a sprinkling of lesbian male hatred which wasn't a great look. The book flipped back and forth between cute moments and weird misogyny/heteronormative roles up until about midway through. Big miscommunication trope throughout. Like girl!!! How hard is it to send a single text!
The end of the book leaned way more into women's fiction than romance. It felt like an appropriate ending and I enjoyed it but it just wasn't a romance novel ending. If was an AAPI women's fiction novel and fully leaned into that then it could have easily been a 5 but as a romance it didn't reach that bar.  The romance felt forced into the "romance novel format" at times. 
I did enjoy that it was a dual POV and enjoyed even more that there were two narrators. I don't think I've ever seen this in a WLW book but please, more of this!! The narrator both did an amazing job portraying the emotion of the book. 

-Dual POV
-Second chance romance

I loved the relationships and the character growth. Per usual I loved the lesbian and bisexual rep Celeste and Gemma gave us. Thank you so much Lyla Lee, NetGalley, and Hachette audio for this arc!

This was cute but it wasn't life changing magic like I was hoping.
I loved the sapphic Asian representation in this one but the FMCs both felt like they were lacking depth. So much potential that just never quite reached fruition. I will applaud the spicy scene with the $trapon bc DAMN! The rest of the book kind of left me wanting. Wanting more tension, more passion, more....something.

Here's what the book has:
-second chance
-sapphic romcom
-set in CA bay area
-Korean culture rep
-friends with benefits to more
-Sapphic spice
-workplace/forced proximity

The audiobook was dual narrated too which I really appreciated!

I’m giving this book 4.5 stars—it absolutely won me over. It was charming, sexy, and I found myself really relating to the female main characters on multiple levels. The way it addressed real-life issues felt organic and heartfelt, never preachy or performative. I’m definitely eager to dive into more books by this author—I’m already a fan. The only reason it’s not a full five stars is due to some moments of miscommunication between characters. It wasn’t a dealbreaker, just more of a “really?” than something that genuinely bothered me.

Super freaking cute. There self discovery, romantic tension, and a charmingncast of characters. Gemma and Celeste are an interesting pair but ultimately you want them to be together so you become invested as the story developes. They are both working on some baggage they bring to the relationship but they want to work so the fight for each other and not always in loud or obvious ways but always to show the other they care

was this life changing? nope. was it quite entertaining? yes.
I really liked how much representation both of the girls got, with their own issues and struggles being Korean queer women. It was quite insightful and interesting to listen to their experience and I believe it is very important to have such representation in books. Very nice, light read for Pride month!
However, some things were lacking - I did not really enjoy how underwhelming their breakup was in the past, although it was written in the beginning as this huge deal, it was resolved it seemed within a few pages and didn’t really mean much. It also lacked a bit of depth but if you’re looking for a light easy to read FF second chance romance, I’d recommend.

I loved this story so much it was so sweet watching these two come back together to find love again. The only reason I made this a four-star review is because it was 1st person POV for Gemma and then switched to 3rd person POC for Celeste. I found this to be off putting and slightly confusing. I loved the representation in this story and loved how perfect Gemma and Celeste’s complimented each other and loved how they both went to therapy to help with their mental blocks and move forward. Natalie Naudus and Catherine Ho did a great job narrating this story, I really enjoyed this listen and recommend you listen as well.

3.5 ⭐️

This was such a fun and easy listen, I finished it in two or three sittings because it kept me wanting to see how things panned out! Love in Focus follows Gemma Cho, an advice columnist trying to pick herself up after a devastating break up with her fiance, who finds herself forced to reconnect with Celeste, a well-known photographer who left her without a word seven years ago in order to collaborate on a huge project that could boost both of their careers. Can they keep it professional when sparks still fly between them? I love a good second chance romance and I think this book did it really well, especially the angst and longing between the two.

First and foremost, I absolutely love seeing Asian sapphic rep as well as the discussion of representation of Asian elders in the LGBTQIA+ community and how being queer is judged and expected to be hidden in Asian culture. It carries such an important message and it was really impactful to see this talked about.

One thing that didn't sit very well with me was the reasoning Celeste gave for ending their relationship and cutting off contact... Like really you couldn't send a quick text? And then to hold a grudge because salty she moved on after a couple of months? The audacity. I feel like her ghosting should have caused more tension than it did because I would not have let that slide easily whatsoever and it would have been really interesting! In saying that, they had such a heartfelt history and it was so cute to see how well they knew each other even after 7 years apart. I also felt that their concerns upon reconnecting were so realistic and really liked how the end played out. I would have loved even more tension with Gemma's ex James, I think that could have been so fun to see played with a bit more.

I loved the narrator for Gemma, she was brilliant!! While I enjoyed the narrator for Celeste as well, I felt the acting was lacking more emotion and found it harder to sink myself into unfortunately. Both POVs are also in different perspectives, with Gemma's being first person and Celeste's third person, which I must say I didn't really notice until I saw it mentioned elsewhere, but just something for people to keep in mind!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio/Forever for providing me with an ALC.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me this ALC in exchange of an honest review.

This was really good!!! Nothing special or new but I actually enjoyed it and the audiobook was great! This is my first ALC and I'm so glad I got to listen to this book!

I rated this 4.5 stars. I absolutely adored this book so much. It was cute, steamy and I felt like I could connect to the FMC’s in so many ways. The book tackles real life topics in such a beautiful way that never felt forced or like they were trying to be relevant. I’m ready to read more from this author because I’m already hooked. I rated 4.5 instead of 5 only for some of the miscommunication that occurred. It was more of a really? than a i hated that part

Love in Focus is a warm and charming second-chance sapphic romance that blends emotional depth with just the right amount of chaos. Set in the messy, familiar world of late-20s work life and complicated feelings, it follows Gemma—still reeling from a breakup—who’s suddenly paired with the last person she expected: Celeste, the college ex who ghosted her years ago. Cue the tension, old wounds, and undeniable chemistry.

What I really liked about this book was how much heart it had. Gemma is sharp, funny, and just the right amount of jaded, while Celeste—cool, artistic, guarded—has a tenderness underneath all her walls. Their reconnection is layered with longing, forgiveness, and that awkward dance of "what actually happened back then?" There's a solid sense of growth for both characters, and while Celeste’s perspective felt a little thinner by comparison, the emotional beats still hit.

The story is also refreshing in how it centres queer Korean characters, gently explores themes around cultural silence and visibility, and brings that all into a modern romance that feels current without being heavy-handed. It’s flirty, a little spicy, and full of witty banter. A great pick for fans of second-chance romance who like their stories with a bit of bite and a lot of feeling.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Hachette Audio | Forever for a copy of this audiobook. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was a really cute story. Very sapphic, and loved the diversity and representation throughout the book. I'm chinese, and loved all the different koren representations throughout the book that I could relate to. I listed on audio, and Gemma's POV was perfect. Loved the narrator. I didn't love the narrator for Celeste, she sounds a lot older to me and I felt a bit like I was listening to a parent and a daughter narrate. I usually am not a fan of second chance, but I really liked the way it was done here.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lyla Lee, and Hachette Audio for this free ARC audiobook!

I absolutely adored this book. It was perfectly messy and gay: exactly what I look for in a sapphic romance. I especially loved how the classic "miscommunication trope" was actually dealt with in a realistic way. Everyone acted like adults in this book! What a novel concept!

I also always love when a romance novel is told in dual POV (so you can see all of the mutual pining before the big dramatic ending), and I especially appreciated that this audiobook had two different narrators who each voiced one of the two main characters. 10/10 no notes.

Read queer books always (especially by POC authors), but definitely pick this up during Pride month if you want something good and gay!

A sweet cozy read, definitely a great book to read when you need a palette cleanser. I appreciate the bi representation. I wish the characters were developed a bit more though! I’d love to see their progression just a bit further. Overall the plot was pretty interesting and kept me engaged.

"Love in Focus" by Lyla Lee is a sapphic contemporary romance that's easy to breeze through - perfect for a quick beach read. The setup has promise, and the story has its charming moments, but overall, it didn't quite stick with me.

I struggled to connect with either Gemma or Celeste; their emotions and motivations never felt truly fleshed out, and the story as whole stayed on the surface. While the romance is cute and the writing is accessible, I found myself wishing for more depth and nuance in both the characters and their relationships.

It's not a bad read by any means, just not particularly memorable. If you're looking for something light and easy without getting too emotionally invested, this might do the trick. But if you're after something swoon-worthy, this one might fall short.

The narration was great and what kept me listening to the story. The vocal infections and personality helped bring the story to life. I also listen to audiobooks in 1.5x speed usually, which many times can make the listening experience awkward (1x is too slow for my brain!), but I completely forgot I had the speed increased!

Gemma is a bisexual woman in her late 20s who’s convinced real love doesn’t exist after the abrupt ending of her 7 year long relationship with her fiancé. She was ready to give up until she ends up getting paired up with and old flame, Celeste from undergrad. They get paired up on a project on modern love and welp… we got forced proximity and second chance! It’s a cute sapphic romance. I love diverse characters, the sapphic + bi representation, the mental health rep in navigating relational issues, and commentary on general cultural expectations and for queer folx. I will say the dual pov — one in first person and the other in third person was a bit jarring. I would have been okay without Celeste’s chapters. I personally prefer high stakes books and wanted more from the story and a slower conclusion. It’s a low stakes romance story, if you’re looking for a light sapphic second chance romance with spice, it’s worth checking out.

I enjoyed the audiobook and the narrator did a wonderful job with both POVs.

🌟4.5 stars — heartfelt, flirty, and queer in all the best ways!🌈🎧

Love in Focus was like listening to a cozy, queer romantic film unfold in my ears. If you're a sucker for second chances, pining that spans years, and sapphic leads who feel like real people, you're in for a treat. Gemma and Celeste's chemistry practically crackled through my headphones from the very first awkward reunion moment. (And the fact that their big project was about love? Oh yes, the irony was delicious.)

Gemma’s voice—both her actual narration and her emotional journey—really anchored the story. Natalie Naudus nailed the heartfelt tone, balancing Gemma’s dry humor and vulnerability so well. Catherine Ho had fewer chapters as Celeste, which I wish we had more of (honestly, give me more Celeste POV anytime!), but when she did show up, she matched the mood perfectly.

This audiobook was funny, touching, and just a little bit spicy (in a way that felt earned and tender). I loved the mature communication between the leads—no dragging out the past just for drama. Their past hurt felt real, but their growth made their second chance feel possible. The side characters like Kiara and Val? Instant faves. They added so much warmth and life to the story—true “rom-com friend group” energy.

My only teeny tiny wish was for a little more balance in narration and maybe a deeper dive into Celeste’s perspective, but it didn’t take away from how swept up I was in their journey. This was romantic, reflective, and utterly affirming.

If you like emotional healing arcs, queer joy, and soft banter between once-lovers-turned-coworkers-who-are-clearly-still-in-love, Love in Focus will be your jam. 🎙️💖📸