3.5

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for giving me an arc for an honest review.

Love in Focus was one of my anticipated releases of the year, and it didn’t disappoint. Everything about this story was great, and I enjoyed every second of it. Both characters were mostly fleshed out and three-dimensional, although I do wish the book was a tad bit longer so we were able to get a little bit more depth.

That is one of the issue I had with this book. I wanted it to be a little longer. I wanted more of Celeste and her background. We really only had snippets of it, and it made me feel disconnected from her at times.

Also the fact that Celeste made some biphobic commends that made me very uncomfortable.

And the ending felt a tad bit rushed for me. I need more from this book towards the end.

Both narrators did a great job. Natalie Naudus is the best and I think she’s one of the best. Catherine Ho is a new narrator for me and her performance in this is great, and I now want to check out her other works!

Overall, a great book and I’m excited to read what Lyla Lee writes next.

After getting out of a seven year relationship, Gemma's life is sent into a whirlwind when here college ex Celeste is the contracted photographer for her article on love. Having been ghosted by Celeste, at first Gemma tries to keep things purely professional even though the chemistry is still there.

This story was super cute and I had a fun time while reading it. I loved the bi representation. Gemma felt super relatable. I do think it would've been better as a single POV because I feel Celeste's chapters didn't feel as well developed. I did enjoy the friend characters as well as the couples they interviewed. Overall it was a good read

Tropes:
* Second Chance Romance
* Writer/Photographer
* Workplace Romance
* Sapphic Romance
* Right Person Wrong Time

3.5 stars

This was a really cute read. Love in Focus is a sapphic second chance romance between two Korean characters. Gemma is a relationship advice columnist who was recently dumped by her fiancé and Celeste is a world-renowned photographer; they are forced to work together after not seeing each other for 8 years – after Celeste seemingly ghosted Gemma in college. I appreciated the inclusion of Korean culture throughout the book. Gemma's character growth was the focus of the book and we only got snippets of insight into Celeste. For an adult romance, I was hoping for a little more depth to the story. Overall, though, I liked this book and recommend it for a lighthearted romance read.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

4⭐️/2🌶️

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book!

This was actually my first ever sapphic story! I don’t know why it took me so long, since I myself am bisexual 😭 but I loved this so much. 2 college exes find themselves together again when they have to come together and work on a project that will make ir break their futures. This was a fun and easy story with good chemistry and lots of soft and funny moments 🥰❤️


-Sapphic (Lesbian x Bisexual)
-2nd chance
-Forced proximity
-Coworkers on a projected
-They go to therapy (separately)
-East Asian/POC reps (both Korean iirc)
-Cut cat named burrito 😽

So I’m a hetero woman and this is my first sapphic romance. I was really nervous going in but oh my goodness am I glad I jumped in! This story is so sweet and lovely! This book feels like fresh cotton candy and a warm hug! From the very beginning it has felt like I’ve had a hand squeezing around my heart in the best possible way!

I’m so invested in this story! The characters are so likable and relatable. The spicy scenes are raw and beautiful. I love the second chance at love theming! The two women narrating have the smoothest voices. Amazing work all around! Thank you so much for giving me the chance to enjoy it on here! <3

I received the audiobook ARC by NetGalley and Hachette Audio in return for an honest review of the book. Thank you for the opportunity.

I really enjoyed this book! Easy listen but with some conflicts and character issues. Although its dual pov we spend a lot of the time in Gemma’s pov so in a way I wished Celeste’s was a bit more fleshed out. Overall it’s a very cute, relatable sapphic romance and I would definitely checking the authors other works!

t was a cute book. If you're looking for an adorable second change Sapphic romance this is the one for you. The plot idea was cute and the characters on paper were charming.

The representation was really nice to see as well.

I wasn't a fan of the pov switch they had going on and the book moving along a little slow for me. It was very, just there at points. I was listening to it on audiobook and found that now and then I was tuning it out.

All in all its a cute book and people are going to enjoy it if it's their thing. For me it was a good book but not one I was over the moon for.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute little sapphic romance. I liked the story and even though it was a second chance romance it wasn't that bad. I was a little nervous about the third act breakup but I think it's mostly me worrying before it happens that's the hard part because I didn't think it was that hard.

The voice actor did a great job. I thought Celeste's chapter had a little tinny sound though.

I received an audiobook ARC by NetGalley and Hachette Audio in return for an honest review of the book. Thank you for the opportunity.

It was a decent enough book. I really hoped to love it because it’s been incredibly hyped up within the sapphic community. I just think, it was a little underdeveloped. It really had potential. I just kept thinking when I was about half way through the book that the storyline just felt, rushed. I liked Gemma & Celeste well enough. Their trauma together and separately just seemed overdone. I know they needed to work on it together. Maybe if there had more plot maybe, it wouldn’t have felt so bogged down. I also felt we were in Gemma’s head more than Celeste’s. Not that we have to have an even back and forth between the two main characters. But when we would come back to Celeste talking, I almost forgot sometimes that this was dual POV.

It’s also a bummer that the side characters fell flat for me. I really wanted to love Gemma’s roommates. There’s some spice in this book. But that’s also a little rushed. Not that every spicy scene needs to be drawn out. I was happy that this was actually a sapphic book to have a strap in it. lol.

All in all, it’s a decent enough book. I just feel like the pacing wasn’t it for me. And I do struggle with pacing sometimes in books. But I do recommend them to people.

This book was a fun and sweet sapphic romance that brings two exes back together in a work assignment to find “modern love.” This book brought some spice, but also a really lovely plot. It was so well balanced and I loved the friendship support and occasionally family support too on Gemma’s side. I didn’t feel like I got an enough from Celeste’s side and wish I would’ve found out more about her present rather than just who she was during the 8-year gap. Even with some details supplied there, I loved who she seemed to be and wanted to know how that happened. I did love that she loves romance books and for both women, I appreciated the balance of having their cultural heritage also be a bit of a learning experience (potentially) for the reader. The ending I was ultimately happy with, but felt it wrapped up too quickly and too happily considering the rest of the book is about a month, while the whole ending is over a year. Additionally, I listened to the audiobook for this one and loved Gemma’s voice (narration). It perfectly encapsulated what I thought of her as a character and how it matched with her cover image. However, the narration for Celeste fell so flat. I didn’t get her sassiness or edge and it honestly felt like a middle aged woman reading it who put little inflection into the narration. I loved Gemma so much more just from listening. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it for anyone who wants a fun and sweet read. 4.25⭐️, 2🌶

I absolutely loved this book. The whole thing was a delight from start to finish! It was so adorable and such an accurate depiction of life as a queer Asian-American woman. The plot was a realistic, adorable, sexy, contemporary account of getting back with the one that got away. There are so few books out there with such wonderful accurate queer Asian representation. The reference to SASS had me gagged.

The part when they interview the lesbian elders had me sobbing along with Celeste!!! It’s painfully true that there are so few queer Asian elders. And so sad that Asian countries are not accepting of queerness.

Altogether this was one of the cutest queer books I’ve read this year. Would definitely recommend.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for the opportunity to have read an advanced copy this book for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

So they were lovers, turned exes, turned workplace rivals…and it’s sapphic…SAY LESS!

Thank you Hachette Audio. & NetGalley for early access to the audiobook! It was such a fabulous time!

I loved the queer Asian representation and the bisexual rep was ✨chef kiss✨ and the spice was spicing…I’m still thinking of one particular scene. Both of the characters are relatable and funny. I could easily see this being a comfort read for many people.

I don’t love when books switch POVs (1st to 3rd person) but it didn’t keep me from enjoying this lovely story.

The narration by Natalie Naudus and Catherine Ho was easy to listen to and they both have beautiful voices that I felt fit the characters perfectly.

Read if you like:
📸Sapphic Romance
📸Second Chance
📸Workplace
📸Forced Proximity
📸Found Family
📸Open Door Spice

In figuring out that I'm actually quite picky about second-chance romances, it's always a delight to find one that works really well. While I don't love how everything is resolved considering how their relationship ended (Celeste moving back to Korea without any word and continuing to give no word for four months, regardless of circumstances is still a Lot and needs a little more responsibility taken imo), I did really love their coming back together and how much thought was put into their circumstances as to how it would work between them going forward. I do also always love a "we needed to come back together to realize what we needed to work on" and then actually working on those things romance.

I also really loved the working professional aspect of this as well as Gemma coming into her own, learning that being an adult doesn't mean giving up things you love. The Modern Love in Focus project was really cool, and I did enjoy getting to see all the different couples (especially with the nod to older queer couples and the lack of representation and impact of legislation and the AIDS crisis), even if at times they felt a little more stereotypical until the very last couple.

As an audiobook, Naudus really brings Gemma to life, giving her narration such loveable and lively inflection that you really feel her bubbly personality. Celeste's chapters did feel out of place, though that was less from Catherine Ho's narration than the fact that they switched from 1st to 3rd person that didn't give Celeste a lot of personality in the first place and felt harder to differentiate between Gemma's chapters.

All in all, I really enjoyed this, especially getting to see a lot of different SF spots (though please imagine my yelling that neither of them had a jacket in November, especially Gemma, who'd lived in SF long enough to know you don't go anywhere without layers no matter where or the time of year).

#LoveinFocus the audiobook by Lyla Lee and Hachette Audio was provided by #NetGalley, thank you for this ARC!
The main characters of Love in Focus, Gemma and Celeste, focuses mainly on Gemma’s POV. This book was adorably fun and made me kick my legs happily as I listened. The difference in audio quality between the two narrators was a bit jarring at first but the two distinct voices were helpful in keeping character POVs correct. Overall I would definitely recommend Love in Focus!

This was a quick, cute second chance romance! I loved the sexual chemistry between the leads but I wasn’t as convinced about their emotional connection. I wanted to see them learning more about who the other person is today rather than relying on their past connection to serve as the main relationship development. I was confused at the decision to include sporadic chapters from Celeste's pov. There weren't enough of them to truly get to know her so they just felt like interruptions in Gemma's story. I did enjoy watching Gemma's journey and I loved the project they were working on together. If you're looking for a quick, cute sapphic romance this could be for you.

Gemma's narrator did a fantastic job! It was a delight listening to the story through her voice. I didn't love the narrator for Celeste as much as I loved Gemma's narrator but I still had a good time with the book.

I such am an unbelievable sucker for a second chance romance and a book narrated by Natalie Naudus. She and Catherine Ho both have such wonderful voices, and their character voices played off one another so well! Though I don't often love a third act break up, when done right they're such a perfect tool by the author. I loved Lee's decision to have Celeste and Gemma go their separate ways in order to get perspective and grow on their own. This book was such a wonderful hug full of growth and beautiful reconnection with a message at the heart to remember yourself, especially around your partnerships and friends.

This was good, lighthearted entertainment, that also managed to dip its toes into more serious topics, like finding yourself as an adult. It has many of the ingredients you'd expect from the genre, but this one includes a few things you don’t often get to see in mainstream romance!
This story is for you if you like:
- Sapphic romance
- Second chance
- Queer Asian American representation!
- FMCs in their LATE 20s!
- HEA


The story follows two college exes who never really got a proper break-up but instead abruptly fell out of each other’s lives one day, leaving both of them pretty hurt, even years later. Then one day, they cross paths again and have to work together on a Valentine’s magazine feature called “Love in Focus.”

Overall, I liked the book, though I often felt like the characters were still stuck in the pain of their past rather than showing any real spark between them in the present. The author was clearly aiming for chemistry, but to me it just didn’t quite land and their interactions felt more weighed down by the past than fuelled by romantic tension.

Some of the queer elements, like the U-Haul stereotype, felt maybe a little "over explained", but I can see how that might be helpful for readers who aren’t very familiar with the queer stereotypes or dating culture the book portrays.

The side characters felt a little flat to me. I especially wish the ex-fiancé had been given more depth. Their final scene together (him and Gemma) looked like it could offer both the characters some insight and growth, and add a little dimension to them each - but to me it didn’t quite stick the landing.

The audio production was good and of high quality. The pace of the main narrator, Natalie Naudus, was good, her enunciation was clear, and she was consistent in her portrayal of the different characters. Only tiny little thing in regards to the audiobook was that there was a small but noticeable difference in the quality of the sound between the audio of the two narrators (it was a little distracting, but It’s probably not a big deal unless you’re actively paying attention to it, like I was).

This is a wonderful second chance romcom about Gemma and Celeste. The two were a couple in college until the day Celeste simply disappeared from Gemma's life. After 8 years and a terrible breakup with Gemma's ex-boyfriend, the two women find themselves face to face again. They soon realize that their attraction to each other is just as strong as it was all those years ago. But can they make a fresh start after all this time? Or has too much changed?

The story is largely told from Gemma's point of view. Celeste only got a few chapters, which I thought was a bit of a shame. I would have liked it to have been a bit more balanced. I really liked both characters and I was very touched by the love story. And yes, I had tears in my eyes. My heart also broke a time or two. I not only liked the many emotions, but also the chemistry and the development of the two. The conversations were funny and with a lot of irony. Just my kind of humor and so I just flew through the audiobook.

There were two narrators, with Gemma's narrator having a much larger speaking part due to the story. I found both voices very suitable, even if I had to warm to Celeste's narrator first. But perhaps it was also because she had simply read so few chapters. Gemma's narrator in particular conveyed the emotions, sadness, love and jokes incredibly well.

I truely enjoyed the audiobook! It was so fun, so sweet and so touching.

Thank you NetGalley for an ALC of Love in Focus!

Thank you so much, NetGalley, for an ALC of Love in Focus!

I’ve read several M/M romances, but this was actually my first sapphic romance, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The second-chance + forced proximity storyline was beautifully done, and I loved that both FMCs were in their late 20s— as someone in their mid-30s I love reading about people around my age.

The emotional growth of both characters felt authentic, and I really appreciated how the story incorporated LGBTQIAP+ representation through the characters’ careers and writing/photography - especially during their work project. Their loved seemed so sweet and pure and it was awesome to see them finally give their love a second shot.

While not every aspect reflected my own experience, I felt truly honored to read the first traditionally published Korean American sapphic romance in the U.S., which is also the first Asian American sapphic adult romance published by a major publisher. Stories like this are so important, and I sincerely hope we continue to see more like it in literature for years to come.

Thank you to to Lyla Lee, Hachette Audio and Netgalley for the ARC of this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion

3.0 stars for the story.
3 stars for the narration.

Gemma and Celeste were college roommates who fell in love when life happened and they split up. Fast forward 8 years they are forced to work together on a project after not seeing each other since their breakup.
This book had so much potential but it just fell flat to me.
The characters didn’t have much depth. The story line kind of jumped around. The conflict of their first breakup in college was really frustrating.

Now to the narration.
The narrator that voiced Gemma did an amazing job! She was phenomenal. She voiced other characters really well and brought the story to life.
The narrator that voiced Celeste, her voice would be better as an older person. If there was an epilogue 50 years in the future, she would have been perfect to narrate that. But to me, she did not sound like a 30 year old: And her narration sounded a little choppy, hard cut offs on words with pauses. It’s hard to explain, but it is something that I noticed while listening.