I thought this was a cute second-chance workplace romance, but not particularly funny for something advertised as a rom-com. Most of the story is a first-person account from bisexual journalist Gemma Cho, although we get some scenes from the point of view of her college girlfriend and new partner on the job, lesbian photographer Celeste Min.

The characters were likable enough. Each occasionally made some frustrating decisions, but you can sort of understand why as you get to know them and how they’ve been shaped by past experiences. At times the story felt a bit like Sapphic Romance 101, but I thought that was kind of cute. I enjoyed the scenes where Celeste is coaching Gemma on how to give her sexual pleasure and they’re experimenting with toys. So many romances depict sex scenes that just go perfectly, even if one or both characters is a virgin, so it was nice to read something a bit more realistic.

I loved the scenes where Gemma and Celeste are working on the “Modern Love in Focus” project and thinking about their own relationship based on what they are hearing from the couples they interview. I also liked the glimpses of Korean culture, though I would have appreciated even more of that.

The audiobook production was excellent, and I enjoyed the dual narration by Natalie Naudus for Gemma’s point of view and Catherine Ho for Celeste’s point of view. Both narrators have good pacing and are easy to understand, and I thought their performances suited the characters. Keep in mind that some scenes are not safe for work or appropriate for children.

Thanks to Hachette Audio for providing me with a free advanced review copy of the audiobook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

rounded up to ⭐⭐⭐.5

Gemma found herself sleeping on her friends' couch when her seven-year relationship suddenly ended. Gemma felt unlucky in love. She felt that life was getting worse when she learned that she was going to be paired up with her ex, Celeste, for a possible career-changing project. Soon, they struggle to maintain a professional relationship.

💫second chance
💫sapphic
💫fake dating
💫dual POV

This was such a cute read! The characters were related, and the pacing and the story development were on point. I enjoyed the storyline of their work project. I loved the narration by Natalie Naudus, and Catherine Ho was perfect!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC.

Thanks NetGalley for the audiobook

Not going to lie, not sure if I'd have finished this if it wasn't on audiobook and I couldn't play it in the background. The main characters were both annoying, and the multi chapter sex scenes were a lot. While I loved the bi late 20s representation, both of her exes being shook to their core she started dating someone the opposite gender after the breakup is TRASH. Celeste particularly annoying for being shocked her ex she ghosted for months had moved on. "Every lesbian's worst nightmare their ex starts dating a man" YOUR GIRLFRIEND IS BI! She was bi the whole time! In all her relationships! You broke up with her, left the country and then didn't answer her messages for months! What are we even talking about here!

Also I'm not sure how old this author is but I was cracking up at the constant we're all so old, we need old people hobbies, we can't go to the clubs, we'll be ancient.

I truly enjoyed this Sapphic Romance, the reconnection, exes to lovers, HEA.

The characters were so good. I did find one narrator a bit slower paced than the other, but I still really enjoyed it!

The reconnection was fabulous. I was drawn in right from the cover and enjoyed the entire ALC!

Highly recommend!

This was a sweet book, my favorite part was the side characters. I love Natalie Naudus as a narrator, and listening to her was wonderful as always. The switch between narrators and pov (1st person for Gemma and 3rd for Celeste) took me a bit to get used to.

This was a cozy romantic book about second chances. I loved how Gemma’s struggles were portrayed in the book. I wish I could’ve read more about Celeste. Even though it was a dual POV, we didn’t have a lot of Celeste’s thoughts and history.
I liked the chemistry both characters had and Gemma’s friends.
Also, can we all agree we hate James?

Love in Focus is a heartfelt sapphic rom-com about Gemma, a relationship columnist, and her ex Celeste, a photographer, who reunite for a project that reignites old feelings. Lyla Lee offers engaging writing and authentic exploration of identity, healing, and queer love within a rich cultural setting. While the pacing is a bit fast, the story is a refreshing, emotional read for fans of inclusive romance.

Second chance romance, or finding out what you’re truly wanting out of love and life? I feel like truly this story could’ve been told 100% from Gemma’s perspective instead of being split. She was in a relationship that’s destroyed in one simple moment. So what happens when an old flame comes back into her life and she’s partnered together on a project? Sparks fly.

I enjoyed the growth that Gemma showed throughout the book. It takes her a bit of time to really get through her feelings on Celeste, and what she wants from her career. It felt like the project they were assigned to work together were what was truly accounted for her understanding on life and love in further ways.

Celeste was a little harder to truly grasp - whether because her POV’s were fewer or because she didn’t always come off as a narrator. Admittedly this could have also been due to listening to the audio and sometimes it felt like Catherine Ho wasn’t giving Celeste the full gamut of emotions. She did have her own moments of growth though.

It was interesting to get a bit of perspective from the lens of a Korean/American and familial expectations. That seemed to truly shape different ways that both Gemma and Celeste would approach pieces of themselves and what it meant to love each other.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC.

Love in Focus by Lyla Lee
Representation: Lesbian, Bisexual, Asian American

This sapphic contemporary romance definitely checks a lot of the boxes! I enjoyed my time with this story and these characters, though I wish the characters were a little more developed on page. We are told a bit more about who they are than seeing them develop on page. I think the story is good and well told, with an interesting take on a second chance romance. Overall though I did enjoy the story, and the narration in the audiobook is well done (particularly by Natalie Naudus.

Four Stars

*This ARC was provided by its publisher in audio format, with the expectation of a fair review. My opinion is my own and not influenced by any other factors.

Love in Focus was such a cute sapphic second chance romance! It follows Gemma, whose seven year relationship just abruptly ended, despite the fact that the two of them were engaged. Now Gemma's trying to figure out where to live and wondering exactly what went wrong while also taking on this really amazing opportunity at work to write an article entitled Love in Focus. The catch? The photographer she's been paired with is Celeste, who also happens to be her ex-girlfriend from college who one day just disappeared from Gemma's life.

I loved the way the work aspect of this job is truly what brought the two of them back together. I felt like getting to see these various couples talk about what love is to them and seeing how they love one another was such an important piece of this book. And actually, the sapphic elders? The best inclusion. In fact, one of the best aspects of this book was how much social commentary there was. I will say that the reason for the break up originally irritated me a bit, but I can see how college students could have made the decisions that led to this happening. All in all, I enjoyed this one and I hope that you will too!

As for the audiobook, I loved the narrator for Gemma, but didn't vibe quite as much with Celeste. I hate when the tempo of the narrators doesn't match because then the speed you read a book at feels like you need to switch between narration styles. However, there aren't as many chapters from Celeste's POV/narrator so it wasn't too big of a deal for me. That's obviously a personal problem, so hopefully you will enjoy the entire audiobook if you were to pick it up!

“You don’t have to be this flawless goddess to date me

I discovered Love in Focus through its audio version, and I absolutely loved the narrators’ work on it. They gave life to the characters, even to the LI (which was more difficult, see below), and made the listening easy.
Unfortunately, some “misspokes” from the LI at the beginning of the book about their first relationship made it difficult for me to get completely invested in this story, especially as it isn’t truly addressed later. That was a disappointment, especially regarding the book’s dedication. I loved how the characters’ origins shaped some of their difficulties in the relationship and their breakup, then in their evolution.
What I don’t understand, however, is the author’s choice to write Gemma 1st person and Celeste 3rd (but still “focalised”). It got me out of the story most of the time and didn’t help to have empathy for Celeste (even though that feeling was softened by the narrator), and I truly couldn’t find why the author made this decision.
That’s a pity because the story was cute and has some of my fav’ tropes, like second chances, forced proximity roommates, or a photographer as MC. Speaking about this, the article Gemma and Celeste have to work on together was especially cute, and all these moments when they interview diverse couples –and (re)assess their own relationship– were my absolute fav in the book, as finally feelings made all their sense.

Thank you to the author and Hachette audio for the ALC. My opinions are my own.

I needed something sweet and this was amazing. I loved reading all about Gemma and Celeste’s second chance at finding and (hopefully) sustaining their spark! It was refreshing to see a bi person being the focus of a story. It was very cool to see representation for bi girls having full relationships with both genders.

well... shock to see that this second chance sapphic romance book has (ex) friends-to-benefits trope at the last 30% of the book...

aside from that, i'm tired at both characters. for gemma, she said that she didn't want to talk about james; her ex-fiancé, but she stills talking about his ex chapter per chapter. celeste on the other hand, that one chapter for the last modern love in focus interview is the reason why she and gemma got <spoiler>miscommunication FOR YEARS. of course, some of the pop terms mentioned sooo...

but the only positive comment about this is the concept of modern love in focus interview. i admire some of the interviewers

for the audiobook, i'm in awe to hear natalie naudus' voice again (since i've her since kiss her once for me). and yep, still love her narration. catherine ho however, also great narration, but some of the character's voices sounded the same. overall, it's okay

Normally I'm not a huge fan of second chance romance but I still wanted to give it a chance and I loved it. It was sweet and had a cozy vibe to it. This story is not just about finding back to each other, but also about learning more about themselves. Both Gemma and Celeste had some things they had to work out for themselves.

One thing I didn't like that much about the book was the missing communication. They did talk to each other but so many things could have been different if they just talked. It was still a cute and fun story and I loved the workplace dynamic.

The narrator did a good job. She really captivated me in the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forver Audio for this Audio-ARC!

A cute second chance romance, revisiting an old college love when put together on a work assignment, after not seeing each other in almost a decade, and being ghosted.

The audio of this was fantastic. I loved both of the narrators and how clear it was to distinguish each character from each other. While the book did seem to favor Gemma's POV heavily, it was great to have the little glimpses into Celeste's mind. The dual narration really provided clarity between the characters, and I enjoyed that aspect. The narrators brought the characters to life and I do highly recommend listening!

Into the plot - I did enjoy the second chance romance, coming from a workplace scenario after not speaking for almost a decade. Gemma is coming out of a 7 year relationship when she is paired with her ex, the only woman she's dated, to work on a series about people in love. We dive into their previous relationship a bit, hearing how it ended from both of their perspectives, some of what it was like for that near year they were together, and a bit of life afterwards. They get closer with the assignment and decide that maybe they can just be FWBs. Neither is looking for anything serious right now.

My biggest issue with this book is that fairly early on there is a biphobic comment, that just gave me the ick moving forward. Celeste mentions that Gemma moved on quickly, and with a man, which is a lesbian's worst nightmare. While she has every right to be upset that the person she had planned a life with has moved on quickly, the comment about it being with a man is an issue. It's never addressed again, and is one throw away line, but I was disappointed to hear that it made it to the final cut.

Overall, I did enjoy the book and getting to see how Celeste and Gemma have grown individually, and why they're more compatible now with this additional life experience.

Thank you to the publisher for an ALC!

I adore Lyla Lee she is has written my favorite YA contemporary of all times (I'll Be the One) so when she announced her Adult debut it was a no brainer I was going to pick it up. While this wasn't my favorite of her books I did have a good time reading it! I loved how realistic the story felt. Our characters are both different from one another but both have such relatability to them that I couldn't help but love them. The relationship while it was cute wasn't my favorite. I feel like they both could have communicated better. I also just wanted a bit more from it but I think that's more of a me issue. The spice was spicy and it was well written. There were a little more spice scenes than I usually enjoy but that's fine. This book reads incredibly fast, It's so fast paced (we all know I love a good fast paced book!). Second chance romance is slowly becoming one of my new favorite tropes.

Overall It's a really fast paced, cute, spicy, sapphic romance. It's a really strong debut in my opinion! Would absolutely recommend as a quick read for a readathon!

The audiobook was fantastic! I loved the dual narration.

Love in Focus was a sweet, sapphic romance that didn't blow me away but still left me giggling. The chemistry from both the main characters felt genuine. The forced proximity and forced participation after not seeing each other in nearly a decade was wonderful. These two were soulmates, and they knew they couldn't help but to fall back in love after their first semi-drunken kiss. Celeste and Gemma rekindled their relationship with such ease.

<3 Tropes
▪︎ Sapphic romance
▪︎ Second change romance
▪︎ Forced proximity
▪︎ Workplace romance

If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if an early 2000s rom-com met a queer millennial crisis—with a splash of real-life heartbreak, cultural nuance, and the world’s spiciest reunion—Love in Focus is that book.

This story follows Gemma, a romantically-skeptical writer who’s just been dumped after seven years by a man who didn’t even bother with a decent explanation. Oof. With her love life in shambles and nowhere to live, she throws herself into a major project at work, only to find out she’ll be partnering with her ex-girlfriend, Celeste. You know, the one who ghosted her in college via a single, sad little breakup text. Casual.

What Gemma doesn’t know is that Celeste didn’t ghost because she stopped caring. She left to take care of her sick mom in Korea, sacrificing her own heart in the process. Now, years later, fate, and some workplace proximity, forces them to reckon with what happened…and what could still be.

Tropes? We got ‘em:
✅ Second chance romance
✅ Forced proximity
✅ Sapphic soulmates
✅ Columnist meets photographer
✅ Sweet with a heavy dash of spice

The chemistry between Gemma and Celeste is electric, full of lingering glances, simmering tension, and some truly blush-worthy scenes. (Seriously. I listened at 2.25x speed like a degenerate and still managed to gasp out loud.)

But it’s not just about the heat, it’s also a story about healing, identity, and the beautiful messiness of queer love across cultures and generations. Through the interviews Gemma and Celeste conduct for their joint assignment, we get poignant insights into how queerness intersects with race, family, and community. Celeste’s Korean-American background and her choices around duty vs. desire hit especially hard.

Yes, there are a few moments where the book dips into slightly cliché territory (Beyoncé shoutouts and zodiac signs abound), and some queer themes are over-explained for the audience. But if you’re sapphic and into star signs, you’re probably just nodding along anyway.

Narration-wise? Flawless. Natalie Naudus and Catherine Ho bring Gemma and Celeste to life with so much heart and clarity you could swear you were listening to two old friends navigating love in real time.

Love in Focus is a heartwarming, slow-burn, laugh-out-loud queer romance that isn’t afraid to get vulnerable OR spicy. Whether you’re in it for the Clementine-colored couch, the “will-they-won’t-they” tension, or the joy of watching two flawed people find their way back to each other, this one’s a total win.

3.5 Stars. I love the cover of this book and found the story to be cute enough but I just wanted there to be something more. I thought it had great intersectional representation of both being queer and being asian. I found it a bit odd to have a character be a villain but then not do anything with him. I also wish there was as stronger HEA on page.
I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narration by Natalie Naudus and Catherine Ho

This was an adorable second chance rom-com that just left me with all the feel goods. When Gemma's boyfriend of sever years suddenly breaks up with her she finds herself a bit adrift. Crashing at her friends apartment just trying to figure out life. Then one night she goes out to have a good time and runs into Celeste, her college girlfriend who went home to Seoul and as far as Gemma knew, never came back. Now here she is right in front of Gemma in San Francisco! Gemma never expected to see Celeste again, nor to immedietly feel the same attraction she had back then. The fun keeps coming when the 2 women realize they're going to be working together on the SAME project. This book will give you all the angsty longing, second chance satisfaction, and witty banter you could ever hope for in a Rom-Com. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!