Love in Focus by Lyla Lee is a second chance sapphic romance that’s equal parts heartfelt, spicy, and visually rich.

When Gemma Cho, a relationship columnist, gets dumped by her fiancée of seven years, she’s ready to give up on love... until her latest assignment pairs her with Celeste Min, a world-famous photographer… and the ex who once broke her heart. Forced to work together, old feelings resurface and sparks fly, blurring the lines between work and romance.

I related so much to Gemma, especially the lost, gutted feeling after a long-term relationship ends. That emotional turmoil was written so realistically, it hit really close to home. As someone who’s read a lot of contemporary romance, I’ll admit this was my first spicy sapphic romance, and wow. Consider my worldview expanded. The chemistry? Off the charts. The steamy scenes? SPICY in all the best ways.

That said, some of the dialogue veered a little cringey for me, and the switch in POV styles (first person for Gemma, third person for Celeste) felt jarring at times. But the audiobook was a real standout, the narrators captured both characters perfectly and brought the story to life.

Overall, this was a cute and fun romance that brought a fresh perspective to the genre and gave me all the right feels, even if a few parts didn’t fully land for me.

Hachette Audio have provided an ALC for this review.

Did you ever wonder about the one who got away? Have someone who you were convinced was the one, only to be dumped with no explanation, never to see them again? What if you did see them again? What would you do if that person just suddenly appeared, like a ghost, after almost a decade? How would you react, what would you say?

This is exactly the dilemma that arises for Gemma Cho, when she and her first girlfriend, her college ex, the woman she thought she was going to spend her life with, Celeste Min, are brought together by the magazine she works for, for a make or break feature project.

Gemma's also been freshly been dumped by her fiancée of 7 years. So, she's staying on her best friend's couch and feeling at her lowest since Celeste left her with no explanation.

Love in Focus deals very deftly with issues of coming out in Korean culture, which traditionally still does not accept same sex partnerships, and marriages not yet legalized in Korea. The book also handled the second chance romance very well, considering the situations of both women since their breakup and during their ensuing relationship with great care and integrity.

The spicy scenes in this book were very well done, and I really enjoyed how it showed Gemma's growth from what was her timid nature during their original relationship in college, to now being nearly 30 and being much more confident in herself and her sexuality.

While I was not familiar with either narrator prior to listening this audiobook, it seemed that the one voicing Gemma’s chapters seemed more seasoned. As she was the primary point of view in the book, was given the role to be able to lend the more deft vocal performer the larger task.

Overall score 4.25/5 stars

🇬🇧 Review in english and french / 🇫🇷 Avis en anglais et en français

🇬🇧 I completely fell in love with this cozy romance that breaks away from the usual tropes, and the audiobook experience truly elevated my enjoyment. The narrator who voices Gemma is outstanding—she brings each character to life with such subtlety that it feels like every character has their own voice actor. It's immersive, vibrant, and above all, deeply engaging. Gemma herself is an incredibly endearing main character: vulnerable, curious, and on a journey of self-discovery that we follow with real emotion.
Special mention goes to the voice actress for Celeste as well, who brings a refreshing shift in tone and makes the interactions between the two leads even more captivating.

I loved the pop culture references (yes, Jujutsu Kaisen, I saw you 👀) and the way Korean culture is highlighted—both through physical descriptions and cultural traditions.

One small drawback: chapters from Celeste’s point of view are few and always written in third person. Switching from Gemma’s intimate first-person narration to this more distant perspective can be a little jarring, even if it makes sense given the story's strong focus on Gemma.

The plot itself is brilliant—Gemma and Celeste actually take the time to talk, to work through important issues. There are no endless dramatic misunderstandings here—their communication is honest, clear, and creates an emotional tension that’s perfectly balanced. The end genuinely caught me off guard (which rarely happens in romance!), and some of the answers given by the couples interviewed for Gemma’s project moved me deeply—I almost shed a tear…

This is a soft, introspective romance with a lovely blend of tenderness and realism. It may not appeal to everyone, especially those who prefer fast-paced stories, as a large part of the narrative unfolds inside Gemma’s mind as she gets to know herself. But for me, that’s exactly what made this book so special.

💖 A cozy, heartfelt gem—gentle, sensitive, and profoundly human.

🇫🇷 J’ai eu un véritable coup de cœur pour cette romance cozy qui sort des sentiers battus, et l’expérience audio a vraiment sublimé ma lecture. La narratrice qui prête sa voix à Gemma est exceptionnelle : elle donne vie à chaque personnage avec une telle nuance qu’on a presque l’impression que chaque rôle est doublé par une personne différente. C’est immersif, vivant, et surtout, très attachant. Gemma, d’ailleurs, est un personnage principal qu’on ne peut s’empêcher d’aimer : vulnérable, curieuse, en pleine exploration d’elle-même… on suit son cheminement intérieur avec beaucoup d’émotion.
Mention spéciale aussi à la doubleuse de Céleste, qui apporte un vrai changement de ton bienvenu et rend les échanges entre les deux protagonistes encore plus captivants.

J’ai adoré les références pop culture (oui, Jujutsu Kaisen, on t’a vu 👀) et la manière dont la culture coréenne est mise en avant, aussi bien dans les descriptions physiques que dans les traditions évoquées.

Un petit bémol cependant : les chapitres du point de vue de Céleste sont rares, et toujours racontés à la troisième personne. Passer de la première personne très intime de Gemma à cette narration plus distante peut être un peu perturbant, même si cela garde une certaine cohérence avec le fait que l’histoire reste très centrée sur Gemma.

L’intrigue en elle-même est brillante : Gemma et Céleste prennent réellement le temps de se parler, de discuter des choses importantes. Ici, pas de malentendus dramatiques à la chaîne – leur communication est fluide, honnête, et ça crée une tension émotionnelle incroyablement bien dosée. Certaines révélations m’ont prise par surprise (ce qui est rare dans une romance !) et certaines réponses que donne les couples interviewés pour le projet de Gemma m’ont profondément touchée – j’ai failli verser une larme…

C’est une romance douce, introspective, avec une belle dose de tendresse et de réalisme. Elle ne plaira peut-être pas à tout le monde, notamment à celles et ceux qui préfèrent les histoires très rythmées, car une grande partie du récit se déroule dans la tête de Gemma pendant qu’elle se découvre peu à peu. Mais pour moi, c’était justement ce qui rendait ce roman aussi spécial.

💖 Une pépite cozy, sensible, et profondément humaine.

ALC Review: Love in Focus by Lyla Lee
My rating: 2.5 ⭐️

Love in Focus has some cute, well-executed moments and a strong premise, but it ultimately felt a bit like taking a photo with a scratched lens. The subject might be interesting, but the final portrait comes out muted and unclear.

I kept trying to put my finger on why this second chance romance didn’t land for me the way others have. I think—unfortunately—it’s the chemistry, or the lack thereof. For a second chance to work, you need to believe in that first attempt: the spark that brought them together, and the thread that pulls them back. Celeste and Gemma felt… fine. But nothing in their reunion—or the glimpses into their past—suggested any real pull between them.

Gemma, the central FMC, is abruptly dumped by her (male) fiancé and ends up couch surfing while trying to finish a major work project. Celeste, the ex-girlfriend who ghosted her eight years ago, is brought in to photograph the project. I liked Gemma’s forward momentum, but her motivations and some of her decisions felt underdeveloped, which made it hard for me to stay invested.

Celeste, on the other hand, was more intriguing—but I was pulled out of her POV by the jarring switch between first and third person. Honestly, I wonder if this story might’ve worked better with no POV chapters for Celeste at all—if we had gotten to know her purely through Gemma’s eyes, she might’ve felt more compelling and enigmatic.

That said, a few things did work for me: the rep is stellar (Asian, LGBTQ+), and some moments are beautifully written—briefly bringing color back into the story. I also really enjoyed Gemma’s narrator in the audiobook; she’s dynamic and engaging throughout.

Overall, I think others might enjoy this more than I did. For a light listen, especially in audio, there are things to like. But it wasn’t a hit for me.

📚Book Review📚
Book: Love in Focus

Love in Focus is a second chance romance about Gemma and Celeste reconnecting after several years. Gemma is a fantastic FMC - she is strong, bold, funny, and empathetic. My favorite part of this book was honestly watching her grow and find the life that wanted. It was also refreshing to see such an emphasis on the cultural background of the two main characters and how that played into their daily life and really added a new depth to the characters.

My only critique of this book was that it felt a bit fast paced, and it would have been nice to explore the relationship from Celeste’s point of view a bit more especially prior to reconnecting.

The narrators for this audiobook were absolutely incredible as they brought a lot of emotion into telling the story of this book - they laughed with the main characters, sounded just as shocked as them, and really gave each character their own voice.


Thank you very much to Lyla Lee, Net Galley, and Hachette Audio for the ALC.


#LoveinFocus #NetGalley

3.5 stars.

cute but not anything life changing! i loved the queer asian rep, and how although this was a second chance romance it didn’t overuse the miscommunication trope (the cause of their first break up back in college).

the catalyst of this book is that gemma’s fiancé suddenly ends things after seven years together, and then she ends up working on a project on modern love with her college ex that she hasn’t seen since they suddenly moved out of the country. gemma’s ex was such a villain and this plotline had such potential for angst and heartache but it was so underutilized?? i’m still confused by that.

loved the narrator for gemma’s pov, but celeste’s wasn’t my favorite. her narration just fell a little flat for me.

overall, a cute cozy story that i really enjoyed! it didn’t quite live up to it’s potential but it was still worth the read.

many thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Forever Publishing for the ALC!

DNF @ 44%

the biphobic AF comment at the 15% REALLY threw me for a loop, even though i had heard from other ARC/ALC readers that there was such a line.

the line reads: <spoiler>“…only to discover that gemma had not only moved on, but she’d moved on with a man. a lesbians worst nightmare.”</spoiler>

i truly hope this is taken out of the final edition because WTF?!! the fact that the author is bi herself makes me confused. AND!! this quote is literally said right after celeste (the character who says this) mentions her best friend is a bi man…. LIKE HUH??????

outside of that line, i ended up DNFing because i truly won’t care for either MC but especially celeste. she’s not only biphobic, but also gets mad at gemma for blocking her on social media after she broke up with gemma OVER TEXT and left the country without telling gemma…. like hypocritical much? like yes, i agree that gemma was *quick* with it by blocking her and yeah, that was a little immature, but she was also only like 21/22 so it tracks.

all in all, i was just disappointed with this one and don’t care enough about the characters to finish or the storyline to continue as a hate read. i do not recommend.

I took one look at this cover and knew I wanted to listen. Add in Natalie Naudus performing, and I was sold. I love Natalie's voice, and she did not disappoint. She was the perfect Gemma. She performs the bulk of the book and it was engaging, each character is distinctive. Catherine Ho was a new voice for me, and I did enjoy her performance of Celeste, although it was only a handful of chapters. At times, I did feel like she sounded a little older than the character was supposed to be, but otherwise, a solid and enjoyable performance. I'll definitely look out for more from her.
This is a second chance, started off as roommates, sapphic romance, and it does not disappoint. Gemma is bisexual, and I loved how that was represented in this story, as well as the Korean cultural representation. We really get immersed in Gemma and Celeste's world and it was a joy. Celeste did frustrate me a little towards the end, as her actions and her words/ thoughts seemed to be a contradiction. However, the only real issue was that Celeste's chapters, although sparse, were in third person, whereas Gemma's were in first, and there wasn't really an indication as to why and it didn't feel necessary—especially in audio—and did take me out of the story a little.

This was a cute story! This is also my first book by this author and I loved how she incorporated their cultures and this sapphic love story. The reasoning between them going their separate ways was not what I expected, that fell flat for me. I did enjoy their rekindling since it was through their jobs and neither one of them expected it. It had its moments that had you in your feels but overall didn’t grab my attention like I thought.

Love in Focus was a lot of fun! A cute, sapphic second-chance romance with some very entertaining side characters. I especially adored the dynamic between Gemma and her friends Val and Kiara—honestly, I probably would’ve enjoyed the book even more if it had centered around them.

Celeste, on the other hand… was kind of annoying. Actually, very annoying. She never really took responsibility for her actions, which came off as childish and immature. While the story itself was cute, it definitely left a lot to be desired. That said, I’m looking forward to seeing what Lyla Lee writes next and how her voice continues to grow!

Thank you Forever for the alc/arc of this super story! The dual narration on the audio was spectacular!

so thank you for the ARC of the audio book. the only reason I couldn't finish it sooner, the net gally app wasn't working quite right when I got it.

also as far as ARC goes, the chapters in the audio book ARC is off. I don't know if it's because 2 people were reading it or not, but that's a minor glitch



so trigger warnings are a must when u start this book. it's a bit tough at first (ad an older millional who hasn't "dated or had that real spark yet, or severely under employeed it can be a bit trigging....(my problem not yours just saying)

that being said though, if someone told me how to describe love in focus, it's the best representation of a hallmark movie playing in your head (in the best possible way)


even the couch got a name, and the cat had a personality! we *k pop fingers* burrito 🌯 he's so cute!

also the love for k pop and soul is amazing! the perfect listen for Ahm!


also I've never been to sf and I want to check out every place u describe...you should put out a travel guide!

also very inspiring

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever, Hachette Audio & Lyla Lee for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a cute second chance, FF, workplace romance. There was no denying the MCs physical chemistry. The spice spiced nicely. I was a little taken aback by Celeste's biphobia. I find it hard to wrap my mind around how severely Celeste ghosted Gemma, yet Gemma needs to apologize for moving on? In that regard- the long term miscommunication trope is a little distracting. But if you don't overthink it- it's fun tale. The ex fiance infuriated me.. "blow off steam with HER but still in love with you.." MEN!

Dual narration was phenomenal. Both female presenting narrators have distinctly different voices and it was simple to differentiate mentally between the two.

This was such a refreshing read and actually pretty good. I know I know “but you rated it 3 ⭐️” it was good but to me it was not great I didn’t enjoy it but I didn’t love it but that’s my personal opinion. I know both main characters dated previously but I felt this was a little rushed. The first 25% and the last 15% I did love but again it just didn’t hit the mark for me there was a little confusion but it could have been something on my part. For this being the authors first published book this is great for her !! I do recommend if you’re looking for
- second chance
- FF
- workplacishh (if you read you’ll get it)
- spice 🌶️
- forced proximity

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review !!

The dual narration in the audiobook brought Gemma and Celeste’s voices to life so well—it added depth and really pulled me into their story. I especially appreciated the authentic sapphic rep; my personal story resonated quite a bit within this novel!

I did wish Celeste’s chapters were longer, and her treatment of Gemma frustrated me at times. Still, the chemistry, spice, and emotional tension made this a quick, engaging listen. Highly recommend the audio for fans of fun, heartfelt sapphic romance!

This second chance sapphic romance can be described in one word- CUTE. Sometimes you just want a cute little romance to dive into and it's so refreshing to see sapphic multicultural representation. A late 20's second chance situationship is so real. I love to see older than 18year old FMCs. Dual point of views. Development in FMCs professional careers. Queer representation. Multicultural representation. Cute banter.

Spice Level: 2/5 Open Door

Gemma is a love advice columnist who is set to work on a project with a world renowned photographer. Gemma is shocked to find out that the world renowned photographer is the woman who left her almost a decade ago, Celeste. The time they spend on the article, photographing and interviewing couples who have been married for various amounts of time, they explore the time they had together and what could have been. Are they able to recreate the love in front of them or will history repeat itself?

This review is a little difficult for me because I listened to this book. I feel that if I would have read the book instead of listened to it, my rating would be a little different. Storywise, it gave me what I wanted. Characters pining after one another and that one thing holding them back that may or may not pay off in the end.

Where it lacked for me was in the narration. Natalie Naudus read for Gemma and Catherine Ho read for Celeste. Natalie was lively and gave a lot of inflection in her voice with different moods for Gemma. The same was not done for Celeste with Catherine Ho. I almost dreaded Celeste chapters because they were really slow and so monone, honestly a little hard to get through. These are my own opinions so others may disagree but for me, I would rather read this than listen to it.

This is the first time that I’ve felt so represented in a book. The unique mix of Korean culture, familial expectations, Korean American culture, and search for self-identity was fascinating and so true to many of our experiences in the sapphic, BIPOC, and bisexual communities. Natalie and Catherine were perfect as Gemma and Celeste! Highly recommend the audiobook for the additional nuance and fantastic Korean phrases 💜

Ideal for readers who enjoy emotionally charged LGBTQIA+ romance stories exploring themes of second chances and personal growth through close proximity and rekindled connections.

Love in Focus is a sweet and thoughtful second-chance sapphic romance that I really enjoyed.
There’s a lot of emotion and history between the characters, and I liked how the story gave them space to unpack it. Their shared work also becomes a way for them to rediscover themselves and each other. The ending is great, its hopeful but not perfectly tied up, which is quite realistic.
The romance itself feels very real. It’s not simple or idealized—life commitments, emotional baggage, and personal growth all make their journey back to each other more complex and authentic. I appreciated how the story didn’t shy away from those messier parts of being exes and reconnecting. I found the exploration of how comforting it can be to be with someone who shares your cultural background, while also highlighting how individual upbringings can still lead to misunderstandings realistic.
I found the dual POV structure particularly interesting—Gemma’s chapters are in first person, while Celeste’s are in third. This contrast adds depth, especially as we see how differently each woman processes their shared history. The story also represents queerness in a way that is not cliché and it shows how ‘normal’ the feelings of love and complexities around a relationship are regardless of the genders.
The audiobook narration was well done, I really enjoyed Gemma’s POV narrator. That said, I found the narrator for Celeste a little flat at times, especially since the character is explained as being confident and composed. However, Celeste’s POV reveals a more vulnerable, introspective side, which balances that out.
Overall, Love in Focus isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s heartfelt and insightful. If you’re curious about bisexual relationships or the ways culture and past experiences shape who we are and how we love, this book offers a genuine and accessible look. I would recommend it!

I really wanted to love this one. And the story was really cute. I adore Natalie Naudus and I think she did a fantastic job narrating Gemma. I do however think with the point of view of Celeste, being in third person, the second narrator was not necessary. She was very monotone and very, very slow to the point where between point of views I needed to change the speed of the book multiple times I feel it made Celeste character less likable. Additionally, Celeste being biphobic was a really weird take, and having all these stereotypes about lesbians makes the author also seem lesphobic. All in all it was a cute plot line but it was lacking some love for the queer community.