**What I Liked:**
Both audiobook narrators were very good.

The writing was objectively pretty good.

The story was cute.

I like the cover.

The characters are both Korean and I enjoyed the cultural aspects and food references. Also interesting to hear about the characters experiences as queer Korean people.

**What I did not like:**
Gemma's chapters are first person POV; Celeste's are in third person. I found that weird.

The reason for breaking up was really tenuous. I didn't really understand either of their reasoning there. Celeste completely ghosted Gemma after dumping her by text (for no reason) and then was annoyed when Gemma moved on - she had no right IMO.

I didn't really enjoy the bit where they were interviewing random couples about love. Some of the responses were really cheesy, and the whole thing was sort of irrelevant… random couples who I have never met before, and won't meet again.

**What I Hated**
A third act breakup because “you've never been single”, which lasts for months. And all the following therapy speak.

3.5 STARs
This a cute second-chance romance that blends emotional depth with a hint of K-drama-style slow burn. The author’s exploration of queer identity within Korean culture adds meaningful nuance, and Gemma’s voice—both as a character and in narration—felt especially vivid and relatable. The dual POV structure added interest, though Celeste’s third-person chapters often felt a little bit distant and less emotionally grounded. I think this weakened the overall connection to her character.
It was very sweet. And though I struggled with the tone in Celeste’s POV she became my favorite character. I think if you enjoy the K-drama-style slow burn where the characters take their time to come together, then I think you’ll enjoy this.

I received an Audio Arc from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. In terms of Gemma’s narrator I think the narrator did an amazing job in capturing the character and emotions. While Celeste’s narrator had a beautiful tone, it did sound a bit monotone and lacked emotional texture. I think this is due to how Celeste is told through a third person POV. It did feel like it was a completely different book. Again, the narrator’s voice as great, but the tone and pace because of the POV through me off a bit.

This was a cute book.

The characters were fun, the plot was fun. It seemed like something that could have happened to any of my friends. I know college kids have a habit of rebounding hard with someone new.

I loved that the main character was 29. There are so many books about younger characters, and 29 is a nice breath of air. Not every character has to be 18-23 (although that is a bigger issue in fantasy books than romance).

It loses a star because it doesn’t have anything too memorable. I liked the book, I didn’t love it. Not too much happened. It wasn’t ground breaking.

I had the audiobook, and the narrator was great! She made it easy to listen too, and it is a quick read.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ALC. all options are my own.

Love in Focus was a fun, sweet and at times heart achey novel that really captured how it feels to navigate love while also coming to terms with the things you need to face and cope with within yourself .

I really loved how imperfect our main characters were, and I loved how their relationship blossomed. Everything felt really real and relatable, and I found the ending to be super happy and satisfying! Another excellent read from Lyla Lee.

When her seven-year long relationship suddenly falls apart, relationship advice columnist Gemma Cho is convinced that real love doesn’t exist. As a bisexual woman who’s had zero luck with both men and women, she’s ready to give up on her own romantic prospects when she gets paired up with Celeste Min, a world-renowned photographer, on a highly visual, potentially career-saving piece on modern love.
Oh, and Celeste happens to be her college sweetheart who left her without giving a reason 8 years ago...

Love in Focus isn't a bad book by any means, but I finished it yesterday and all I remember is two women pining for each other from page one (and years back), clearly attracted to each other and full of chemistry, yet constantly finding dumb excuses not to get together...

On top of that, it's a "dual POV" with one of them having maybe 8% of the POVs and the other having 92%... I did not see the point... A single POV would have made the story a little more susppenseful, not knowing if Celeste was actually interested or if there was a reason for her keeping her distance... But no, we get to see that they're both feeling the exact same and they both find dumb excuse not to get together.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 ⭐

This was a wonderful read and I loved the chemistry between Celeste and Gemma! If anything, I just wanted more! I want to know more in-depth about each of them, their families, lives, etc. Each narrator did an amazing job of bringing each character to life. I also adored the 'Love in Focus' project the two leads worked on, and getting to know each couple and family! I love love!! I can't wait to read more of Lyla Lee's books!

This book delivered on all of its promises. A cute (sexy) sapphic romance full of pining, passion, and emotional baggage. It had all of the elements of a sapphic romance I look for—especially in the more spicy scenes. The tension was palatable between these two and I love how it played out on page. Their emotions were explored well, and we got a lot of depth from these characters. I enjoyed the read for the most part.

With all that being said, I did have a big problem with one of the Celeste’s internal dialogue moments. When describing her past with Gemma and how upset she was to see that in the time she had been gone, she had moved on so quickly. On its own that wouldn’t have been a problem, but then Celeste says something along the lines of “…and she moved on with a man, a lesbian’s worst nightmare.” Not only is that dangerously close if not blatantly biphobic, it’s weird and not true (please give lesbians more credit than that). It also had no real bearing on the story considering that’s not why Celeste stays single or why she is now wary of romance—which IS explained and makes a lot of sense! So that makes that comment so much more unnecessary and confusing. The book could have done without it.

I would have rated this book between a 4-5, but honestly that line left stuck a gross taste in my mouth it was hard to get past. I am not sure how comfortable I am recommending it.

Love in Focus by Lyla Lewis a fun, Sapphic romcom with forced proximity, second chance, friends to lovers, and workplace romance tropes. I really enjoyed so much about this story, including both FMCs. Three elements did bother me: This is dual POV, in both first and third person. I didn’t really feel like enough of the story focused on establishing the couple’s chemistry and relationship together. And most egregious to me was that Gemma moving on after the sudden unexplained departure and 6 months of silence from Celeste is treated as an equivalent or greater offense, leading to Celeste repeatedly using it as an excuse not to trust Gemma. Still a very good story, and I look forward to more from this author. Natalie Naudus was amazing as the primary, first person narrator. I was not as big a fan of Catherine Ho’s performance, but perhaps that was partly because it was so jarring that her parts were in third person.

Thank you to NetGalley @netgalley , Hachette Audio @hachetteaudio and Lyla Lee @authorlylalee for this audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review. Love in Focus is very reminiscent of early 2000s romcoms, but make it sapphic. Natalie Naudus and Catherine Ho do an amazing job at bringing these characters to life, and their contrasting styles of narration make it clear on the perspective. Their narration is clear and emotive - so much so that, as a crazy person, I could still follow this at 2.5x and 3x speed.

Regarding the plot, I was expecting it to be more predictable than it was. The conclusion does feel a little rushed, but I do love the development and focus on self-love, too.
The only issue I had was the referral to sapphic stereotypes (zodiac signs, Beyonce, moving in together) and over-explanation of queer issues. However, to a non-queer audience, this may not be as apparent (or queer people who love both zodiac signs and Beyonce lol).

Nonetheless, I loved the exploration into queerness across different generations, which manifests itself through the interviews that Gemma and Celeste do for their interviews. Also, I thought the exploration of intersectional factors such as culture and race with queer identities was important and added an extra depth to the story, especially with Celeste's character.

Okay.... for the part you've all been waiting for... the spice.... WOW, just WOW. Now, I like a nice balance of spice and plot in my books, and feel spice in romance books can sometimes be too much. I did not feel this way with 'Love in Focus'. If anything, I wanted more because WOW. I loved the build up to them actually fucking and when they did AHHHHH. This one had me BLUSHING while listening, especially the str@/p scene... WOWZA!!

Safe to say, this one was a hit with me and I think it could be for you too!
This is an ADULT Sapphic romance and this can be your on May 27 !! I know I will definitely be picking up a physical copy <3

3 stars.

I love second-chance romance when it’s done well, but I genuinely don’t think it was executed correctly in this case. I mean, you’re telling me Celeste ended their relationship abruptly, without any explanation or communication, and that was it? How could Gemma possibly have felt about that?

Not only that but let’s throw her now current ex James, who also abruptly left her, confessed to cheating, and expects Gemma to accept that?

Too much was going on for me that the feeling between Gemma and Celeste throughout the book didn’t even feel genuine.

Queer, Asian love story? Sign me up. Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review 🎧
This was a sweet, second-chance sapphic romance that stood out for its representation. As a bisexual Asian American reader, I really appreciated seeing both queer and Asian cultural experiences centered in a way that felt authentic and affirming. I related to a lot of Gemma’s experiences, and I loved how her identity was explored throughout the story.
The audiobook narration was a bit of a mixed bag. The narrator for Gemma’s POV brought good energy, but Celeste’s chapters (told in third person) felt noticeably flatter and more monotone. It didn’t ruin the experience for me, but it also didn’t enhance it much either. That said, the story is easy to follow and would make a solid listen for anyone looking for a lighter audiobook to enjoy while multitasking.
As for the romance itself, I found it enjoyable but not especially gripping. While the chemistry was there at times (and yes, the spice delivered), I didn’t find myself fully rooting for Gemma and Celeste. Some of Celeste’s inner monologue and comments rubbed me the wrong way. Particularly one moment that felt dismissive of Gemma’s bisexuality. It wasn’t enough to turn me off the book, but it did affect my overall investment in their dynamic.
Overall, Love in Focus is a cute, inclusive romance that delivers on representation and steamy moments, even if the emotional depth didn’t always land for me. I’d still recommend it to readers looking for a fun sapphic read with a culturally grounded perspective.

If you're looking for a quick sapphic pool read, this will probably tick your boxes.

What the book is:
🔘 A first person, dual POV narrative that is mostly told by recently single, bisexual, advice columnist Gemma Cho. The other POV is Celeste Min, photographer and Gemma's college ex that has not moved past their relationship in the 10 years they've been out of each other's lives.
🔘 A formulaic, predictable, and reliable romance novel. In this case, I don't think that the audiobook enhanced the book.
🔘 A second-chance romance (my favorite trope) that didn't quite hit the spot for me. While I know that everyone experiences love and relationships differently, it just really didn't make sense to me that Celeste and Gemma were together for a year in college and we're meant to believe that their relationship was simultaneously so intense that they still carry deep feelings for each other after 10 years of no contact, yet not intense enough to justify a conversation or explanation before disappearing from each other's lives 10 years prior.
🔘 I appreciated the diversity in this novel and that the MCs are both Korean and shared the city of SF (one of my faves) through a perspective different than my own.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Hachette Audio | Forever!

I thought this was such a cute romance! I love the queer Asian rep, and while one character felt a little less fleshed out than the other, I did enjoy it.

This was a fun listen! The characters were loveable. The romance was so good. The narration was amazing! It was the perfect comfort read during a stressful week! Highly recommend

First, thank you to Forever Pub and Lyla Lee for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

How do you define love?! My heart guys! Gemma and Celeste meet in college, they’re roommates who become more than just friends. But when Celeste leaves for South Korea, she ends up ghosting Gemma. Years go by and Gemma is fresh off the heels of her broken engagement, feeling like life is falling apart. She gets a new assignment at work and lo and behold who does she end up working with?! That’s right. Her ex, Celeste. You follow the two of them trying to navigate life and work and that inexplicable pull they have towards each other. This story was beautiful and funny and just shows you that there are a lot of different types of love and ways to show love. In a lot of ways, love was really the focus in this one! The narrators also did an amazing job bringing this story to life!

Thank you Netgalley for the ALC 🎧

The story was very cute and a great representation for queer Asians, the characters were very well written, Gemma and Celeste tried their best not to be the typical uhauls which is refreshing imo lol

This is a second chance, 30 yr old , bi representation, sapphic, and finding yourself after a break up

The audio was very easy to follow, the voice actors were great and it it’s done in Dual POV but mostly in Gemma’s point. The only thing I was confused about is that it did seem in Celeste’s point to be in 3rd person where as Gemma’s was first. So that was the only negative thing imo.

3.5/5 stars
2/5 spice

This was such a cute love story about two college sweethearts finding each other again, nearly ten years later. Gemma and Celeste end up working on the same project and have to figure out their personal life on the side, without letting it affect their professional relationship. It doesn't help that Gemma is fresh out of a seven-year relationship, an engagement, and Celeste has decided to shield herself by not getting into relationships again.

I enjoyed the story, and would recommend it to readers who enjoy a second hand romance with leads in their late twenties. The audiobook was engaging, and Natalie Naudus is one of my favourite narrators! I liked the fact that the two POVs were distinct and easy to distinguish from each other.

3.5/5 Stars

I love a good sapphic contemporary romance, and make it second chance? SOLD!

Gemma is a relationship advice columnist who was just dumped by her fiance (and coworker) of seven years and has given up on love. The one other significant relationship she has had was nearly a decade ago with her college girlfriend, who she thought was her forever until Celeste abruptly left to go back to South Korea and stopped talking to her. But fate is funny and Gemma ends up paired with Celeste as the photographer on a career-defining piece about modern love. As these two are forced to work together about what defines love and romance, they find that the spark they once had never went out and have to decide if this reunion is just a rebound fling or a love that will stand the test of time

I had such a good time with this book! I love love love second chance romance, especially when there has been a significant time in between and the two people are in very different places as they were when they were first together. Being forced to work together brings in some delicious forced proximity and I am so happy that they addressed the issues from their past almost immediately. I LOVE COMMUNICATION. They also immediately show there is still chemistry there and I honestly loved how quick they kind of fell back into each other. It made for some good spicy content and these two are so so delicious (also I love me a tatted femme).

While they had the immediate physical chemistry again, I loved the slow build of their romantic and emotional attachment. Having this project about love and their interviews with other couples woven into their relationship was such a good way to develop their trust and feelings again. I really enjoyed that element! I also appreciated how Celeste and Gemma both grew in this book and realized where they needed to work on themselves. Their reunion was so sweet!

Overall, this was a sweet and spicy sapphic romance. Perfect for people who love second chance and yearning!

🎧: I listened to this one on audio and my fave Natalie Naudus read for Gemma, with Catherine Ho reading for Celeste. This was fantastic on audio and I’d recommend if you’re an audio reader! Natalie did such an amazing job as Gemma. I always love how she brings her characters to life and she just nails the sapphic pining and yearning. Her voice is so soothing, yet she also DELIVERS on the spicy material as well. I liked Catherine’s reading of Celeste as well, but noticed there was some pacing/gaps in speech sometimes. I wasn’t sure if it was Catherine reading slower than Natalie or something off with the actual production, but it took a little getting used to when the POVs would switch. I still enjoyed the audio and their voices! But just a thing to note because it threw me off a few times at the beginning.

3.5/5 Stars

I love a good sapphic contemporary romance, and make it second chance? SOLD!

Gemma is a relationship advice columnist who was just dumped by her fiance (and coworker) of seven years and has given up on love. The one other significant relationship she has had was nearly a decade ago with her college girlfriend, who she thought was her forever until Celeste abruptly left to go back to South Korea and stopped talking to her. But fate is funny and Gemma ends up paired with Celeste as the photographer on a career-defining piece about modern love. As these two are forced to work together about what defines love and romance, they find that the spark they once had never went out and have to decide if this reunion is just a rebound fling or a love that will stand the test of time

I had such a good time with this book! I love love love second chance romance, especially when there has been a significant time in between and the two people are in very different places as they were when they were first together. Being forced to work together brings in some delicious forced proximity and I am so happy that they addressed the issues from their past almost immediately. I LOVE COMMUNICATION. They also immediately show there is still chemistry there and I honestly loved how quick they kind of fell back into each other. It made for some good spicy content and these two are so so delicious (also I love me a tatted femme).

While they had the immediate physical chemistry again, I loved the slow build of their romantic and emotional attachment. Having this project about love and their interviews with other couples woven into their relationship was such a good way to develop their trust and feelings again. I really enjoyed that element! I also appreciated how Celeste and Gemma both grew in this book and realized where they needed to work on themselves. Their reunion was so sweet!

Overall, this was a sweet and spicy sapphic romance. Perfect for people who love second chance and yearning!

🎧: I listened to this one on audio and my fave Natalie Naudus read for Gemma, with Catherine Ho reading for Celeste. This was fantastic on audio and I’d recommend if you’re an audio reader! Natalie did such an amazing job as Gemma. I always love how she brings her characters to life and she just nails the sapphic pining and yearning. Her voice is so soothing, yet she also DELIVERS on the spicy material as well. I liked Catherine’s reading of Celeste as well, but noticed there was some pacing/gaps in speech sometimes. I wasn’t sure if it was Catherine reading slower than Natalie or something off with the actual production, but it took a little getting used to when the POVs would switch. I still enjoyed the audio and their voices! But just a thing to note because it threw me off a few times at the beginning.

MY RATING 3,75/5 STARS

If you are looking for a sweet and lovely sapphic romance, this is definitely one to keep your eye on!

This was such a quick and wonderful read, and I was even more excited when I learned that the audiobook was narrated by Natalie Naudus, who did a wonderful job!

I enjoyed so many aspects of this book, but one of my favourite things was seeing Gemma and her friend group being there and always supporting each other!

Another thing I appreciated was seeing Gemma and Celeste reconnect after being broken up for so many years. I also found it interesting to see the two of them working together on the Love in Focus article, and hearing about so many different people's perspectives on love.

While I did love the book, I still had one thing that ended up bothering me. In Celeste's first chapter, she ends up saying it's a lesbian's worst nightmare to have her bi ex-girlfriend end up with a man.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.