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.

Such a cute story! I loved the queer asian (Korean, specifically) representation in this book.

There were a few parts where I felt like things were going too fast in relation to the storyline, but I still enjoyed this novel very much. The characters' relationships among themselves felt pretty deep and real to me. Real people, real situations, and real problems.

Celeste and Gemma felt right for each other since the beginning, I was already rooting for them from the start.

The audiobook was very well narrated, switching voices whenever the POVs changed. It was actually pretty addictive, since I listened to over half of it in one sitting!

A very cute second chance lovers story. I always love representation in books, so I enjoyed the Asian sapphic relationship in this! I really appreciated that Lyla Lee addressed the fact that there is a lack of representation in that demographic, AND mentioning that AIDS really impacted the queer community to the point that there are not a ton of "queer elders" to look to in greater society (def teared up on that one).

Great level of spice, but I will say that I wish we had more in Celeste's POV. I also wish we demonized Gemma's real POS ex James a bit more. Like hello? Complete Narcissist jerk-nugget. Let's call that out.

All in all, a fun little romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for access to this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This was...fine.

There's a lot of potential here, but it needed more development.

The romance in particular needed more work. I love a second chance romance, but a lot of the time these characters didn't feel like they had history. Although I appreciate them talking about their feelings like normal adults instead of the book relying too much on miscommunication.

I didn't care for Gemma all that much, and I liked Celeste, even though her chapters were really short and in third person for some reason. I think I would've liked the book more if she were the main POV.

I did like listening to the audiobook. Natalie Naudus was wonderful as usual.

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

First off I want to say that Natalie Naudus and Catherine Ho did and amazing job narrating as the voices of Gemma and Celeste. They really brought the characters to life and helped make this book so enjoyable!
Love In Focus is a second chance, sapphic romance and I loved every minute of it! The situation that the FMCs find themselves in seems so genuine and believable, and the supporting characters bring so much fun to the story.
I would definitely recommend this, the writing is top notch and the story moves along at a good pace.
Those spicy scenes too.. oh my goodness they are perfection!!

I thought the voice actors did a really good job with this book. I love a sapphic romance and the start had me really intrigued. Up until she met Celeste and she started complaining even though she had ghosted her. It just didn't feel very fair and I started to get bored very soon after with the story and wasn't interested in the ending.

"Love in Focus" by Lyla Lee tries really hard to be wholesome, cute, and profound—but it just didn’t land for me. The plot felt predictable, and the emotional beats came off more cringey than heartfelt. The use of trauma to explain a failing relationship over eight years felt unrealistic and a bit trivial, especially since it mostly served to create repeated miscommunication rather than genuine depth. Overall, it had potential, but it didn’t quite work for me.

4.25⭐️ 2🌶️

This was such a cute sapphic 2nd chance romance!
Gemma is a bisexual relationship advice columnist at a magazine, who is suddenly broken up with by her male fiancé of 7 years. Celeste is a world renowned photographer who happens to be Gemma’s college ex. When Celeste gets chosen to work with Gemma on a project for the magazine called “Love in Focus” neither one of them is sure how things will pan out.

I absolutely loved the way the main characters grew from their original relationship in college, through meeting each other again by chance through work and eventually falling back in love, with many ups and downs along the way. The book has wonderful representation of all different relationships, genders and orientations are explored through the project the main characters take on for work which adds a cool layer to the story.
The side characters were fabulous and I loved their personalities too. I’ll definitely be reading more from Lyla Lee

ARC and ALC review
Publication date 27 May 2025

“Love in Focus” by Lyla Lee is a second chance contemporary romance.
I received an ARC from Forever and an ALC from Hachette Audio (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

What you can expect:
- second chance romance
- writer/photographer
- dual POV
- sapphic romance
- Asian representation
- forced proximity
- cute and a bit spicy

Gemma is a relationship advice columnist and she recently broke up with her fiancé.
Celeste is a photographer that will work with Gemma on a project about modern love. She is also he ex girlfriend and they did not see each other in the last 8 years.

The audiobook is narrated by Natalie Naudus and Catherine Ho (dual narration).
I like that the story is told in dual POV. But it is a bit strange to move from 1st person in Gemma’s POV to 3rd person in Celeste’s chapters.
Regarding the narration, I think that Natalie Naudus is great bringing Gemma to life and the voice and tone fits very well the character.
I did not like the same the voice of Celeste, as the narrator spoke a bit too slow and it didn’t bring out her personality.

From the beginning there is a lot of chemistry between Gemma and Celeste.
The fact that they need to work closely helped them develop a casual relationship first and they slowly manage to clarify what happened when they broke up.

The story is written well and I liked that it was not rushed.
There is a slow burn and a good balance between the plot and romance.
The couples interviewed for the project are diverse and their stories contribute in developing Gemma and Celeste’s story.

I enjoyed reading this book and I want to read more from this author.

While I loved the premise of this sapphic second-chance romance between two Korean-American women and appreciated the spotlight on Korean culture, foods, and queer identity, the story ultimately fell flat for me. I wanted more depth in both character development and romantic chemistry, especially given that Gemma and Celeste had previously dated for over a year. The slow burn was very slow, and by the time their relationship rekindled, it felt rushed and underdeveloped. Their emotional arc wavered in ways that were hard to follow, especially regarding their comfort with their queerness, which felt unresolved.
The audiobook performance was a mixed experience for me. I enjoyed the narration for Gemma, but the voice for Celeste didn’t fully align with her confident character, making it harder to connect emotionally. Still, I appreciated elements like the forced proximity trope, the inclusion of therapy, the adorable cat Burrito, and the themes of learning to communicate and heal.
Overall, I’m glad I had the chance to experience this via audio during my commute, but I wish the story had reached the emotional and romantic depth it hinted at.

I really enjoyed this one! I liked that it has cultural context of what it’s like being Korean and bi/lesbian. The characters were cute! I did wish it was longer. Mostly because I wanted more from both sides to show their growth, especially at the end. I found it mostly focused on one of the FMC’s pov and the other one seemed like it was added to bulk up the book. If both were given some attention and things were fleshed out more, it would be even better.

Overall though it was cute and is a good romcom to curl up with. The audiobook narrators were good! I think the main one was better though. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review!!

Love in Focus features Gemma, journalist and Celeste, photographer. Gemma and Celeste dated in university, while being roommates. Celeste ghosted Gemma and now, eight years later, they meet again for a job and all their old feelings immediately start again.

I had the hardest time with this book. I think that there are some lines that shouldn’t be crossed in a romance and if they happen in a romance, I have the hardest time believing the happily ever after. This is exactly the case with this book. Celeste ghosting Gemma was such a terrible thing to do, and then she doubled down by being mad that Gemma moved on. Eight years later, she’s still mad that Gemma moved on. Like, lady! You LEFT! You GHOSTED her.

The romance in the present was fine, but I didn’t get their connection. They each felt completely betrayed and then were totally fine jumping into bed together. And then the third act breakup lasted a YEAR. No. Nope. You’re telling me these two people has this much time apart and I’m supposed to believe in their happily ever after? The reasons for being apart were also the worst and then it was a book end ghost. You completely love this person and tell them you can’t be together cause they’ve never been single and ghost them? AGAIN?

Anyway, I may or may not have had big feelings about the romance in this one. The writing was good, the audiobook was fine. There were two narrators but Gemma’s POV was 3/4 of the book, so it almost didn’t feel like it was necessary to have two narrators.

Overall, fine but also much anger.