This was a delightful second chance romance. There was a fantastic place setting established, and lots of messy and realistic drama that followed Gemma’s break up with her long time boyfriend and co-worker. And then to have the ex-girlfriend who loved and left you when you were both in college show up as your project partner on the work assignment that could be a major boon for your career? The stakes were raised, but the stress stayed fairly low. Both Gemma and Celeste approached their working relationship with caution and honesty, rebuilding trust gradually and rediscovering who the other is as an adult on the cusp of 30. There was fantastic emotional growth for these characters.

I will mention that early on in the book, there is casual commentary from Celeste that comes across as bi-phobic: “…only to discover that Gemma had not only moved on, but she’d moved on with a man. A lesbian’s worst nightmare.”

I had both an e-ARC and an ALC - primarily listening to the audio version. I greatly enjoyed Natalie Naudlus’ performance, but found Catherine Ho’s voice to be a bit too mature for the age and affect of Celeste’s character.

Read if you are in the mood for:
San Francisco place setting
Workplace romance
Second chance romance
Sapphic love story
Emotional growth and maturity
AAPI female main characters

An original and beautiful romance with an amazing cast of characters. The main, side, and anyone even briefly mentioned felt so real. I loved seeing the characters grow and discover what they want for themselves as the story progressed.

Thank you, Hachette Audio and NetGalley for an advanced listening copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Love in Focus follows Gemma who recently gut dumped by her fiancée after seven years in relationship when out of nowhere, she is paired up in a work project with her ex-girlfriend Celeste, the same woman who made her realise her sexual orientation back in college. Both are taken aback by the situation, but fate clearly has other plans.
Listening to this audiobook was a lovely experience. The narration team did a great job bringing the characters and emotions to life, which made the story even more engaging. I liked how far-fetched was the story which made it more of a bingeable material. However, there were a few moments that felt a bit unrealistic, especially considering the characters are nearing thirty; some dialogue didn’t quite feel age-appropriate or believable. The ending wasn’t entirely satisfying for me, but I understand the author’s reasoning for choosing to wrap things up that way.
I do think that someone who is into sapphic, second-chance workplace romances would appreciate this cute and heartfelt listen.

I found the book had a good strong start that pulled me in instantly. I quite enjoyed this story and found it interesting. It kept my attention the entire time and it had a great epilogue. I loved that this did not end in a typical HEA but instead, both main characters ended on good terms and actively working on having a healthy relationship and taking things slow allowing space for each other to grow and mature while still being together.

My only complaint is that there were a couple details I found to be a bit too similar to Delilah Green Doesn’t Care but i wouldn’t deter anyone from reading this as i still enjoyed it very much.

This was SO CUTE!! I loved this sapphic romance and that both the main characters were POC!! I knocked it down cuz I’m not a fan of the miscommunication trope which happened a lot in this book. BUT I loved that they both had moments of mental health work! This really was so cute and more on the realistic side of romance. Really cute and highly recommend!

This was my first book I read by Lyla Lee and I am now ready to read more of them. I love that she writes books for every age. I would love to read about teens and younger and see how those books are. I learned about Korean culture and wished to try some of the food they talk about in the book. The love story is complicated and sometimes that is how real life is. Sometimes just because people fall in love doesn't mean that their love story will work out the first time. I also loved the love story of the main characters friends. They added well to the story.

This was my first book by Lyla Lee and when I saw it available on NetGalley for review I snagged it in anticipation of meeting the author at SteamyLitCon this year. I initially fell for the gorgeous cover but stayed for the great character development and relatable plot.

Journalist Gemma writes a relationship advice column for a San Francisco publication but she isn't convinced that true love really exists. When her seven-year old relationship suddenly ends, she throws herself into her work and is paired with Celeste Min on a big project. Celeste is a successful photographer and also happens to be Gemma's college ex.

Gemma and Celeste's relationship ended very suddenly and left them both confused and hurt so when they are thrown together to work on this project, they are walking on eggshells. But despite their rocky history, the sparks still fly between them and they can't seem to stay away from each other, even though they both have doubts on any relationship that may form.

I'm a sucker for a good love story and this one is just that. Sapphic romances aren't something I read a lot of so I found this one new and exciting because it is something fairly new to me. In addition, I thought the character development was great and there were some great side characters. The pacing was perfect and I found the theme of growing up and coming into one's own relatable.

My one complaint was the narrator for Celeste. Her voice came across as very robotic and that is not how I pictured Celeste to be at all. I'm not sure if the robotic quality of her voice was due to the speed I played the audio (only 1.25 so not super fast) but it really detracted from the story during Celeste's POV. On the other hand, I thought the narrator for Gemma was great and she portrayed Gemma perfectly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio/Forever for the audio ARC My review is honest and voluntary.

Super cute romance read. it was easy to read easy to follow and I love how there wasn’t any miscommunication trope. The cover super cute!

Cute quick audiobook. I really enjoyed it for the most part. I didn’t love the pov switch from first to third. But overall it was an enjoyable quick fun read. Love a second chance romance!!

Rating Breakdown:
Characters - 3
Plot - 3
Setting - 4
Writing - 2
Enjoyment - 3
Total Rating - 3

Review:
This was a cute, quick audiobook. I loved the relationships between Gemma and her friends, and the dynamic of working with an ex. I'm also a sucker for a second-chance romance.

The one thing that really soured this book for me was the switch from first to third person for Celeste's POV chapters. I hated it with a passion. Gemma's narrator was very lovely and I felt like I really knew her character threw the narration, but then I felt like I was just being told Celeste's feelings and motivations. It made Celeste's narrator feel very robotic and it really threw me out of the story.
Bottom Line:
This was a cute second-chance romance premise, but the execution fell very flat. It was just okay.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio ARC of this title to review.

3 Stars Love in Focus is a cute sapphic romance with great queer Asian representation!

When her fiance suddenly breaks up with her after 7 years together, romance advice columnist Gemma Cho questions whether true love really exists. She thought she had found it before with her college girlfriend, Celeste, before Celeste suddenly disappeared from her life, seemingly having moved back home to Korea. Then she thought she found it with James until the breakup. Now, Gemma has been tasked with writing a career-defining piece on modern love and the photographer for the project is none other than Celeste, her college ex. Sparks still fly between Gemma and Celeste, who struggle to keep their current relationship strictly professional. Can time heal all wounds and give Gemma and Celeste a second chance at love?

This was a surprisingly quick story and I flew through the audiobook! I loved how the queer Asian rep was woven into the story, like how important it was for both women to see an elderly Asian woman in a sapphic marriage. Despite both characters being 29/30 years old, their romantic problems felt younger, like they were actually fresh out of college. There was a lack of maturity in both characters when it came to relationships. And while I understand that there was still chemistry between them after all the time apart, it felt like there wasn’t much to draw Celeste and Gemma back together again besides a physical attraction. I wanted just a bit more to make their reunion more believable.

Thank you Forever for the ALC! Love in Focus releases May 27th!

My expectations for this one weren't super high when I requested it from NetGalley, in all honestly, I thought it was just going to be a fun time reading a rom-com sapphic book that'll make me laugh and then forget about in a few months.

Love in Focus did the exact opposite. This is a book that I won't forget anytime soon. Not after the tears I shed for Celeste and Gemma. Lyla Lee's writing is so fun and immersive that I just had to keep listening. Not only were you following Gemma through a breakup, you were also seeing how she has been affected by this long-term relationship, how she is processing the past relationships and her past self. Her growth is so well depicted and written that you can't help but smile at the outcome of her story.

Celeste to me is the perfect example of someone who processes emotions and goes through hardships, the exact opposite of how I process them. Her character showed so much strength and emotional maturity, and that's so beautiful to see. I saw parts of myself in both these characters, their struggles, their strengths and the way they cope and go through life are so relatable and realistic, it added so much more depth to the book.

This isn't only a love story, this book is about processing grief, change, loss of relationships, recovery, trying to find your place in this big world and being yourself with yourself before diving into a relationship. Self-discovery is such a big theme in the book, and could not have been portrayed better.

I would have wanted a bit more input from Celeste's side of everything, the shift in storytelling perspective really made her feel slightly detached and more distant than Gemma, but maybe that might have been the point. I will be carrying bits of Gemma and Celeste with me after this, individually and as a couple.

Thank you Hachette Audio and Forever for the ARC! This had all the makings of a swoony second-chance sapphic romance—exes brought back together by a high-stakes project, lingering chemistry, and a chance to heal old wounds. And while there were definitely cute and cozy moments, the execution didn’t quite land for me.

First, the POV shifts were rough. The book jumps between 1st and 3rd person depending on whose chapter it is, and honestly? It pulled me right out of the story—especially on audio. Celeste’s chapters, in particular, felt emotionally flat and almost unnecessary. I would’ve been fine with just Gemma’s POV the whole way through.

Then there’s the ghosting. Eight years is a long time to disappear on someone you supposedly loved. That level of betrayal should’ve come with way more emotional fallout. Instead, Gemma forgives Celeste so quickly that it felt unearned. I kept waiting for a deeper reckoning between them, but it never really came.

The ending was sweet, but definitely rushed. After all the back-and-forth, I wanted more than just a neat little wrap-up and a kiss. That said, the writing itself was good, the characters were likable, and the chemistry was there—it just didn’t reach the emotional depth I was hoping for.

Final thoughts: a soft, easy listen with a solid premise, but not one that fully convinced me of its happy ending. Cute, but not amazing.

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Love in Focus by Lyla Lee was a fun, fast-paced read with swoony romance and great chemistry between the leads. I loved the flirty banter and emotional moments, though I wished for a bit more depth outside the relationship. Still, it delivered on the feels and was an enjoyable escape!

Thank you to Netgalley for the Arc.

Love in Focus is a heartfelt YA romance about two teens finding connection and clarity during a summer film program in NYC. Arden and Jamie’s slow-burn relationship is full of warmth, creativity, and emotional depth, with thoughtful exploration of identity and family pressure.

Natalie Naudus and Catherine Ho bring the dual POVs to life beautifully in the audiobook—each voice distinct and emotionally resonant.

A sweet, affirming listen with just a few familiar beats. Perfect for fans of gentle, character-driven romance.

Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the ALC!

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: May 27, 2025

This open door second chance sapphic romance was disappointingly slow, and the chemistry between the main characters was nonexistent. They didn’t seem to resolve anything from their past, both blaming each other…but then suddenly they’re hooking up again?

This book has a dual POV, even though it’s not evenly split, and there are two audiobook narrators. Unfortunately, Gemma’s narrator is much better. Celeste’s narrator was very formal with distractingly odd pacing and pauses, I felt like I was listening to a lecture. Her robotic narration of the open door scenes made me disconnect from the book completely.

Love in Focus was right down the middle for me—I didn't hate it, and I didn't love it. I found it to be mostly boring in that not much happens outside of working and flirting; both characters largely unsure if the other character is intentionally flirting with them. I was really rooting for Gemma and wanting her to figure things out for herself, so I was happy to journey with her. Especially as she juggled exploring her sexuality as an adult (because this exploration was cut short in college), her career, and wanting to get to a place where she felt happy and content. I did think it was a fair and apt observation of Celeste to question Gemma on rolling from relationship to relationship and not taking time to get to know herself and figure out what she wants. The storyline with Gemma's ex was obvious from the start so it was confusing that it took her so long to come to the realization, so I felt like that was stretched out unnecessarily.

I didn't care much for Celeste, to be honest. I found her to be impulsive and non-communicative when she didn't need to be. She dropped Gemma in college, and then when things finally start to develop for them in the workplace, she makes this unilateral decision that they can't be together once again, but spends her time away from Gemma wishing they could be together. And it's like…you totally CAN be together if you communicate. I found her to be kind of stuffy and underdeveloped. The spice was lacking heat for me, and I think this is because I felt like even though this is a second-chance romance, it is totally lacking angst and longing.

The narration was decent—each FMC has their own narrator, and I am partial to the narrator for Gemma because I liked Gemma as a character more. Celeste's narrator was kind of stiff, but I couldn't tell if that was intentional due to Celeste's stiffness I liked the friend group's storyline, and the comical ways being a lesbian/being queer is discussed. I also overall enjoyed the writing style and the cultural representation for Koreans and Korean-Americans Lyla Lee weaves throughout the story!

Thank you to Hachette Audio, Forever, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with an ALS and ARC!

3 ⭐️s
2 🌶️
🚨 Pub Date: 05/27/25

This was such a good audiobook - the story was well written and it was performed with the perfect tone!

I really liked how the story unfolded, I love a second chance romance but really appreciated how the original relationship/break up was addressed. I’m not the biggest fan of miscommunication, normally because it’s not done in a way I like but Lyla Lee writes it perfectly. It’s discussed and dealt with in a way that doesn’t make you resent anyone (in my opinion) but does so it a realistic way.

I liked the discussion of the expectations of bi relationships and how Gemma’s relationships were viewed. The representation of different relationships was interesting and really helped you emphasise with the characters.

I thought Natalie Naudus and Catherine Ho’s performances were perfect - they really captured the characters and their emotion. They really added to the experience of listening to the book! 5 star performance!

This is a second-chance romance following Gemma and Celeste. Gemma has recently been dumped by her fiancé, and Celeste reappears in Gemma's life after disappearing seven years before. I found the story to be just okay; however, I do think there are plenty of people who will love it. There is a good bit of spice in here, which surprised me, the perfect amount for me. I felt that this book was a little too cheesy for me to really enjoy. Regarding the audiobook, the narrator for Gemma does male voices so well! And, all the characters' voices were easily distinguishable. Overall, the narrators were emotive but not so much that it became distracting. The production and narration were great and facilitated an enjoyable reading experience.

I think that the narrators did a great job with the material, but the book just wasn't for me. The changing from first person in one chapter to third person in another chapter was really confusing for me to follow.