A sweet sapphic second-chance romance that felt warm, hopeful, and easy to sink into.

The premise is familiar—exes forced to work together, still-simmering tension, a little career chaos thrown in—but the execution made it feel fresh. I especially appreciated the cultural details and the clear focus on emotional growth. It never felt overly dramatic or too tidy; the characters worked on themselves, both together and apart, and that grounded the romance nicely.

The friendship elements were another strong point. So often romance stories skip past that layer, but here it’s treated with the same care as the love story. That balance made everything feel more genuine.

As for the audiobook: Naudus and Ho brought solid performances that matched the characters well. The only hiccup was the uneven chapter division between narrators—it wasn’t a strict split, and sometimes that felt a little disjointed. Not a dealbreaker, but I did notice.

🖤 Final thoughts:
Cozy, queer, and full of quiet charm. If you’re in the mood for something gentle and affirming with just the right touch of emotional weight, this fits the bill.

Best for: Fans of second chances, slow reconnections, and romances that prioritize character growth and friendship.

Before I get into my review of “Love In Focus”, I’d like to thank NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ARC!

I loved this book SO much and never wanted it to end! Such a great book for anyone who wants an easy cozy book to read or a book to get them out of a reading slump.

As someone who’s not a fan of the second-chance romance trope, I was thoroughly surprised by how much I loved this book. It was sweet and spicy and had all the feels!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is my favorite kind of romance :)

Lyla Lee's Love in Focus shows great growth in the main character, and goes deep into Gemma's journey between her love interests, her friendships, and her job.

Even though Celeste gets her own pov periodically throughout the story, she exists to show us Gemma's journey which is cleverly done in the first person and shows what a good writer Lee is!

I really enjoyed the performances in the audio version by Natalie Naudus and Catherine Ho. Both voices fit the characters perfectly.

"Love in Focus" is an amazing romance book showcasing a second chance lovestory featuring queer, Asian women.

I really enjoyed this book, especially the diversity and the culture side of things. It also didn't feel just like "any other" romance book to me. I can't fully put my finger on the reason, but part of it is definitely the ending. Nothing felt forced, the characters seemed to be in a good place and there because they worked on themselves, apart and together.

The audiobook is done in dual narration, which I personally don't enjoy as much as duett narration. I also feel like there are more chapters from Gemma's perspective, which leads to less chapters read with Celeste's narrator. Sometimes I got thrown off for a second when "all of the sudden" the narrator switched. I think part of that is because Celeste's narrator's style is different (more pauses i think, maybe more).

All in all an enjoyable (audio) book I recommend!

Thank you to Lyla Lee, Hachette Audio en NetGalley for this audiobook ARC.

After being dumped by her long time fiance, Gemma is surprised to find she's been partnered at work with her ex, Celeste, on a Valentine's day assignment at work. A sweet sapphic love story about the one who got away.

I really enjoyed this book. Thank you for the ALC! The narrators really brought the characters to life and I really enjoyed the first person x third person POV. I felt it reflected the characters personalities really well! This was such an easy, heartwarming second-chance romance.

Love in Focus is a beautifully tender sapphic romance that captures the magic—and ache—of second chances. When two exes find themselves thrown together again under less-than-ideal circumstances, old wounds reopen… but so does the door to something real.

This book is heartfelt, relatable, and full of quiet yearning. The writing is warm and emotionally resonant, and the characters feel authentic in all their awkwardness, hesitation, and hope. The audio version is especially captivating, with narrators who deliver a truly memorable performance.

If you’re looking for a soft but emotionally rich love story with great voice work and characters you can root for, this one’s absolutely worth the listen.

This was a solid romance novel with a sweet premise and delightful execution. The story was unique in that it was a sapphic romance, which are not often discussed outside of queer circles, and was a culmination of ideas put together very well. We've read one-that-got-away, college, and workplace romances before, but the combination of tropes made the story dynamic and interesting. Love in Focus is a feel-good book that reminded me what it felt like to be in college while also staying grounded in the realities of the modern working adult. I especially love the emphasis on the importance of friendship, which I find can be lacking in other romance novels. For the audiobook specifically, I appreciate the characterization the narrators put into their voices. However, I feel the editing of the audio could be improved. The continued intake of breath from the narrator was distracting and became quite annoying at times.

"There’s a Korean word, inyeon, for the fated destiny between two people."


Thank you, NetGalley and Hachette Audio, for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!!

The story follows Gemma, whose boyfriend of 7 years suddenly breaks up with her, and now she’s convinced that true love does not exist. Gemma is bisexual and, since she can’t find a man or a woman, is ready to give up on her romantic life… until she’s suddenly paired up with world-renowned photographer Celeste Min… who just so happens to be her ex. Now Gemma and Celeste must try and harbor a work relationship after a very messy breakup 8 years ago.

I loved both Gemma and Celeste!! While they both had a lot of baggage and sucked at talking to each other, they were finally able to work through that baggage. This was definitely a right person, wrong time type of situation. I also liked that while they were forced to work together, they always kept their work relationship professional.

I liked the open discussions that the book had about their culture and how they didn’t have sapphic representation growing up. It must be hard growing up and feeling like you’re different or don’t fit in. So, I’m glad that they were able to find one couple that they could see themselves in, and finally realize how much they care for each other.


Also, can we talk about the work party scene?! I was screaming, giggling, and kicking my feet. I mean, it was so perfect that I couldn’t stop listening. It was the sweet revenge that Gemma deserved.

Overall, this is a super cute book and I would recommend it! It was super bingeable while listening on my commute to work! 4/5 stars!!

this was fine. i think this leans more towards women's fiction than romance because the focus was of the book was on gemma and her getting over a 7 year relationship, finding herself again, and growing as an individual. the second chance romance with her ex-girlfriend, celeste, became a side story because of that. i did appreciate the queer asian representation and the side characters were such a riot! the spicy scenes were better than some of the ones i've read in sapphic romances. i also loved that it mainly took place in the bay area since there are hardly any romances that do.

a big reason why i felt like i didn't connect to the story was the way it was told. gemma's pov was in first person while celeste's was in third. literally HUH? no idea why that was done but it definitely took me out of the story as a whole because of it.

i did enjoy the audiobook and recommend that if you are going to read this, listen to it! the narrator's did such a great job voicing the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an ALC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Wow! I absolutely loved this one, and I'm so happy I stumbled across the absolutely stunning cover for it! From the very first page, I fell in love with Gemma, she was sweet and the friendship group around her was incredible (funny and with great chemistry), and it was easy to feel for the situation she was in. I loved the way Gemma grew and changed throughout the book, her personal growth is what made this book so relatable and enjoyable to watch happen parallel to the romantic plot in the story. It took me a while to warm up to Celeste, but it was clear from the start how much she truly loved Gemma and wanted to be with her.

I think for me, the reason I wouldn't give this a five star rating is due to the narration. While Gemma's narrator was extremely easy to listen to, and seemed to embody Gemma's personality fully, Celeste's narrator felt rigid and robotic and it made it really hard to get through her chapters. Celeste's chapters almost felt disconnected from the rest of the story, and while it was clear Celeste has her own voice very different from the characterization of Gemma, I found the narrator for Celeste to be hard to follow.

Overall I really did appreciate this story, it's one of the best contemporary sapphic romances I've read in while, and the ending of the story felt satisfying but for once REALISTIC, and without the type of epilogue that makes the book a little cliche. Love in Focus felt like a story that really could come true in real life, and I loved it for that.

Love in Focus is a cute and easy listen, but it didn’t quite land for me in a few key areas.
One of the biggest drawbacks was the narration—specifically for Celeste. Her chapters felt flat, and I struggled to connect with her character through the performance. Additionally, the alternating points of view between Gemma and Celeste felt more distracting than engaging. Since each chapter clearly announces the POV, I think the story would’ve been stronger with a consistent narrative style, either all in first person or third person, rather than switching between both. I am not a fan of third person POV but if the story flows better in third I still can enjoy.
While the story has charm, the characters themselves lacked the depth I was hoping for. With a bit more development, I think I could have been much more emotionally invested in their journeys. That said, this was still a fun read!

Love in Focus is a sweet, queer rom-com with a strong cultural core and a soft emotional heart. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the experience—especially the vibrant narration from both narrators, who brought a lot of warmth and personality to the story.

The novel shines in its portrayal of Korean culture, food, and family dynamics, weaving these elements naturally into the characters' lives. There’s thoughtful representation and some real emotional beats around identity, queer visibility in Asian communities, and family acceptance. It added depth to what could’ve been a straightforward romance.

The central relationship — a second-chance romance between Gemma and Celeste — is compelling but does lose some momentum. Their emotional connection is clear early on, and they handle their past maturely, which was refreshing but also left little room for tension or surprises. Much of the middle of the story lingers on Gemma’s recent breakup and her internal reflections, which occasionally took focus away from the chemistry with Celeste. It felt like the “will they/won’t they” tension got replaced with a more introspective journey that stretched longer than necessary.

I loved the premise — a queer take on the magazine/journalist rom-com trope — and the way their professional lives created both stress and stakes. The workplace elements felt grounded and relatable. While I would’ve preferred the story told solely from Gemma’s point of view to maintain emotional consistency, the character work still landed well in the end, with satisfying growth and a well-earned happily ever after.
Also, props to the book for including steamy, queer sex scenes — it's great to see more traditional publishing embracing this kind of representation.

All in all, Love in Focus is a charming, light listen with great cultural richness, strong voice acting, and a romance that, while a bit drawn out in places, ultimately delivers. Not perfect, but heartfelt and memorable.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the advanced copy.

Thank you NetGalley, forever & the author for the ALC!

This was cute, and the narrators did a great job!

I’ll start with things that I liked! I love a second chance romance. I like when they date while young and then something happens and then they try again when they’re older. I loved that at the end, they were both in therapy to better themselves. I loved that Gemma put herself first, and moved away for some change. I also love the cover, the cover really pulls you in!! I loved Gemma’s friends. I LOVED all of the representation in the book, too.

Things I wasn’t too fond of. I don’t like how Celeste ghosted Gemma for almost a decade. I understand *her reason* for leaving, but there was no reason that she couldn’t send a single message in all those years. I didn’t like how James was brought up at the Christmas party and seemed jealous, but then wasn’t mentioned again for what felt like forever, until the very end. I loved Gemma’s friends, but I didn’t like that I liked them more than once of the FMC’s.

I really enjoyed this book! I liked Gemma as a character and really felt for her when it came to romantic heartbreaks. Both breakups sound so painful. I also liked the forced proximity and Gemma and Celeste’s reconnection.

I listened to an Advanced Listening Copy and think the narrators did an excellent job bringing the characters to life.

There is a comment that Celeste makes in her head about being upset Gemma moved on (so quickly) after their breakup and with a man. She calls it a “lesbian’s worst nightmare.” In my experience, the only lesbians who fear their ex moving on with a man are biphobic. And I know the author themself is bi, so I’m not sure why this was included. The comment was never addressed or challenged. And I honestly think it should be removed from the final draft.

4.25 ⭐️ I devoured this one. I binged the audio in just 2 days and haven’t been able to stop thinking about Celeste and Gemma since! Catherine Ho and Natalie Naudus are the perfect voices to bring our main characters to life.

Second chance romances have a tendency to be hit or miss for me but Love in Focus has been a big win. Late 20s, forced proximity, workplace romance, check check check! The chemistry that Gemma and Celeste have from the get go makes it easy to root for them as a couple, especially after Gemma’s breakup and subsequent heartbreak from her ex-fiancé. While I didn’t love the ghosting from Celeste after their initial breakup in college, it’s easy to forgive and forget once she explains herself and reveals the struggles she was dealing with the and the sadness from the girl she loved moving on so quickly (and with a man). Both fmcs were likeable, multi-dimension, and someone I’d love to be friends with in real life.

While this isn’t a perfect 5 star romcom, I still really enjoyed it and would highly recommend to any reader who loves a good romance with some fun spice!

thank you, NetGalley for an advanced ALC of this book

I highly enjoyed this because of the topics talked about as well as the F&F main plot, but I also liked how the main character by the end of the book releases a lot about herself to go on a self-love & mental health discovery.

Finding love is not easy but when ur partner splits up with u after 7 years the main character is in a world of confusion, we see this as she tries to deal with her pain but also sees that the woman who is her collaborator of a work project is her ex-roommate and also ex-lesbian partner from over 8 years ago.

I think the way it was done in the book was engaging but also showed the inner minds of both of them after so long, but when old feelings get mixed with new pain it causes more confusion (but the way it's dealt with is well done).

This book gives tells the beautiful story of a second chance romance between Gemma and Celeste. 💕Gemma has recently been dumped by her fiancé. Heartbroken and unsure of her next steps she moves in with her friends temporarily and they take her out to get her mind off things…enter Celeste. An old flame 🔥 from the past
Gemma’s first girlfriend, who ghosted her in college and she hasn’t seen in the past 7 years. Now they have to work together on a piece about love for the magazine Gemma works for.
This book is sweet and spicy, while also telling a beautiful story about what it is to be lesbian/bi as a Korean woman. It is an honest depiction of how difficult that can be, while also showing how these characters fought to be true to themselves (especially Celeste).
I also adored the when Harry met Sally vibes that the book gives throughout.
The narration in this book was done so well- the acting by both narrators was wonderful and added to the story perfectly.
I felt this book was realistic in terms of relationships, particularly in the third act and that it felt real and honest- how I would see these things happen to real people. The chemistry between the main characters was undeniable and you will not want to put this book down
This was a wonderful sapphic second chance romance that I would highly recommend.
4/5 stars and 4/5 chili spices

A sweet, sapphic second-chance romance that had me smiling and swooning throughout. I absolutely adored this book. It was everything I hoped it would be and more.

My literal only issue was there was a line that I'm paraphrasing but was along the lines of "she moved on, and with a man, which is a lesbian's worst nightmare" and that just really didn't set well with me—it just felt biphobic and out of place, because aside from that there was no biphobia or shaming of sexualities. Again, I loved the rest of the book, but that line had me on edge, waiting for more biphobia, and it made it hard to enjoy the book for a while until I felt sure there weren't going to be more lines like it. Again, I loved the book and if it weren't for that line, I would have given it five stars, but that one line was a pretty big issue considering it went completely unaddressed, and I kept worrying whether Gemma would really be supported/validated/fully safe with Celeste. Since the biphobia otherwise wasn't an issue and it wasn't addressed as, like, a learning moment or anything I just really really struggled with that issue, and the more I sit with it the harder it feels.

I also really liked the narrators—they were both really great.

3.5

Gemma, a relationship columnist, has just been dumped by her fiancé, and has just found out that she'll be working with her college ex on a Valentine's Day feature: Love in Focus. Celeste has been a huge 'what if' in Gemma's life. The one who just disappeared on her without any closure. Can the two manage to work together?

Read if you like:
-Second Chance Romance
-Workplace Romance
-Forced Proximity
-Sapphic Romance

While I enjoyed Love in Focus, the difference in POVs was a bit of a struggle for me. Gemma's POV was told from first person POV and Celeste's from third. It was difficult switching between the POVs and I'm not sure why it was written that way. It also made it hard for me to connect with Celeste as a character. Her third person POV made her seems cold and distance compared with Gemma's first person POV.

Writing choices aside, I did enjoy the story. Gemma was very relatable and I was rooting for her throughout the book to find success, both professionally and romantically. The relationship interviews were so fun to read.