Narrated ALC | Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the listen!

Going in, I was genuinely excited—that cover! It hit all the right notes for my K-drama-loving, Asian-romance-comic-book–yearning heart. The narration was absolutely fantastic, and the writing had an easy, accessible rhythm that made it a breeze to follow.

That said, parts of the story didn’t quite work for me. I wanted to fall in love with this second-chance romance, but the pacing felt slow, and the miscommunication trope—one of my personal least favorites—was a big part of the conflict. I appreciated the dual POV, especially seeing both Ann and Fredrick’s perspectives, but beyond that, it didn’t fully land the emotional punch I was hoping for.

Ann’s character, with her low self-esteem and inner doubts, felt real but sometimes frustrating—and while I understood her pain, I found myself wishing for more depth or growth. Fredrick, the firefighter ex-boyfriend with good intentions and strong arms (obviously), had his moments, but I needed a bit more from their chemistry to really root for them.

Still, I know this book might work beautifully for readers who enjoy slow burns, emotional baggage, and K-drama-level angst.

This was interesting steamy second chance romance. It was well written and easy to follow. The characters had so much emotions that made them feel very realistic.

This was an interesting modern retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion, with all the misunderstandings and missed opportunities that lead to unnecessary heartache. (Note - if you aren't a fan of the miscommunication trope, this is probably not for you.) I liked that this had Anne as a K-drama actress, it was fun to read from that perspective. The narration was good, however I found it a little odd that the male voice was infrequently used. I understood it was for reading the past letters, but it just seemed odd and out of the blue.

*Provided an ALC (advance listening copy) audiobook from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.

This book is great for fans of a Persuasion re telling with a modern setting. If you like second chance and forxed proximity this one is for you!

2.5 stars (had it ended MUCH earlier, probably could've been 4 stars)

This one was tough because for a good portion of this book, at least 2/3rds of it, I was enjoying the story despite some odd things from time to time like a 29 year old man using the word potty or the dialogue sounding more like 22 year olds and not people close to or in their 30s. And honestly that first 2/3 felt like its own story separate from the Austen inspiration. But the last 1/3 was...a mess. The MCs going back and forth about their feelings became repetitive and exhausting. A second bloody accident felt absurd. The random love triangle attempt with the director was incredibly forced and not at all addressed appropriately especially since he kept talking over Anne. Also, I was thoroughly confuse dabout Aiden because i was sure he was about to end up with Anne's sister but instead he is engaged to the cousin within like...a month? And somehow in this period, Anne STILL thinks her cousin and Frederick are together despite absolutely no proof?? This last 1/3 felt like "oh dang we forgot this was an Austen retelling so let's through all the things that make sense in that time period and shove it here where it is just pure insanity." Like why is everyone getting engaged within weeks of getting together?

Also, the letter Frederick wrote randomly in the book were weird and barely explained right at the very end. I do not think they were necessary beyond the letter he wrote at the end. But waiting weeks for a grand gesure and just going radio silence is childish. YOU ARE ADULTS, ACT LIKE IT! Had this book ended right at/after the weekend trip, I think it would've been 4 stars for me. The last 1/3 was so long and convuluted it made me hate the MCs by the end.

Regarding the audiobook, I was really confused on why they had the male narrator only read the letters but not the parts that were Frederick's POV. Either have only Anne's part of the story and throw in the letters, or have both sides of the story with no letters. I do think the narrators did a good job but that was such an odd choice, it threw me off.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ALC.

3rd person POV
Second chance romance

Dual Narration - Michelle H. Lee & Greg Chun

New narrators for me and I liked their voices. Well narrated.

This was a bit different for me. I have not read Persuasion but I was intrigued with this retelling. There were things I definitely enjoyed more than others. The narration was good but I wasn’t a huge fan that it’s in 3rd person POV. The story is interesting and I did like it. The writing was good and not hard to follow.

I really, REALLY enjoyed this Persuasion retelling that has two Asian American college lovers getting a second chance when Anne Lee returns to Los Angeles from her K-drama life and is reunited with her hot firefighter ex, Captain Frederick Nam. This was full of mutual pining, misunderstandings galore (which I did find mildly frustrating though true to the original story) and some unexpectedly delicious steamy open door scenes. Give me all the Jane Austen adaptations, I am here for them all. Highly recommended for fans of books like Once persuaded, twice shy or Recipe for persuasion. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Gah. I am an absolute puddle after reading this.

The way I love Persuasion. 
The way I love Persuasion retellings. 
If you do too, then this book is for you! 

Unfamiliar with Persuasion? That’s ok. If you enjoy slow burn second chances, with mutual yearning - then this is for you too! 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and didn’t want to stop once I’d started. The modernization of the classic worked well. The twist that took Anne away, the California setting, the injury, the multiple letters. It gave me exactly what I wanted while still being fresh.

In Give Me a Reason Anne comes home after years away, working in Korea as an actress. Frederick is now a firefighter - a Captain of course! And that's a yay for us - firefighter side characters? Both hot, and found family! And the nods to Austen and the genre in general. It was all just so spot on and lovely. 

There are dual narrators, but even though there is dual POV, Greg Chun only narrates Fredrick’s letters from the past (have I mentioned the multiple letters? So good!). Swoonfest! Such a good decision. I also really enjoyed Michelle H. Lee’s narration and do recommend the audiobook.

I absolutely adored this open door adult romance, it gave us both desperate yearning and spice, joy and heartache. I loved it and if Jayci Lee decides to modernise P&P I'll be first in line.

Give Me a Reason is a modern retelling/adaptation of Persuasion, featuring a K-drama actress FMC and a firefighter “Captain” MMC. I actually think Give Me a Reason stays pretty true to the story of Persuasion however it doesn’t capture the longing, wanting, and romance. Also main conflict plot lines are…quite hard to modernize and I feel that’s where the issue with this novel lay. I found this quite boring at times, which was surprising with the unique characters. 3 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook Give Me a Reason.

This had all the ingredients for a second-chance romance I’d usually love a complicated past, longing, heartbreak, and a wedding setting that forces the characters back together. I really liked the premise and Anne’s internal conflict felt very real. Her loyalty to her family and the way she tried to protect Frederick made sense emotionally, even if it hurt to watch.

But I struggled to fully connect with the characters and their chemistry. There was a lot of tension and history, but the spark didn’t always come through on the page for me. At times, the pacing dragged, especially with the back-and-forth of their emotions. I wanted more warmth and deeper reconnection moments, instead of just pain and distance.

It’s a solid read with emotional themes and a few touching scenes, but I was left wishing for more depth and payoff in the romance.

While Give Me a Reason is a modern retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion (which I've never read) I think it does well being a story of it's own. A sweet and tension filled romance with such a fantastic ending.

The only issues I had was it didn't seem like much happened, while this might be in relation to the retelling aspects, there was a lot of internal dialogue happening. The other thing I didn't like was that while the narrators, Greg Chun and Michelle H. Lee, did a fantastic job I felt that the parts that where in the MMC's perspective should have been narrated by Chung and not just his letters.

Overall, Give Me a Reason by Jayci Lee is a solid romance novel that I would recommend for people who enjoy a light read that's filled with tension and yearning.

Thank you to NetGalley for an Advanced Reader's Copy of this audiobook. All opinions in this review are entirely my own!!

I want to preface this review by saying I haven't read Persuasion by Jane Austen. With that said, I can see the Austen influence in the writing and storytelling throughout Give Me A Reason!! I'm unsure if die-hard Persuasion fans will enjoy this retelling. However, I do think readers who haven't read Austen before have great potential to like this!! Jayci Lee breathes yearning into every single sentence of this book. With that said, if you are not a fan of the miscommunication trope, this book is not for you. Anne and Frederick spent around 90% of the book misinterpreting what the other is thinking and refusing to communicate with one another. I can see how this could be viewed as annoying to some readers, but adds to the yearning for others.

While I think the audiobook narrator, Michelle H. Lee, is extremely talented and brings life to these characters, I believe the decision to hire Greg Chun to read only the flashback letters and not Frederick's perspectives did a disservice to the overall listening experience of this novel.

I thought this book beautifully intertwines K-Drama and Austen vibes. While I overall enjoyed some aspects of this book, I found myself bored during some parts. I also didn't enjoy the comments around weight, eating habits, and over-exercise. Nor did I enjoy Frederick 'flirting' by saying he'd (CW: SA) <spoiler>"take advantage" of Anne if she was drunk.</spoiler> This is why I have decided on a 2.5 star rating (rounded up to three stars on NetGalley)

pining, yearning, anger. this is what sums up this book in a loop. also insecure and jealous men are not fun to read about 🙃 this book was just so exhausting.

i was surprised by the reviews but i get it now and i can’t say i recommend this, it just didn’t feel like a romance and it dragged and dragged.

this book was incredibly slow, and too much time was spent on the past. i did laugh from the characters but i didn’t giggle and kick my feet at all with the main characters, there was so many interruptions and other scenes that took away from actually connecting to the characters and the story.

lastly, the mmc was cringy sometimes and it took nearly 80% in for anything to happen between frederick and anne. this story just felt like a waste of time 🫠

As a die-hard Jane Austen fan, this one did not disappoint. And Persuasion is my favorite of them all. Right away, the angst and heart-wrenching feelings cleave onto you like glue. The drama! Not quite as dramatic as a KDrama, but a more low-key version of your favorite ones. I love how close to the original story, even with the letter that is the turning point during the climax of the story.

It is obvious that the FMC and MMC have hot chemistry. Their past with each other has all of the heartstring tugging as the original with a twist of Korean-American characters. The social anxiety and awkwardness of the MMC was adorable and refreshing. Their love scenes are spicy but still well done.

The narrator was amazing, and there was a hint of a male narrator in the form of just letters, but I wanted MORE of the male side of the story. I was a little miffed when the female narrator narrated the male chapters.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook arc. Super cute k pop second chance romance. She’s left him so that he could live his life and so that she could pursue her career in acting, and help her family finances. He decided to become a fireman and after years apart they are both secretly yearning for each other and what could have been. After seeing how her family treats her he classes up for her.
When I first started listening I was sure about the book but definitely loved this book.

2.5 stars

I think this could have been much worse. Perhaps because it's in the contemp romance genre, I found it a little hard to digest. The prose was pretty bland and sometimes I couldn't tell if I was reading a teenager or adults. I guess that's what happens when you are still longing for someone you met in your youth... This was also like Persuasion lite. The amount of Austen in here was a little suffocating, but I'm sure someone out there likes that. If you want something easy to read, but a little irritating, this is for you.

I'm disappointed a male narrator wasn't used for Frederick's POVs since it was used for his letters. An odd choice imo. I think publishers should hire both male and female narrators when there's dual-POV. Deep End did a really good job of incorporating the male voice, and I think there should be more audiobooks done like that. Even if it isn't the other POV's voice coming in randomly in the chapter, each chapter being narrated by the respective gender would be better. The narrator did a good job though. I don't have qualms with how the voices were done.

Oh, the cover of this novel also threw me off? It's not giving adults in their late 20s/early 30s...

thank you to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the eARC!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I received the audio book. I enjoyed the narrator. She did a great job in pacing, although, I do wish she had made each character’s voice a little more unique. I struggled sometimes to keep up with which character was speaking.

And the characters spoke a lot for the amount of miscommunication that was going on. They also spoke quite a bit of their feelings. It was a bit refreshing for the dialogue to be so mature. People would say what they felt. But it was also making it hard to believe the level of dialogue possible when miscommunication did happen. Or when the characters didn’t act on their feelings. I was also confused by the way the main characters lacked a true conflict between the two of them.

I think the cover and description of this book reeled me in. But the story fell flat, Within the first 25% I felt like nothing of value had happened.

However, I loved the family connections and the relationships between the cousins. I also liked the pride and prejudice reference in the ending.

2.75⭐️ Rounded up to 3.

I loved the idea of a Jane Austen retelling with some Korean culture woven into it and the storyline seemed interesting. Unfortunately I really struggled to get into this one. I think it was Lee’s writing style that fell flat for me. This is probably a “me” thing but right off the bat the third person narration stopped me from ever really feeling immersed into the story. Usually I can push through it but that combined with the author telling her readers more than actually showing us made the writing come off robotic and one dimensional. That combined with the misconception trope made this hard to get through. Hey, the cover was gorgeous though and the story itself is good so I’m sure there are many people out there who will really enjoy this.

As far as the audio production, I enjoyed the narrators voices. I think Greg Chun and Michelle H. Lee did a great job. I’m really digging Greg Chun’s voice. I’m wanting to check out what other books he has narrated.

The longing from both sides was a cruel punishment for a reader but oh was it good for Fredrick and Anna’s characters. 10 years of being heartsick and alone they unknowingly reunite for her cousin and his friend upcoming wedding. They didn’t really talk until the very end but the journey was very much worth it.

Quick Summary: A multicultural, Austen-esque romance

My Review: Give Me a Reason by Jayci Lee is a 2025 contemporary romance that is loosely based on the Jane Austen classic, Persuasion. It is scheduled for release on 7/29/25.

About the Book: "In this modern retelling of Jane Austen's PERSUASION, a K-drama actress gets her second chance at love with the man she left to save her family, if only she can work up the courage to risk her heart on forever…one last time."

In My Own Words: After ten years apart, Anne Lee and her one true love, Frederick Nam, are reunited, but circumstances are not ideal.

About the Audiobook: This novel was narrated by Greg Chun and Michelle H. Lee. The duo was perfectly matched. They communicated the story with all of the heart and emotion that was needed to portray these beloved characters. I listened to them without pause. They made the story come alive in a fresh way. As Persuasion is one of my favorite novels, I was excited to hear their take on it. I was not disappointed.

My Favorite Scenes (coded, so as to avoid spoilers):

- A Slice of Pie
- Fire and Flames
- Just One Kiss
- You.

The entirety of these scenes choked me up. I could not look away from what was happening between Anne and Frederick. My heart melted.


My Final Say: Oh, how I adored this modern retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion! Lee used the K-drama storytelling style to bring this classic to life, and I was totally here for it. The marriage between the classic and the emo-rich K-drama was genius. This version was beautiful, angsty, tense, and heartfelt. I was thoroughly entertained.

The spicy heat was unexpected but it fit in without distracting from the story.

Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status/Level: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ARC Format Reviewed: Audiobook
Cover: 💖

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Macmillan Audio), and to NetGalley. Thank you so very much for granting access to an audio ARC of this incredible work. It was an absolute pleasure to review. Jayci Lee is an amazing author who always delivers. I look forward to reading/listening to more from this gifted writer.