Love In Focus

*NetGalley ALC Review *

What happens when your college girlfriend ghosts you for eight years… and then you’re suddenly thrown together on a career-defining work project? Love in Focus answers that question with a swoony, heartfelt second-chance romance you won’t want to put down.

We follow Gemma, a bisexual woman who’s just ended a seven-year relationship she thought would lead to marriage, and Celeste, her college ex — the one who broke her heart and disappeared without a trace. Now, both 29 and seasoned with a little more life experience (and emotional baggage), they’re reunited for a work opportunity that could make or break their careers.

Gemma’s been left heartbroken and jaded about love, while Celeste hasn’t even thought about dating in eight years, swearing off relationships completely. As they tiptoe around their complicated past and attempt to keep things strictly professional (spoiler: it doesn’t stay that way for long), the sparks they once shared quickly reignite — starting with a flirty, tension-filled bathroom run-in that pretty much sets the tone for everything that follows.

Beyond the romance, Love in Focus thoughtfully explores cultural expectations and the pressures Gemma and Celeste each carry, adding an extra layer of depth to their story. It’s not just about rekindling love — it’s about healing, growing, and redefining what they want for themselves.

This is Lyla Lee’s adult debut (she’s previously charmed YA audiences with her I’ll Be the One series), and she nails the quick, breezy rom-com vibe while still giving readers some real emotional payoff. If you’re looking for something short, fun, and packed with chemistry, Love in Focus is a perfect weekend read.

Final verdict: A delightful second-chance sapphic romance that feels like a cozy hug — and leaves you rooting hard for Gemma and Celeste.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice Level: 🌶️

Blurb:

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.

Celeste is extremely talented, sexy, and gay, and would be the perfect collaborator and rebound for Gemma if it weren’t for one major fact: she’s Gemma’s ex, the one that broke her heart in college and moved to a whole another country before Gemma could even make sense of what went wrong between them. Despite working on a project together about what constitutes love and romance in the modern age, when it comes to their own affairs, both Gemma and Celeste are tripping over each other’s feet…and into each other’s arms.

Heightened by their shared love for love and the unmistakable sparks that still fly between them, Gemma and Celeste struggle to keep their relationship strictly professional. For the sake of her career, Gemma needs this piece to do well. And for the sake of what’s left of her beaten up hopeless romantic heart, she wants to fall head over heels for Celeste again. But can she trust Celeste to feel the same this time around?

LOVE IN FOCUS is a second chance sapphic rom com that will appeal to fans of THE BOLD TYPE and DELILAH GREEN DOESN’T CARE.