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bmball15 's review for:

Love in Focus by Lyla Lee
3.0

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Hachette Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review. This had its cute moments, and I was rooting for Gemma during her self-discovery—she was sweet, but not life-changing.
It’s pitched as a second chance romance (which sold me, along with the gorgeous cover), but I needed more emotional depth. They had history, tension, potential… but it felt like watching a romcom on mute. Cozy, but not the heart-squeezing kind of story I wanted.
The two main characters were tough to root for. James, the supposed villain, barely mattered. And Celeste felt more like a background character than the love interest, even in her own chapters.
The tone felt younger than their ages suggested, and I wanted more stability than the flaky will-they-won’t-they dynamic. That said, they did pull it together, and there was one particular spicy scene that definitely delivered.
Quick, cute, and fun—but not the emotionally satisfying second chance romance I was hoping for.