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.