Give Me a Reason: A Novel

Give Me a Reason: A Novel

Jayci Lee

Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

A Korean drama actress gets her second chance at love with the man she left in order to save her family--if she can work up the courage to risk her heart on forever…one last time. For ten years, Anne Lee told herself that Frederick Nam was her past. In order to save her father from bankruptcy, she left Frederick for an acting career in Korea. This was the only way she could stop him from following her and ruining his future. It was the best way she could love him. After Anne left, Frederick spent years loving her, missing her, and hating her until he decided to live his life for himself. He followed his dream and became a firefighter in Culver City. He didn’t need romance. He had his work and his friends. When Anne returns to Los Angeles, she and Frederick are thrown together in the same wedding—she as her cousin’s bridesmaid and he as his friend’s groomsman. Even though he is angry and distant with her, Anne can no longer deny that she never got over him. Not even close. With so much hurt and uncertainty between them, Anne and Frederick suffer their love in silence. But all it would take is a single leap of faith to bring them together...

Publication Year: 2025


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  • Apr 08, 2025
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  • Lexiereads
    May 10, 2025
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

    4⭐⭐⭐⭐

    ⭐Jane Austen Retelling
    ⭐Second Chance Romance
    ⭐Actress x Firefighter
    ⭐POC FMC/MMC

    I absolutely loved this retelling! When I had time to pick up a book I was reaching for this!

    I am from the South Bay area in LA so this book felt so close to home in terms of imagery and location.

    Anne Lee made a decision back in college that she can’t take back, but she went on to make a famous career for herself as a K-Drama star. As wildly successful as she is, she’s finally being pulled back home.

    Frederick Nam is a star firefighter that has spent years trying to get over Anne. When they run into Anne discovering they’re both in the wedding party - tension is at the forefront.

    While we definitely have some communications issues which prevented me from giving this 5 stars. I absolutely loved the main characters and many of the supporting characters. I love the growth we see in each Anne and Fredrick. The way the characters were driven apart was also such a realistic decision for people to make at their age that it was a great modern take on such a popular historical piece.

    Thank you to @Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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  • PollyFrances
    Apr 20, 2025
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

    Too much redundant interiority. Characters having outsized and inconsistent reactions to other characters. Needed more editing for story flow. 

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