Give Me a Reason

A Novel

By: Jayci Lee

Narrated by: Greg Chun, Michelle H. Lee

"Narrator Michelle H. Lee gives listeners a moving Austen experience."—AudioFile

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.

For ten years, Anne Lee told herself that Frederick Nam was her past. To save her father from bankruptcy, she dropped out of UC San Diego to pursue an acting career in Korea. Anne had to stop Frederick from following her and ruining his future. Breaking up with him was the best way she could love him.

After Anne left him, 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 she returns to Los Angeles, Anne and Frederick find themselves in the same wedding—she as her cousin’s bridesmaid and he as his friend’s groomsman. Even though he is cold and distant with her, Anne can no longer deny that she never got over him. Not even close. As for Frederick, needing to take care of Anne is a habit he can't seem to kick, but that doesn't mean he has to forgive her.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press.

©2025 Jayci Lee (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"Jayci Lee’s Give Me a Reason is a second-chance romance that hits like a gut punch wrapped in a love letter. Anne and Frederick are fire and ash—twin heartbreaks that smolder ten years later with breathtaking heat. It’s a love story that dares to ask what happens after the credits roll, and what it means to fight for the one who once walked away. Tender, aching, and brave—this book gave me all the reasons to believe in love again.”—Nikki Payne, author of Pride and Protest

"A deeply heartfelt nod to Jane Austen’s iconic second chance romance. Austen’s Anne and Fredrick taught me all I know about how love should be and Jayci Lee’s Anne and Fredrick do them proud. They are magic on the page, the kind of magic that makes you sigh and yearn and smile from your heart."—Sonali Dev, Bestselling Author of There's Something About Mira

"Endearing and enjoyable. This modern retelling of Jane Austen’s novel Persuasion was lovely. A second chance romance that makes you believe in true love."—Tombolo Books

Very romantic

It’s been decades since I read Jane Austen’s “Persuasion,” so I may give it another read after listening to this modern retelling with Korean-American protagonists. There’s a lot of angst on both sides, and I don’t recall that the captain was represented as fully in the original as he is here. Of course the story is compelling, and as a K-drama addict I enjoyed the little nuggets sprinkled from that world into the story. A very enjoyable listen.

My heart is still recovering!

This was such a stunning, heartfelt retelling of Persuasion! Jayci Lee brings all the yearning, heartbreak, and quiet strength of Austen’s original into a modern romance set between Los Angeles and the K-drama world, and it works. Anne and Frederick’s story is emotionally rich and deeply satisfying, full of unresolved tension and the ache of what might have been.

Anne is a compelling heroine, torn between family obligation and personal happiness, and her internal conflict is so well drawn. Frederick is equally unforgettable: steadfast, wounded, and quietly smoldering. Watching them navigate their shared past and uncertain future was both tender and gut-wrenching. I found myself rooting for them on every page.

The supporting cast was lively, the wedding setting provided just the right mix of awkward reunions and forced proximity, and the nods to Persuasion felt respectful without being overly derivative. This is a second-chance romance that feels in all the best ways.

Michelle H. Lee’s narration was beautifully done, emotionally nuanced and easy to sink into. I especially loved the inclusion of Greg Chun’s voice, which added depth to Frederick’s chapters. I just wish we’d gotten more of him!

If you're a fan of second chances, aching slow burns, or modern Jane Austen adaptations, this one is a must-read. My heart is still recovering.

Loved it

This was the romance book I didn’t realize I needed in my life. Loved it.