What is the title of your latest release?
GIVE ME A REASON
What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
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.
How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
I wanted to focus on faithfully retelling PERSUASION, so I chose places that I am already familiar with, mainly in the Los Angeles area.
Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Absolutely!
What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Quiet, strong, loyal
What’s something you learned while writing this book?
Somewhere along the way, I convinced myself that it was okay to put myself last for those I love the most. But I learned that you can’t truly love another, without resentment, unless you love yourself too.
Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I wait until I’m totally done. But sometimes, when something is woefully wrong (and I don’t know what it is), the words won’t come until I read the manuscript from the beginning to find the problem then fix it. It doesn’t happen with every book, but my intuition lets me know if something is wrong, which is the only time I edit midway through the first draft.
What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
I love sushi, but it is an indulgence because good sushi is very pricey! But another indulgence is fries. I cannot resist piping hot fries.
Describe your writing space/office!
I sit on an armchair in the living room with my legs propped up on an ottoman. I feel so snuff and safe in it.
Who is an author you admire?
Kennedy Ryan
Is there a book that changed your life?
JANE EYRE taught me what it means to really love a book. I will never tire of reading it again and again.
Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
I cold-subbed my first book to Harlequin Desire, and an editor reached out to me to discuss an R&R. We set up a call, and she mentioned one or two minor things that she wanted me to address, then said, “The real reason for this call is to make you a 3-book offer.” I screamed, “What? Wait. What?” Then eloquently added, “What?” I spent the rest of the day staring at the wall with a goofy, faraway smile.
What’s your favorite genre to read?
Fantasy with strong romantic elements
What’s your favorite movie?
Classical
What is your favorite season?
Summer
How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
By eating lots of yummy delicious food with my family and friends
What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I love watching the Korean reality show, “Chef in My Fridge.” It is so much fun!
What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Korean food for sure
What do you do when you have free time?
What is free time? I have heard of such a thing, but I haven’t experienced it in recent memory.
What can readers expect from you next?
KING FORETOLD, book 2 in The Realm of Four Kingdoms series, is coming out on August 26, 2025. Meanwhile, I am working on my next contemporary romance…a PRIDE AND PREJUDICE retelling!!!
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.
Romance [St. Martin's Griffin, On Sale: July 29, 2025, Trade Paperback / e-Book , ISBN: 9781250907783 / eISBN: 9781250907790]
Jayci Lee writes poignant, sexy, and laugh-out-loud romance every free second she can scavenge. She lives in sunny California with her tall-dark-and-handsome husband, two amazing boys with boundless energy, and a fluffy rescue whose cuteness is a major distraction. At times, she cannot accommodate real life because her brain is full of drool worthy heroes and badass heroines clamoring to come to life.
Because of all the books demanding to be written, Jayci writes full-time now, and is semi-retired from her fifteen-year career as a defense litigator. She loves food, wine, and travelling, and incidentally so do her characters. Books have always helped her grow, dream, and heal, and she hopes her books will do the same for you.
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