I just finished Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto maybe 20 minutes ago, and I can’t quite tell if I’m crying happy tears or not - I am very much still recovering from that ending!

I’ll start off with: this is NOT your typical romance novel, it is a gosh darn masterpiece. How Julie manages to make orchestral music sound sexy is beyond me? I am not a classical music person, I don’t listen to strings, and, quite honestly, know next to nothing about music. Yet, Julie manages to make music flow so smoothly with the plot - when she says Allegro, the pace of the words match that!

Music aside, I am so in love with both Gwen and Xander. I appreciate that both of them are individuals, with their own hopes and dreams and that Gwen doesn’t just bend herself for this hot-sexy mans she’s been dreaming about. Their love story was real, it was believable, and it makes me want to convince me boyfriend to start learning an instrument with me!

All in all, this is the perfect romance to read for the summer - for me, it’s a 4.5⭐️ and 3🌶️! Not Another Love Song publishes July 16, 2024 - thank you to Julie Soto and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this one💗

Julie Soto knows how to deliver the perfect romance, and Not Another Love Song just might by my favorite romance to date! Gwen and Xander are so  perfect together! I loved watching them go from what seemed an incompatible couple, with Xander being a bit of a grump to him being vulnerable with her and showing her his true self. They fit perfectly together... "..a cello who fell in love with a violin." xo

Thank you NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and Julie Soto for this read!

I knew within 40 pages that this would be a 5 star read. This story was so amazing, Gwen and Alex’s romance is hot, and passionate and beautiful. This book made me laugh, cry and everything in between. There were several times while I was reading where I would literally have to restrain myself from reading further as this book should be SAVORED. When I made it to 50% through I was devastated. I could read about these characters forever.
The YEARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!! Alex is my new favorite book boyfriend by far. Men should take a note from Alex and start yearning again.
I loved all the side characters as well, every time Mei was on page I knew I would be laughing. I also loved bringing Ama and Elliot back!!!
I live in New York and this book really felt like a real love letter to the city and the music scene here.
I cannot say enough about how much I loved this book.

Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5 very enthusiastic stars)

Julie Soto's upcoming book, "Not Another Love Song," is a captivating addition to her universe, where our favorite wedding planning duo Ama and Elliot find themselves expanding their wedding gigs to the East Coast. Enter Gwen Jackson, a Manhattan Pops violin prodigy with talent, charm, and magnetism in spades.

Little did Ama know Gwen plays the violin, NOT the cello, as the bride wanted. So, with a little help from the handsome, musical royalty, and rockstar cellist (and fellow Manhattan Pops musician) Xander Thorne, Gwen decides to improvise and play the cello, catching Xander’s attention for the first time.

The palpable chemistry between Gwen and Xander leaps off the page, as they make music together that jumps off the page and makes you feel it and hear it, even when you are just reading it. Their magnetic relationship is a joy to read, as they challenge and inspire each other to new heights, playing music outside their comfort zones and creating art together. One of my favorite things about Julie Soto is how she engages you, keeping you invested in the characters' journey from start to finish. I, for one, was shipping them from the first chapter.

Gwen and Xander quickly became one of my favorite book couples, and I truly loved experiencing their musical journey together. "Not Another Love Song" is a testament to Julie Soto's talent for crafting compelling stories and characters that readers can't help but root for.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!

“I need to be in your orbit”

Contrary to its title Not Another Love Song is in fact an intense and poetic love story! Filled with angst and music this book is one that I flew through because it was such an effortless read.

Gwen Jackson has not had things easy. She lost her mom at an early age and befriends the owner of a music shop who teaches her to play the violin. Xander Thorne is a gifted musician who is born into music royalty and struggles to find fame on his own terms. When Gwen is offered First Chair of the Manhattan Orchestra, a position Xander has secretly coveted, they immediately butt heads but their hostility soon fades to deep attraction.

The chemistry between Gwen and Xander is intense! There is a definite soulmate vibe between the two throughout the entire novel that is undeniable. I, myself have never played an instrument and am not musically inclined however I can appreciate the care and attention to detail that Julie used as she crafted this beautiful story. Lots of spice in this one too so if that is something you enjoy in a romance book then this is a fantastic pick!

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and it reminded me a lot of her first book, Forget Me Not, which I loved so if you were a fan of that one, I would definitely recommend giving this one a try!

Being a sacramento girl I have a special place for Julie Soto and her first published book Forget Me Not. When Not Another Love Song ARC was offered I was so excited to have the opportunity to read it before its release. While Forget Me Not has my heart, Not Another Love Song had me hooked from the beginning. Although Xander/Alex starts as our “enemy” he quickly becomes all heart eyes for Gwen. While I’m glad that angst didn’t go on for too much of the book to turn around from “enemies to lovers” was real quick. Although Miss Soto did not disappoint in the “to lovers” department. Those first few scenes were extra spicy. *chefs kiss* this was a great read!

**4.5 STARS**

Content Warning: grief, strained parental relationship

+ Ama from Forget Me Not appears in this book! I don’t know if this is a series with standalones that can be read without starting from the beginning but it was so nice to see Ama in this book. The supporting cast in this book is great like Declan her roommate, her colleague Mei at the orchestra and Mabel who helped raise her.

+ Gwen is a hardworking violinist longing for some stability in her life because her mom and grandfather has passed, her dad is not anyone she knows and so she’s been without family. She has one person on her side, Mabel, who taught her how to play the violin and she’s more than good at it. When she meets Xander and they finally interact it’s like musical magic between them! Did Gwen have challenges to navigate in her life now that she becomes first chair in the Manhattan Pop Orchestra? Absolutely, and at times she was too trusting even when her gut told her something was wrong. I wanted her to stand up to people more often but she did it eventually.

+ Xander has always been in the limelight since he was a child. He is a virtuoso on the cello but that wasn’t always the case. His relationship with his mother is strained, and even though he is successful he’s not exactly free to make his own choices like he’s always wanted. There are hard choices he has to make but in the beginning I thought his interest in Gwen was a bit flighty too and maybe tied to the fact she was this new shiny thing that could take his place.

+ The romance is like the music that Xander and Gwen are making together, beautiful in all its complexity. The steamy scenes between them are some of the best I’ve read because it’s sexy and steamy but filled with care and love too without being too cheesy. I just felt like their romance had such a good balance of angst, sweetness, and heat. And hello, who knew a violin and cello could be so sexy – I mean the cello scene…🔥 There is so musical terminology to describe their desire and I thought it was so good.

+ Speaking of music – okay I am not an expert at anything music related. I learned piano when I was young and Beethoven is my favorite but I can’t listen to classical all day or anything but this world of the orchestra and musicians was so fascinating to me! I loved the history between Xander’s mom and Gwen’s mentor, Mabel. There’s a lot of drama going on in the classical music world, at least in this story there is!

My Final Thoughts:


I honestly wasn’t sure how I’d feel this one because I wasn’t sure if I was in the mood to read a romance with classical musicians but wow, I didn’t expect how steamy it was going to get. Strings are some of my favorite instruments to listen to in classical music and who knew a cello was such a sexy instrument! The love story between Gwen and Xander really is a grand thing as they come together with their love of creating and playing music and also to push each other in the right ways. There is angst, desire, steam, sweetness, and I was rooting for them both. Loved this one!

I am blown away by Julie Soto yet again. Gwen and Alex/Xander (...the fact that it took me writing this review to realize ALEXANDER. 🤦🏻‍♀️...) were absolutely magnetic. This story sucked me in from start to finish. It was spicy/sexy/sensual/hypnotic/addictive/captivating.... it was utter perfection. I felt like I was sitting in Carnegie Hall watching their love story be conducted. They were driven and flawed. I immediately loved Alex after wedding number 2. I adored Gwen and Jacob's friendship. Julie Soto has quickly became one of my favorite authors and I am beyond grateful for Netgalley and the publishers at Forever for the incredible opportunity to read Not Another Love Song. I can't wait until July so I can add this beauty to my shelf. I know I will definitely be reading it multiple times this year. WOW!

This is possibly my favorite book I've read this year. It was intense and romantic and healing and sexy.

Not Another Love Song
This book was so sensual, breathtaking, and romantic. Gwyn and Xander are two musical prodigies whose chemistry and compatibility was just so delightful to read about.

What to expect:
✅ Rivals to lovers
✅ Reylo fanfic (this is how the author was discovered!)
✅ Dual pov
✅ Miscommunication
✅ lots of music references 🎻
✅ Spice🌶️🌶️🌶️

Some of the musical jargon was tough to follow, but it did not affect my reading experience. I raced through each chapter and was delighted when my initial predictions regarding the plot proved false.
This was so good. I can’t wait to read it again!

Review date: 5/10/24
Release date: 7/16/24

Many thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So I'll preface this by saying I've never read a book like this before, so I had no idea what I was getting into this while reading.

As someone who did choir in high school (it was my life), I knew some basics of music, but I was COMPLETELY out of my element with this book.

I enjoyed the read, sometimes the story was a little "meh," and I found myself skimming the book at times when there was significant details about how they fingerplucked and using the bow, however if detailed reads, classical music, or string instruments are your thing, I do wholeheartedly believe you'll love this book!

The steam however; was steamy and original! I love that the cover is a spicy scene in the book and literally made that scene 10x better!

I had a blast reading this ARC!

Am I contemplating picking up an instrument? ... Maybe.

✔️Rivals to Lovers
✔️Rom-Com
✔️He falls first
✔️Musical 🎼 (duh)
✔️Miscommunication/misunderstanding

thank you netGalley and forever publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

i've previously read the author’s debut and liked her writing, which has become a rarity for me when it comes to contemporary romances. i was eager to dive into this one when i heard about it because it seemed like it would be right up my alley, so getting an arc was exciting.

one aspect i particularly liked was the incorporation of music and orchestra into the story. although i'm not an expert when it comes to anything music-related, the integration of it into the plot and characters was quite interesting to read. It felt like an integral part of the narrative rather than mere background filler. I also appreciated that the characters were somewhat interesting, they didn't blow me away but it felt nice to read about their passion for music and their musical evolution outside of the romance.

however, my main criticism was that i felt it could have been stronger in terms of developing the relationship between the characters. it seemed a bit rushed, and i wish there were more significant interactions between them so that when they got together, it would feel less like insta-love. despite this, there were some tension moments that compensated for it. other than that, the breakup in the third act felt very tiresome, as someone who completely loses interest when there is one in any romance book.

overall, i found this to be a nice romance read. i didn’t get obsessed with it, but it also didn’t bother me, and it was very easy to read and kept me entertained. i will look out for more upcoming books from the author.

From the moment I picked up this book I was absolutely hooked! I found this story so unique and different that I just couldn’t put it down! I loved the idea of an enemies to lovers that sit right across from each other in an orchestra, and seeing their relationship pan out was just such a joy!

One thing I absolutely love about Julie Soto’s books is the writing! I don’t usually like books when it’s in 3rd person, however, something about the way she writes has me completely hooked and there’s so often I had butterflies on my stomach while reading this! I love how most of this book was in Gwen’s POV, with little glimpse into Alex’s perspective at what I always thought was the perfect time!

The story was so unique and fun and sweet,, and at times emotional and I almost shed a few tears a couple times while reading this! I loved the characters, and I also liked their development throughout the book as they get to know one another. I really liked their relationship and the tension that was written between them was absolutely perfection! I really enjoyed Gwen and I liked her right away; she was such a sweet character and I loved her history and how she fell in love with violin and her found family. I also really liked Alex (or Xander) from the beginning as well despite him being a bit of a jerk. I grew to love him more as the sorry went one, especially when we found out how hard and fast hw feel for Gwen! I felt like their communication could have been better at times, and at times I felt like they didn’t talk a lot, but you felt the love and pining they had toward each other despite their lack of communication at time! Despite the, the overall story was really great!

If you’re looking for a sweet romance that’s unique and bursting with music (it is a book about two people in an orchestra after all!), than this is definitely the book for you!

4.5⭐️

Thanks Julie Soto and Forever Publishing for an ARC of this book, out July 16th!

Easily a five star book. I adored Julie Soto’s last book, Forget Me Not, so I couldn’t not wait to jump into this one. (Side note: loved the cameos of Ama and Elliot.)

I could not put this book down. Their chemistry was palpable. I couldn’t get enough of the scenes with them together, especially when Xander was throwing her longing glances from across the room. Admittedly I know basically nothing about instruments but Julie Soto’s writing held me captivated the entire time.

Although I do wish we had gotten more chapters in Xander’s POV. Just a personal preference, I like to be in the mind of the male POV more to see how he is feeling throughout the developing relationship. Plus I loved him and the way he loves Gwen & I just wanted more of him all the time.

I will be immediately preordering this book and I cannot wait to have it in my hands and on my shelf.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

My favorite romance read of the year so far… Alex and Gwen are so talented and so hot! Felt like I was at these concerts! The cello scene will haunt me (in the best way). I will be reading anything Julie Soto puts out, based purely on this book! Her writing style is so fun and so descriptive without being over the top or cheesy.

I read this book so quickly I already know I'm going to have to read it again to truly take in all the amazing details and nuances of the story. First pass, I LOVED it. It was such a fun concept, I adored our main characters, was feral for more of Xander's POV, melted at the fact that he was enamored with Gwen's talent, and desperately want to hear the compositions that were described in the book. Julie Soto can do no wrong.

I was absolutely captivated by this book, I could not put it down. This book had me all up in my feelings and by the end of it my heart felt so full yet so empty because i reached the ending of this masterpiece. I absolutely loved the writing of this book. It gave great detail to the main characters, side characters, and plot of the story. Everything flowed together really nicely and there were no points where I felt rushed or lost as to what was happening. The chemistry and tension between these two characters was to die for. I was literally giggling, kicking my feet, and screaming constantly whenever they were together. The scenes where Xander is watching her play had me swooning. But the scene in his music room? Oh. My. God. It lives rent free in my head. These spicy scenes were not only hot, they were lyrical and poetic. I can not get enough of the writing style and how the musical references just brought it to a whole different level. Not only were the spicy scenes to die for so wash the romance, the chemistry and the main plots, and the sub plots. I loved watching Gwen and Xander helping and healing each other. It’s wonderful to have characters who care about each other and want to push them to their fullest potential, even if they feel like they are not good enough. This story also talks about some hard talks, parental loss, found family, estranged family. I really respect that those topics were mentioned as well. It definitely added depth, intensity, and the ability to relate and empathize more into the more story. Too many stories are just light and fluffy now a days. I really appreciate that Julie Soto was able to keep the book fun and easy to read while still addressing some important topics. I also really enjoyed the Easter eggs she threw in this book, they were definitely a surprise I was not expecting. Overall I really enjoyed this book, I am beyond grateful and excited that I got an eARC of this book because I think I would have combusted if I had to wait until publication day. Thank you NetGalley, Forever, and Julie Soto for allowing me to read an eARC of this. I can not wait for release day to have this on my shelf.

The sexual tension in this was so good omg, it carried the book. After the slow start, I really enjoyed this one, and it's my favorite Julie Soto as of now. I loved the orchestra stuff and how the author made it so sensual and chemistry-filled. The writing was good and easy to read, I flew through the book. I loved how the romance went from rivals to the mmc being down bad obsessed with having the fmc. There wasn't an abundance of spice but the ones we got were chefs kiss. The third-act breakup seemed abrupt but I loved the music/orchestra scene that came out of it and how it led to them coming back together. Overall this was a good read and I'm excited to see what Julie writes next. Thank you Forever for this arc for an honest review.

Read for:
- Music prodigies plot
- THAT CELLO SCENE
- Rivals to lovers
- So much tension
- Rom-com
- He falls first

I was so excited to be granted an ARC of Julie Soto's next book. I loved 'Forget Me Not.' This one did not disappoint. An easy five-star read. I read this one in one sitting. The way that Julie wrote the tension in this book, I thought it was real life tension. So good!! This book was super cute and funny, and will live rent free in my head! Highly recommend!

A special thank you to NetGalley, Julie Soto, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed Julie Soto's first novel, 'Forget Me Not', but I LOVED 'Not Another Love Song!'

I devoured this book. I thought about this book when I was not reading it. I stayed up way to late to finish it. It was even better than I predicted- and I went into it with high expectations! Julie Soto you are my queen.

The TENSION in this book!!!! I loved it and I will be recommending this book to all of my friends. Do yourself a favor and pre-order this book ASAP. You don't even need to read the synopsis. Just trust me.