This was such a cute love story in an orchestral drama setting. As someone who grew up engaging with the arts, I constantly heard about the various dramas, especially around 1st chair, while living in my different art drama; as such, this really hit for me. It is both cute and steamy and is a great read for romance lovers.

this book was so cute!! julie soto has become one of my favorite authors after Forget Me Not & Not Another Love Song just confirmed that!!
I loved the music aspect of this book because it was so different compared to anything else i've read. i adored the two main characters and the story line!
I also really loved how this book was in the same world and universe as Forget Me Not! I GASPED when Ama and Elliott showed up in the first chapter!
The only complaint i have is that it is in third person but i quickly got over it!

So so so so so good. The original version of this story is one of my all time favorite Reylo fanfics and it was so comforting and joyful to read it now in this newer and remixed form.

The descriptions of music and the art of playing was so scrumptious and you can tell it came from someone who loves music to their very soul. It was awesome to be invited into that world.

Highly recommend.

∞/5 stars!

This could very well be the romance of the year. It was that good. Julie Soto has delivered a fresh, unique love story that will leave you wanting more. Not only will you fall in love with characters, but the artistry of music, too.

This book was so sexy. Like who knew composing music could be sexy? Gwen is a self-taught violinist. Xander is a rock star cellist. They come from very different worlds, yet they have so much chemistry on (and off) the stage. This was my first Julie Soto book and you can definitely call me a fan. Her writing was so intense, lyrical, and intimate. I felt like I was sitting right there when Gwen and Xander played their instruments. It was a beautiful composition of two people finding themselves in the world of music.

This is not a low-conflict book. There were many highs and lows. So many things are happening behind the scenes, so much drama. But I got sucked right in. It was impossible to put it down because I needed to understand the why, the how, and what would happen next. There is a third act break up, but the love song playing on their heart strings could not keep them away from each other for long. It was a lovely push and pull throughout the whole book.

To finish this review off, that cello scene absolutely rocked my world, altered my brain chemistry, changed my life. iykyk.

tropes:
🎻he falls first and HARD
🎻dark, brooding mmc
🎻rivals to lovers
🎻mutual pining
🎻spicy music making scenes

thank you netgalley and forever publishing for the arc!

Obviously, I listened to a playlist called "Classical Bangers" while reading this and patiently waited for the main characters to do some banging.

I liked it, but I didn't like it as much as the first. I couldn't connect with the characters as well, but I'm always gonna read a book when it has a look-alike Adam Driver on the cover. <3 I am definitely gonna beg for our libraries to get it and then tell everyone about it.

I fell in love with Julie Soto’s writing when reading her first book - and this novel is just as good! The connection and sexual tension between Gwen and Xander is perfectly written with the right amount of imagery. I could imagine the scenes in my head as the author describes the bond between them in musical terms. Breathtaking! This story had me engrossed and I enjoyed the reading journey so much.

Looking at the cover of this book made me rush to read it, and I was hooked from the very beginning. The cover picture depicts one of the steamiest scenes in the book, and it will live rent free in my mind forever. Who knew that string music could be so hot? Alex and Gwen's chemistry is off the charts, and I'm obsessed with them.

The descriptions of these two staring at each other while they play their instruments gave me life. I loved that we got to see little glimpses into how Alex was feeling through shorter chapters spread throughout the book. Seeing him pine for Gwen while she was pining for him added so much to the story.

The scenes of them playing music together were so beautifully written. I could feel the passion, pining, angst and tension between the two of them, and it just flowed on to the page.

There was so much emotion from this story. Both Gwen and Alex grew together and separately, and their growth helped bring them together.
Being set in NYC really made the story come to life, and it was almost like the city was a character in the story.

I can't put into words how much I loved this book. I can't wait to reread it and I can't wait to purchase it when it comes out in July.

Absolutely adored this book!! It was so swoony and romantic. The characters jumped off the page and felt so real to me. Highly recommend!!

Julie Soto does it again. I read Forget Me Not and was instantly hooked. When I saw this was available I literally booked it and requested it as fast as my fingers could let me. It took me a little while to read and I will regret not reading it sooner everyday, The tension! The Yearning! The romance! This is exactly what I want when I read a romance.

I love that she walks the line between spicy and romance. Her books make me so committed to the characters and I care about what happens to them.
I also went to Spotify as soon as I finished and listened to everything I could find. Jesu, joy of mans desiring and creep by midnight string quartet are god tier and I will never recover from this book. I will be thinking about it constantly. I already am planning on re-reading both of her books. I love you Julie Soto!!

This book was so sweet and fun!

This book was really unique and refreshing, I loved the backdrop of the Pops orchestra and the politics behind the different chairs and the competitive nature of the profession. It gave the book the best type of tension between the main characters. The pacing was perfect as was the character development. I just fell in love with both of them! Their banter and chemistry were perfect. Definitely one of my favorite romance reads of the year.

This book was simply amazing. I couldn't stop reading. I loved the chemistry between Alex and Gwen. I would definitely recommend it.

This was absolutely beautiful! I loved every second of it. It's definitely more for the "read-between-the-lines* readers. I loved the whole premise of it, the little Ama & Elliot cameo's were everything!! Our main characters are flawed and we love it about them. It's not your average love story with an HEA, you'll have to suffer for it. I started crying at about 85% and I've not stopped once till the end. I would recommend this if you want your heart to be broken and repaired in the span of just one book. 10000 tears out of 10.

Julie Soto is two for two. I had high expectations going into this book and they were all surpassed. Only Julie could make me want to pick up my flute that I stopped playing in middle school again in hopes that I would meet my soulmate.

Alex and Gwen are so complex and hot, I think I might love them more than Ama and Elliott. I know that Julie is only going to get better and I'm excited to see it!

Not Another Love Song is a steamy, rivals to lovers romance set in New York. Gwen is a violinist for the Pops Orchestra and unbeknownst to her, Xander is after the first chair position she's just been offered. I finished this book in two days because I didn't want to put down. The rivalry, the music descriptions, and the extra steamy scenes were all amazing. I love everything Julie Soto writes.

4.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have been going through one of the worst reading slumps of my life and this is the first book I’ve thoroughly enjoyed for quite some time now so that says a lot! Overall, the writing, the tension, and romance development were all great. I honestly had very few complaints which included the fact that the mmc was quite experienced (sexually and romantically) whereas the fmc only had bad sexual experiences and no relationship experience whatsoever. I am not a big fan of this double standard trope but other than that, I had a great time with this book! I will definitely be checking out more books by this author in the future!

Julie Soto does no wrong! I absolutely devoured this book just as I did Forget Me Not. Dare I say this was better?? Which is hard for me to say since Forget Me Not is one of my all time favorite books. I also loved that we got to see those characters again! How I have missed them! This was truly one of the first reading experiences since the loss of my dad that had me truly engaged and belly laughing Had me forgetting the hard times in the present and just living in my book. I truly love Julie's writing and her humor! This is STEAMY! Like spicier than I was anticipating! The cello scene! I'm blushing! Julie continues to be one of my favorites! Her writing just feels like home!

This book was exactly what I needed in my life!

This book is a fast paced rivals-to-lovers/he falls first MASTERPIECE and I am obsessed. Two string players compete for center stage at the Manhattan Pops orchestra and oh boy do things get heated🥵 the banter in this book was top notch and the spice was SPICY!🌶️ who knew string instruments could be so sexy?!!

Rating: 4.5/5

↠↠ Well who knew classical music could be this hot?

Julie Soto does it again! I became utterly obsessed with Gwen and Xander to the point where I was sooo mad at some of their choices (I’m still salty, in fact).

Listen, you give me a broody/cocky MMC who plays the cello and you KNOW I will fall for him. When I tell you that the music studio scene has become my new Roman Empire! So hot, so unexpected. IYKYK.

The moment Xander got over his rockstar attitude, I was utterly in love with him. Gwen….my baby, who has gone through so much. You deserve this kind of love.

I also learned way more about the ins and outs of an orchestra than ever before, plus the New York setting was extra special for me. Fun fact, I just got to attend my first concert at Carnegie Hall two weeks ago and all I could think about was THIS BOOK.

Julie Soto delivers once again! What a beautiful story, wonderful and sexy (hello cello scene) story. Thank you for the chance to read this in advance!

I absolutely devoured this book. Once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down! I was so enamored by blank and blank. I’m very picky about the enemies to lovers trope. I’ve read many that didn’t work for me, but this one was done perfectly. The chemistry between them was palpable.