This was adorableeee. Also. I never thought a cello was sexy until I read this book. This was the second book I've read by Julie Soto and she's now one of my auto-buy authors. This rivals to lovers romance and the perfect tension that was believable and well cultivated. It wasn't instant and it wasn't cringer like so many enemies-to-lovers romances are. This was perfect. I admit, I didn't have to take a break at the climax from all of the second hand embarrassment, but that just goes to show how great the writing is that I was genuinely feeling similar emotions.

I have been a huge lover of the cello since I was a little kid. This book combined my love of the cello with the most tension filled romance. Who knew playing the cello and violin could be SO HOT! The chemistry was off the charts! A Reylo fan fiction at its finest.

Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down. There was so much tension. I had to see what was going to happen next. This book really drew me in, and I loved every second of it.

I love that we got tiny little snippets of Xander’s pov. Those little glimpses into his thoughts added so much to the story.

I definitely recommend this book, especially if you like a lot of tension!

A book set in NYC featuring two musical prodigies fighting for center stage while trying to deny their attraction for each other? SWOON.

I absolutely loved this. Growing up I always had bigger crushes on musical artists than I did on actors because I felt like musical artists pour their hearts out with their real emotions in their music, whereas actors are pretending to be something and someone else. The way this story revolves around music was so awesome.

I appreciated the pop culture references and had synchronistically just seen Lindsey Stirling in concert right before starting this book. I found myself looking up many of the classical pieces mentioned to further immerse myself in this world.

The mixing of passionate musical intimacy with sexual touch was so hot. But above all, the way music was a language for and between them, was to die for.

Julie Soto writes such magical books! I loved the musical aspect of this one. The chemistry between the two main characters was OFF THE CHARTS. I simply could not love this book more!

Julie Soto was a shock to my system. She is incredible. I couldn't put this down and I was obsessed every second of this romance!

excellent premise and my feelings towards the characters are like how I've seen others say: well suited for one another. I'd like to read this author's other books at some point.

I love books set in the music world and this didn’t disappoint!

A classically trained violinist and a rock cellist are musically opposites as well as personality. We all know opposites attract and it was fun watching these two overcome their oppositions.

Thank you #forever and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Julie Soto will never be able to do any wrong by me. Her ability to write so you feel like you’re actually in the room with the characters is insane!

Rated 3.5 Stars

Not Another Love Song was an enjoyable read packed with angst, tension, steam and evocative writing. I loved the way the author beautifully captured and translated the life of musicians specifically those in orchestras to the page. I was fascinated by the details even though a lot of the musical terminology went over my head I found it interesting. It did not bog down the story at all. I did find the characters a bit on the immature side and some of their actions baffling but overall I enjoyed this read. I especially loved the tension between the characters especially at the beginning. This was my first book by this author and I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of her work.

"Not Another Love Song" by Julie Soto is an enjoyable romance with some highs and lows. While the writing felt repetitive at times (so many iced lattes and hair tousles), Gwen’s journey of self-discovery and her fiery chemistry with Xander kept me turning the pages. The romance truly delivered—some of the best communication and emotional connection I’ve read recently, plus the spicy scenes were top-notch. The ending was a little rushed, and some plot points felt underdeveloped, but overall, this was a fun and heartfelt read. I’ll definitely be picking up more from Julie Soto in the future!

Forget Me Not was one of my best books of 2023 so this was a highly anticipated release... And Julie Soto slaps again!
I ate up Not Another Love Song. I savoured it. The tension and longing! GwenXander still has me in a chokehold.
Julie Soto just gets me. She is becoming an auto-preorder for me. I just can't wait for her releases.
arc provided by Netgalley.
4.5 stars

*4.5 stars*

Steeped in music and love…

I think is the first book I’ve read from this author and it was a fantastic introduction. With music the life’s blood for both Gwen and Xander, they should have had a lot in common. And they did but they sure didn’t seem to. At odds by their career choices, it was fun to watch them find common ground even as they fought and snarked with each other.

There were a few questionable choices/decisions and the back and forth whiplashed at times but I was too invested in these characters to quibble. At the end of the day, music and love won and I couldn’t have been happier. Looking forward to more from this author!

I adore Julie Sotos Writing.

I will read anything that she writes.

She has great character build and just is fantastic writing. I could go on and on about her books.

Put this on your TBR. If you haven't read anything by this author please do as she is fantastic.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

I simply adore Julie Soto.
I would honestly read her grocery list.
This book absolutely did it for me, I stayed up until 2am because I didn't want to stop. The characters were so endearing (we must protect Alex at all costs!) The stakes felt just right, and the musical aspects were so breathtaking. I want to go buy tickets to see an orchestra now.

4✨ an easy, one sitting, fun read. absolutely loved this.

xander thorne. alex fitzgerald. looking for a man that is so incredibly, stupidly, undeniably down bad for a woman? here he is. this man is the epitome of feral for gwen. so down bad he’s losing his mind over her. over how much he wants her, in literally any capacity. whatever piece of her she’s willing to give him, he will take it with open arms and an open heart. without question. so much has happened to him throughout his life to change him in so many ways. he has this whole persona that goes with his life & personality now, but for her…he’s so soft and sweet. he’s so hopeless for her. he’s alex. he’s so romantic and loving and kind. his gestures are so sweet and so meaningful. i mean come on, gwen makes him want to write symphonies and i was honestly just losing my mind over him the entire time. he’s so sweet and i loved him.

gwen was sweet. i don’t think there was all that much going on with her. she was settling big time when she got first chair simply because it was offered to her. she clearly didn’t want it, nathan was clearly the biggest fucking dickhead on the planet. i don’t think it’s that she couldn’t see the obvious red flags, more than she just chose not to see them. like honey, why do you think xander agreed to come back? for you. she was just a little deliberately blind. but i think she loved alex well. i think she loved him how he deserved, and if it weren’t for her, he would not have ended up where he did. i’m also that she wakes up to an empty bed but with a melody floating in from beneath a closed door so that she can sleep. goosebumps.

they make music. not just literally but figuratively. that’s what being together is like for them. this book, their story, was incredibly romantic. i honestly loved it & them so so much. i was so entertained and so thrilled the entire time. i was just eating this up. listened to the audiobook all in one go, never even paused it. literally addicted. the pace was a little too quick. like all of a sudden he’s pulling his hair so crazy for her. enemies to lovers does not exist in regular contemporary romance, in my opinion, but they barely even hated each other. i’m not even sure what to call this. indifferent but crushing to lovers? this was all fun & fluff, very little substance and it lacked the depth and meaning that forget me not shone with. nevertheless, there is no doubt that i absolutely loved this book.

“Look, I don’t know what you want from me, but—”
“Anything. […] “Everything.”

“It’s simple, really. It’s about a cello that fell in love with a violin.”

strangers/indifferent/crush to lovers
famous mmc
musicians
he falls first & harder
forced proximity -ish

If you liked Julie Soto's debut, FORGET ME NOT, you'll love NOT ANOTHER LOVE SONG! It hits the same fun, spicy, and romantic chords. NOT ANOTHER LOVE SONG is about two musical prodigies falling in love and navigating their careers. It's a nice quick read!

Wow, this book really impressed me! I loved Forget Me Not so i had high expectations for this! This book was very romantic. While i had little knowledge about the orchestra and musical elements in that way; i didn’t feel that i missed anything from the story. Overall, i really enjoyed this one. Almost wish it was about 20-25ish pages shorter but as whole i loved it! Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to review this booo!

I love that this story was set in New York because I can just imagine music bringing two people together in the big city. I'm not musical inclined so whenever I read stories or movies about music bringing people together, I just swoon. This was a beautifully written story of two people brought together by music.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

OMG! I loved this book so much! I adored the story and the rivals to lovers trope was so well done. I love Gwen as she was a great FMC and I loved her journey through this romance. Gwen and Alex were a great couple and I was so happy at the end of this book. This was my first Julie Soto novel and she blew me away! I will be reading her other books immediately!

Not Another Love Song spoke to my soul. I'll never forget Gwen and Xander's story because it took me back to when I used to play the cello and was in an orchestra. Everything made sense in this musical world that Julie Soto created.

She captured perfectly everything: the stolen glances across the orchestra, the giggles, the music, the amazement towards the art created. Plus, one recording scene will become one of the hottest in romance books.

And if we are being honest, who wouldn't be mesmerized by Xander Thorn's bad-boy attitude, tattoos, and cello? Let me repeat that: tattoos and a celle. If these characteristics aren't the perfect combination, I don't know what is. Gwen is easy to identify with. Nice and sweet. Yet, she is still figuring out her role in this world. But cross her, and she will speak her mind. She has so much potential.

I adored this book. One of my top reads of 2024.