Gwen Jackson loves playing violin but has always been a reserved musician, preferring to feel the music inside. Xander Thorne prefers to show the world his passion and has made quite a career for himself already as the lead of a rock band and an excellent cellist. Gwen and Xander also play together at the Manhattan Pops Orchestra but Xander's condescension and attitude have always bothered Gwen. When Gwen gets the coveted first chair position, will Xander be able to handle it when that has been all he's ever wanted?

This was my first Julie Soto read and I loved it! The story drew me in immediately and I loved the musical setting. Gwen had such an underdog story as an orphan and self-taught musician making it all the way to first chair of the orchestra. I loved her determination to make something of herself. Xander aka Alex was the perfect brooding counterpart and the tension and chemistry between the two was undeniable. I adored the way Alex saw all of Gwen's beauty and potential and just couldn't get enough of her. I will definitely be adding Julie to my must-read authors now!

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the ARC!

I'm usually pretty good at reading romance novels with a straight face, but this one had me fanning myself.

Julie Soto writes incredible chemistry. The sizzle between Gwen and Xander had me SWOONING, especially since both were full fledged human beings. It wasn't just standard grumpy/sunshine; his original harshness was not because it was love at first sight, it was because of jealousy. The rivals-to-lovers had real stakes with it, with a refreshing backstory as to why both were in their position. They admitted fairly early on their attraction to each other, allowing the drama to come from the plot itself and not just miscommunication. This was not a mindless churning of tropes, it felt fresh and real.

And those spicy scenes? Especially the one that got turned into the cover? Hot diggity dog.

Did I have some issues with this? Of course. I often get frustrated by "prodigy" books, where the leads are Just That Perfect at whatever they do. The supporting characters were very one-dimensional, and this was a very sanitized version of New York. But all of that didn't change the simple fact that this romance novel succeeded at romance without succumbing to the typical issues in traditionally published romances. This book actually gave me hope for the genre. Thank goodness.

Julie Soto's NOT ANOTHER LOVE SONG is soooo swoony. It has the perfect amount of spice and plot that made it impossible to stop reading!

I loved the way Gwen found confidence in herself as the book went on and it was so satisfying to watch her prove herself time and time again when people doubted her. I also enjoyed slowly learning Xander's back story and getting to know who he really is and who he wants to be.

AND I can't not mention how perfect the *tension* is in this book. Broody, intense musician who composes music based off his feelings... say less!

*****
Gwen is an amazing violinist who used to play outside the NYC subways for cash. Her dream comes true when she auditions for and gets into the Manhattan Pops Orchestra. Her whole world changes when the first violinist announces her retirement and she and the director want Gwen to take her place.

Xander Thorne is a musical genius. He's first cello at the Manhattan Pops AND the leading man of his band Thorne & Roses. When he learns that Gwen is offered first violin, he's furious because that spot was meant for him.

Though Gwen can't stand Xander's arrogance, lateness, and his unasked for opinions on her playing, she can't deny her attraction to him nor pretend she doesn't absolutely love Thorne & Roses. And then she soon finds out that Xander doesn't hate her despite the things he says. He's actually in awe of her talent and once he unveils the truth, suddenly Gwen is swept up in him and they find that they make beautiful music together (in and outside of the bedroom ;) ) The Pops loves them together- or rather - they love the publicity and the money that comes along with it. And then there's the issue of Xander's sketchy manager...

Gwen and Xander seem perfect for one another but can their fresh relationship withstand the pressures and needs of the people who hold their careers in their hands?

Julie Soto has done it again! I knew I would enjoy this book right from the beginning because Forget Me Not was one of my top reads of 2023. I was incredibly grateful to receive an ARC of Not Another Love Song through NetGalley. I enjoyed every second of this book! It was such a fresh idea to have the story revolve around two talented, but at odds, musicians. Gwen was a fantastic heroine and Xander Thorne was EXACTLY what I wanted from the male lead character. This book had me in its clutches from page one and I could not put it down. Julie Soto has a way of making her characters relatable and engaging in a way that has you rooting for them. Anything Julie Soto writes, I will read. Definitely enjoyed how fun this one was!

🎻 𝐑 𝐄 𝐕 𝐈 𝐄 𝗪 🎻⁣
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𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘈𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘯𝘨 by Julie Soto⁣
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ⁣
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Y’all, I’m going to make a very bold statement right now.⁣
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I firmly believe that this is the best romance of the year and quite possibly my favorite book of the year. I am obsessed. 😍⁣
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Julie Soto has mastered the Reylo fanfic game in my book. I was absolutely enthralled by the author’s intro note, alone, and then I promptly DEVOURED this book. Who knew a first violinist and first cellist romance could be so freaking hot?! 🥵⁣
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The characters are amazing, the plot is on point, and the spice is hotter than a ghost pepper. 🌶️ This book seriously has it all. ⁣
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I’m a huge instrumental music fan, so it was nice to turn on my reading playlist and just let it go. Somehow, it felt like it always managed to sync up with the story perfectly. It made for quite the reading experience. ✨⁣
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If you loved Soto’s 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘔𝘦 𝘕𝘰𝘵 like I did, just know that this one is even better. I didn’t think it was possible.⁣
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Thank you so much to @readforeverpub for my galley!

Wow wow wow. Julie blew it out of the park with this one. Amazing. Simply ethereal. Now I want to learn how to play the violin AND the cello. Also!!! Can we talk about the character appearances from her first book?! LOVE. Also the cello scene?! Stop. Obsessed. 5/5

I am loving the dynamic between Alex and Gwen! I like that they were both admirers of each other, even before getting to know each other. Although our hero is not the best at communication and sends mixed signals (sir, please), I loved seeing the two characters get to know each other and connecting through music. I haven't read another book quite like this yet. If you're a fan of Forget Me Not, I think you'll love this new title by Julie Soto!

This one was good. I really enjoyed the enemies to lovers relationship. There was tons of tension and the author did a great job with writing the chemistry between Gwen and Alex. It did feel a little too insta love for me though once they got together. overall the story was good and kept me entertained.

This is my first experience with Julie Soto’s writing and I’m hooked. She made the music come to life in this one and that’s coming from someone who played the flute for 7 years. Her prose was magical and intense which kept the story flowing.

Gwen is a lovely female main character with enough depth and flaws to make her feel real. Her background with her mother and grandfather was tragic but her relationship with Mabel and music made it worth it. Alex is the IDEAL male main character. He had an in depth background but was clear with his intentions and wants with Gwen.

Their tension was constantly coming off the page and I was eating it up. It started as a kind of enemies to lovers/little bit of a bully romance. Then it morphed into an unconscious want that turned into a tension filled need. The scene with the cello is all I’m going to say but it was SPICY🌶️ When they played music together there was so much tension and chemistry and you could truly feel it like you were in the room.

Jacob and Declan were the perfect comedic relief side characters and they had so much depth for side characters. I liked how they highlighted the different struggles between a protege that was classically trained and one that was trained later in life. The dualities between Gwen and Alex and Nathan and Ava were interesting to see. The ending was truly beautiful and made me tear up. The ending quote “It’s about a cello who fell in love with a violin”🥹

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was perfection. No notes. Xander/Alex and Gwen's chemistry was off the charts, loved the steam but also their relationship and compatibility. They are both music prodigies but their lives and paths could not be more different from each other yet their music does the speaking for them at times.

Cannot say enough about this one and will need a copy for my forever shelf!

Julie Soto is absolutely killing it. I have loved both books by her so far. Not Another Love song was stunning. The two characters were so well fleshed out and had depth. I could practically hear the music from the pages. The yearning between the two characters had me squealing. I absolutely loved this book. Looking forward to more from this author!

4.25

wow loved this! when I read forget me not, I was thrown off by the third person POV as I try to avoid those, sorry not sorry. but I could NOT put this book down!!

the tension between Gwen & Xander was scorching!! & oh so hot. I never knew playing a strings instrument could be hot. my jaw was in fact on the floor. I am a rockstar romance hater, & I loved this one! julie had me giggling and kicking my feet bc omg!!!!!

the cover is also one of my favs!! I think it encompasses one of my fav scenes so well!

this was not quite a 4.5-5 star read for me bc I feel like it wrapped up quicker than I would have liked. I just wanted a bit more, but it was still really good! I also love seeing cameos 👀 that’s all I’ll say on that!!

tropes:
rivals to lovers
rockstar
music prodigies
boy obsessed

thank you NetGalley & forever pub for an early copy <3

I was so excited for this book after reading forget me not and Julie did not disappoint!! I had a blast from start to finish and I’m completely in love with this man

5⭐️!!!
3🌶️

There was not a single word in this book that I didn’t like… it was complete and utter perfection.

ALEXANDER FITZGERALD, THE MAN THAT YOU ARE!!!!!!

I loved the infrequent dual POV, all of the music talk and terms, and the fact that this book started as Reylo fanfiction.

This was my first Julie Soto book but it definitely won’t be my last. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this book for my personal library, and I’ll be sure to recommend it to both my followers and literally everybody that I know.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever, and Julie Soto for the chance to read and enjoy this advanced copy.

This was delightful. I really enjoyed the violin/cello/orchestra aspects of it. The characters were well flushed out, and reminded me a bit of Ali Hazelwood’s writing. It was more than just romance, which I enjoy. I like reading about flawed characters, and this one definitely had them. I will be picking up more of Julie Soto’s works in the future.

This releases July 16th, 2024
Thank you to Forever Books for the ARC!

Music is the window to the soul, as they say. And if that phrase doesn’t sum up Gwen and Xander’s relationship, I don’t know what does. 

Reading this book made me realize the only thing I know about musical instruments and orchestra is that I enjoy listening to beautiful pieces composed by musicians. (LOL) There were so many terms and phrases integrated into the story that complemented it beautifully, even to someone who isn’t familiar with their meaning. Julie Soto wrote a story that describes the playing of instruments to the page impeccably.

Tropes that make an appearance:
- Slow burn
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- He Falls First
- Rivals to Lovers
- Workplace Romance
- Opposites Attract
- Groveling

Many romance novels on the market revolve around similar themes, so when I found out there’s a book coming out with the plot revolving around two string players, it piqued my interest from the blurb alone. I was sold based on the fact that it’s something I haven’t read before. Not Another Love Song will be one of the top romances of summer 2024!

Thank you to the publisher; Forever - Grand Central Publishing, the author; Julie Soto, and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this ARC. This is my unbiased opinion and is given with free will.

The pacing got rushed toward the end, especially compared to how slow burn it was in the beginning but otherwise I loved the classical music premise, loved the chemistry between the two characters, I feel like Alex was such an interesting character and honestly I would read a whole book just on his backstory; While I don't think Julie Soto's writing is the best by any means, she writes in such an addictive way. The chemistry is always off the charts and they're quite steamy books with the perfect mix of heart and angst

Not Another Love Song is an exceptional story about two musicians who reluctantly fall in love. It is intense in every way, and all of them good, in my opinion. I read an interview with the author comparing Xander to Kylo Ren and I could not get that out of my head- again, in a good way. There were moments where it was a little out of my reach as far as the music talk, but I got the gist. Lol. Julie Soto is definitely a must read for me at this point, however I am not a huge fan of the cover art. If the cover is a turn off to you, push through it because it’s worth it. Rounded up from a 4.5. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc.

Julie Soto can do no wrong! I loved this book. If you have read Forget Me Not by Julie, this one is loosely connected through Ama (the wedding planner), who hires Gwen and her best friend Jacob to play for a wedding in Sacramento. When Gwen arrives to the gig, they realize that there's been a miscommunication, and she plays violin.. not cello. Since she needs the money and it cost a fortune to get there as it was, she agrees to play cello if someone can provide her one. Who comes to deliver one.. but Xander Thorne.. an incredibly talented but arrogant cellist. When Xander figures out that they actually play together in the same Pops orchestra, he takes a special interest in her.

As a musician myself, I ate this book up. That being said, if you have no interest in the musical world, I wouldn't pick this up. We spend a lot of time with both Xander and Gwen as they play together in gigs, in private, in orchestra rehearsals, etc. It's the foundation of the story.

I really loved both characters, and thought the third-act conflict worked well and was realistic.

I’ve heard a ton of great things about this one. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite do it for me, but please hear me out because I think a lot of romance readers will still really enjoy this one!

NOT ANOTHER LOVE SONG follows Gwen Jackson and Xander Thorne – two string players who fight their attraction for each other as they compete for center stage in a spicy and emotional romance. I loved that the author thought of this story after attending an orchestra event and she had seen how the seating arrangement of the two first chair musicians could make for an interesting and spicy romance opportunity if they were to get involved. And she’s not wrong!! This is a classic example of grumpy sunshine / enemies to lovers and the tension that builds between the two is exhilarating. I enjoyed learning more about orchestra life since I wasn’t familiar before reading and I think it made for the perfect romance setting.

I’ll be honest, the romance seemed to come out of nowhere for me. Xander is an asshole and unbearable 45% of the book and I feel like there’s not enough conversation or buildup between the characters before they jump into getting steamy. Their romance just felt off to me from start to finish and I was never truly rooting for them. At one point, I seriously didn’t even think they’d end up together, given how Xander acts the whole time. As a die-hard romance reader, this just didn’t live up the hype for me personally, but I still enjoyed the orchestra/music component, how Gwen and Xander grow as musicians and people and learning more about their upbringings (completely different but bonded by one special person).

Thanks so much to @berkleyromance for the advanced digital copy! NOT ANOTHER LOVE SONG is out July 16!