I adored this so very much! The tension between Gwen and Alex quite literally had me squealing and kicking my feet.
I loved Forget Me Not but this confirmed that Julie Soto is officially an auto-buy author for me. I haven't been able to get over this story and the chemistry between all these characters. Also loved the little cameos we got of Ama and Elliot.

I didn't think I could love a book more than Forget Me Not but here we are. 10/10 recommend. Amazing. Absolutely loved it.

Another excellent romcom from Julie Soto! I didn't love it quite as much as Forget Me Not, but it was a close second. I will definitely read her future books!

I loved the details about music amd instruments that she included. They made the story feel authentic and more realistic. Very steamy too!

Very rarely am I at a loss for words when reviewing a book. I have no notes. One of my favorites of the year. So so thankful that NetGalley and the publishing company gave me access to this arc. Thank you, Julie, for writing this. I loved it.

Julie Soto knocked it out of the park once again and I must say she is becoming one of my favorite contemporary romance authors.

What I love about Soto's work is how real the characters seem. Her analysis and development of each character's personality and intricacies makes the book so much more vivid and realistic. She is a fantastic writer!

I also like how the stories are set in places where I am unfamiliar. I'm reading and learning all at the same time and I love every minute of it!

You will have to get your hands on this one; it's fantastic!

I really enjoyed this - the main characters were the perfect balance of enemies to lovers! Having both spice AND knowledge about music in one book is such a neat concept. Thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to read this ARC, NetGalley!

Julie Soto is becoming one of my favorite authors. The way she can combine the subtle artistry of prose and the absolute heart wrenching emotion into a truly love/hate story line is insane to me. Like I want to scream at characters, and my heart rate absolutely flies through the roof, and my anxiety is off the rails, but then they figure it all out and I’m crying in the club. She and Emily Henry must be drinking the same wine. I’m in love with this book.

Oh my, my, my!

I was sold on the cover ALONE. I played in orchestra for 8 years so anything music related, particularly movies or books, are always on my radar. But high school me would have died with the contents within this book 🥵

He’s a brooding bad boy and she’s a quiet “newcomer” just trying to make it. Of course you’ve got the perfect setup of enemies to lovers that I’m a sucker for. The way they communicate through the music and their instruments? *chef’s kiss* Not going to spoil anything but the spice level is perfection!

@juliesotowrites , you sure know how to write them! After Forget Me Not, I knew I would enjoy your future reads, but Not Another Love Song has definitely cemented that for me 💖

Thank you to @readforeverpub and @netgalley for an early copy of the book. This is out on 7/16 and you really don’t want to miss it!

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Another gem from Julie Soto!

I enjoyed Not Another Love Song so much. We follow Alex (Xander) and Gwen as they discover what is truly important and what they aren't willing to give up.

Julie was able to make their story relatable, despite the characters coming from a world that many people do not have experience with (professional orchestra players). The conflict felt natural and (thank you, Julie Soto) was resolved quickly and in a way that made sense. And the spice? Whew. *fans self* Hello, cello scene!

There were nods to characters from her last book and new side characters with potential stories of their own.

I can't wait to see what Julie comes up with next!

5⭐️/4🌶️

It’s safe to say that I LOVE Julie Soto. The tension, chemistry, and pacing were perfect. I’m not even a music person but felt like I was listening to them play throughout the book lol it was beautiful!

Things to love:
Rivals to lovers
He falls first
Found family
Single POV with a little snippets from the MMC
Kinda grouchy but lovable old teacher/mentor/second mom

This is a stand-alone novel but i recommend reading Forget Me Not first for the cameos in this!

DM for closed door modifications

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Julie Soto has done it again with another great love story!

In her second novel, we meet two string musicians-violinist Gwen Jackson and cellist/rockstar Xander Thorne-whose chemistry on and off the stage is undeniable. As co-workers in the Manhattan Pops, Gwen and Xander have played music together. Gwen manages to fade in the background, so it takes Xander a year to really notice her. When Xander finally does, he criticizes Gwen's technique and shows even more hostility after she gets promoted to first chair, a role that he secretly wanted. Gwen proves herself, and soon Xander can no longer deny her talent nor his attraction to her.

Gwen might have had some qualms about her new role, but she is a definite go-getter and has proven herself deserving of first chair. Meanwhile, Xander was giving Hannah Montana vibes with his two lives as a Pops member and a rockstar. There is no denying he's a talented musician. These two might be rivals fighting for center stage, but as a duo, they make beautiful music.

What to expect:
> He falls harder
> Musical references
> Family drama & found family

Not Another Love Song was immediately captivating and worked as a slump buster for me. I absolutely could not put this down and read it in 24 hours!

Gwen is struggling to make ends meet while working as a musician for the Pops orchestra and doing side gigs to pick up extra cash.

Xander is an aloof cellist in the same orchestra and also the lead musician in a band, Thornes and Roses.

The book focuses on both of their careers in addition to the relationship development. It was a refreshing pace and I enjoyed hearing about the orchestra and Xander's band. This book felt very unique and was a great break from the typical romance storylines that have been over done.

I’ve never used the dictionary feature of my kindle more than I just did reading this. I bet this book will be very cute for the music girlies but it is not for the general population. The depth in which this book goes into describing the musical pieces had me nodding off and wanting to skim through a lot of scenes. I really liked Gwen’s character though so it’s truly a bummer the plot was so niche.

This book is a true performance! Standing Ovation! No notes on the sheet music for this book!

Starting with a preface from the author, where we get a glimpse into the mind of a writer and the source of inspiration, we are enchanted with this lyrical journey between two musical prodigies. Both from different walks of life, they find themselves seated at the pops orchestra together with undeniable chemistry. I did not want to put this book down. The slow burn, the beauty in the artistry of music and composing. (THAT CELLO SCENE!)

I put ear buds in and listened to classical music and had literal goosebumps at times!
5 stars! I demand an encore! Julie Soto - I am a fan. This is one of those reads where you wish you could read it again like it was the first time.

Thanks to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and Julie Soto for a copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review! Grab your copy on July 16, 2024!

4.75 stars!

Tropes: Secret identity, Rockstar MMC, Violinist x Cellist, Forced Proximity, workplace

Obsessed with this book. My love for music and books really converged and I’ll be fixating on these characters for the foreseeable future.

A mini rundown because once I get into my feels, no one but me will know what’s going on: Xander and Gwen are both part of the Manhattan Pops Orchestra - have been for the past year- but only meet when she books a gig to play the cello at his friend’s wedding. The only problem: she plays the violin. Fortunately, Xander, a famous rockstar who- despite being First Cellist for the Pops - has no idea she exists, swoops in for the rescue with a cello for her to borrow. Things kick off with Xander's comments about her choppy renditions at that wedding, a hostility that grows into something gorgeous, with bumbling meetings and cello scenes to sweat out. When the Pops want her as First String in the orchestra - a position Xander has been waiting on for years- tension kicks up, oh, five or ten notches. Publicity dramas and secrets run interference as best they can. It’s super hot and it’s fun as hell.

So anyways, my thoughts:

Xander is a dreamboat and a half - he was so sweet, and also kind of a dick sometimes so he hit that spot in my brain that goes “book boyfriend for life.” His chemistry with Gwen was out-of-pocket good. I was hysterical every time they were in the studio together- screaming, crying, throwing up.

Gwen was so special. Her character growth hit hard with me and she has taught me things about picking careers that I didn’t know I needed. And her and Mabel!!!! I love found family so much but they hit differently. The dynamic was something else.

There was just something about this book and these characters that was so beautiful to me and I can’t describe it in words that would mean anything to anybody but Gwen and Xander, honestly.

P.S.: I cannot wait for The Cello scene to drop - the world isn't ready

From the first chapter I just knew this was going to be one of my favorite books. Actually, let's back up to last summer, at an author event, when Julie said the next book she was releasing was about a violinist and a cellist who were enemies and because they had direct line of sight sitting across from eachother, they had to look at eachother while leading an entire orchestra as first chair violin and first cello at each concert. That premise alone just grasped me and became one of my most anticipated books of 2024. And now I want to scream about this everywhere!

The orchestra setting was just so refreshing. Set against the Manhattan Pops, an orchestra in New York City, Gwen is now the youngest first chair violinist ever, something she is incredibly nervous for but also extremely thankful for. She doesn't know exactly why Alex Fitzgerald, this amazing prodigy celloist, who also goes by Xander Thorne and by the way is the lead cellist in a rock band, Thorne and Roses, doesn't like her. The negative remarks he makes about how she plays is insulting, which doesn't help add to her nerves as she now has to sit across from him as he scrutinizes every move she makes.

The tension is on fire in this book. The strings vibrating off the page, you could feel it in your bones. Who knew a cello could be so sensual. The passion, the nerves, the excitement, so much yearning for the other, felt like you were right there in story as the two of them created beautiful compositions together in many ways than one. I loved both these characters so much. Adversary strings to lovers. All the little things Alex did to push Gwen to be a better musician and the way he was just himself. They both tested eachother and saw things the other couldn’t see about themselves.

I love stories that are set in the music industry. This story was different from others I've read in that both the FMC and MMC were both musicians. Each trying to find where they fit in the industry, with music mentors who think they know what's best for each of them, stringing them one way or another. We get both the rock star and classical music scene and I’m here for both.

A first person's book on Gwen's POV was the way to go, keeping the MMC as this mysterious and moody musician, adding to the tension throughout the book. We do get a glimpse into Alex's perspective, as seen throughout his solos if you will, placed in brief intervals throughout this dance of strings we are reading, giving us just the right amount for his thoughts to shine.

I read this just as Taylor Swift's latest album came out, and as the those new melodies were floating in my head, I was picturing they were Gwen and Alex's melodies singing to me. I couldn't help but chuckle at the slight nod to Taylor at the end. I loved that Ama also made an appearance from Julie's first book! After Julie's first book, she was an auto buy author for me, and this one exceeded my expectations. The way she can just write romance stories that grip you, having the perfect balance of plot, spice, and character development. Not Another Love Song is definitely going to sit with me for a long time as one of my favorite books, and will be a love song I want to revisit over and over.

A very very thank you to Net Galley and Forever for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Such an amazing read. I was sucked in from the moment I I picked it up. The chemistry was phenomenal and I think I’m gonna have to start playing an instrument soon ;))

As cliche as it sounds, Not Another Love Song hits all the right notes!



String players, Gwen Jackson and Xander Thorne, fight their attraction for each other as they compete for center stage

What a pleasant surprise! I thoroughly enjoyed this read. With earnest characters, a thoroughly engaging musical plot, and spicy scenes that had me hot, bothered, and giggling, I couldn’t get enough of Julie Soto’s Not Another Love Song after loving her Forget Me Not.

One thing Soto continues to do is write great characters. Plus dual POVs so we get to fall in love with them both! I immediately loved Gwen Jackson. She’s fought to get where she is, to belong, and her striving for her dreams is admirable. Despite a tough deck of cards, she’s loving, thoughtful, and funny. We would not doubt be friends. On to Xander…Soto does grumpy/tortured men turned into total simps for these women SO WELL!! And you love them almost more than the FMCs! Not only did I love Xander groveling and being totally infatuated, his storyline is so well done. His past is complicated, his feelings about it are also rightly complicated, and reading him figure it out and reveal more and more of his true self was totally engaging. And them together!? LOVED!!They both felt individually realized with their own hopes and dreams and missteps and rejections. I was rooting for both or then some.

As for the plot, I was fully engaged from start to finish. I didn’t think I’d care about professional musicians but I found myself totally enthralled with their world and politics and dynamics. The drama in this is so good. You really can’t guess the ending. Like duh a HEA but how will their relationship look like? What will their careers turn into? Such great pacing, twists, turn, and reveals that made this one a fun, nuanced rom com that I’ll no doubt return to again and again.

And I’d be amiss to not mention the great side characters and banter between them all that softened the edges of this read. The found family and how it develops is so good. These side characters and how they’re all intertwine will bury their way into your heart.

Pick this book up. You won’t regret it. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my free electronic advance reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

Read For:

Celebrity Romance
Musical Protégés
Grumpy x Sunshine
Found Family

The cello scene 🤭🤭🤭 being ON the cover???? 5 stars alone for that innovation. Besides that, I loved that this was an emotional love story and that we came along on Gwen and Alex's journey to escape the toxic relationships around them and forge a new path. I was rooting for them the whole time and could relate to many of their dilemmas. Julie Soto is an insta buy for me after Forget Me Not and Not Another Love Story