Read in one sitting! Loved this. I didn’t think I’d be able to get such an anticipated release on NetGalley, but apparently everyone got to read this! So happy.

Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto is a super cute and fun read, especially if you like romance with a twist.
What I loved most about the book was how relatable the character was. She’s not perfect, she makes mistakes, and she has moments where she feels super lost—like anyone could. Plus, the way music is weaved into the story is awesome, especially if you’re into songs and lyrics that hit hard. It gave the book a nice vibe, like you’re listening to the perfect playlist while reading.
The only thing that bugged me a bit was how some of the twists felt kind of predictable, but it didn’t totally take away from the fun.

Julie Soto strikes again! This book is truly amazing. I fell in love with the characters right away! I can’t wait to read more of her traditionally published works!

Found family. He falls first. Grumpy and sunshine. Perfect story for lovers of string instruments. A gradual fall into love story. With her giving plenty of pushback in the beginning

First of all I squealed at the cameos from Ama and Elliot, they are everything. I did like Forget Me Not better than Not Another Love song. I didn’t have that urgency to pick this book up and find out what happens next like I did with Forget Me Not. There were several times I would only read a page or two and then lose interest when I am normally a binge reader.

I did really love the music aspect of this book. The way Julie Soto described the music and the emotions behind it, I could literally hear it in my head. It takes an extremely talented author to make you hear music through words.

I liked this book a lot up until the 80ish% mark when a trope that I despise popped up and I lost interest from that point. I also prefer an extremely slow burn and I didn’t feel as much tension as I hoped. But those are just my preferences so maybe someone with different preferences will like it more - it was not poorly written by any means.

Overall, a cute romance but not one of my faves and that’s okay. Also though, that cello scene the cover is based off of is literally worth buying the entire book for.

Julie Soto is only capable of writing masterpieces. I didn’t think I could love a book as much as I love Forget Me Not, but Julie Soto has me in a chokehold. You’re doing yourself a favor by reading this!

i really enjoyed the beginning of this and the characters but found myself getting a bit bored in the middle and until the end so i just ended up skimming :/

Stunning! The slow burn, the way she translates the passion and sensuality of MUSIC through a BOOK is amazing.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Best april fools gift. I will devour everything that Julie Soto writes without question. You are bound to laugh but also cry and feel all the feels.

You know what? Playing cello is sexy and Julie Soto has now become an auto-buy author for me. If you are looking for the love interest down bad special, a la Ali Hazelwood, Julie Soto is the author for you. I didn't think a romance set the classical music world could be romantic but Soto pulls it off and I continue to think about these characters months later. I am so glad I picked up Julie Soto last year and can't wait to read anything written by her.

Simply one of my favorite authors ever! This book was such a delight and every word is intentional and perfect. I highly recommend.

I really need to read more musician romances. This was so good. The spicy scenes!? LOVED. I really enjoyed the heroine's journey towards moving her way up in the orchestra and how her relationship developed with the hero! I can't wait to see what Julie Soto writes next!

This was much better than Forget Me Not, fortunately (although not that hard to do).

Unfortunately, it was pretty forgettable. It was fine in most ways, but nothing stood out besides the continual super-cringe of the spicy scenes. I have never been more disgusted by sex than I am reading these scenes.

Overall though, I did mostly enjoy the plot and I think the author has grown in her capabilities with original characters. These characters were leaps and bounds better than in her previous book.

While I still didn’t love this as much as many other things I read, I think it’s much more likely to land with people than FMN. It’s vastly more enjoyable and I did not want to pound my head against a wall for almost the entire book. Pretty average but with the track record, it’s still quite an improvement.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc!

I did enjoy this book but at times just felt there was something missing. I enjoyed the plot and thought some of the minor details were really cute (Alex’s Version). I just wasn’t as invested as I wanted to be. I absolutely loved Julie’s debut novel and some of her fanfics so with this being middle of the road I definitely plan to see what else she has in store!

Anything by Julie Soto is an automatic read for me and to be able to read this early was such a treat. Her main characters are always so full of depth and the plot/problems they go through feel real and emotional. 4 stars, would for sure read again and recommend

What a fantastic, well-written romance! Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto really was that book. It's filled with chemistry, tension, angst, with an interest musical angle that had me entranced.

If there's something I appreciate and love in romance novels is the TENSION! And Gwen and Xander had it in spades! I also love when vulnerability and sweet moments are equally spaced with spicy moments, which Julie Soto did a fine job of balancing. I looooved the connection they both shared towards music. As someone who grew up playing the piano, I totally got where they were coming from and how much music meant to them. It goes far deeper than people think.

- rivals to lovers
- he falls first
- found family

This book was long-winded in a lot of ways, but Julie Soto has a way of making you hang on to every single word. Some of the music aspects were over the top for me, but I absolutely adored the romance part of the story and the realness of the characters - both friends and family. After absolutely LOVING Forget Me Not, this didn't quite live up to that standard for me, but it was still a really enjoyable read and I would absolutely recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Julie for the ARC opportunity .

I throughly enjoyed reading this book and as always Julie’s writing style is just so beautiful. I felt the story had a slow start but once tension between the MCs started going I was only invested further. Julie wrote Gwen’s struggles and having to make bigger decisions at a young age very well. I really enjoyed Gwen’s character development even though at times I was frustrated with both MCs and some decision making. Chapter 10 and that cello scene, Holy smokes. I felt the book balanced the music intrigue & references, plot, and spice in a way where it did not feel like too much in any aspect. The spice in this book especially towards the end was *chefs kiss.* I truly loved the character development overall and how they both found what they needed in each other. Moments where I was rooting for both of them together and equally separated. Also, I enjoyed the side characters so much (especially Jacob). Xander was all about Gwen, and when he finally made his choices and decided to be all in, he delivered. I am in love with their ending and wished I had more.

“Because if he wrote down the melody that swam in his veins every time he remembered her parted lips, her quick gasps as the bow tumbled, her eyes darkening as they sank into his. . . If he admitted that entire symphonies had unfurled in his mind when they played together. . . It felt like the music wouldn’t be his anymore.“

What to expect:
Rivals to lovers
Musical prodigies
Tension, Angst, and Spice

Overall rating 4.25!

I adored this book!!! the tension, the rivals to lovers story, how the ending wrapped up everything perfectly! this was absolutely incredible and had me gripped from the first chapter! this was my first Julie Soto book and I cannot wait to read more from her in the future! thank you netgalley and forever books for the arc!

I absolutely adored Julie Soto's debut, Forget Me Not, so I had to request this one the second I saw it and the gorgeous cover. One of the prettiest I've ever seen. The set up for this book was fantastic, the main character was relatable and likeable, sharing real fears about her life and career while navigating a brand new job. The romance in this was phenomenal and unbelievably sexy, with how the two connected through their love of making music together. The mentions of characters from Soto's previous book was such a lovely addition to the story as well. Loved this one, would absolutely recommend to those who enjoyed her first book - and to those who love a rivals to lovers romance set in the music industry.