🎻Not Another Love Story by Julie Soto🎻

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5:

“Tell me I can see you again…for music or anything else”

I absolutely loved this novel! It is a short novel compared to others but the pace of the book is well done. We are given a rivals to lovers trope and we also get the MMC falls harder trope!!! Cue me screaming 🤭 The tension that we get with these characters is everything!!!! And omgshhh when you guys read the scene from the cover!!!! 😳It was eveeythingggg, the tension, the chemistry!!

I loved how we were able to see the change in Xander and Gwen’s relationship. We see them through their insecurities and struggles and we get to see them overcome them. But what I loved most was the support system that Gwen had throughout the novel. The biggest takeaway I got from this book is that you can say no. You have the ability to draw boundaries in your work place or in any area of your life. I absolutely loved this book and I felt connected to Gwen’s character because I have trouble drawing boundaries.

I’m glad that I was given the opportunity to read this!!

This was the first book I've read by Julie Soto, and I really enjoyed it overall. I'm always a fan of romances centered around music, despite not being the least bit musically inclined myself, so it was exciting to be so fully immersed in Gwen and Xander's world. While I definitely think the chemistry the characters had was palpable and had my swooning, I do think it moved too quickly and at times Xander felt manipulative, which was off-putting. It was nice to see development on both character's parts, though I think the development could have been deeper. Overall, this book was fun and very romantic, I'm looking forward to reading more books by Julie Soto in the future.

This was a nice read, 3 stars. The characters were intriguing enough, the tension kept me wanting more. I really enjoyed how the music was almost it's own character and the way the music was written into the story.

I would definitely read more from Julie Soto. Her writing style works for me.

Thank you for the arc!!

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC! This book had some spice and I love a grumpy/sunshine trope! The plot being deeply engrossed in the music/symphony world was refreshing and I thought it was a fun listen when you need a romance book. Some of the sections were a bit out there, but that’s what fiction is all about so I enjoyed it!

This was so good. I loved their whole dynamic and how she was like a muse for him. I enjoyed that they connected over their mutual love for music. The chemistry was great and this was such a fun read.

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