Not Another Love Song made me wish I played an instrument, who knew a violin or cello could be that sexy. Soto’s first book Forget Me Not was one of my favorites last year and although I prefer it, this one was really great too. I enjoyed the pacing and tension between Gwen and Xander. Also loved the cameos from Ama and the other characters.

The only reason it’s not five starts is because at the beginning I did find that Xander came across as a bit too rude and entitled for me. I get that he was raised to be the best at playing and being praised, but he had no respect for other peoples time. I’m glad his character was able to grow, he was down bad for her. Gwen felt like such a sweet character despite going through a lot at such a young age, she found her passion and worked hard of it. I like reading books that showcase professions or hobbies I don’t know much about, it’s fun to learn about new things. Overall great romance story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

This book was amazing! Imagine if Black Swan was a hilarious romance set in an orchestra. The characters are so into their music that it sparks a crazy love story. Alex and Gwen's chemistry is both sweet and explosive. What's cool is they start off as rivals but end up falling for each other. Their musical talents are out of this world, but they come from totally different backgrounds, which makes their love story even more interesting. Plus, the guest appearances from Forget Me Not were a blast! Overall, this book gets a perfect 5/5. You've gotta read it, binge it, and definitely buy it!

This was so cute ! I loved seeing what Ama and Elliot are up to. This was third person vs dual pov like forget me not . I loved how grumpy Alex / Xander was and then how he totally melted for Gwen, very romantic ! All the music stuff was new to me but the author did a good job explaining it .

Alex, also known by his stage name Xander, is a prodigy on cello. When he meets Gwen, a violin virtuoso herself, he knows instantly he’s met his equal or better. They couldn’t have more different backgrounds, him coming from a bloodline of accomplished musicians and her basically being an orphan. This is a story of how they end up hopelessly wrapped around each other despite their lives and careers being on very different paths.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5

Liked
* Soto did an exceptional job making you READ about music yet HEAR it in your head. I want to hear Gwen and Alex’s Fugues!
* I loved that it was he who was mesmerized by her first even though she was fan of his band
* The author’s previous books got exceptional reviews but it was a rare popular book that didn’t knock me off my feet. This one, however, I liked much better than Forget Me Not. Perhaps bc I grew up heavily involved in music and performance so it brought me back to a context I knew well.
* This was spicier than I was expecting! The studio scenes were 🥵
* Very well paced

Disliked
* there was always a slight edge of something about both characters missing for me. I can’t quite put my finger on it.
* There is so much manipulation and greed in this industry

Tropes deployed: sorta workplace romance, celebrity romance, elements of grumpy sunshine, enemies to lovers

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Book Group for this ARC. Pub date: 7/16/24

Having “Not another love story” be my first arc, was definitely an amazing experience. Thank you to Julie Soto and her team at Forever publishing for creating this world as well as NetGalley for the opportunity to read it in advance. Julie Soto is definitely an auto buy- Auto read author for me now after reading book her books.

This book is going to be perfect for the summer time, the themes of orchestras and music along side the weddings was a perfect combination.. I definitely was feeling the vibes of sitting in a park listening to a classic music group or a night at the opera vibes with this story. Gwen and Xander’s dynamic of workplace rivals to lovers… the banter… the tension… and the spice… “chefs kiss”. The cello scene… HELLO I was blushing…

The camos from her other book “Forget me not” was so sweet coming off of reading it right before starting this book. Which in “Forget me not” we are introduced to Xander.. and he was a great choice to be the new MMC. Definitely book boyfriend material… July 16th can’t come fast enough. Go pick it up!!

girl goes to carnegie hall and leaves a changed woman(aka spirals for weeks over needing to read an enemies to lovers orchestra themed book).

and soto delivered thank goodness! so happy i got to experience this now when im at my peak insanity and not later this summer. i just absolutely devoured this!!! and the sporadic dual POV rounded out the story so well, never taking away from the tension(which…wowza). the scene the cover -i think- is based off was even better than portrayed. in unresolved cello x violin conversations we trust!

4.5 ⭐️

*ARC via NetGalley*

Julie Soto has made Orchestra sexy! You get so immersed in this book by her descriptions that you can basically hear the music! I’m giving this 4 stars instead of 5 only because when I love you was said it seemed premature. The emotional depth wasn’t there just yet & I wish we had just a little bit more of where Zander/Alex was at emotionally leading up to that point & who he was as a person aside from being a child prodigy!

Gwen’s character was incredibly written! Strong FMC with emotional intelligence and goals! Loved her support system with Mabel stepping in as a mother figure & the relationship she had with Ava!
Loved reading Mabel & Ava’s history!

Overall a great read! Julie Soto is an auto buy author for me!

This book!!!! Ugh, I was hooked from very first page and could not put this down. I loved Alex and Gwen and their chemistry was amazing. I finished in a day. Can’t wait for Julie’s next book!

I enjoyed this book. I liked the dynamic between Gwen and Xander! As always I think Julie Soto’s writing is amazing and she hooks in from the beginning and always makes me want to know how these characters will evolve and come out ok on the other end! I was not disappointed!

First off, I would like to thank NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I found the book a little hard to get into, but once I was past the 30% mark I couldn’t stop reading.

I love the way Alex went all soft and started chasing her after he realised he liked her. It was so cute. And the thing about him buying her shampoo and conditioner for his bathroom…It was so sweet. Their chemistry was so good…I love that their connection started because of music which is something I could connect to.

Generally a really enjoyable read but hard to get into. Also Alex was so mean and kind of insufferable at the start so it was not looking good for him but at least he redeemed himself.

The last line. That’s all I’m gonna say!

Note: This review has temporarily been posted on Goodreads without a rating, as I am aware that certain publishers/authors do not want any ratings under 4 stars to be posted before the book is released.

I ADORED Not Another Love Song so much. If Julie Soto has one fan, it’s me.

Her ability to write characters with incredible chemistry is UNMATCHED and the fact that this is rivals to lovers should tell you enough of the insane chemistry that Gwen and Alex have

Alex is my favourite type of complex, guarded love interest but he falls so fkn hard for darling Gwen. I mean, he’s down bad. So bad. I mean, just look at what my favourite quote is-
Gwen: “Look I don’t know what you want from me but-.” “Alex: Anything. Everything.” I MEAN COME ONN😭

I will ready anything Julie writes and I can't WAIT to see what she comes up with next.

I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK. And with Julie. What a stunner!!!

This book had me in a chokehold from the Author’s Note at the beginning of the book, all the way to the end. Even days after, I still feel it’s grasp on me. It doesn’t feel like it will go away soon. I’m already contemplating a reread.

The tension? HOT. When I tell you it was palpable… Trust. It, Is. So. Good. The Reylo vibes are strong with this one! Delicious. Explosive.

The music aspect was another thing I really enjoyed. I’ve always wished I could play an instrument. I’ve always loved the piano, but sadly it did not love me. But that’s okay, I will just listen and appreciate instead. Lol. The level at which the MCs connected with each other through music was epic. I’m going to leave it at that because spoilers. When you get to a certain scene, then you’ll know.

Lastly, the writing. It’s truly some brilliant writing from Julie. The pacing was great, the story was engaging, and I couldn’t put it down.

I cannot thank you enough for an arc of one of my most anticipated reads, Forever!!

Oh my god the chemistry was palpable. I haven’t read a book in such a long time in which the tension between them was THICK enough I could sit it with a knife. I wanted to be between them so bad. Truly Julie knows how to develop a male main character. I think my only notes are that while it was dual pov I felt that Gwen’s view felt like it lost color when Alex was a tangible thing. I think his character, desires, and drives were so clear and I feel as though Gwen’s lack of it reflected how afraid or lost she was to venture into that, but even her background story felt vague after the first two chapters. I loved the conflict, ego is so realllll

Not Another Love Song was a great second novel by Soto. The tone and pacing were much different than Forget Me Not, but it didn’t make it any less entertaining. The main characters had amazing chemistry and a wonderful push and pull that will keep readers engaged throughout the entirety of the read. Gwen is determined and talented, but really reflects that very real feeling of imposter syndrome that many people face in the arts. Alex is sexy, funny and sweet, and Soto does a wonderful job of balancing the jerkiness that is prevalent in talented musicians. I do wish there was slightly more of the dual pov, but this another really great read by Soto!

thank you so much to netgalley & forever publishing for the arc

i was honestly pretty unsure about if i would like this at first, due to me not liking the authors debut book. it was also something i’ve never read about in a romance setting which was classical music and i actually ended up really enjoying that part. the middle of this book was really the shining star, because the first & last 20% kind of fell flat for me. i lovedddd getting to read the scene that inspired the cover, their chemistry was so insane i was blushing!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! Y‘all this book is a must-read for anyone looking for a quick sexy escape. I mean LOOK at that cover!!!

Gwen Jackson is a violinist for the Manhattan Pops, Xander Thorne is a cellist in the same orchestra AND he’s a rock star. Gwen’s got all his band‘s music memorized (and may or may not still have a shirtless poster of Xander hanging in her shoebox apartment) and Xander doesn’t even know she exists. Until a wedding gig and a promotion to first chair suddenly thrusts Gwen into the spotlight and onto Xander‘s radar. After a rocky start, Gwen and Xander‘s chemistry sparks into something more than just making music together.

As a former violinist (I was not any good at it) this book checked all my boxes. I practically squealed when I saw the cover. I really loved how Julie Soto told us she was inspired by attending a concert and she was very up front about it being a former fanfic (if the cover didn’t already give that away for you). The book is obviously connected to Julie Soto‘s previous one, Forget Me Not, but I did not read it and I think this one can still be read as a stand-alone.

I loved the chemistry between Xander and Gwen and how it ties into their musical talent and their love of making music. And I really liked how they learn how they truly want to use that talent and find their way to a happier and healthier place in the end. All the characters felt VERY familiar, but ultimately this book was so well-written and unique enough that it was still well worth the read!!

I cannot even begin to describe how much I ADORE this book. I had never read this author. I went in blind and didn’t know what to really expect. I don’t know a lot about musical terms and instruments. I don’t read a lot of third person writing. But this book was fascinating, heartbreaking, beautiful and I never wanted to put it down or for it to end.

You can read the blurb that accompanies the release but I kind of think you should go in blind. Just know it’s about a violinist and a cellist and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever read. I want to be around people like Alex and Gwen and be moved by their music and emotions. I wish I had a playlist of the songs that are described -I’m sure my mind doesn’t come close to doing them justice.

How much did I love this book? I’m seriously considering starting it all over after I just finished it. 🩷🩷

This book was so good… I did not want to put it down and I found myself pulling it out even when I just had a minute or two to spare. I love how you used music as another character and I loved how their lives had been connected way before they even realized! I could visualize their love story coming to life through their music. I know these characters went on to do some awesome things in their future together. 5 stars for sure!!

I was ready to read this the second I put down 'Forget Me Not' last year. This book did not disappoint. Rivals to lovers, the pining, THE TENSION, this book, y'all. And can we take a minute to appreciate that the cover is from *THAT* scene whew.

Loved this book so much. The setting, the characters, the tension and angst! Definitely Sotos best book yet. Pick up a copy, you wont regret it.