Julie Soto writes rich, emotional romance and I had high hopes for this book after loving Forget Me Not so much. Reader, it delivered and more. This story was so beautifully constructed -- it's a master class in romance -- and proves Soto is absurdly adept at what she does. The subtle lines of Gwen's inexperience to her love to the heartbreak that I felt right along with her were incredible. I can't say enough about this story. It is easily throughly excellent.

4.5

julie soto rocks! this one was really fun. loved alex, big fan of gwen, and i liked reading about them both as musicians.

#netgalley

definitely better writing than her first book but still felt juvenile at some points. also the third act conflict just didn't work for me.

LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Seriously, go read this book! Before you do though, make a playlist of Lindsey Stirling and other string instrument covers to blast while you read because it is a next level immersive experience. There is so much passion and love poured into this book, and it was a treat to read. This held all the best parts of a fanfic with the ease of reading and hilarious references, but also the heart and depth that comes from being set in its own world and adapted. I never knew music could be so hot.

Gwen Jackson is a self made musician who’s worked her whole life, with the help of a charitable tutor, to perfect her skill of the violin. She now plays for the Pops Manhattan Orchestra and is content with her spot, but still doesn’t quite know where she wants to go from there with her career. When she’s asked to play at a wedding for some extra money, she arrives to find out that they actually needed a cello and not violin. She borrows a cello from Xander Thorn, first seat cello player at the Pops and also for the rock band Thorns and Roses.

Xander Jackson is a Juilliard drop out and while he’s not rocking out with his band, he’s arriving late with an attitude to play for the Pops.

When Xander takes notice of Gwen’s performance, his quick to criticize her and inform her that she’s not skilled enough to play at weddings. Gwen doesn’t back down and lets him know that she’s skilled enough to sit across from him daily at the Pops as a violinist and that she is not a cello player.

Let the sparks fly!

I really enjoyed both Gwen and Xander’s journeys throughout this book. The chemistry was off the charts! I didn’t know classical music could be hot, but here we are….panting over a cello and violin player.

Julie also did a great job writing these musical scenes. Although there was no music, you could hear the music through her words. There was a ton of emotion and detail put into every scene without it getting boring.

There’s not much to say without going too much into detail other than I loved it! If you loved Forget Me Not, you’ll love Not Another Love Song.

Just like with Forget Me Not, I was instantly attached to the characters, storyline, and amazing tension Julie builds up in her books.

Gwen and Xander’s passion for music really amplified their passion for each other which really made the book EXTRA GOOD. The spice was *chef’s kiss* and the conflict had me on the edge of my seat.

Super cute! Felt like the 3rd act conflict between MCs was rushed and fell short. But still an enjoyable read!

This is the second book I've read by Julie Soto and it did not disappoint. Something about Soto's writing keeps the reader entertained. I eat it up every time. The setting of NY was great and the chemistry between the two main character's was palpable. I also enjoyed the little parts that connected to the characters in her previous novel. I think I would have liked more POV chapters from Xander, as it became a bit tedious always being in Gwen's head. Overall, I really enjoyed the story and I look forward to Soto's future work.

Beautiful story with a fantastic slow burn. It’s impossible not to root for Gwen and Xander both. Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed Julie Soto’s debut, Forget Me Not, and so I jumped at the chance for an early read of Not Another Love Song (out July16th). NALS is the story of two very different musical prodigies—Gwen Jackson, an orphan from Queens who stumbled into the violin at age 11, and Xander Thorne, a famous cellist known for his classical meets rock performances and who grew up in a musical family. Although Gwen and Xander both play in the same professional orchestra, their paths don’t really cross until Gwen is forced to play the cello (which she’s only played a few times) at a wedding that Xander happens to be in. Soon Xander is offering unsolicited (and often cutting) “advice” and seeking her out to practice together even after she’s given a promotion he was also interested in. Although Gwen does her best to avoid him, their intense chemistry—both on and off the stage—cannot be denied.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. The classical musician backdrop felt very fresh and different and I liked all the behind the scenes insight into the workings of a professional orchestra. Gwen and Xander were compelling characters and I liked seeing how they approached things from the different world views/experiences. That said, I do wish the book had been fully dual POV. While we do get Xander’s POV in 4-5 interstitials spread throughout the book, I think having more about his background and feelings would have enhanced the story overall. My only other (very minor) gripe is that it felt like so much happened in the last 25%-- a lot of external conflict plot points (Nathan, Lorenz, orchestra vs. solo career) that had only been hinted at (or not yet introduced) earlier suddenly became major factors.

I would definitely recommend—who knew playing the cello could be so hot?!

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever Publishing for the e-ARC; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

While I love Soto’s storytelling, this book felt less cohesive than her first. I couldn’t feel as connected to the characters and the romance felt rushed. I did enjoy the musical components of the story and really felt like that was what held the story up.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year! Not Another Love Song is romance perfection!! Easy 5 stars. The tension between Gwen and Alex is simply delicious. The amount of push and pull kept me reading well into the night. I was making espresso at 10pm waiting for them to give in and get together! The amount of spice was perfect. The TACO SCENE iykyk. And the relationships between all characters were complex and beautifully written. I felt so deeply for them. Julie Soto is a queen of romance and this is a must read!

I loved every second of this. Julie Soto is one of my favorite authors. She writes the best tension. I’ve been following her work since the very first chapter of her first fanfiction. So excited to follow her career.

4.5, I loved it. Julie Soto slaps every time!

Gwen Jackson and Xander Thorne are both musical geniuses and both work for the Manhattan Pops with very different pasts. Xander is a cello genius and social media sensation while Gwen tends to blend into to background. Their paths cross at a wedding and tensions rise.

Vibes:
- Rivals to lovers
- Non-verbal musical banter as foreplay
- Insulting or flirty?
- ~Anything you can do I can do better~
- Dark & broody MMC
- Headstrong, independent FMC
- Reylo fanfic
- Successful artists in New York City
- ~I wrote this song for you~
- Prodigies & competition
- Hard on the outside, but soft & gooey on the inside
- ~I hate everyone except you~
- Classical music masterpieces
- Steam, steam, steam
- Intellectual attraction
- Witty banter with words & music

So fun, such good characters and the orchestra setting was amazing. I love the arts but was never a 'band/orchestra geek' so I was nervous this wouldn't resonate but of course it did. Love, love, love.

Now I have to patiently wait until 2025 for Julie Soto's next gift.

Thank you NetGalley and Julie Soto for providing this ARC. I had been dying to read it since last year’s “Forget Me Not” stole my heart! ❤️

Whew, this book was such a beautiful, angsty journey. I love a book with yearning and I love complex main characters who make me feel deeply and root for them. The tension was written so well and I felt myself holding my breath whenever their hands would even brush each other. 🥵

The tension led to some truly poetic spicy scenes. Let’s just say Julie Soto found a way to make a cello slutty. 🤪

Despite all the angst, this didn’t feel like a heavy read and I often found myself smiling at the banter. It’s the perfect mixture to me of a book having depth, while not pulling me completely under in emotions and providing lots of levity and joy.

Synopsis: Gwen is a violin prodigy who meets Xander, a cello prodigy, and member of her favorite rock band at a bougie wedding. She has to switch to playing the cello at the last minute (which is not an easy feat and something she is not trained for in the slightest!), and immediately catches Xander’s eye for her musical abilities. He starts off very cold and rude, but slowly becomes enamored with Gwen and her seemingly unlimited talent, desperate to make music together and become part of her life, despite the many obstacles in their way.

I had butterflies throughout the book seeing cold Zander thawing for Gwen, and ended this book with a full heart and so much love for them. I wish I could hear Fugue No. 1, the first song they write together!!!



Tropes:

🎻 Grumpy / sunshine
🎻 Rivals to lovers
🎻 Yearning and wooing 🥹
🎻 Slutty occurrences with stringed instruments (lol)

Readers will find themselves hooked on Julie Soto's books, making her an auto-buy author. Her storytelling prowess shines in her latest works, with characters from previous stories making delightful appearances. The chemistry between the main characters is captivating, and the side characters add depth to the narrative. While some may find the pacing a bit slow and the third-act breakup and manipulative characters a tad cliché, the overall experience is thoroughly enjoyable. Soto's ability to blend humor, romance, and real-life elements makes her books stand out in the contemporary romance genre. Amazing!

4.5⭐️

Super random side note thought I WOULD LOVE TO WATCH THIS AS A MOVIE????????????? CAN WE GET THAT PLEASE??? THANKS



This book was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I’m so grateful I was able to get the ARC during the time it was available on netgalley earlier this week.

After reading Forget Me Not last year and falling in love with the story and writing I couldn’t wait for this next book by Julie Soto, who I admit I used to read on AO3 where she published fanfic! I loved being able to read her book published!

I loved so much about this book especially as someone who grew up playing music their whole life. I really loved Gwen’s character and felt that I could connect with her and understand her. I loved the relationship between her and Xander as well. The cello scene really was 👌🎻

The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is I did feel like the ending was slightly rushed, I wanted a little more insight into Xanders side of the story in the last 15% or so. And there were also a few parts where I felt like their relationship progressed and I missed the progression of it almost like it just happened and I just had to agree we were there now. But not so much that it took away from the experience.

Overall I really enjoyed this and was smiling like an idiot half the time I was reading. Now I can’t wait to read Julie Soto’s next book!!

Not another love song is Julie Soto’s sephomore romance book about two rival violinists.
I believe Soto is an incredible writer with a fresh look on romance. I really enjoyed this book and thought there was great tension between our main characters Gwen and Alex. It is clear from the writing that Julie had put in a lot of effort and research in writing about about concert orchestra dynamics and music contexts. Her knowledge really shone through and made the story that much richer between our characters. There was great chemistry, the pacing was well done, and the side characters complimented well with the overall arc. The only thing I had a slight problem with was the third act conflict and resolution. I thought the breakup made sense as there was clearly some unresolved issues harbouring between Gwen and Alex, however I felt the resolution needed some tightening and better tension as it all seemed very dramatic until it wasn’t, and Alex and Gwen’s reason to get back together could have needed a more solid foundation.
Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and thought it was an incredibly fun read.

This was such a good book! From start to finish I was enchanted by the characters and where the story was taking us. I love Gwen and Alex as our main couple - grumpy/sunshine is definitely my weakness. I wanted to learn more about the side characters (Jacob and Declan deserve their own story) but I was happy with the time we got with them.

There wasn't anything too unexpected in the plot, but Julie Soto writes so well that I still found myself devouring each page. I was pleasantly surprised when reading Not Another Love Song - I didn't enjoy Forget Me Not as much as some, so I was very much hoping the writing would get me through. I wasnt let down. My biggest complaint is that we can't hear the music that the author so beautifully describes.

The author is very forthcoming in the opening about this originating as a Reylo fanfiction (I was unaware of that when first diving in). If that is not something that you enjoy, stay away from this book. It is definitely it's own thing, but you can clearly see its roots.

Rated 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ebook ARC.

Julie Soto strikes again. Soto’s ability to fully immerse her reader the world she creates is unparalleled. And the yearning and obsession feeling of love is palpable. Incredible!