This book will give you all the vibes if you love spicy as well as sweet. Music lovers will love this book as well❤️ this author is also from sacramento so I love reading her work because she puts my city in her books.

This book pleasantly surprised me! A slow burn that actually kept me engaged and wanting for more. The tension? The spice? Just chef’s kiss! Also adored the music-specific references that interested me enough to figure out the technicalities for context. Xander and Gwen are amazing MCs that make you root for them individually and as a couple. The perfect read for the fall! I leave this book with both knowledge about music and a big smile on my face. I will definitely come back for more Julie Soto!

Favorite quote: “Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you have to do it for the rest of your life.”

This was a really pleasant surprise. I anticipated it would be a good read - I just didn't know quite how good.

This was a top notch enemies to lovers. I haven't seen one with musicians done in quite this way before. There was one scene that was more than a little bit steamy and it wasn't the only one - - it was just....let's just say...unique.

The characters were really relatable and very well developed. They had solid back stories that made them sympathetic characters with stories that really tugged your heart strings. Gwen and Xander were both talented but had gotten where they were via different paths. Gwen thought Xander had lived an entitled existence where things had been handed to him - - what she didn't realize was that his life was far more challenging than anyone else realized.

This story was a beautiful one about realizing what is rally important in life and letting go of what isn't. It's probably one of my favorite reads this year and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you NetGalley for this early copy.

I’m so glad I gave Julie Soto another chance! I enjoyed this book so much! Literally from the music competent to the conversations the characters, I couldn’t put this down! Thank you to netgalley and Julie Soto for an eARC

I realllllly liked this book about from about the 20-70% mark. And then I really liked it again the last 10%. The rest of the book I definitely liked but the beginning was hard to get going and the third act breakup (which I love a TAB) was too long. I felt like once the characters were together I could just feel it was all too good to be true. I was just waiting for the shoe to drop. And the MMC was making me worried when they finally got together. It is a fine line between love bombing and sincerity. I really think a lot of my reservations from this being a 5 star read would’ve been solved with a DUAL POV. I don’t understand why so many romance authors are moving away from dual POV. It’s mind boggling.

Anyway, I loved the orchestra rock stars getting together. I loved the spice and the intensity these two brought to their music. It was a really good read overall.

This book was perfect, I can’t look at a cello the same way. Had me giggling and kicking my feet the entire time. Everything Julie Soto writes fills me with so much joy! Thank you Netgalley for the arc!

UGH WOW. This was such a fun (and HOT HOT HOT) read! The tension between these two rivals in the beginning was visceral and delicious. Xander’s grumpiness towards Gwen, the immediate laser focus on not only her beauty, but also her talent and potential, had me giggling and blushing like crazy! Sometimes when we get a grumpy mmc, it’s a struggle to see that attraction peaking through, and almost feels like a true hate, but this was definitely not the case. You can tell he’s a smitten fool, stuck between showing her just how talented she really is and trying to reach the top himself. Xander.. or should I say, Alex.. is someone who strives for perfection and has so much pressure placed on himself, and it’s so relatable honestly. That constant need to be the best can be crushing, and it’s something you see him struggle with. And Gwen, my sweet, lovely Gwen has true, raw talent. You can see that she has a passion for music. She wants to grow, learn and immerse herself in this field, but can’t quite seem to get there because of her self-doubts. And again, that’s such a relatable feeling, to be your own worst enemy and biggest critic. When she and Xander come together, they begin to teach each other that being the best isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. Their love was hot and heavy (THAT CELLO SCENE!!!), but really these two were just precious, and the moments when they allow themselves to just be Gwen and Alex is when the magic really happens.

Julie Soto proves herself once again! I will say that this one didn't quite live up to her debut novel, but it was still incredible. I loved the chemistry build up, I loved the independent woman making it on her own plot, and I REALLY loved the delicious steamy scenes that Soto has proved she's so damn good at.

In saying that, I struggled to give this one 5 stars for my own personal reasons. I simply found there was just too much orchestra/violin chat that I found myself zoning out at times and getting distracted from the story. But that is all a person opinion and totally a me issue!

I don't know why I put this book off for so long considering I finished it in two days. This book was absolutely delicious. I will probably reread this as an audiobook at some point as well. I love love loved how they both were vulnerable about very similar things but Julie approached them each very differently. Ngl I was scared another the Kylo aspect of this but aside from his size didn't really see it and having his little cello suites interspersed were the perfect bite sized morsels to make me fall for him. I'm sorry if anyone ever plays me like a cello like that you're going to have to marry me on the spot. I don't make the rules.

Overall an incredibly solid sophomore romance from Julie.

Note: the only reason we knew Mabel was Puerto Rican was her last name and an offhand comment that she was Puerto Rican. Please include us, but give us more descriptors than this *sigh*

Honestly, 5 stars especially because of Chapter 10. I actually had the opportunity to meet Julie on her tour of this book and asked her to sign Chapter 10 specifically - seriously its *chefs kiss*. Overall the story line was well thought out, Gwen and Alex's dynamic was just the best because they were so dang relatable and I just loved every minute of it. I probably read this in a day, thats how much I loved it.

I cant tell you how many times I have recommended this book to my friends or just random people in the romance section of a book store. Julie, you rock girl, cant wait for you next one!

I have lots of criticisms of this book while at the same time acknowledging that I did often find it highly entertaining. Still though, when I look back on it, I suspect it will be through a more critical-than-not lens. I'll just say honestly that I think some of the story could have worked better in more adept writing hands.

The bare bones of the story are intriguing. To start, there are two musical prodigies, somewhat adrift in their lives, who find themselves suddenly vying for first chair at their orchestra. Then there is the prodigy theme where both Gwen and Alex/Xander proficiently sight read music, and in very intense public scenes that captivate everyone around them. Many of these scenes are genuinely exciting. Both characters too are strongly drawn to each other from the start, only to find external factors disrupting their budding romance. I'll just say honestly that I think some of the story needed more polishing.

The characterizations in this book are incredibly muddled and every time I tried to pin down a version of them, the story prevented it. Xander is an alias that Alex uses to cover for past trauma, except that his self-awareness of shirking one life and identity for another, presumably better one, is questionable. Alex maybe wanted a career as a classical musician but gave it up for a career in a band, except he still craves being first chair of an orchestra. On the surface, Gwen is a lonely and inhibited young woman deprived of a stable family who finds her calling as part of an orchestral family - except she seems to dream of a solo career - until she meets her former teen crush, Xander, and dreams of collaborating with him. Some of this muddle can be chalked up to young adults floundering in their early twenties with life options. But the plotting of the book struggles to create a cohesive narrative around these two gifted people. To make things more confusing, this is a book with an unusual number of villainous figures with hidden agendas who often succeed in thwarting Gwen and Xander's attempts to bond. Repetitious scenes abound too in this book and had me grinding my teeth at times. There are several scenes involving Gwen running out on Alex because she is emotionally unable to cope with a particularly challenging moment in their relationship. Also, the sex scenes in the beginning are hot and fun and intense, but after the first two, there are many that do not add anything to their story or relationship development, and I found myself skimming them.

I'm not sure if Julie Soto is an author I want to read again, but it's possible that this book isn't representative of her writing. It feels oddly more a draft than a well-honed novel.

I am a big fan of Julie Soto's fan fiction and although I prefer her Dramione fiction over her published work this was a solid novel that had amazing sexual tension and relationship development. I absolutely loved the way the author wrote about music and the way Xander and Gwen connected through their music. There was scene in his apartment where she played for him that was WHEW. I really enjoyed this book.

Julie Soto sure knows how to make a person swoon! And that cello scene?! The tension was electric and the environment, immersive. I struggled a bit with the mom/stepdad storyline, I wanted a bit more in terms of the history of that, but that didn't sway me from absolutely devouring and loving this one!

<i> Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing this advance reader's copy for an honest review. </i>

This is a solid three-star read for me. The main male character is someone you grow to hate at first, but over time, you start to like them. The book shifts into a romance, and the spicy scenes definitely deliver on the steam. It’s a mix of cozy and steamy, which kept things interesting, but I was left with mixed feelings overall. It’s a very contemporary romance with a unique dynamic between a classical violinist and a rock star cellist, which made for some fun moments. A decent read for sure.

This book felt like the more spicy but not quite as good version of Check and Mate by Ali Hazelwood. Just take away the chess pieces and throw them a cello and violin instead. Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, there's pretty much no similarity other than the fact that the main characters are wildly gifted. Also, this felt like it was Kylo/Rei fanfiction again, so the Adam Driver trend continues.

Anyways... this was FUN. It wasn't always entirely believable (especially the conflict of the story - there were definitely bits that felt like a soap opera) but overall I had a grand ol' time.

Julie Soto has done it again. This was my favourite book I've read so far. Her writing is just so immersive and you immediately it sucked in as the reader. The love and angst between these two was just sooooo good. I couldn't put it down. And also that cello scene? Oh. My. Gosh. Words cannot describe how enjoyable this book was. I loved the nod to music as well - this book felt very informed in regards to that area. I will read anything Soto writes and again, this book did not disappoint.

Well well well, I am once again captivated by a Julie Soto book!
Forget me not was my favorite romance of last year and now here I am proclaiming this book to be my favorite romance of 2024!
So good, so steamy and so emotionally rewarding.
I cannot get enough of Sotos writing at this point. Her character development is top tier. The plot and love story of these characters was so rich and had me rooting for them so much.
Excuse me while I go ask my husband to please play me like a cello.

Thank you so much to the publisher for the advanced copy of this amazing book!

I will always eat up a Julie Soto book. I read this book in under 24 hours. I was SCREAMING AND KICKING MY FEET THE WHOLE TIME. I loved it so much and I felt so immersed into the characters and story. The tension between the couple was perfect and their banter was top tier. I especially loved the way the characters met. I was entertained the whole time and will definitely always read Julie Soto.

I will not be giving feedback for this book. I tried to read it and couldn’t get into it. I think it was a me problem, not reflective of the book itself. I need to give a star rating, so I will give it three stars since it’s the middle ground. I think I would like to pick it up again in the future but unfortunately don’t have much to say on it at the present moment.

I absolutely loved this book. One of the best-written books I've ever read. The story line was so refreshing. I am a fan of Julie Soto now. I will be reading all of the books now.

Thank you to Forever for the gifted copy.