I really loved Soto’s Forget Me Not, so I immediately jumped at the opportunity to read Not Another Love Song! Overall, it was just an OK read for me.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 👍:
▫️Soto’s style of writing.
▫️MMC is very interesting and broody.
▫️Intriguing story concept that got my attention right away.
▫️ Definitely some good building tension between the love interests initially.
▫️ There were several beautifully written, swoon-worthy lines sprinkled throughout that had me smiling.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 👎:
▫️Way, way, way too much emphasis on instruments, orchestra, etc. I know that’s an integral part of the book, but I think the only people who would care about the level of detail about the instruments and how orchestras work are people who play them/are in them. You are also almost lost at times if you don’t know some of the musical terms.
▫️ Chemistry between the two love interests could have been a little stronger for me. Probably it would have helped to spend more time fleshing out their relationship and less about the day to day minutiae of the orchestra and Gwen’s orchestral duties.

Overall, this one was just ok for me. I didn’t love it, but also didn’t hate it. It did take me quite awhile to get through it because I kept getting bored (I think mostly by the constant descriptions of the instruments and playing, orchestra buzz words, etc.). I think maybe this one just didn’t land for me, but I can see for some people that it might. The love story and character chemistry just wasn’t strong enough (for me anyway) to overcome the hurdle of the parts I didn’t like as much.

I do however love Soto’s writing style and will not be giving up on her work - this one just wasn’t for me.

Thank you Net Galley and Forever Publishing for the digital ARC.

Who gave Julie Soto the right to create such a beautiful work of art?? As a former orchestra nerd, I loved all of the music elements that were weaved into the story. I really have no constructive feedback on this title; I truly enjoyed it that much. I even highlighted quotes, which is not something I can usually focus on while reading but I just NEEDED to remember the things Xander thought or said. For anyone looking for an MMC that is obsessed with his partner, I highly recommend Not Another Love Song.

Firstly, I'm very picky when it comes to reading romance. Not Another Love Song isn't just a unique romance but it will transport you to a musical place.

Gwen is a violinist in the New York Pops Orchestra. Xander Thorne didn't notice her until she played the cello at his friend's wedding. She wasn't even a cellist. She was a violinist and has been her whole life. Overnight, Gwen was offered the position of First Chair and Xander couldn't be more furious. As Gwen and Xander clash and cross with each other, something else starts brewing between them. Both can't deny the connection and compelling music they can make together.

As their connection grew deeper, lots of secrets and politics were revealed. Xander, whose real name is Alex has to make a hard choice for his reputation.

This was a refreshing romance. I have never read any books based on characters who play musical instruments. The emotions can get quite intense. Gwen is a violinist and Alex is a cellist for reasons they are yet to figure out. Their chemistry was complicated at times. And sometimes it was super intune and intense. I loved the extremity of their feelings intertwining with making music. Like her previous book, this was a new setting for me. Soto does a great job at feeling the reader feel at ease with unique romance through musical instruments.

Okay suddenly I think the cello is hot??? Julie you are so powerful for that. I ate this up and am officially a reylo girly.

Unfortunately this one was very disappointing for me. I was extremely excited, but this felt very similar to fan fiction.
I loved the New York setting as well as the musical elements.

I buddy read this with 3 other people and we all ended up feeling similarly.
The romance was so hard to get through. I dont know why rude men are seen as sexy. Also the constant mention of the man being big and large and the girl being small ehhh. And the constant mentioning of the MMC's full name which in some ways dehumanizes him because Gwen our FMC sees him as some musical god.

There was a lack of chemistry between the main characters. Xander our very arrogant MMC who the author is trying to make out to be misunderstood never notices Gwen although they have worked for the same orchestra for 4 years and after seeing her place the cello at a wedding he attends and insults her skills then decides to take interest in her. Gwen has always found XANDER THORNE extremely attractive and LARGE, so in some way i guess that is enough to make them have a thing for each other.

They almost never talked enough to get to know each other. We find out about Xander because Gwen does research and find things out about him, and we know about Gwen because we're in her POV. But they dont have moments of them getting close and being vulnerable with one another. They are presented on the page and the readers are suppose to root for them because thats just how it is.

Then a spicy scene literally comes out of nowhere that gave me whiplash.
Sorry t say, but everything that happened felt immature and the betrayal could seen from miles away.

Honestly, would could have worked better would have been if maybe this was set at Julliard and Gwen and Xander were made rivals and Pops could only take one student and they were trying to be the best to get in. That would have made the leads have some understandable connection, tension could have been built better, and their tension would have made more sense.

Either way, I can somewhat see what the author was trying to do here and I can also understand why people would like it. I'm sorry im not one of them.

4.25 stars

I really really enjoyed this one! The tension build up between the Alex and Gwen is incredible! And I love the music elements in this and that it brings them together! I loved the little twists and the growth the characters go through and how it all ends. It was such a great read, a hard one to put down!

It’s been a week since I finished Not Another Love Song and I am still not over it. Julie Soto has written what will likely be one of the best romances I will read this year. I had no idea I needed an orchestra-based romance until I read Julie’s author letter at the beginning of the book — I was hooked from then on. Not Another Love Song is a contemporary romance book in which the main characters find love through music, and it could not have better.

The tension and buildup, the musical scenes, the spice, all of this novel, really, were flawlessly written. I honestly struggled to put it down just after the first few pages. It was so refreshing to read a musician romance, something new to the genre. Through the pages, it’s clear that Julie did significant research on the musical world while writing this novel, which elevated the story.

I cannot thank the Forever team enough for sending me this arc. I will cherish it on my shelf next to my Forget Me Not arc, and I’ll hope to get it signed one day!

4.75⭐, 2.75🌶️

I was excited to read this book, and even my expectations were blown away because I LOVEDDD this book! The banter between these two was so great. The drama with Xander's mom, Gwen's pseudo mom, and o many other characters kept me so invested and intrigued. I adored how the two fell in love, and all the elements of music incorporated into this book just made it that much more romantic for me.

Side note - This has nothing to do with the review, but I was I nervous that reading my first book as a mom with the MMC having my son's name. But I was so invested in the romance the name similarity didn't matter. It also helps that Xander also went by Alex, so i just only thought of him as Alex.

💙FMC Violinist and MMC Cellist/ Rockstar
💜Grumpy x Sunshine
🎻Rivals to Lovers
💜Forced Proximity
💙He Falls First

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC of Not Another Love Story by Julie Soto. This is my honest and unpaid review!

I read Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto about a month ago and I can’t stop thinking about it!!

I finished it in less than a day because I could not put it down!! I swear Julie Soto laced it with something or infused it with some kind of dark magic because I had not been so captivated by a book like that in a long time.

It’s steamy, it’s romantic, it has great characters. I absolutely loved the complexity of the MMC. It was so good that I forgot to take notes for most of the book!!

Also, I’ll never be able to look at a cello the same (iykyk 😉)

If you’re looking for a steamy romance that holds on to your attention and refuses to let go, this is the one. It made me a Julie Soto fan for sure and I this was the first book by her I’ve read.

Did I like this book? Yes ✅
Did this book itch some long seated scratch of getting of falling in love with the lead of a pop-punk band who expresses his love for me in front of his gawking fans? Absolutely ✅
Did buy on Gwen and Xander's relationship? No ❎

🎻🏙️🎼

After some further debate with myself, and chatting about it with a friend, I've decided to keep this at a 3 star, which I recognize seems to be in the minority here. I generally enjoyed reading this, but neither character was terribly likeable, especially our male lead. She's been in the same orchestra as him for EIGHT (8) MONTHS and he never noticed her? Like didn't even recognize her?? I'm not sold that he loved her, I think he loved how she represented what he could have been kind of bordering on obsession. [1]

I think if you are someone with a music background (like myself) this book can either go one of two ways, you either appreciate all the music references and analogies, or you can only think "its never really that deep". I find myself in the latter group.

What might be my hottest take in a while: yes, the cello scene is hot, but I personally felt it happened way too early in their relationship development and kind of borders on a very weird consent line.......... they've exchanged minimal words, she has expressed her strong dislike for him, he invites her over to make music (since they are both musicians) and then that happens. Again, hot scene, but I would've felt a lot better about it if the sexual aspect of it was pushed further in the book.

I loved Forget Me Not, it is in my top romances of all time, and thus I was really looking forward to Julie Soto's follow up. Sadly, for me, this didn't come close to being in the same tier as Forget Me Not. I love a good character cameo, but every time Ama and Elliot showed up just made me want to stop and reread Forget Me Not. Thinking about it more, the dual POV and dual timelines (past and present) really helped ground the characters and I genuinely believed what I was reading, and that same energy was sadly missing from this story.

Oh well, guess its a sign for a Forget Me Not reread!

Spoilerish:
[1] That man gave up on their relationship way too quickly, like just accepting manager blocking the numbers and everything???? No fighting that??? That should've been the turning point, not the exceptionally rushed resolution we got in the last 30 pages.

Disclaimer: I received the eARC from Forever publishing via Netgalley.
🎻🏙️🎼

One of my favorite reads of the year. The love story and couple’s chemistry was written so well. Even as individuals you wanted both to succeed. Loved the most of the side characters as well, Loved the appearances of the characters from Forget Me Not. Just so much I loved about this. Probably a great testament to Julie Soto’s writing that she took classical music and made it easy for someone like me who knows nothing feel like she not only understand it but feel like I could feel the music as if they where playing for real.

Thank you Forever Publishing and Netgalley for this arc.

I am giving it 5 stars.

Julie Soto is a master of building delicious tension between her main characters, and she delivered once again with this romance between the first violin and first cello in the Manhattan Pops orchestra. I love a good rivals-to-lovers, and competing first chairs in the orchestra is the perfect setup.
Xander Thorne is the grumpy first cello at the
Pops when he’s not busy with his electric strings band. Gwen is the quiet violinist from the back of the orchestra that he doesn’t even recognize when she plays at his friend’s wedding. But when she gets promoted to first chair of the orchestra over him, the rivalry blooms in full force. Can they learn to stand each other and work together? Or will they find that they might even enjoy harmonizing after all? This one had me hanging on every word! I can’t wait for Julie to come to my city on the book tour!

This was so so good!!!! As soon as I read the author's note, I knew it was going to be an banger!! The setting was so unique, I loved it. The writing was incredible, it was so captivating. AND THE TENSION?!?! To die for, no? (please tell me you get the reference) Anyways, I was hooked and this book was so amazing. It was my first Julie Soto book and it certainly won't be my last. So do yourself a service and go read this book, you're not going to be disapointed.

If you read Julie Soto’s Forget Me Not, then be prepared to buckle up and enjoy Not Another Love Song. I don’t have a music background but I felt so deeply immersed in the musical writing along with the enemies to lovers trope through this story. Alex and Gwen’s chemistry, both musically and romantically, just make for a great read. I’m sure like many others, that cello scene will probably live rent free in my mind forever🔥🔥🔥🔥 Thank you Julie for another great book, and thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this arc in exchange for my honest review.

A Julie Soto classic! Charming, funny, and impossible to put down! I loved Gwen and her development over the course of the story as well as banter and fun relationships she has!

This book is very similar in feeling to Julie Soto’s debut (Forget Me Not). The characters are not the most unique but the orchestra backdrop is unique from the florist/wedding planners of the last one. I really appreciate the amount of background research that goes into this book! I am not musically inclined at all and I understood a lot of the context. I sped through this book and was very happy reading it. Although there is a sorta Rey-Lo vibe and insta-love, I could appreciate it. If you like her previous book and Ali Hazelwood Books, I think this would be up your alley.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for the honest review.

Not another love song was so fun! This kept me entertained and smiling through the entire story. Although I knew where it was going the entire time, I GOBBLED it up! I also love the Alma and Eli cameo in this one!

- Ama! Cameos are always fun
- Cello & violin are two different instruments for a reason?
- Booooo to Thorne & Roses, on multiple levels
- Have I mentioned that I hate knowing when books are based on Reylo fanfic
- All I can picture is Adam driver & he doesn’t really do anything for me
- I wonder if this is actually enemies to lovers or if they just fake hate each other for two chapters before getting in each other’s pants
- Xander does excel at being a raging asshole tho, I’ll give him that
- Wow shocking Xander is very large who could have possibly predicted this
- Now I just have to wait for how small Gwen is 🙄🙄
- Plot twist Gwen is tall!!
- Oh no Xander is a considerate asshole
- Those are the worst
- Oop maybe he’s just an asshole
- Yepp definitely a garbage person
- God forbid someone be pretty & talented
- Man I do not miss sight reading things
- Xander get a life my dude
- Oooooo Xander POV
- Bruh if you think she’s good just tell her?! What is your deal
- Interesting that they would give first chair to Gwen & not the next Fitzgerald
- I get nepo babies & all but he seems qualified? Not to mention tall dark & handsome can also sell tickets
- Found the Star Wars reference
- Why on earth is Xander playing a wedding?! He hardly needs the money
- Oh he’s just here to be an antagonistic little shit. That tracks
- Xander you utter fuckwit why r u like this
- Hmm… the plot thickens
- Xander the knight in shining armour
- I can get behind this
- Nathan gives skeezy vibes
- Why is the idea of a tall dark haired dude breaking violin strings weirdly hot?
- I probably need help
- AHA I KNEW NATHAN WAS SKEEZY
- Gwen my friend you need to form your own opinions & not just blindly follow skeezeball Nathan
- Someone needs to tell Xander how to talk to women because he is V bad at it
- Ughh but he’s right about the Pops & Nathan which makes this extra irritating
- I hate when men are right
- Mei 😂😂😂😂😂
- Oh Alex my dude you are down so fucking bad
- I don’t think I like how this book is written?
- It’s very choppy & jolting
- The Pops losing funding seems v fishy to me… fucking Nathan
- Not really an Ava enthusiast either tbh
- Imagine that, a wild Xander appears, with taco money to boot
- God these two are so fucking awkward it hurts
- Awhh Xander names his instruments
- What a lil’ nerd
- Not sure how I feel about the “being fingered while playing the cello” thing… it was weird
- You know, I’m not usually an advocate for this, but I think a good fucking would do Gwen well
- Okay now we’ve entered weird & confusing
- Why is this making me want to re-read the love hypothesis I stg
- The tension is killing me like my dudes can you just do the thing already
- Oh god Alex you need to cool your jets or Gwen is going to fucking run for the fucking hills
- “She watched his left hand move through the fingering” *snort-laugh*
- Betcha it’s not the kind of fingering Gwen wants to see him do tho
- Gwen my girl you’ve already fallen in love with Xander just give it up
- Xander you absolute little shit finish the fucking song
- Oh this is not going to end well…
- Again with the goddamn henleys that shirt needs to be banned from romance novels forever thank u
- Yeahh the writing of this book gives me whiplash
- « Let me make love to you on stage »
- VOMIT
- Honestly these two just need to fuck it out because they cannot function in each other’s presence & it is driving me BATTY
- Alright I will give Julie Soto credit for making me snort laugh on several occasions
- Ahh there we go
- Finally made it to the fucking
- Aaaaaand it got weird again
- I mean, whatever turns your crank, but playing violin to a naked woman who you asked to open her legs is a bit odd, no?
- Oh look they’re actually talking I didn’t think they knew how to do that considering the pair of them spoke 12 sentences to each other before all the fucking
- Ruh roh
- Oop the L word is out there already damn
- Maybe there is something to the weird naked music playing
- Yeahh Nathan is garbage
- Jacob cracks me up
- Damn that was fast to the I love yous but they are obsessed with each other I guess
- This third act breakup is going to be ~terrible~
- Methinks a Thanksgiving breakup is imminent
- Nathan. Fuck. Off.
- Oh no oh no
- I mean that was on both Mabel & Gwen but damn
- Nope I don’t like Gwen in Thorne & Roses this seems off to me
- Would you look at that I was right
- I don’t know if I hate Lorenz or Nathan more, although Alex is currently not doing himself any favours
- Like bruh do not answer the phone while balls deep in your girlfriend I feel like I shouldn’t have to say that
- Ruh roh
- God what is with this fucking skeezy men getting all up in Alex’s business I stg this dude needs to throat punch Nathan & Lorenz oh my god
- Alex you nitwit
- So Nathan needs to be stopped
- Damn Gwen deserves better than these shitheads
- Also
- Ava needs a backbone I’m sorry but she does
- God someone needs to take Lorenz out with a rusty crowbar I swear
- Oh no I am STRESSED
- Yes Gwen fucking get him
- Ahh hello Alex
- Welcome back you useless tool
- Alright I suppose Alex isn’t entirely useless
- Ooooo Ava found her backbone yes we love to see it
- Ha, a Scooter reference & a Taylor’s Version reference
- That was a weird, wild ride

That opening wedding scene had me hooked instantly and I ended up reading this in a single sitting! My musical knowledge is limited to my clumsy attempt at playing baritone sax and trumpet in high school music class so any potential music knowledge inaccuracies went right over my head and did not shatter the spell of this story. I think my all time favourite trope in romance is when both leads get off on their partners respective talent/skill/genius. More books like this please. 2. 5 peppers.

I didn't think Julie Soto could top Forget Me Not, but I just loved this so much! It is full of so much tension and is just so....steamy. It's romantic and sensual and had me caught up in the pages. I truly couldn't put it down. I found the world of being in an orchestra quite fascinating as I knew nothing about it. It was the perfect setting for Xander and Gwen's story to play out. And like all my favorite contemporaries it has a plot moving it forward alongside stellar character development. I loved the fanfic origins of this story and loved that Julie called it out at the beginning! I truly can't wait for her next book and will definitely be adding this one to my shelf ASAP!