Another amazing book. I cannot recommend this authors books enough!I highly recommend adding this to your TBR

I finished this book and thought… was it really that good? Was it just right moment, right mood, right time?

I decided I don’t care. This may be my new favorite romance of all time. The chemistry, the banter, the MUSIC. Maybe it was just me dreaming about being a child music prodigy and falling in love with my fellow music prodigy. But this book.

It felt like teenage angst. It captured young crazed love, so many obstacles when you come from nothing, how easy it is to be taken advantage of, BECOMING SOMETHING. Is it what you want? Is it what was chosen for you? Is it what’s easy?

I really liked Julie Sotos first traditionally published romance, but this brought it to the next level.

I loved the nod to her previous book. I loved found family vs chosen family vs family. I loved all the side characters. I loved that this book sucked me in from chapter one at a wedding. I loved Alex and his absolute obsession over Gwen, even when she was completely oblivious.

I was just rereading some of the sections I highlighted to confirm that really just happened. It did.

Above all I love that I read the craziest music 🌶️ on an airplane and I’m still scared I’m gonna show up on TikTok because my font size on my kindle is huge.

Thank you to Julie Soto’s team for the ARC. I will be promoting the crap out of this in two weeks time. I’ll probably go buy it too. Love you , love this, love everything.

I fell in love with this book after reading the first chapter and loved every page after! This is a great romcom with chemistry, tension, classical music, and spice. I loved the relationship between Gwen and Xander. They had me giggling and kicking my feet at how much they loved each other, especially when Xander is trying to win over Gwen. And then they get together and you see that they are made for each other. I also love how much music is involved in this book, and even if you can’t hear it you can feel it, which shows some great writing.

Overall, I loved this book and highly recommend it!

I knew. I knew the second I finished Forget Me Not. I knew the exact moment I laid eyes on this cover. I knew I was going to love this book, and boy, did I ever.

📕 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto

📙 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Standalone

📗 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀: E-book ARC on Kindle, courtesy of NetGalley.

📘 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Contemporary romance

📔 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀: Rivals-to-lovers, music as a love language, Ghost but with a cello, she falls first but he falls hardest, fanfic vibes. 

📖 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Gwen is making a living in the music world, playing for the Manhattan Pops orchestra and finding weddings and events to play where she can. But at a wedding where she's forced to play an instrument she's not familiar with and nails it, she comes face to face with the Xander Thorne - an orchestra rock god. Now he's playing across from her at the Pops and challenging her at every turn. But in a world full of people who want to profit off of her talent, Gwen has to find where her future truly lays.

🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: Julie Soto is an extremely talented writer. I was into this story from the first chapter, and devastated to see it end. 

Music is one of my (many) love languages, and this book scratched that itch. But beyond that, it was so completely, achingly romantic. Xander was hot and well spoken and so openly, unabashedly head over heels for Gwen. And Gwen was so wrapped up in him and his aura, it was hard not to fall in love right alongside her.

The third act breakup in this book had me in actual tears. The ending made me gitty. The middle had me frantic. I ordered the paperback immediately after finishing, and can't wait to go back and highlight all of my favorite quotes and chapters.

Now, I want to note I am NOT a fanfic reader. I actually steer clear as much as possible, but even I can tell that fanfic readers would love this book - and those who don't even understand that world would enjoy it as well.

Highly recommend this book - it may be one of my top reads of 2024.

𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.

3.25 stars.

First, I enjoyed Forget Me Not, so I was excited to get an ARC of this book. However, I really struggled to connect with the main characters.

The FMC was bland and passive with very little personality though I was glad she did have some character growth (and grow a little bit of a backbone) by the end of the book. I absolutely did not like the MMC. I get he’s supposed to be Kylo Ren, broody damaged bad boy etc, but his early POV chapters and dialog, especially towards Gwen, came off as overly pretentious and cringy.

I think the book could have benefited from more character depth and more connection in their relationship outside of instalust and playing music together.

With that being said, I did end up reading the first half of the book in one sitting and finished it in three total sittings so it was a fast read that kept me engaged.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever and to NetGalley for providing an ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for the free eARC!

“It’s simple really, it’s about a cello who fell in love with a violin.” 🎻

I was immediately drawn to the cover of this book! The colors, the main characters, and the cello really called to me. I wanted to give this author a second chance after a not-so-great reading outcome with her other book. I’m so glad I did!

The author’s writing in this novel is amazing. Though this book isn’t fully dual POV, I am happy she included the few chapters we got from Alex’s POV since it helped the reader to understand his feelings and personal struggles. I can’t even imagine how hard it is to write a book about music, when the readers can’t actually hear what you are wanting to portray. Julie Soto did it so well. I got emotional during some of the music-heavy scenes, and I am not someone who knows much about music composition or string instruments.

The emotional, physical, and musical chemistry between Gwen and Alex is one of a kind. This book definitely has the “boy falls first” and the “boy obsessed” tropes. I loved the way the author was able to make me feel their chemistry through them playing their instruments together. The sexual tension was so high during those scenes! Speaking of, the spice in this novel is amazing. Chapter 10 was… oh my. And it just got better from there.

I think that many people will enjoy this novel. It is a very beautifully written story; just as beautiful as the story itself. Look out for Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto on bookshelves on July 16, 2024!

5/5 ⭐️ 3.5/5🌶️
i am suddenly wishing i knew how to play a strings instrument (or any instrument for that matter)

This book is so good it put me in a reading slump. Me 🤝 Julie Soto's mind. Have I seen Star Wars? No. Do I love Reylo fanfic turned contemporary romance? Yes.

"Because Alex had traveled the entire world by the age of twenty-six, and Gwen Jackson was the first person he’d found who could actually do what he did. And possibly do it better. Only she didn’t know it yet. And that—that—was the terrifying part."

I don't even know how to recap this book in a succinct way. It made me feel SO MUCH. I love a man obsessed and I love a girl obsessed and something about having them express themselves through music is otherworldly. I need a re-read ASAP.
If you're looking for a romance with steaming hot chemistry and saccharine sweet charm, this is the book for you!

Julie absolutely KNOCKED it out of the park with her follow up novel to last year's Forget Me Not--which I did not think could be topped but she proved me very wrong!! I would give this infinity PLUS ONE stars if I could. I know this book is going to be on my mind for a long time.

I don't know if I've ever come across writing that portrays longing so viscerally. Julie's words make you feel it, really feel it, through Gwen & Alex's emotional ups, downs, and spicy bits. Speaking of spicy bits, WHEW LORD. This might be the h*rniest book I've read in a hot minute. Alex is basically a human-shaped ball of yearning and want, and their steamy scenes are so well-written that I can practically hear Gwen panting (but it's actually me, I am panting). I don't think there was a single thing about this book that I didn't love to be honest!!

The Ama & Elliot cameos made me so happy 🥹

Not Another Love Song has officially solidified Julie Soto as a one-click author FOR LIFE!!!

“Not Another Love Song” was the perfect palette cleanser after a bad stretch of underwhelming books for me. I am a sucker for a book whose plot is driven by a world I’m unfamiliar with, and seeing the romance between Gwen and Alex unfold amongst their music felt original in an often-repetitive genre. Their chemistry felt very real and I loved that every conflict point was not used or exaggerated to create more drama between the couple. There was ample space for the reader to really enjoy their relationship. Of course, as with every romance, there comes a time where their relationship is tested and this book waits a long time for that moment to come…I won’t lie, it may have come a little later than I’d like and it felt a bit more contrived than it needed to be, but ultimately it worked.

Why just the 4 stars? Call me boring, but I do prefer a bit more substance behind a couple’s chemistry and I wish there was a little more emphasis on the characters than on their sex life (I know, I know, my opinion is not necessarily popular). It felt a little like overkill at the end though, when there were other avenues that could have been taken IMO. Far from a big critique though, and definitely something others may not agree with. Overall, I devoured this story and appreciate it breaking me out of my bad book slump.

**Thank you so much to Forever Grand Central, NetGalley and Julie Soto for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion**

Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for this ARC for in exchange for an honest review.

I'm beginning to think if Julie Soto writes it, I will read and buy it. This is my second Julie Soto story and they just keep getting better and better. This was an easy at least 4.5 stars for me, damn near perfect!

The story follows a violin prodigy Gwen. She's good, but she has greatness in her if she of course would stop overthinking! Isn't that true of us all. She plays in the orchestra and is happy but her world and self are in very quick succession turned around and upside down. Because in walks Xander, with all his godliness and amazing ability to play, if he'd show up that is.

Fortunately for us, Xander can see the amazingness that is Gwen and wants nothing more than to bring it out, bring her out. But like all complicated love stories they face pressure from those around them and themselves. Xander is moody and full of years of pressure that he never learned to deal with. Gwen is the last to believe in herself at times and would rather play it safe then soar.

I loved this story and devoured it as soon as I got my hands on it. I couldn't wait to be in the world of Julie Soto characters again and this story did not disappoint me in anyway. It was spicey, angsty, and had me on my seat in the seat half. It was well paced and didn't feel like it dragged at all.

Let it be known that my only coherent thought expressed when I hit about the 60% mark of Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto was just, “ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh, so good.” I will do my very best to be a little more descriptive & eloquent than this because I need to be, but I also feel like that alone speaks to just how I feel about this book.

The angst.

The pining.

In the book’s own words, “…THIS IS SOME GOURMET LOVE STORY SHIT!”

Julie Soto was an instant favorite author for me from about page five of Forget Me Not & this new book, Not Another Love Song, only solidifies my opinion. We have all the angst & emotion of a story with ReyLo vibes, combined with the passion of the arts & of insanely talented artists. We have the brooding man & the woman who tilt-shifts his world in a way he can’t recover from. This story is so rich; despite the fact that I have never touched a string instrument, I thoroughly enjoyed how detailed Soto was about the industry & skill, describing the music & performances in a way that sang from the page. She has clearly made a deal with some devil at some crossroads in order to be able to so clearly bring it all to life in my head as a reader. (Oh, it just occurred to me that the audiobook will probably be INCREDIBLE & I now have a reason to re-read this book soon, once it’s released.)

There’s not much more I can say without accidentally sharing a spoiler, so I will just leave you with this: This book is stunning & lovely in so many ways. It’s angsty & spicy & emotional. And you should absolutely pick this up if you need some not-so-enemies to very-much-lovers vibes in your life.

Thank you to both NetGalley & Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing a digital advanced copy for review. All thoughts & opinions expressed are my own.

This was a good romance novel. I liked the way the relationship between the main characters developed. also really enjoyed the found family vibe of the side characters. There was definitely tension between the characters that built nicely.
For me, I struggled with the music aspect of the story, there was incorrect terminology, and some of the professional orchestra workings didn’t feel realistic. Those things distracted me, so it personally interfered with my enjoyment-though I’m sure others will connect with this book more than I did.
This was my first book by this author and I would definitely read another.
3.5 stars

I’m truly conflicted about a rating for this one, but three stars feels right at this moment.

As a woodwind, I loved the classical music backdrop to the story. It made me nostalgic for my musical days, and lyrically it was a masterpiece. But everything else outside of the technical piece just fell flat for me. I don’t believe you have to connect with every character when reading a book, but I didn’t connect with a single character; and I think a lot of that was due to not having the backstory of the characters.

My biggest gripe: The MMC being a protégé and there’s very little about his musical family!

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

“Look, I don’t know what you want from me but ——“
“Anything.” Black eyes looked down on her, and he took a shaking breath. “Everything.”

Julie Soto’s writing is phenomenal. Her books play out like movies in my mind while I’m reading them every time. This story was so beautiful and I wish it was a movie so much!

The way she describes everything is so well done. I don’t find it too fluffy or boring. It’s just enough information to help you see exactly where you’re at in the moment.

Alex is such a flex. His timeliness. His words. His actions. He is just everything and I loved him so much!

Gwen is such a powerhouse out of no where. I felt like she was going to be meek but she quickly proved me wrong and became this amazing lead character for me.

This story is so beautifully written and I absolutely cannot recommend it enough. <3

Loved this book. Great spice level, plot moved throughout the whole book. Never felt slow. Incredibly enjoyable

Oh, no. I don't think this one should have left the world of fan fiction.

Sometimes ff just reads as ff and as much as I really enjoyed Forget Me Not, this one just didn't stack up.

It was too insta-love for rivals to lovers, everything about the orchestra and opportunities given to our MC was extremely unrealistic, and the big bad guy was like a caricature. Also every s*x scene referenced triplets and arpeggios. It was just too much.

Not Another Love Song is another beautiful romance book by Julie Soto. I loved Julie's first book and this one is just as good. The chemistry was off the charts and it made me truly want to hear the music that the main characters were making together. This is by far one of the best romance books I have read this year! And I will absolutely devour any future books by Julie Soto.
Thank you Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC!

Wow. This story was so addicting. I started this the other day and I could not stop thinking about this book the entire day. My day at work was spent counting down minutes until I could read this book again. Julie Soto’s writing is just so addictive. I love the characters she creates and the stories she tells.

The family aspects in this book were so well done and at times so devastating to read. I loved seeing both Alex/Xander and Gwen’s journey and their growth of finding themselves and who they want to be. I absolutely adored all the characters and really just loved everything about this book.

This was my first book by the author. I really enjoyed this one! It was really cute. I loved the sexual tension between Gwen and Xander Thorne and the setting of playing in an orchestra. I never learned how to play an instrument, but I can appreciate the art. With that, I didn't connect with the story in that way because I had no idea what was being talked about when it came to the music being played in the story. I could absolutely see this book being made into a movie someday! And the cover! I absolutely love the cover of this book and think of that scene whenever I look at it. It was interesting to read a fanfic, and with this being a Reylo fanfic my curiosity was piqued.

Not Another Love Song is an utterly romantic, grumpy x sunshine story about two rival musicians.

Gwen Jackson is making ends meet, working for the Manhattan Pops during the week, and playing the occasional wedding gig to help cover rent and takeout. When a chance encounter at a wedding catches the attention of Xander Thorne, famed cellist and rock star, and her colleague at the Pops, Gwen worries about being the focus of his criticism. But when she is asked to be first chair and concertmaster, a position Xander has been reaching for years, she can't seem to ignore him, or the building chemistry between them.

OK. I adored this book so much! Julie Soto's writing is so easy to fall into, I read this book straight through in one sitting. I just could not put it down. The chemistry between Gwen and Xander is impeccable. You can't help but kick you feet reading this. He falls hard and fast for her, and she has no clue. While this is mostly written from Gwen's POV, we also get a few chapters from Xander's perspective which lend some depth to the story as readers see some of the more vulnerable parts he keeps hidden from the world. I also loved reading about two artists who are just incredible at what they do, seeing the difference between someone who is good at something, versus a person who truly excels at it. Gwen and Xander have very different musical backgrounds and that influences how they approach their skills and what they see as work versus art, which becomes a challenge for the pair as they progress in their careers and relationships. There are some fun cameos from the crew from Forget Me Not, which I loved, and a nod to Green Day, my favorite band of all time, so that was a fun little part for me. Overall, I love this book, and Not Another Love Song has definitely cemented Julie Soto as one of my auto-read romance authors.

Thank you so, so much to NetGalley and to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this wonderful book! I loved it so much! All opinions are my own.