Julie Soto is a STAR! This book about musical prodigies was surprisingly hot and I was HERE for it! Gwen and Alex were honestly so connected and I loved that. There was a lot going on in this book and I thoroughly enjoyed all of the pieces that made this story. And Alex. He is a sweetie and I loved how down bad he was. I also will be thinking about that cello scene for a long while.

Julie Soto writing is my cup of tea, she is the queen at writing chemistry and tension. Both her books so far have had male main characters that are mysterious and aloof, they give so little but say so much in very little words.

She does a great job at immersing you into the world of performing arts, I literally have no knowledge or interest in it but thoroughly enjoyed learning and spending time in their world. How she was able to describe their love using music metaphors and description was so romantic and dreamy, I wish I could hear the music they composed together. I loved how opposite Gwen and Xander were, from how they grew up to their musical education, they couldn't be more different but once they started to jam together none of that matter.

I hope to see this be a movie one day just so I could hear the music

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an ARC.

Wow this book was perfection. The tension was chefs kiss. I wasn’t sure if I’d like a music centric book but don’t let that deter you! It’s got everything!! Looking forward to more by Soto.

This was a sweet story but honestly it took me a while to get through. I’m not sure what it was but it just didn’t quite hold my interest like I expected. I didn’t mind the characters but I didn’t love them or their relationship. Alex felt so hot and cold and his mom issues severely impacted him. Gwen was very naive, I understand a lot came from her lack of family and how she was raised, but she drove me crazy half the time.

Alex’s agent and his step dad were both such crappy characters and I kept waiting for everyone else to see their true selves. I was interested again around 80% but again it didn’t totally grab me.

The spicy scene was perfect though!

3.5 stars

I loved Soto's debut, Forget Me Not, and was beyond excited for an advance copy of Not Another Love Song.

This started out a bit slow, maybe because I don't know much about orchestras? The FMC felt very young and naive but I also liked her? The MMC was harsh and had 2 very distinct personalities (which I know was kinda the point but also idk and it didn't super work)

Xander demanding Gwen to sight read songs was so out of the blue every time it happened when he otherwise ignored her and belittled her abilities to others was very strange but also get what he was trying to prove.

I enjoyed the ending. The third act was as expected tho. This book was good but didn't have the same spark as Soto's first. I'm still looking forward to her next book though.

Thanks to NetGalley & Forever Pub for an advance copy!

A whopping 5 stars and beyond for this lovely reylo fanfic that evolved into a musical knockout.

I don’t know much about playing any sort of instrument, especially anything pertaining to classical music, but Julie made everything so accessible and easy to digest that I was able to dive into these characters. And THESE CHARACTERS?!? Amazing. Gwen 🤩 Alex 😍 Xander 😏 Mabel 🥹

And can we talk about the cover?! Gorgeous! And the fact that it references a certain scene in the book? SUPERB!

I think it’s safe to say that Julie Soto is an auto-buy author for me now.

CW/TW: death of loved ones, cancer, toxic relationship, gaslighting

Wow, Julie Soto is definitely an author I am keeping on my reading list, because I have absolutely adored this book. After reading Forget Me Not, I was curious to see if this book would live up to the excitement I had, and I'm glad it did.
This book was simply addicting. It's the kind of book I could easily devour in an evening (which I totally did. The romance between Gwen and Alex was really interesting to play out through also their love of music, but it did feel a little like they went from rival to lovers really fast. Still, I was really rooting for them, and really loved them together.
One of the things that i did question was more in the dynamic of the orchestra, and the whole story of Gwen becoming the first chair so quickly and how realistic that is, and how she doesn't seem to really see the red flags surrounding that. I don't know much about the music world, but there is a part of me that found it a little weird that it didn't seem to raise more eyebrows .
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a really fun read, and I'm really looking forward to reading more from Julie Soto. Definitely an author I'll keep my eyes out for.

I absolutely ADORED this book so much, and it has turned out to be one of my favorite reads of 2024 so far! I adore Gwyn and Xander, and their chemistry is one of the absolute best parts of this book. Their love for each other depicted through their music was so well done and made me tear up at times because it was written so beautifully (like fully started crying during some of the musical scenes)!!
I also LOVED the setting of this book because both of the characters play instruments in an orchestra in NYC, and it was so much fun reading about them composing and then playing on a big stage. Julie truly hit the mark on literally every aspect of this book.
also... Xander being both a hugely famous rock cello player and a sweet man who makes her coffee every morning and writes music about her? Sign me upppp, I wish I could read it again. Please go read this book when it comes out!!!

4.5 stars rounded up. I’ve heard so much hype for this book and for me, it definitely lived up to that hype.

I’m a sucker for a man who’s down bad for his lady right away when it’s done well, and Alex is that man here. He’s emotionally stunted and really kind of sucks at expressing those feelings. It’s funny and endearing because it’s never intended to be mean, he just constantly puts his foot in his mouth when he engages in the way that makes sense to him.

Gwen is struggling to figure out her place and what she truly wants for her future. I’m over a decade older than her character and still don’t know so, girl, I get it. Meanwhile, trying to understand where Alex is coming from all of a sudden and adding navigating the dichotomy of his two lives and all the ways they intertwine with hers adds so many layers to the story.

Both in the time while they’re figuring things out and once they have (until it all falls apart)…it’s all hot. The ‘cello scene’ that is a particularly hyped moment in the bookstagram world—hello cover inspo—delivers. It’s hyped for a reason. The book is spicy-spicy, but never feels overly gratuitous. I feel like Julie Soto found a really good balance and most often the spice is advancing some point of the plot.

I don’t know much about classical music (my fourth grade cello playing days are very, very distantly in my past) but it was easy to get swept up into this world. I have no clue how accurate or likely any of these scenarios in the professional world are, and I like that I don’t have any frame of reference to overthink it. I could just enjoy it as the story flower. (I do know Lorenz is the Scooter Braun of this fictional world and therefore, he sucks.)

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the eARC/Forever and Gallery Bookshop for the print ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not sure what to say about this book except that it was beautiful in a way no other book ever has been. I could feel the music as they played, hear the crescendos and the applause as if I was at Carnegie hall in real life. And the tension/ spice was gripping. I wanted everything about this book, minus the excessive number of “I love yous”. I don’t have a passion for music but the next time there’s an orchestra concert near me, I’d love to go and experience this feeling I feel now.

I received an advance review copy for free via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book is gorgeous! just absolutely gorgeous. I think it's safe to say that i am a very big fan of Julie Soto now and to be honest i never thought i would be a person who ever read a book with cellos in it but here we are....

Great characters, great plot, great tension and romance.....swoon!

Julie Soto has once again stolen my heart!! This book hooked me from the very beginning and kept me engaged the entire time! I swear her writing was tailor made for me, the tension, the angst, the in depth characters that you can feel straight from the pages. I absolutely devoured this book and am already wanting more and more from her! The connection between these characters was electric, when you truly feel like characters are meant to be together the love story truly does hit different! Prepare to be sick of me when this book releases on July 16 because I will be shouting my love for it from the rooftops!!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5

What a beautiful music-focused romance! I was a band kid (I KNOW ITS EMBARRASSING I DON’T CARE) and adored glimpsing back into what it was like to be in an orchestra and make music as part of a whole, something I deeply miss every day! It was one of the few times I’ve had an author use words to describe music, and actually felt like they did it justice, since I often find that music is something that can’t be translated into words.

It was fun spice, interesting to explore the question of individual career versus commitment to an ensemble, and always fun to discuss the ethics of forcing musical child prodigies into performance. (JK, I think it’s just fun for the music nerds out there like me.)

I kept trying to figure out how in the HELL are we going to wrap this up with what’s left?! And do not worry, Julie Soto figures it out perfectly, with no one having to sacrifice everything, but still learning to let go and take scary leaps.

Everyone go read this book and then also go see your local live symphony!

Emojis to Describe This Book: 🎻🎶😘🥂🫶🏻

I enjoyed reading this one. I might even prefer it to Forget Me Not but I did like seeing previous characters make an appearance.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was an engaging read and got me out of a book slump! The story moved quickly and I was easily swept away. I enjoyed the unique setting of the orchestra and musical enemies to lovers trope. Definitely on the spicier side 🌶️

First, when I discovered this book was about two musicians, I knew I had to read it. I am a lover of music and this book has music and romance. I could not put this book down. It is simply a wonderful read. I enjoyed every page and couldn't wait to pick up my Kindle and dive into this book. The characters Gwen and Xander/Alex have my heart. Gwen is a violinist, and Xander is a cellist. Xander is also in a band, Thorne and Roses. Throughout the book, Gwen is perfecting her craft as a violinist. Xander is a moody cellist who quickly finds interest in how Gwen plays her violin. Gwen realizes that Xander loves to critique her and her performances, but these two will be inseparable. In the end, this book is written beautifully and I as a reader, wanted the very best for Gwen and Xander. This book is perfect for fans of grumpy x sunshine fans and rivals to lovers. I will be recommending this book to romance lovers out there. This is my first book by the author, and I am impressed by how her characters kept my attention. I did not grow bored with their story. I wanted to know every detail about these two characters..A big thank you to Net Galley, Julie Soto, and Forever Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars and more!

Julie Soto can never do no wrong. I absolutely DEVOURED Not Another Love Song. This is one of my new favorite reads for the year! From the beginning intro scene I was already hooked.
I grew up with a musical background but I think even with someone that has no knowledge of violin, cello, or the likes of the music world can easily follow along. Julie's writing of this story flowed like a musical composition. I felt every high and every low throughout the storyline progression. The descriptions feel very lyrical and their love story was just as romantic. The spice was a literal work of ART 🥵 My jaw was on the floor.
Gwen and Xander are like two peas in a pod yet also opposite sides of the same coin. The characters were really well developed, and I loved the complexity of Xander's in particular.

I devoured this book and I already can’t wait to read it again. Julie creates tension between the main characters that is unmatched. The chair scene lives rent free in my mind!!
One of my favorite things authors do is intertwine books even when they are technically standalones. I loved the little glimpses of the couple from Forget Me Not that we got in this book.

I’m so thankful I received an ARC of this book. Thank you to Julie, NetGalley, and Forever Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity. Julie knocked it out of the park (or should I say concert hall??) on this one!

Not Another Love Song follows two talented musicians, Gwen Jackson and Xander Thorne, both prodigies in their own right. Gwen approaches music methodically, studying and practicing in her free time, while Xander is a natural, sight-reading on the spot and rocking the classical world. Their paths cross when Gwen is offered the coveted First Chair violinist spot in the same orchestra where Xander plays, a position he had hoped for. Forced to work together, they soon find themselves drawn to each other both romantically and as collaborators.

Guys, why did I wait so long to read a Julie Soto book? I know she’s a well-known Dramione author, and The Auction has been on my Kindle forever, so I was bound to read her eventually. I’m not exaggerating when I say I ATE this up! It was that good! I can't even explain the feelings I had while reading it—it gave me butterflies in my stomach lol. I kept imagining Adam Driver too, since the author mentioned this was formerly Reylo fanfiction. The forced proximity and pining were delicious, and the spice was sensual as well. That one cello scene 🥵 lol. This man becomes such a simp for her that he even gets jealous of her gay roommate.

I found Soto’s writing style to be similar to Ali Hazelwood and Abby Jimenez, so if you enjoy those authors, you’ll probably like this one. I originally thought this was a standalone, but there are character cameos from Forget Me Not. However, it doesn’t hinder the story at all.

not another love song by julie soto
♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.

release date: 7/16/24
3.5-4⭐️!!
whew😮‍💨 the way i learned so much about orchestral music and stringed instruments in this book. in this story, we follow Gwen Jackson, a talented violinist who has quite literally worked her way from the bottom up. Gwen has always looked up to Ava Fitzgerald, an icon in the orchestra industry and hopes that one day she can be just as successful. as Gwen is focusing on building her career, she is offered a job of a lifetime to play center stage. Things take a turn when Xander Thorne, a famous cello player, joins the same orchestra as her and is wanting to play the exact position Gwen has been offered. the two end up going head to head all the while trying to deny the attraction they have towards each other 🫢

tropes:
⤷ slow burn
⤷ enemies to lovers
⤷ musicians falling in love
⤷ underdog fmc
⤷ grumpy x sunshine

my review 𝄞₊ ⊹‧₊˚♪𝄞࿐
okay i need to start off with saying that i absolutely love how the author was able to write out these intense scenes whenever the 2 MCs were playing together. i felt like i was actually hearing their melodies play while reading those scenes because of how well written they were!
like i did not know how intimate stringed instruments can be 🤭 the way Gwen & Xander would play their own instruments while communicating with each through their music???? ✨immaculate✨ and the tension?! GIMME GIMME🙏🏼 i do feel like the book could have been shortened by a tad and i also felt like the plot wasn't carrying much depth. in general, i do feel like the characters fell flat to me and i wish there was more of an emotional impact with them. i did enjoy seeing characters from the author's first book pop up here and there in this story!! in all honesty, coming from someone who doesn't read much rockstar/musician romances, i did enjoy this book! happy reading lovelies🎻🖤

thank you to Netgalley & Forever Publishing for the E-arc in exchange for my honest review! ☻