Review 🎻

Julie Soto has done it again and has officially become an autobuy author for me! I’m obsessed with how detailed her writing is. You truly get whisked away into these stories. There were moments in this book where I would sit and close my eyes after reading certain parts to “listen” to the music. It was magical 🥰 From the very beginning with her authors note you’re hooked! The tension leading to all the spice was soooo good! But the romance and how it’s blended into the music was pure poetry. Now the FMC Gwen loved her. Her journey was inspiring. But the MMC Xander/Alex stole my heart and ran with it! 😭 I cannot wait to read more from this author💕

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What You Get:
🌮Found Family
🎻Musical Prodigy
🌮Spice 🥵
🎻Rivals to Lovers
🌮Grumpy to Sunshine
🎻NYC Setting
🌮He Falls First

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

This was a very sweet, entertaining romance novel. I loved the musical aspects and always love a book that teaches me about a new topic. This book gave me Ali Hazelwood vibes. I believe fans of Hazelwood will also enjoy this one. I was hoping to get more information on the backstory of our main character but otherwise this was an enjoyable read.

5🌟 idk how julie did it, but she somehow made a book about string instruments and musicians one of the most sexy and angsty books i have ever read!!!! And this is coming from someone who has never played an instrument in her life lol.

This books was complete and utter perfection and here is what to expect!
-third person, dual pov
-rivals to lovers
-workplace
-string player musicians
-he falls first
-reylo fanfic

After reading this book, I know for a fact Julie Soto is an auto buy author for me. No one writes a romance quite like her! The romance, the chemistry, the tension, the angst, the SPICE!!!! Not another love song was no different and it had me hooked from the first few chapters.

One big worry for me was that a lot of the music talk would go over my head because I’m pretty much clueless about instruments and music. But it was super easy to understand for someone how is not musically gifted lol. I actually thought the way julie incorporated music was very beautiful and poetic.

We need to discuss XANDER THORNE!!!!!!!!!!! He is that MAN!!! I actually love him and I’m not ok. And the CELLO SCENE???????? I was really not ok during that scene in the best way.

Thank you so much to Read Forever for the physical ARC and netgalley for the eARC!

Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto was a refreshing contemporary read for me, and because I always wish I was a musical prodigy, this was so. much. fun.

The steam was steaming and the spice was spicing, so there's that. I also really enjoyed the rivals to friends to lovers vibes.

The secondary characters and found family were the perfect complement for the story.

Thankfully I already have Forget Me Not in my possession, because I need to move that up on my TBR.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley.***

This is my second title from Soto this year, she’s quickly making me a fan!!
Our story follows Gwen and Alex/Xander, two musicians in NYC with different motivations but similar passions for their music. I ate this up in two days, and enjoyed the feeling of being swept away in the characters love of music and performing!

I need to point out the elephant in the room (that the author also addresses in her note at the start of the book) … this is clearly Reylo fanfiction. Don’t mistake me, I love a good fanfic! But for this, the door was glass my friends. I found myself throughout the book realizing who characters went meant to be as their Star Wars counterparts, and it took me out of the story being told.
Another point that I did not love was the call backs to “Forget Me Not”. Easter eggs and cameos are fun, but this one had a few too many, and I had to think back to who all the characters were, which may be a barrier for anyone picking this book up on its own!

3.75✨ (rounded to 4)
1.75🌶️

A cellist and a violinist, and a violinist and a cellist. Both ways, always.

Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto is a contemporary romance novel with an orchestral backdrop; both MCs, FMC Gwen and MMC Xander (Alex), are string musicians playing for a Pops orchestra, both with dreams of first chair. But is it just that, a dream, for both?

The writing itself was basic but good. It had simple descriptions and was digestible and easy to follow. I wouldn’t say it was necessarily gripping or altogether totally engrossing where you felt you NEEDED to continue, but pleasant nonetheless; particularly for this only being Julie Soto’s second published book, at least according to Goodreads! Yay for authors continuing to rock it. I didn’t read Soto’s first book, but the main couple from that one (I believe) feature as minor supporting characters in Not Another Love Song; a cameo highlight, versus a spotlight stealer.

The characters and their characterizations were nice, although there were times I wish the emotion was pushed even deeper. We definitely got more depth with the two MCs, Gwen and Xander, but at times the other casts in the supporting cast fell flat, or felt like they were just there. This wasn’t totally detrimental though. There was really, really decent chemistry between the romantic leads, particularly when music and their instruments got involved. Let me just say, the scene on the cover actually happens in book, LOVE THAT, and it’s HAWT! The tension between the pair is great. My only wish for the romance was that I had hoped for more development between them before the actual romance and declaration of feelings got involved. I think it happened a little too fast, and it left a little too many pages to fill with things at the end, which made it feel a little boring.

Without having read the first book, although this isn’t a direct sequel, more just interconnected, I can’t say if Not Another Love Song has any inklings of sophomore syndrome, but standing on its own, it’s a cute read, great for fans of contemporary romance, and particularly those with a love of classical music.

Not Another Love Song was a great read. I’m grateful for this ARC. I was hooked from the beginning. The only thing that irked me was how naïve the main character was. I get it though, she sees the good in everybody. The main character from Forget Me Not and this main character has that in common.
My friend who also received an ARC, kept talking about the cello scene. Yeah. Something to look forward to because it took me awhile to pick my jaw up from the floor. All I can say is.. musicians know how to work their fingers LOOOOL.
Anyway, I think Julie Soto did amazing with this book. I’m super excited to see what she has in store for us next.

this was a good one! i liked the music aspect of the book. the enemies to lovers is chefs kiss and one of my fav tropes to read.

I have seen Julie Soto's work circulating around since Forget Me Not but this is my first dive into her and I desperately want more works from her. There is definitely an element of grumpy x sunshine in the romance aspects but one that has made me see playing the cello in an entirely different light. The found family aspect for the FMC warmed my heart and though there was a third act separation, I truly loved seeing how it all came together that made it make so much sweeter for a reunion. I will be thinking of this read for days to come and cannot wait to scream about this with others on pub day.

* definitely one of my fav reads this year !! the chemistry jumped off the page and i was imagining (and blushing, giggling, hair twirling) my way through the tension filled scenes
* if you love check and mate by ali hazelwood (but make it adult and musically focused) this hits so hard
* i'm not even musically knowledgable but i followed along so well it didn't matter and i wanted to buy a ticket to the next orchestra concert immediately

My musician heart is so full after reading Not Another Love Song. A Reylo fic, turned traditional romance, focused on two overachieving musicians is precisely the book I needed. Throughout the story, I was obsessed with Gwen’s growth as a person and musician. Alex’s encouragement of Gwen was exactly what anyone should seek in a partner. Every element of the story worked so well together and I could not put the book down. The music, the character development, the spice…. Everything was perfect! I have already encouraged all of my friends to pick up a copy as soon as they can.

I’ve been reading Julie’s writing for a loooong time (iykyk). I was so excited to hear she received a traditional publishing contract and I can tell you, she has exceeded expectations continuously. I will always read her work and cannot wait to see what we get next!

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

A really terrific follow up to her debut. Enemies to lovers at its finest with a healthy side of spice. I loved how ReyLo this was coded but it wasn’t overtly so. Really fun read!

I absolutely adored the musical aspects of this book. The cover is absolute perfection and that scene in the book is even better!!! This book had me totally hooked and I could not put it down. Really great message about finding your own path and not letting other's desires and perception of you define your happiness. I loved how straightforward Xander was! He was out spoken about his feelings and went after his girl. The miscommunication trope actually did feel necessary. Gwen and Xander are both flawed and scarred from difficult childhoods and it didn't go away overnight. There were a few things i didn't love. The last 1/4 of the book felt so rushed. I also would have like a few on page interactions between the two that wasn't about the music.

The writing in this is good, especially intertwining the musical terminology in Gwen and Alex's relationship. This is a compulsively readable book. That being said, it also feels deeply unserious. Take this line for example- “Her legs were full of air, the oxygen in her lungs slowly draining into her thighs”, what does this mean? or "The bride walked down the aisle to Elton John, and Gwen held Xander's gaze the entire time, neither of them needing anything but each other. When the ceremony began, Gwen's heart was pounding, and she couldn't catch her breath. She felt like she'd run miles. Or like she'd...well." ... was saying she was about to orgasm from nothing more than eye contact and playing music during a wedding precession necessary.

Anyway, I know that this is a Reylo inspired book, but inspired doesn't even feel like the right word. It is the exact story of Kylo Ren and Rey. Her parents are dead, his mom is famous and he's living in her shadow, the agent is Snoak, Mabel is Luke. I really believe that this book will be great for people who don't know Star Wars. But for me, it didn't veer enough from the original story to be meaningful. The nod at the end to Taylor Swift and re-recordings and "Alex's Version" was just the cherry on top for a fully pop culture inspired book.


Thank you to Netgalley and Forever Publishing for this eARC.

Oh my god this book was amazing! I read this so quickly because I couldn't put it down. I usually am not a big fan of third POV but in this case, I didn't mind. I loved the tension/chemistry between Gwen and Xander. I loved the character growth both of them go through and how they push each other to be the best versions of themselves. I love a good enemies to lovers and this book is it. Do yourself a favor and read this when it comes out because you will not be disappointed!

The problem with Reylo fic is that if you have parent characters, then I have no choice but to see them as Han and Leia. When they turn out to be terrible, I’m off the ride.

Endless thanks to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the advanced copy of this book!

"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."

Ugh, I ADORED this book. I flew through it, and it was incredibly tough to put down. While the story is simple and the plot was rather predictable, the chemistry between Gwen and Alex is palpable, sweet, sensual, fueled by desire and fire, and all the more engrossing. I couldn't get enough of their chemistry - how they constantly push each other to do and be better, how they see the best in one another, how they are their truest selves when they're together. This was just such a beautiful story all around, and I loved every minute. It's an instant favourite romance of the year and I highly, highly recommend it.

This book is pure gold. Julie Soto’s best yet! I could not put down Alex and Gwen’s story. If you love romance with delicious tension, this is the book for you.

While I think the authors first book is still my favorite this was a great follow up. The classical music world was an amazing setting and the connection the two leads have was amazing. I really loved the ins and outs of the orchestra and all the other elements and their growing connection. I docked a star simply because I found the conflict very minor and easily resolved. The stakes of this book just weren’t that high for me. But a very enjoyable and engrossing read. Can’t wait for her next book!

I have always been a lover of the arts. I played lots of instruments (violin was my first!), sang, was in musicals, can’t dance to save my life but love to watch those who can - so the idea of a love story centered around musicians who play instruments like the violin and cello was speaking my language! I don’t think I realized how invested I was in these characters, until I finished reading and could finally take a real breath! Talk about tension!

Gwen is a mastermind on the violin. She is plays for the Manhattan Pops, and can’t believe when she lands first chair and has to stare at her cellist crush, Xander (frontliner for Xander and the Thornes). There is an energy between them - she thinks he hates her, but really all he wants is Gwen. Both Gwen and Xander go on a journey as they fall in love with each other, and themselves. Can they choose doing what’s right for them?

Not Another Love Song was beautifully written, and I devoured it in a day. It’s about found family, and love, and finding ourselves, and letting what moves you, move you.

Things to look forward to:
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Enemies to lovers
- Spice
- Serious tension
- A strong desire to listen to Lindsey Stirling

Many thanks to Julie Soto, NetGalley, and Forever Publishing for the ARC!! Save the date for July 16, because you’ll want to read this immediately!