I have been an avid romance reader for many years, I have read books that give me the feelings and the romance, the heat and the feelings of two character's that truly desire one another. This book is probably one of the first ones I have read that you could feel the sensuality of the chemistry of the main character's. I like to usually have three words to describe a book, but "Not Another Love Song" has become on of the few where one word is enough to describe what you will get from this.

Sensual.

N O T A N O T H E R L O V E S O N G

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

julie sure knows how to write gripping romances and grumpy mcs who are soft and down bad for their girl.

i was hooked from the get go in this swoony, musically vibrant romance. gwen jackson is a violinist in the nyc pops orchestra and takes gigs on the side at weddings etc so she can pay for her "not quite a bedroom" in the apartment she shares with her bff jacob. at one particular wedding, she is asked (with no notice) to play the cello and not just any cello - this one belongs to xander thorne, her rival and previous childhood crush, who plays in her favourite band, thorne and roses. he is instantly obsessed with her.

i won't say much more to keep this spoiler free, but i highly recommend this book. i was a huge fan of forget me not, and julie's second novel will not disappoint.

I want to thank NetGalley, Forever, and Julie Soto for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
If I could weave stories like Julie Soto does about the first chair violin and the first cello, I would go to the symphony more often.
I really enjoyed Xander and Gwen’s relationship throughout the book and I liked that, unlike some romance couples, they actually talked about misunderstandings. I also loved the friends and chosen family they surrounded themselves with and that their passion for music was so integral to the story - it wasn’t just their jobs. I definitely learned a lot about the inner workings of a symphony and enjoyed how it was incorporated throughout the story.
Overall, I had a fun time and am definitely going to be picking up whatever Julie writes next.

"He didn't want to title it yet, but the file needed a name. He typed: Not a Love Song. And he believed it for weeks."

Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto is now one of my favorite books of all time! The characters feel so real in their multi-faceted lives and I was rooting for Gwen from the very beginning. Seeing her struggle with what she wants for her future, and ensuring she has the time and money to hone her craft really resonated with me. Its tough worrying about being financially stable while also chasing your dreams. If you can relate to struggles with work-home life balance, living up to others' expectations, and the realities of making ends meet in today's world (especially in the arts) then you will feel seen like I did.

"When she was going through her mother's belongings at ten years old, she'd realized that she wanted her life to be more than just 'stuff' when she died. She wanted to be remembered for something."

This book was chock-full of deep themes, but also tension and pining and Alex.... my mans my mans my mans !!! He is SO GONE for Gwen from the moment he learned what she can do and I am FERAL over it. I cannot even express how many scenes with them had me kicking my feet screaming giggling.

Even the secondary characters--Mabel, Mei, Jacob, Declan. This is the best found family I could have asked for.

There really is so much I could say about this book, but to sum it all up: READ THIS BOOK! You won't regret it!

I don’t know how Julie Soto was able to make stringed instruments hot but she did it anyway. A rivals to lovers romance with extreme amounts of tension? What more can you ask for? I will say there were a lot of musical references (rightfully so because duh?) and I did find it a little repetitive but this is also coming from a person who doesn’t really know all the technical aspects of stringed instruments so maybe don’t listen to me? idk! I was reading for the romance first and the music second. However, anytime that it was just Xander and Gwen interacting, you know I was eating it up. Also, that one specific cello scene? Like HELLO?! I was SAT. Loved this book and want more of them right now.

Julie Soto has done it again! She’s now an automatic buy author for me! What a beautiful, sexy and refreshing story. I devoured this book in one sitting. Julie Soto truly has gift. Can’t wait to read more of her future work.

there wasn’t a single moment of this book that i would change. i loved every second of it and never wanted it to end. qwen + alex were filled with so much angsty tension that made it impossible to put this book down. i ate up every single interaction and felt there chemistry right from the start. some of the hottest scenes ive ever read in a romance book🥵🎻🎶😮‍💨. these two horny cuties will be on my mind for the foreseeable future. julie soto is an auto-buy author for me hands down. she knows how to write bingeable love stories that are just straight up HOT.

there wasn’t a single moment of this book that i would change. i loved every second of it and never wanted it to end. qwen + alex were filled with so much angsty tension that made it impossible to put this book down. i ate up every single interaction and felt there chemistry right from the start. some of the hottest scenes ive ever read in a romance book🥵🎻🎶😮‍💨. these two horny cuties will be on my mind for the foreseeable future. julie soto is an auto-buy author for me hands down. she knows how to write bingeable love stories that are just straight up HOT.

Julie Soto writes the perfect mix of salacious romance rooted in great story telling. As a former musical instrument player, whom played for years in a band and symphony I really adored the portrayal of the leads deep a loving affection they had for their musical talent and what an epic and fully engrossing journey making music can be for artists. While I would have loved the characters to be a tad older and bit wiser than they were in this book, I have a feeling younger audiences will really enjoy this release. For me I found their story, emotional responses, and immaturity totally on par with their age...so while some of the characters were grinding to this 40+ reader... but it was also very nostalgic. Thanks for the early copy!

I loved this book so much- the pining was everything! Julie Soto really won me over with this one... I never thought someone playing a cellow would be hot but somehow she did it! I love it when two characters fall madly in love with each other's talents'.

I absolutely adored Gwen and Alex!! Their love story is absolutely swoon worthy and a great read, I honestly liked it more than Ama & Elliot’s story!! There were some parts that I found cheesy but didn’t take away from the story. Looking forward to the next book.

This book was a 5 star read for me!

The slowburn romance was IMMACULATE. I loved reading about Gwen and Alex’s relationship and the CELLO SCENE changed my brain chemistry.

This book was so beautifully written. The author did a great job at describing the joy and wonder of music, and wove it in so well with their love story.

Overall a fantastic read and would definitely recommend!

Overall, I like this book a lot but not as much as I LOVED this author's first book, Forget Me Not. I loved the premise of this book and the idea behind the fan fiction aspect. The love scenes were absolutely scorching. I loved the build of the relationship between Alex and Gwen. I loved the background stories with all the other characters. Dialogue was great. It was interesting to see behind the scenes of how an orchestra works, how they practice, how they fund raise, how the first chair of strings runs the show along with the conductor. I loved the tension of two enemies turned lovers sitting across from each other at practices day in, day out. The thing that lost me with this book was that it was way too in depth about music composition. I am a person who LOVES music but doesn't play an instrument or read music. All of the details about arpeggios and marking bow work went a little too in depth to keep my interest at times, feeling almost like someone was describing algebra to me. With that said, I do really like this book and feel Gwen and Alex had amazing chemistry. Both characters had good development and growth as did several of the supporting characters. Julie Soto is definitely a must read for me!

THE WAY INHALED THIS BOOK LIKE I NEEDED IT TO LIVE. This book has such a chokehold on me and I am not sorry about it. Julie Soto knows how to write romance that feels fresh and new all while using the classic tropes we've come to know and love. Rivals to lovers, he falls first, amazing tension and spicy spice. It's so clear that Julie did her research when it came to the musical elements of her story and as a musician myself, I appreciated that so much. ALSO, the cameos from her other novel, Forget Me Not, were top-tier. Loved it. No notes.

**Review of "Not Another Love Song" by Julie Soto**

Julie Soto's "Not Another Love Song" is a delightful romance novel that offers a fresh take on the classic tropes of the genre. Set against the backdrop of a bustling city, the story follows the journey of its charming protagonists as they navigate the complexities of love, friendship, and pursuing their dreams.

Soto's writing is engaging and filled with warmth, making it easy for readers to become invested in the lives of her characters. The chemistry between the main characters sizzles off the page, and their banter is both witty and endearing, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to the story.

While the plot may follow familiar beats of the romance genre, Soto infuses it with enough unique twists and turns to keep readers guessing and entertained. The pacing is brisk, with enough momentum to keep the story moving forward without feeling rushed.

Additionally, Soto's portrayal of the cityscape adds depth to the narrative, providing a vibrant backdrop against which the characters' relationships and personal growth unfold.

Overall, "Not Another Love Song" earns a solid four stars for its engaging characters, charming romance, and well-crafted storytelling. It's a perfect read for fans of contemporary romance looking for a sweet and satisfying love story with just the right amount of heart and humor.

Thanks to Netgalley & Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for access to this
E-ARC! So good! Loved the chemistry & the characters. Also loved the pacing. Excited to read more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

With that said; I do not like giving negative reviews, but this book did not work for me. Honestly, I didn't care for the characters or the plotline at all and the romance/spicy times were beyond cringy. The MMC gave me the ick and I just didn't care about the romance at all. I didn't feel any chemistry between the two main characters and the spicy scenes made me want to DNF, but I didn't...I just skimmed over the scenes. Seriously, they were bad. Giving this book 2 stars is extremely generous. I do own this author's other book and will try to read it, but the writing style might not be for me.

I loved all of the instruments and music references in this book! I enjoyed the inside look at life as a professional musician, both classical and rock. The characters from her first book made appearances in this one and it was fun to see their stories continue, even as background characters. This book was definitely spicy with lots of tension, so take that into consideration before picking it up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

"Not Another Love Song" by Julie Soto is a unique contemporary romance, the second in a series of interconnected standalone books. We follow Gwen and Xander/Alex, young and ambitious musicians with the Manhattan Pops as they navigate complex family dynamics, romance, and orchestra politics. I've never read a book with such a strong musical motif; I really enjoyed how evocative the writing about music composition and performance was. Some of the conflicts were realistic, but others seemed to stem from the youth of the main characters (early twenties). Who knew classical music could be so spicy?! This book follows Soto's "Forget Me Not" but you don't need to read that book to enjoy this one.

This was such a sexy and intimate read!

The tension between Gwen & Xander was unmatched. It was a little hard for me to relate because I do not come from a musical background, so I find that I wasn't able to fully appreciate the book for what it is... but if you are someone who is I truly believe you will eat this up!!

Who knew string instruments could be so hot
Thank you NetGalley & Julie Soto for having unlimited downloads!!