Julie Soto does it again! I loved the rivalry and the main characters. I haven’t ever read a story of competing musicians. This book was definitely those I binged from start to finish in one day.

Julie Soto has done it again. I cannot stop telling my friends about this book and how they need to read it when it releases. I literally know absolutely nothing about musical instruments or how an orchestra works but that did not stop me from immediately reading (and spoiler... LOVING) this book. I don't know that I've laughed and smiled and genuinely looked forward to reading a book more than this in a long time. There was music, there was friendship, there was romance and there was spice... lots of spice and like throughout the whole book but not like in a here is just a spicy spice spice book kinda way, just the right amount at the right time. Basically this is the romance book to beat in 2024.

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

I laughed…I cried…I had to fan myself. 😉 This is the second Julie Soto book I’ve read and this one was definitely spicier! She does a great job of describing every spicy scene without it being cringe. I absolutely loved this love story. First, it’s enemies-to-lovers. Then, it reminded me of movies like Center Stage and Save the Last Dance. Finally, there were some pop culture references (Alex’s Version 😉). There was a good balance between fun, romance and realistic turmoil. You must read this!

I listened to the audiobook version of this book, thank you NetGalley.

I feel this book is a love story to music and how much music can have an impact on one’s life. I love that one of the main characters in the story is the music itself. It was present throughout the entire story not just at the beginning or the end or just mentioned here and there. It was part of each character. The musical terminology was fun for me (I had to look up some of the terms used to know what the author is talking about) Also I know it’s silly, but this story made me feel like I want to go see a ‘Manhattan Pops Orchestra’ show.

The characters were likable, however I felt like he fell for her way too quick. They are in the same group but he didn’t now she was there, Then he saw her at an event they were both at…now he can’t stay away or get her out of his head (she, of course, knew him).

Overall enjoyable and would recommend.
Also if spicy is not your thing this might not be for you. The spice is abundant.

Thanks again to NetGalley.

Amazing book! This book really made me feel all the emotions, exactly what I’m looking for in a romance. Did not know what to expect going into it, but it was an amazing read. Highly recommend

Thank you Julie Soto and Forever for an ARC of this book via NetGalley!

Hello and welcome to the people pleaser support group, where we encourage each other to set boundaries, one no at a time. May I present to you Gwen. She had the qualities many of us can relate to. The tendency to adopt others' desires as our own, the need to fall into line to gain acceptance and, perhaps hardest of all, the belief that that acceptance is our salvation. Throw in some self-doubt and suddenly we find ourselves trapped in a cage. And that's why I felt so invested in Gwen's journey. I loved watching her interrogate what she thought she knew, confront the people she thought had her best intentions at heart, and finally choose herself above all. Bc the moment she did, there was a sense of freedom and immense relief from the weight of others' expectations. And suddenly her options were endless.

Now Xander? He was a bit gruff. He had a complicated history and his roughness was all in the name of avoiding that cage. And with it, we got direct contrast between him and Gwen, encouraging us to empathize with both of their situations before we declared one better than the other. And what I loved about Xander was that while Gwen's journey focused largely on moving forward, his journey required him to look backwards. In evaluating his present, he had to reflect on his past to decide whether the sacrifices he made were worth the gains he achieved and whether those gains were still worth fighting for.

Naturally, the juxtaposition of Gwen and Xander meant they clashed. Hard. SO MUCH TENSION that burned so hot, we MELTED AND SWOONED. Then that intense fire erupted in HEARTBREAK. Until it was coaxed into a flame that gave us the WARM FUZZIES. 😊

CN: open-door romance, complicated family relations, past death of family members

OH MY GAAAAAWWWD

First of all I’m gonna need a playlist for this book ASAP

SECOND OF ALL, why did this book have to end?? I mean cmonnnnn.

I love everything about this. The chemistry between Alex and Gwen is UNMATCHED. Julie has a way with the spicy scenes that make me not cringe 🥵

I think I loved this one more than Forget Me Not, but I loved the cameo of Ama.

Anyway, I’ll be waiting patiently for someone to make a playlist on Spotify and also for Julie’s next books.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for my eARC!

An instant classic.

“Not Another Love Song” was my first Julie Soto book, but after finishing this ARC, I immediately went to buy another and preordered this one for my shelf. 

Gwen and Alex, both musical prodigies, are connected by strings - both the visible/orchestral kind and the invisible strings of their pasts that they discover as the story progresses. 

Romance readers: I have never seen tension done so well. 

Never. 

I promise. 

Some of the hottest scenes I’ve read in any romance novel happened when these characters weren’t even NEAR each other. 

And, it’s clear that Soto took her musical theme to heart with regard to the pacing of this story. Beautifully done. Believable. Balanced highs and lows. 

Lastly, I adored the reader’s note included at the beginning of this novel - hearing about the inspiration behind this story made me instantly invested and altered my reading experience in the best way. It made me want to love this - and I did. Bravo! I’d love to see more authors “take a cue” from Soto on this.

The last line of this novel? Are you kidding me? What a simple, perfect TONIC, And, yet, I find I can’t wait for Soto’s encore.

I was so excited to receive this arc as I LOVED Forget Me Not. Set in the same world, I loved the little nod to Ama and Elliot. I was frustrated with a lot of the choices in the last quarter of the book and I felt that the ending was a bit rushed which dropped me to a four overall but I did really enjoy this one. I know Xander is meant to be a grumpy jerk but I just found him a lil too much of a grumpy jerk at times (but he did mildly redeem himself at the end). The tension between Gwen and Xander for the first half of the book was *chef’s kiss* and the spice was spicing. I’ll definitely be recommending this to a lot of people! Thank you to NetGalley & Forever books for the arc!

I loved Julie’s first book, Forget Me Not, and was so excited to read an early copy of Not Another Love Song. I loved Gwen & Alex’s story and the way they supported each other’s growth. The ways each of them expressed their feelings through their music was beautiful. It was such a fun new way for me to grasp what each of them were feeling in different moments.

4.5 stars!!

I’m floored by how much I enjoyed this. The way Julie Soto was able to make violins and cellos so sensual in something that I read with my eyes and not ears was incredible. The ending and all the loose ends wrapped up a just a little too quickly for my taste, which bumped it down a half star, but I thoroughly enjoyed almost every aspect of this!


Thank you Forever and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Everything in this book felt like it was made, especially for me. The two main characters had such sizzling chemistry. I was actually actually blushing after the scene that definitely inspired this cover… I am so excited to recommend this book to everyone who will listen to me it is my new obsession.

If only I had a machine that allowed me to wipe my brain so I could re-read this beautiful story...

‘Not a Love Song’ encapsulated everything a romantic novel should be. It had a great storyline, funny moments, and the perfect brooding male antagonist who is HOT and SO MOODY. I would be such a goner for Xander Thorne. The narrative's clever use of dual points of view and timeline added depth, allowing us to rewind to pivotal moments and get a beautiful glimpse of Xander's emotions and why he is the way he is.

Gwen, the protagonist, was depicted with such depth but also familiarity. Her journey of self-discovery, dealing with life changing decisions while trying not to disappoint herself or others, was beautifully portrayed. I admired her blend of shyness and reserve, yet fierce determination when pushed to her limits.

Julie Soto's research into the music industry gave authenticity to the world she created, making it effortlessly immersive. I appreciated the supporting characters were richly developed, adding more to the story's cohesion.

And let's not forget the steamy scenes—each one leaving me breathless and eagerly turning the pages. The story's sweet, sexy, and swoon-worthy moments had me tossing my Kindle in excitement multiple times. The palpable chemistry between Gwen and Xander felt incredibly real, heightening the tension and adding another layer of depth to their relationship.

As a newcomer to Julie Soto's work, ‘Not a Love Song’ I cannot wait to start, ‘Forget Me Not’. It's a testament to her skill as a writer. While I rarely re-read books, this one certainly deserves a few revisits to relive the tender moments shared between Gwen and Xander."

4.5 stars! Julie Soto does it again! I devoured this in less than a day and was anxiously waiting for Alex and Gwen's story to unfold. I admit that I don't know that much about classical music and composition but I felt like I stepped into that world and learned a lot about it. Gwen was not a typical heroine, she was soft spoken and timid at first but as she developed and blossomed I loved the person I got to see come through.

“I want to be clear. I want you. In every way.”
-
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 rounded up

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

Ummmm, string instruments have no business being this hot 😮‍💨 so, I’m more of a fantasy girlie, but Julie might have converted me with this one. The writing is incredibly engaging with a great plot, plenty of steamy moments, and lovable characters.

I loved the main characters! Gwen found her passion for the violin at eleven and worked hard to follow her dreams. I thought she was super sweet and loved following her journey. Xander is a child prodigy and plays the cello in a popular rock band. He has an idgaf attitude and knows he’s that guy. He had some wonderful character development and is so SWEET!!

Um, so that cello scene 👀 string instruments are now hot and you can’t change my mind ✋ I loved how this romance progressed! I’m not sure I would call this rivals to lovers, but we have something similar going on. They try hard to deny their attraction for each other, but ultimately Xander can’t deny it anymore. This man heard her play and fell so hard he didn’t know what hit him. He would not give up on getting a chance with her 😭 the tension and chemistry was just so good 🤌 also the tension when they were literally just playing their instruments?? Wow.

"If you don't want to be with me, together with me, I can understand, but, Gwen, please make music with me. I need you in my life. I need to be in your orbit in some way, and if you don't want me to touch you and kiss you and fuck you, then let me make love to you onstage every night because it's the most alive I've felt in ten years—"

Julie Soto hits the mark again. I know next to nothing about music or musical lingo and yet I ADORED the descriptive ways in which Julie used music to make these two little love birds fall hard. I gave it 5 stars and found myself going back through a few of my favorite spicy chapters just because! I will say I would probably dock my review a half star because I needed like maybe 1-2 paragraphs about why they loved each other beyond their music genius'.

Thank you netgalley and forever for this arc! As a fan of the original work posted on AO3, I was so excited to see Not Another Love Song be traditionally published. However, there are always concerns that the necessary changes may alienate the fic readers. I am happy to report this did not disappoint on any front.

Alex and Gwen have palpable chemistry that flies off the page and is befitting of that incredible cover. In a world of romance novels that feel like they are just checking trope boxes, Soto actually delivers on making you believe in the relationship and the characters as fully realized. The music aspect of the book adds the most decadent backdrop and includes some of my favorite writing of the whole story.

I have only one issue with this, and that is one very specific pop culture reference that did take me out a bit. However, I can forgive it because the rest of this had me blushing and kicking my feet.

Thank you NetGalley and Julie Soto for this ARC!!

First and foremost after reading this, I can confidently say that Julie Soto knows how to write antagonists!! Because boy oh boy was I [appropriately] angry at the characters I was definitely supposed to be angry at!

I absolutely loved how dramatic and romantic this story was! The Cello Scene was definitely as iconic as people were saying, and I adore how Julie Soto was able to be so lyrical and descriptive with the instrumental scenes! I really felt immersed and could picture the scenes easily in my mind.

I enjoyed reading how Gwen and Xander navigated through their musical careers with their love story and the growth they went through with their self confidence and rediscovering who they truly are. It was easy getting into their minds and emotions!

Overall Julie Soto's Not Another Love Song was a wonderfully dramatic and beautifully lyrically descriptive!

This book was hands down the best book of the year for me. I loved everything about it. The tension, the awkward interaction and the spicy scenes. This will be my most recommended book to anyone who will listen. Serious this was so good. I can't wait for the next book from Julie Soto.

This book was so good I couldn’t put it down until 5am. I was hooked from the first chapter and loved every piece of this book. The moment I finished I wanted to go back and reread it. The characters, the angst, the emotions, this was everything. I loved how different yet similar Alex and Gwen were. Loved seeing their attraction for each other slowly develop into feelings they couldn’t hold back on. The plot was really strong as well in this book with how the MCs both lost and found themselves with their music. I could almost hear the pieces they were playing throughout the book and could feel all the emotions that were ingrained in each song. The explorations of different family dynamics both blood and found had me hooked. I loved how they found the families and support they lost in each other. This was a beautifully written, deeply emotional love story that I’ll be thinking about for a while.

Also, that cello scene was perfection.

Thank you Netgalley, Forever and Julie Soto for an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.