REVIEW✨
Not Another Love Song
By Julie Soto

This is the perfect spicy, high-level chemistry romance with lots of elements of flaws and emotions that will give you butterflies. Gwen and Xander’s chemistry is off the charts! I couldn’t stop reading! Gwen is an inspiring violinist that plays for the Manhattan Pops. When she is working a side gig with her roommate she meets Xander Thorne, the cellist for the band Thorne & Roses who Gwen loves but she also knows Xander’s reputation from playing with him in the Manhattan Pops. There meetings starts off very rough but there is a chemistry that neither of them can deny. I thought that Soto did a magnificent job writing this book, I have a very basic level of understanding music and I loved everything that I learned and I never got lost. The smút scenes were fabulously done and I may have read them a few times over.
I loved this book so much! I had a feeling that I would since I loved her first book so much! This book featured little appearances from characters in the first book but it is a stand alone novel. It was so nice to see a little bit of Ama and Elliot from Forget Me Not. I will be highly recommending this book to everyone and I can’t wait for Julie Soto’s next book.

Out everywhere July 16 2024

Romance: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Plot points: 💥💥💥💥💥
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5 stars - this book was so cute. I loved the push and pull between Gwen and Alex. They were adorable in their flirting. I found myself giddy reading their love story unfold. The ending felt a tad rushed but otherwise this was a great read and I’m looking forward to what Julie Soto writes next.

I think this may have been more of a 4 or 4.5/5 but I just decided to round it up to a full 5 especially because the first half of this was just soooo delicious. Julie Soto laced this with something, I swear.

The book mainly follows Gwen's point of view but is interspersed with I think 6 shorter chapters from Alex's perspective (or Xander, as his star musician persona). Gwen is a violinist who lost her mother and then her grandfather young and was unable to attend Juilliard because she didn't have the money. She longs to make it big doing solo performances but for job security has joined the "Manhattan Pops," an orchestra that plays modern songs. She is obsessed with the band "Thorne and Roses" which just so happens to be led by an all-star celloist, Xander Thorne, an arrogant and cocky musician who also joined the Manhattan Pops but has never looked twice at Gwen. When Gwen covers a wedding gig and is asked to play the cello, who else is there to lend her the cello but Xander (obviously). From there, the two enter each other's orbit and compete for the same position: concertmaster (aka the lead of the orchestra).

The chemistry was truly unreal, and that scene with the cello playing oh my god I will not recover! I was obsessed with the first half of this book. I was surprised at how quickly things escalated, but still Xander and Gwen are perfect. I loved how Soto used various musical and lyrical terms to describe the feelings that started to develop between them I thought it was really unique. One thing that did bother me was how naive Gwen was about so many of the people around her. She was so trusting of everyone even when they had like clearly untrustworthy motivations, and yet she was the total opposite with Xander. Obviously that caused so much of the tension here, but it started to get goofy after a while because her naivete was just so extreme at certain points. And I think with so many side characters talking in Gwen's ear, it sort of took something away from Xander and Gwen's development which was otherwise great. I still loved this though and I'm glad I preordered!

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Not Another Love Song releases July 16, 2024

This story takes place in the same universe as Soto’s debut novel; the wedding in the opening scene that Gwen plays at is planned by Ama, who is the main character in <I>Forget Me Not</I>.

Gwen is a 22-year-old violinist, playing for the Manhattan Pops at Carnegie Hall. After four years with them, she has just been offered the position of first chair.

As a reader who grew up surrounded by music lessons and band classes from the moment I could walk, I loved the idea here. However, I struggled to view this as a romance. In fact, take away the music, and there is no romance. Any mention of wanting to fuck Gwen was in relation to her playing an instrument, which felt cold and objectifying — it wasn’t actually Gwen he wanted, just the music she was able to play.
There was also so much manipulation and grooming involved with Nathan, Ava, and Lorenz. Their roles really overshadowed the development between Gwen and Alex.

In my personal opinion, Gwen lacked the necessary self-confidence that is imperative to be first chair. She only cared about solo opportunities, but her position is so much more than that.
Alex/Xander came off so rude and arrogant, but at least with him, you could get a tangible sense of the passion, spontaneity, and thrill towards music and his original compositions.
Though, the fact that he names all of his cello’s after women but gives his violin a masculine name because the instrument doesn’t go between his legs is pretty nauseating.

If you’re into hidden identities and people pleasers, this might interest you.

INCREDIBLE
FIVE STARS, such amazing characters, The plot was completing and the tensión was so well done.
Julie Soto a fave author from now on

This book was a lot of fun! I enjoyed the musical aspects for the most part and the way the characters bonded over their passions. The spice level was good—up there with Soto’s previous book. The pacing felt a bit odd to me because their relationship progressed so quickly, and they never really touched on Gwen being a fan girl. I have to admit, I enjoyed Forget Me Not more, but I’ll absolutely be picking up her next book!

This book was really emotional! I liked it more than the author's last book Forget me Not, but this did feel like a slow start that took me a bit to get into. At one point it felt a bit like a Romeo and Juliet retelling

Absolutely amazing! This book kept me hooked from the start. I needed to know how the story ended. I don’t know much about violins or cellos so that was nice to learn about also.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the arc!!

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the best arc I've ever received!

Julie Soto is becoming one of my new favorite authors. This was one of the most intimate and entrancing romances I've ever read. I was hooked into the plot from the get go and it took real effort to pry my eyes from reading.

The theme of music is woven beautifully into the writing of this book. The metaphors and comparisons gave me chills. I have been to an orchestra performance before and remember being so obsessed afterward, and this has put me right back into that phase. The imagery was gorgeous, and I could clearly see and hear the scenes as I was reading. It felt like I was actually at a concert, but I got to experience it as one of the artists.

While this is a stand-alone, I would still recommend reading Soto's first book before this one. This one is written in third-person, which I originally thought wouldn't be as fun, but it delivered just as well. You still have writing through the lens of both MCs.

I have never read a Reylo fanfic before, but after reading that the author took a stab at it with this novel I was so excited, and it DID NOT disappoint. I am a huge star wars nerd so I could clearly see the comparisons within the characters and loved having that symbolism shine through with the universe intertwined into the story.

You can expect:
-enemies to lovers
-workplace romance
-third act breakup
-he falls first

I can't wait for this book to release and see people lose their minds over it. <3

Thank you NetGalley, Julie Soto, and Forever Publishing for this free arc on April Fool's day in exchange for an honest review!

An intense story of rivalry between a cellist and a violinist, where the tension is... I cant even explain! This book was chef's kiss! This made Julie Soto an auto-buy author for me. I seriously could not put this book down! And after that cover reveal… GOODNIGHT, sign me out because yeah… iykyk.

Xander Thorne and Gwen Jackson are both musical prodigies, but their routes to fame have been very different. Gwen had a natural musical ear that was fostered by a generous store owner, Xander was born into a family of classical music nobility. Despite having worked together for a year at the Pops Orchestra, Gwen is not happy to discover that Xander has no idea who she is after she performs at his friend's wedding. And isn't happy about his commentary either.

Are you a sucker for rivals to lovers like I am? Than this is for you!

Not Another Love Song tells the story between Gwen and Xander, both prodigies who are competing for the same First Chair spot of the Pops Orchestra in New York. When Gwen is offered the role instead, the hostilities between the two of them escalate. Slowly, their mutual respect for each other’s talents turn into something more, but can their attraction survive the whirlwind pressures of the music world?

I haven’t read Forget Me Not (but you bet I’m going to!), so I was going to into her works without any previous insight. I was seriously blown away - the steamy chemistry, the rivals (nee enemies) to lovers, the well written characters, it has everything I love in a romance. I literally read this in one sitting during a recent flight because I quite literally could not put this down.

I always appreciate learning about a new subculture or industry in romance books, and this is no exception. I’m forever going to look at symphony performances with a new outlook, wondering about the potential love stories behind the scenes. I haven’t seen a story like this one previously and I have to give it credit for that.

The characters are so well-developed, great backstories and all, and it makes their inevitable chemistry that much better. I always find that I like the story when I am fully invested in the characters and understand their viewpoints. Gwen and Xander’s characters are really sympathetic and you are rooting for these music dorks all the way.

Also, the way the chemistry is written had me completely off my seat. No notes - its absolutely fantastic.

Julie Soto hit it out of the park for me - 5/5 on all fronts. If you love contemporary romance, you HAVE to read this.

I don't even know how to write a coherent review of this book. 10/10, five stars, no notes. I tore through and absolutely devoured it in one sitting. The banter and chemistry between Gwen and Alex gave me butterflies the entire time I was reading, and the steamy scenes were on fire. We also got a few small cameos from Alma and Elliott. I am for sure buying a physical copy of this on release day for my trophy shelf, and everyone needs to read this book this summer. That is all.

Oh my word! This book!!!
I devoured it and give it five spicy stars.

Such a unique story line with two musical prodigies with completely different backgrounds. They come together to make the sweetest and swoon worthy love story.

They both push each other to be better players individually but together they are simply amazing. Loved this! All the stars!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this as an ARC!

THAT SCENE FOR THE COVER!

This book is so good! I love Julie Soto's first book and I was so excited when I got approved for this ARC. I'm unsure how to appropriately talk about this book when all I want to do is squeal and tell the whole world about how delightful it is.

Xander/Alex is a dreamy musician who falls hard for Gwen and so awkwardly can't quite express to her just how much she means to him. The cello scene!! YA'LL!! The musical imagery makes this book so hauntingly beautiful.
Gwen struggles to try and figure out what she wants out of her career and so does Alex. I appreciated that they both made different decisions, but throughout, they just cared about each others success.
I'll probably update later when I'm more coherent, but damn! SO GOOD!

This book is a love letter to every band geek out there...this is a rom com for YOU!

As a former band geek/orchestra member, I felt this book. And the relationship between Gwen and Xander was *chef's kiss*
Basically, if Julie Soto writes it, I am going to read it and love it.

This was a great book, and a great follow up to the first. You get all the feels in this one, and all the fun music. I was so in love with this story and characters that I couldnt put this book down. Thanks for letting me read this book

Gwen Jackson loves playing violin but has always been a reserved musician, preferring to feel the music inside. Xander Thorne prefers to show the world his passion and has made quite a career for himself already as the lead of a rock band and an excellent cellist. Gwen and Xander also play together at the Manhattan Pops Orchestra but Xander's condescension and attitude have always bothered Gwen. When Gwen gets the coveted first chair position, will Xander be able to handle it when that has been all he's ever wanted?

This was my first Julie Soto read and I loved it! The story drew me in immediately and I loved the musical setting. Gwen had such an underdog story as an orphan and self-taught musician making it all the way to first chair of the orchestra. I loved her determination to make something of herself. Xander aka Alex was the perfect brooding counterpart and the tension and chemistry between the two was undeniable. I adored the way Alex saw all of Gwen's beauty and potential and just couldn't get enough of her. I will definitely be adding Julie to my must-read authors now!

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the ARC!

I'm usually pretty good at reading romance novels with a straight face, but this one had me fanning myself.

Julie Soto writes incredible chemistry. The sizzle between Gwen and Xander had me SWOONING, especially since both were full fledged human beings. It wasn't just standard grumpy/sunshine; his original harshness was not because it was love at first sight, it was because of jealousy. The rivals-to-lovers had real stakes with it, with a refreshing backstory as to why both were in their position. They admitted fairly early on their attraction to each other, allowing the drama to come from the plot itself and not just miscommunication. This was not a mindless churning of tropes, it felt fresh and real.

And those spicy scenes? Especially the one that got turned into the cover? Hot diggity dog.

Did I have some issues with this? Of course. I often get frustrated by "prodigy" books, where the leads are Just That Perfect at whatever they do. The supporting characters were very one-dimensional, and this was a very sanitized version of New York. But all of that didn't change the simple fact that this romance novel succeeded at romance without succumbing to the typical issues in traditionally published romances. This book actually gave me hope for the genre. Thank goodness.

Julie Soto's NOT ANOTHER LOVE SONG is soooo swoony. It has the perfect amount of spice and plot that made it impossible to stop reading!

I loved the way Gwen found confidence in herself as the book went on and it was so satisfying to watch her prove herself time and time again when people doubted her. I also enjoyed slowly learning Xander's back story and getting to know who he really is and who he wants to be.

AND I can't not mention how perfect the *tension* is in this book. Broody, intense musician who composes music based off his feelings... say less!

*****
Gwen is an amazing violinist who used to play outside the NYC subways for cash. Her dream comes true when she auditions for and gets into the Manhattan Pops Orchestra. Her whole world changes when the first violinist announces her retirement and she and the director want Gwen to take her place.

Xander Thorne is a musical genius. He's first cello at the Manhattan Pops AND the leading man of his band Thorne & Roses. When he learns that Gwen is offered first violin, he's furious because that spot was meant for him.

Though Gwen can't stand Xander's arrogance, lateness, and his unasked for opinions on her playing, she can't deny her attraction to him nor pretend she doesn't absolutely love Thorne & Roses. And then she soon finds out that Xander doesn't hate her despite the things he says. He's actually in awe of her talent and once he unveils the truth, suddenly Gwen is swept up in him and they find that they make beautiful music together (in and outside of the bedroom ;) ) The Pops loves them together- or rather - they love the publicity and the money that comes along with it. And then there's the issue of Xander's sketchy manager...

Gwen and Xander seem perfect for one another but can their fresh relationship withstand the pressures and needs of the people who hold their careers in their hands?

Julie Soto has done it again! I knew I would enjoy this book right from the beginning because Forget Me Not was one of my top reads of 2023. I was incredibly grateful to receive an ARC of Not Another Love Song through NetGalley. I enjoyed every second of this book! It was such a fresh idea to have the story revolve around two talented, but at odds, musicians. Gwen was a fantastic heroine and Xander Thorne was EXACTLY what I wanted from the male lead character. This book had me in its clutches from page one and I could not put it down. Julie Soto has a way of making her characters relatable and engaging in a way that has you rooting for them. Anything Julie Soto writes, I will read. Definitely enjoyed how fun this one was!