‘Alex Fitzgerald had asked her to dance. His eyes were on her fingers. Her lips parted. And a flush stained his skin, spreading.’

This could be a dancing scene, right? Two people in each other’s arms, attracted to one another, falling head over heels. But it’s not. Yeah, they’re falling for each other, but this scene is about playing the violin and the cello in an orchestra in front of all those people in Carnegie Hall.

Sensual. That’s the first word that comes to mind when I think about Not Another Love Song. A sensual composition about two people dancing around each other, pulling closer and closer and then pushing away, but never getting out of the other’s grasp, until drawing back even closer, over the strings of love to a crescendo ending in a passionate climax. In sync as if they are one. In their music. With each other.

I liked Julie Soto’s debut, Forget Me Not, but I didn’t love it. But Not Another Love Song is addictive, a masterpiece, a beautiful arrangement of highs and lows that made me read breathlessly. And, of course, I loved Alex (I refuse to call him Xander) since I have a soft spot for flawed, brooding men who love wholeheartedly and want to do good, even if it’s not in their best interest.

Like always, I could have done without the third-act breakup (which came quite late in the story), but it didn’t even matter because I loved Gwen and Alex’s love song so much! Their beautiful song about a cello who fell in love with a violin.

First, I want to thank NetGalley, the publishers, and Julie Soto for allowing me to read this in advance! I truly am so appreciative.

Julie Soto has done it again! Not Another Love Song follows Gwen Jackson and Alexander Fitzgerald, talented string musicians who both happen to play in the Manhattan Pops. They don't tend to see eye to eye at first, but as the story progresses they realize (in a STEAMY way) that they can compose beautiful music. If you like brooding male characters that fall first, you will adore Alex! Julie Soto has quickly become one of my must-read authors, and I truly cannot wait for everyone to have the opportunity to read this book!

Ahh!! This book was everything I needed! I cannot wait to recommend this to everyone and purchase myself a physical copy! I connected with these characters so much! I absolutely love the musical aspects as well! Do not sleep on this! It was so so good!

4.5⭐️ who knew string instruments could be so hot! 🥵 Loved this one and I know I will be thinking of Gwen and Alex for a while.

3rd person POV kind of hurts my brain but that’s a me problem. This is well written and romantic and I really enjoyed it. Pub date July 16th. Check out her first book, Forget Me Not, in the meantime. I loved that one too.

I absolutely adored this novel. I really appreciated how much I learned about the music world. The romance was perfectly spicy too.

I enjoyed this much more than the first book. This was a beautiful love story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted arc.

I've heard good things about Julie Soto's past book, and this book proved they were right! I was completely enamored the whole time I was reading. I was glued to my Kindle the whole time to see what would happen next. Few authors can make the words sing right off the page, but Julie did. A common writer's phrase is "show not tell" and she did that. I felt like I was watching a rom-com in the best way. This book was the feeling you get on a summer's day when the sun is streaming through the windows at golden hour, and the late summer breeze is billowing through the curtains. The pie you made earlier is sitting on the counter, and you feel at peace with the world. Very rare, but magical.

idk if it was just too artsy fartsy for me or fanfic at its finest, but getting turned on while playing violin is not my cup of tea. the way he was pleasuring her while she was playing the violin…okay. alrighty then.

the romance came straight outta NOWHERE. he was being a dick the first 30% of the book and all of a sudden he wants his fingers inside of her…then proceeds to act like she’s with another man…then proceeds to act like she hangs the moon; this is all going on, mind you, while she has never given him the time of day and they have NEVER had a conversation before. i cannot make this up he just suddenly edward cullens her and they’re fucking like rabbits.

also the mustache-twirling villain was so fucking cringey. he might as well have mwah-ha-ha’d his way into the story the way he was SUCH a caricature. when i think back on this book, not one bit of the story made sense and it was all very fever dream-ish. i will say the steamy bits are hot as fuck but you wouldn’t dare catch me rereads those chapters…that’s odd…heh

First chair first chair first chair 'Gwen' is written to excess, like they thought the reader would forget her name and her chair. It was so distracting and maybe the reason I was distracted was because the orchestra stuff was kind of boring to me.

This was more obviously a Reylo fanfic than Forget Me Not and even though I was a big Reylo fan, I liked it less for that reason. The relationship just didn't take off, it felt rushed and flat, and the banter was weak. I didn't really see why either fell in love with the other, because I didn't fall in love with Gwen or Alex. Oh well.

This book finished strong...I really loved how it all came together. I will say, I felt the first half was very slow at times. I liked the character building, but wanted more, quicker. The last 40% of the book was great! The spice was nice, not over the top. The characters were likeable as well. I would have liked to have heard more of Ava and Mabel's story...there a lot more there that could have been touched on. I'm always a bit unsure about reading books that are so concentrated on a skill/job/trait etc, Music in this case. So I was a little lost and turned off by some of the continued technical terms, although obviously it was necessary for the most part.

Overall I'd say 3.5 stars, I'd recommend because I enjoyed the book, especially the last half.

This was a fast read. I didn’t feel as if the characters were very developed, or at least not how I thought that would be. The relationships felt off and forced

I loved Forget Me Not last year and I could not wait to dive into Julie Soto's sophomore novel. It's gave me all the Mozart in the Jungle vibes.

This was a very hot and heavy book. And I would expect nothing less from this author. Don't read it in public. lol .

Tropes included--
-rivals to lovers
-forced proximity
-workplace romance

One of the biggest tropes was found family and I absolutely am a sucker for that. And yes, we do get a cameo from Ama and Eliot.

I think I might like this one more than Forget Me Not? I just loved the music aspect.

5/5 stars! Can't wait to see what Julie does next!

I love both of Julia Soto’s books so far, and I cannot wait to devour whatever comes next. Thanks to NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book — it had me captivated even from the start. While Alex/Xander wasn’t my favorite FMC, I loved the chemistry of the two main characters and the music threads that tied it all together. Julia is an amazing writer, and even though I couldn’t hear the songs, I feel like I had a vivid picture painted throughout the book. I’d definitely recommend this one!

I LOVED this book! This was such a sensual and energetic book that submersed me in the orchestra atmosphere, something I never knew because I was in band LOL! Fans of ALi Hazelwood will adore these characters as well as the palpable pining between them.

Julie Soto’s "Forget Me Not" was a strong debut, and while I liked "Not Another Love Song" better there were several elements in it that I questioned. The novel follows Gwen Jackson, a violin player who hasn’t had many professional opportunities to learn her craft, but who has made it into a pop Manhattan orchestra. Gwen is the quintessential New York artist living in a shoe box while trying to make ends meet. A twist in fate lands her the position of first chair, a position that Xander (Alex) Thorne, rockstar cellist, thinks he deserves. The tension between the two rises and they both struggle to decide what path their music careers should take and if a relationship between the two will harm or foster their growth.

I most loved the tension created by the rivals-to-lovers trope. The unique attraction to rivals-to-lovers versus the similar trope of enemies-to-lovers is that to be rivals the leads have to be equals. Gwen and Xander don’t seem like equals at first, with Gwen being an unknown violinist and Xander being a well known musical celebrity, but it quickly becomes apparent that Gwen has immense talent that just needed a bit of nurturing to start turning heads. The rivalry between the two creates a competition that has them both pushing themselves to be the best musicians they can be and there’s nothing sexier than two leads who are battling it out for the top. The way this trope was handled in the novel gave me the same feeling as the way the rivalry develops in Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood and I can only say this as a compliment.

Although I immediately liked Gwen, it took me a while to see Xander as a valid love interest (not until the cherry blossom scene) and every time I warmed up to him, the Cello Suites cooled me down. By the end of the novel it’s apparent why the Cello Suites from Alex’s point of view are included, but even though they add insight into Xander’s character, I wasn’t a huge fan of how different the two sides of Xander were. The distinct line made it seem like there were two different male leads which I personally disliked. Case in point being that I’m not sure if I should refer to Xander as Xander or as Alex. That being said, by the end of the novel I was totally on board with Xander as the love interest as he started to change and grow with Gwen.

Music plays an integral role in the novel and is often used to illustrate the emotions that the leads are feeling. The way that Soto uses music throughout the novel was a bit hit or miss for me. Some musical descriptions felt clunky and written in such a way that I had questions about certain scenes (I’m looking at you cover scene). However, other musical scenes like the halloween concert felt masterful and fully embodied the passion and open communication between the two leads.

Despite what I felt were strange decisions in the writing and questionable scenes, I flew through this book. I love love love the tension between Xander and Gwen. I adore how proficient and talented they both are in their chosen field. While we don’t get a ton of time with side characters, the side characters we do see are well written and intriguing. I was pleasantly surprised to read cameos with characters from her previous novel and I hope that Soto continues that in future books. The final conflict between the two lead characters seemed a bit contrived, but that is easily swept under the rug by the satisfying end.

On April 1st, I was not expecting to have the opportunity to have access to Julie Soto’s new book ‘Not Another Love Song’. The second it was downloaded I didn’t miss a beat to jump into these pages.

In ‘Not Another Love Song’ the combination of music, passion, and differences creates a symphony of tension and romance. ‘Not Another Love Song’ follows the story of Gwen and Xander, both musicians in New York City, working across the stage from each other in a pops orchestra. Setting the scene, for tension and for an enemies to lovers story to develop.

What struck me most was the incorporation of music into every aspect of the story. As a classical music enthusiast, I found myself excited and entranced by how musical terms and themes were seamlessly woven into the narrative, serving not only as a backdrop but also as a powerful force driving Gwen and Xander together despite their different musical backgrounds and journeys.

The dual point of view added depth to the narrative, offering small glimpses into the minds of both characters while keeping certain aspects of each character a mystery. It left me craving more and made it hard to put the book down.

Of course, I can't ignore the chemistry between Gwen and Xander, especially during those spicy musical scenes that set the pages on fire…. I’m not sure I can look at string instruments the same way again! Their passion for music spills over into their interactions, heightening the intensity of their relationship and making their journey all the more compelling.

I loved the setting of this story as well. In the author's notes, she talks about her love for New York City. And throughout the book she painted such clear pictures of the city that it was easy for me to picture Gwen and Xander in their respective boroughs, or walking together near iconic landmarks, it just elevated the book experience for me.

However, as much as I loved their story, I couldn't shake the feeling that the ending was somewhat rushed. I maybe wanted more of a gradual resolution, a lingering crescendo rather than a sudden finale.

Either way, this was a 5 star read for me, I found it fun, easy, engaging and musical. It is a book that I am recommending to all the music lovers in my life, including my music teacher husband!

This was a passionate book about love, music and lust. I enjoyed the fmc and mmc moments together the chemistry flew off the lines. The plot was paper thin but it was a fun entertaining read.

seriously Why do we keep making reylo fanfic traditionally published and why does it HIT everytime!!!! julie soto is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors of all time she writes sooo beautifully and i LOVED the music aspect of the book!!! the romance was so sexy and swoony and i was giggling and blushing soooo hard

Julie Soto is an auto-buy author for me. The tension in her books, including Not Another Love Song, is stellar! I really appreciated the witty, realistic dialogue and the character development. You really see Gwen and Xander grow as people from the beginning to the end of the book.

I also can see the time and effort the author spent researching into what it’s like for a professional violinist and professional musician. I appreciate that there weren’t glaring plot holes as a reader.

There were some definite cheesy moments in the book, namely that her roommate “happened” to be dating a lawyer who came into play later. And that the antagonist was very cliche in my opinion, and the tension crux relied on miscommunication (which felt kind of like low-hanging fruit for all the plotting). I read this book while on a vacation within 48 hours. It was the perfect, poolside read!

Easy 5/5 stars for one my most anticipated reads of 2024.

<i>“If you don’t want to be with me, together with me, I can understand,” he said, and she felt her knees wobble. “But, Gwen, please make music with me. I need you to be 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 f**k you, then let me make love to you onstage every night because it’s the most alive I’ve felt in ten years-“</i>

The whole book is an ode to the love of music, love through music and love with the help of music.

The main characters Gwen and Xander are musicians who play in the same orchestra and compete with each other to win the first chair. Even despite the rivalry, they recognize each other's talent, and agree that if they work together, everyone will benefit from it. And here the sparks begin to fall from the pages, and the tension soars in every scene!

If you thought that music couldn't be sexy, then the book will change your mind! Xander and Gwen live and breathe music, inspire and complement each other. I especially liked that both characters do not deny mutual attraction (Gwen has a poster with Xander and his band at home, and Xander raises the meaning of the "possessive hero" trope to a completely next level, in a good way). The story flows smooth and keeps you engaged all the time due to extreme chemistry and tension between characters, so it's hard to put the book down. I can recommend this book to read and buy for the collection!

Thank you Julie, NetGalley and Forever for this ARC!