Thanks to NetGalley for making this ARC available.
Rounded up from 4.5 stars. This book was a joy to read. Alex and Gwen had fantastic chemistry and it made me long for an audio version with a complete musical score. I loved the return of characters from Soto’s earlier work (it’s always great to catch up with old friends, even if they’re fictional) and I would have enjoyed seeing them play a greater role. The newly introduced side characters were a delight - looking at you, Jacob and Mabel.

I wish the ending had been fleshed out more. I would have loved to learn more about how the “bad guys” got what was coming to them, how Mabel and Ava reconciled and how Alex and Gwen were thriving. At times, Alex in particular seemed very young, but his upbringing really explained a lot of that to me, especially compared to how independent Gwen was forced to become.

I enjoyed this like i did her other book. The only probably i had was that if no one told me this was a reylo reworked fan fiction i would have figured it out. It read like a reylo fan fiction and i’ve only ever read like 4. It was just similar to it that i figured out who was who. I did not like that but the plot was pretty good. I was very invested in the story line. I usually do not like 2nd pov because i just feel disconnected to the characters so i usually don’t read it but this was honestly really good. I was a little confused on the last 100 pages i started a new chapter and thought i was reading a whole knew book i felt like she had added stuff and i felt like it was a whole knew plot i wish she had stuck to one. Like all of a sudden we were getting more of his rockstar side and seeing him at shows i was like okay.Like it felt like i was reading a celebrity/ non celebrity book but then also a rivals/ lovers i just wish it had picked one setting i get that he’s a celebrity but it just felt like out of nowhere. There was just a few plot holes it felt like she forgot he was a celebrity then just threw it in at last minute i was enjoying it don’t get me wrong. Also the plot was a little predictable i could always see what was gonna happen before it did maybe that’s because i’ve read reylo fan fiction so it all blurs the same but i could see what was gonna happen in the third act breakup and all the major plot points. That’s something i do not like is being able to tell where the story is going but i was entertained by the book. I enjoyed the characters and the cameo with ama and elliot. I enjoyed the orchestra scenes even though i did not understand half of it.

This was an extremely enjoyable read. I liked Julie Soto’s debut quite a bit, but I think this was better.

We follow two rivals, a violinist who has lost her family and was struggling financially before she found a stable position with a pop orchestra playing 7th chair with a few weddings on the side. Gwen isn’t taking risks and sure, maybe she’s not growing much as a violinist, but she’s finally found a place where she has some stability and belonging.

Enter Xander Thorne, bad boy cello rock star (don’t laugh, I know. there’s some suspension of disbelief with that one). He doesn’t show up on time, is rude to his fellow orchestra members, and seems to be focusing on his own side gig as a rock star more than anything else. Until Gwen is promoted to the position of first chair—the position Xander was promised and wanted his entire life.

There is competition, miscommunication, rivalry, and a number of scenes where I need a diagram to understand how his hands are holding what while she’s apparently playing a cello?! I loved the tension between the two and the depth of the characters with their non-romantic struggles woven in as well. The first part of their relationship is lowkey unhealthy, as are the relationship dynamics of a lot of the side characters, as Xander seems to feel like he knows better than Gwen about what she needs, is feeling, or should do. But the book definitely calls out the unhealthiness. I wish it had done a little more to work through and reconcile that, as well as explaining Xander’s sudden change of heart in the third act a little more. It’s not that they don’t make sense, because they do, but it felt a little glossed over so that we could just get to more spice scenes. Which, valid. But I would have taken another 30-50 pages of this book to fill things in a bit more for sure.

Either way, I will be picking up whatever Julie Soto writes next for sure.

Wow. Wow, wow, wow. This book has now become my favorite romance of the year and probably my favorite romance, like, ever.

Julie Soto knocked it out of the park with this rival-musicians-to-lovers story about two people raised in completely different worlds but who are inevitably tied together by their love of music. This story was so well-written, and the characters had so much depth to them, which made it easy to relate them and root for them. But the romance... oh, the romance so incredibly delicious and swoony. The longing and the angst was so palpable it - there were too many times I caught myself smiling and/or sighing at how beautiful the romance was written and portrayed. Ohmygod and the spice in this book *fans myself (again)*. Itwill definitely leave you in need of a cold shower. That cello scene now lives rent free in my mind and I can't look at the instrument without feeling a bit flushed. In addition, there were some cameos from characters in Julie's previous book, "Forget Me Not", which was just the cherry on top of it all.

I'm so excited for people to get their hands on and read this masterpiece of a story when it comes out this summer. Thank you so much to NetGalley, Forever Publishing, and Julie Soto for an eARC of Not Another Love Song in exchange for my honest review. A review for this book will be shared to my Instagram page (@readcomolaflor) and my Goodreads 3-5 days after sharing my review to NetGalley, and the book will also be promoted within a week of the publishing date.

this book genuinely surpassed all my expectations. julie soto masterfully sculpted such complex, flawed, lovable and believable characters. the connection between gwen & alex feels so real, and i think much of that is due to the fact that julie took the time to fully flesh these characters out. i loved the deep dive into gwen and alex’s personalities, hardships and upbringings, which ultimately makes them all the more perfect for each other.

the pacing of this novel was perfect in my opinion! the tension was built up beautifully and when the string finally snapped it was amazing!!! alex is definitely one of my top book boyfriends, i love the way he supported gwen in being her very best self, even when she didn’t realize it.

i’m looking forward to reading much more of julie soto’s work, and will be patiently waiting her next release!

I absolutely ADORED this. My first Julie Soto book and I cannot wait to dive into Forget Me Not. God there were so many things I loved about this book. Gwen and Alex were perfect. Their chemistry was undeniable, I loved both of their character arcs. They both had upbringings that broke my heart and it was so beautiful to see them find home in each other.

Alex/Xander was DOWN BAD. I feel like if you like Ali Hazelwood MMCs, then you'll love Alex. Seeing the way he started becoming more vulnerable with Gwen & vis versa was so satisfying. There were so many parts in this book that had me kicking my feet giggling. And others that had me blushing because the tension was so intense. Ugh the cello scene.

Also the found family had me in tears. The last scene of the final chapter (before the epilogue) had me wanting to dive into this book so I could stay in this world forever. A really sweet moment.

Highly recommend. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. What a gift!

4.25 stars! I was so excited when I saw this as a read now book because I have had this on my tbr since it was announced! I really enjoyed this book! I haven't read a book in the "classical music" setting and I was really intrigued by that. I loved the banter between Gwen and Alex and seeing their relationship grow. I also liked seeing how Gwen and Alex evolved as individuals and finding out what they want in their careers. After I got a third into the book I literally couldn't put it down! I am looking forward to read what Julie Soto writes next.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Julie Soto does it again ! this was an amazing and delightful read! love the characters and the development! as a non musical prodigy I struggled with the musical terms and terminology but otherwise fun and spicy read! Can't wait for more books to come!

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for this eARC.

This was such a cute read, I really enjoyed Julie’s writing style in Forget Me Not and I thoroughly enjoyed it in this book too (despite knowing nothing about orchestras or any instruments).

The tension and build up between Gwen and Xander was fantastic. Xander is now on my list of book boyfriends and I have no notes. As with Forget Me Not, his chapters being dotted throughout the book added some great insight into his thoughts.

I can’t wait to read Julie’s next book!

4.5⭐️

My first Julie Soto book and now I’m running to go read the first. It was cute, it was sweet, it was a little bit spicy and I loved it all. Only sticky part was it being a bit bogged down with music terms at the beginning but after the first 10% I couldn’t put it down. Go preorder it! It’s amazing!

I loved forgot me not and was so excited to get approved to read this arc so thank you netgalley!

Gwen is working her way up in the orchestra and is currently in the fourth row. She's barely scraping by and picks up a gig playing violin at a wedding when she sees Xander Thorne, the lead in her favorite band. Instead of being the day of her dreams, he ruins by critiquing her playing and having the audacity to not know who she is, and that they've been playing in the same orchestra for years.

Julie writes such excellent enemies to lovers where the guys are also total simp for the woman they love. The musical plot line really amps up the tension between these two and makes the spice even spicier. I was smitten and devoured this book in a day and couldn't put it down. An excellent book, I can't wait to see what she writes next!

Julie Soto’s writing is something I will always enjoy reading. The story was engaging and had great chemistry. Overall, great read.

Say hello to my new book boyfriend 😍😍😍 But seriously, this is a gem of a romance/drama, and I loved it!

Ok, overall this was a solid 4.5 stars rounded down.

First, the cover is stunning and is even more delicious so when you come across that scene in the book.
The pining from each of the MCs is a bit much for me, and then when they finally start to come together, it moves very quickly. Personally, I feel like there could have been a little less pining and a little more progression, but I'm sure there are plenty of people who would disagree. The spice level is just right, plenty of variety and just enough description to make you salivate.
Ok, but since we're on that topic, I have a problem with using the work “lapping”, (as in lapping at my neck (or other things)) mostly because I can't not think about dogs when I hear that term. Then I find myself visualizing the scene in a whole other way.
There are laugh out loud moments, but there are also moments where you feel deep and genuine emotion with the characters.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of a modern romcom. Julie Soto is quickly becoming one of my must-read authors. I could not wait to read this one after falling in love with Forget Me Not. While I think it wasn't quite as good as it could have been, I think it's still a solid and lovable story full of emotion and relatable characters.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, all thoughts in this review were my own.

As soon as I read the author's note at the beginning of this book and learned that this was Reylo fanfiction - albeit with violin and cello bows instead of lightsabers, I knew this book would be top of my 2024 reads. Kylo Ren and Rey's love story is one of my all time favorites, and Julie Soto did it justice with Not Another Love Song.

Gwen is a violin prodigy. At 11 years old, she picked up the violin for the first time and immediately played through the entire beginner's book her teacher set in front of her. She had hopes of getting a more formal music education, but when finances prevented her from doing so, she joined the Manhattan Pops, an orchestra that specializes in playing popular music. She loves the financial stability and the opportunity to play music for a living, but she dreams of the day when she can take center stage.

When Xander Thorne joins the Manhattan Pops, Gwen is thrown for a loop. She has had a (shirtless) poster of his band Thornes and Roses on her apartment wall for years, but his arrogance, tardiness and critiques of her playing leave her conflicted. Is world-famous cellist Xander Thorne worthy of her years-long adoration?

Her conflict deepens when she discovers that Xander Thorne is actually Alexander Fitzgerald, the son of her mentor and the first chair violinist, Ava Fitzgerald. As she does a serious deep dive on the internet, she learns that he was originally a violin prodigy, making waves in the music world at a very young age. She cannot help but wonder, what happened to cause him to change his identity from Alex Fitzgerald to Xander Thorne, and why did he stop playing the violin? The only way she will find out is by getting to know the man himself...

I sincerely loved every moment of this book, and I am really hoping that Amazon Prime picks this book up for a series because I know that they will make a soundtrack to go along with it. I am absolutely desperate to hear The Fugue Series, particularly Fugue Number One, Accompanied (you'll know why when you read it). I loved the Reylo parallels, and as a former band nerd, I particularly loved how much the music was interwoven throughout the story. While I received a digital copy of this book, I absolutely will be buying a physical copy of this book as it must live on my shelves (that cello scene currently lives in my brain rent free!).

Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

GAHHH I LOVE JULIE SOTO. She is officially an auto-buy author for me.

First: I loved the introduction and the author’s note. I think fan-fiction-writers-turned-authors have surged lately and are unfairly criticiszed for their move into traditional publishing; the introduction shows that it’s not easy and they earned their place on the shelf like everyone else. Three cheers for Julie Soto!

Second: Ama! Elliot! Hazel Renee! I loved the book crossover Easter eggs and it was done so well. They were so thoroughly enmeshed rather than just a cameo and I adored every minute. It makes me want to go back to read Forget Me Not again to see what I may have missed.

Third and most importantly: Gwen and Xander! Their story is so emotional and moving without being cliche or overdone. I laughed, I swooned, my lower lip wobbled, my chest ached and my eyes welled. There is shocking and compelling conflict that is not rote in the way so many romance stories are. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about music and orchestras both from the story and the little pause-and-google sessions I did while reading because the writing made it all so intriguing, making me want to know more. I don’t know if it was accurate, but it sure felt like it to me!

A passionate and beautiful romance! Not Another Love Song captured me from the beginning. I adored the callbacks to Forget Me Not and the way Julie Soto weaved characters into both books.
Gwen Jackson is searching for her place in the world where she can truly belong. After losing her family at a young age she has her violin and music shop owner, Mabel who taught her how to play.
Xander Thorne has it all but none of it feels right. He’s running from who he was supposed to be to create a new persona.
When Gwen and Xander’s worlds collide it’s a breath taking and heart racing romance that will leave your heart full, and your eyes a little teary in the best way possible.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This is the first Julie Soto book I’ve read and for sure will not be the last. I know nothing about orchestras or playing any kind of instruments, and I still was fully immersed in the story. I felt Xander and Gwen’s chemistry through the page and was literally giggling and kicking my feet at their interactions. I would for sure would recommend this book to anyone looking for a great story about love, family, and believing in yourself.

4 ⭐️ This romance was so captivating and unique. I loved the meet-cute and relationship evolution from rivals to lovers. There was a subtle nod to Julie Soto's first book that made me smile. No knowledge of orchestral music required to enjoy this read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC e-read.

“Romance Ideals vs Reality: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, and Musical Passion”

Shakespeare once wrote that “all the world’s a stage,” but in this case, it seems like he might have been full of shit. “Romance Ideals vs Reality” presents a compelling narrative that dives deep into the complexities of relationships, where love is not always the sweet melody we hope for, but often a discordant symphony of emotions.

The protagonist’s pursuit of romantic perfection is akin to attempting to compose flawless music, with each note perfectly aligned. However, reality hits hard when he attempts to intertwine his love life with his musical aspirations. Making love to a girl while she’s engrossed in playing a complicated piece may seem like a romantic gesture, but his criticism afterward reveals a darker truth – he used her, manipulating her passion for his own gain.

Falling in love is portrayed as akin to composing new music – an exciting journey of creation and discovery. Yet, as Alex and Gwen’s relationship unravels, it becomes evident that love is not always harmonious; it’s messy, unpredictable, and sometimes ends with a discordant note. Their reconciliation, symbolized by a finished song, highlights the cyclical nature of love – a continuous process of creation and resolution.

Nathan’s story serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of infidelity and deceit. His just rewards come in the form of a divorce, a fitting punishment for his betrayal of trust. Meanwhile, Ava and Mabel’s reconciliation offers a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos, showing that forgiveness and understanding can mend even the most broken of relationships.

At its core, “Romance Ideals vs Reality” is not just a love story; it’s a symphony of human emotions, with each character playing their part in the grand orchestration of life. And at the center of it all is the cello who fell in love with a violin – a poignant reminder that love knows no boundaries, not even those of different instruments. So, while Shakespeare may have had his doubts about love’s authenticity, this tale proves that even in the most unexpected places, love finds a way to serenade our souls.