4.25 ★

First of all, thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing this ARC!

I know this one won’t be up everyone’s alley, but that’s okay, because it was up mine! As someone who is usually a fan of a slower burn, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this as much as I did, but this kind of torrid, confusing mess worked for me. This story had less of the modern romantic feel of Forget Me Not and more of the inexplicably chaotic and desperate tumble into romance from a historical novel or an artsy flick. I think you have to be in this one for the long haul and push past some of your own expectations, but I ended up really enjoying it.

This book was so nerdy but also so sweet and sexy- I was twirling my hair and kicking my feet fr. I kept having these moments where my brain was like “this is kinda dorky” but then the next second I was like …omg. I would say who knew that orchestral music could be so indecent, but, well, a lot of people did.

I would describe their dynamic as an artist and a muse, but they’re both artists and each other’s muses. Both of the main characters felt immature at times, but I think it kind of worked with the drama of the story. One of my requests would have been to add a little bit more banter, because the bits of it we did see made their relationship feel so much rounder and more developed.

I would recommend this one to fans of You, Again by Kate Goldbeck, Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman, or Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood (but this would be the adult version).

I cannot begin to express how much I loved this book! Being lucky enough to read this book before release thanks to NetGalley. This book made me feel giddy and heartbroken, even a few scenes where my stomach did the fluttering feeling. In my opinion, both characters felt flawed and real making the story feel so easy to fall into. Hands down one of my favorite books I’ve read this year, a five star for me!

Julie Soto writes men who have it down bad!! & I’m here for it because i have it as bad for them!! I was never interested in the violin or cello but that cello performance was hot. The cellos will always make me think of this book. I must now see the NY Pops. I wasn’t sure what to expect when reading this but it got me out of my reading slump. I will be purchasing it.

I absolutely loved this entire story. I loved the dynamics between the FMC and MMC, and LOVED having the few concerto chapters with the MMC’s pov because it really enhanced the story.

This was another hit from Julie Soto. I enjoyed this romance set in the world of professional musicians. I have zero musical talent but that didn’t keep me from being drawn into the story. Xander and Gwen have chemistry from the beginning and it builds to the crescendo in the most satisfying of ways. I also really felt the NYC setting was its own character in this novel, and really helped create a vibrant setting for the story. Another fun find was getting to see some of my favorite characters from Soto’s Forget Me Not make cameos in this book! I recommend this to fans of Soto’s other works, fans of music or romance in general. Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the eARC!

This was a musical masterpiece and it has exactly the kind of heated pining I’m looking for. I was giving the pride and prejudice hand flex vibes, misunderstandings in the best way.

Julie Soto is an AO3 girly and it shows 🫶 everything she writes is perfection, and this little Reylo fanfic is no exception. Enemies to lovers done right!

I loved that Gwen and Alex expressed their feelings for one another through song. It was so romantic! Some of my favourite lines from the book were when they played together or connected musically. “She felt all of Carnegie Hall murmur. But she ignored them all. Alex Fitzgerald had asked her to dance.” “A flurry of notes across the last bars. Her wide eyes devoured the page, translating to her fingers, barely listening to his melody, but knowing somehow that it worked. That they worked.”

“Maybe she liked love songs after all. As long as she was playing them with Alex.“

The sub characters Jacob, Declan, and Mabel, were Gwen’s found family and were so likeable. The storyline was engaging, and the background or history on Alex/Mabel/Ava/Nathan wasn’t super obvious, I couldn’t guess where the plot was headed! The antagonists were so angering until you all you want is for these two sweet prodigies to figure out how to be together.

The spicy scenes were done perfectly, with a lot of tension and build up.

Thank you so much for this advanced copy, I’ve been smiling while reading like a loon for the past two days.

I absolutely LOVED this book! (Although maybe I’m a little biased because I remember reading this when it was a fanfiction!)

I enjoyed seeing Gwen come into her own and see how she could release her stress and just feel the music. I loved seeing Xander react to her and how they both connected with one another. I especially loved the cello scene- iykyk!

Seeing them navigate their relationship with each other and also with music was especially touching and I loved the tension in the book as well!

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy!

wow. this blew me away. i’ve never read a book about musicians before and i’m in awe of how well the beauty of their relationship was demonstrated through the music they created together.

this is my first officially published novel of Julie’s and her writing will never stop blowing me away. for years and years everything she writes will be imprinted in my mind.

this book was perfection. such good tension, chemistry, friendship, and love. i’m in awe. truly.


thank u netgalley for the arc 💙

I loved the authors first book so I was very excited for this one. This one wasn’t quite as good in my opinion but I did still really enjoy it and would recommend it. I will probably read everything this author writes.

Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto
Format: Kindle (ARC)
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.5 Really liked it, read it!
🌶️ Rating: 4

Julie Soto…this book was music to my ears. I just finished Julie Soto's latest novel, and it’s a stellar 4.5-star read! This book captivated me with its unique blend of romance, tension, and emotional depth, making it one of my favorites this year.

The story follows Gwen Jackson, a talented violinist whose life changes when she meets Alex Thorne, a gifted cellist. Their first meeting is anything but smooth; Alex’s arrogance and Gwen’s insecurities create plenty of tension.

Soto really wrote Gwen to be such a great character. Her struggles and triumphs are so real and relatable. Despite not having formal education and growing up as an orphan, she shines with determination and talent. Her journey of self-discovery and growth is both inspiring and heartwarming.

Alex is complicated. His confidence hides deeper insecurities. His initial harshness towards Gwen comes from his own struggles with self-worth. Watching him change as he sees Gwen’s unique brilliance is amazing. And so is the tension and spice between the two.

The way they communicate through their music is breathtaking and adds an extra layer to their love story.

Whether you’re a fan of contemporary romance or just looking for a beautifully written, emotionally rich read, this book is a must-read. Dive into this symphony of love and let it sweep you off your feet!

This was my first Julie Soto, and it certainly won’t be my last! This ticked all my boxes… it was well-written and clever, I cared about the characters, the romance was delicious, and the spice was absolutely perfect. People keep talking about the cello scene (which was great!), but my friends, allow me to hype the impromptu duet. This was so sensual, so passionate—it was steamier than a fair number of sex scenes I’ve read, and they were all the way across the stage from each other! Gwen and Xander are both fully formed people with their own (believable) issues, and I was rooting for them from the start. Not just that they’d get their happily ever after, but that they’d figure out what they truly wanted and find a way to get there together. I loved it from start to finish!

are you kidding me????

Wow. I’m kind of at a loss for words about this book. I read Soto’s freshman novel (Forget Me Not) last year and remember enjoying it very much, but not thinking it was my favorite thing ever. I picked up the ARC of Not Another Love Song when it was a Read Now on Netgalley a few months ago, thinking “hmm, I’ve read a Julie Soto before. Let’s just see how this one goes.”
If you see my rating, you’ll see that I was thoroughly impressed with this story. Not only impressed, but I was in love with this story. I’ve played instruments my entire life, so I had a great time reading about all the different ones in a symphony.
This story follows our main character, Gwen, who has played in an orchestra since she was 18 years old in NYC. She and her friend are hired to play a violin/piano duet at a wedding one day, but when they show up to the wedding, the planner has made a mistake. She meant to book a cello/piano duet, but Gwen has only tried the cello a few times. Luckily, there is a quest who just happens to have a spare cello in his car for Gwen to borrow. Enter Xander Thorne, one of the hottest and most talented cello players out there. And he just so happens to play in the same orchestra as Gwen, but he doesn’t remember her.
The story goes on to form a beautiful love story and a super swoony main hero. I loved reading about Gwen and Alex’s relationship and the revelations they go through involving the orchestra and their music.
I loved Gwen and Alex both as main characters. Sure, they were flawed and had their own issues, but I fell in love with them anyways. I also really enjoyed seeing the cameos from the Forget Me Not characters!! That was such a pleasant surprise!
I can’t WAIT for Julie Soto’s next book.

I received this as an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

✨𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀✨
• strings musicians (violin v. cello)
• orphan rep
• found family
• grumpy x sunshine
• Reylo inspired
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

✨ 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 ✨
First chair violinist Gwen‘s world is rocked by cello rockstar Xander Thorne as they battle each other across the stage with their instruments and thick sexual tension.

✨ 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 ✨
Julie Soto does it again! These characters are fully fleshed out and have their own complicated pasts that make them who they are. The spice here isn’t as insane as Forget Me Not, but there is plenty of slow burn tension that makes your legs clench.

I loved getting a backstage view of being a part of a professional orchestra. I’ve performed before, but didn’t know about first chair violin being the concertmaster which was an amazing to learn since I’d seen the conductor shake the violinists hand at I show I sang in. Now I know why!

This book is for the Julie Soto fans and of course for readers that are either interested in orchestra life or have been a part of that life. First chair violin and first chair cello sexual tension isn’t something I knew needed.

This was my first Julie Soto and it definitely held my attention the whole time, but I wanted more. The spice was spicy and absolutely delivered there, but I didn’t have the emotional connection that I was expecting to have with these characters. Overall, this was a good time and I would absolutely read another book by this author again.

I really enjoyed this book overall!
I loved the role music plays in both I these characters differently, but eventually bringing them together.

Thank you Netgally for the ARC support in exchange for review.

I've always wished I was musically inclined, and reading this book just added to that. I also really love NYC, so the setting was 😍. 

Ok, it's a romance, so some cheesiness is allowed in a review right? Good. I found the writing to be so good that, even without hearing the music, I could feel it. The way they spoke to each other with a cello and violin, and the chemistry you could feel just from reading about it? So good. It made me really wish someone would write a soundtrack for this book. 

Also, everytime Thorne and Roses came into play, all I pictured was an 80s hair band on strings...or that time my husband and I randomly saw trisiberian orchestra and giggled the whole time...I just couldn't 😆.

I absolutely love when authors tie in characters from their other books, whether it's a planned out series or not. If you've read Julie Soto's Forget Me Not, you'll like the little cameos she gives those characters.

I have to say, this was my first book by Julie Soto and I was very underwhelmed. It just didn't stick with me, and for a few reasons. First, I felt like there was little to no character development. Throughout the book, I was waiting for the FMC to have a moment of clarity and mature out of her naivety. Her consistently just running away or as she was called "the bolter", was just immature. The plot was not well paced with going from zero to 100 in an instant. I had to run back to reread, as their relationship took off at a rocket paced speed. These factors made it a really hard book to read for me. I truly see how this was a WattPad book, in the way there were several different plot lines that were just not developed to their potential.

However, I truly enjoyed the spicy scene that graces the cover! And would read another book of Julie's, since so many friends have recommended her in the past.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this book!

I had heard great things about Julie Soto all over Goodreads and was curious when I saw her new book in the catalog. It definitely lived up to my expectations, even if the last third of the novel fell apart. Not Another Love Song is the unique romance between a violinist and cellist in a New York orchestra. I adore classical music, both the traditional pieces and modern covers. This book had great readability and I couldn't put it down. Gwen was a naive and stubborn heroine, but she was compelling to read. The hero on the other hand had enough emotional whiplash to make your head spin. It was great to read from his perspective a few times, but I wish we had gotten more than the quadrilles we were allotted.

Not Another Love Song was a fun, creative romance novel that I enjoyed the majority of my reading experiences. For all the compositions they mentioned, I would look them up on YouTube to see what the characters were playing. I got a few of the references because I was already familiar with them, like Vitamin String Quartet and Lindsey Stirling. The book opened up with an author's note that she originally got her start in writing fanfiction and that was evident through 1/4 into the novel. The pining looks, dramatic exits, and honestly the last third of the novel. By the time they consummated their relationship, the book's angst quadrupled. Xander turned into a stage 5 clinger and Gwen lost all her logical thinking. It somewhat undid all their progress they had already established before this huge step. The sloppy ending made me dock a star from an otherwise stellar book.

Not Another Love Song was an exciting romance and I've found a new author to pursue. I don't believe I'll read her freshman novel because I can't stand second chance romances. This was a fun book and it's great to see characters heavily involved in the arts. I couldn't stop thinking about the August Rush movie about a cellist and a bad boy musician. I remembering the movie as a teen, but the vibes were immaculate. If you like musician romances, this is a great pick. I promise it's Not Another Love Song.

This was my first Julie Soto book, and it definitely did not disappoint. I read the majority of this book in 24 hours because I just couldn’t put it down! Gwen and Xander were PERFECT, and the burn was so good. And the cello scene?! Loved!! I really enjoyed how Julie Soto wound the musical aspects into the story and included some of Xander’s POV throughout.

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

I’m not sure I’ve ever been as excited to nab an ARC as I was to scoop up Julie Soto’s Not Another Love Song (out tomorrow).

I devoured her first novel, Forget Me Not, in 36 feverish hours. I was drawn in not just by the spark between Elliot and Ama, but by how fully drawn she felt as a protagonist: fierce, stubborn, and skilled.

I wish I could say Gwen was as complex. She is feisty, but Not Another Love Song is a melody for Xander Thorne, a minor character in FMN who gets space to breathe and mess up here. It’s also (according to the author’s note) adapted from Star Wars fan fiction Soto dreamed up ruminating on the tension that would ensue if first chair and first cello hated each other.

Some of my favorite parts of the book are tied up in other properties — the parallels with Star Wars, cameos from Soto’s other characters, one-off mentions of New York institutions like SNL and the Broadway Baseball League. But the heart of the book is Xander and Gwen’s surprising chemistry. I’m sure this book will be sold as enemies to lovers, but that feels like a mislabel.

Their love is gentler than you’d expect, given the source material. It’s sweet, almost entoxicating. It soars.