I like books in which music is a theme and that is what led me to pick up this one.

Gwen and Xander, both in their early twenties, play strings with the Manhattan Pops orchestra. They both have musical aspirations yet they are both being “stringed along” by the schemes of others who have plans for them both.

Music is powerful and healing and I think the author uses this to great effect in a story full of rivalry, manipulation and stunts. I do think some of the plot devices are unrealistic and it is pretty predictable with not a lot of character development.

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really appreciate that Julie Soto acknowledges the fanfic origin of this book from the very beginning. That's how I first encountered her writing (not this specific work!) and it's what made me a fan. That said, I think that if I hadn't known about its origin story, I might have been able to judge how well this succeeds as a standalone book without the readymade tropes/plot/character dynamics.

So what's this one about? A first chair violinist falls for a celebrity cellist who's working as temporary first chair cello at her pops orchestra. Julie Soto knows her music, so I appreciated that she didn't get any references wrong (although I found some of the metaphors a little ridiculous... playing legato on her body, really?).

The book reads fast and goes down easy, and although it won't be a new favorite, I had a ton of fun.

This review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

So torn on this one because on one hand it was highly unrealistic to the point of being distracting to a music person, but on the other hand I was highly entertained and stayed up past midnight reading it.

The writing was great, and the story was fun and easy to read. I loved the setting and the themes of music-- but that's also what had me cringing because so much of this would absolutely never happen in real life! From the opening chapter when she could magically just play a cello well enough to perform at a wedding despite never having played it before, to when she was selected as concertmaster just for the publicity... I really had to suspend my disbelief. I don't even think some of these things were necessary to the plot so not sure why they were included. Was there an expert she used to make sure she got it right? I looked in the acknowledgements and didn't see one. Hmmm.

But the romance was great, the tension was spectacular and I loved them together. I wanted a little bit more about their life after they got back together in the end. Would have loved to see them perform instead of using the interview as a way to bring us up to speed on their lives.

Overall I was entertained but as someone who is around orchestras a lot, I wish there had been more precise and realistic depictions of what could actually happen. I will definitely read this author again!

3.5 ⭐️

I am upset I couldn’t rate this higher! It was my most anticipated book of the year, having absolutely loved Forget Me Not last year.

I loved Xander/Alex. Soto always writes characters so well. I love following their journeys in her stories! This was no different. I loved the setting! Reading a book set in a favorite place is always so fun and made it so easy to picture in my mind.

Alex and Gwen’s chemistry was fun and electric. They were a fun couple to read about.

I always struggle with 3rd person POV. So that is a definite me problem, but the first half of the book was a little choppy and hard to connect with. (I did love see brief cameos from Ama though!!)

I’m not a musician and am completely ignorant to musical terms, so that made understanding a lot of this book difficult.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest review.

What a wilddddd ride! Sign me up for more musical prodigy enemies to lovers romances because I had no idea that this is what was missing from my life…First Julie Soto book, definitely gonna read everything else she has😭

Love this one! This is my first by Julie Soto and it will not be the last. I adored these two characters so much, the chemistry was there. I just felt so giddy while reading!

In Not Another Love Song, Julie Soto fine tunes her craft and gets a standing ovation as the orchestra takes center stage and tension builds between Gwen, the new violin first chair, and Xander, a cellist rock star with dreams of more.

This romance was truly a symphony of delight. I will be the first to admit to not being a canonical Reylo fan (sorry, Reylo fans!), but romances that start off as Reylo fanfiction? I will devour them every single time. Gwen and Alex/Xander had all the markings of the perfect Reylo template: a moody, talented man who fell out of grace by pursuing his own interests, a young woman - innocent of the larger world around her - who shows promise and becomes the one everyone pins their hopes on, a struggling organization desperate to survive one more season. . . Reylo fans will definitely appreciate the parallels between Gwen/Xander and Kylo/Rey, while non-Reylo fans will be swept away in the scorchingly hot scenes between our two main characters.

Soto took playing a string instrument to a whole new level of hot. I doubt I will ever be able to look at a cello the same way again. But none of these scenes would scorch the page the way they do without the fantastic dynamic between Gwen and Alex. Their heat is palpable, and as much as I loved Elliot in Forget Me Not, Alex can’t be beat in the broody, bad boy department.

The instant tension between Xander and Gwen flowed off the page as beautifully as any sonata. I was immediately swept up in their competitive nature, and loved every second of their back and forth conversations. From the concert hall to the rock show, I couldn’t put this book down anytime these two were together.

I adored Alex/Xander, and for many reasons that didn’t involve a very steamy cello practice with Gwen. Alex was just so vulnerable, and it was beautiful to see. As much as I didn’t want this book to end, I loved turning the page just to see more of Alex’s heart spill out with every new music piece he composed.

Like any good piece of music, Not Another Love Song was moving and something you’ll want to return to again and again. There was emotion in each movement, and Gwen and Alex/Xander soared with each rising arpeggio.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the main characters. I wasn’t entirely sold on their chemistry either. What I did enjoy was the musical background of the story even with limited musical knowledge.

The villains weren’t that hard to uncover. You literally have a side character waving a flag in your face from the get go saying these guys are not good.

The side characters are rich and enjoyable, almost more than Gwen and Alex/Xander.

It was not a book that I will have second thoughts about.

Was there ever any doubt this would be a five star book? Julie Sotos writing is just so good and so natural. Her characters are believable and the plot is swoon worthy romantic with a healthy dose of spice. Stunning all around.

4/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever publishing for the opportunity to be an arc reader. All opinions are my own.

This was such a cool and beautifully written story!! This book truly feels like a love letter to musicians and those who grew up in band/music sort of activities.

This was my first Julie Soto book and it absolutely did not disappoint. The writing in this book was so unique and so interesting! It was like the music and the melodies would be telling the story at some points but you were reading words. It was so immersive it was as if you were right there with the characters experiencing the music and moments with them. There truly were some moments where I was like “wait.. I was reading that? I wasn’t just listening to music?”

The characters had some really great arcs! Their experiences and their faults were relatable and understandable. It was so easy to root for them and want the best for them. They walked such a unique road to get to each other but I truly enjoyed every minute of it! The mix of rivals to lovers with tension was done SO well!

I will say there were some elements of this book that felt a little unrealistic when it came to the logistics of some of the plot points in relation to how it would all work in real life. But I still felt that the book was enjoyable despite that!!

All in all, if you’re a musician I think you’ll enjoy this book! Like I said before this was my first Julie Soto read but it definitely won’t be my last!

LOVES:
- The Forget Me Not cameos (if you haven’t read her first book, do it)
- Let’s all take a moment to appreciate how hard it would be to play a mostly unfamiliar instrument, let alone transposing the music IN YOUR HEAD while playing. There are a lot of very impressive musical moments and it’s so fun to see.
- The dinner analogy 🤔
- Julie is loving throwing curveballs at us here. 😲 - me every other chapter
- Mei is an absolutely wonderful character 😉🩵
- The Alex chapters are 🔥 his desperation and honesty gets me.
- Ali Hazelwood ain’t lying, that cello scene is obscene 🥵
- The way music connects them and how they hear the music representing their movements during *certain* activities. Wow, these are some of the best intimate scenes I’ve ever read. 🌶️🌶️

The hatred I have for some of these characters, grrr. So much manipulation, abuse, and gaslighting. 😡 predatory people who take advantage of young people are disgusting and it’s too rampant in the music industry, unfortunately. Julie represented this so well. If you’re not convinced yet, I don’t know what else to say except go read it now. You will not regret it.

3.5 stars. I liked some aspects of this romance between two musicians. The chemistry between Alex and Gwen is good and I liked all the music in the story. It just had weirdly over dramatic plot points. Alex could be so intense that I had to remind myself it was a romance and probably wouldn’t end badly. There was also a couple of mustache-twirling villains that were over the top. This book was still enjoyable, though, and I’ll probably read more from Julie Soto. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

Actual Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Julie Soto’s “Not Another Love Song” serves another romance filled with angst and spice. It follows musical prodigy Gwen Jackson’s path to becoming first chair in the Manhattan Pops orchestra.

The music felt tangible and you could feel the chemistry/tension between Gwen & Xander on the page. However, I felt that there was something missing in character development in regards of their relationship. However, fans of her previous book “Forget Me Not” will gobble this book right up!!

Thank you again to NetGalley and Forever Books for a chance to read and review an advanced copy of this book!

📚Not Another Love Song
📕ARC Review(Copy gifted by @foreverpub via @netgalley)
🚨While reviewed copy is gifted, opinions are always my own.
Status: Available July 16th, Not KU

🥰Enjoyment: When I first started this book I was obsessed. Like Ali Hazelwood grumpy prodigy man vibes and I was all in. Unfortunately as the story progressed, the hold it had on me waned. Ultimately the characters felt a little flat to me, and the “love” just didn’t seem present on the page. I would try this author again, contingent on the plot sounding interesting.

I know some (many) of you will probably love this, it just didn’t hit the home run for me.

Honestly, 5 stars JUST for chapter 10.

I really enjoyed the tension between Gwen and Alex. I loved that they were obsessed with each other in a way that probably isn’t healthy realistically (but who needs that).

When people ask who are my favorite authors, Julie Soto has been added to my list!

Was so excited for the new JS book and this did not disappoint. Really wonderful chemistry between Xander and Gwen. I liked the deep dive into the world of orchestral music (who knew there was so much drama!) some good supporting characters , with a good range of good and bad guys to keep the story interesting. A satisfying read. 4⭐️

What it’s about:

Violinist Gwen Jackson and cellist Xander Thorne both play in the Manhattan Pops Orchestra. He’s enthusiastically known for his talent as well as his contentious attitude; he hadn’t even noticed Gwen and her talent, despite playing together for a year. When Gwen is offered the role of first chair in the orchestra, something Xander has wanted for years, their animosity grows. In spite of all of the tension, they can’t deny a strong attraction and fierce chemistry. Will this attraction survive the spotlight of public scrutiny?


What I liked:

Three words: THE CELLO SCENE! Wowza, Gwen and Xander’s chemistry was on fire! That being said, the burn was slow with these two, but so worth it in the end. Both of these characters were written with such depth and complexity, it made for an emotionally turbulent journey all around. This was so much more than a music-themed contemporary romance.

After reading Julie Soto’s “Forget Me Not,” I knew that she’d quickly become an author I automatically sought new releases from. For me, this book did not disappoint. While the “villains” were identifiable early on and the conflicts and subsequent resolution somewhat predictable, the pacing and emotional investment I felt throughout kept me fully engaged and anticipating Gwen and Xander’s happily ever after.

“Tell me I can see you again,” he whispered, leaning into her. “For music, or anything else.”

Xander may have struggled with his personal relationship with his parent and his music, but one thing was without question: his passion lied with Gwen. It was enchanting to see her as his muse and while the 3rd act conflict had me ready to throw the book across the room, I loved that he returned to her when it truly mattered.


Stars: 4/5
Spice: 3/5

Read if you like:
Rivals to Lovers
Angsty
Grumpy x Sunshine
Spicy Music Romance


Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and publish for this ARC!

Another great book by Julie Soto!! She does not disappoint!! I enjoyed this book so much! Had a hard time putting it down!

Wow, I have never wished more that I played a violin (because my husband plays the cello). Those scenes are 🔥

I hate that Alex/Xander was manipulated by people who he put his trust in to forge his music career. He was so talented. I did kind of understand why he wanted to get away from his name because of his stepfather Nathan but hate how it hurt his mother (who I also felt was manipulated by Nathan).

Gwen is a musical genius! I wish she had stood up to the Pops earlier when it was obvious they were trying to use her promotion to the first chair for publicity purposes. I love the friends she had in her corner, especially her roommate Jacob.

This was swoony, spicy and just so loveable

Julie Soto should conduct a masterclass in how to write tension because this book had me panting! Not Another Love Song exists in the same universe as Forget Me Not and I loved the cameos by my faves from the first book! This novel follows music prodigies Xander Thorne and Gwen Jackson, whose talents (on the cello and violin, respectively) have propelled them to high esteem in the Manhattan Pops Orchestra. When Gwen is offered first chair over Xander (who — for reasons of his own — believes he is more deserving) the two begin a tangled relationship, rife with competition and sizzling attraction.

Soto imbued the scenes between Gwen and Xander with enough sexual tension to give readers butterflies. The scene portrayed on the cover was one of the most brilliant compositions of anticipation I’ve ever read and the chemistry between the two characters was palpable. As if I wasn’t already swooning, Gwen and Xander begin to create music together and I was taken by the romantic notion of falling in love while composing together. The way Soto writes these interactions is breathtaking, the intimacy of which is highlighted beautifully.

I was highly impressed by the realistic depiction of the New York City music scene. I am a huge fan of orchestral performance, but Soto made the technical aspects accessible for those unfamiliar with the industry. The inner workings of the Pops, and the hierarchy of command, was fascinating and provided natural stakes for both Gwen and Xander. The decades old secrets and behind the scenes drama made for an exciting and juicy plot.

I could go on and on about how much I adored this book. Julie Soto has solidified herself as one of my favorite romance writers and I will be first in line for whatever she writes next (which I hear is a romantasy!)


Thank you Forever and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!