Officially a Julie Soto girlie!

I LOVED Not Another Love Song. I feel like the nerdiest, most vulnerable parts of myself got the biggest hug. Both Alex and Gwen deserve the world, and I loved getting to live in their little corner of New York for a little while. Wishing I could run right back to Carnegie with them right now! Julie writes ~broody, grumpy MMC that is actually the biggest softie with the BIGGEST heart~ so well, and I can't get enough, honestly.

I had high hopes considering I loved Forget Me Not by Julie Soto and Not Another Love Song did not disappoint. NALS is set in NYC and tells the story of an adorable woman named Gwen who has endured too many heart breaks in her life. The story follows the ups and downs of Gwen’s life including her involvement with the very frustrating Xander Thorne. Julie does such a fabulous job at writing the most frustrating yet affable male love interests. I know nothing of the music world and I would like to believe this story is an accurate description of the music world and my only “expert” complaint would be the reference to Gwen’s grandfather being on a respirator in the hospital and I believe Julie meant he was on a ventilator. I can overlook that small silly error, though.

I WANT THIS BOOK INJECTED INTO MY VEINS. Julie does it again, will recommend always and forever. The musical details, their chemistry… no notes. Absolutely fantastic story.

This was my first Julie Soto book and it was incredible! Devoured it in less than 24 hours. As a former violin player, this really hit!

One of 15 picks for the romance section I curated for the Boston Globe summer reading preview.
Striking all the right notes. rival string musicians at the Manhattan Pops fall kicking and screaming into love. A rough hewn prodigy, Gwen Jackson was the first person superstar Alex Thorne ever met who could do what he did with music and maybe do it even better — all without serious formal training. The friction and fascination are mutual: she scares him, he infuriates her. With writing is as sharp and original as their musicianship, this low key, high class Reylo fanfic is a rockstar turn.

ARC Review. 3 stars! I loved the unique premise, city setting, and character depth of this story. It was very atmospheric. Both the plot felt clunky and the smut felt abrupt at times. Overall, an enjoyable read!

Loved it! I could not stop reading this. I loved the dynamic between Alex and Gwen. Such a great story. I loved the development of the relationship between these two! The sensuality between them was good.

I am so down bad for this book it’s not even funny!!!

“Not Another Love Song” follows Gwen Jackson and Xander Thorne, two string players, as they fight their attraction for each other while competing for center stage.

From the moment Alex insulted Gwen’s form when she played the cello, I fell in love with them as characters and their dynamic. Gwen’s people pleasing tendencies struck a chord with me as someone who shares that same quality and enriched my understanding of her motivations for sticking with the Pops Orchestra when people were taking advantage of her. I enjoyed reading from her point-of-view and getting bits of Alex’s perspective throughout the novel. Soto is very intentional about her placement of chapters written from his perspective to add intrigue surrounding his past.

Gwen and Alex’s romance is a perfectly paced, sizzling symphony and I was entranced by each movement: colleagues, rivals, duet partners, lovers. Their every interaction vibrated in my bones because their chemistry is that palpable! I adored Alex’s subtle gestures—like the way he made Gwen’s favorite drink for her, offered to buy her shampoo when she stayed with him, and attempted to make her pancakes—just as I adored Gwen for loving all of Alex and helping him become more in tune with himself. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the cello scene that is depicted on the cover. Julie Soto was not messing around when she wrote that scene! Her lyrical writing brought the music they made together to life and I could cut the sexual tension with a knife. It took my breath away. I didn’t want it to end because it hit so hard! This whole book does quite frankly.

In conclusion, whatever Soto writes, I’m buying!!

Julie Soto is currently two for two in writing books that I read in less than 24 hours. Her characters and love stories are so compelling and make me feel all the feelings. Also, as a former violinist this book made me want to go to the orchestra and also finally get my old violin restrung. I could not love Gwen and Alex any more than I already do and I can't wait to hold a physical copy of this book in my hands.

I received an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

This book made me giggle. It made me kick my feet. I loved it.

I didn't read Forget Me Not by Julie Soto because it was feeling very overhyped on Booktok but when I saw this one offered on NetGalley I was very intrigued. I absolutely ate this book UP... literally finished the book in 24 hours. These characters were so complex and had such real feeling backstories and motivations. I liked that they were not annoying. I feel like in a lot of romance books the characters are very one-dimensional and just make insanely irrational decisions but when characters had conflicts in this story, I could understand the different sides because they made sense. Alex (Xander) is literally a musical prodigy dream boy. Loved him very much. The spice was very good and made the story that much more complex!

I will now read all Julie Soto books. Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC. I enjoyed it so much!

3 stars

This kinda had the same issues as the first book but overall it was slightly just slightly better for me. Like the beginning was kinda boring but it didn’t take me more than half of the book for things to be kinda interesting. The characters were more tolerable. We got a boy obsessed, kinda lost, but he’d do. A naive girl with principles. Their romance was better for me than the first couple. Overall I kinda enjoyed their story and it was better than the first book.

Huge Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing this copy.

Not Another Love Song is the newest romcom of Julie Soto. This is Gwen and Xander‘s story.
 
Gwen is a violinist, and she is working hard to create a stable career for herself, and she is over the moon when she gets offered the First Chair in the New York Pops Orchestra. She is determined and loving, and I loved how she allows herself to feel and experiment with Xander.
 
Xander is a child prodigy, and he can play the violin and cello and he comes from a musical family. He decided to go his own way with his band, and I honestly wish I could listen to their songs and interpretations. Xander is very self-sufficient, and he always strives for more while allowing his creativity and I loved that.
 
I absolutely love books with music, and I loved how both were equal and created music together. Their passion for music slowly turns into passion and love for each other and I loved following that. They support each other beautifully and the book has sweet and spicy moments and that only added to this story.
 
Overall, Not Another Love Song is another fabulous book by Julie Soto, and I loved how the music and romance was woven together. 4,5 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)

Julie Soto can make anything sexy! Whether that be florists or cellists. I’m so happy that I got to read an arc of Not Another Love song. It was such a sexy fun read.

And while I will be the first to admit it did feel incredibly wattpad-y, I still had a super enjoyable time. I’m a stan of a reylo fanfic. There were so many steamy sexy moments sandwiched between their enemies to lovers plot. And I was completely here for every second of it. Julie Soto is a genius.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.75/5 ⭐️

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

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

After finishing Julie Soto’s Forgot Me Not earlier this month, I had a feeling Not Another Love Song was making her a likely candidate for my favorite authors list and reading this story definitely confirmed that. Not Another Love Song tells the story of Alex (Xander) and Gwen, two musicians trying to find themselves through music and through it, finding each other. This book is simple but lovely, and the music the characters play literally leaps off the pages. The tension is palpable and SOOOO good. I loved the cameos of all the major characters from Forget Me Not without it overshadowing the rest of the story and how in general, Soto made a beautiful story of two broken (often unbeknownst to themselves) people wandering through life, making mistakes, and hiding behind safe and comfortable walls, breaking free and learning to be their own people and themselves together. I’m really looking forward to more from Soto going forward!

(She actually announced Rose in Chains the morning of me writing this review!!! How cool is that???)

-0.75 ⭐️ for Alex’s initial attitude due to the nature of how he handled his bigger, nastier emotions and the fact that though I loved the tension, it sometimes felt a teensy bit obsessive and early on, like a HUGE 180 on Alex’s part

4.5 ⭐️
I was honestly so scared to read this cause it’s in 3rd pov and I usually stay away from books that are in 3rd pov but this book was so good.

Julie always knows how to keep me captivated in the way she tells her stories .

Alex and Gwen were so hot together… the stuff this man would say but most importantly he’s always encouraging her to be the best and showing who she truly is.
The chemistry and the banter were Elite!!! Alex was secretly a softie for Gwen and I loved that so much.

I'll start this by saying if you love this book don't read my review. Don't attack me, this is just my opinion.

I am an Ama Torres hater first and foremost and every time in this book that she popped up she kept reminding me why I dislike her so much. I think she's very manipulative and always gets whoever she wants and doesn't care that she walks over people or puts them in uncomfortable situations. Like for example, she's a wedding planner that didn't read the contract that she hired a Violinist and Pianist. When she realized that Gwen doesn't play the cello, which is what the bride wanted, she forced Gwen to play an instrument she hasn't been trained to play. I think it was so shitty. AGAIN, my opinion.

I'll continue by saying that there is definitely a disconnect when it comes to Julie Soto books for me. At least in the beginning, she just runs with it you don't get any character descriptions until later on in the book. So when you start, if you don't know this used to be a reylo fan fiction and you've only seen a black and white cover in your kindle, you won't know what they look like.

I personally was bored halfway, some of the smut scenes were okay. I thought it was kind of icky that he was on the phone with someone while he was having sex and like thy get into an argument while his inside of her, and I guess the icky part for me is like they are fighting and then it said something like "he kept thrusting inside of me" or "I could still feel him inside of me" and it just took me out of the VERY valid argument they were having.

I also think it's icky when he said that "he turned hazel into a lesbian when we were sixteen". It's not funny.

This is my last chance reading a Julie Soto book, nothing personal. No hate, they are just not for me.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto is an ode to music and the people that make it. Gwen and Xander both musical proteges clash in a bid for the dream job. There's orchestra politics, flashy performances, and even some spicy music making. At times the pacing and the characters felt rushed, but I found myself still quite invested. A unique read. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and NetGalley for an early book review copy of Not Another Love Song!

Not Another Love Song is being released July, 16th 2024-mark your calendar!

I loved this book more than I loved Forget Me Not. I read it in April and I am still thinking of it and have ordered a hard copy of the book. Julie Soto is a master and a genius and I love all her characters.

I can't wait to read this again and again and again!

This was really fun! I know nothing about classical instruments, but you could tell the author did a ton of research and has a passion for it.

First off: it’s written in the third person. I know this is important to many readers!

It’s 90% single POV, and a couple chapters are sprinkled in from the MMC’s perspective. I wish he was spread out more evenly throughout. Without his POV sooner, it does feel like he goes from mean-as-hell to obsessed with Gwen. He’s just straight dunking on her and then all of a sudden thinks they’re musically on the same level?

Gwen plays the violin and Xander/Alex the cello. They meet at a wedding where she’s been roped in last minute to play. He’s a groomsmen. They also work at the same orchestra, but he’s never noticed her before the wedding. Because she ends up having to wing it and play the cello due to a mixup.

Just dispel reality when it comes to Gwen’s trajectory and enjoy the ride. She jumps from fourth chair to first when the current first chair retires. But she’s only been at the orchestra for a few years and isn’t formally trained.

It’s steamy, set in NYC, and there’s lots of side characters.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my advanced digital copy!

4.5 - “Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you have to do it for the rest of your life.”

I enjoyed Forget Me Not when I read it last year, but I really loved this one even more. The tension and buildup is just so good.

Gwen is such a great protagonist who is so passionate about being a violinist. Being offered first chair of The Manhattan Pops is a dream, but she immediately feels inferior from biting remarks from Xander, cellist and part of her favorite band Thorne and Roses. He comes off as aloof and grumpy, but as the story goes it’s clear that he sees something inspiring in Gwen. Their story is so compelling and I loved the drama of the orchestra and how it's hard for both Gwen and Xander to navigate the politics of it all. It's difficult for Gwen as she feels used as just a young, attractive woman to sell tickets instead of being respected for her talent as a violinist,

Their chemistry is written so well and their relationship stays tense until it snaps. Gwen makes Xander feel alive playing music in a way he hasn’t in a long time, and he wants to everything with her. While the majority of this story is told from Gwen’s perspective, there are cello suite interludes from Xander’s perspective that offer so much background. Since Xander seems standoffish, having these small chapters from his point-of-view add so much to his character development. He feels this connection to Gwen that has hasn't gelt with anyone before. And it's not only on a romantic level, but also on a musical level. He finds himself just wanting to be with her and do everything with her, and this comes across as such a crucial moment for him.

I just loved this so much. It felt so realistic and their conflict genuine. I was so invested in their relationship that I read this through in one sitting. Do not miss this one when it comes out.