There is nothing that cures a slump quite like a book that meets all your comfort read checkboxes. Not Another Love Song is an absolute JOY of a romance novel. There was some addictive quality to this love story that had me waking up & reading at 3 AM.

If there is one thing about me, it’s that if you tell me a leading man is adam driver coded in any way, shape, or form—the credit card is out and ready. ALEX. MY SWEET BLUSHING BABY BOY. WAS PERFECT. LITERALLY HAD ME GIGGLING, BLUSHING, KICKING MY FEET. & Gwen was such a wonderful fmc who was humble & talented & deserving of love. & the music element of it???? The romance of it all???? My heart was PALPITATING. The tension that it created was so unique & executed with such precision, I was ENTHRALLED. I’m so thankful for Julie Soto becoming a published author & getting the love & praise that she 100% deserves.

This is an easy 5 star read for me. I haven’t had a new book that made me this feral in a MINUTE. God bless the reylos 🫡✨

Thank you so much to NetGalley & to Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to read this arc!

This might be the most passionate romance I’ve ever read. The tension built through the music alone was just incredible! The cover speaks volumes.

I loved these characters. Gwen and Xander are both gifted string musicians, but each had a very different path in obtaining a seat at Pops Orchestra. Xander was certainly a mystery at first with his unrelenting criticism towards Gwen, which only escalates when Gwen is offered first chair.

But the rivalry doesn't last long! And I don't mean that as a critique. Xander falls so endearingly, unequivocally hard. I loved the pure respect and sensuality surrounding their performances together. It was so edgy and beautiful.

Beyond the romance, I also enjoyed the details behind their careers as a cellist and violinist. The pressure, the commitment, the competitiveness, the manipulative forces attempting to shape their decisions—it all added some really fun drama to the story!

Gwen is a violin prodigy who is entering her fourth season with the Pops Orchestra. Xander Thorne is a bonafide rockstar cellist, whom Gwen is obsessed with. She's confused when he seemingly randomly joins the Pops Orchestra, but when she's offered first chair when the great Ava Fitzgerald decides to retire, many long hidden secrets emerge. Gwen also learns that she has a magnetic pull with Xander, especially when it comes to making music with him. Will they be able to stay together when secrets are revealed?

I would have rather read this NOT knowing it was yet another Reylo fanfic originally but I was a big fan of Julie Soto's debut novel and I enjoyed this one once I was able to push that bit of knowledge out of my head!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I adored this book. If I could give it ten stars, I would. Julie Soto did such a great job with the character development through the dual POV. Even though the story was primarily told by Gwen, Xander was sprinkled in throughout the novel. There were also great plot twists throughout the book that I didn't see coming.

Even though I don't have much knowledge about music or instruments, Julie wrote this book so that it was still easy to understand. This was my first book I have read about classical musicians and it makes me wonder why there are not more. Music is a love language in itself, and it makes sense that it would make a book so beautiful.

There was the perfect amount of spice and romance for me and it had a beautiful ending. I finished this book weeks ago and it is still on my mind. I will definitely be pre-ordering this novel and you should too!

Will post on my blog, chapterswithchan.com and Instagram on Pubday!

Gwen is a 22 year old violinist, tutored from the age of 11 at a Queens music shop, and in the running for first chair at a NYC pop orchestra. Alex/Xander has performed since he was 3 and now a cellist in a famous string rock band, and also vying for first chair. They meet at his friend's wedding where Gwen has subbed last minute and requested to play cello, having to translate the violin music on the spot. Alex is drawn to her, recognizing raw talent and becomes fixed on seeing what Gwen can do, how far she can progress if she can just break out of her shell.

You can expect:
Grumpy-Sunshine
Rivals to Lovers
Rock Star Romance
Workplace Romance
Music as a Love Language
He Falls First
She is his Muse
Found Family
NYC music scene
Mid-20s MCs
Dual, 3rd Person POV

I love fantasy books that include music as an element of magic, and while this isn't a fantasy, the music is definitely magical. The author's note says she imagined Reylo but with bows instead of light sabers, and I love that take on the prodigy rivals to lovers dynamic So many Reylo fanfics are being published now, and I have to say this is my favorite.

This is written mostly from Gwen's perspective, but we get some chapters sprinkled in from Alex's POV, which was a nice touch.

I read Forget Me Not right before this, and so glad that this ARC finally pushed it to the top. I loved both so much. NALS is a follow up stand alone, and while it is not necessary to read FMN first, Xander does show up and there are some characters cameos here that are fun to see. I hope that there is a third book, and suspect that it will follow the photographer.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever books for providing an eARC for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed the story and getting little glimpses of Julie’s previous characters. I really enjoyed the different story line of the orchestra/classical music piece but I had to do some refreshers on the terminology.

3.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever, and Julie Soto for this ARC! I truly enjoyed this book! It took awhile for me to warm up to Alex, but I actually love him by the end. He was such a sour patch kid. At first, he was so sour and just said rude one-liners. Once he started to open up, it was beautiful. He was so passionate about his love for Gwen and was so in awe of her. It was actually so adorable.

Gwen was so frustrating at some points but she came around in the end. She just always wanted to see the best in people when the red flags were all there. I admired her for being so nice to people when they did not deserve it. I loved reading about her relationship with Mabel and her friendship with Jacob. It was really sweet to see how things turned out in the end for them.

This is spicier than my preference but WOW. I could sense the tension and the passion in those aspects of the book. I will definitely be reading from Julie Soto again. 💙

4.5/5 rounded up

OMG this was exactly the book I needed to get me out of my reading slump. It had everything I look for in a romance. A perfect trope (which enemies to lovers is one of my favorites), spicy scenes, likable MCs and just a storyline that keeps me on the edge of my seat.

I don’t know if this book would be for everyone but I’ve seen the New York Pops perform a couple of times and I just imagined myself sitting in Carnegie Hall, watching this story play out as I read it. I think having had that experience I was like this is such a great idea for a book! I have also read a little fanfiction here and there which I enjoy but I never felt like this read like a fanfic so I appreciated that as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an ARC of this book in exchange of my honest review.

I absolutely loved this book, and it has many qualities that I specifically look for in a romance novel. We’ve got a rivals to lovers feel with a male main character that is done for right from the jump. I loved Xander! I also love love loved how much music was intertwined into this story. It made the book so rich. As a side note: the first spice scene is one of the hottest things I have ever read. I liked this even more than I liked Forget Me Not, and I didn’t know that was possible.

When I read Forget Me Not last year, and adored it even though it was a second chance romance, I instantly thought: okay, let's keep an eye on that author's future work, because I have a good feeling about this. Which brings us here. And well, I was so right to think that because now this book! THIS BOOK! I had no idea classical music could be so hot…

READ IF YOU LIKE:
Rivals to Lovers
Celebrity musicians
Angst
Banter
Reylo fanfic

"It's simple, really," he said. "It's about a cello who fell in love with a violin."


It is official, Julie Soto made it to my list of auto-buy authors. I am head over heels for this book, I have so many scenes living rent free in my head, my gosh, it was fantastic! Julie Soto's writing is so poetically beautiful, moving and full of humor at the same time, and I just can't get enough. The scenes are easy to picture, like you are there, and you can feel the emotions so well.

Gwen and Alex are two music prodigies that don't even grasp how lost they are until they find each other. Getting into this new relation pushes them to learn more about themselves, what they truly want from life, who they really are, and it is heartwarming. There are ups and downs, there are heartbreaking moments, but they are understandable and that made it all fine for me.

The chemistry going on between our main characters was honestly fascinating. Right from the start, their moments were full of tension and lust, and I was melting already. Their love for music and the way it was all described was perfection. There is just something really enthralling about characters that are so passionate about something, about someone, that it is borderline obsessive and Julie Soto's conveyed that passion magnificently with her words. There is no need to be a music fan to understand the characters' love for that art. I enjoyed seeing the orchestra’s life, I was so in the mood for something in that setup. I don't know if it's because we kept talking about our orchestra days with my dad recently, but these descriptions brought back memories for me, and it was an instant feel-good read.

Julie Soto writes male characters like no other. I always fall for them in seconds. There was just something so raw and wild about Alex and I was obsessed from the start. The way he couldn’t help being fascinated by Gwen, the way he needed her like his life depended on it, I just adore these things so much. And he was quite a cutie once you get through that tough exterior, and I just loved him even more for that. And I adore that Julie Soto always includes small bits from the MMC’s point of view in her books. It is that little something that makes a difference for me. I can survive single POV books, but they are not my favourite. Getting those little peeks inside Alex’s mind is all it takes for me to be 100% happy while reading! I love getting another perspective and learning more about the character through these. No matter how short these parts are, it makes the story so much more complete and I’m thankful for it.

So yeah, as you can see, I loved this book so much and I definitely recommend it! I can't stop thinking about it. (Yes, I already had a huge crush on Kylo Ren so are we surprised I'm obsessed with this? No. But still, you'll be as obsessed, so go read it!)

Huge thanks to HBGCanada and the author for my copy of the book. All opinions are my own

“When Gwen was in high school, she studied a line of Shakespeare that said music was the food of love.

At sixteen, reading this for the first time, Gwen thought maybe her love life was on the right track then. Already five years into her violin studies and halfway through the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, she would go to Juilliard, fall in love with another musician, and—as they say—make sweet music for the rest of her life.

Now, after eleven years of nothing but violin and exactly zero great love affairs, she realized that Shakespeare might be full of shit.”

LOLOL I laughed out loud at this first page and immediately knew I was in love with this story!

Chapter 1… was all it took… for me to be… absolutely HOOKED.

Xander Thorne is a cellist and a rock star. Not only did it take Xander a year to notice that he and Gwen both play in the Manhattan Pops, but he also always seems to have the perfect cutting criticism about her technique. When Gwen is offered the role of first chair of the orchestra, something Xander has secretly coveted for years, their existing hostility goes up a notch. Yet, despite her best efforts, Gwen can’t ignore the sizzling chemistry between them.
           
I didn’t know how I was going to feel about a romance based on musicians… but Julie took my breath away. This book is beautiful, intelligent, purposeful, and loving.

“If you worry about who’s listening, you’ll never be fully playing”

I love the way Gwen and Xander come together in this story. They both have parts of themselves they’re holding back. I love that there’s always kindness between them even when things are uncomfortable and they’re peeling back each other’s layers.

There is some spice in this book that is so intimate. Like… intimate enough my ears were burning… I was on the floor. I needed to be resuscitated.

Julie made me feel like I could hear the music through her words alone… such a testament to how well this book was written.
“It was a rhythmic dance - swooping low to catch each other, breathing through the rests, and twirling around each other’s melodies.”

I could feel every character’s emotions and I could feel myself floating with the beautiful melodies. This is a book I won’t soon forget… and… probably now my favorite contemporary romance of all time.

THIS BOOK was EVERYTHING. Julie Soto just delivered on the enemies to friends to lovers, the pining and tension, the MUSIC, Alex and Gwen were just so incredible together and I could not get enough. I just loved the way that the music interacted with their story and as someone who loves music and romance, this just scratched my brain the right way- in a way that made me think that this book was written just specially for me.

Everything about this book made me so happy. I loved the relationship between Gwen and Xander. I loved how they shared their music and got to know each other through their music as well. I loved how authentic the characters felt, they just felt so relatable as characters and I just loved it so much.

I really liked the character growth for both Alex and Gwen through this book. I really appreciated the way they learned from each other and grew together- through their music and just being with each other. I really liked the way their music played such an important role in their relationship because it is such a big part of their lives and it makes sense that they’d fall in love sharing such big pieces of themselves.

I could scream about this book forever, I just loved it so damn much.

4.5 🌟

this book currently has me in a CHOKEHOLD! I loved Forget Me Not so much and didn’t think this would top it but WHEEWWWWW was I wrong!!

I loved the premise of this story and thought the tension between the two mcs was perfect! the CELLLLO COMPOSING SCENE ARE YOU KIDDING!!

In all seriousness, I really enjoyed the character development of both Alex and Gwen independently as well as their chemistry as a couple

I can’t wait to shout this one from the rooftops

💜 thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

4.5✨

This book was so good! I loved the premise, the plot, and the two characters so much. In the beginning of the book, it was a bit slower moving but once you get past the first 20% it was so good! I loved how realistic the characters felt and how many side plots are happening in the book.

Gwen was such a loveable FMC that was so enjoyable to follow. She has a wonderful energy and I was rooting for her the whole time!!! Xander (as this is a Kylo Ren-inspired book) was initially mysterious and quiet, but his personality was wonderful. These two had phenomenal chemistry!

I'm genuinely blown away with how much I loved this book! I've read a lot of great romance books this year but this is absolutely up there among my favorites! The writing was incredible and funny and filled with amazing tension. I loved the use of 3rd person pov. My mans was DOWN BAD AND PINING for her and it came through in the writing. Love to see it!

I simply can’t get over the tension in this book! This is how you do rivals to lovers/ slowburn/ chemistry! Normally I’m not the biggest fan of the “one of us is famous” trope but it was done SO well in this book in my opinion.

Huge thank you to Forever books for the digital arc, I am so obsessed with this book! Julie Soto's other book, Forget Me Not, is getting bumped up on my TBR and her romantasy debut in 2025 is not a want but a NEED.

This book was my most highly anticipated read of 2024, but unfortunately, it didn't quite meet my expectations. The lack of chemistry between Gwen and Alex left me feeling disconnected from both characters. It's disappointing that I didn't find as much enjoyment in this book as I had hoped for.

If you were a fan of the first book, Forget Me Not, you will love this one! I loved the first book and somehow loved this one a bit more. You do not need to read the first to read this book. Although, there are some appearances from the first book and maybe some slight spoilers.

One of the things I enjoy about Soto’s writing is that it’s fast-paced. I flew through this book, which helped me out of a reading slump. I would tell myself that I would go to bed after I finish this chapter… several chapters later, I would go to bed. I don’t know how she did it, but she managed to make musical instruments and make music sexy. Having a musical background will help you get more of the jargon. I don’t have much knowledge but some classical after-school program stuff. I still found myself kind of glazing over the jargon. It was never boring, and that’s what I was afraid of.

Gwen and Xander were just perfection! Gwen is journeying to find herself and her place in the world. She’s thrown into these situations where she’s battling to be seen. At the same time, she finds herself in situations where she is being used and trying to navigate that. It’s a man’s world, after all. I respected Gwen and where she came from. Xander took a little while to fall for. I knew his “secret” from a mile away. It was predictable, and his behavior was not the best. Once things unfold and you learn more, he’s easier to understand. The enemies-to-lovers aspect was so good in this one! I found myself laughing out loud a few times. When Gwen and Xander make music together, it’s very intense. There are some spice scenes, and I don’t want to ruin that.

Overall, I loved this one! I couldn’t put it down and loved the writing. I highly recommend this one, even if you don’t know much about music. I do think you will appreciate it a little more if you do. The supporting characters are also fabulous! I cannot wait to read her next one!!

Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Not Another Love Song is an impossible to put down rivals to lovers romance. Julie Soto creates an angst-filled story about talented musicians who can’t stay away from each other.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Musicians Gwen and Xander see each at a wedding, where Gwen is performing and Xander is in the wedding party. Gwen knows Xander as a fellow performer with the Manhattan Pops and as the hot, talented frontman of her favorite rock strings ensemble. But Xander is a jerk to her and appears not to have a clue who she is. He later seeks her out, and it becomes apparent that he’s obsessed with both her musical talents and his attraction to her. When Gwen is promoted to first chair of the orchestra, though, Xander is angry since he expected to get the role. As the two spend more time together professionally, can they ignore their sizzling chemistry? Um no.

This book is a super hot competitors to lovers romance, with a heaping dose of angst. Gwen is self taught and self sufficient, which is a sharp contrast to Xander’s privileged musical upbringing. Once readers see Xander’s POV, which is sprinkled throughout the story, they know he’s gone for her instantly.

It’s interesting to me that this story works so well because it’s not a romance of equals. Gwen is always a step behind Xander and the other people trying to manage her talent and her career. While Xander is borderline obsessed with her, he struggles to look at her career through any other perspective but his own. Ultimately, it’s their sizzling chemistry that carries the story—which is a great quality for a romance.

I really enjoyed this book, and managed to easily overlook some of the reality-challenging details, like how one is actually promoted to first chair in an orchestra. Like in Soto’s Forget Me Not, I had a sense of spiraling towards a point of no return, and I couldn’t put the book down until I found out what happened next. If you are a fan of super hot, angst-filled romance, you’ll adore Not Another Love Song.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Two words: SO GOOD!!

I read Forget Me Not earlier this year and absolutely loved it and am happy to report that this book is just as good (maybe even a little better??)! I did not put this book down other than to sleep and I wish I hadn't finished it so quickly.

The chemistry between Gwen and Alex was off the charts and the spicy scenes... oof! Was Alex a bit of a know it all at times, yes. And was Gwen a little naive, also yes. But they helped balance each other and complement one another throughout the story.

Now, the book did lose me a bit at the end with the conflict. I felt that both characters acted very over the top and immaturely and it made me roll my eyes several times. It also made me roll my eyes even more when they resolved the conflict by just brushing it under the rug and moving on immediately. I'm all for making amends and moving forward but they just didn't even acknowledge the actions that happened after the conflict which was weird, in my opinion.

I'm so excited to see what Julie Soto has coming out next - I'm already placing bets on which character(s) in this book may get their own story!!

Read if you like:
- Enemies to Lovers
- He Falls First
- Dual POV (kind of)
- Music/Playing Instruments
- Found Family

I thought this book was so well paced. I really enjoyed the building of the love story and was sucked in. A great romance!