4.5-5 "orchestra has never been so hot" stars

I knew within 10% of starting this book that it was gonna be oh so satisfying and Julie Soto did not disappoint me!

Two very different musicians, from backgrounds about as opposite as you can get, square off against each other with the Manhattan Pops as the setting.

Gwen the naive, immensely talented young musician, content to blend into the background for now when she really dreams of being a star vs. Xander Thorne, actual star and cello rock God, arrogant, indifferent, effortlessly cool, and seemingly brilliant, and why does a first chair in the Manhattan Pops of all things seem so important to him?

The chemistry between these two leaps off the pages and practically strangles you! Intensely sensual and hot, I don't see how you could possibly not root for them to fall for each other and make beautiful music together 4-eva. They make each other better. Period.

But of course, not everyone is happy about their union, including those trying to use their relationship for publicity and monetary gain. The villains are pretty obvious, but when love is all you see and your optimism clouds your view those pitfalls can sneak up on you.

I loved it and knowing that it was Reylo inspired was just the icing on my little love cake, lol! Great characters, grumpy vs sunshine, tortured artist, found family, and cello love scene to name a few things that stand out.

At this point, I'll read anything Julie Soto writes because she is 2/2 for me.

I genuinely don’t think I have adequate words to encompass my love for this book. There is not a single thing I would change. I loved it from the very first page and couldn’t put it down!

I absolutely adored Gwen’s character and her desire for family and belonging.

Xander, oh my gosh don’t even get me started on Xander. He was such a simp for Gwen and I ATE IT UP!

This was absolutely one of my favorite books of the year and I know this is a comfort book that I will continually reread.

Thank you to Netgalley and Julie’s team for the e-ARC, all thoughts are my own.

I really enjoyed this book overall. The descriptions of the compositions they played together made me actually believe I could almost hear it myself. My only qualm is that Xanders mood swings in the beginning gave me whiplash. Man just couldn’t figure out his mind.

Julie Soto writing gives me the same feelings that the rom-com movies from the aughts did. There is something uniquely special and you gravitate towards it for comfort and familiarity- but it doesn’t feel old or tired either.

I was late to several appointments this weekend because I could. not. stop. once I started reading this book!

This was my first time reading Julie Soto's work and it will definitely not be the last. I was sold on this book the moment I read Julie's letter on how this story came to be and how it was originally fanfiction, because I read a lot of fanfiction and know that there are quite a few that should be published pieces.

I've been in fandom since before the rise of fandom on the internet, but I am not part of the fandom the fic was based on, so I read the story as I would have any other book with characters I'm meeting for the first time.

What I loved the most was the build up and the tension and the explosiveness of Gwen's and Alex's relationship, both personal and as musicians. It is enticing and delicious and leaves you wanting more! (It's part of why the book is so hard to put down, I always wanted to know it would be pushed further, what would happen next!)

Ali Hazelwood and a couple other mentioned the cello scene. I wondered about it because cellos are featured in many scenes, but figured I would know it when I got to it. Boy, oh, boy, the cello scene. I might have screamed.

And that was something else I loved about this book: It had me giggling and kicking my feet, laughing out loud, gasping, and rolling my eyes at Alex, too. I can keep my poker face while reading fanfiction, so I especially love a book that can make me physically react and this one excelled at it.

Other things I liked a lot were how the secondary characters supported the main characters and their shared-yet-hidden history, the chisme between Mabel and Ava (I definitely wanted to know what had happened between them more than Gwen did), everyone needs someone like Mabel and Jacob in their life, and the details of the transportation and places in New York City.

There were only two things I didn't like: Alex's / Xander's habit of repeatedly paying for things on behalf of Gwen when she didn't like it and his running his hands through his hair all. of. the. time.

Overall, I enjoyed this book so much it was hard to put down. If you like enemies-to-lovers, music, romance, or the combination of those three, don't miss out on this book. It's sure to be a good time and a fun read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐⭐

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
✨ Angst Filled
🫶🏻 Rivals to Lovers
☀️ Grumpy x Sunshine
🎶 Romance through Music

Who knew being a cellist or violinist was so hot?

Not Another Love Song gave me everything that I want in a romance. Yearning, angst, a grumpy hero, off the charts chemistry and so much tension with spice.

It’s been years since I was in a music world (yes, I was in band) but the way Julie is able to create such sexy moments out of describing two people playing instruments, is incredible. I was instantly sucked into this story and could not put the book down - not even for sleep.

In reading romance, if I have an issue with a book, it is usually because of pacing and this story’s pacing was perfect. The story was character driven with romance was at the forefront, with complimentary elements of found family and discovering yourself.

If I find myself in a reading slump, this is the book I’m picking up to get me out of it.

Uhhhh Reylo you say? Don't review my google image history...

I went into this read just a couple of days after finishing Forget Me Not, not knowing what to expect exactly. However, after reading Julie Soto's intro (which I smiled through) I decided to keep an open mind and see where it takes me. Caveat: I don't think I'm a fan of fanfic? Or a lot of references that might be purposely in written go right over my head.

But boy this was one heck of a ride. Things that might have annoyed other readers (okay - FMC is young and just seems perpetually scared; MMC is overbearing and angsty) totally made sense knowing who these characters were based on. But I'm never looking at the violin or cello ever again without thinking of this story so I would say it was a success ;)

This story made me smile, and gave me the same kind of giddiness that Mr. Darcy's hand clench provides. And that is a five-star read for me and the feeling I want when I read romance.

I won't hesitate to pick up Julie Soto's next book - I want to see where her next story takes me.

#netgalley

Review of Not another love song by Julie Soto
1. Love the world Soto creates, I can see how Gwen lives day to day, her love for music, her need to find a place where she belongs. It's beautiful.
2. Alex/Xander’s fearlessness is inspiring, I like how he and Gwen find missing pieces of themselves by getting to know each other.
3. I don't love adults who storm off and don't communicate. While I can understand their motivations because the story is so beautifully written, miscommunication and a third act break up are just not my favorite tropes.
4. The bad guys were really easy to hate. I love having a bad guy to hate on.
5. The leads were sexy and likable, spicy scenes were 🔥, and the HEA extremely satisfying. Read this book, you won't regret it.
4.5⭐

Gwen Jackson and Xander Thorne are both musical prodigies, but each has had very different paths to success. Xander was born into classical music royalty, while Gwen had a natural ear for music that was nurtured by a kind shop owner.

After Gwen performs at his friend’s wedding, she’s mortified when she realizes Xander has no clue who she is—despite having worked together for a year at the Pops Orchestra. But she’s more furious that he arrogantly critiques her performance.

When Gwen is offered the role of First Chair of the orchestra, something Xander had secretly coveted for years, their existing hostility goes up a notch. But their respect for each other's music is undeniable, and their onstage chemistry off the scale. As they begin to explore their feelings for one another, suddenly they're box office dynamite and the fragile romance that's growing between them is in danger of being crushed beneath a publicity stunt...

🎻 R E V I E W 🎻

This book comes out in a few days. I have mixed thoughts, and I wanted to share.

Okay, I LOVED so much about this. I’m a big music person, so I was obsessed with that aspect. I heard some people say that it’s difficult to understand if you’re not a musician, but I can’t speak to that because I am in that world so much.

The way the characters communicated to each other through their music spoke to me. It made sense, and I’ll just say it—musicians are more emotional than the average bear, so the characters behaved accordingly to me.

I loved the found family. I loved the NYC elements. I loved the music references. I was listening to the songs while reading, but found myself WISHING I could hear Gwen and Xander’s versions of the songs.

Ok. Now what I did not like.

I thought the spice got a little too much for me. For the majority of the book, there was nothing and then all of a sudden it was a LOT. It became difficult to even skip the scenes because you were losing plot.

So, I’m torn. I 5 ⭐️ loved most of the book, but the amount of spice toward the end took away a little from the story.

Thank you Netgalley and Forever publishing for this advanced copy.

Pacing and believability issues aside, this book has one of the best steamy scenes I've ever read. I do wish it was workshopped a bit more as some of the characters are ridiculously cheesy but if you're looking for an escapist romance with some great tension this is a good one. 3.5 stars overall. Thanks to Forever pub and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Our heroine, Gwen, has just been made first chair at the Manhattan Pops, which is all she's ever dreamed of. Right? She's reached the pinnacle, where nothing can shake her. Except...for Xander Thorne. The broody and mysterious Thorne has pricked the thick skin of our heroine, despite her best efforts. He's arrogant. He's rude. And she can't get enough of him. And it looks like he feels the same way. It's cliche, but I'm going to say it: they make BEAUTIFUL music together, in more ways that one!!

I am sooooo gone for this couple!!! This enemies-to-lovers books is DELICIOUS. DE-LICIOUS!! I loved the tension. The slow burn. The many insanely steamy and yet emotionally deep love scenes. The way our author unwrapped each character, layer by layer. PERFECTION. I adored the cameos made by characters in the first widely published novel by Soto: "Forget Me Not". The way our initially prickly hero took care of and became vulnerable to our heroine was EVERYTHING.

I know very little about music, but I was still riveted by the way the author described the music scenes. The behind-the-scenes aspect of the music industry was fascinating, especially for orchestras, which was completely new to me. Additionally, this story was inspired by the Kylo Ren and Rey characters story in the Star Wars movies, and a real treat for anyone shipping that couple, for sure!

I'd like to thank Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Honestly I didn't have a lot of confidence in the fact that Julie Soto could make two members of an orchestra hot and steamy but I was Wrong!
The chemistry and slow burn between Gwen and Alex was amazing The way the spicy scenes were written in conjunction with the music building was something I have never read before.
Alex's fascination and admiration of Gwen was so touching.
Such a sweet ending! Can't wait to read more of her books!

Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto made me giddy with joy. I absolutely loved Gwen and Xander. I fell in love with them as they fell in love with each other. Their tension was palpable.

I was so excited to receive this Julie Soto book because I loved her debut novel. Not Another Love Song, is now my absolute favorite of hers. I don’t know how Julie did it, but this love story focuses on the Manhattan Pops, and while I didn’t know most of the melodies and music being played, I could hear them as I read the book.

While there this story had a bit of instant love, it didn’t bother me and made me root for Gwen and Xander harder. I couldn’t put it down! I cant wait to read what Julie writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Oh. My. God. I’m having major bi panic and will need 3-5 business months to process all of this.

Just from the cover alone, you just KNOW the story is going to be phenomenal…and horny. I couldn’t put this one down if I wanted to. You’d have to pry it out of my hands but I may bite back because Gwen and Alex (Xander) mean EVERYTHING to me!! You have workplace romance, forced proximity, rivals to lovers and beautiful chemistry around music, like what more would you want from a book?? Alex is so obsessed and down right bad for Gwen, I loved every second of it. The progression of their relationship was written so well and I love how two characters who, don’t initially get along well, love doing the same thing like playing music. It brought Gwen and Alex together and their chemistry is off the charts.

Julie Soto knew what she was doing when writing this book and I don’t think I’ll ever recover from the cello scene. This is easily a top read for me this year and can’t wait for everyone. Thank you Forever and NetGalley for a gifted arc on exchange for my honest review!!

My first Julie Soto book, and definitely won’t be the last! Read this as an ARC. I know Forget Me Not is technically the “first” in the series but the fact that this revolved around music very much intrigued me. Julie Soto writes tension SO well. This was kind of “rivals to lovers”— and I eat it up every single time. And the cello scene?? (Got me sweating lol).
It did get more spicy as the story progressed, so I would’ve liked to see more dee, heart-to-heart conversations between Alex and Gwen to feel more invested in their relationship, I wasn’t really a fan of how the third-act conflict came about either, and how that was handled. Third person POV for contemporary romance isn’t my favorite, but regardless this was still written so well! I’m for sure adding Forget Me Not on my TBR :)

Not Another Love Song is a magnificent and moving masterpiece of romance.

When Gwen Jackson is orphaned at the tender age of eleven, playing the violin is the only thing that saves her. But for Xander Thorne, music is his curse as much as his gift. As these two extremely gifted musicians fall into each other's orbits, sparks fly and cymbals clash. Gwen is passionate and opinionated, dedicated to her career at the Manhattan Pops. A career that has finally paid off as she is asked to become first chair! Xander is arrogant and self assured, often waltzing in late despite his insanely lucrative rock career with the band Thorne and Roses and holding a seat with the Pops as first cello.

But as their circles draw nearer and nearer and they begin to learn more about each other, Gwen and Xander will find themselves making beautiful music together. Their chemistry both on stage and off stage becomes undeniable, leaving them to navigate their blossoming romance as well as their quickly complicating careers. But will the complications that arise leave the chords of their romance hanging in mid air? Or can the issues be resolved, perfectly reaching the tonic at the end?

Words cannot express how much I loved this book. Gwen and Xander are now solidified as one of my favorite romance couples of all time. Coming from a musical background myself, I very much enjoyed the setting. To be following Gwen and Xander as they navigated their musical careers, spending time in rehearsal, playing gigs, and composing, all felt like home.

Xander in particular is such a passionate character. Arrogant for sure. But passionate. The way he is able to bring the same out of Gwen is beautiful. They really do complement each other. The perfect partners locked in the most stunning duet.

The emotions Ms. Soto is able to elicit from the reader with her prose... When I tell you that I about threw my kindle in rage at some of the events towards the end of this book. I won't spoil anything - you'll just have to read this for yourself. But man, I was positively shaking.

I'm going to have to go back and read Ms. Soto's first book because when I tell you I just finished this book and I already hunger for more, it's the darn truth. This book is a ten out of ten. A perfect symphony. Brava, Ms. Soto. Brava! Encore!

This was my first Julie Soto read but won't be my last! I enjoyed this one thorougly, and it gave me the August Rush vibes I love. Two classically trained musical prodigies are thrown in each other's paths, professionally and personally. Neither are perfect and both definitely have their issues, but overall I loved the characters and their story. I'll definitely be on the lookout for more Julie Soto books!

This is a rivals to lovers story and the tension was so so good. I loved this book and was so into it that I read it in 2 days. It did take me about a quarter through it to get really interested but once I did I just wanted to keep reading it. I loved her other book Forge Me Not and to me this one is even better. The Cello scene! Hello chemistry! Also the cover is absolutely beautiful. I loved Xander and Gwen's love story. I think I will definitely have to pick up both this and Forget Me Not physical copies.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This gets a solid 3.75 rounded down to a 3.

I really enjoyed Forget Me Not and thought I'd feel the same about this one. Unfortunately, I did not love this one but it was ok! It's not bad, I really liked the moments between Gwen and Alex. I feel like the spice was a solid 4 but the drama leading up to it was a poor 2. Gwen and Alex took way too long to realize what they should do with their own predicaments; I wish I should just grab em by the shoulders, shake em, and be like CMON! I also really loved all of the songs mentioned and the beauty of reading a book about playing instruments. Even though this wasn't as good as Forget Me Not, I will continue to read more of Julie Soto's writing! I wonder who the next couple will be!

Thank you NetGalely, Julie Soto, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever for this ARC!