Unfortunately, this book was not for me, even though I enjoyed Forget Me Not. The plot was boring and not compelling enough, and the main characters would have unrelated storylines during the book that didn't go with the rest of the plot. Gwen was not an interesting protagonist to me; Alex/Xander was slightly more interesting but still insufferable. The pacing was rather slow at uneventful moments but then would be too fast at potentially exciting parts. It seemed like some scenes were chosen first, and the rest of the book was written around those. The dialogue is also overly unrealistic, especially when Gwen meets Alex's friends for the first time.

I did like that Gwen quit the orchestra; I personally liked that ending choice. Thank you to NetGalley, Forever, and Julie Soto for the ARC!

Thank you netgalley and forever publishing for the earc
Thia book has my whole entite heart i loved every bit of it. A friend asked if i would buddyread with them and i am soooooooo glad we did what an absolute delicious book. I needed a trophy for my sehlf and have already preordered it. The enemies to covers the steamy scenes were absolutely perfection..i am.obseaaes with rhe characters and book. Standout 2024 read for sure!!

I wish signed copies were options for Canadians.

5/5☆

This is the second book that I have read from the author, I am thankful to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me early access.

I think that Soto's books are a fine time. But for whatever reason, they never really stick with me. I think that the writing style and I do not connect well.

I also think that the plot just did not hit for me this time. Overall it was very forgettable and I would recommend other books of hers before this one.

‘Not Another Love Song’ by author Julie Soto is a joy. This book sucked me in from the start, and I was sad when I ran out of pages to read.

As is the case with a number of contemporary romance novels, the romance between Alexander and Gwen was inspired by the chemistry and tension between Kylo Ren and Rey, or “Reylo” (from Star Wars for those who don’t follow pop culture.) This is the first book I’ve read where the parallels between the two stories are delightfully obvious, yet ‘Not Another Love Song’ is undeniably its own work of art.

I loved the connections between Alexander and Gwen. There were so many threads tying the two together. I loved how those threads were revealed throughout the story. They also had undeniable chemistry.

Of course there’s also the fight between good and evil. Determining who, and what, is good is a bit of a challenge for Alex and Gwen. These two are surrounded by a great cast of characters - many of whom are multidimensional.

Perhaps my favorite Star Wars tie-in though is the way the music acts as the Force. Readers can hear and feel the music as it flows through the characters and off of the pages. The emotions expressed through the music, the tension, the hurt, the confusion, the love - it’s all incredibly tangible.

Oh goodness, how I love this book. It’s rivals to lovers at it’s finest!
I read the OG version of this many moons ago and this story still pulls me in every single time.

The chemistry between Gwen and Xander is sooo good- they are quite simply MAGIC together.
Gwen feels like an old friend, and I found myself rooting for her at every step. It was a joy to watch her find her identity, it is truly inspiring to me. Dark rises and light to meet it. Xander had his own journey to self discovery and watching him struggle with his demons was just as inspiring. Also the spice was pretty great lol! This is my second time reading Julie’s work and she is definitely an auto buy author for me. I cannot wait to see what she has coming next!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and my pals at Forever Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I devoured this book!! Oh my god.

I’ve had Forget Me Not on my tbr basically since it came out and haven’t had the chance to get to it - but when I got approved to read this early I literally dropped what I was doing and it was so good. 😭

Gwen and Xavier are so nuanced and complex and this book just made me feel so many things. It’s so tender and dramatic and explores love, loss, and how to manage expectations. I can’t even like describe how good it is - I feel like this review is already not doing it justice.

Thank you so much to Julie Soto and Forever Romance for the ARC!

5 🌟 3.5 🌶️

Love Julie Soto books and this was no exception! Great characters and some awesome spice scenes. Will be recommending.

This was such a good read., Gwen and Alex both have faults. But its hard not to love how they truly try to overcome them and to make it work as a couple. As individuals, Gwen and Alex find ways to grow and become the best version of themselves, but the devotion that they have for each other surpasses individual need. Even better was the development of characters like Mabel and Ava, who would have easily been cast aside in other stories in favor of grander characters. Gwen and Alex are a special story, and I hope you choose to read it too.

Julie Soto did it again! The tension between these two ughhhhh. Do yourself a favor and read it….you won’t regret it.

4.5 stars. Gwen Jackson is used to being in the background. Her violin talent was refined through lessons from a music shop owner when she was a young girl. While she has skills like a prodigy, her training and experience is not equivalent to someone like Xander Thorne, an accomplished cellist in the same orchestra as her. They’ve never crossed paths or interacted, but she has to borrow his cello at a wedding she’s performing in, where he is standing as a groomsman.

I loved the antagonism and tension between them. Gwen is always a little bit uncertain about her abilities, knowing she isn’t exuding the level of passion that some others display and self conscious about her background. Xander on the other hand, is nothing but pure confidence and very physically intimate with his music. And Gwen is now on Xander’s radar, especially after accepting first chair in the orchestra, a position that Xander expected for himself.

I was fascinated by both of their histories and rise to musical careers. Even in an orchestra, there are politics and public requirements. Gwen is a bit naive given that her purpose is to play and to sustain a living for playing, including solos. Xander wants the accolade and fame, but behind his persona is a guy who very much identifies well with Gwen. There are some musically enriched scenes that likely would’ve been amazing with a background playlist or as a movie musical. Xander really surprised me in the best way because acting like a jerk is not the actual guy underneath. Their ambitions are not the same, yet they are the ultimate dynamic duo, but the orchestra is not big enough for them both, or is it? There are other secondary plots that make this book even more interesting because of all the relationships and I was so intrigued by it all. How were these two going to carve their way in the music industry individually or together? They literally make beautiful music as partners. I liked Julie Soto’s first book, but I loved this one. The ending was perfect for them.

On an unrelated note, I loved the Taylor Swift and Scooter Braun reference.

While performing at a side gig at a wedding, Gwen (FMC) is noticed by the MMC, who is also a musician. The two are mild rivals within the Manhattan Pops within the string section and are faced with differing opinions about what a prodigious musician should want for their career.

Despite not having the most knowledgable/musical background, this book made me understand the "sexiness" of music being played by professionals. I'm not sure how realistic it is for a brand-new, young, prodigy to have an opportunity for first-chair fall into her lap; however, it seems to work with the naivety that is required for some of the storylines/conflicts to make sense within the story.

As always the miscommunication trop, meddling tropes are frustrating, but that makes for better payoff with endings in my opinion.

Another brilliant romance from Julie Soto. I loved her first novel Forget Me Not and follow up novels are sometime hit or miss if they will live up to a fantastic debut. Julie is one of the most delightful humans I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and I am so thrilled for her success she deserves. Can not wait for everyone to get their hand on this!

I loved Forget Me Not, so I was SO excited to read this one and let me just say - this was AMAZING. I am not a fan of third person, but the way Julie Soto does it makes me not bothered by it. This story was SO perfect... I cannot say how much I loved this FMC and MMC and the cello scene?! OK JULIE I SEE YOU! The way you can appreciate so much, their friends, their music, and their love for each other is just everything to me. One of my top reads of the year FOR SURE.

Julie Soto's second book is a delight. Her author voice is stronger and her characters seem more developed. My only complaint is that the book ends. The characters are mature, functional adults who seem to still be young enough and cool enough for the new adult to relate to, while we older adults can understand the decisions that they make and ruefully smile in remembrance of our youth. It is just a steamy at her first novel, but these characters have a chemistry that transcends simple book lust. An excellent, engaging read from start to finish

This book was wonderful and so unique. Two musicians competing for first chair at an orchestra, a cellist and a violinist. I was captivated by the music components of the story and Soto’s descriptions of how the music moved the main characters. The plot was quick, engaging, and kept me turning pages.

The romance was spicy, and fun, albeit a little insta-lovey. I thoroughly enjoyed how feral the male main character was for our lead and thought his ways of wooing her were adorable.

It was fun to see the cameos of the characters from Forget Me Not as well!

Vibes:
Enemies to lovers
Musicians
Found family
Set in NYC
Career goals
Steamy

This had some of the best drama (in a good way) between the side and main characters. Its usually easy for me to spot the antagonist in contemporary romance, but in this case I struggled to see who was a bad actor and who was working on self preservation. The third act breakup felt a lot more realistic because it was driven by the side characters as much as Gwen and Xander.

The romance in this was top notch. I really loved Forget Me Not and I would say Gwen and Xander have a similar vibe without being a total rehash. There are a lot of FMN cameos too so I'd recommend reading that before Not Another Love Song.

It's so difficult to review when I have zero criticisms! I highly recommend Forget Me Not and Not Another Love Song to any romance readers! Julie Soto has become an autobuy author for me; she simply does not miss.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for the eARC!

For music lovers everywhere this book is for you. I’m usually not a big fan of music romances, but this one did it for me. There were some music references I didn't get, but I didn't mind. In this book, you will get some grumpy x sunshine and to top it all off he falls first, and we all love that. Gwen and Xander, musical prodigies, are at each other's necks when Gwen gets the first chair in the orchestra that Xander thinks he deserves. But when they play together they make magic, their chemistry is off the charts. Things start to get complicated when they develop feelings together. The thing I liked most about this book was the storyline. I like the way it flowed, and it was very three-dimensional. This book is a little bit of a slow burn, and oh my the spicy scenes in this book will make you blush. There is nothing like a man who is good with his hands. Overall, it was a great book!

Thank you to @readforeverpub and @netgalley for this e-arc. All thoughts are my own

When Gwen plays violin she can feel the music, Xander is the opposite despite being all about emotion.

Despite both playing at the Manhattan Pop, it took Xandar a year to notice Gwen. When Gwen is offered the role of first chair of the orchestra, something Xander has coveted for years, their hostility for each other rises. But despite it all, Gwen can’t ignore the sizzling chemistry between them.

Now they’re being forced to work together more closely, they can’t help explore their attraction. As the begin to compose and play songs together it’s clear that their powerful connection could put on a performance that would blow the minds of many. Too bad it might get ruined for a publicity stunt.


This book was so amazing! I loved how well written this book was. Julie Soto did it again and did not disappoint. I’d not read a book about professional classical musicians before, and it was perfect. I was transported into the story, and I could hear the music playing. I am a huge fan of rivals to lovers, and it totally worked in this book. Alex and Gwen were made for each other and once they figured that out – amazing. There was so much tension between them I could just feel it oozing off the page and I couldn’t wait for them to figure it out. When we got to the scene from the cover it was so hot. I love when covers play into the story, and this one was just extra special. There wasn’t a ton of spice, but the spice that did exist was well done and not over the top.

I’m still thinking about this book a few days later, it was just that good. This is a book that you are going to want to binge because you won’t want to put it down.

I especially loved the author’s note and how this story came to be.

Long story short, I absolutely adore this book!! Forget Me Not is one of my favorite books I've read this year, and Not Another Love Song slaps just as hard.

The musicality that is woven into every part of the story is beautiful and it felt so unique reading it. The characters have a delicious tension and passionate chemistry. The story comes together perfectly by the end.

Bonus points for one of the hottest steamy scenes ever... who knew describing intimate moments like the elements of a song could be so freaking hot, but I was fanning myself over it!!

I'm absolutely grateful to Julie Soto, Forever Publishing, and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy!! I cannot wait to have a physical copy in my hands!

Release day: 7/16

Tags:
-rivals to lovers
-grumpy sunshine
-workplace romance
-found family

Spice: 3/5

Third person/Dual POV

This was my first read from Julie Soto and I enjoyed it!

I'd recommend Not Another Love Song to anyone that likes a story themed with music, the fmc being the mmc's muse, found family, a NYC setting, finding the balance between stability and passion with your career path, and your classic grumpy / sunshine pairing ☀️

This story kept good pace and I had a hard time putting it down once I settled in. Super swoony that he was enraptured by her and so forward with what he wanted 💛 And Gwen was a very likable character, she was a mix of kind, professional, and awkward that balanced out her being extremely gifted 🎻

Aside from the romance I really loved the supporting characters, they were so much fun and Gwen's found family were really supportive and lovely to her.

As a woman of no musical talent, I found it a little hard to relate to the relationship and attraction revolving so much around their musical abilities, but I trust that it was enough for them to make it work 😅

This book had an extremely sweet ending and everything came together / resolved perfectly, the last chapter had me smiling the whole time 🥰

I think based on the subject matter I'd like Forget Me Not even more so I'm excited to read that next 😊