i have an obsession with orchestras so this was a fun one!! their instruments & music brought great tension to their relationship and made for such an intensely emotional dynamic. alex was so obsessed with gwen, he truly would do anything to have a second of her attention and i loved that. i struggled a little bit with how the emotions of both main characters were handled, leaving them to treat people poorly in a few scenarios. besides that, i enjoyed this book!!

Consider me a Julie Soto fan.

What a sweet, romantic story. The premise was fresh and exciting for a romance, and the main characters were super cute together. This just felt so right. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy to review, all opinions are my own.

Such a good one! I love reading Julie Soto's work, and this one was no exception. And I adored the musicians element.

This book i put off reading and i'm kicking myself for it. This is the type of yearning i like to see in a book. I love that both the MMC and FMC care about their career and their craft first. I also appreciate that their motivations never changed even when their relationship developed. This book helped me discover i love a dynamic where the love interests are in a similar field and it turns competitive. The way that Xander is so completely enamored with Gwen... could've read 300 more pages.

I LOVED this book and it was an easy entry on my top romance reads of 2024 list!! Gwen and Xander are both musical prodigies up for the first chair position at their orchestra. Xander, the more famous of the two, was born into musical fame while Gwen learned from a local music shop owner. Their competition for the first chair position turns into undeniable chemistry and as romance brews between them, their public lives threaten to come between them.

Gwen and Xander are both such great romance book characters. Julie Soto was able to capture such intense chemistry and tension between the two of them and I was so invested in their relationship. I could not put this book down once I started reading it. While there was tension, there was also an emotional aspect to Gwen and Xander's romance that felt so beautiful. Both Gwen and Xander come into their own and their support for each other was truly great. Of course, this book is SPICY, but through these scenes Soto showed just how much they loved each other. I don't know much about the professional music world, but I am fully invested in the drama now. Overall, I loved this book and I would highly recommend it to romance fans!! I love Julie Soto's writing and I can't wait to read more from her!

What an amazing romantic, contemporary fiction novel! I absolutely loved the main characters being competitive musicians and how this creates a beautiful setting in the book. ENEMIES to LOVERS done absolutely flawless. I absolutely adored the way they were able to navigate the loss and grief and grow as characters. ALSO this has some SERIOUS spice in it- I was so amazed.

My favorite book of 2024. And new favorite, auto-buy author.

Julie Soto's debut Forget Me Not was a favorite of the year. So I had some high, high hopes for this next book. And this surpassed all of them.

I played violin for 13 years so there were so many fun little moments that resonated with me. But even if you aren't or never were a musician, the romance in here is exceptional.

The mutual pining and tension between the characters is palpable from page one. The horniness of this cover bleeds onto every page. You are just as desperate for these characters to get together as they are.

Julie Soto's books are dramatic, angsty, and packed with the best sexual chemistry. And I can't get enough.

Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was excited to have the opportunity to read this ARC as I enjoyed other books by this author. A story of music, passion, and second chances, Not Another Love song welcomes the reader into the world of Gwen Jackson; a passionate musician who is very talented but also sometimes lacks the confidence she needs to move forward in her career.
On the other hand, Xander Thorne has enough for both of them. Having reached a level of fame of a rock star he also appears to also have the ego to go along with it. Regardless, Gwen cannot deny that sparks fly when the two of them are forced to work together.

An enjoyable read that kept me engaged throughout. Julie Soto manages to create characters who are multi dimensional having positive and negative traits that seem to endear the reader to them. I found myself rooting for this couple as well as success in their careers. A warm cozy book to pick up your day.

Many thanks to the author, Forever, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC for my honest review.

I will read absolutely anything Julie Soto. Her first book has has been my favorite book since I read the ARC of it in April 2023. When I saw she was coming out with this book, I couldn’t wait to read it and am so thankful to have gotten to read this advanced copy. This book is sweet and sexy and has so much depth. I have never read anything about classical musicians before but this was so fun and reading about the dynamics really kept everything interesting. I would definitely recommend this book and Julie is definitely an autobuy author for me.

gah!! i cannot say enough good things about this book. julie has now entered auto-buy territory. i read her debut novel last year and liked it but this one? she blew it outta the water with this one. i mean the cover is gorgeous, the premise is gorgeous, the entire piece is just a gorgeous fervent romance. “Not Another Love Song” was a release i was most looking forward to and gwen and alex did not disappoint. like seriously i went and bought a physical copy on release day because the arc at a measly 35% was /that/ good. thank you to NetGalley, Forever, and Julie Soto for providing this eARC!

What a beautifully emotional book by Julie Soto! Not Another Love Song started a little slow but it was worth it. The musicality described made you feel the music even though you couldn’t hear it. If you like spice, you will enjoy the romance in this book. The character building was a joy to read.

Unfortunately this one wasn't for me. I loved the first book by Juile, but something with this one, didn't work for me.
I was hoping it was my mood reading but the dialog just felt weak between Gwen and Xander and for me, I need banter and excitement.
The idea of two musicians falling in love it great but I'm not sure this was executed in the right way. With unrealistic scenarios and a lack of romantic tension, i was uninterested.

Julie Soto did it again with this one! Lovable characters, a gripping story, and a swoon-worthy romance. I can't wait to read more of her work!

“It’s simple, really. It’s about a cello that fell in love with a violin.”

TLDR: Julie Soto altered my brain chemistry with this one. One of my top reads for the year.

I was completely sucked in from the beginning and did not want to put the book down. I read it in 48 hours which is really rare for me. I felt like I was watching a movie. The visual and emotional elements were so strong which really speaks to Soto’s writing style. I felt like I was there at the concerts watching everything playout. The tension between Gwen and Xander was palpable. I honestly couldn’t get enough. The cello scene is forever seared in my brain. The trip to Boston and the concert they played had me running through so many emotions. I had to remind myself they weren’t real people but if they were I can tell you right now I would be the first in line to get tickets.

I loved the found family and supporting characters in this story. They really warmed my heart, especially the one with the impromptu jam session during the holidays.

Tropes + things
cellist x violinist
enemies to lovers
grumpy x sunshine
workplace
single POV/3rd person

I loved FORGET ME NOT this one blew me away and confirmed that I will read whatever Soto writes.

This book was so fun, it made me forget that it began as a ReyLo fanfic. And you know what? I don't care.

Not Another Love Song is an enemies/rivals-to-lovers contemporary romance. The main characters Gwen and Xander are long-time musical rivals, now further divided because Gwen has been offered First Chair of the orchestra.

Gwen and Xander's emotional journeys are really compelling. The fact that they have a rivalry while also maintaining a deep respect for each other's music made the development of their relationship that much more believable, fresh, and interesting. Their chemistry is also off the charts. Banter? Check. Tension? Check. SPICE? Check. I mean, the cello scene?? Excuse me??

This book had me flipping pages like nobody's business. The writing IS a bit straightforward and simply, but I really don't mind that in a contemporary romance. Were there some cheesy/campy elements to the plot and structure? Yes. But again, they didn't detract from the story too much, so I didn't really care in the end.

Overall, Not Another Love Song is an exceptionally entertaining, all around good time that I highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever, and Julie Soto for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own!

I guess I'm into cellos? What a wild ride. I devoured this in one sitting. It had me foaming at the mouth and howling at the moon. It wasn't perfect but it was perfect TO ME.

I do not know or care about who reylo is but I LOVED this. One of my fav romances of the year. I loved the music and the moodiness. The characters were vivid and can I say again I loved the music?
The cello scene was hot af. I really enjoyed the angst and while enemies /rivals to lovers isn’t usually my favourite, this was done really well

Absolutely loved this book. Although that’s no surprise as it’s written by the incomparable Julie Soto. The chemistry and tension was off the charts and I loved the music aspect. Speaking of… the cello scene was 🔥. Another 5 star read from JS. I can’t wait for many more.

Not a Love Song by Julie Soto is a captivating, emotionally charged masterpiece that effortlessly blends heartfelt vulnerability with irresistible charm.

From the very first page, Soto pulls you into a world brimming with authentic emotions and complex characters. The dialogue is sharp and witty, but never at the expense of the deeper, more poignant moments. The pacing is perfect, with each chapter building on the last, keeping you turning the pages late into the night. Every chapter is immersive, and you can’t help but feel deeply connected to the characters' struggles and triumphs.

Not a Love Song is an absolute must-read for fans of contemporary romance!

Gwen Jackson and Xander Thorne are both musical prodigies, but one is classical music royalty, the other has a less than traditional musical education. Despite having worked together for a year at the Pops Orchestra, he has no idea who she is, but when Gwen is offered the role of First Chair of their 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. Can they handle the crescendo or will they fall flat?

Julie Soto does not know what the sophomore slump is. This book is a 6-star read. The tension and chemistry between our two leads are truly a perfect harmony. God, he was so down bad for her and I think we were all here for it. The cello scene. Do you know what it takes for a contemporary romance novel to have a call to an iconic moment and people just KNOW. The romance and intimacy felt balanced. Of course, our leads had some issues they’d slowly work through BUT they felt relatable enough and came to realizations along the way that allowed them to question their choices. the tension + chemistry was incredibly palpable. I loved in the end they came to know their worth solo and as a duet.

Overall this romance was a beautiful love letter to music and I'm so so so excited for Julie's future works!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me with this AMAZING book's digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest opinions.