If Julie writes it, I’m going to read it.
I felt like I could truly hear the music with this one.

The romance seemed a little shallow; it didn’t feel like Gwen and Alex’s relationship had that natural pacing I typically like to read, but I still loved these two hot music nerds making music together! I was so enthralled with this book and finished it in two days!!
The plot kept me intrigued and I may have shed a little tear at the end.

Reading about music and getting to remember what it was like to play in an orchestra was so nostalgic for me.

And

Um

The cello scene ?!

Listen. I already knew cello’s were sexy. Julie Soto has made them sexier.



[thank you NetGalley and Forever publishing for allowing this delicious book to grace my eyes and brain in the form of an arc in exchange for an honest review]

I was so excited after giving Forget Me Not 5 stars earlier this year. I will say I enjoyed this one a lot, but it really felt like it leaned into the fan fiction origins this author has. Which isn't a bad thing, but the tropes were a little much. The romance also just didn't feel as well developed as the author's first book.

4.75 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the arc.

I loved this book. I loved it because the violin and the cello are two of my favorite instruments in an orchestra, and because my husband and I have season tickets to the LA Philharmonic, I can totally picture the FMC and MMC looking at each other throughout a performance.

The story is about Gwen Jackson, a gifted violinist who currently seats as the seventh violin chair in the Manhattan Pops Orchestra. While performing at one of her side hustles, a wedding in New Jersey, she happens to borrow a cello from a member of the wedding party, Xander Thorne. Xander is the front man for an electronic rock band called Thorne and Roses, but he is also a cellist for the same orchestra. Xander has no idea that he and Gwen work for the same orchestra, but he's struck by how well she plays the cello, an instrument she hasn't touched for 8-9 years. Gwen is a huge fan of Thorne and Roses, and she is annoyed with Xander's dismissive critique of her cello play. But there are sparks between Gwen and Xander, and they both feel it.

From that starting point, the story continues with both Gwen and Xander trying to stay away from each other, pretty much not wanting to acknowledge their attraction to each other. This is the main gist of the story, mixed in with family drama and controlling recording agents / bosses. The description of the music created by both Xander and Gwen, and the impact to their senses by both the music they play, and their acknowledgement of their feelings for each other, is sensuous and hot. Very hot. Julie Soto's descriptions of the musical passages were very clear - I could hear and feel the music, while visualizing the impact they had on the MCs. It was very good. And very hot.

I can't wait to read more of Julie Soto's work. Her writing captivated and thrilled me, everything I want to get when reading.

I am the first to admit, I maaaaayyyy have a reylo-fanfiction-to-trad-publishing-pipeline bias, but I do not see a world in which this isn't in my top three books of this year. I fell head over heels in love with Forget Me Not last year. This is better. This is hotter. He is hornier, grumpier, more feral, down right obsessed with her. All things I did not think was possible but HERE WE ARE and I couldn't be happier.

Julie Soto (along with Ali Hazelwood) is on another level when it comes to pining men and the degree to which they are FERAL over a woman. This book was literally the definition of screaming, giggling, kicking my feet. I wanted to throw my kindle across the room and also inject them into my veins.

Something very important to me about this book is that it gives me the same feelings as some of my all time favorites likes Check & Mate and From Lukov With Love in the sense that its a book about two people so deeply passionate about the same thing and who are the very best at what they do so finding each other is like finally finding the ONE person in the entire world who understands you fully and completely. It's intoxicating. It's like they're speaking their own language and it makes me incredible emotional to watch these characters be seen and loved and understood. I think this is my favorite niche type of romance.

Can confirm the cello scene will change your life.
BUT the bathroom scene will also change your life. Justice for her.

I have seen Julie Soto reviews on BookTok so when this opportunity came along to read and review, I jumped on it! It did not disappoint!

I am not typically a grumpy/sunshine lover but this one did it for me! The chemistry between Alex and Gwen was incredibly electric.
I could feel it from the wedding on. The book connects the tension of the music and the romance together which I thought was genius. Alex and Gewn are two different personalities from two different worlds but they manage to connect through the language of music. They are back and forth enotionally but once they start their journey in the band they are in. Romance begins to bud. If you are a fan of romance books with just the right amount of spice with a plot that is worth reading, this book is for you; you don’t have to be well versed in music to understand the plot either. The music was an added bonus for me! I can’t wait to read more from Julie!


Thank you Netgalley for the ARC e-book!

You will never look at musicians in a symphony or orchestra the same way again after reading this! 🎼

The only thing Gwen has ever found solace in during her lonely childhood is music. Since picking up the violin at the neighborhood music shop and taking lessons from the grouchy but loving owner, Gwen has only looked forward towards her musical career. When she decides to play violin for the Manhattan Pops Gwen can’t help noticing to cocky, arrogant cello player Xander Thorne. He’s also the frontman for her favorite contemporary string band Thorne and Roses. Xander finally notices Gwen while playing at his bandmate’s wedding. After that their interactions at rehearsals are thick with tension, especially after Gwen gets offered first chair. After a steamy impromptu recording session Xander and Gwen can’t deny their musical connection. The only way Xander can express how he feels is through his music and original compositions. As Gwen’s star rises thanks to Xander, the professional pressures from the Pops and Thorne and Roses seem to want to tear them apart. Are Gwen and Xander on different musical paths after all, or can they come together in perfect symphony?

Once again Julie Soto has written another banger, literally! Not only is the musical romance hot as hell but the characters are deliciously rich and complex. Grief, abandonment and extortion are just some of the main issues focused on and that make this book so real and enjoyable. You don’t want to miss out on this one!

Thank you to Netgalley, Grand Central Publishing, and to the author for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

My heart is beating out of my chest, but I feel like the most truthful of times to write a review is immediately after you turn the last page.

This book, this beautiful, wonderful book! I feel like everything aches after reading it. My face, from smiling so much, and from laughing so hard. My chest, from the aches and pains that the characters endure on their paths to true self fulfillment. My feet, from kicking for so long and so hard as I squealed over this gentle and perfect romance. It was truly so effortlessly good, and so vibrantly unique.

This is a book that I want a permanent home on my shelf for, so that I can read it again and again, and lend it to friends so that they can be as equally wrecked by it.

I think this one was even better than her debut. I really enjoyed it. The chemistry, tension, and spice were great. And it’s very hot when our MMCs are honest about what they want from the beginning. And he wanted anything and everything and made it very clear. The conflict was reasonable and quickly resolved. Great easy read. Definitely recommend and can’t wait to see more from Soto.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was excellent. Exactly what I’m looking for in a romance novel.
I’ve previously read Forget Me Not by this author and highly enjoyed it but loved this one even more.

I loved the Easter eggs sprinkled in from Forget Me Not

This was filled with tension, angst and incredible moments between the two love interests.

I loved Alex’s character and watching him develop through the book from Alex Fitzgerald to Xander Rose and finally back to Alex.

I loved Gwen finding herself and the found family represented in this.
I read this in one day. I could not put it down and will be recommending to family and friends.
I now want to listen to the audiobook as soon as this releases.

4.5 rounded up! I was pleasantly surprised with this book! I loved the refreshing set of a musical rivalry romance. The tension was ah-mazing, and the rivals-to-lovers progression felt genuine and not rushed. The chemistry between Gwen and Xander is unreal, and seeing it play out through music had me on the edge of my seat! Although this is self-admitted Reylo fanfic, it didn’t distract at all from the story. To be honest it was giving more Twilight vibes and not in a cringe way (sadly, no vampires though). I’ll be keeping an eye out for Julie Soto’s books after this engaging read.

Alex and Gwen are two musical prodigies and rivals who have it bad for one another.

Gwen is a self taught violinist and Alex a wealthy and brooding cello player who is instantly drawn to Gwen; even if she threatens to derail all of his plans.

While working together on the same orchestra, Alex and Gwen grow close through their mutual respect of each other’s musical talent and their undeniable attraction.

However, they are surrounded by people willing to destroy them in order to further their own personal agenda and must figure out how to overcome the obstacles placed in their way.

I like a tall, dark, and tormented hero and Alex certainly delivered. The third act breakup was a bit frustrating, but thankfully it didn’t drag on. The ending was HFN, but it was understandable when you consider the protagonists are 22 and 26 years old, respectively.

Not Another Love Song was a fun and surprisingly spicy romance (that cello scene) sophomore novel by Julie Soto and I loved it.

The title is fine, not great. I don't feel like that was the focus of the book even.

Formatting: Every ellipsis in this book included extra spacing, which made the wording clunky and awkward to look at.

I loved this book and liked the idea even more than Forget Me Knot. I do feel like the execution was a little messy. I never fully got on board with Alex. He seemed to never truly explain away how rude he was to Gwen and that was really disappointing. Maybe this is because the characters are in their early 20s and I'm in my 30s now, but I felt like they were low key toxic as a pair. I was rooting for them, but they never fully matured.

Pro: The surprise sheet music scene and the bathroom hookup was PERFECT. The pining and the steamy scenes were 10/10.

This book was so good! I love everything I’ve read from Julie Soto and this was no different.
I could not put this book down and devoured it in two days.
Dual POV
Spicy 🌶️
Fantastic character development
Emotional
Musical setting 🎸

I ADORED this book. If there’s one thing I love, it’s a down bad MMC. Alex/Xander was so obsessed with Gwen, and for good reason! They’re both incredibly talented, beautiful people and their connection developed beautifully throughout the book. I loved that Alex was able to help Gwen grow more comfortable and confident in her abilities and I loved the Gwen brought out this other side of Alex that no one else gets to see but her.

The tension and chemistry was palpable, whether it was during spice or longing looks across the orchestra and Julie Soto has uncovered this musician/orchestra niche that I didn’t know existed and now need more of immediately. Overall this was a perfect read and I cannot WAIT to read her next book.

I loved this book. I was so excited about this book and it didn’t disappoint. The characters were well established and pulled you in from the very beginning. I adored this story and it left me wanting more. The small twists and turns kept it interesting and I finished it in one day. I could not put it down.

There’s just something about a man obsessed that’s gonna get me every time. Combine that with Julie’s writing and it’s an easy five stars. I’m so impressed with the level of detail and research that I know Julie must have put into Not Another Love Song. Admittedly I don’t play an instrument but the way she describes the act of music being played truly made me feel like I was in the audience watching a performance. And the romance??? It starts out with him being very aloof and mysterious and kinda dickish (but in a hot way don’t ask me to explain) but my guy is obsessed. Like truly raccoon feral levels of gone for Gwen and honestly if it ain’t like that I don’t want it. It’s filled with yearning and admiration and passion and was balanced and paced so perfectly. And the prose???? Pls had me crying at the end there Julie send help.

No one writes tension and longing quite like Julie Soto! All hail the queen! When you pick up Julie’s stories, you know to buckle up because your heart is in for a hell of a ride…. But you’ll promptly thank Julie at the end because the HEA was worth the pain. The chemistry between Xander and Gwen was fantastic and there was so much depth to their intimacy on the page that the emotion in their scenes was palpable.

There are so many layers and politics at play in this story that it could have easily been overwhelming and distracting, BUT Julie seamlessly unites all these threads together in perfect harmony and keeps you on the edge of your seat to where you cannot put the story down. The tension from Xander and Gwen’s rivalry and chemistry was exquisite, and couple that with the politics of the symphony, greedy opportunists, and lots of competition for limited, highly coveted opportunities and you’ve got a dish of delectable, delightful drama. And I just have to mention - the push and pull between Gwen and Xander leading up to *that* moment was HOT.

You can tell while reading that this book is not only a love letter to live music and the artists who pour their hearts and souls into creating and sharing their craft, but it also felt like a love letter to New York City and the endless possibilities and magic the city provides. I adore stories where NYC is a featured character and I loved how Julie has readers view the city and its opportunities through these artists’ eyes and memories.

If Julie writes it, I will read it no questions asked! I had the best time reading this and can't wait to reread soon!

This was such a fun and unique read!

I have NEVER read a story like this about a cellist and a violinist. Two musical prodigies trying to find their way in life and meeting each other

I could truly feel the chemistry between Gwen and Xander on these pages. I was hooked from the beginning. I loved all of the connections they had to each other throughout their lives without knowing. The story played out so nicely as everything fell into place with them!

I didn’t know much about violins and cellos prior to reading, but I found myself so drawn in and wanting to learn more! The author did such a great job at writing about a niche subject in a way we could all understand and be interested in!

Thank you, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Publishing), for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

-Musical prodigies.
-Violinist and cellist.
-Chemistry.

I thought there was no way Soto could top Forget Me Not but I was wrong! I am absolutely obsessed with Not Another Love Song. Musical prodigies, enemies to lovers, workplace romance amazingness. I was immediately hooked from the first chapter and couldn’t put the book down if I tried. The Cello Suite chapters were fantastic. I prefer single POV in romance most of the time, but I thought those chapters were a great way to incorporate insight for the love interest. I loved how both main characters were dealing with childhood trauma and how it added so much emotion to their relationship. I love me a grumpy love interest who only cares about you. I just honestly loved every single thing about this book and have not one complaint. One of my favorite romances this year. And that cover? To die for! I loved that scene and loved seeing it brought to life.

Highly recommend to fans of emotional romances, musical characters, enemies to lovers, tension up the yin yang, workplace romance, Forget Me Not, and spicy reads.

In both this book and her debut, I was incredibly impressed at the way the author writes the interconnection of work and self, and in this book in particular, the way that music was written into every facet of characterization and action. My personal feeling is that this is barely an enemies to lovers or its lesser identified rivals to lovers romance, but something more like like-calls-to-like, which won't sell as many books so I get why no one uses it. But really enjoyed my reading experience overall and cannot wait to see what the author chooses for her next work.