𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘯.

Hands down, this is a new favorite romance book of mine! 2 classical musicians in a romance book? Sign me up! I thoroughly enjoyed it and ate the living daylights out of this book.

My only quelm about it is that it felt like the author looked up a few music terms and decided to repeat those terms over and over again, where there is way more terms that could have been used, instead of appregio. But this is coming from me, a classically trained musician for the past 22 years. So I'll be in the minority for that comment.

I still ended up enjoying this book, and I hope others loved it as much as me!

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬.

I ate this book up! As someone who knows nothing about classical music and orchestras, the author did a great job of explaining what needed to be explained without overwhelming me with information. I loved the chemistry between our characters, I felt it instantly and wanted every little morsel of their story I could. I can’t wait for more from this author!

I went into this book expecting to really enjoy it, but wow! Julie Soto was not messing around!

The tension in this book! It was so good. I think Soto’s unique way of presenting dual POV really helped to keep that tension in place. We were getting glimpses of Xander as the book progressed, but the way it was presented just added that little something extra that kept their back and forth alive.

I absolutely loved Gwen. Her complexity was beautiful. She just felt so real. Her life experiences forced her to grow up fast, but she still has moments of naiveté. I feel like sometimes characters who are in their early 20s can read either too young or too old. Gwen read exactly where she needed to be and I loved that. She is making a career for herself, while also figuring out what she wants to be doing with her life. She has a quiet strength that builds as she journeys through the story and I just loved that.

Xander was everything I wanted him to be and more. He has so many layers. I loved getting to know him through Gwen’s eyes, but also through his POV chapters. I loved the way that he was always pushing Gwen, helping her find and recognize her potential. He knows what it is to be the best and he needs her to know that for herself too.

All the side characters were incredible too. I wish all classical musicians were like Gwen and her friends. I wanted more time with each of them. We even saw a few familiar faces which was an unexpected delight!

This story was just so beautiful. I loved Gwen so much. She hit me right in the feels. I just felt so proud of her when everything was said and done. You go girl!


Thank you NetGalley for gifting me a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For the year that they’ve worked together in the string section of the Pops Orchestra, Gwen has quietly admired Xander from afar. He, however, doesn’t take notice of her until she fills in on the cello last minute at his friend’s wedding, where he callously critiques her performance, ignoring the fact she’s trained on the violin, not the cello.

Despite their workplace tension, the two begin playing together because their musical stylings complement each other so well and there’s an attraction they both are helpless to fight. But their budding romance is fragile and outside forces threaten to shatter it for monetary gain.

This was a mess! I wasn’t a fan of the writing and none of the characters had any depth. There was zero chemistry between Gwen and Xander and I did not get the rivals to lovers I was expecting—they both folded so quickly and Xander was so hot and cold. Neither of them knew what they wanted out of their careers or their relationship. Sometimes readers would get glimpses their supposed passion for music, but for the most part their respective illustrious music careers were treated as if they were easily replaceable.

The third act conflict was so forced and the subsequent reconciliation haphazardly thrown together. I’m starting to think maybe contemporary romance isn’t the genre for me anymore?!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Julie Soto does it again! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced e-copy of this book. This book is filled with a lot of tension and I loved how the rivals to lovers troup was done in it. I love how Gwen’s and Xander’s relationship progressed and how they composed together. I did feel like this book had a slow start but after that it was fun. This had a lot of music references in it that as a not music person kinda flew over my head, but for someone who knows music I’m sure they will love it.

This book was such a cute one, I really loved it. This story was beautiful and amazing. It was just perfectly written and both characters fit perfectly together. A true masterpiece.

I loved "Not Another Love Song" by Julie Soto so much! The pining and angst were perfection, and I am never going to look at first chairs the same way again. This book had everything: he falls first, found family, and healing from past trauma. We even got a cameo from Ama and Elliot—yes please! Julie Soto can do no wrong, and I need more of her writing ASAP.

Arc Review: Not Another Love Song
Publishes: July 16, 2024

If the goal of the book was to:
- make me want to take music lessons- DONE
- Watch cello and violin duets on YT- accomplished
- Lose my mind over a small t.swift reference- CHECK
- book tickets to the next orchestra- consider it on the calendar
- request this book from my library to make sure everyone else can read this too if they want- YOUR GIRL IS ON IT

I was so happy to receive this on NetGalley and thought “can’t wait to read my first Julie Soto book.” Little did I know I was already familiar with some of Julie’s writing on Ao3 and have her work on my kindle. Iykyk 😏.

Truly enjoyed myself the whole time. This book has top knotch banter and next level tension. I really liked Gwen's character and how she and Xander interacted with each other. The tension between them was off the charts and I could not put the book down. I mean... a violin and cello player sure do make beautiful music together. I will for sure be getting myself a physical copy when it drops. Also a graphic audio of this book would be amazing!

If you do modifications, this one has some spicy scenes (I think maybe 3 but honestly forgot to keep track 😝).

Thank you again to Netgalley, Julie Soto, and Forever Grand Central Publishing for this e-arc! It publishes July 16, 2024 so mark those calendars!!

For romance this book was up there for me. I loved the orchestra world, two musicians and the angst and tension between them. The songs written and performed with each other was everything. This book is on the spicier side if that bothers you.

Thank you NetGalley for this copy in exchange for a honest review!!

I really like this one (although it does remain in second place to Forget Me Not in my heart). The setting is really fun and unique -- I've never read a book set at a professional orchestra and it was interesting to get a sneak peek into the world of professional classical music. The opening meet cute at the wedding is also excellent, it does a great job of establishing Gwen as a character and setting the musical scene so to speak.

The tension between Gwen and Xander is EXCELLENT (even if it is a little insta-love-y). My only complaint with this book is that there's not a TON of plot -- and a lot of the conflict is based on miscommunication which can get pretty annoying. I really loved the reunion scene at the end though (and enjoyed the subplot with Xander's mom and the former music teacher). Basically, if Julie Soto writes it, I'm gonna read it.

I read a lot of Reylo fanfiction for someone who has not watched a Star Wars movie released after the year of our lord, 1999.

This version imagines the pairing as competing musicians. Gwen is a violinist, hiding behind the scenes as the seventh chair for the Manhattan Pops. Xander (née Alex) is a bad boy cellist, who spends part of his time with the Pops and the rest with a band, Thorne and Roses. When Gwen is forced to play cello at a wedding, Xander is immediately smitten. It's insta-love but for her musical talent.

I had mixed feelings about Soto's first, but this is a beautiful book that surpasses that one in both plot and execution. Soto makes what I consider the pretty dry world of professional orchestras incredibly sexy. I'm usually not in love with insta-love, but the turn of making love of her talent and potential as the driver makes it so much more palatable.

I'll admit to being a bit lost with the musical nomenclature of the book, and I suspect it would be even more beautiful for those with a background and understanding of it.

* Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review! *

This was absolutely adorable!! Julie truly is a master of her craft and has a way of making her characters feel like real people; they’re realistically flawed but oh so LOVEABLE. I know absolutely nothing about musical instruments so it did take me a while to get into the book; however, I was never left bored. Although it had a slow start, I felt all of the feels by the time I was finished. Great book overall. I will definitely be reading more from Julie in the future.

As of now this is my top contemporary romance of 2024! I loved FORGET ME NOT but this was next level good!! The opposites but also very similar dynamic between Gwen and Xander was utter perfection. I loved the aspect of their love for music and how it merged with their romance. I never thought I would be panting over a scene in a book of people playing the violin and cello.

Though most of this story of told through Gwen’s eyes I really enjoyed the brief bits we saw inside Xander’s head and how they added more depth and understanding to his character

Full review on TT

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this ARC 🎻

4.5 ⭐️

I was never interesting in playing an instrument growing up (I was more of a sports girl), but Julie Soto writes it in a way that doesn’t bore you even if you don’t have any experience.

I enjoyed watching Gwen and Alex grow as individuals, and couples. I thought it was important for them to have that fight with 15% left to help them both realize that dreams are ever changing, and it’s okay if someone you didn’t expect to be by your side, is.

Can’t wait for her next book!

ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

"What does this--what do you want this to mean?
"I can't think. I need to focus--"
"We have five minutes. We'll be fine--"
"Fix your face!" she hissed at him, pushing pins back into her hair.

I would like to thank Forever and NetGalley for the copy of this eARC. It was a little less than a year ago that I finished Forget Me Not and I have been counting down the days until this books arrival.

From that day it was announced I put it on the radar of my boss at the bookstore to make sure we ordered stock in for release because I knew even if it was half as good as Forget Me Not that it would be flying off the shelves. Getting my hands on it early is such a privilege and BOY it did not disappoint.

We've all heard of fight, flight or freeze in terms of conflict and Gwen is the true definition of flight, leaving others before they can leave her. I love her so much and many times wanted to reach through the pages. She lost so much at so young, and I teared up when she told Mabel about her mother. At times I wanted to scream at her to stay, but at the same time I fully understood her urge to flee.

Alex on the other hand is all fight. He's blunt and likes a challenge. His ultimate motivation was to always figure something out, including Gwen. I loved how obsessive he got about something, especially about her. She was a puzzle he was trying to work out and it was hilarious to see how excited he was when he thought he cracked her. This boy is puppy dog energy through and through and I LOVED seeing him pine after her, wearing his heart on his sleeve. Miscommunication is not in this man's vocabulary. His unrelenting interest and amazement in her was so candid, and while in real life probably a major red flag, I was waving a thousand green flags for this fictional man. So ladies take note: fictional man obsession = good, real-life? run.

The moments when they were together were electric and Julie Soto truly is a queen of banter. But, that's what happened when you're a queen of the enemies to lovers trope. As someone who reads Contemporary Romance with a straight face, I can say that even the moments in this book had ME blushing. At times so jumpy that when my husband walked in the room, I may have slammed my e-reader cover shut with a hissed "NOTHING", even though he hadn't even said a word. Welp... questions were hard to avoid after that.

I've rambled on enough, so I'll leave you with some vague scenes to get excited about.
- The cover... thats a scene... and boy is it a scene if you catch my drift.
- The quote above... lets just say red lipstick wasn't the best decision that night.
- A borrowed violin and a new crowd full of people for our rising star... electric to say the least.

I loved this book just as much as I loved her first and I continue to say that she is an instant buy author for me. Brava.

5/27/24
I don’t want to say goodbye. Forget Me Not was my favorite contemporary romance of last year (quite possibly if all time), and to say this was my most anticipated read of the year is an understatement.

As my staff pick at the bookstore, anytime I’ve been able to, I’ve pushed FMN at them. I’ve had so many come back and tell me just how much they loved it and and now you bet your bottom dollar they’re gonna have to put up with me again for Not Another Love Song

Can’t wait to give my full thoughts but if this isn’t in your TBR, add it.

Julie, if you see this, thank you. I had been in the Reylo fandom so much longer than I was in Dramione, but I’ll always be thankful that Rights & Wrongs introduced me to you. I’ve been in love with your prose and characters for so long and it’s been a privilege to bind your fanfiction. It’s even more special to now have them sit alongside your original work. Thank you for complimenting my art, it wouldn’t have been possible without your own.

See you again in 2025 🖤

Let’s be honest, I would read Julie Soto’s grocery list if given the chance and Not Another Love Song is no exception.

Soto knows how to create a well-developed character-driven story. In this one, Gwen is a musician in a Pops orchestra, but so is Xander. You know, the guy whose band she’s obsessed with. After a chance encounter at a wedding, the two start to find their commonalities.

This book is so well-written and Soto shows great character development in both Gwen and Xander. She brings in the struggles of a professional musician and how it drives our characters. I love Soto’s writing and how smooth it flows from one idea to the next. It does not hurt that she has also created these lovable characters that you can’t help but root for.

My one critique was the ‘villain’ in this book. While Forget Me Not has a clear villain who creates tension throughout the entire book, Not Another Love Song throws in two villains that could have been more.

Rating: 4.5⭐️ I loved this book and can’t wait to see what Soto writes next. I love her characters and their development, in a well-developed plot.

Thank you to NetGalley, Julie Soto, and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book prior to its release at no cost. Not Another Love Song comes out July 16, and I can’t wait for you all to read it.

Could not put this book down! I absolutely loved it. Julie Soto writes her characters so well. I do not know much about music and orchestra's but she had a way of writing the music where I can hear and imagine it playing out in front of me. The angst and love and spice were at the perfect level. I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy!

Thank you to NetGallery for this eARC edition of Not Another Love Song in return for an honest review. For fans of music, he falls first, spice and forced proximity!

Synopsis: Gwen and Xander are both fighting for their spot in the first chair of their orchestra and they might also have to fight their connection. They both have a knack for string instruments but Xander was born into his talent while Gwen was taught by her “stand-in grandmother”. They’ve worked together for over a year but Xander has no clue who Gwen is, that’s about to change, and fast! Gwen gets the first chair that Xander thought was all his and soon this rivalry goes up a notch. Their love for music and ability to write masterpieces together is put to the test when they become the center of attention for the public’s gain. Will their love song survive?

Thoughts: Considering the title of this book, this book for sure is full of love songs and I absolutely loved it! When they write and play together you can feel the love between them. I loved when he wrote her into the solo and made her sight read and when he called her out for the concert and had her play with them their chemistry was invincible! This book was full of spice, connection and tension and all around was a good book! Using honesty I felt like the beginning felt slow and the ending felt rushed but the middle was great! It just felt like the timing was off a little bit somehow but still a great read in my opinion! If you think this book might be for you, it comes out July 16th!

I almost didn’t want to give this book a chance as Forget Me Not wasn’t my favorite, but this was SOOOO good!

Not Another Love Song is a captivating and swoon worthy romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. The narrative of rival musicians who find themselves falling in love is both refreshing and lovely. Julie Soto skillfully blends angst, tension, attraction, romance, and the world of music into a melodic storyline that kept me enticed from start to finish. Her writing is so magical I could almost hear the music that was being composed by the characters and the emotions were so palpable. There were a few times I teared up and I couldn’t put this down.


“But, Gwen, please make music with me. I need you in my life. I need to be in your orbit in some way…

Gwen and Alex’s chemistry is so alluring, making their journey from rivals to lovers both believable and enchanting. It is a slow burn, but has some spicy scenes that will not disappoint. I would have loved more development about their past, but overall it's a beautifully written and unique love story that stands out.

“it’s simple really,” he said. “It’s about a cello who fell in love with a violin .”