he falls first, rivals to lovers, tension - what more more do you need from a romance!!!
will be recommending this to any one, especially a good rec for people after a music based romance

This was so sweet and fun !
Gwen is a legend. I liked Alex but he did a couple of things that wound me up.
I have no interest in classical music but the way it was told in this was so engaging. (and the smut was also great)

I really enjoyed this book! I wasn't fully expecting to, but was very delightfully surprised and will definitely be picking up more from Julie Soto as she publishes!

julie soto just became an auto buy author for me! this book was sooo amazing!! it did rivals to lovers so well and i can’t stop thinking about this look and the characters’ chemistry ugh!

this was utterly gorgeous, sexy and sooo romantic im going to recommend this everyone!!!

the way that I adore this book!!

This was my first book from this author and I really loved everything about it: the msuic theme, the female main characther and the male main characther.

Every scene was perfect and I need to read more from this couple asap!!

This easily became one of my all time favorite books - the romance left me SCREAMING into my pillow, the writing was so beautiful and i couldn't get over this.

So much tension!! Absolutely loved it. The music and instruments were interesting and played a different part in this romance that i wasn't really expecting. I loved the chemistry, this just had a different vibe.

Not Another Love Song was unfortunately not a huge hit for me. I found myself skimming for much of the first third of the book, but did enjoy the latter parts.

The relationship between Gwen and Xander was too insta-love for my tastes. It was odd seeing their chemistry, sometimes they had it and more often they simply didn't.

There were a few strange things in here that didn't work for me. I found the reasons for Gwen being first chair of her orchestra rather strange (it all seemed like it was just for publicity, which was odd.) I also found it strange they would give first chair to Gwen at all, a self taught year old whose most experience was playing in subway stations.

I wish we had seen more from Xander. His talking about the cello suites he was playing was super interesting, and I wish we had seen more of his POV.

Julie Soto delivers another stunning story with Not Another Love Song. Her writing is captivating, and the characters leap off the page with incredible depth and realism. The vivid descriptions make every scene come alive, and the romance is heartfelt and deeply moving. I adore getting lost in the worlds she creates—this book, along with Forget Me Not, is truly brilliant. I’m eagerly looking forward to reading more from Julie.

4.4 stars

This is an irresistible romance that hits all the right notes—pun absolutely intended. Set against the backdrop of the music industry, this story is as much about chasing dreams as it is about finding love.

Gwen, an aspiring musician, is charmingly imperfect—full of ambition, self-doubt, and an unshakeable love for her craft. Her journey feels authentic and inspiring, and Soto does a fantastic job capturing the highs and lows of pursuing a creative career. Xander, meanwhile, is complex and refreshingly layered, adding depth to a romance that is equal parts tender and wild.

What sets this book apart is Julie’s ability to balance the glitz of the music world with deeply personal stakes. The chemistry between the characters is undeniable, but it’s their individual growth that truly elevates the story. The writing is sharp and witty, with dialogue that feels as vibrant as the melodies the protagonist is trying to create.

This is a story that will make your heart sing—uplifting, romantic, and brimming with charm. Fans of stories about music, passion, and love will adore this book.

Whew, aren't Julie Soto's books steamy! The setting of this felt like a real departure from her debut, but I liked it just as much - I am a sucker for musicians in love stories, so this definitely worked for me.

I didn't think anything could top Forget Me Not... girl was I WRONG!!!

A few things:
1. Xander is a top contender for 2024 book boyfriend of the year.
2. I regret not taking musical lessons as a kid because I really want to learn how to play the cello.
3. The amount of times I reached for some water was embarrassingly high (the chemistry was way too hot!!!)

This romance made me feel everything -- I laughed, I got mad, but mostly I just fell for this couple and their love for music and each other.

If you're musically inclined, you'll vibe with this, if you love romances you'll enjoy, and if you like angsty characters who are just meant to be, you'll love this.

Thanks to Netgalley for this E-arc in return for a fair review!

So I did really enjoy this but I’m morally obligated to deduct a star based on the fact this is reworked reylo fanfiction.

I don’t know why I put reading this off for so long because I loved Soto’s last book, but I think I love this even more. She has a way of writing characters that have a bit of grit about them, that have their quiet insecurities and struggles, that have character and light. Just a beautiful romance delivered in a captivating but REAL way.

Forever a romance book girlie!
This is my first Soto book and this book has a grip on me now!
I finished this in a sitting. Loved it! No notes!

I should’ve known when this was recommended by Ali Hazelwood that I would be in for a treat! I very much requested the book when she posted about it and was super happy that I did! First off, I love the cover and I loved the writing style right from the start. I found this really easy to read and I flew through it (genuinely I avoided putting it down whenever possible). I really loved that the cover also related to one of the scenes in the book so that was a nice surprise when I came across it! I don’t know much about orchestras but Julie Soto makes it really easy to suspend your disbelief and really care about the characters and get super invested in their story. I love a bit of a meaty romance where there are other plot lines going on with the main characters with bits of orchestra and general music politics brining out different relationships among the cast of characters. A bit of mystery and secrecy over here and a few musical prodigies over there and you’ve got a really dramatic romance. It did get pretty dramatic towards the end but I was really hooked wanting to know how things were going to turn out. This was my first Julie Soto read and I would definitely be interested in reading more of her work. Again, I really enjoyed Julie Soto’s writing and I was really invested in the characters. I found it really easy to get invested in the characters and I thought that the romance was full of chemistry and the love interests were really interesting, well thought out characters that had their own backstories and development.

I really enjoyed this Grumpy x Sunshine romance! As someone who doesn't play a classical instrument and doesn't know much about that industry, I did find the story a little difficult to get into, but the charm and relationship between Gwen and Alex kept me reading. I really liked their passion for music and loved how their chemistry was represented throughout the story, as well as the humourous and heartfelt moments with other characters too.

Thank you to NetGallery and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Where to begin with this!

This is truly a book for music lovers, with so much of the story revolving around the love for music, the ritual of music, the joy of music... While I'm not someone who plays music, you could truly feel the love for playing music seeping through the pages and it was so beautiful and immersive. This was incredibly well-written, and I desperately need to go back and read Julie Soto's other book because this writing?? STUNNING. Give me 10 more right now.

I really liked Gwen and Alex/Xander as characters, both individually and as a couple. I loved their chemistry, I loved the tension between them, I loved the gentle sweetness as they grow to understand each other and care for each other. They had me squealing!

I do think that the ending was a little unrealistic, hence the half a star taken off - would Alex's mother really have reacted in that way, if she hadn't felt compelled to do so ever before? I'm not sure - I think it would have been a more satisfying, albeit bittersweet, ending for that to have not happened?

I'm very excited to read Forget Me Not now, and for the next book to come out next year!

ookay. a talented violinist (Gwen) and an equally talented but already famous cellist (Xander) fell into each other's orbit after a wedding that was organized by Ama. yes!! Ama Torres! glad too see her and Elliott even they relationship status hasn't changed (iykyk) i love standalone books that are set in the same universe<3

back to the book. how conventional it was that Xander never noticed Gwen's presence before the wedding and then BOOM they suddenly they constantly bump into each other afterwards??? after a few encounters he started to look like a fucking creep who stalks and follows her everywhere. they were clearly attracted toward each other from the beginning, but Xander's brutal honesty made Gwen will herself to ignore her feelings. of course she folded after all because who were they to fight the alchemy?

whereas the relatively easy romance progression, there's power hungry men in music who only cares about money Xander and Gwen brought. honestly i didn't really rooted for the characters. and although the non-romance plot that's about music and orchestra didn't feel appealing to me. i mean they're cool but i just didn't fully get it. but okay i guess.