Not Another Love Song

Tomorrow, one of my most anticipated July romances comes out: Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto. It’s set in the world of music, but instead of the pop and rock that I usually read about, this takes us into the contemporary classical realm. Violinists and cellists, a New York City orchestra, and rivals who may just make beautiful music together… it’s all here.

Special thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Review

I’m always drawn to books that are about music in some way, and this is what first captured my attention in Not Another Love Song. Set within the world of pop-oriented orchestras, Gwen and Xander play violin and cello, respectively, in the Manhattan Pops. They don’t get along well, largely due to Xander’s oversized ego, and it’s only exasperated by their competing desires to earn first violin and by their complicated relationships with the musicians and mentors around them. Yet, despite their bad first impressions of each other, Gwen and Xander can’t deny their intense connection, both in making music together and in their mutual attraction. With all their baggage, can they move beyond rival musicians to become something more?

First and foremost, I really enjoyed getting an inside look at professional musicians who play within an orchestra. Instead of rock songs and guitars, Gwen and Xander play violin and cello along with dozens of other musicians. Beyond playing classic compositions by the likes of Bach and Mozart, they also perform orchestral versions of modern popular songs. My personal favorite mention here was “Wake Me Up When September Ends” by Green Day (my favorite band!). With both characters, we get to see how they play their instruments from a technical and emotional standpoint. Xander is also a composer himself, with Gwen his unintended muse and, eventually, partner. I loved getting into all the musical aspects of their characters and their relationship.

Another major dynamic is the mentors around them. Gwen was taught violin by a woman named Mabel; though she’s a mother-like figure for Gwen, she’s also pretty tough. Gwen is also inspired by the current first violinist in the Manhattan Pops… who happens to be Xander’s mom (secretly). Further complicating it all, Mabel knows her and Xander quite well. All of this is compounded by uncertain career trajectories, wavering between Juilliard and the Manhattan Pops and a more pop star career (think Lindsey Stirling). What path will Gwen ultimately choose? What about Xander?

This is an enemies-to-lovers romance that swiftly turns into an unexpected music partnership. I didn’t know going into Not Another Love Song that this book originated as a Reylo fanfic. While I haven’t seen any of the Star Wars movies and am not involved in that fandom, I have read another Reylo-inspired novel, The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood, and picked up on a similar narrative arc here. It wasn’t until near the end of my reading that I also discovered this book features characters from Julie Soto’s previous novel, Forget Me Not; it works as a standalone, but those who’ve read that novel may enjoy seeing where those characters are at here.

Final Thoughts

Not Another Love Song is an immersive read for anyone who enjoys music, drama, and an enemies-to-lovers romance. I enjoyed these characters and the way the story unfolded, and I look forward to reading more from Julie Soto—probably starting with Forget Me Not!

Get the Book

You can buy Not Another Love Song here – it’s available as a paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto
Audience	Adult
Genre	Contemporary Romance
Setting	New York
Number of Pages	384
Format I Read	Ebook (NetGalley ARC)
Original Publication Date	July 16, 2024
Publisher	Forever

Official Summary

Two string players fight their attraction for each other as they compete for center stage in this spicy and emotional romance from USA Today bestselling author Julie Soto.

When professional—and self-taught—violinist Gwen Jackson plays, she disappears into the peaks and valleys of each song, a quiet passion that never quite explodes into pure emotion. Xander Thorne is the exact opposite. A cellist and a rock star, he’s all about big emotion, but not even his six-foot-four frame can contain his skill, his genius . . . and an attitude that borders on jerkitude. 

Not only did it take Xander a year to notice that he and Gwen both play in the Manhattan Pops, but he also always seems to have the perfect cutting criticism about her technique. When Gwen is offered the role of first chair of the orchestra, something Xander has secretly coveted for years, their existing hostility goes up a notch. Yet, despite her best efforts, Gwen can’t ignore the sizzling chemistry between them.

Forced to work more closely with each other, they can’t help exploring their attraction. As they begin to compose and play songs together, it’s clear that their powerful connection could make for a performance that would blow everyone’s minds. Suddenly, they’re box office dynamite, and the fragile romance growing between them is in danger of being crushed beneath a publicity stunt.