Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto (July 4, 2024): This one had been on my backlist TBR forever, and I’m so glad I finally got to it!
Xander Thorne is not only a classical music prodigy but also the child of classical music royalty. On the other hand, Gwen Jackson is a rare individual with a natural ear for music, honed in a quirky, humble little NYC music shop. They’re both part of the NY Pops Orchestra, but Gwen is horrified after she plays at Xander’s friend’s wedding, and he has absolutely no idea who she is. Even worse, he critiques her performance. Then Gwen is offered the first chair, a role Xander thought would be his, and the tension only intensifies. Neither can deny the other’s immense professional talent despite the personal tension. When sparks begin to fly personally, their on-stage chemistry becomes electrifying, and audiences can’t get enough, but starting a relationship in the public spotlight isn’t easy.
I really liked this one! Soto does a fantastic job of connecting their passion for music to their passion for each other, which makes so much sense for Gwen and Xander because music is so fundamentally a part of both of them. Their different upbringings and relationships with music helped build relatable tension throughout the book. All of the scenes where they are playing music together are so charged and filled with both physical and emotional tension that they practically burst off the page, especially the scene with the cello. IYKYK.
🎧About the Audiobook🎧 I really liked the audiobook. Savannah Peachwood and Oliver Clarke deliver knockout performances in the dual narration. My critique isn’t of them. I feel like there was a huge missed opportunity to integrate music into the audio format, giving the audio a unique experience you can only get in this format. I know it was probably cost-prohibitive, but wow, it could have been excellent.
Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Audiobook: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Book Smart Kate 