Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto

 

Summary (from the publisher): Two string players fight their attraction for each other as they compete for center stage in this spicy and emotional romance.

Gwen Jackson and Xander Thorne are both musical prodigies, but each has had very different paths to success. Xander was born into classical music royalty, while Gwen had a natural ear for music that was nurtured by a kind shop owner.

After Gwen performs at his friend’s wedding, she’s mortified when she realizes Xander has no clue who she is—despite having worked together for a year at the Pops Orchestra. But she’s more furious that he arrogantly critiques her performance.

When Gwen is offered the role of First Chair of the orchestra, something Xander had secretly coveted for years, their existing hostility goes up a notch. But their respect for each other's music is undeniable, and their onstage chemistry off the scale. As they begin to explore their feelings for one another, suddenly they're box office dynamite and the fragile romance that's growing between them is in danger of being crushed beneath a publicity stunt...

Review: This was billed as "spicy" and "emotional" and that is an accurate description. 

Gwen comes from a rough background and works her way up in the Manhattan pops while Xander is a musical prodigy, given every resource to build his musical skills from the time he was a toddler. I loved the musical element of this! It was really fun that the two are talented classical musicians. 

And I also loved how they initially meet, with Gwen playing at a wedding where Xander is in the wedding party and finally notices the quiet girl that has been playing in the same symphony as her for a year. The attraction felt electric and the way they continually must encounter each other in practices and on stage felt fun and exciting.

This was a little too much spice for me, which is not a typical complaint for me. It bothered me that Xander puts hands on her during a musical collaboration and before they have ever dated, expressed verbal interest in each other, etc. Gwen is obviously receptive to his advances, but something about the casual nature of it, which seems to capitalize on the intensity of their musical collaboration, rubbed me the wrong way. 

This book also made being in a symphony, or a band seem so nefarious, with evil, money hungry people manipulating everything for their own gain. I'm not saying this doesn't happen, but this sure made it seem like an evil business. Also, how realistic is it that Xander was both a famous musician and in a symphony at the same time in the first place? His whole back story, with his complicated relationship with music and his mother was a little too over the top for me and was almost difficult for me to believe. 

Finally, I grow weary of the third act break up in so many romance novels. Can we not. 

Stars: 3.5