Not Another Love Song was captivating. I listened to this on vacation and I am so glad I did! It absolutely transported me into this swoony musical story about ambition and love. Keep reading this book review of Not Another Love Song for my full thoughts.
Summary
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
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I fell in love with Gwen and Xander. Talk about a disastrous meet cute. But what I loved was not only their rivalry, but their mutual respect. Their acknowledgement of how talented each other is. And how it draws them to each other like a moth to flame. How we can be captivated by talent, by passion, and by wanting to be close to a fire burning through the night. Furthermore, Not Another Love Song is about this competitive world and ambition. The demands that are made, the sacrifices and cruel comments, and the difficulty.
How it’s a privilege to be able to prioritize the music, the passion, over the security, the donors, and the money. As someone who grew up around professional musicians, I have witnessed the compromises needed to be made to satisfy a bottom line even if the musical passion is there. If we want to be able to perform, to share music, but we have to bend to outside forces. With sneak peeks into Xander’s POV, this audiobook Savannah Peachwood & Oliver Clarke do a phenomenal job at narrating this chemistry. The uncertainty, the love, the passion. Xander’s POV was a brilliant move to be able to see behind his love, his facade, without stealing Gwen’s show.
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Not Another Love Song explores how we can learn to unlock pieces of ourselves. To figure out how the world can pull us in different directions and how we can reconcile these pieces. Find Not Another Love Song on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.