Review: If This Gets Out, Sophie Gonzales & Cale Dietrich

If This Gets Out was one of my most anticipated reads for the second half of 2021. With the messiness of a secret romance within a boys band, it just sounded SO damn promising, I couldn’t wait to read it. Read my review below to find out if I liked it!

If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales, Cale Dietrich
Published by Wednesday Books on December 7, 2021
Genres: contemporary, young adult
Format: ARC
Source: Edelweiss, Wednesday Books
Buy on Amazon, Book Depository, Bookshop, Blackwell's
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Eighteen-year-olds Ruben Montez and Zach Knight are two members of the boy-band Saturday, one of the biggest acts in America. Along with their bandmates, Angel Phan and Jon Braxton, the four are teen heartbreakers in front of the cameras and best friends backstage. But privately, cracks are starting to form: their once-easy rapport is straining under the pressures of fame, and Ruben confides in Zach that he’s feeling smothered by management’s pressure to stay in the closet.
On a whirlwind tour through Europe, with both an unrelenting schedule and minimal supervision, Ruben and Zach come to rely on each other more and more, and their already close friendship evolves into a romance. But when they decide they’re ready to tell their fans and live freely, Zach and Ruben start to truly realize that they will never have the support of their management. How can they hold tight to each other when the whole world seems to want to come between them?
“If This Gets Out is an absolute showstopper! Equal parts edgy and adorable, this bright, joyful book has everything I look for in a queer YA romance.” —Phil Stamper, bestselling author of The Gravity of Us

I received this book for free from Edelweiss, Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

☂️ TRIGGER WARNINGS:

coming out themes, homophobia, mental/emotional abuse, underage drinking, drug use, drug abuse, addiction, car accident, forced closeting, internalized biphobia

☂️ DIVERSITY:Gay, Spanish-American main character, bisexual main character, biracial Black character, Vietnamese character.

There are no spoilers in this review.

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I ENJOYED…

☂️

• Ruben and Zach are part of Saturday, one of the biggest boys band in America… and in the world. While Ruben’s struggling with management’s order for him to stay in the closet, Zach’s slowly struggling with his growing feelings for Ruben and, with it, questioning his own sexuality.
• If This Gets Out is told from two POV, Ruben and Zach’s.
  • Ruben was a great, well-rounded main character. While he’s struggling with wanting to own his identity publicly, he also has to face his mother’s constant text messages and criticism about his every performance, dance move and even the slightlest variation of his voice. I really enjoyed Ruben’s growth thorough the story, liked his determination and how he slowly stood up for himself more and more despite what others wanted him to do.
  • Zach was my favorite of the two characters. He’s such a soft bean. He’s having the hardest of times owning what he really wants, always putting others’ needs and wants before his own – hell, before he even starts thinking about his own and, ouch. This felt kind of relatable to me. I loved his journey thorough the story, both with this part of him and with him slowly, but surely, figuring out his sexuality and admitting it to himself and to others, as well. I just want to protect Zach with everything I have okay.
• One of my favorite parts of this story was the strong friendship between the members of Saturday. They’re all very different, yet when they need it, they’re always here for each other, supporting each other through it all, yet also unafraid to tell each other the truth as it is, even when it hurts. I really loved them all together so much!

• Of course, there is a place for romance in this story and, I have to say I really loved how it grew, slowly but surely. I loved how both characters were with each other, understanding, slow and kind, always there for each other when the other needed it. It was such a great romance to follow!
• Another theme I loved in If This Gets Out is how it talks about fame. How being in the spotlight changes you, how you can lose who you really are in favor of who management wants you to be, how much is expected of you versus what you really want to do… I always love these kind of themes in stories and, there, I found it so interesting to see each character stuggle with these issues, in their own way.

I HAD A HARD TIME WITH…

☂️

• I have to admit, I was a little bit frustrated about how some issues were treated in the story… or, well, didn’t have enough time on the page to get a proper closure. No spoilers here, but I would have loved to see more of Ruben and his mother’s complicated relationship by the end of the story, as well as Angel’s struggles.

OVERALL

☂️

If you’re looking for a highly entertaining read about a queer boys band romance and the pressure of fame, you’ll have a lot of fun reading If This Gets Out. Definitely recommending this!

FINAL RATING : 4 stars

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📚 Books similar to If This Gets Out that I’d recommend:

• For all of the boys band drama, check out I Was Born For This.
• Check out our recommendations for YA books with music bands, celebrities and more.

Did you read If This Gets Out, or do you want to? What was the last book you read dealing with fame? Let me know in comments!

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