Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVED this! I can’t wait until it comes out to get my own copy. As an avid fan of boybands (and one in particular... One Direction) I thought this described the issues within the music industry and its effects to those in it. I think these authors did a fantastic job of taking a light hearted topic like boy bands and demystified some of the struggles that come with nearly instant fame while still trying to grow as younger individuals. This is the second book I’ve read by Sophia Gonzales and it has solidified that I will pick up ANYTHING else by her in the future.

Solid, if not perfect, boy band romance gives an incisive look at the music industry and is one of my favorite romances of the year so far!

My boy band loving heart loved If This Gets Out! This romance mixed with a look into the lives of young celebrities was a fun, quick read that you are not going to want to miss.

Saturday is one of the biggest boy bands in America, and they’re set to take their first European tour in a matter of weeks. Band members Ruben Montez and Zach Knight have been best friends pretty much since the band’s inception, and if there are slightly more romantic feelings on Ruben’s side of things… well, it turns out the feelings might be mutual. As the band’s managers pressure them not to reveal their relationship to the public, cracks form within the band, and Saturday will have to decide if it’s worth the risk to let their fans truly know them. I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at St. Martin’s Press. Trigger warnings: mental/emotional abuse, drug/alcohol use, addiction, homophobia, forced closeting, gaslighting, microaggressions. Some NSFW content.

Cale Dietrich is a new-to-me author, but Sophie Gonzeles is my newest queen of contemporary YA romance, and while Perfect on Paper is still my uncontested favorite (maybe it’s the bi girl rep), If This Gets Out doesn’t disappoint. It’s as cute, fluffy, and fandom obsessed as you’d expect from a book about a boy band. I like the critical look it takes at celebrity culture and manufactured, corporate-run pop bands, but I don’t think it falls too far down a rabbit hole of despair with those topics either. It touches on some heavier topics, from closeting artists and controlling parents to drug addiction, but at its heart, this is a book about four friends who really care about each other.

It’s fun alternating between Ruben and Zach’s perspectives as they navigate a whirlwind life of performances, touring, media, and fans. The pace is rather hectic, with frequent time jumps between important events, and in this case, I think it suits the material to always leave us breathless and trying to keep up, just as the boys are. There are a number of softer, quieter moments between them as well and slightly more NSFW content than I was expecting for a YA novel, though it’s not quite adult romance novel/fanfiction level smut either.

Not surprisingly, it’s Ruben and Zach’s relationship that’s at the center of the novel, and it’s nicely paced from best friends to sweet romance that’s not without its own hurdles. Ruben struggles with being closeted by people who run the band, and Zach’s navigating his own sexuality in that oh shit, I think I might be bi? how did I never notice? kind of way. It’s all a bit dramatic at times, as YA novels and celebrity culture tend to be, but I was ultimately happy with the direction it took. Recommended for fans of the genre.

I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.

Zach, Ruben, Angel, and Jon are the members of Saturday, a boy band that is beloved by tweens and teens everywhere. Each member has a "style" and "persona" meant to hit every target market possible. Their management company keeps a tight rein on their images, keeping them as wholesome (but sexy!) as possible. Unfortunately the personas that the boys live under do not reflect their real personalities. During a European tour, the fake personas begin to unravel under the stress of pretending to be people they are not.

Ruben has been forced to hide his sexuality during his tenure with the band. Though the management company assures him, someday he will be able to come out, that day never comes. There is always another excuse to put it off. Zach has always been Ruben's best friend in the band. During the tour, they move beyond friendship and fall in love with each other. Of course, this must be kept a secret from their fans and the management company does everything in its power to keep them apart--on stage, in photos, during interviews. Angel and Jon are also unraveling in their own ways from the pressure of playing someone their not.

The management company keeps everyone in the band locked down to prevent leaks and this just makes everything worse for the band members. Will Angel get the help he needs? Will Jon ever get to be himself? And, most importantly, will Ruben and Zach get to reveal their true selves and their love for each other?

This book will be a big hit among fans of One Direction and other boy bands. The shipping of two members of a boy band is at the core of this story. As a slightly older reader, I still enjoyed the book. The pressure that the members of the band are under seems super realistic. The way the management company dictates every single aspect of their careers also rings true. I was rooting for all the band members to find their freedom and happiness. It was a fun novel that I think will be a big hit with YA readers. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved and enjoyed this book! I loved the cast of characters and how each character goes through growth and how each member of the band have their own arcs. I loved that each character was fleshed out and given their problems. Nobody is just comic relief or being there for the sake of filling space. None of the characters are the same by the end of the book, they are so much more confident and I absolutely loved them by the end. I loved their friendship and Angel always made me laugh. I loved Ruben in particular because I could relate to him the most in terms of him overthinking everything and his ability to see the ulterior motive of what people say sometimes. This book did feel a little slow for the first half, but after that, I went through it in a few days. Overall, I’d rate this book 4.5/5 stars and will definitely be picking it up in December!

I absolutely adored this book. One thing I found really interesting about it was seeing the relationship between band and manager unravel, and it got me thinking about real life situations where celebrities lose themselves to fit what management wants for them. Aside from that, I loved Zach and Ruben together, and seeing the growth each of them had individually and as a couple from the start to the end. Definitely a must read, and such a great book to finish out my Pride Month LGBTQ reading challenge with!

When I originally read the synopsis of this book, I was instantly intrigued. As someone who loved reading Larry fanfiction when I was younger, this filled that need perfectly. The characters were well fleshed out and interesting, I loved the premise and ultimately enjoyed the book overall.

I did feel like it was way too long and could have been condensed, but the characters made up for it. Additionally, I felt like the plot was slow moving and the writing style wasn’t my cup of tea.

If you want a fun summer read, If this gets out is for you !

This book offers a look into the heavily manufactured world of boy bands through the lens of Saturday, a rising pop sensation that consists of four members. There's Angel, who is made out to be the sweet boy next door to his fans but is actually a party-boy sadclown; Jon, the unofficial leader, and son of Saturday's manager, who is uncomfortable with his sexyboy image; Ruben, raised on Broadway and hiding a show-stopping singing voice in catchy choruses, while also resenting the fact that he can't publicly come out; and quiet Zach, Ruben's best friend who somehow got roped into being the token bad boy when all he wants to do is write songs.

Saturday deals with all of this during their rise to fame as they embark on their first European tour. Zach and Ruben's relationship grows closer than ever, though not without some bumps along the way. Will the band - and their relationship - survive the increasingly high demands from management?

I thought this book was pretty sweet and had enough of an edge to keep me engrossed. I sometimes felt the POVs between Zach and Ruben were a little hard to distinguish. Still, I found it a fun - and occasionally dark - look at fame and the various hoops one has to jump through to achieve it. The cute relationship and incredibly supportive group of friends made it all the more enjoyable. A 3.5 rounded up. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

4.5 Stars

This is by far one of the cutest books I’ve read all year.

Zach and Rueben are members of a successful boy and. While on tour the boys begin to develop feelings for each other and grapple with the ramifications this has for their friendship and their careers. This emotional and heartfelt book displays just how hard it can be to be queer in the entertainment industry.

Throughout the book we get to see Zach and Rueben strengthen their relationship with each other as well as with their band mates. We see them grow in confidence and finally put themselves first. This story is filled with longing, love, and hope. I couldn’t put it down

I would like to start this off by saying that I received an ARC of "If This Gets Out."
Oh. My. God. I love this book with all of my heart and mind. The main couple is so amazing and is one of the most realistic book couples I have ever seen. I know they are popstars but they feel so real and I have to give it to the author. The writing is amazing. This book really shows the hardships of fame that many people do not realize actually happen. The plot in this book is amazing. I know this is a romance book but it is not just about romance. There is never a dull moment in this book. 10/10 would read again.
TW: drugs/alcohol, emotional abuse

I gobbled this book down in 24 hours because I couldn't put it down. I loved the concept before I had even picked it up and I was sucked in immediately. The dual POVs worked incredibly well together and were unique in their own ways. It was always easy to tell the difference between the two, and it absolutely enhanced the storytelling. This book is such an excellent social commentary as well as a beautiful queer love story and journey of self discovery. As a queer reader, seeing Ruben and Zach take ownership of their coming out was so important to me. This book will strike the hearts of so many queer readers, and inspire them to take control of their own personal narratives. Love love love

*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*

This story was pure boy band magic. As someone who has loved boy bands for a very long time, this story is filled with a delightful romance, drama, rising tensions, and all the swooning! I have read both Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich individual works but together they are a phenomenal combination. I smiled, I laughed, but most importantly, I couldn't put it down.

Ruben and Zach are the absolute cutest. What starts off as an unrequited crush blows into so much more. What is undeniable is the bond and chemistry these two have. While Ruben can be petty and Zach can be fickle, these two communicate better than some adult romances I've read. Their relationship, while a surprise and unexpected, is fantastically paced. And at its core is a rock solid friend. Of course when things shift to something more there is plenty of initial tension and angst, but they work through the drama and it had my heart soaring. There were just so many endearing tender moments sprinkled throughout the harsh realities of fame.

And when things are good for Ruben and Zach, there is plenty of external drama with the other members of Saturday and their management team. This drama was both necessary but also broke my heart. All these characters are carrying secrets and these secrets might eventually get them killed. The management team is the absolute worst and I found my riding the emotional rollercoaster with the characters. I love these kinds of books, the ones that resonate with your soul and make you feel everything.

This was just a captivating story about the bonds of friendship and doing what's best for you even when it feels like the world is against you. Its the type of read that leaves a smile on your face and hope in your heart. *chef's kiss*

i went into this thinking the same thing as everyone else: this Has to be about they-who-must-not-be-named. i was expecting a silly glorified wattpad fic, but i am very happy to say that’s not at all what i got.

the characters in this novel are so easy to love, and they are NOT poorly-concealed inserts of whatever boyband you’re thinking of. they’re well-rounded, sympathetic teenagers with complex motivations and individual issues. i personally REALLY related to ruben’s relationship with his mom (oof). i also loved how the book dealt with the restrictions of fame and the weird complexities of both feeling grateful towards and owned by fans. plus, the relationship is really sweet.

honestly, if this had come out when i was in high school, it would have been an all-time favorite. i am begging you not to go into this with any preconceived ideas of characters, plot lines, whatever. this novel should (and does!!!) stand on its own.

arc generously provided by netgalley!

As usual, both Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich have done a wonderful job of bringing their characters to life. Our two main characters, Zack and Ruben, alternate narrating each chapter, and it's clear to see how much fun the authors had while writing their story. Fans of writing by Sophie and/or Cale may be able to identify which perspective was written by whom.

This story is so many things, a coming out story, a coming of age story, as well as a light cast on boybands and the music industry, highlighting the lack of control performers have over their public persona, their wardrobe, and their time. 'ITGO' does not contain any forced outings, but does contain forced-closeting.

As usual with a Sophie or Cale book, I could not put it down, and wanted to re-read it the moment I finished. This book is perfect for fans of YA contemporary, and LGBTQIA+ contemporary. 'ITGO' is for all fans of any young musical act which goes on tour; could be any boyband or any musical dance group; this is not specifically tied to any single group out there, nor is it an attempt to mirror any real-life performers.

#Zuben #IfThisGetsOut #NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

Review posted on GoodReads (June 25, 2021)
Review linked.

3.75/5 stars!

Content Warnings: Eating Disorder, Homophobia, Racism, Drug-Abuse, Suicide, Motor Accident (These are the ones I caught, but there might be others. I recommend checking out other reviews for more Content Warnings).

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for sending me an E-ARC of this book for an honest review.

I was really excited when I heard about this book because it sounded so adorable!

I liked this book, but I will admit I did not love it as much as I wanted to, and that is because of the first half of this book. I felt like the second half of the book was amazing, fast paced, and honestly made me cry. The first half of this book... was a bit hard to get through. I wanted to love it so much that I found myself pushing through, and I am glad I did. It isn't like there were major problems for me, I just found it a bit slow and repetitive.

One of my other major issues is that I felt like Angel's storyline was really rushed and not given enough time at all. I understand that this was Ruben and Zach's story, but I wanted more about Angel and what he was going through to be given more time and space. I also felt like we got to understand Jon's character only a little bit. I felt like we never really saw deep enough into his character. Honestly, I guess I would love to know if we are getting stories based around the other band members because I would love that!

I will say that this book can be super dark and sad at times, but it has a lot of heart, and the ending is so happy and beautiful that I cried. In the end, I found myself really loving all of our main characters.

Thanks for reading!
Caden

CW: homophobia, forced closeting, parental abuse/neglect, toxic parenting, drug/substance abuse, excessive drinking, ED’s (mentioned).
~
Ive never been a big ‘boy band’ person, and I was a little too young to ever get involved in one direction, all it’s shipping, and all it’s very uh... passionate and queer fanfictions. I wasn’t necessarily sure what to expect, but a lot of the expectations that I did have regarding the book and what I knew from it’s synopsis were completely subverted. The pacing of the book is probably the most different thing than what I expected as I thought it would be a 50% falling in love then 50% of the fallback of coming out or being exposed to their audience. (Can I just say that I adored their coming out scene though, and the development of Zach’s understanding of their sexuality.) But there were a lot of subplots and extra things that made it more like a 25%, then 65% of the in between (I won’t say filler because I don’t think that’s what it was), and like 10% of the aftermath with management. I’d also say that i expected this to be an escapist cute story, much like a lot of the fan fictions from the 1D era seemed to be, but it was surprisingly realistic and honest. you expect a cute, fluffy, queer YA romance but that is in no way what you get.

The vibes felt too close to home for me honestly, Ruben’s relationship with a toxic parent, Angel’s substance abuse, Zach’s inability to be open and honest because he’s so worried about the lives and desires of the people he cares about. It all felt a little uncomfortable, probably because of how close those things hit to home for me. This book is so well done in terms of character and building relationships, but I think my problem lies with the ambiguity of a lot of the setting and plot, like so many events or shifts in the dynamic or tone feel so abrupt, there are these extremely relevant plot beats that are built up so weirdly. The romance was the only thing that I felt like was okay with it’s build-up, conflicts, and resolutions. Can I just say I love a lot of Ruben’s realizations about Zach and him taking like accountability and importance in the relationship because Zach is very passive, but Ruben pushes him to be more assertive.

The other thing that I find interesting about this book is the depiction of management and the music industry, it displays all the turning clogs and the brutal truth of the media industry, what it’s like to be an ‘insider,’ and the immense pressure and lack of freedom that stars are under constantly. This book is honest, which i think makes me respect it tons, but please don’t be misled that this is a fluffy YA romance, it’s a heavy read a lot of the time, and it really makes you consider what life is like for real stars under the burning spotlights.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I’ll admit at first I was worried about the synopsis. Larry is a very controversial ship on the internet at the moment that I generally decide to stay away from but when I saw Sophie Gonzales I immediately added this book to my tbr.
No matter your opinion on larry you should just forget about it. Yes, it does read a bit like fanfic (in a positive way) but these characters feel like real developed people, not to be compared to others. It resulted in a delightful romance perfect for fans of Casey Mcquiston Red White and Royal Blue. This book isn’t only about Zach and Ruben though (although trust me if you need a new ship look no further) You feel immediately drawn to all the members of the band. It sheds a light on the hardships of the music industry, especially growing up in the spotlight. It was very much a page-turner that I did not want to put down with the constant action and drama. This coming from someone who never really got into boybands.
The ending was a little abrupt and I would have loved more, or at least an epilogue. Also, Zach and Ruben never tell each other the three very important words (they do love each other but the fact they never say it bothered me and was quite unrealistic).
But overall this book was a very fun read that I would recommend! Again if you want a new ship to pick this up because I guarantee Zach and Ruben will steal your heart.

My face hurts too much from smiling. That's how much I loved this book!
I'll admit my expectations weren't the highest. I'd never read a book by Sophie Gonzales and the book I'd read by Cale Dietrich wasn't a favourite but wow was I proven wrong. I genuinly can't find fault with this book at all.
I loved the chemistry betwen Zach and Reuben and also between the Core 4 characters. I couldn't help but root for them.
Something I really appreciated about this book was the overwhelming feeling of satisfaction I felt upon finishing it. Could not reccomend this book enough!!

I didn’t know if I would like this book, but it was surprisingly fun YA book. It feels like fanfiction written about the Backstreet Boys or *NSYNC back in their heyday.

Without spoilers, the majority of the book is lots of teen-angst about Ruben’s sexuality and being forced in the closet by the Label. Unsurprisingly, being super popular boy-band always in the public eye is not easy for any of the boys. Each member of the band has their own personal issues they are hiding, but nothing can stay hidden forever under the pressure of a tightly scheduled European tour. The book’s fictional boy-band has a number of parallels to real world occurrences that have happened to different boy-bands, the book had a some great nostalgia back to 90s/2000s and the big boy-band craze. In the end this is a feel good book with a lot of angst and a behind the curtain view of the boy-band world, overall easy and worth it read.