Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

Okay, confession time. I have been pretty lukewarm on the previous books I’ve read by Sophie Gonzalez. I think they were too YA for me? I’m not sure.

And yet, still, I had no power to resist a secret boy band romance. None. And this one really, really worked for me.

I think it was the closer to YA/New Adult cusp feel of the book that made it a better fit for me as a reader. The characters are eighteen and feel true to their age throughout. I thought the romance was believable and charming, though I would have actually (I know, gasp!) been okay with it burning a little slower, as the beginning is truly delicious between Ruben and Zach.


While this romance percolates, though, this book tackles the dark, abusive side of the music industry—strict control by management, near constant surveillance, drug use, homophobia, disordered eating, and other ways that these four guys are not allowed to just live. They’re made to feel like their freedom is the price they’ve paid for the money and fame. That they should be grateful for it.

Despite this heavier themes, the romance is believable and the chemistry between Ruben and Zach sizzles throughout. And even at 416 pages, I flew through this book and enjoyed it greatly. I was pleasantly surprised all around to like this as much as I did. This is a keeper, for sure.

RATING: 3.5, rated down
TRIGGER WARNINGS: drug abuse, underage drinking, toxic parental relationships, homophobia, racism, explicit portrayal of mental illness, addiction, car accident /

I enjoyed reading this book a lot, but it wasn't flawless. The descriptions of mental illness of the protagonists were nicely written and it's an informative book about the struggle of celebrities, especially in the privacy aspect. However, it could be way better. In a lot of moments, it's explicitly said that some secondary characters struggle with being celebrities just as much as the protagonists, but with the race factor added to it (as they're biracial & asian respectively), but it's never talked about in detail and it feels especially iffy that in a band of four members, the two of them who get the protagonism are the white ones. Something else that bothered me was the fact that if you take the homophobia out of the narrative, there is no plot, and that Zach's exploration of his sexuality felt too... sudden? Within the first 50% of the book, he'd already figured that out and in the rest of the book he was very sure, not having a moment of self doubt or experimenting different labels, which would be a nice message to include in a book (that experimenting is okay and sexuality labels aren't set in stone.)

It's a fast paced book, which I enjoyed at times, but didn't at others (e.g. how quick the exploration of Zach's sexuality was), and it had aspects I really enjoyed in it, like it being a romance book where you get point of views of both characters in the relationship, the fact that there's a representation of an abusive parent who doesn't "become good" in the end, as well as solid platonic relationship dynamics, since the entirety of the group Saturday is pretty close and it was interesting to read how their shared trauma got in the way of their friendships, as they obviously dealt with it in different ways, and how they sorted it out.

I adored this book! It was a little hard to get into at first, honestly speaking I didn't like the characters, but they grew on me! I love Jon, Zach, Angel and Ruben with all my heart!

What I liked about this book, and what it made it unique were two things specifically:

A) the dynamic between Zach and Ruben

and B) how the book was about more than just their relationship.

I found Zach and Ruben's friendship and relationship dynamic quite unique to a lot of mlm romances I've read. It wasn't your stereotypical mlm romance or your stereotypical boy x boy friendship.
I think a lot of mlm romances rely on the relationship to be quite shallow, just so the authors could emphasize the fact that they're both men.
It didn't feel that way with Zach and Ruben. I got to see Zach's internal and external dilemma with his sexuality and Ruben's toxic relationship with his mother. We got to see how a life of fame affects self discovery, and much more! And all of it was beautifully written, as well as realistic. It actually seemed like teenage boys interacting realistically, rather than all the "dude" and "bro" crap a lot of authors can't help but put in.


Next, I liked how the book wasn't just talking about how great a life of fame is. As clear as it is in the books that the boys love being part of Saturday, it emphasizes on the reality of having a management team who monitor your every move. Clear in Angel's drug addiction, alcoholism and recklessness, Jon's reluctance to push back against his father and the team, Zach's constant need to please everyone and Ruben's fear of being anything less than perfect. Reading about the boys' struggles were a little hard for me, a couple instances made me tear up, but I appreciated the matureness of the delivery of such heavy topics.

All in all, this was a wonderful read!

"If This Gets Out" was a delightful read! The overall story was fun and sweet, while also tackling social and psychological issues that plague the entertainment industry. It was very easy to fall in love with Zach and Reuben, and I found myself very invested in their individual stories and the struggles they faced on their own, as well as together. I'm including trigger warnings at the very bottom, so if you need to check, they're there for you!

Fantastic bi representation that felt very validating and accurate, which was very appreciated! Seeing a character process and come to terms with their sexuality, as well as witnessing the following processes within different units was very powerful.

TW: Drug use, addiction, homophobia, emotional abuse, abusive parents

An adorable story about two boy band members and the courage that it takes to be yourself. Such a sweet book with humorous moments that made me laugh loudly on the bus and annoy all the early morning commuters. Would definitely recommend!!

Boyband? Romance? Gay? Yay!

You knew with a title like that a secret romance was going to get out in a big way. I wasn't wrong. Ruben Montez and Zach Knight deliver first person alternating chapters of their lives they range from topics like Ruben's abusive mom, Zach's weight/eating struggle, Angel Phan's drug abuse and Jon Braxton's absolutely bananas dad the CEO of Chorus the team who "manages" their band Saturday.

I hope there's a sequel, thinking about the world of Out got me through what turned into unplanned 16 hour shift (2pm til 6am) at work when I finished it up yesterday. How the stunts that Chorus put the boys through aren't brought up by fans of lawyers (hoisting a piano in the air with a four boys on it and only cables between them and death? Ruben's exhaustion on stage and him nearly falling if not for Zach saving him?).

Some thing that I thought would lead to trouble (Ruben & Zach distracted "confirming" that Anjon the fan ship name for Angel & Jon is real when it isn't to two fans) weren't brought up again.

Altogether fun & it made me think about fame and how silly used to be for holy, as in godly, and that some of the oldest fables we have are the unworthy fool who is favored and may be hanged or lucky by the end. Perhaps it's in using it for good or being true to your self & needs of others rather than being used by it.

If you follow me on bookstagram, then you will know that I regularly mention how much I love Sophie Gonzales’ Only Mostly Devastated which came out last year. I was, therefore, super duper excited to read an advanced electronic copy of her latest novel, a collaboration with Cale Dietrich, If This Gets Out.

The story follows Zach and Ruben who are members of one of the most successful American boy-bands of the moment, Saturday, as they embark on their first European tour. The chapters alternate between the point of view of each of these main characters, and the unrelenting schedule of being a teen heartthrob on tour starts to take its toll on Zach, Ruben and their fellow bandmates Jon and Angel. As the tour progresses, Zach and Ruben start to rely on each other more and more and their friendship blossoms into something more. When they decide that they want to go public with their relationship, however, they quickly realise that they will never have the support of their management. How will their relationship survive the pressure that is put on them when the whole world seems to be against them?

I expected that this story would be an incredibly enjoyable romance; and it certainly was. It was also so much more than that, and I don’t think I was ready for the spotlight it shone on the music industry and the all encompassing obsession of perception over reality. Each member of the band has a carefully curated image that they must stick to at all times, whether on or off the stage. Their social media presence, their diets, even their time-off is strictly controlled, and nothing is left to chance in the machine that is an internationally successful boy-band.

The cracks start to appear in different ways for each member of the band, and the storyline touches on drug and alcohol dependency as well as the censorship which completely controls how Zach and Ruben are allowed to interact with each other whenever they are together. The control that is exerted over the band by their management company is extreme, but it is also completely and sickeningly believable to anyone who has ever been a pop music fan. The recent coverage of Britney Spears’ conservatorship and problems with her management has really hit home just how timely this commentary on the machinations of the music business really is.

The hook of this novel for many readers will undoubtedly be the fact that it is a queer boy-band romance, but it really does transcend what I expected from the story. It is a credit to the authors that they have taken something which could have stayed in the safe realm of a fluffy and sweet romance, and have instead created something much more topical and meaningful.

If This Gets Out is an absolute cracker, and I heartily recommend getting your pre-orders in as you will want to read this as soon as possible! It is out in the UK on 6th January 2022, published by Hachette.

This book was wonderful! I finished the book in record time. The characters were lovable and so relatable, especially Zach. This book can make you feel all of the emotions. Each character was unique and had amazing qualities. As always check TWs before reading!

This book is refreshing, honest, and kept me reading late into the night. Gonzales and Dietrich find a flow with their words and their characters that has you rooting for them both from the start. I was absolutely delighted to see how their relationship blossomed and changed with each other and how that affected their roles in the band and their relationship with their families. IF THIS GETS OUT is honest, funny, and heart wrenching. Put this on your list NOW!

Ruben Montez and Zach Knight are living the dream. They are in Saturday, the most successful boy-band in the world, along with their two best friends, embarking on a tour across Europe. Everything should be wonderful.
But tour is not what they hoped it would be. They are worked beyond exhaustion and aren’t allowed to see anything of the cities they’re staying in. And when Ruben’s crush on the supposedly straight Zach turns into something more, they are forced to keep their developing relationship a secret.
Can they deal with the pressure their management team puts on them? And how does it influence the relationships within the band?

This book is delightful! It took me about 1.5 pages to fall in love with Ruben and Zach respectively. They are precious. I adore the dynamics within the band and that they all genuinely love each other. The characters are complex and flawed, but extremely loveable. The story is captivating, and I cannot wait for it to be released in December!

I was incredibly excited to read this book because my friend also received it as an ARC and she said it was amazing. I have to agree. I love books where I can't determine which main character is my least favourite, and I love books that are ultimately supposed to be happy, but also make me cry. The dynamics and friendships were so true, and I felt each of the characters come to life in front of me. I think it was realistic (although this lifestyle isn't) and that's because the band members actually felt like teenage boys that happened to be in a band together. I am a huge fan of found family, and I would categorize this book under that genre, because I know for a fact that no one ISN'T a fan of found family. I love the dual POV in first person, I love all the running jokes the band has. I love the cover. There are just so many things about this story that I absolutely love, and that's why I am definitely purchasing this book when it comes out.

I enjoyed this from start to finish. The four members of Saturday all have unique personalities and perspectives. You can’t help but to root for them through all of their experiences. The importance of the romance balances with the importance of the friendships of the group. Well written and a quick read. It does address some serious topics that may be triggering to some (see below for spoilery content warnings).

Rep: MM (gay/bi), minor mention of FF

Content: Alludes to/ mentions sex in a variety of ways but is all off the page, drug and alcohol use, concern of suicide, homophobia, bullying/verbal abuse by adult figures

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow what a ride! This book hits just about every note for me when it comes to what I want in a contemporary romance YA. It also gives me the same vibe as the K-Pop fictions I've been reading a lot of lately, and that's not a bad thing.

The story is told in alternating perspective, which is a personal favorite storytelling device of mine, and while I loved seeing the story told from both sides of the main characters, there were times it was confusing to follow who was who. They were obviously independent characters, but the narrative prose outside of the dialogue was so similar at times, especially during emotional scenes, that I had to remind myself which one was speaking. That only happened a few times though, and honestly was probably in part due to me reading so quickly, because this book was nearly impossible to put down!

It does a great job of showing the dangers of becoming a celebrity at a young age without villainizing the characters along the way. There were parts of this that were difficult to read due to how well the feeling of being trapped and silenced was portrayed by the authors.

The LGBTQIAP+ representation was spot on, and it's always awesome to see a bisexual main character that isn't turned in to a trope! That being said, the romance and steaminess between the two mains was so full of passion and angst and all that juicy stuff I loved as a kid, it was like absorbing pure nostalgia!

My only negative is the ending. Don't get me wrong, I love a good happy ending! I just feel like it got a little rushed, and the stuff with Jon's mom seemed to come out of nowhere (where was she the rest of the book?). Other than that, there isn't much to complain about.

That ending was so abrupt though that I was caught off guard, I want more! Hopefully the authors will have more for us and we can see more of Saturday!

What a wonderful surprise this book is. I didn't know what to expect, but thought the premise sounded interesting and thought I would be in for a light read. In some respects, I was, but what I didn't anticipate was how well the authors approached the behind the scenes aspects of fame and what it means to be a star - the secrets, the subterfuge, the lies, the crafted narratives, publicity, just everything. That was all so elegantly handled and thought provoking and, to be honest, devastating. I think this is a read that teens will instantly latch on to, especially because the ideas of fame and young stars, whether the be social media sensations, musicians, actors, etc, are such part of their lives, even if they don't realize it, because of how tied we all are to technology, media, and the constant barrage of updates about people we don't even know. This book has remarkable potential for discussion, making it a necessary purchase for all YA collections. Highly recommend and I love when books surprise me!

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. With a very fresh plot and raw, human, characters, 'If This Gets Out' tells a very modern story about two members in a boyband who fall in love. The two point of views were noticiably written each by one of the authors, and even though I liked how they each built their character, there were a few inconsistencies in the writing style and pace of the story that made it feel like it was longer than it actually was. The start was a bit slow, but the middle and the ending lived up to the hype surrounding this book. It was a inspiring story and a fun read, especially for me given that I love bands and any book surrounding the music industry. Congrats to Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich, you both have a really solid novel that will certainly be apealing to many readers around the world!

I know that I've been slacking with my YA reads in recent years, but that doesn't mean that I don't enjoy them and there was just something about the premise of If This Gets Out that intrigued me instantly. Add that I've enjoyed Sophie Gonzales' writing in the past and I was more than curious to see what this author duo would come up with. And I most definitely liked what I found! If This Gets Out turned out to be an entertaining and adorable MM romance story with just the right amount of angst and an interesting balance between lighter moments and heavier topics.

I confess that I've never been 'that' screaming fangirl of any band myself, so I can't say that I was put off by the fact that this story is apparently a reference to a certain boyband (I basically had to look up which one, so that probably says a lot about either my age or ignorance). Reference or not, it doesn't change the fact that I really liked the premise of this story. A boyband made up out of four friends, one member forced to stay inside the closet and another discovering his sexuality but forced to keep it a secret... It's been a while since I read a MM romance and I have to say that the romance part of the story was done really well: sweet, just a hint of steam and focus on more serious topics as well.

If This Gets Out uses a dual POV structure, where we switch between the two band members most important in this story. Ruben and Zach are both interesting characters and I really liked their interactions and dynamics together. The same goes for the rest of the band; they are all quite easy to like and root for. They could have done with a little more fleshing out to make them feel more realistic, as they sometimes felt more like someone to help get a message across rather than an individual with his own history... But I personally didn't mind that much as the plot itself keeps you entertained.

I always love a travel theme in my stories, and we definitely get a whirlwind tour through Europe during this book. The main focus though is on the band, music, the MM romance and the fact that the two are forced to keep their relationship a secret. Heavier topics such as homophobia, parental abuse, addiction and drugs are incorporated into the plot and play a big role, but they are balanced with lighter moments and enough fluff to keep this an easy-to-read and engaging romcom. The writing probably has a lot to do with that too; both POVs are engaging, flow really well and made it really easy to keep turning those pages. As a whole, I can definitely recommend If This Gets Out to fans of the genre!

Once again Sophie Gonzales hits gold with another really cute queer contemporary romance. Every single book she writes is honestly just brilliant. I've never read any of Cale Dietrichs books, but I'll definitely be picking them up in the near future after enjoying his writing in this book so much.

Now I'm not a huge fan of boybands, hell, I'm not a fan at all, so I was a bit hesitant to give this book a go, but it was so well done that even if you too aren't into boybands it won't stop you from loving this novel. It gives great insight to the music industry and the exploitation that all too commonly takes place within it, whilst still focusing on other aspects of the main characters lifes.

It is written in the POV of two of the main characters, Ruben and Zach, which was really interesting to read as it meant you got to see all the characters in different lights. Zachs development throughout the book was a highlight of If This Gets Out, with his growth leading to some key moments and helping to create the overall feeling of the book. Ruben didn't have as much character development, but this didn't make him an any less enjoyable character to read about as he had so many interesting thoughts and opinions, that he was constantly contributing.

Many issues were dealt with during the book such as drug and alcohol abuse, homophobia, family tension, not to mention many more, and I will say that they were done really well and added a lot to the book and the characters they affected, both directly and indirectly.

There were a few moments that I think would've been better for me at least personally, if they had been done differently. For the sake of not spoiling the book I won't go into detail as to where/when they were, however they were all quite key moments during the book. The things I would've changed them to wouldn't have affected the rest of the book in any major ways, they would've just added some more drama and tension to certain moments, making it more enjoyable for the reader(at least if they enjoy similar tropes ect to me).

My only other criticism would be that during the book there are 2 moments where it is written as if a character dies in the same way to each other( different characters though), but then they don't. I felt that if it was only used once then it would've been a lot more effective, but it ended up just feeling like the authors couldn't think of any more near death situations that they could use.

Overall I enjoyed every moment of this book, there were so many cute moments mixed in with some stomach-turning scenes leading to a great all-round experience. I'm looking forwards to December to get my hands on a physical copy!

How do I even describe how it felt to read this book? When I first read the blurb of “If This Gets Out” I immediately wanted to read it, because it had all the tropes and topics I crave to read about in a book. A successful boy band that is playing the biggest venues, strong friendships, an LGBTQ+ representation, the best-friends-to-lovers trope with a forbidden love spin and a road-trip through Europe in form of the band’s tour. In short: This sounded too good to be true and I desperately wanted to read it!

Needless to say I was over the moon when I actually got an ARC! I was so ready to dive into this book, you have no idea! Of course I had very high expectations as well and I was a little worried the book wouldn’t be able to live up to them. Looking at it in retrospective, I shouldn’t have worried because this was perfect! I got everything I wanted and even more!

I adored how the close friendship between the band members was portrayed. They laughed and joked, they quarrelled and had arguments, but they were always watching out for each other as well. They were like a family and I lived and breathed for their interactions. Another aspect that was brought into the book were the relationships of the band members with their parents and I was more than just happy to read about actual parents that care about their kids and only want the best for them. Of course not all parents are alike and there was a representation of a dysfunctional parent-child relationship as well.

Truth be told, I was surprised about the sheer amount of serious topics that were addressed in “If This Gets Out”. Drug abuse, emotional abuse, power games, band/label dynamics, the pressure of being famous, band life, the dark side of the music industry and the branding of bands and their individual members that has nothing to do with the real person behind the scenes. And I didn’t even talk about Zach and Ruben’s relationship yet. Which was nothing but amazing!

I loved to see how the feelings of the two MCs slowly started to change and how their friendship grew into something more. It was really well done and I found myself smiling so often that it started to hurt. I shipped those two so hard it was almost like they were an actual couple and not just two fictional characters. Also can we talk about their awesome communication?! Sure, they both had troubles to put their feelings into words and sometimes there was some miscommunication but when push came to shove they always tried their best to talk things out. I can only imagine how hard it must be to realize you have feelings for your best friend, let alone to deal with the pressure of being famous and the fear of somebody finding out. To come out should always be up to you, no matter if you’re famous or not. So I could relate to Ruben and Zach’s struggle.

Their character arc was done so well, though, and I couldn’t help but cheer for them when they finally decided that they had enough and wanted to tackle their problems head-on. They were aware of the consequences but they knew they had to do it order to live the way they wanted to and to witness how they took control of their situation wasn’t just a sight to behold but it also had me at the edge of my seat crossing my fingers for all of them.

All told “If This Gets Out” was an amazing book that didn’t only live up to my high expectations but even managed to exceed them! Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich succeeded to write a great story that addresses a lot of the issues people in the music industry have to face and they did it in a sensitive and respectful manner. The romance between Zach and Ruben was everything I ever wanted and even more and the Zuben ship is definitely one of my favourite ships now. ;-)

So if you’re a fan of music, if you ever shipped members of a band, if you’re a part of a fandom, if you like books that tackle serious issues, if you love the found-family trope, if you like character driven stories and enjoy great character arcs. Well, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy this immensely.

This book was a pretty fun read, though not a new favourite by any means. For the most part, it's about what you'd expect from the synopsis. I was positively surprised by the two main characters; I thought they were really well-constructed, both had interesting backgrounds and personalities, and I particularly enjoyed Zach's character arc throughout the story. I will say, though, I would have liked to see the other two band members have more well-developped characters arcs, as they could have been very interesting characters but their issues often ended up being pushed to the side for the sake of the main romance in moments where they could have been very relevant to the story overall.

Arc provided by Netgalley in exchange for this honest review

Let me start by saying, I did not rate this this high just because I got the ARC... it really is that good.

Looking at other reviews that have been posted I feel like I am in an older demographic of reviewer of this book. It is a boyband YA romcom, though I would say the higher end of YA (I would recommend for folks 16+). A lot of other reviewers have made a connection to One Direction, but my mind instantly went to the days of Nsync and Backstreet Boys.

You can read the book description for full details, but If This Gets Out focuses on a boyband called Saturday and the 4 young men within it. It looks at their ups and downs and trials and tribulations, and yes... two of them start dating... in secret.

I really loved this book for a lot of reasons. It is a new type of romance story, new backdrop, and super relatable for anyone who has ever loved a boyband or really been engrossed in any fandom. The boys all have their own personalities and it is easy to find yourself connecting to at least one of them. The authors did an impeccable job giving each of these young men their own moments to shine as well and didn't put the complete focus on Ruben and Zach, the couple (though the whole story is told through alternating POVs of those two characters).

This book is going to be important in helping young adults who read it really think about the people they idolize and adore. It won't ruin any love you may have for a celebrity, but it does such a good job bringing to light the toll that spotlight can take on people, as well as parts of celebrity lives that are completely out of their hands. This book is a perfect balance of cautionary tale, romance, an ode to pop music and boyband culture, and contemporary piece of fiction.

The book also handles many sensitive topics with great care and compassion. Topics such as drug and alcohol use in response to societal pressures and the fallout from that, parental and family dynamics (something we also saw Gonzales handle beautifully in Only Mostly Devastated ), and relationship and dating dynamics. A large part of those relationship dynamics is the sex positivity within the book. While it is fade to black sexual scenes, they are handled more maturely than many YA novels. Ruben and Zach have mature conversations about their comfortability with sex, they explore safe sex practices including PrEp, and they are extremely open in discussing their wants and needs in the relationship. There is also a strong piece of the book looking at Zach and his tendency to people please and the toll that can take on someone when they spend all their time making others happy.

Overall this book is fun, funny, heartwarming, emotional, and new. One of the best YA novels I have read in awhile and I will be recommending it left an right. I will say though, that ending definitely left me ready for a sequel.