This book hit it out of the park! I found that the writers were in sync and really grasped each other's writing styles so much so that it felt like this book was written by one person. I loved the characters and the plot. It made me honestly smile the entire time. Kuddos!

This book was so amazing! i loved reading it. I loved Zach and Rubens relationship as well! I also loved Zach and Angles character development! If you are a fan of Red, White, and Royal Blue this book is definitely for you. Its a boy band with a queer romance, um yes!!! this books was so good i definitely recommend when it comes out to read it. Representation includes, a gay main character, a bisexual main character, and a few other queer characters mentioned throughout the book!

This book was about two male pop stars who fell in love.
The main characters had a lot of alluded to/mentioned history.
The book depicted the negative aspects of fame well, almost too well. It was quite depressing at times to read how thoroughly beaten down the MCs felt because of the stifling crush of their record label and the expectations of their fans.
The stakes of their relationship always seemed too high. First, they struggled to get together and their friendship turned bitter, and then they had to deal with more relationship problems and problems from the record label about their relationship. And they also dealt with issues from their friends and family.
That said, you also couldn't help falling in love with the characters, and eventually, their relationship. It was hot and sweet and they looked out for each other to the point where you wanted to barf at the cuteness.
The writing was awesome; it was descriptive and flowing.
Overall, it made me think; it was different from what I usually go for, but not in a bad way, and I enjoyed it. I recommend it if you feel pulled in by the synopsis!

This book is stunning. As a fan of Sophie Gonzales's other books, I knew anything she wrote and anyone she wrote with would be excellent and I was still shocked by how much 'If This Gets Out' wowed me. Cale Dietrich, who I had not read from before, wrote many of my favorite moments and is a fantastic co-writer for this unique story. 'If This Gets Out' is a well-researched and deeply emotionally faceted look into the relationships, challenges, and triumphs faced by the fictional boy band sensation "Saturday". This book broke my heart, made it soar, and patched it up. Just the stunningly effortless flips between POV, a friendship at the heart of the books that felt achingly real and familiar, and a romance that you wanted to root for made this book one I absolutely couldn't put down.

I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. I read it in one day and genuinely could not put it down. Honestly, it does read a little bit like One Direction fanfiction with different names but not in a bad way!

I loved the characterization. It was cool to see how the authors wrote the characters as they 'really were' vs how they were told to act by the music management team. All of the boys had strong backgrounds and motivations, I sympathized with their actions and fell in love with their stories. Angel, love of my life, had me gasping like every single chapter and his story made me cry at points. The boys did act completely unprofessionally and bratty at times, but even that fit into the story because they're all 18/19 and being controlled within an inch of their lives.

Ruben and Zach have the cutest relationship, I don't always love the miscommunication trope but I felt like it worked here perfectly. Forbidden romance is like my favorite trope and they lived it out so nicely. They're just so sweet together and the rest of the band is so supportive. The book is an interesting take on the overly controlling music industry, the image celebrities project to the world, the morality of teenagers being performers, and even the expectations that stage parents put onto their children.

If you're sensitive to substance abuse or controlling abuse then this isn't the book for you. But, anyone who ever had a boyband phase will love this story.

~If This Gets Out Review~
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3/5
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You know I love Sophie Gonzales ever since I read Perfect on Paper so when I saw this on Netgalley I knew I had to request it! Gay boyband drama is sure to be chaotic and I can’t wait to dive in! Also very excited to check out something by Cale Dietrich who i’ve never read anything by before
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Pros:
+Idk if i’m crazy but i’m getting a bit of 1d fanfic vibes from this but not in a bad way more like a omg boy band !! vibes
+i like imagining the boys and their fake personas in comparison to their really personalities. like a sweet guy in a leather jacket? i’m sold
+yay for such a diverse cast of characters!
+honestly a little gay awakening story is such an important one. i live for bi représentation!!
+i love 3 dimensional characters and these characters all have so much depth. leads to a lot of tension and drama tho which can be a pro or con depending on if you like drama or not
+brings up some important and complicated issues like drug use in teens and burn out
+fight back against the system!! don’t let people control you!
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Cons:
-angsty boys can be such assholes some times
-there are some pretty intense scenes that i wasn’t expecting that involve drug use and accidental physical harm. it’s not super graphic but it was still hard to get through and could warrant a trigger warning
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Honestly I’m not sure how i feel about this book. I had really high expectations and I think that’s why I didn’t like it that much. It arguably wasn’t bad at all and I can see so many people liking it but there was too much angst and not enough happiness in this one for me. I’d still recommend it tho!

This book was addicting. I have not read so much of a book in such a short period of time in a long while. If This Gets Out follows two members — Ruben and Zach — of the boy band Saturday as their friendship changes because of a kiss. The book explores the strain Ruben and Zach's relationship places on them and how this affects the band as a whole, especially as the restrictive behavior of their management becomes more and more apparent.

The writing in this book fit the style of the book perfectly. Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich did an excellent job at making the character voices distinct, yet cohesive in terms of writing. I was actually pretty surprised at how I could barely put the book down once I started reading it. No matter how late it was, once I started reading it, I couldn't stop. I'll definitely be picking up more books by these authors in the future.

In terms of plot, this book was messy. Probably not any more messy than you would expect from a boy band with a romance between two of the members, but I was still surprised by it. It changed the pace so quickly in terms of Ruben and Zach's relationship. It was one of those times in a book where I couldn't help screaming in frustration at the characters' lack of communication. That's probably when I realized that I was incredibly invested in the story.

Personally, I never was very into boy bands, but I definitely think I'm in the minority with that (lack of) experience. I do think for other people who have had that obsession with boy bands, it could really heighten the excitement and enjoyment of this book. But, as someone who never had that obsession, If This Gets Out really did capture the frighteningly powerful sensation of fame without requiring any background.

There were a few aspects that weren't addressed that I would have really liked to have been. One was how Zach, particularly, but also the rest of the band, seemed to exhibit a lot of toxic health-related behaviors. It is important to bring up how many celebrities feel forced to look or act some specific way, but there was never any challenging of the ideas that they must always eat healthy, workout a lot, and have the "perfect" body. I would like to have seen a little addressing of the issue worked in there, though I understand that it was more of a factor than a plot point to the story.

Another topic I felt needed addressing was the stereotyping of gay men through Ruben. One of the parents in the book made a comment about Ruben hitting on another person, and while it was recognized that this was factually wrong, it wasn't challenged at all. The parent who made this comment never even brought it up again, but I really wished we could have seen that individual corrected for playing into harmful stereotypes.

One of my favorite aspects of the book was how it explored the relationship between Ruben and Zach, especially as Zach came to terms with what he wanted for himself. Each member of the boy band was supportive of each other, but also had complex, imperfect relationships with those around them. They are teenage boys, after all. And even though I'm not a teenage boy, I connected with them, especially Ruben. Though the management team was very wrong on many fronts when publicising Saturday, they did get one thing right: There's at least one person in the boy band that you'll be able to relate to — just not quite in the way they were going for.

If This Gets Out was an immersive read from start to finish. I highly recommend picking up this book when it comes out on December 7th!

Content Warnings: harmful eating/exercise habits, drug use, underage drinking, brief reference to neo-Nazis (in a bad light), toxic parent behavior, car accident, forced closeting

I never considered myself a boy band fan, but when I saw all of the praise this book was getting I had to give it a shot.

Is it weird to root for a fictional boyband?

Sophie Gonzales once again doesn't disappoint— a must read for those who love live music, are critical of the industry, and can appreciate a good love story.

I really enjoyed this story. Ruben and Zach were such relatable characters, and Jon and Angel as well. The story unfolds with great love and friendship bit also on struggling to be oneself and what that looks like as part of a bigger group.

I'm a huge fan of boy bands so when I had a chance to read this book I knew I would like it

I will admit it took me a few weeks to really get into the story. It was a bit slow at the beginning and I believe it was because there was so much back story and people in the book. I was in my feelings towards the end as Ruben, Zach, Angel and Jon were all dealing with problems. Many topics were brought up such as drug addiction, queer identities and anxiety.

I enjoyed it and would recommend! Thank you Netgalley and St Martin's Press for this ARC!

Sophie Gonzales wrote one of my most beloved books of 2020 with “Only Mostly Devastated” and Cale Dietrich has written a pair of fantastic books that both have ended up in my top 20 of their respective years with “The Love Interest” and “The Friend Scheme”. When I found out the two were writing a book together I was ecstatic before I even knew the concept.
“Saturday” is the most famous boy band in the world, and are embarking in a world tour when the story starts. Jon, Angel, Ruben, and Zach are the best of friends and know everything about each other, despite the record label controlling everything about them…their appearance, their public image, their schedule, and, in Ruben’s case, his sexuality. When a kiss between him and Zach happens, Ruben is hesitant…is Zach just using him like everyone else? Isn’t Zach straight? How would the group, and more importantly, the record label and fan base react? Zach, I’m turn, is not sure why he finds himself so drawn to Rueben, but he is, and he knows this attraction has the potential to ruin everything they’ve built as a band.
HI HELLO THIS IS MY FAVORITE BOOK IF THE YEAR SO FAR. Oh my god, I can’t gush over these 4 boys enough, so I’m gonna attack them both one by one.
Ruben: I related the most to Ruben (as much as you can relate to a famous pop star) with a passive aggressive overbearing mother, Ruben has been used to the guys in his life using him for fame, or to figure out his sexuality. He’s also become used to the record label surpassing that sexuality. His hurt jumps off the page, especially during the period Zach is taking to figure himself out. His fighting spirit though is the propeller this story needs and I love his narrative.
ZACH: Zach. Zach. Zach. (Picture some cheering g this from a crowd cuz I 100% would be a Zach stan) what a pure hearted kind person he his. Selfless to a fault, and that is addressed, but a sweet kind soul that perfectly balanced Ruben. His struggle with coming to terms with his bisexuality while also navigating the world of fame was an eye opening read, and makes you think of how much pressure is out onto gay and bi men to hide their identities in the entertainment industry.
Angel: I have never wanted to just wrap my arms around a character and protect them as much as I wanted to from Angel. This guy, rightfully so, goes through alit in this book. Seriously, the authors did not hold back with his addiction problems and the racism that faces him from within the record label. He’s crying out for help and it isn’t until tragedy hits that it’s taken seriously. His unconditional support of Ruben and Zach through all of that is just the cherry on top of my love for him.
Jon: probably the least developed character, in my opinion. All’s e really know about Jon is his dad is the record label head. His development really comes after Angel’s tragedy, and his heart shines through with the live he has with his friends.
I loved every singe second of this book. Seriously, I could not get to the end fast enough. If there is a god, this pair of fantastic authors will come together again to write a sequel because I NEED one.

I was kindly gifted an e-arc for this book, and holy shit. From the first chapter, this book sucks you in and makes you root for the characters. It’s so well written and you don’t fell it as two people writing a book together but as two characters telling their story in alternating chapters. It gets a tiny bit long at one point, but that said, I finished reading this at 2 in the morning and I am gonna go preorder it now, because I definitely need a physical copy of this gem of a book!

As a person with a future in the music business, If This Gets Out instantly appealed to me. I will gobble up literally anything that has anything to do with the entertainment business, and this book was no exception. It was fascinating to delve into the lives of the boys of Saturday; it felt like a peak behind the curtain. The characters are lovable, the plot is interesting, and it checks the boxes on my own personal passions. There were times when I felt the pacing was off, either a tad fast or a bit too slow, but overall I’m really glad I was able to read this book. I think the stories of Zach and Ruben and their differing experiences with sexuality are incredibly important, especially in the context of coming out in the public eye. This was a read I really enjoyed and I look forward to reading more work from each author.

2.5 stars / 5

Struggled with the star rating and it may change over the next few days.

At first I found the writing style a bit clunky and awkward. The first person "I did ___" and "I am" between two similar characters' perspective was difficult to get used to. I don't think I've ever read a book where the two characters in a romantic relationship are the main perspectives. Interesting to get contrasting views on the same relationship!

A lot of great topics were covered: addictions, navigating stardom while coming to terms with sexuality, and pressures on young celebrities.

Bits of the novel made me epically cringe (Group hug? "I love group hugs")

I know its 2021 but we haven't progressed thaaat far. Its important to have queer books that represent coming out stories that are messy and weird and frustrating.

Come for the cute romance and stay for the scathing look into the dark side of the music industry. I don’t think any part of me expected to feel as much as I did while reading this book. Between seeing myself in Zach’s queer awakening, and also resonating with Ruben’s incredibly complicated relationship with his mother, this book really hit home for me. And that’s all unrelated to what this book has to say about artist management and fandom perception. This books feels incredibly relevant right now, as we learn more everyday about how a lot of artists have been turned into commodities by their management teams. Comparisons can be drawn to one specific boy band, obviously, but this book is much larger than that.

A boyband that actually gets along has two queer members who are forced to hide their relationship as they are all exploited by their management company with varying degrees of support from their families... what could go wrong?

The romance between Ruben and Zach was sweet and sexy, but not too steamy which I thought was just right for this book and I was totally here for it. The chemistry and friendship between all the guys was great, and I felt the camaraderie and the frustration as they suffered at the hands of the management company and the label. I genuinely LIKED all of them, empathized with them, and rooted for them. They each had to pretend to be people they weren't to fit a role when the people they actually were... well, those guys were already pretty great.

Be warned, at just over 400 pages, your patience will likely start to wear thin with management's antics. It almost becomes redundant after a while. It would have been nice to see more engagement with the fans.

There is good representation is with main characters that are poc and also a gay and bi main character.

It deals with some very big topics like artist exploitation, substance abuse, emotional abuse, mental health, LGBTQIA rights and homophobia.

There is one aspect of the writing I found extremely distracting, and that is the overuse of italicized words for emphasis. It was at least once a page for most of the book in places where it didn't make any sense. As I was reading an ARC, I hope this gets reviewed and edited prior to final publication.

I predict this will be great on audio. The narrator is listed as Ramon de Ocampo, the same narrator for Casey McQuiston's Red, White, & Royal Blue. He did a fantastic job with some big personalities in that novel, and I look forward to seeing what he'll be doing in this one!

#IfThisGetsOut #NetGalley

Overall I liked the story and thought it was entertaining.

I enjoyed the dynamics of the group and liked the theme that people are happiest when they can be themselves.

My biggest issue was that I didn't really think Zach and Ruben had distinct enough voices. With each chapter switching perspectives I kept having to go back and double check who was telling the story at that point or wait for the chapter narrator refer to the other boy.

It's a good book for anyone who's interested in boy bands and wants a story about young adults figuring out their sexuality and what they want in life.

This premise is *chef's kiss*- two boyband members who are longtime friends falling in love and having to keep their relationship a secret. It obviously draws a lot from fan-fiction and all the people who shipped members of One Direction. Ruben and Zach are both members of the boyband, Saturday. Ruben knows deep down that he's gay and that he's had a thing for Zach for a really long time, but he presumes that Zach is straight. One night after a raucous party, the two kiss, and gay panic ensues. Eventually they enter into a secret relationship, but with their bandmate's mental health issues, the pressure from their management company, and the unpleasant realities of being famous, their secrets get harder and harder to hide. Overall, this was a heartwarming romance with unexpected depths.
I think one aspect of this book that didn't work for me was the premise/cover and the actual tone of the book. I was expecting something light-hearted and just plain fun, but it hurt reading the interactions between Zach and Ruben after their first kiss. I appreciated that there were some tougher issues, but it just wasn't what I was expecting from this book. I'll be purchasing a copy for my library.

I read a physical galley of this and wanted to leave my review here as well.

Whoa. That pretty much sums up my reaction and feelings for this novel. Not since Adam Silvera have I read such realized drama in starcrossed lovers... and I fell in love with how they interacted with one another. At first glance a touching romance, dives deep into stardom and how it eats at the mind and relationships. This one is not to miss, and I hope that Gonzales and Dietrich continue to write more characters like this.

The saddest part about this book was that when I finished it, I left this world and these characters and I couldn’t go see the boys of Saturday perform live at a concert. The best books are the ones that make you forget that what you’re reading is entirely fictional because so many aspects feel real.

If This Gets Out focuses on two members of the boy-band Saturday. Ruben has for a long time had heart eyes for Zach who himself is beginning to realize that the way he feels about Ruben is probably more than just a bro-y friendship.

What a fascinating look into how controlling and destructive the music industry can be, especially when it comes to a meticulous image that is promoted for the sole reason of making money. I felt for all of these characters and the struggles they faced.

I could have read so many chapters of the four boys of Saturday, especially Angel (who is the clear favorite of both Sophie and Cale). Like I said earlier, I found myself forgetting that this wasn’t a real band with real songs I could listen to whenever I wanted. I found myself itching to pull up Spotify to hear their songs and then being disappointed when I couldn’t That’s how good and lived in this entire world is.

Zuben forever.

5 stars.