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

Author: Sophie Gonzales & Cale Dietrich

Genre: YA Contemporary

Published by: BKMRK

Publication date: 06/01/22

Pages: 416

My rating: ★★★★★

I received a free review copy from BKMRK in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

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?

Trigger Warnings:

Substance abuse
Homophobia

I knew I had to read this when the email about it dropped in my inbox. I had no idea what inspired it, I’m not even a fan of that particular boyband. I’m more of a rock/metal person and can usually be found rocking out to My Chemical Romance. Anyway, the fact that this centres around two members of a boyband didn’t put me off at all. To say I loved If This Gets Out would be an understatement. It has everything I could possibly want, cute romance, drama and moments that had me yelling (both out loud and in my head.)

If This Gets Out is told from both Zach’s and Ruben’s POV, two members of the boyband Saturday as they embark on their European tour. As the tour progresses tensions run high, Zach and Ruben realise their feelings for each other go beyond friendship and their management team want to keep it under wraps. I like how the subjects in this book are handled, you don’t have to be in the industry to know this stuff happens. I’m fairly certain something similar happened with a boyband I loved growing up. I thought it was handled really well, while highlighting how awful what they’re being forced to do is. The gruelling schedule they have to maintain, how quickly and easily their wellbeing is ignored.

I found the relationships in the book are one of my favourite aspects, I don’t want to spoil anything, the relationship between Ruben and his mother I particularly enjoyed. I don’t read many books where the relationship between someone and their parent is for the most part toxic, it was really well written. Obviously the relationship between Ruben and Zach is the best, you’ll see why when you read it.

Overall I loved It This Gets Out, its definitely one that will make it onto my top ten list at the end of the year. Its perfect for any contemporary reader.

Buy from: Waterstones Hive