CW: homophobia, forced closeting, parental abuse/neglect, toxic parenting, drug/substance abuse, excessive drinking, ED’s (mentioned).
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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.

This book is so amazing and romantic. I loved the story and I really liked the characters, especially Ruben and Zach. Very recommended, everyone is going to fall in love with this book!

An enjoyable LGBTQ+ romance. Pacing is pretty well done, and characters seem to be well fleshed out for this short read. Think many people will enjoy this book.

Unfortunately I am DNFing at 64%. I wanted to love this SO BAD but I am just bored to tears. I would maybe consider picking up the audiobook in the future but right now I'm not interested in investing my time to finish reading it with my eyeballs.

I find it nearly impossible to distinguish between the voices of the Zach and Ruben chapters. For a book about a world famous boy band touring in Europe, it's exceptionally boring. Angel is the only interesting character who ever does anything. The other three are boring as hell.

The bisexual rep is great thtough and I loved seeing Zach figure that out for himself.

I can see why a lot of people are loving it though and I would still recommend it to people looking for a more cerebral, queer romance.

<b>Thank you NetGallery and Wednesday Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!</b>

Holy crap, I could not put this down! If This Gets Out is a queer boy band romance. This book gave me Big Time Rush and One Direction vibes, I am obsessed.

I love the two different POVs for the main characters. You can see exactly what each character was thinking and feeling internally in each situation. You were never left confused about what POV you were reading because each character's personality really shined throughout the book. Honestly if I went back through this book and covered the names for each chapter POV I would 100% know who was who.

I do not want to give any spoilers so this is all you guys get! This book will make you feel 100 different emotions.

I am preordering this right now because I need it on release day (December 7th ) to dive back in.

Everything about this book was impressive and immersed me deeply in the environment of celebrities battling with identity, their management team and family.

The two authors did a sensational job of providing two clear, distinguishable perspectives and unpacking their journey's and experiences. More than this, I felt the authors wrote two characters who, despite being imperfect, worked on a healthy relationship within unhealthy environments. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to explore the insights of two celebrities in the spotlight, exploring their sexuality and unpacking the trials and tribulations of identity.

I’m such a sucker for chaos bisexual representation, and this didn’t disappoint. The found family relationship between all four band mates was so strong. The ending felt a little abrupt, but the stakes and pacing of the book as a whole worked very well. Overall this is definitely a book I will recommend to young readers.

"If This Gets Out" is the story of two 18 year old boy band members navigating being queer, the music industry, and the public eye. The story highlights unglamorous aspects of the music industry and how those in the industry may be exploited. Before I began reading "If This Gets Out" I expected it to be more focused on the romance, but in actuality the story is much larger than that, but it is still driven by Ruben and Zach at its core. With moments of angst balanced out with joy, "If This Gets Out" explores navigating coming out and a new relationship while being a public figure.

Meet Ruben, Zach, Angel and Jon, four best friends and the four members of the boyband Saturday. Everything always seems perfect on stage, however behind the scenes cracks are forming in the band. This story is told from the perspectives of Ruben and Zach as they and the rest of the band try to navigate the pressures of fame, unreasonable demands from the band’s management teams, being forced to be someone they are not, a worldwind European tour and their budding new romance that they are forced to hide from the public eye.

I absolutely loved this book! A definite five star read for me. There was nothing not to love about this queer boy-band romance novel! I loved that it was told from two perspectives - if you know me, you know I just love multiple POVs. On that note, Gonzales and Dietrich did such a fantastic job writing together. Their chapters flowed together so seamlessly.

This book was more than just a queer romance novel. It really highlighted some of the horrible and hard-hitting realities of the music industry. I could honestly rave about this book for ages! Make sure you get your hands on a copy of this one when it comes out on December 7th.

A massive thank you to netgalley and St Martin Press for my ARC copy in exchange for an honest review

I read this in one sitting and it was such a good book. This book focused on a band and their story and challenges on tour. All four of the members were fleshed out and had an interesting storyline.

Reads like fanfic in the best way possible. Fun and enjoyable read. It gets heavy just enough to keep things interesting. I enjoyed the way that “If This Gets Out” looks into how people in bands are monitored and can be controlled. It provided a good reminder that social media/public perception is curated and not always close to the truth. The authors absolutely nailed Ruben and his mom's relationship. Not all janky parents need a redemption arc. It's okay to have deeply flawed parents and show Ruben starting to establish boundaries for his own wellbeing.
Zach's indecisiveness/inability to communicate because he wants everyone happy hit a little too close. Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend the read.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for providing me with an ARC.

I LOVED this book. First off, the queer boy band premise is a trope I never knew I needed but now can't believe I lived without. The book is about Saturday, an immensely popular boy band. Zach and Ruben, two of the members of the group, find their relationship evolving over the course of the book and the best friends quickly develop a romantic relationship. The boys become fed up with their management as they come to realize how little control they truly have over their own lives. Let me tell you, going into this I was not prepared to be as emotionally destroyed as I was. 10/10 would recommend If This Gets Out to my fellow hurt/comfort lovers. I could not put this book down. The book highlights how abusive the music industry can be, especially towards young adults who have yet to fully discover themselves especially when it involves finding their place in the LGBTQ+ community. It was heartbreaking to read about the boys being mistreated and abused by the same people who were supposed to have their backs. Ruben's relationship was both heartbreaking to read about yet so authentic. Parents are supposed to provide their children with unconditional love and support and this book portrayed an important message in that those we love can still be the ones that hurt us the most. I related to Zach and his inability to stand up for himself at times and assert his identity. Additionally, Angel's struggles with addiction and acting out in retaliation were portrayed perfectly as a sensitive topic that needs to be spoken about more. Lastly, this book displays an incredibly necessary message about identity. Who you are is not for anyone else to decide but you. Whether you personally relate to the characters and the story or not, this title is definitely a must-read.

How would you feel if you learned that two members of your favorite boy band were actually a couple? Those who manage the band Saturday are afraid of what that could do to their fan base—and sales. Eighteen-year-olds Ruben Montez and Zach Knight are half of the band, and when they become a couple, Chorus Management does everything in their power to keep them in the closet. The others in the band have their own issues: Angel Phan chafes at the supervision and eludes it whenever possible, and Jon Braxton has extra pressure as the son of the band’s manager.

It took me a little while to get into this book. I think it was because I have a college-age daughter who has strongly impressed upon me the notion that boys are idiots. Not to say that these four fell into that category, but I think I missed having a female protagonist. I did, however, really enjoy the boys’ mothers. Well, mostly. I enjoyed that they didn’t just fall into the stage mom stereotype, and I really appreciated how they handled things when the chips were down. In any event, after the first few chapters, the story picked up and I couldn’t put it down. But then I didn’t want it to end! By the end I really cared about the boys and I REALLY want to know what happened next.

A mild content warning—the book does take a bit of a foray into R rated territory. It is not extremely graphic, but it realistically portrays a couple of young adults in the early stages of a sexual relationship.

4.5 stars for a bit of a slow start, but rounded up for a very strong finish!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an Uncorrected Digital Galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, If This Gets Out just didn't do it for me. I love YA romance, but I feel like there was entirely too much information being thrown at me that had nothing to do with Ruben and Zach's predicament. It takes two paragraphs to explain something that should take two sentences max. It took forever for Ruben and Zach to be honest with each other, and then as soon as they develop a relationship beyond friendship/bandmate, a lot of details are glossed over.

While I wasn't impressed with this novel, I could see a younger audience enjoying it. It wasn't bad - it just wasn't my cup of tea.

This book is for everyone who loves boybands and fanfiction about them. This book was sweet at times and heartbreaking at others. You should be picking this book when it hits the shelves in december!

This book!!!!

If This Gets Out is a delightful story about a Boy Band (Saturday) and the pressures of being famous and hiding your true self. As the band embarks on their international tour, Ruben and Zach's close friendship evolves into a romance and they struggle with hiding their true selves as their management continues to give reasons why they aren't able to come out to the public. As they start to realize that they might never have the freedom they truly desire, they wonder how they can possibly move forward together.

This book was absolutely a delight! The relationship between Ruben and Zach felt very real and sweet. The way that they took control of the narrative surrounding their coming out was honestly powerful.

Although coming out narratives are done a lot in books, I think this was a really powerful version of that narrative that felt unique.

Rating: 3.5, dramatic, cute, and a lil angsty: If you want to read about a boy-band romance and the trials and tribulations of the music industry, here ya go.

I really enjoyed the music industry aspect of If This Gets Out. I felt the restrictions that Ruben and Zach (and Jon and Angel) had to tiptoe throughout. It was ridiculously unfair, and I’m sure that’s reality (it felt a bit like Taylor Swift v. Big Machine Records).

The pacing was what I struggled with the most. I think if this book was a bit shorter, I would have enjoyed it way more. But it wasn’t a quick read for me (even though some parts had me flying through); it seemed to drag on before something finally came up to speed it along.

Overall, it was a fun read. I’ll be real: I’ve read my fair share of boyband fanfiction back in my day, and this is exactly what I would have loved to read… back then. (I won’t say it reminded me of any band in particular, but…) It was a little too cheesy for me now, but I still enjoyed it! If you are wanting to read about a boy-band romance, this is exactly the book for you.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Review also posted on Goodreads.