Member Review
Review by
Kelly M, Media/Journalist
If This Gets Out is a powerful new novel co-authored by authors Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich, which focuses on two members of a boyband who are secretly in love.
If This Gets Out is a book you will not be able to put down once you start it. Told through the alternating viewpoints of Ruben and Zach, it’s their story. The story of their relationship. Of them navigating their relationship and in Zach”s case figuring out his own sexuality while being in the US’s biggest, hottest and in-demand boyband “Saturday”.
It’s fast-paced and action-packed and carries an extremely important message as it shines a light on the conditions that many artists within the industry face, especially those who enter the industry at a young age, those that belong to the LGBTQ+ community and otherwise marginalised artists. It shows how overworked they are, they are slowly stripped of all autonomy, their names, who they can and can’t socialise with, what they wear, Every aspect of their lives is controlled and manipulated to maintain a public image, an image that is carefully crafted to appeal to an artist/bands demographic so it maximises sale potential.
Both Ruben and Zach have their own distinct voices, their own issues and struggles with the constraints placed on them by their management team who control every aspect of their lives. The relationship between the band and their management team is best described as toxic.
The management team is headed by band member Jon’s Dad. The relationship between the band and their management is abusive and it’s a well-depicted struggle by Sophie and Cale who have clearly done their research into the topic. As there are sadly many very public cases of the things depicted in the book happening.
The exploration of what the control of the bands lives does to Ruben, Zach, Jon and Angel both psychologically and physically at times can be uncomfortable reading but it’s absolutely necessary as it makes you fully understand and emotionally connect with each character. Not just Ruben and Zach but with Jon and Angel as well (who we spent the entire book just wanting to hug).
If This Gets Out is one of the most powerful and necessary reads of this year and a must-read for anyone who has ever been in a love with a boyband or an artist who has suffered at the hands of an industry that must change.
If This Gets Out is a book you will not be able to put down once you start it. Told through the alternating viewpoints of Ruben and Zach, it’s their story. The story of their relationship. Of them navigating their relationship and in Zach”s case figuring out his own sexuality while being in the US’s biggest, hottest and in-demand boyband “Saturday”.
It’s fast-paced and action-packed and carries an extremely important message as it shines a light on the conditions that many artists within the industry face, especially those who enter the industry at a young age, those that belong to the LGBTQ+ community and otherwise marginalised artists. It shows how overworked they are, they are slowly stripped of all autonomy, their names, who they can and can’t socialise with, what they wear, Every aspect of their lives is controlled and manipulated to maintain a public image, an image that is carefully crafted to appeal to an artist/bands demographic so it maximises sale potential.
Both Ruben and Zach have their own distinct voices, their own issues and struggles with the constraints placed on them by their management team who control every aspect of their lives. The relationship between the band and their management team is best described as toxic.
The management team is headed by band member Jon’s Dad. The relationship between the band and their management is abusive and it’s a well-depicted struggle by Sophie and Cale who have clearly done their research into the topic. As there are sadly many very public cases of the things depicted in the book happening.
The exploration of what the control of the bands lives does to Ruben, Zach, Jon and Angel both psychologically and physically at times can be uncomfortable reading but it’s absolutely necessary as it makes you fully understand and emotionally connect with each character. Not just Ruben and Zach but with Jon and Angel as well (who we spent the entire book just wanting to hug).
If This Gets Out is one of the most powerful and necessary reads of this year and a must-read for anyone who has ever been in a love with a boyband or an artist who has suffered at the hands of an industry that must change.
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