i loved this book, i wholeheartedly loved this book! aside from being an incredible romance, it was also an emotional read with an insight into fame specifically in the music industry. i loved how easy it was to differentiate between the two narratives and how it rarely got confusing. a lot of important/ heavy topics were covered such as substance abuse, complicated parental relationships and having to hide who you truly are but i felt they were all portrayed well. i found myself incredibly invested in the character's storylines, they were all well thought through and complex. at times i did feel that the line between ya and na was blurred but asides from that i have no complaints. i'd love to read more about these characters and their journey! (4.5 stars)

If This Gets Out is an YA insight into the world of boy bands and the music industry as a whole. And whilst it was an entertaining read, it contained plenty of drama, emotional moments and important themes.

When most people think of successful boy bands, I’m sure they think about the glamorous lifestyle, travelling the world, being hugely famous and having everything they could ever want, however this book shows all of that goes hand in hand with the not so nice side of the industry. A controlling and manipulative management team. Not being able to trust people. Travelling the world but never being able to enjoy any of the places they travel to. Never having any privacy. The constant attention and expectations. The huge amount of self-doubt and insecurities. The list is endless.

What I enjoyed about this story was the different characters in the band and how they interacted with each other. They each had their own issues to deal with but fundamentally they were ‘in it together’.

The relationship between Zach and Ruben felt genuine and realistic. It’s well-written and tackled the challenges they faced coming to terms with their feelings, telling the people close to them and tackling the consequences of their actions.

This book was difficult to read at times especially seeing the restrictions placed on the boys and how they tried their best to navigate their way through so many important moments. It was particularly tough reading how the people who should be taking care of them didn’t treat them all that well.

Overall this was a cute read which highlighted some important messages and is definitely one to read for anyone whose ever loved a boy band!

If This Gets Out is a story about friendship, identity and learning to be yourself.

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (rounded up)

Honestly, I think if I didn't put this down my Christmas dinner would be burned, I was so hooked by this book, it just gets better and better.

I am pretty new dabbler to the romance genre, really delving into it this year, and this one has definitely been one of my favourites, the plot, characters and the whole scene is just one of my favourites. If This Gets Out is the story of Ruben and Zach, members of Saturday, a boy group that is now beginning its first world tour and the burgeoning romance between the two and it's done so well.

The characters in this book go through so much growth throughout, Zack who is still figuring it out, in particular has so much development and I think the story feels very genuine when it comes to his story and his relationship. The main characters are really well written, and the side characters are really given their own place and time in the story too - they feel like a family in this book and the scenes where they are together, you feel like a fly on the wall.

How the plot unfolds is just as good, the communication, the emotional intelligence and the way they dealt with their growing relationship is just so good and done so well. Finding out your best friend is in love with you, must be alot and these two are kinda the blueprint of how you should figure it out. It's just such a soft and lovely story, but also a very real interpretation of how you would begin to figure it out and I love it for it.

It's a really good story and yeah, please go read it, no one is going to be disappointed by this!

thank you netgalley and publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

this is essentially a book about a boyband that has two gay members who are in a secret relationship. i know what you’re thinking. i’m not gonna say it.

what i liked is that the entire book wasn’t just about them being gay, though. we are so much more than our sexualities. this book had a lot of other elements like drug abuse, manipulative and controlling adults and complicated parent/kid relationships. most of all, this book is about finding yourself amidst the chaos that is life. at least that’s what it felt like to me.

i had some minor problems with the writing, mainly the flow between scenes. sometimes i didn’t know a scene had changed for quite some time and i didn’t understand what was happening. some parts were also a bit slow and i didn’t know where the story was going, like it didn’t feel like there was a whole lot more to cover. but overall it was an enjoyable read and i liked reading it!

Big thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and the author for sending me a copy of this to read and review. I 100% ship Zuben. They are absolutely adorable. To be honest I love the relationships between all the boys in Saturday. I love how they all have each others backs, especially with Zuben and Angel and John later on in the book.

This was such a quick and entertaining read that also hit some hard topics along the way. I really enjoyed reading this and finding more and more out about the boys along the way. The struggles they face and the things that they love.

let me preface this review by saying: yes, i absolutely WAS a one direction fan. trigger warnings include some biphobia, homophobia, drug use, and emotional abuse.

now i don't think this is influenced by them specifically, but as a person who has been a fan of boybands to perhaps an obsessive degree (...) it is easy to see some connections. this would definitely appeal to anyone who enjoyed keeping up with one direction, five seconds of summer, etc etc.

this was a fun, easy but quietly serious read that i enjoyed. it follows a successful boy band on tour as they navigate the world stage, constant media attention and very little opportunity to exercise their own freedom in their lives. the relationship between all four members was grounded and believable, particularly during the more serious moments in the book where they all showed up for each other. the burgeoning romance between ruben and zach was sweet and consuming, and i liked how it showed zach coming to terms with his sexuality as his feelings for ruben grew; and ruben learning how to be in a relationship with someone who is still figuring themselves out. i thought the gravity of their situation was dealt with really well, in terms of their forced closeting and the heavy reliance on their 'images' as band members.

i do feel that the romance unfortunately took a little bit of a back seat once they had gotten together, and there weren't as many scenes of just ruben and zach as i would have liked! and i felt the tone shifted a bit in parts, where it sometimes read a bit younger? but overall i really enjoyed this, and would definitely recommend it to anyone who has a) been a boyband fan - be it a fan of ships or just the group in general! and b) looking for an inclusive read that is both sweet and serious. if you read and enjoyed alice oseman's i was born for this, if this gets out could be the next book for you!

This was deliciously compelling and comforting.

The four boys who make up boy band Saturday are each struggling with fame and the oppressive control of their management - none more than Ruben. Not able to be his true self, he's being forced to be a persona, a stereotype that just isn't a reflection of who he really is. No-one knows who he really is, except maybe his band mate Zach.

What follows is a deeply sweet and sensitive love story, what it's like to be surrounded by expectations and the pressures of being in the spotlight and being told how you have to act and behave. To constantly be seen as a role model and sct in ways that you don't want to. I found all of the characters to be really well developed and realistic, each of them had a backstory and an overarching development that plays out well. It handles the topic of discovering sexuality and understanding and learning about yourself well and I thought it was good representation of what it's like to be young.

Outside of the boy group, I did find some of the characters to be a bit stereotypical and the plot itself is very predictable, but I think this is still a great comfort read that does a good job overall. It was entertaining and the characters were a lot of fun, and loveable.

I really don’t know what I was expecting with this book. But I wasn’t expecting to relate so freaking much to a character from a boy band!

The story follows the pov of two characters who are in a boy band. A friendship between Ruben and zach blossoms and all characters have to face a lot challenges.

This was a real hard read on some occasion for when some of the topics hit home and I really sympathised with Zack and Ruben a lot. There was way too many blue highlights (blue for heartbreaking parts) but it was also evened out with the humour and friendship between 4 teens.

I don’t know who I loved more, but I do not like Rubens mum, Geoff and Chorus.

My only thing was the spacing of the time. It seemed very blunt and I did have to re-read it something on who was speaking and when the scene ended/started.

But over all I loved this book and I feel like it really does talk about the struggles and pressures placed on, particularly queer and or otherwise marginalised artists. It was such an eye opener and could help people realise what struggles someone behind the camera.

I highly recommend this book! Thank you to Hachette childrens group and the authors for allowing me to read this arc!

Both Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich are authors who each have a book that I adore and another that didn’t work for me. But this first project they’ve worked on together? I loved it! If you’re looking for a fun contemporary about two boyband members falling in love, then this will be the book for you.

Ruben and Zach are two members of the band Saturday. Ruben is gay but hasn’t been allowed to come out, and when things start to happen between him and Zach, it seems unlikely that things will change. As well as their blossoming romance, they have their bandmates to contend with, and the path to success has never been rougher. This was a super fun book but one that deals with darker elements. So if you’re looking for a new queer contemporary that you won’t be able to put down? This is the book for you.

Each of the characters in this book is written by one of the authors. Zach has Dietrich’s love of pop-punk, whilst Ruben has the sass I expect from Gonzales. I enjoyed both characters, but I liked Zach a little more. He could be frustrating with his people-pleasing ways, but I appreciated that he was trying to be positive and deal with things in his own way. I also obviously appreciated his taste in music, even if the boyband he was in wasn’t me.

I did enjoy the romance. Both Zach and Ruben were good for each other. They helped each other through things, and it was nice to see the growth. Despite the touring scenario meaning that they were stuck together a lot, they didn’t move too fast. They took their time, and when they made mistakes, they worked through them. It didn’t feel like there was any ridiculous drama within their romance once they were actually together. To me, the main drama was in the beginning, so that was pretty good.

There was obviously a lot of fandom in this book. I’ve not really been that involved in bandom in the past. As someone who finds real person shipping creepy, some of their fans did make me pull faces. But the fandom aspects did feel real. We’ve all seen how involved fans can be, pushing their idols’ music and discussing their personal lives. Some of what they comment on is real, but more often or not, it’s just an assumption. We obviously don’t really know much about these celebrities we idolise as we only see what they or their management team wants us to see. Reading this book made me think about that a lot, and it’s something that I think we should all be a little more aware of when putting celebrities on a pedestal.

As I said, there are some darker issues in this book that you would expect within the world of celebrity. There is fear of homophobia and biphobia, but the biggest issue was alcohol and drug abuse. Neither of our main characters was involved in it, but it was an emotional side plot. There are also abusive parents, so if you’re triggered by any of these aspects, then be warned.

I really enjoyed this book overall. There were a lot of funny moments as well as emotional scenes. I loved the band’s friendship with each other more than anything. I wish there had been more after the ending, as I want to see what happens to them next. But I get why the book ended there. The main purpose of the story was over, and dragging it on may have been a little pointless.

If you’re looking for a fun new contemporary by two wonderful authors, then I highly recommend you check this one out.

Although it seems like a romance book at first glance, this book delves into various heavy issues that teenagers face such as controlling parents, hiding aspects of yourself and substance abuse. This book was well written and the characters were very dimensional and believable.

I'm already foreseeing the huge fandom that is going to spring up around If This Gets Out and I can't wait for it! This is absolutely going to be one of the most beloved releases of Jan 2022 and I feel incredibly privileged that I got to experience this gorgeous story ahead of release.

Zach and Ruben are our stars here, two members of one of the world's biggest boy bands who have slowly fallen in love behind the scenes. Keen to go public but aware of fandom repercussions and an unsupportive management team, the pressure begins to build within the group. Oh, I just loved this one! Poignant, heartbreaking, affirming and tender from the first page to the last, If This Gets Out is a book I would have gone absolutely feral for as a teenager and, to be honest, I wasn't far off that even now. All four band members (we also have Angel and Jon along with our protagonists) are such well-realised characters that it didn't feel as though there was any filler here, even though Zach and Ruben take centre stage throughout the story.

I love this one and I can't wait for January 6th so everybody else gets to fall in love with it too!

This was a really good book. I have stayed up til 1.30am to finish it because I couldn't put it down. I fell in love with these characters and not just the MCs. The side characters are all so fleshed out and interesting too. I have to admit there was a stage, maybe about the 2nd quarter of the book where it started to feel a bit draggy and I was unsure where the story was going to take off but it came back on track for me and I got invested again. I couldn't help but wonder through the whole thing though whether there was a particular band in mind when writing it? It felt kind of 'fan fiction' at times and I was annoyed because I wasn't getting it.
It did make me think of the boy bands I used to scream about as a tween and what they had to go through to make it all seem so effortless and to put on a good show in more ways than one. I always remember the 'which ones the gay one' rumours and the fact that none of them were allowed partners incase it would upset fans. But now it seems to have gone the other end of the scale and Queer baiting is the new extreme.
Still, this book made me question things and whilst romance is never going to be my favourite genre, this is still a brilliant book! 4stars!

Yet another 5 star read by Sophie Gonzales. If This Gets Out follows two members of a popular boy band and their romance. There's bisexual representation in this book (and while I can't speak for how good that is as a lesbian), I will say I thought the overall queer rep was well done! There's also topics such as coming out and drug abuse which I thought were handled well. Just a great YA contemporary romance, I highly recommend!

This story was suffocating, and I struggled with the band as they toured Europe, but were never allowed to enjoy any of it. From the camped tour buses to the cramped hotel rooms, every moment they managed to escape from their Chorus Management handlers, even for a second just to breathe, I was right there taking a breath with them.

The book's biggest problem was the pacing. Surprisingly, Zach and Ruben get together fairly quickly, which left another two thirds of the story free. It was fairly obvious that what was going on with Angel was going to explode, so I felt like I was just sat around waiting for that. The last third was much faster.

After reading and loving another book about boybands, I Was Born for This, I've developed an appetite for more of these stories and If This Gets Out provided me with nearly everything I was looking for, as it showed that under the polished, perfect surface of these teens was real people, struggling to be seen as they truly are.

I really enjoyed this book, I am not usually one for reading about popstars or boybands as an avid metal head. Alas I really enjoyed this book.

The story centres around Reuben and Zach, and the feelings that they develop while on tour. They are both part of one of the biggest four-piece boybands in the world, and under extreme scrutiny from the public, the media, and worst of all, their management company Chorus. Reuben is Gay and has been for as long as he can remember, but the powers that be will not allow him to live his dream of coming out on stage to his fans. Zach is not sure how to define his sexuality, all he knows is he really really likes Reuben. However their management has different ideas.

Reuben is ridiculously talented, but is kept in the background and styled in such a way to make him forgettable. Zach is a tortured soul, but they want him to be the bad boy. Angel is a really bad boy, but they want him to be his namesake and portray him as an actual Angel. That leaves us with Jon, the frontman, and their managers Son, he is the super religeous, cookie cutter bland guy, but the management want him to be the main sex symbol. So they all have to play their part.

Until it becomes to much.

A really good book that has themes or M/M relationships and also drug use/injury.

This book has pride written all over it :)

The latest boy band on the scene is Saturday, made up of Ruben, Zach, Angel and Jon. What happens when two of the band members have feelings for one another?

The tension in the first half of the book is palpable and builds nicely - it comes from unexpected and multiple directions, which adds layers to the storyline, and makes you wonder what will happen next, all the while hoping that the boys get their happy ending!
One minor bugbear for me was that Zach and Ruben's chapters read very similar in their voices and I had to keep checking at the beginning of the chapter whose voice I was reading.
The second half seemed a bit more rushed. I think maybe that's because the story took a turn that I didn't want ... also because a) this idea in the entertainment industry that telling people that you're gay will result in lost sales is so cliche and dated, and shouldn't be happening in 2021 and b) the whole idea that people even have to come out is so ridiculous! But that's probably my frustration with society and not this book 🙃 Ultimately I loved it as a whole, great representation and loved that it showed full characterisation for some of the characters - flaws and good points.

It has been a while since I read a really good LGBTQ+ YA romance and I knew this one would hit the spot. I usually have a really good time with boyband-based books and I’m so happy that this delivered!

Ruben and Zach are half of the world’s most-loved boyband Saturday. As they tour the US and Europe, their fans are screaming their love for them at every show and all over the internet. But privately, the band are having their problems. While Ruben is openly gay to the band and their team (but not to the public), Zach is struggling with his sexuality. As the pressure starts to grow, Zach finds himself seeking comfort with Ruben and something starts to blossom. But there’s no way that their management will ever let this get out.

The band and their inner circle know that Ruben is gay but he points out that since he came out, their team have treated him differently to the other members. Despite having vocal talent, he is often given the least to do and it seems as if their management team are trying to hide him as much as possible. It’s almost as if they’re worried that his ‘gay’ will accidentally show to the world and that everything will come tumbling out.

It’s patently obvious that real boybands are formed by record companies actively styling each member differently, so that they appeal to the wide variety of tastes amongst teenage girls. Their real personalities are almost completely disregarded for the sake of the band and the impact of that is perhaps not something that is often discussed.

Angel is a member of Saturday who dates girls and flaunts that a lot, which seems to be absolutely fine for their management. The hypocrisy and stark difference in treatment between Angel and Ruben with regard to their love and sex lives is incredible but fantastically believable. I can fully believe that this really happens with real celebrities who have been curated for a certain audience.

Reading Zach’s inner turmoil as he tries to figure out his sexuality felt so authentic. There was no doubt in my mind that he was a real young guy, who was questioning things. I couldn’t help but smile as he realised he was falling for Ruben and the romance itself was just so beautiful. I love getting these intimate glimpses into people’s heads because it feels like I know them in a way that no one else does -perhaps even in a way that they don’t know themselves. It meant that I became attached to Zach and came to really care about what happened to him, which is fantastic character writing.

Following every scandal or piece of news about the boys, the global public go crazy with their speculation and opinions. Of course, this is very true for real life too and I actually find it fascinating that some people feel like they honestly know enough about a stranger’s situation to commentate on it at length. This is exactly what happens when it comes about that Angel has a substance problem and the reaction of the world felt so frustratingly real.

There is some really lovely humour in the book too, which comes about through the banter between the band members. I laughed several times and it really enhanced my experience of getting to know them all as the true individuals they really were. For most of the narrative, I was willing them all to get back to their real selves and somehow get out of their controlling situation, full of fakery and powered by money.

If This Gets Out is an uplifting, empowering gay romance that celebrates both love and friendship in the unique environment of a boyband. It felt wonderfully genuine and therefore, it was easy to get on board with the characters and their mission. I think I’ll remember these boys for a long time and I actually would love to revisit them again in the future.

If this Gets out was an amazing book with brilliant writing characters and showed the harsh reality behind fame.
Zach was well-rounded and a bit relatable. There were one too many side characters but other than that characterisation was perfect! The writing was simple and engaging. The main themes were beautiful and tied up with a satisfactory ending. Overall, this was a brilliant book and I would definitely recommend it!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the free e-arc!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Ruben Montez and Zach Knight are two members of the international sensation that is Saturday, a boyband that is micromanaged to the nth degree. When the boys’ friendship blossoms into romance, they’re forced to shove every detail in the closet.

Spoilers ahead.

Plot and Pacing

There is SO much to love about this book! If This Gets Out is a heartwarming story about two boys, struggling with their own personal conflicts, who don’t want to hide behind fake personas. However, it’s also a tragic examination of the music (and, I guess, art) industry where young men and women (and everyone in between) are ridiculously controlled by management in order to maximise profits.

I absolutely adored the romance and was rooting for Zach and Ruben from the start. I was surprised by how well Angel and Jon took their coming out but I loved them all the more for being so supportive. Chorus and Geoff, on the other hand, were the epitome of horribleness. Though I really wanted the band to take action right at the start, to come out and be themselves, I could also understand how that would ruin everything they had built for themselves. I didn’t realise how difficult it is for celebrities to be more open about themselves. I guess I just assumed that if they wanted to say something, they’d just say it. All Geoff and Chorus could think about was whether anything the band did or said would affect their appeal and sales. Even the way each of the boys was meant to fill a specific appeal niche–that made me question everything I knew about bands in general.

The book made me think a lot about One Direction and all the scrutiny they had been under for years. I vaguely remember there being rumours about a gay relationship or something and after that, two of the members were constantly separated in performances and music videos. It’s such a shame. And shipping real people together is just so messed up. They’ve got lives outside of the public eye!

The four boys were constantly living in a pressure cooker environment. Angel’s character arc was horrifying to witness. I had a feeling he would be hit by a car or something the first time he ran off but it still gutted me when it actually happened. I was so glad he sought help and went to rehab. My heart also stopped when Ruben was in the middle of making his announcement on stage and the mics were cut off. I was so glad the producer had their backs and the crowd being somewhat supportive rocked me to my core. Speaking of that scene, when Ruben went all out with his performance and hit a super high note, I was SO giddy. After years of Chorus only giving him “easy” bits to sing which, to be frank, insulted his years of training, he got to show off a little! I was glad the book didn’t end with the announcement of Zach and Ruben dating. I loved that the authors decided to show the consequences of their actions. It showed there were real stakes and getting sued is NOT nice at all. I also loved how the parents all got together and made a plan of action and I only have hope that the band manage to get signed by another record company and, this time, are able to be their genuine selves.

Characters

I loved the diversity in the book. I didn’t realise Angel was Asian until his comment about not being on the “Sexiest Men” list simply because he was an Asian (I do wish the authors had been clearer on which country exactly. Asia is QUITE large!). Jon was of mixed-race, with a Black mother and a dick for a father. I think Zach was white and then Ruben was of Spanish descent.

Aside from race, each of the members was SO different in their personalities and quirks, yet they meshed together wonderfully. Jon was the responsible one and, as Geoff’s son, I can’t imagine how much more stressed he must have felt to uphold his father’s standards while attempting to stay true to himself. On the surface, Jon seemed like the kind of person who only cared about the band doing well, but it’s clear from his compassion and love for the others that he truly wants what’s best for everyone. Also, I LOVED that Jon was reading Wheel of Time. I support that SO much.

Angel’s character arc was focused on substance abuse which is quite a heavy topic for a YA novel but was written SO well by the authors! I was glad he got the help he needed. I thought that was important to show. Plus, I loved Angel as a character. He was the one least likely to take things seriously but the more I think about it, the more I realise that must have been a coping mechanism for all the stress he was experiencing. I thought for certain that Angel would come out too but he never did and I kind of liked that. Throughout the book, he was the most vocal about his feelings, boldly declaring how much he loved the others boys and was so comfortable in his sexuality. We need more boys like that!

Ruben and Zach were the real meat of the story and the book was written from their POVs. I could relate a lot to Ruben. I loved how passionate he was about musicals (I love musicals too!!!) I tried looking up In This House but I think the authors probably just made up that musical for the book. I’m really hoping they came up with an alternate title for In the Heights because that would be freaking wild. My heart ached for Ruben when he couldn’t come out despite him practically begging to do so. I could understand his confusion about Zach and not knowing whether Zach really loved him or if it was just an attempt for Zach to please yet another person. I loved how caring and understanding he was of the other boys, especially Zach. It killed me to read about how manipulative and crazy his mother was. Seriously, what the fuck kind of manipulative shit was she saying to her son??? And she only retracted her claws when he gushed at and complimented her. Ruben deserved the whole world, not that insane woman. Still, their relationship wasn’t completely black and white like when she wished him good night or when Ruben ran into her arms. I liked that there was a little more nuance there. Familial conflict is rarely easy. It’s so hard to know whether or not your family is toxic. Then there’s so much love that’s mingled with those feelings because you do, to an extent, have a certain obligation to love them and them you. I think Ruben’s decision to establish stronger boundaries with his mother was responsible and mature.

Zach was so endearing! I could totally understand his confusion about his sexuality. I mean, come on, I feel like most of us have been there!

"The crushes I got on guys were weird blips, things that would catch me by surprise and cause me confusion, and maybe a little panic, until I forced them out of my mind. Then I’d get a crush on a girl and she’d be all I could think about, and I’d get all swoony and happy and mostly forget about ever micro-crushing on a dude."

I didn’t like that he was so passive and essentially a people-pleaser. Though I understood his thoughts because half the book was from his POV, I could absolutely see why anyone outside his head would be totally muddled as to his true intentions. I especially loved his relationship with his mother. When he first came out to her and she wasn’t 100% on board, I was terrified that it would mean even more isolation for him. I was so relieved when he returned home and they talked things over. I know how hard that rockiness must have been for Zach. My mother and I are pretty close too and it sucks when I feel like I have to cut off certain parts of my life. Also, I want a “fancy-ass coffee machine” too! The main internal conflict for Zach was that he didn’t know what he wanted and he never made it clear to others what he wanted. I thought this was resolved pretty quickly when Ruben called him out on it. I’m torn about this. On one hand, I liked that it was resolved quickly because it was wonderful to see Zach’s mother discuss how to fix things and I felt all fluttery that he was comfortable TALKING to her about it. There are so many YA books where I wish the protagonists would consult an adult. They may be tiresome at times but they do have decades of experience! I liked that Zach was proactive in flying to Ruben’s house and being explicit in what he wanted from their relationship and in life.

BUT it felt really fast! I know that I would NEVER have been so receptive to that kind of feedback. I would have mulled it over for hours, brooded for days and then perhaps grudgingly admit that the other person was right. I would have needed a week at a minimum! I don’t know if the fast resolution fits with Zach’s personality because he is a people-pleaser but it did bother me a bit. I also wish we could have seen more of Angel and Zach’s friendship. Angel is supposedly closer to Zach but I never got a sense of that until it was mentioned offhand. I thought Angel and Jon were the close ones.

Writing Style

Both Ruben and Zach had very distinct voices, thank GOD. I guess it helped that Gonzales and Dietrich each wrote one of the characters so there was consistency there. I absolutely devoured this book and I still can’t believe I managed to snag an ARC of it! One thing that made me wince slightly was how easily the characters said things like “my anxiety was getting the better of me” or “I was depressed” because I was never sure whether they had actually been diagnosed that way or were just using it as slang. Vocabulary related to mental health has become really colloquial and I can’t say I support its usage in that way because both anxiety and depression are very real illnesses.

The only other book by Gonzales that I have read is Only Mostly Devastated. This book was an improvement from that one namely because of how specific the conflicts were. I think Only Mostly Devasted was trying to cram in too much in a short novel. It always warms my nerdy heart to see improvement in an author’s subsequent works so I’m really proud of Gonzales! I’m also going to keep an eye out for more of Dietrich’s work!

I was immediately gripped by this blurb, I love a good friends to lovers trope, but then when you throw in that they’re in a world-famous boyband and their every move is scrutinized by the fans? Give me the book immediately. (thank you netgalley.)

Saturday consists of 4 boys and the character development for all of them was flawless, being in a boyband, each members self-identity was stripped away and they were given a character to play for the fans; Zach is supposed to be the bad boy, Angel the innocent, fun one, Jon the charismatic womanizer and Ruben the nice guy, that management don’t really want the fans to notice. I thought it was really great how they began to fight back against management and be who they really were, and fight to be seen as themselves, regardless of fan reception. One of the most memorable, and powerful moments, was Ruben wanting to take back control and come out to his fans live onstage, but obviously not being able to, because of management. I can only imagine how bad it is for real boybands who are currently going through this daily.

There was obvious chemistry between all of the members, they bickered, but were always very protective of each other. This was mostly highlighted when the story focused on the difficulties and negatives of being on tour, and having so much pressure on them as role models. There were very raw, and emotional moments where mental health, family dynamics and drug abuse were brought up.

The book had a perfect balance of romance, angst and plot. The first half of the book was definitely more centered towards Ruben and Zach’s relationship, the pining for each other was perfect and painful, and helped heighten the chemistry between them, where as the second half was the impact it would have in the industry and the way the industry worked.

Overall, Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich wrote an incredibly cute and powerful book. It has very easily become one of my favourite reads of the year, and I will be recommending it to everyone.