If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales & Cale Dietrich

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Title: If This Gets Out
Author: Sophie Gonzales, Cale Dietrich
Published by: Wednesday Books
Release Date: December 7, 2021
Format: eARC
Pages: 416
Genres: Contemporary, LGBT, Romance, Young Adult
Source: NetGalley
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2021 COYER Fall, Lenoreo's 2021 Diversity Reading Challenge, Lenoreo's 2021 Netgalley and Edelweiss Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iBooks ✩ IndieBound ✩ Book Depository
My rating:

Blurb:

“If This Gets Out is an absolute showstopper! Equal parts edgy and adorable, this bright, joyful book has everything I look for in a queer YA romance.” —Phil Stamper, bestselling author of The Gravity of Us

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 heartthrobs in front of the cameras and best friends backstage.

But privately, the pressure to stay in the closet has Ruben confiding in Zach.

On a whirlwind tour through Europe with an unrelenting schedule and minimal supervision, the two 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 realize they will never truly have the support they need.

How can they hold tight to each other when their whole world is coming apart?

My Review:

I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

4.5 stars — Wow, there was a lot in this one.  Like, it was kind of angstier than I usually read, and yet I really enjoyed it.  I was sucked in almost from the very start.  There was just a connection between Ruben and Zach that made me smile.  And I was so intrigued by this group of 4 boys, each struggling with their own issues.  All the characters felt very real to me.  It was so hard to watch the slowly forming train wreck that is approaching these boys.  I became invested in them as friends, and I worried about them.  Especially Angel.  It was weird to be so invested in a side character.

I think I both loved and hated how much both of our boys were going through.  It was very real, but I wanted better for them…and while they got better, I wanted *even* better, you know?

I feel like I kept peeling layers off of Zach as the story went on.  It was fascinating to see how his parents split had affected him in a way I hadn’t anticipated.  He really had such a hard time putting himself first, like, EVER.  And while the ups and downs were hard, it made it that much more rewarding when he started to understand and grow.

And then there’s Ruben.  Also very oniony.  He could be so confident at times, and so in tune with himself.  And then he would let it all just drop like Pavlov’s dog at the ding of a message from his Mom.  I ached for what she was doing to him.  Gaslighting 101.  Part of me understood why he struggled to cut the cord, but I wanted that for him so badly.  His growth there was subtle, but I will admit I wanted a wee bit more.

I always feel like I have somewhat of a sense of what celebrities go through, but I don’t know if any of us can really know.  While this is a fictional account, it felt believable.  Which is kind of heartbreaking.  I enjoyed the note by the authors at the end.

It wasn’t all angsty, obviously.  The two of them together were so adorable!!  It was so satisfying to see them get to that point and fight for their romance.  And I adored the support they had from #Anjon.  😉

So yeah…it totally lived up to my expectations, and was a great celebrity LGBT romance.

COYER Scavenger Hunt #16: Read a book where dance is prominently featured.  There were a few sequences that described the dancing/choreography for their songs.