Book 24 If This Gets Out

 

If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich fulfilled the category “Book About a Band or a Musical Group” for the PopSugar 2022 Reading Challenge.

I wanted to include this book during Pride month. I have a few LGBTQ romances on my list this year. This title, for me at least, represents the emotion and spirit of the month.

If This Gets Out introduces us to the boy band Saturday. Four young men have launched themselves into a wild, fast-past climb to the top of the charts. They are like many typical boy bands, with curated music and choreographed moves. They are on the way to fortune and fame when life happens.

The story centers on Zach Knight, a young man who realizes he’s attracted to his bandmate Ruben Montez. Zach always thought he was straight and focused on his feelings toward women. Until the attraction to Ruben, who is gay, overwhelms him. The novel has a coming-out story, but the growth of all the boys does not stop there.

Their environment is restricted. Ruben cannot come out as per their managers and company that control their contracts. He’s forced to pretend for the sake of his career and the band—his best friends. When Zach realizes he’s bisexual and falls for Ruben, he is also forced to be silent. The boys are repressed beyond their sexuality. Angel desires to shed his role as the quiet one and be who he really is. Zach not only wants to come out but to write music for the group. And Ruben, a phenomenal singer, wants his voice to be heard (as in—get more solos plus be who he is.)

The plot of the novel spoke to me. One of my good friends enjoys a certain J-pop group. As I read the story, I imagined a much younger version of her band and dealing with these restrictions. I’ve heard rumors that many K-pop and J-pop groups have a slew of rules that guide their behavior, their careers, and perhaps even their lives. I wondered how much of what happened to Saturday came from actual stories of other boy bands.

The book is outstanding for Pride month. It deals with issues of identity, attraction, and repression. The strict environment forces the boys to face issues about themselves and their future beyond their sexual orientation. The novel is a true coming of age at a time when things are still restrictive for certain groups. Plus, it has an adorable love story in the center.

I give If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich Five Choreographed Moves with a Spin.