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A review by theresejanosky
If This Gets Out by Cale Dietrich, Sophie Gonzales
3.0
There were a lot of aspects of this that I really liked. I thought both Ruben and Zach were well-developed, distinct characters, and even Jon and Angel got a lot of attention as side characters. Some of the character interactions felt very authentic, and Ruben and Zach's struggles were handled with genuine care. I wish the book could have introduced some flashbacks or something so we could see the way the boys became friends and became a band, but overall, I liked the way their relationships and personalities were weaved together.
And though I liked the development of Ruben and Zach's internal struggles, sometimes it felt like a lot of other things were sacrificed to spend more time on that. The boys don't really have any friends outside of the band. No one really has any confidants besides their parents, and that felt silly and unrealistic and liked a missed opportunity (perhaps for a worthwhile female character). Additionally, the focus on Ruben and Zach's relationship and internal struggles often screwed with the pacing of the novel. The problems that the other band members are facing and the external struggle that the whole band is facing with management is pushed to the side at the beginning to focus on Ruben and Zach. Then once Ruben and Zach get together, the focus shifts, which makes it feel like the book has sort of a stark divide between pre-RubenandZach and post-RubenandZach. This made certain parts of the story really drag.
Additionally, I wish the book had focused a bit more on other sources of conflict for the boys besides management. I can imagine that as a celebrity, especially one in a boy band, there are a lot of forces making your life complicated. I think it was a missed opportunity to not discuss how even the fans could be an antagonizing force for the boys. This is somewhat touched on, but in the end the fans are kind of their saving grace, which I suppose I understand. I just wish some of the conflict in this had been a bit more nuanced than it was.
Lastly, I felt like the ending of this was a bit too neat and tidy, happily ever after (similar to my feelings about the ending of [b:The Charm Offensive|56898248|The Charm Offensive|Alison Cochrun|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1628703464l/56898248._SY75_.jpg|88976083]). Very serious and complicated issues are simply waved away by lawyers, and everyone lives happily ever after and gets to live exactly the life they want. I understand the appeal, it just doesn't work for me.
Overall, my favorite aspects were the care that went into crafting Zach and Ruben and the sense of nostalgia that this made me feel, a longing for a time when my life revolved around a boyband.
And though I liked the development of Ruben and Zach's internal struggles, sometimes it felt like a lot of other things were sacrificed to spend more time on that. The boys don't really have any friends outside of the band. No one really has any confidants besides their parents, and that felt silly and unrealistic and liked a missed opportunity (perhaps for a worthwhile female character). Additionally, the focus on Ruben and Zach's relationship and internal struggles often screwed with the pacing of the novel. The problems that the other band members are facing and the external struggle that the whole band is facing with management is pushed to the side at the beginning to focus on Ruben and Zach. Then once Ruben and Zach get together, the focus shifts, which makes it feel like the book has sort of a stark divide between pre-RubenandZach and post-RubenandZach. This made certain parts of the story really drag.
Additionally, I wish the book had focused a bit more on other sources of conflict for the boys besides management. I can imagine that as a celebrity, especially one in a boy band, there are a lot of forces making your life complicated. I think it was a missed opportunity to not discuss how even the fans could be an antagonizing force for the boys. This is somewhat touched on, but in the end the fans are kind of their saving grace, which I suppose I understand. I just wish some of the conflict in this had been a bit more nuanced than it was.
Lastly, I felt like the ending of this was a bit too neat and tidy, happily ever after (similar to my feelings about the ending of [b:The Charm Offensive|56898248|The Charm Offensive|Alison Cochrun|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1628703464l/56898248._SY75_.jpg|88976083]). Very serious and complicated issues are simply waved away by lawyers, and everyone lives happily ever after and gets to live exactly the life they want. I understand the appeal, it just doesn't work for me.
Overall, my favorite aspects were the care that went into crafting Zach and Ruben and the sense of nostalgia that this made me feel, a longing for a time when my life revolved around a boyband.