Ginny Frost
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.