Reviews with content warning for Drug use - If This Gets Out

I looooooved this book. Everything about it. From the second I read the blurb I knew I was going to enjoy it, it has everything you could want from a YA romance. LGBTQ+ representation. Strong friendships. Best friends to lovers/forbidden love trope.

The characters are so well developed and easy to love. The plot is fantastic and there's so many serious topics covered throughout but its all handled EXTREMELY well.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the authors for the ARC. I've already preordered my copy💜

Overall rating - 5 stars🌟

Edit: reread 7th October 2023
Still adore this book, still a 5 star read🤷🏻‍♀️🫶🏻

Content Warnings

gcoulsxn's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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bookb1itch's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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camill3's review against another edition

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emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

i actually enjoyed this book, which surprised me, because i don't really like reading YA anymore. this was different, and because i'm a larrie it hit a little close to home, lol.
it is very easy to read (but there are heavy topics!) and there are lots of cute moments between Zach and Ruben. there are also some cringey scenes

like the one when all the moms met and tried to sue the management??

but overall it was very enjoyable :)
maybe it would have worked a bit better if one of the two MC's faced the problems Angel faced, because this storyline definitely also deserved a book, and in my opinion it took up a bit too much space.

we didn't get to see Angel's struggles from his POV, it just doesn't really make sense why he struggled and not the MC's.

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zefancifulreader's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

This was a fun read!
Boy Band public image drama plus friends to lovers romance?! Joy.
I loved the duel authorship of having each author focus on just one half of the couple. It created a realness to the characters, especially in moments of relationship miscommunication/ duality in arguments.
The Angel side story was very interesting, and although YA sugar coated, didn’t shy away from the addiction reality and it’s pain and consequences.
The ending felt a tiny bit rushed and I was honestly surprised when/where the story ended…

But, them saying “bye, see you NEVER” to Geoff was as good of a happy ending as any. (What a dick.)

I really wish they had included a “one year later” epilogue. I want MORE.
The main four boys are a very fun group of characters and I could enjoy reading about their bickering and playfulness all day long. I was worried that the story would dissolve into the classic “solo career” angle but the love and commitment these four have for each other is strong and it was a joy to experience.

If this book were a drink:
It would be cherry coke. I have no idea why. It just fits.

Content Warnings

const_elle_ations's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

lotoblanco's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Content Warnings

lennie_reads's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Thanks to Netgalley and Hachette Children's Group, Hodder Children's Books for my ARC.

So from the moment I picked this book up I really struggled to put it down. For me, it was just one of those books that grabs you and it's all you can think about.

This is a dual pov story about two members of a very famous (fictional) boy band who are best friends, until things start to change.

I adored both Ruben and Zach and could very much relate to Zach's internal thought process around realising he's bisexual.

I, obviously, have no idea what it's like to be famous or in a boy band but the lives of these *literal teenagers* was terrifying and claustrophobic and so so many of the things they went through enraged me.

Despite knowing these characters are teens I did feel like their inner monologue made them sound older - like early / mid twenties. But that could be because I am old, or because they've had to deal with a lot from a young age. Either way I feel like this maybe could've worked a bit better as a New Adult age range rather than Young Adult, but I still loved it.

Definitely check out the content warnings on this book because there are some dark themes.

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