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jennycantread 's review for:
If This Gets Out
by Sophie Gonzales, Cale Dietrich
This book may be deemed as a fun boy-band romance, but it is so much more than that.
If This Gets Out covers the precarious lifestyle that comes with being part of the music industry - especially while being queer like the main two characters. I was truly engrossed in reading the experiences the band was forced through and undoubtedly rooted for them. It was incredibly eye-opening to view the industry from the producer's angle rather than from the consumer's (like myself). I also enjoyed the depiction of their fans and the exploration of social media and the impacts it can create.
I feel like this book is notably character-driven. And, I wholeheartedly ADORED the characters. Each one of the main four resonated with me in some way. Their group dynamics were hilarious, and I genuinely enjoyed reading many of the scenes. This book also covers the personal struggles the characters were battling and how the overlap of their jobs affected them. The romance between the two mains, of course, is a significant part of the book. I couldn't help but occasionally feel giddy and warm inside seeing Zach and Ruben's relationship grow, and they had so many adorable moments.
In spite of everything I personally appreciated, I ended up rating it a three-star for several reasons. The main one being that I largely rate books based on my own personal enjoyment. The pacing unfortunately felt too slow for me, and I honestly felt like I was slogging through the whole thing. I also didn't end up enjoying the romance as much I had anticipated and felt mostly indifferent about it the entire time. There were also too many mundane points in which I felt underwhelmed and bored reading through. Most of the book felt like merely jumping from one interview or meet-and-greet to the next. Like several reviewers have mentioned, I feel like I would have liked this more if I was a fan of a modern-day boy band. I mean, the only boy band I seriously like is The Beatles, but I seriously doubt that counts in this context. :p
All in all, I believe If This Gets Out is not only an important read but a relevant one too. However, I felt largely conflicted about it and ended up not enjoying it as much I had liked to.
If This Gets Out covers the precarious lifestyle that comes with being part of the music industry - especially while being queer like the main two characters. I was truly engrossed in reading the experiences the band was forced through and undoubtedly rooted for them. It was incredibly eye-opening to view the industry from the producer's angle rather than from the consumer's (like myself). I also enjoyed the depiction of their fans and the exploration of social media and the impacts it can create.
I feel like this book is notably character-driven. And, I wholeheartedly ADORED the characters. Each one of the main four resonated with me in some way. Their group dynamics were hilarious, and I genuinely enjoyed reading many of the scenes. This book also covers the personal struggles the characters were battling and how the overlap of their jobs affected them. The romance between the two mains, of course, is a significant part of the book. I couldn't help but occasionally feel giddy and warm inside seeing Zach and Ruben's relationship grow, and they had so many adorable moments.
In spite of everything I personally appreciated, I ended up rating it a three-star for several reasons. The main one being that I largely rate books based on my own personal enjoyment. The pacing unfortunately felt too slow for me, and I honestly felt like I was slogging through the whole thing. I also didn't end up enjoying the romance as much I had anticipated and felt mostly indifferent about it the entire time. There were also too many mundane points in which I felt underwhelmed and bored reading through. Most of the book felt like merely jumping from one interview or meet-and-greet to the next. Like several reviewers have mentioned, I feel like I would have liked this more if I was a fan of a modern-day boy band. I mean, the only boy band I seriously like is The Beatles, but I seriously doubt that counts in this context. :p
All in all, I believe If This Gets Out is not only an important read but a relevant one too. However, I felt largely conflicted about it and ended up not enjoying it as much I had liked to.