But privately, the pressure to stay in the closet has Ruben confiding in Zach.
On a whirlwind tour through Europe with an unrelenting schedule and minimal supervision, the two come to rely on each other more and more, and their already close friendship evolves into a romance. But when they decide they’re ready to tell their fans and live freely, Zach and Ruben realize they will never truly have the support they need.
How can they hold tight to each other when their whole world is coming apart? (Pub Date: Dec 07 2021)
Full disclosure? I usually run from books about boy bands. I've put it in my head that all of them are fanfiction in some grade and I haven't followed boy bands since 2002. So this disclosure is full because I only got a book into a troupe I'm very nay about because I've fallen in love with Sophie Gonzales.
Zack and Ruben are part of a popular boy band, but fame came with a downside, they're fully controlled by their management and unable to speak a word without permission. Ruben has never been allowed to come out as homosexual, Zack's songs were never approved because they don't fit the group's image—though they are exactly the type of music Zack likes. The four are already stressed out when their first European tour starts, and it doesn't help that Ruben and Zack, who is heterosexual, can't avoid noticing each other.
It's weird that my biggest complaint is also the reason I became so attached to this book, I wish we didn't have to read so much about the two other members. At the same time, each of them was so well shown since the beginning that the lack of focus compensated and they feel like real people I totally stan. I apologize if this paragraph makes no sense, but now I've finished the book, I'm sad I won't be hearing about them anymore.I also went after the official drawings of each other and while they looked nothing like I was imagining (accepting descriptions isn't my thing and I always make images of my own, sorry to all authors), it was a moment for me.
Putting behind whatever my previous paragraph was, I loved how the coauthorship worked. I could guess which author was in charge of which character but not to a point it felt like I was reading two different books as it tends to happen to those written in four-hands. Having two minds helped us really having two main characters, with different beliefs, personalities and interpretations of each other. The misunderstandings that will inevitably happen didn't feel forced, time to make it rain in paradise. You could see where they came from and agree with each of them as well as feel bad because you know it isn't like that even if the character had no way of reading the other's mind.
I haven't been a pop star yet to attest the backstage and all the shenanigans going with the band but they were so credible they may have become my headcanon for pop groups. The worldbuilding was especially delicious.
And of course, the romance. I think they get together too soon, I wish I could have savored more before but it's before the middle so the story can develop where all the authors' work was leading us to. I understand, it is great, the boy band wasn't just an excuse for another queer romance, they created something more and you should look forward to it. But I liked how Zack likes Ruben without any idea he does it romantically. I love how Ruben could never expect his hot but het friend would feel anything for him. So yes, I wanted more of this phase. At the same time, they're uber cute together and it was necessary for the plot, so okay... I still wanted it, though.
This is some great read. The interesting aspects of the boy band life, the awkward development of the romance, the chemistry between the couple, the awesome characters that made me really cry at least once... This is YA indeed but it's borderline so you'll probably enjoy this romance even if YA isn't your thing.
(Can I request a companion book about AnJon??? I told you I became a stan!)
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
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