I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Ander & Santi Were Here is a beautiful YA love story, simultaneously exploring the journey of a queer teen coming of age and falling in love, as well confronting the difficult realities undocumented immigrants live with every day.
Ander is such a wonderful character. I was drawn immediately by their relationships with their family, especially the vibes of love and acceptance for them being themself. I love how the family balances that love with setting realistic expectations as Ander prepares to tackle the next chapter of their life…even if Ander does chafe at some of the things their family does sometimes, like replacing them at their job at the family restaurant.
Ander and Santi’s relationship, especially early on, was so cute. It felt very modern and fresh, including the cute Instagrams and text convos. But it also transitions well into serious territory when Santi’s immigration status is an issue that could separate them. I was on the edge of my seat with anxiety, wondering how it would all work out (and it does…in a beautiful and satisfying way).
Just as with their debut, Jonny Garza Villa has written a beautiful story, one I’d recommend to anyone looking for queer YA contemporaries.

What an absolutely GORGEOUS & HEARTBREAKING read. Santi & Ander were brilliant. Their banter has me giggling. I absolutely loved the art, culture and diversity. I’m pretty sure I sobbed through the last 25% - and at the end my heart is so incredibly full, wow!

4.5⭐

This heartfelt, beautiful and achingly sad book. I loved it though not nearly as much as Ander loves Santi. Set in San Antonio, Ander is a queer nonbinary teen muralist getting ready for art school when they fall in love with Santi, an undocumented Mexican immigrant. There has never been a better time for this book as the country (and especially Texas) bans queer books, books about immigration and race and shows so much hatred toward these people.

Because at the end of the day, that is what is important about this book. Jonny shows us that Santi and Ander are people with feelings, hopes and dreams that deserve to be realized just as much as a white cisgender person whose family came over hundreds of years ago. I love how this book is Jonny's ode to Mexican culture, San Antonio, the queer community and art in this beautiful way.

This was truly an amazing debut and must read this year. It is a bit slow at times, but I think this leaves room for Jonny's books to become even more incredible. Ander and Santi Were Here will be on my mind for a long time and I hope you'll let them into your heart too.

Astounding and powerful and NECESSARY. Jonny Garza Villa delivers a heartbreakingly beautiful story that intertwines culture, sexuality, and the things that make us human. I will be recommending this to every person I've ever met!

This book was beautiful but also very disappointing. It was much needed representation and the relationship and depictions of family and community were lovely….but that felt like that was the only thing that the book was about. The plot felt very barebones — like it was just thrown in to frame the relationship. The part that really disappointed me was the complete lack of character development. Both Ander and Santi are extremely static characters; we don’t see them grow and change at all. I understand the choice to tell the whole story from Ander’s pov, but if that was the choice I needed to be getting something a little bit **more** from them. Their conflict over deferring college with their parents was very shallow; their argument with Zeke was underdeveloped to the point that it felt petty; for the most part they don’t seem terribly emotionally affected by the perpetual danger Santi is facing. The most character development Ander goes through is realizing that their residency advisor/mentor is racist and forcing them into the confines of the stereotypical “Mexican muralist” box — but even that is like are you serious? It took you that long??

Wow. Wow wow wow. This is an incredible and important book.

Ander & Santi Were Here follows Ander, a nonbinary gay Latine 19-year-old, through several seasons of self-discovery and love. Ander is an artist who mainly paints murals, and is on a gap year after deferring from a prestigious art school. Their family runs a taquería in San Antonio, and hires Santi. Ander and Santi are immediately attracted to one another. And here we begin a really sweet love story.

But the love story isn't what makes this book stand out. Instead, what makes this book so incredible and unique is its commitment to centering queer joy, its seamless incorporation of inclusive (de-gendered) Spanish, and its direct confrontation and examination of the countless flaws in US immigration policy.

Ander & Santi Were Here is exceptional. It's rich and raw and beautiful and textured. And I think it has the potential to help readers see the beauty of queerness, the ease of gender fluidity, and the horrors of USian immigration policy.

E-ARC generously provided by St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!

4 stars. Both a deft rendering of the realities of undocumented immigrants and a heartwarming romance, Ander & Santi Were Here is the kind of story that both breaks your heart and pieces it back together.

This book is so cute. The romance is perfect and the characters are so relatable. The author seamlessly blends English and Spanish throughout the book which helps deepen the experience. I will be reading this again once my Rainbowcrate copy arrives. This is my first 5 star read of 2023. I am so happy to have been able to read this early.

Ander & Santi Were Here is a lovely YA romance between two teen. The slow burn romance is told from Ander's point of view. While the story pacing was a bit slow, I enjoyed the wholesome story. While there are many heavy themes being covered, the author is able to balance it with lightness as well. I especially liked that the author gave a loving family to Ander and that wasn't part of the conflict.

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the advanced reader copy.

Wow, this book stole and promptly destroyed my heart. Ander & Santi Were Here is one of my favorite books of 2023! Ander and Santi have a relationship filled with longing, so much love, and many real-life obstacles. It’s devastatingly romantic and filled with very real grief and pain. Ander & Santi Were Here is brimming with heart and beautiful writing that includes lots of Spanish (which is easy to understand based on context). This is a book that promises to make you cry, grin, and end up wanting to reread the whole thing over again.

Ander & Santi Were Here is simply beautiful from the cover to the story inside. Once you read the story, you will have even more appreciation for the stunning cover. This is a book that is so moving, deeply romantic, and yet also incorporates real-life problems. I don’t see how anyone could read this story and not come away with a deeper understanding about how immigration laws in the US are horrifyingly cruel and tear families apart.

The queer representation was excellent; Ander is nonbinary and uses they/them/elle pronouns. Ander and Santi have an instant attraction, surrounded by Ander’s family. I loved how Ander’s family was so wonderful and involved in protecting Ander and especially Santi. Ander’s parents were so loving and accepting, while also calling them out when needed and trying to help them no matter what. Since a good portion of this book takes place at Ander’s family taquería, you absolutely cannot read this book without snacks because the descriptions of Mexican food are incredible.

I would recommend this for readers who enjoy Edward Underhill (Always the Almost), Gabe Cole Novoa (The Wicked Bargain), and Sonora Reyes (The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School). I would truly recommend this to anyone, especially those who enjoy queer love stories that will take you on an emotional journey. I already can’t wait to read Jonny Garza Villa’s next book!

Ander & Santi Were Here releases May 2, 2023. Thank you so much to Jonny Garza Villa, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

ANDER & SANTI WERE HERE by Jonny Garza Villa left me in tears. The writing is gorgeous, the characters are so well developed, and the reality the novel depicts is devastating.

There's so much to love in ANDER & SANTI WERE HERE. The mix of English and Spanish without explanation, the chaotic Friday night family dinner, the combination of found family and blood family, and Ander's search for their identity as an artist all made me feel "at home" in a way most books do not. The adult characters were also multi-dimensional and distinct. I loved Tita! What an amazing--and believable--character; she felt very familiar. She's also a character I haven't read before.

Ander's experience with art school and the way they are pigeoned-holed based on race is infuriating, yet sadly believable. I really appreciate the author's frank depiction of this, especially as Ander wrestles with his decision and with the repeated microagressions of his advisor.

Ander and Santi are a couple to root for, too. The intensity of their romance was appropriate given their ages and situation. Because the couple is so lovable, it makes the depiction of ICE and its horrible treatment of people even more visceral. It really hits.

I hope this book opens up discussions about ICE and expectations of artists of color and what family means. I will be recommending to my students as an excellent read and will also be adding it to my long-form, advanced fiction workshops this summer.

4.25 ⭐️
Genre: YA Contemporary
Pub Date: 5/2/23
POV: First person, single pov
Cw: deportation, racism, kidnapping

Summary: Ander is a non-binary artist trying to figure out their future. Santi is the new hot waiter Ander falls in love with. As the two grow together, they’re forced to examine how long and how much their love can last.

While this is a romance, it’s a heavy one. This novel was beautifully written and the story of Ander & Santi was stuck in my head long after finishing it.

I would describe the pacing of this novel as slow. It took me about 15% in to really become invested, as a lot of the scenes up to that point were casual flirting or art descriptions. Sadly, pacing is a big aspect in my enjoyment of books. If the pacing feels off, I struggle to feel connected to the book.

The other thing that felt off: While I expected the end of the book and I was glad the characters got a happy ending, it just felt really unrealistic. I can’t go into detail without spoiling.

The rest of these points didn’t bother me, but I do feel that I should point them out:

If you don’t know Spanish and don’t have google translate readily accessible, you may feel like you’re missing out. While the story would still be enjoyable, there’s a lot of sentences/ terms of endearment that I had to search up and didn’t have many context clues to help.

This novel also had a lot of mature content for a YA book. It’s all closed door while leaving as little to the imagination as possible. While this didn’t bother me, I know a lot of people wouldn’t be expecting it so it might be off putting.

In conclusion, if you like romance or contemporary of any kind, I think you should give this book a try. It’s incredibly written and a beautiful love story despite being heavy. While it won’t be for everyone, I think many will enjoy it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and Jonny Garza Villa for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up.

oh this book--i want to read it again already. new adult queer romance, so much about immigration and justice, family and work and art and futures. i was swept up in everyone and everything. all of them deserved better from the world. i listened to this and it was really well narrated.

i don't know if school libraries will allow this bc drugs and sex are pretty explicit but they should.

Thank you for the arc in exchange for honest review!

Overall, it was a cute story about a Mexican American teen falling in love with an undocumented immigrant & their struggles.

Unfortunately, It didn’t really work for me. The pacing was so slow It was hard for me to enjoy the story and stay invested. Im not a huge fan of InstaLove & based on physical attraction . Ander and Santi were in love from the moment they met each other basically. Also, there are nonstop pop-culture references. No joking its every other page.

Regardless, i think it’s important that the store was told and it’s a beautiful message . Fans of Aristotle and Dante would like this book.

* keep in mind that a lot of the story is in Spanish. if you are not fluent or at least comfortable speaking Spanish, then you will definitely need to translate a lot of it*

This book was SO romantic. And steamy. Whew 😍🥵.

The MC is 19 so it definitely borders the YA/NA line, though nothing is explicitly graphic. Honestly, I was rooting for this couple the whole way, and if @jonnyinstas ever writes an adult romance I will faint.

That aside, though, I really identified with Ander. For multiple reasons, but a big one being that I know what it's like to love and try to protect someone who is undocumented, though I myself am not. I parented a teen without papers for two years, and it is definitely a special kind of fear many don't know.

This book has so many things I loved in it: mural making, figuring out what your body of art means as an artist, a nonbinary MC, a queer romance, beautiful modeling of gender neutral language in Spanish, fun family dynamics, loads of Mexican food, and optimistic love.

Highly recommend you pick this one up 💖. I loved it.

Another beautiful queer love story by Jonny Garza Villa, filled with hilarious dialogue, vivid lovable characters, heart-wrenching scenes, and heartwarming growth. Ander’s story talks about finding meaning in your work, what it means to create, and the balance of making art about your identities, not because it’s expected of you as a result of who you are, but rather how you want to express yourself. Ander, Santi, and the whole family and crew were a joy to get to know. I was absolutely moved by their fierce love and protectiveness of each other.

Heartfelt story about two teens- Ander who is nonbinary and Santi who is queer- and their struggle to make a future together, This incorporates Latino culture and the street art community and make it all feel very real. And regrettably, their troubles are topical. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

𝘼 𝙔𝘼 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖 𝙣𝙤𝙣𝙗𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙈𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝘼𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮’𝙨 𝙩𝙖𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙖.

📍 Read if you like:
• Mexican Characters
• Love Stories
• Queer Rep
• Murals And Food

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started reading this book, but I definitely was not expecting to get emotional. This really hit deep with a love story between an undocumented Mexican male and a non-binary Mexican American… There were mentions of ICE and the border policy that had me sobbing. As someone who has undocumented family members, it was tough reading about these moments. I have witnessed it happen and it’s never something you would ever want to happen to you.

I really think Jonny Garza Villa did a phenomenal job at writing this beautiful but also heartbreaking story with these characters you will absolutely love. I have been to San Antonio before and I think this book portrays the beautiful city so well. The mention of food with the taqueria and the murals around the city… oh man, I felt so emerged in the story and setting.

I can’t explain how much I loved Ander and Santi. They both were so likable and I related to both of them in different traits. They soon become friends but later grow a strong relationship.

This book really made me question what “home” really meant - not just a roof over our heads, but also surrounded by those who love us (family, friends, etc.)

I felt all kinds of emotions while reading this book. At one moment I was giggling while for another moment I was sobbing. This story is beautiful - it really is. Also, my stomach was growling throughout the book. It made me want mangoes, paletas, and tacos with some salsa - I was seriously hungry reading this book.

I had a few small issues with the book, however, they were very minor and they didn’t take the enjoyment I had with the book. Honestly, this book is beautiful and written so well. The characters are lovable. The setting is extremely incredible. As a Mexican reviewer, I would highly recommend this book. It's not only this YA Queer Mexican love story, there’s a bigger message being addressed that I think it’s very important to read about.
Thank you Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the gifted e-ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review, all thoughts are my own!

This book was absolutely beautiful. It very much vibes similar as Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. It had that same "take on the world and win for love" feeling. It was a little slow in the middle and the end almost felt a tad rushed, but overall I absolutely loved it. It's a book I think everyone should give a chance.

I LOVED this authors book called Fifteen-hundred Miles From The Sun, so i was expecting to love this one as well, and I did. I think the author does such a good job at describing Latino culture that I wanted to keep learning more and more. I found myself going off and doing my own research on immigration topics, street art, and the various artists mentioned in the book. I know when a book will stay with me when I continue to look into aspects as time goes on, and this was one of them.
I actually have some background knowledge in street art, so I loved the incorporation of it in this story, especially given that it was well-loved by the community.
Ander and Santi are a couple that I know I will continue to think about. The thing that struck me the most was there wasn’t the “happy ending” you expected, but there was a happy ending.