This swoon-worthy romance made me simultaneously bawl my eyes out or smile because of how much I loved it. All the way through I was crying of some sort, this made me feel so many emotions that I could not possibly put into words but I will have to say trust me it is a book you will want to pick up.

This book. Wow. I don’t think I was emotionally prepared for the beauty and heart in this book. The characters, the story, the setting, the food. All of it. So perfectly crafted. I felt so much like I was part of their world. I love Ander’s family, their dynamic, the love they have for each other. They were all so supportive and accepting of Ander and Santi and I want to pull up a seat in Lupe’s restaurant and be part of the family. I rooted so hard for Ander and for Santi and the entire time I dreaded turning the page because I knew it was going to hurt. Like the Monster at the End of this book but the monster isn’t lovable furry old Grover. And it absolutely hurt. In that rip your heart out, you’ll never be the same, this book and these character will live rent-free in my mind for a very long time way. I have a feeling this is going to be one of those books I won’t shut up about and will recommend to anyone who will listen.

I loved this for so many reasons. For showing a look at what being an undocumented immigrant is like. For showing a safe and loving family for an nonbinary person. For the absolute love that this book filled me with. Hands down, the best book I've read this year.

Ander and Santi are just meant to be. Ander is an artist planning on going to art school in Chicago. Currently, they are working on murals across their hometown, San Antonio. When they meet Santi, everything seems to still be for the both of them into a tranquil happiness. And it's just so romantic!!!

This author speaks on very important issues and does it well. I honestly want more Ander and Santi!

This book is gorgeous. The characters are gorgeous. Chef's kiss, this was an amazing read!

Out May 2, 2023!

✨ Review ✨ Ander & Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa; Narrated by Avi Roque

Omg this book is Puro San Antonio and I'm obsessed.

This book brings together Ander, a non-binary muralist who has grown up in the Westside of San Antonio, and Santi, an undocumented migrant working in Ander's family's restaurant. The two find quick attraction as they build a friendship filled with adorable flirting. As they build a relationship, the book gets you to think about the meaning of home -- place, structures, family, and friends, and the combination of all of these.

The book made me laugh and cry and feel all the feelings as we moved through joy and excitement and sadness and fear that Ander and Santi faced together. Ander and his family work to protect Santi from ICE, but this produces something that's both heartwarming and heartbreaking as you consider contemporary border / migration issues. RAICES (a real org based in SA comes out as the hero that it is in real life in this book too).

The voice of Ander was PERFECTION, and the book provided such a natural blend of Spanish dialogue and English. This is the second book narrated by Roque I've listened to this week and I'm a fan for life.

Murals, Westside orgs, tacquerias, debates of salsa, mango and paletas, and so much gave me all the SA vibes; and it will make you starving. I'll read anything that Jonny Garza Villa writes!!!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (or just one billion stars)
Genre: YA NB/M romance; coming-of-age
Location: San Antonio
Reminds me of: They Both Die at the End, Cemetery Boys
Pub Date: 02 May 2023

Read this for:
⭕️ its descriptions of murals and food
⭕️ queer joy
⭕️ an open discussion of the impact of ICE/border policy
⭕️ bravery and resistance in the face of those policies

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, Macmillan Audio, and #netgalley for an advanced e-copy of this book!

I loved this book so much, especially the open and hopeful ending. It was optimistic without being unrealistic, which isn't always easy to pull off. I probably won't add this to my middle school collection because it's a bit too mature on the relationships part, but I have recommended it to my high school colleagues. It's an honest look at the human cost of immigration policies.

Ander thinks they have their whole life figured out. They’re taking some time off after graduating high school before starting Art School in Chicago. Then they meet Santi and their whole idea of the future is changed.

While this book is classified as YA I would actually group it as New Adult because it is a little more spicy than your average YA book. Definitely for ages 16+.

I had trouble keeping up with all the Spanish in the book but it definitely made it feel more authentic.

I did put off finishing this book for about a week because I did not want it to end. I’m happy to report that it does have a happy ending.

Thank you to NetGalley & Wednesday books for an ARC of this book.

4.5 stars

“Everything is going to be okay, right?”
“No. But that’s okay too.”

Ander & Santi Were Here is a beautiful story featuring a young couple facing seemingly insurmountable odds.

When Ander meets Santi, they are immediately smitten. Santi, too is equally smitten with Ander. But Santi’s undocumented status casts a dark cloud over their growing relationship, as the constant threat of ICE looms large. Can Ander and Santi find a way to be together? Or will they be torn apart by circumstances beyond their control?

“…maybe this is the first time my heart’s been louder than my brain, I want to listen to it.”

This novel is important in many ways. It’s a timely exploration of the arbitrariness of borders; on the oppressiveness of the laws that affect marginalized communities. It is also a gorgeously crafted queer love story that gives much needed representation to characters who are well-sketched and leap off the page. It’s a love story between Ander and Santi, and between them and their families—both found and birth.

“There’s only us, here together in a moment that is both beautiful and frightening, for however the world wants to give us. And we’re going to make the most of it.”

Ander & Santi Were Here is lovely, poignant, timely, and a must-read.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for generously providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Raimskie Read: Ander & Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa (@jonnyinstas)
Digital Advance Reader’s Copy (ARC),
To be released on May 2, 2023
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Let me be honest with all of you because I almost put this book on my DNF list.
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The contemporary novel is about how the relationship between Ander Lopez (a gay nonbinary muralist) and Santiago Garcia (the newly-hired waiter/taquero in their family’s taqueria) blossomed and thrived beautifully despite the trials and tribulations the world throws their way.
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Now, the reason I almost did not finish this book is because of the anxiety I felt while reading it. Chapter after chapter, I would always wonder when the happy moments between these two lovers would shatter and if the inevitable doom of their relationship would happen in that new chapter that I was reading. Plus, the recurring presence of the ICE agents always puts me on edge.
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Luckily, that was the only thing that I did not like while I was reading this book. The story is just full of sweet, sappy, and happy moments that you will always wish the best for both of them and that those tender moments between these lovers will not end.
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Despite the romance being at its core, this book also tackled social issues such as microaggression, cultural appropriation, racism, and gentrification while showing its readers the colourful and vibrant culture of the Mexican community.
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This book is simply the sweetest, most raw, most beautiful, most poignant, most romantic, and one of the most moving novels I have read so far, if not for this year.
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⚠️TRIGGER/CONTENT WARNINGS⚠️
•mentions of ICE/ICE Raids
•deportation
•underage alcohol drinking
•kidnapping
•non-graphic sexual scenes
•marijuana use [although I have seen people do this in my daily life (because it’s legal here in Canada), some people might still feel uncomfortable reading scenes with this]
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Started: March 7, 2023
Finished: March 22, 2023

Legit crying rn - how HOW was this book that beautiful AND heartbreaking? I JUST CAN'T- OMG 😭

Why you should read this book:
- such soft, cozy moments
- fools in love who call you love and touch-deprived in every single chapter
- SO much love ❤️
- latinx rep
- trans, gay MC
- art references and conversations
- SO MANY food references, if I wasn't already in love with Mexican food, I sure would be now

Please just go read this, it is amazing and mindblowing and I'll perhaps write a full length review after I've calmed down. HIGHLY recommend!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book early! This was a charming, fast-paced romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. But this book is more than just a romance, it also discusses the complexity of allyship and identity. I appreciated the author’s note at the beginning of this novel as it does set the scene and prepare us—the readers—to not put the characters on a pedestal. Through reading, we realize that these characters, just like anyone, are human beings: perfectly imperfect. It is not a new realization that some people approach queer and/or BIPOC books with this idea of perfection, and if it or its characters fall short of that very high bar at any point, then the book suffers and its message is lost. So, the author addressing this fallacy is important, but this book really does speak for itself. It is a wonderful story that follows characters—in whom we might see loved ones in our own lives—navigate the complexities of young adulthood, as they stand at the precipice of change. I know I don’t only speak for myself when I say that I wish I had this book when I was 18, or even 22. My struggles were not the same as Ander and Santi’s, but that is the beauty of this book. The real emotions as these characters struggle with and question their decisions are universal.
This is very special addition to the growing list of queer coming of age novels that I wish I had as a young queer person, and I’m so excited for more people to read it.

Trigger Warnings: Underage drinking, immigration/ICE, transphobia, negative self talk, marijuana, sex off page, cursing, racism, vomit, racial profiling, interaction with police

Representation: They/them pronouns, queer, Mexican, Transgender, Gay, Non-binary, Grey-Ace, Bisexual

Ander and Santi Were Here is a queer contemporary romance about Ander Lopez. Ander is on their gap year before heading to Chicago in the fall for art school. While working for their family’s taqueria, Ander has been also completing murals for a local residency. One day, they meet Santiago Garcia, the hot new waiter. Falling for each other becomes as natural as breathing. Through Santi's eyes, Ander starts to understand who they are and want to be as an artist, and Ander becomes Santi's first steps toward making Santos Vista and the United States feel like home.

Until ICE agents come for Santi, and Ander realizes how fragile that sense of home is. How love can only hold on so long when the whole world is against them. And when, eventually, the world starts to win.

Wow, I love this book! It’s absolutely fantastic! It has easily become my number one for the year and it will be hard to surpass it! This book is so full of love and compassion. The story is absolutely beautiful and Ander and Santi’s relationship is one to cheer for from the beginning. The plot is a bit atypical, with less things “happening,” but still keeps the reader interested from start to finish. The author does an amazing job incorporating their culture and own experiences into this story.

I absolutely adored all of the characters. Tita sounds so fun and I’d want to hang with her all of the time if I was in their family. Ander is so colorful and full of life, and Santi is so realistic. The story’s description of food is absolutely amazing, I constantly wanted to eat while reading this. And the way the author describes Ander’s art is absolutely stunning. I wish they were real! Also I loved the TBDATE Easter egg! This book needs to be read by all and I truly hope it reaches all that need it!

What a joy of a book! I’m not sure I can coherently write about it, but I’ll certainly do my best. But the TL;DR version is that this book is hands down one of the best books I’ve read and you should absolutely read it.

Ander & Santi Were Here is a YA contemporary romance filled with so many emotions. From the start I loved Ander’s voice and humor. They had me grinning and laughing out loud, but it was twinged with the knowledge of future grief because as you watch Ander and Santi fall in love, you know that there’s a time limit because Ander is moving to Chicago and Santi is undocumented. It was a a similar feeling to reading Adam Silvera’s They Both Die at the End (which is actually referenced in this book) where you know what’s going to happen but you can’t help wishing it might change. And yes, I cried.

This whole book is about finding joy where you can and following your passions. A big plot point is Ander’s decision to defer going to art school for a year and their struggles with how their identity and their art inform each other. Watching their growth throughout the story was everything I want out of this type of coming of age story. I also loved the community dynamics. Ander’s family was amazing and I loved that they gave each other so much shit and always used the appropriate gender neutral Spanish for Ander. I loved Zeke and Ronnie and Juni and everyone. And Santi! I loved him, and how he was still so optimistic and kind despite everything he has been through.

This book was beautiful and I will absolutely be rereading via audio (narrated by Avi Roque, who I love) and when my physical book comes in.

This book is a hauntingly charming and realistic story that managed to launch me out of my reading slump, something a book hasn't been able to do in about 6 months. I absolutely adored everything about this book: the plot, the character construction, the vibes, and the setting.

It's so difficult to aptly summarize just how powerful this book is, or the impact it had on me. Jonny Garza Villa has such a way with words, weaving an atmospheric, colorful story that leaves you crying and laughing and clutching your heart in equal measure. The way that they describe the settings, from the restaurant patio to the park to Ander's murals - you can see it all so vividly.

Reading Ander & Santi Were Here gives you that same feeling as that last summer before college; warm and slow and nostalgic for those last few moments of childhood, but with that lingering undercurrent of anxiety wrong wrong wrong creeping up on you. You can feel the bond that Ander has with their family, their friends, and their community in every page, and the love that Ander feels for all of them and the places around them in return. From the very moment Santi is introduced, you are rooting for him and Ander, falling in love as quickly and deeply and dramatically as only teenagers can. You want the two of them to succeed, and you believe that they will, no matter how dramatic the stakes get or suddenly that undercurrent of anxiety changes to a present and immediate threat. This is a couple - and a family - that you cheer for, and you feel safe to do so because the author themself has reassured you that you can, and that's a beautiful thing when balancing such a delicate, difficult, current topic.

And, to wrap the story up so beautifully with a cover and a title that are both so relevant to the overall plot - AMAZING. Literal chills. Flawless.

I just genuinely cannot say enough good things about this book, or these characters, or Jonny Garza Villa. I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy next month, and I definitely can't wait to stick a copy on my classroom shelves.

4.3/5

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review

Ander & Santi Were Here is a beautiful book that depicts the story of the protagonist Ander and their partner Santi, as they navigate the challenges that come with being undocumented, or rather just brown, in the US. The author writes with so much compassion and their characters are so easy to fall in love with and be invested in. Although the book is about our titular couple, they bring up the issues that come with systemic racism, tokenism, gentrification, and of course immigration. Seeing Ander’s growth as they become more confident in their art and their priorities was extremely heartwarming and touching, and I loved how the author showed the progression of their art and murals as a vehicle to show Ander’s own growth.
This book absolutely destroyed me, it had me ugly crying for two days in public transportation¬– the romance is written with so much tenderness and passion that it’s difficult not to feel what the characters feel throughout the book. I enjoyed the writing style overall as I felt the voice of Ander suited their personality really well, however, there were definitely some clumsy sentences and awkward phrasing (seriously does anyone outside of TikTok use ‘unalive'?) that were distracting while reading. The book brings awareness to many issues that immigrants, specifically Mexican immigrants face and I appreciated the lens through which the author calls attention to these issues. Not all queer books need to have queerness as a source of trauma, however, I think that there could have been some more discussions about the intersections of queerness and immigrant status. I feel that a book about a queer couple navigating the complex migration landscape in this country was missing a critical intersectional lens about how queer couples often face unique challenges due to their migrant status and their identity. This book is not only phenomenal and touching but also highlights the challenges that come with being undocumented, I urge everyone to read this book.

4.5 stars

Working at their family's taqueria in their home in San Antonia, Texas is all Ander has ever known. In fact, their home is what inspired them to be a muralist, to follow their dreams to become an artist. However, in order to make sure they make the best of their gap year between high school and college, their family "fires" them. Now, they have the chance to focus on their art.

Until Santi enters the picture. Santi, Ander's replacement at the restaurant, inspires Ander to explore their identity as an artist. Makes them feel more like themselves. But the threat of ICE agents hang over both of their heads. And they'll realize how fragile their new home really is.

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday books for an advanced copy of Ander & Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa! This is their second YA book, and it packs a punch. Just like Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun. Both of these books explore the idea of that transition period between high school and college, especially when you find someone you connect with. If you haven't read their other book, I highly recommend it!

This book focuses on Ander's gap year, meeting with a mentor before they go off to an art program. However, part of the story is about their artistic journey, learning that they maybe don't have to follow the conventional path. And that those college art programs can sometimes put you into a specific box. I loved the way that art was woven into this story, and how it related to Ander's own growth as a person.

Their chemistry with Santi is also well written. Being undocumented, Santi has seen a lot of difficulties, but you can just tell that he feels safe with Ander. There were so many cute moments between them, and they both have a wonderful, vibrant community around them. A community that would do anything to make sure that they both feel safe.

Villa's writing has also gotten stronger in this book, with descriptions written in a way that just makes the images leap off the page. I honestly wanted to go paint something when I was done reading this!

All in all, another beautiful novel by Villa. Can't wait to see what they write next.

rating: 5/5 stars and billions of hearts

this book is so hard to write a review for. it’s so hard to put into words everything that this book is and gives the reader.

what a gut-punch of feels and emotions. i think i’m with everyone and their mother when i say this was a pure joy to experience. as a neurodivergent person who has done a lot of healing and reflective work, certain things about almost every romance i’ve ever read just Don’t Sit Right with me. there’s always something about the relationship or, more often, the way it’s written, that i don’t jive with. this was perfection. everything made sense and everything was meaningful.

the best parts: nonbinary mc. sensational dialogue. ADORED the exploration of identities here, especially in how it pertained to artistic expression and having a sense of community. THE RELATIONSHIPS. all of the side characters were developed with such fun and care. and the development of the relationship between our two main characters was *mwah*. the tension, tenderness, celebration, vulnerability, and power displayed in this novel gripped me by the shoulders and pulled me directly into the pages.

tbh, i think this is the best YA, the best romance, and the best contemporary i’ve ever read. granted, i spent a lot of time in my preteen/early teen years reading “award-winning” contemporary YA romance that was really just uninclusive, patriarchal bs that didn’t include any of my identities or those of the people i care about. either way, the writing style, plot, dialogue, character development, etc. were all so logical, balanced, and engaging to me. i don't often find all of those things in any book, let alone a contemporary YA romance. i haven't cried because of a book in so, so long. this was a masterpiece. objectively a tour de force that shed such sorely needed perspective on Mexican-American joy, identity, and how ICE impacts communities that belong in America just as much as anyone else does. stories like this are so necessary to be written and read today.

i am so deeply glad that teens and those who love YA have novels like this to read. i know the difference it would have made for me 15 years ago to have my introduction into YA include more books like this.

thank you to netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Wow, this is something else. I initially picked this book because of the gorgeous cover, it radiates young love - happy to say that the image has actual significance in the story!

This YA contemporary took a different direction than I expected and it paid off. This is NOT about 2 young people falling in love and discovering physical intimacy for the first time & coming of age (like many YA books).
This IS about Ander, non-binary Mexican-American aspiring artist falling for Santi, an undocumented Mexican boy. They are both mature young people and already have a good idea of what they want in life ... and what limitations they face.

The story is heartwarming and heartbreaking at once, I definitely shed some tears and rooted for Ander & Santi all the way!
While the focus is their growing feelings for each other, I absolutely appreciated Ander trying to find their voice as an artist and how their Mexican heritage influences their artistic decisions.
"There are these moments where I can't tell the difference between authenticity and trying to make a point. I don't know if I see heart in this."

My only negative is the pacing that seemed inconsistent in some chapters, as they were significantly slower than others.

A YA contemporary with incredibly important conversations, great LGBTQ+ rep and a love story for the ages!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me a free ARC for an honest review.

I appreciate what the author was trying to achieve with this book but I felt the pacing was a bit off. I also felt like the books wanted to be all things to too many different demographics. I will still recommend it as it is one of the few books available that confront the immigration issue in an emotionally touching way that helps to show the reality with humanity.

This book is proof that you can know the endgame that a book will bring, but still be surprised, delighted, and emotional along the way.

It took me a bit to get into this story, but once I was hooked, there was no putting it down. There were so many layers: family, immigration, gender & sexuality, family separation, and more. Each chapter brought new discoveries and they were all woven into a beautiful love story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC!