This book is so beautiful and so important. I fell in love with our two main characters. This book packs such an emotional punch and won't let you down.

"Te amo, Santi. Y te veré pronto."


I read the majority of this book on a plane which means I spent the majority of that time on the plane crying into my N95 mask and texting my best friend to translate the Spanish words I couldn't decipher on my own (free texting in flight, no free internet). I knew this book would break me, but I was NOT READY.

TW: racism, America’s flawed immigration system, ICE, loss of a parent (cancer), missing parent off-page, threat of deportation, grief

I tend to be a cynic when it comes to YA romance because those relationships usually won't last, yet we're expected to believe them when they say "I love you" after 200 pages. However. HOWEVER. I would personally fistfight grown men in a parking lot to keep these two safe forever. I will never let them feel pain ever again!!!

Truthfully, I think everyone should know very little going into this book. Our main character, Ander or AJ, is nonbinary and an artist, in the post-grad stages and trying to find their footing before going off to school. The love interest, Santi, is hired as a new waiter at Ander's family's restaurant, and sparks start flying almost immediately. The problem? Santi is undocumented.

And the other problem? I read this book in public.

Here's a little rundown of the parts that left me screaming/crying/punch me in the face:
-the way the cover and title are integrated into the story (SOBBING I TELL YOU SOBBING!!)
-the sex positivity (upper YA/New Adult, by the end of the book both characters are 19)
-there is zero transphobia/homophobia
-it's a love letter to San Antonio, TX (anyone else want to do an Ander & Santi field trip?)
-the deep connections and love for Latine culture and family
-the passion for art, especially Mexican art
-literally everything

I think my most honest rating of this book would be 4.75 stars because the book has a slow start, but once I got 15-20% in I was blazing through the pages. It just took me a few months to get through that beginning.

Also, I did laugh quite a bit reading this! And not just because I made my best friend look up words in the Spanish dictionary that are a bit NSFW 💀

OH AND HOW COULD I FORGET? A major part of this book is a friendship going south and recovering from a friendship breakup. Felt very pertinent to my current life.

Rep: Nonbinary gay Mexican MC, gay or pan (not explicitly labeled) Mexican love interest, gay & gray ace SC, bisexual SC, trans SC, many queer minor side characters

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I cried twice! I will read anything Jonny Garza Villa writes and this was proof of why. Just stunning, artistic, funny, voicey, and full of heart. And important too.

This book ended up being something that just wasn't for me. I know that others will really enjoy it, I just couldn't get into it.

I really liked the topics that were discussed in this book, and how it didn’t shy away from difficult conversations. I liked the premise, but I wasn’t super engaged in the storyline even though the characters and setting were compelling. I think it might be because Garza Villa’s writing style isn’t for me, but I will definitely be recommending this book to others since it had so many great elements!

This is one of the most captivating books I’ve ever read. Jonny Garza Villa captures emotion in a very specific, nuanced way that seems to both encapsulate and transcend any experience.

While helping in their family’s taquería and working on their murals and art, Ander is trying to figure out what the upcoming year will bring them. Art school doesn’t seem to be fitting exactly as hoped. When their family hires Santi to help with serving, Ander is immediately infatuated and the two fall for each other fast and hard. But their relationship isn’t on the sturdiest of feet as ICE agents seem to be always looming on the horizon, threatening Santi’s ability to stay in San Antonio.

This book was just beautiful. Astounding. Something I simultaneously felt compelled to finish while dragging my heels to stay with this story and these characters. The emotion and heart comes through on every page, in every description, and every word of dialogue.

Everyone said that the last quarter of the book brought an endless onslaught of tears and I’ll add my own experience to that. Definitely true. Definitely sobbed. Definitely one of the best books I’ve read.

5 stars

2.5 stars
DNF @ 30%
I’m very sad this book didn’t work for me but the “in your face, telling not showing” constant social commentary about racism and transphobia totally ruined the experience for me.

I'm absolutely going to get way too emotional trying to review this beautiful story. It deserves so many more than five stars because I genuinely think that it is a perfect contemporary YA romance.

The writing is absolutely gorgeous. I was lucky enough to have both an eGalley and the audiobook, and the audiobook absolutely brought everything to life. These characters, their families and friends, the artwork, the restaurant, their lives...everything is so vivid. And there was so much passion. You know those people who aren't afraid to feel, and feel deeply? That's how Ander, and honestly everyone felt to me. It was so raw and real and honest. And it was funny. There was so much laughter and love and joy. There are so many important stories to tell and I just want to shove this book in the hands of absolutely everyone.

I'm not articulating anything well, but just read it. Trust me.

Ander & Santi Were Here is a gripping YA romance that shines a light on the harsh realities undocumented immigrants face. Even more than that it's about the communities and loved ones who come together to support them during these times. Ander & Santi's story is a difficult one, but it is also full of love, hope and joy.

I finished this book, and it was amazing! Definitely a 5 star read. I love Santi, Ander and Ander's family. The book cover is stunning for one. Santi and Ander have a beautiful relationship, and it's wonderful watching them grow closer and seeing them together. It's not just a romantic story; this book shows the realities of what undocumented workers go through.

Johnny writes emotions and people so beautifully. The characters are all three dimensional and have a lot of depth to them. I loved getting to know each character better, especially Santi.

This story is about love, finding home, belonging, and fighting for what you believe in. I enjoyed the powerful story, writing style, and dialogue between characters. I listened to the audiobook and loved it; the narration was great and added to the story nicely. Also, I've just been enjoying audiobooks more than physical reading lately.

Get ready to have your heart broken and put back together again.

Art. Love. Immigration. Real life. Overcoming.

Ander & Santi Were Here is a heartwarming(and heart wrenching) view of what it's like to fall in love and see that beauty flash before your eyes. This is an absolutely lovely story.

Because of this one book Jonny Garza Villa will now be on my instant buy author list.

"...because maybe this is the first time my heart’s been louder than my brain, I want to listen to it.” 🖤🧠

Screaming. Crying. Throwing up. Punch me in the face. This book is fucking perfect. ANDER & SANTI WERE HERE by Jonny Garza Villa is just the most beautiful, YA contemporary romance. Told from the perspective of Ander, a non-binary, Chicano artist, this book is beautiful, heartbreaking and so, so hopeful.

Ander is taking a gap year before college - and they have a prestigious internship with a local nonprofit and are able to create beautiful murals around San Antonio. While working at their family’s taqueria, they meet Santi. What unfolds is a supportive, caring relationship - but when Ander discovers Santi is an undocumented immigrant from Mexico and ICE agents are frequenting the restaurant, their relationship and new love is tested.


This book is a searing portrayal of how immigration, ICE and the threat of personal and family safety shapes people’s existence, relationships, and mental health. This novel also has a fantastic sense of community - where other characters are supportive of both the relationship and of keeping Santi safe - and speaks to the resiliency of immigrants, as they look to lead secure, safe, and full lives.

I cannot wait to read the author’s other book - and it seems they have another one coming out next year! Just please read this book.

CW // immigration; ICE; deportation; xenophobia and racism; police; gentrification

In our world, this story will hit home to so many people. I have been wanting to diversify my reading more and I am so glad I have been trying to make that a priority because this is the kind of story that I want to learn about. While this story may not have worked for me I still see the importance of this story and want more people to read.
So because this was not my favorite story I wanted to share the things that I think this book did well and the things that I think could have been better.
The thing that I enjoyed most about this book was the family dynamics of Ander's family, the diverse representation, and the difficult topics that were discussed.
One of the things that didn't work for me are Ander as a character. Ander annoyed me from the beginning maybe because they seemed so selfish from the very beginning is what made me not connect with the character. For me, all of Ander's decisions big and small were made for what they wanted in that moment. I was glad that at one of the main conflicts, this selfishness was addressed and I do understand that they were only 19, but for someone who has grown up in a family like Ander's, it seemed off to me that they would be so selfish. The other big issue that I had was that the pacing felt very disjointed. The first 3/4 of the book was so slow and because I wasn't enjoying Ander as a character it made that portion drag then the last 1/4 of the book felt rushed and while I understood that the events that were occurring would have been rushed it felt like the most character development that was happening was also rushed and didn't feel authentic in my opinion.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

Ander Martinez has only ever know his neighborhood, The Santo Vista in San Antonio. Their job at the family's taqueria, the mixture of Spanish and English. This place inspired their work as muralist and as they get ready to finish school, they start thinking if they really want to leave everything behind. To keep him to be "complacent" during their gap year, their family fires them so they can focus more on their murals and be ready for their college. But meeting the new hot waiter, Santiago López Alvarado, changes everything. It's thanks to him, Ander starts to understand who they are and what they want to be as an artist, and thanks to Ander, Santi starts his first steps into see this neighborhood and the United States as his new home. Until ICE agents come for Santi and their precious world and sense of belonging is shattered and they have to fight to stay together in a world that wants to separate them.

Ander & Santi were here is a romantic, heartwrenching love story written by Jonny Garza Villa, who has emotionally destroyed me once before. So why read another book? I guess, I'm a masochist. BUT this book is magnificent, written so beautifully and dealing with important and delicate themes like love, belonging, fighting to recognize a new place like home, growing up, falling in love in a world bent on hurting you and fighting against it for your own chances and choices. I do love it immensily, I was deeply involved and it was so impossible not to feel for Ander and Santi, their growing bond and love, Ander's art and to want them to be happy, safe and sound.
Totally recommended it!

It took me a long while to finish this book and I don't know why. It was beautifully written, it was sad and joyful and heartbreaking and encouraging all at the same time. Love in the face of terror and the thought of losing a loved one can be magical even when everything is dark and scary. Ander was a wonderful protagonist and their emotions rang through every word. I'm glad they had a happy ending and lived dispite it all.

To date, I believe Aristotle and Dante discover the Secrets of the Universe to be one of the most important and fundamental cornerstone of not only my reading journey, but of my adolescence. So, whenever I hear something compared to Aristotle and Dante, I always give it a reluctant try. Thankfully, Ander & Santi Were Here lived up to every expectation and blew me away!

Not only did I find the characters incredible diverse, with it's genuine Latinx and queer representation, but the way that it was presented was incredibly vivid! It's easy to fall into the trap of writing a non-binary character that is sassy and a diva, but I found Ander to be so rich in their artistry and growth that I could tell the author held great respect for Under. And Santi was a tragic character that also had so much joy to him!

While the romance felt a little insta-lovey, I will continue to root for the romance of Ander & Santi, as well as keep Jonny Garza Villa on my author radar moving forward!

There is so much to love about this story, from the nuanced characters to their complicated lives and relationships, it pulls you in and helps you grow.
Ander Martínez is an artist in San Antonio. They love working in his family's taqueria and creating murals so much that they defer their entry into art school in Chicago to spend another year at home working on an internship with a local non-profit. It's during this time that they meet Santi, a quiet young man that starts working at the taqueria. Falling in love feels as easy and natural as breathing. But as Ander struggles to figure out what they really wants their art to be and Santi fights to be able to stay in the US, falling in love might be the only things that's easy about their relationship.
It's a great story that touches on some very controversial topics with grace and empathy. You feel everything right along with Ander, Santi, and the rest of the characters. It's a story of love, family, dreams, pressure, and, ultimately, hope.
My one issue is one that is probably just me, and I realize is kind of dumb is the language. I'm not talking about the mangled Spanish, but the rude and foul language the characters use between themselves and on certain occasions. Maybe I'm old-fashion, maybe I'm out of touch, but I majorly dislike the use of those words be it in print or spoken, so it pains me to do it, but I'm deducting an entire point from the rating just because of that. I get that it's realistic and normal and okay and whatever people want to say, but it's something that I personally hate.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the emotionally satisfying read!

I probably would've enjoyed this, but I couldn't get passed the conversations that were clearly not plot-related. Surely the plot of the first episode of Demon Slayer is not essential to the plot and therefore the book, and you can incorporate characters watching Demon Slayer without going into the plot of it. These types of conversations were just too frequent for the, like, 16% that I read, so I dnf'd it.

Excellent.

I never want to forget the emotions this book made me feel, and yet I would love to be able to read it again for the first time.

There were times when my chest felt so tight and I had to stop reading because of how wonderfully overwhelmed I was.

I cannot wait to read more works by Jonny Garza Villa.

I loved this one. The characters leapt off the page and the romance is really cute. It didn't just do the cute and warm well, it also discussed dark topics and themes in a realistic and empathetic way. It was very readable; I read it very quickly and can't wait for a new release from this author. For fans of Cafe Con Lychee, Felix Ever After, and The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School. Contemporary YA romance with a good sense of humour and its heart in the right place.