Ander & Santi Were Here is so tough for me to review. The writing is stunning, the discussions about being an immigrant were powerful and there’s an excellent cast of characters. The only place this really fell flat for me was the actual romance, which is sort of a bummer because it is the heart of the story. It’s not that I didn’t buy Ander and Santi as a couple, because I did. They clearly care about each other and understand each other. It’s the build up that feels underdeveloped. It’s definitely a little insta -lovey. Ander meets Santi only twice before falling head over heels. They weren’t having a ton of important conversations before admitting they had feelings for each other. I just wish there was more. But after they’re together it’s hard not to root for them. Ander is a great narrator, sweet and funny and just a little naive. I loved that they were nobinary and no one had an issue with that. Santi is also sweet and thoughtful, and has a heartbreaking story. Ultimately, this is an epic love story with a slight pacing issue. Still, I recommend it to older teens and even adult readers.

I am enamored with this book, the characters, the depth of the plot, and the message within this story. It is SO much more than a YA romance. Ander (aka AJ) is a non-binary artist in Texas, working at his family's restaurant while also beautifying the city with his powerful murals. Santiago (aka Santi) is an undocumented immigrant, risking it all for a better life.

So much queer representation in this story - nonbinary, trans, ace, and bisexual. It is a heartwarming and charming story of young love, while also exploring profoundly relevant social issues. This story made me laugh, cry, and burn with rage. Yay feelings. Highly recommend!

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

THIS BOOK!!!! I'm literally giving it all the stars. It was such a nice read that was honestly powerful and sweet and made me feel so many things. I can't believe this book isn't everywhere. I loved it so much. The characters were phenomenal and the story itself was a hefty one that had a lot of meaningful messages. I really enjoyed this and will be recommending it for a long time!

a cute and charming romance, i enjoyed this read

thank you to netgalley and to the publisher for this review copy.

I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of Ander and Santi were here and although I took way too long to get around to writing my review, I LOVED this book. Adore it. I cannot recommend this romance enough.

Ander/Aj is instantly relatable, hilarious, and passionate, while still feeling like his problems are realistic and relatable to everyone his age. Although this is technically YA I got a real New Adult vibe from this and from his voice. He's so funny.

Santiago/Santi is a total sweetheart who makes my heart melt. I just want to protect him so much. He's a sweet innocent angel cinnamon roll and he must be safeguarded no matter what! Every time his fate was threatened I was on full defense!

The aspect of the novel I love most is AJ's family. They're very lovable, relatable, and familiar at once, so protective but not afraid to smack AJ on the back of the head and tell him what he needs to hear. A loyal, loving, but honest family, who sticks together.

And the love AJ has for his neighborhood and his place in the universe.

This is a passionate, sweet, fluffy romance with real stakes. It made me laugh. It made me cry. I read it in two sittings. I will read it again or buy a physical copy for sure. This is the kind of book you NEED to add to your collection. And the hype is worth it, I swear to you.

Another author that earned his place on my instant-read list. The perfect book for LGBT readers, artists, romance fans, people who like ownvoices stories, the lightness and cute quirkiness of John Green paired with the serious social issues tackled without flinching but also with hope approach of Angie Thomas. This is impeccable!

10/5 stars! For sure.

Thank you so much Netgalley for letting me read. All the love for this one.

I swear that Jonny Garza Villa is destined to become one of our generation's best writers and this book is a good example of why. I know now that I was subconsciously rationing out my reading of this because I just did not want it to end but there came a point that I couldn't ignore and fell full into it and finished it in a day. There were parts that made me hungry, made me hopeful, made me fall into utter despair, made me hold my breath in suspense, and also sigh in satisfaction because it ended in such a way that I couldn't imagine it being better.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this advanced copy.

I couldnt say anything but this good was beautiful and heartbreaking.

I adored Jonny Garza Villa’s first book, so I was excited to see what they were going to do with their sophomore effort. If you don’t want to read my whole review, all you need to know is that they absolutely knocked it out of the park with this one.

Ander is a nonbinary teen working at their family’s restaurant and biding their time before starting prestigious art school in Chicago. They have a plan, and they’re going to fulfill their dream, but all that changes when Ander meets Santi. Okay, technically, Ander has been “fired” so they can focus on their art before the fall semester, but once Santi starts working at the restaurant, Ander finds excuses to visit all the time.

This book captivated me from start to finish. Ander is a compelling protagonist with such a clear and genuine voice. They frequently switch from English to Spanish, so keep up, friends. This book broke my heart—I’m not giving away the ending, but I also don’t want to imply that everything is doom and gloom for our star-crossed lovers. Where there is sorrow, there can also be joy, and this book is full of joy, eked out in portions that vary from drops to heaping spoonfuls.

This book made me hungry. The characters in this book like to eat, and everything they eat sounds good. This poor author lives in a land where taquerias are few and far between, so the yearning is REAL. Seriously though, not everyone can write food descriptions, but Jonny Garza Villa has the gift.

I would absolutely recommend Ander and Santi Were Here. As much as I loved Fifteen Hundred Miles From the Sun and thought it was 10/10, I have to say that Ander and Santi manages to score an incredible 12/10. I’m already looking forward to Jonny Garza Villa’s third book.


I received a digital ARC of this book from Wednesday Books/NetGalley

This book is a whirlwind.

This is a terribly romantic book, but that doesn't mean it is smooth sailing. But not because the characters are queer--they are accepted and protected by their family, found and blood. That community is so strong and so lovely. Instead, the tension comes from the very real issue of ICE and immigration and deportation in a world where the reality of Santi's situation is not given the empathy it should.

I also appreciate how this is an older YA, with 19-year-old characters. Ander is taking a gap year and reconsidering their college plans as they are on a painting fellowship. The story becomes very much of taking control of one's path in life, with a conclusion I did not see coming because it was so daring.

I did think the pacing was a little off...it took a while for the romance to get going, I felt, but then I was hooked.

This was a beautifully told story. I loved that it felt very much like a world without homophobia. The characters got to experience their love without dealing with homophobia in addition to immigration issues. I could also feel and see Anders art and taste and smell the food. It was so visceral. I loved it!

Ander and Santi Were Here is a queer love story set against a backdrop of modern immigration policies that separate loved ones and force families to gamble on uncertain futures. This is one of the most heartbreaking books I’ve read recently, but there is still a light and fluffy feel to the romance aspects.

Jonny Garza Villa is adept at transitioning between the sweet romance plotline and the heavier aspects of the story about Santi’s reality as an undocumented person. They know how to turn a story that might be a difficult read into something that feels impossible to put down. I was so invested in characters that I spent the entire afternoon reading.

Ander’s family features prominently in the story, as well as their larger community. They work at their family’s restaurant, which is a community staple owned by their tita. The love shared between them and their family came through so well in the story, and I loved that they had such a large role in determining how Ander felt about their future and figuring out who they are as an artist and person.

Santiago, or Santi as he is known in the story, is reticent to get to know Ander at the beginning of the story because it would mean opening up about his undocumented status. However, the friendship and new love between the two becomes too powerful to ignore, and it is amazing to watch Santi trust Ander more and start to feel at home around them and their community. The two have such a lovely relationship that left me wanting more even after the book ended. I haven’t read anything else by Villa, but I would be so pleased if they were the type of author who features prior main characters in cameos in future novels.

My favorite aspect of the book was Ander’s skill as a muralist. The way they translate their feelings about family, love, their culture, and San Antonio into art that gets displayed in their community is so powerful. I wish the book had come with full color illustrations! I loved how their art was described, and the way it brought joy to their family and friends was so adorable.

This beautifully written story earns 5/5 stars from me.

The strength of Ander & Santi Were Here lies in its authentic and relatable characters. Ander and Santi, the main protagonists, are beautifully developed, with their unique struggles and vulnerabilities laid bare. Their individual journeys intertwine and unfold with grace, allowing readers to empathize with their joys, sorrows, and the challenges they face in understanding their identities and reconciling their pasts.

Villa's writing style is evocative and filled with heartfelt emotions, capturing the essence of the characters and the setting. The portrayal of the small Texas town is vivid and immersive, painting a vivid picture of the community and its dynamics. The author's attention to detail creates an atmosphere that envelops readers, making it easy to emotionally invest in the story.

The exploration of themes such as grief and loss is handled with sensitivity and nuance. Villa delves into the complexities of these emotions, illustrating the profound impact they have on individuals and their relationships. Through Ander and Santi's experiences, the novel examines the different ways people cope with loss and how it can shape their perceptions of themselves and others.

"Wanting the world to know that we gave it our best and that that has meaning. That we loved here, and no one and no amount of hate can ever erase that."

Ander & Santi's story completely snuck up on me. I was expecting to like it, but the way reading this book carved a hole into my heart, made me ache and cry while simultaneously making me feel unbridled joy and giving me strength, confidence, determination — it's unparalleled.

Ander & Santi Were Here follows Ander Martínez, a nonbinary teen living in San Antonio, Texas. They are first and foremost a muralist, but after deciding to take a gap year before starting art school, their parents "fire" them from the family taquería so Ander can focus on their art. Then Ander meets their replacement at the taquería, Santi, and as their growing feelings for each other becomes something neither of them can ignore, so does the secret Santi is hiding. When ICE agents come for Santi, Ander starts to question what their "home" really is, and how far they're willing to go for the boy they've grown to love.

This is the type of book that had me itching for my highlighters. There are so many beautiful lines, so much introspection about art and identity, love and passion, honesty and patience, compassion and empathy. This story and Jonny's writing tackled huge, complicated situations and did it with the utmost care and attention.

I loved how we got to see Ander struggling with creating art outside and within the stereotypes and boxes they are so often pushed into, as a Mexican-American. The open conversations they had with their close friend, as well as with Santi, were so real, without falling into the trap of a response that feels premeditated. I loved reading about Ander creating their murals and seeing their passion bleed off the page. Their art always meant something important and ohmygod don't even get me started on significance it reveals about the title of the book.

Ander and Santi's story was the most beautifully emotive and passionate romance I have read in months, probably even years. Their attraction to each other is instant, but the way Ander's feelings progress throughout the novel, outside of attraction (and working with it), make their story truly extraordinary. Jonny's writing of Ander was such a beautifully authentic experience that I felt like I was living through them. Both Ander and Santi felt for each other so deeply, and as a couple I never doubted the strength of their love and convictions.

Ander & Santi Were Here is a book that reveals and brings awareness to people who are often ignored. It tackles the unfairness of the world to undocumented immigrants, how we can be complicit even when ignorant, how people are imperfect and how despite — because — of that, we need to fight for them. People shouldn't have to be exceptional to be worthy or deserving of a better future. Yet somehow we are often drawn to stories and arguments that uplift the outliers in these situations. People are worthy because they are people, not because of their potential for greatness.

I loved this book. I guarantee it will make you cry, and it will teach you something new, if not about yourself, then about the world. Ander and Santi reinvented love in my eyes, and I don't think I'll ever be the same after reading their story. I'll never forget them, and they will always have been here, in my heart and my world, no matter what.

Trigger Warnings: deportation, racism, ICE, xenophobia, police brutality, kidnapping, trafficking, racial profiling, transphobia

This book features wonderful representation and discussions about art, queerness, and being undocumented. I liked how the book started off with Ander taking a gap year before college to pursue an art residency program. They were creating art pieces around their hometown for a nonprofit as a way to discover what they want to do and be as an artist, despite their parents being against the idea. This opened up a lovely discussion about choosing your own path and trying to find yourself amongst the expectations of your parents, and I really enjoyed how the book opened with this!!

Unfortunately, I did DNF this book shortly after that, around the 16% mark. I found the dialogue to be a bit cringey and awkward at the start and the pacing was very, very slow. After a few weeks of trying to get into the book, I decided that it was just not holding my attention and I should pick it back up at a later date :/. (As an example of the slow pacing: we get glimpses of the love interest, Santi, a few times, but only around when I DNF’d did we actually get to really meet him.) I do plan on trying this book again in the future because the premise is very intriguing and the representation is great, but I need something more fast-paced at the moment.

**I paired this ARC with the ALC because I prefer to read and listen at the same time.** The narrator, Avi Roque, did a beautiful job performing the story and is part of why I was holding off on tabling this book for the time being. It truly did feel like a performance rather than a simple narration, and I love when audiobooks bring stories alive like that.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for this ARC/ALC!

I don't even know where or how to start this review. Like, there are still actual tears in my eyes as I'm writing this.

But maybe I should start by saying that I was expecting this book to blow me away. I read FIfteen Hundred Miles from the Sun when it first came out in 2021, and it absolutely captured my heart. Ander and Santi did the exact same thing, but add to that some more endless tears and laughter over all the beautiful and heart-wrenching moments, all the feels I was in at any given moment, and there you have it.

In Ander and Santi Were Here we follow Ander, a young artist who is preparing for college after deciding to defer for a year, working in their family's taqueria, and creating beautiful murals when they are not. In comes Santi, a new waiter, who instantly captures Ander's interest. As the two are drawn together again and again and as their friendship starts blooming into something more, they will have to decide if they are ready to stand together through happiness and destruction.

I don't want to say too much about the plot itself, but after you read the author's note at the beginning of the book, you will quickly learn about one of the biggest factors in Ander and Santi's story. A factor that affects millions of people, something that should not be as prevalent and as painful as it is, but that's the reality many people live in. Jonny created a raw and tender love story, adding their soft and sensitive touch when it came to dealing with harder topics (again, trying not to spoil anything, and it's proving difficult ahh), and outlined one of the biggest issues that plagues the US (and many other countries too, of course).

Ander and Santi are two queer young people, from different backgrounds, who faced different challenges, but who are pulled together, who find solace and safety with each other. I absolutely loved their love story - from the first glances filled with lust and wanting, to how it later transformed into something so deep that it cut directly into my heart. Ander's (honestly horny, we stan 😌😂) commentary about Santi and other aspects of their life in the entire book - but most heavily featured in the beginning - added levity to the story and made me wholly unprepared for the eventual pain that came after about 40% of the book. I knew it was coming, it was in every line of Santi's being, in every worry etched onto his face, in the author's note, and yet it still. Hit. So. Hard.
Again, stopping now because spoilers, just read this book, PLEASE.

Now about Ander themselves and their story - Ander is a nonbinary (they/them pronouns), Mexican-American teen living in San Antonio, with a loving family and a best friend that used to be their boyfriend but is now firmly in the best friend category again. We still don't get many stories in which a queer teen is accepted wholly and wholeheartedly, but Ander's family gave us that. Ander is comfortable in their skin and loved by everyone in their life for who they are. The queer joy that radiates out of this book is stunning, and my heart is full of love because of it.

Basically, I think I can coalesce my thoughts about Ander and Santi like this: Some days you just sail through life, like one does. And some days you read a book that rearranges something inside you, touches your heart, and is determined to stay with you forever. Ander and Santi Were Here is a book like that. 💗
(I know I sound dramatic, BUT THIS BOOK, PEOPLE! THIS BOOK!!)

PS. What's the point in life if not someone calling you "mi cielo? (in platonic or romantic capacity). Asking for a friend.

PPS Once you are done with the book, you see the cover in a totally new light, and I am INCONSOLABLE!!!

PPPS Somebody help me keep Ander and Santi safe and happy, please. I am getting a big blanket as we speak.

REP: nonbinary, Mexican-American MC, queer Mexican LI, queer and Latinx SCs

The smell of enchiladas and roasted peppers permeated the kitchen. The spices reminded them of all the goodness of home and the love of family. They plated the food and turned to deliver it to the waiting patrons when a set of gorgeous eyes stared back at them, stopping them in their tracks.

Ander & Santi Were Here is a YA romance following Ander, who is taking a gap year before they go off to art school and Santi, who is the new waiter at Ander’s family’s restaurant.

Before I go into my review, I’d just like to say that I’m so glad this story is out there. We need more stories like this in the world detailing important topics like this book discusses and also giving representation and a voice to those who don’t always get to see themselves in stories.
I loved many aspects of this book. I liked watching Ander and Santi grow, but their relationship didn’t 100% gel for me. I thought it was rushed and decisions made by the characters didn’t sit right with me. I felt a deeper friendship needed to grow between them to give a more meaningful connection. I just had a hard time seeing it. Overall though, I’m so glad I read this one!

If you’re looking for a book with non-binary rep and discussions about what it means to be an immigrant in this country, please give this book a read, because I feel its topics are important.

This was a stunning, heartfelt, powerful story. A perfect read for pride month (or any month!). I absolutely adored these characters. They were easy to root for and were so lovable and memorable. I also love the way culture and queer representation was woven into the story. It was just perfect.

I loved Ander & Santi Were Here so much that I found myself thinking about the characters and where they might be now long after I finished reading it. This is an incredible queer love story that is also about finding yourself, accepting yourself, chosen family, complex intergenerational relationships and patterns, culture...it's just so rich! I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a sweet romance, yes, but also anyone who enjoys a coming-of-age tale, wants to see queer, trans, genderqueer rep, Latinx culture, and that powerful feeling of finding yourself a little bit as the characters are finding their pathways to self-acceptance. Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-arc!

Ander & Santi Were Here was a bittersweet read! I enjoyed the book overall and liked the couple's chemistry, but I wasn't too thrilled about the ending. I also liked the representation and how this book shined a light on undocumented teens.

The culture, art, food, family, found family, and queer love in this book was beautiful. It moved a little slowly at times, but the evolution of the MC's relationship, as well as the evolution of sense of their self and relationships with other family and friends, was an absolute joy.