Canto Contigo by Jonny Garza Villa (Romance)
"𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒎𝒆."

This open-hearted coming-of-age novel about rivals-to-lover high school Mariachi stars is out now!

Read this for:
🪇 an OwnVoices love letter to the art of Mariachi, Tejano, and Mexican culture
🎺 beautiful reflections on grief, loss, anxiety, pressure, family, community and identity
🎤 the most warm, uplifting, delightful love story between complex, dynamic, always-growing characters

From the opening lines of this novel, the raw grief and the joy are palpable. After the loss of his beloved abuelo, Rafie is more determined than ever to continue his winning streak at the Mariachi Extravaganza de Nacional. And he’s the happiest he’s been in a while when, after leading North Amistad to another first-place win, he makes out with the cutest guy he’s ever seen.

What he doesn’t anticipate is that, eight months later, gearing up for his final win as a senior, his family moves to San Antonio. He most certainly does not anticipate that at his new school, The Selena Quintanilla-Perez Academy’s Mariachi Todos Colores already has a lead vocalist, Rey Chavez—the boy Rafie made out with eight months ago.

Rafie and Rey are both so loveable in completely different ways. Rafie is headstrong and proud, often self-centered and insufferable. We are frustrated by him and cheering for him as he grows and makes mistakes on his journey of grief, self-discovery, and forging his own path. Rey is a perfect, sweet, lovely cinnamon roll that is impossible not to love.

I can’t wait to check out more from this author! (The narration of this audiobook was truly excellent, performed beautifully by Alejandro Antonio Ruiz! I highly recommend listening to this one.)

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio/Macmillan Young Listeners for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

as someone who's mexican, queer AND a fan of mariachi this was such a refreshing read! jonny garza villa was able to put the connection that you grow up having with your family in such a comforting way, i could see myself and my own family in the story so well. the biggest downside to this was that i just didn't stay connected to either of the mc's. they were nice to read about but i wasn't able to stay fully invested in them. but despite the issue with staying invested, i still enjoyed this read and will definitely be recommending it to others! plus the narrator for the audiobook did a FANTASTIC job, i may not have been 100% invested in this story but the narration definitely kept me hooked.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️+ ⭐️

CAWPILE: 10s all around

Canto Contigo hit me at my core. This is the first book I have read from Jonny Garza Villa, and I am confident it will certainly not be my last. I listened to this audiobook in one day and would have stayed up until 5am if I had to. Canto Contigo follows Rafael whose grandfather recently passed. Rafael's abuelo was his hero — he taught him to sing and introduced him to his forever love, mariachi. Rafie transfers schools senior year and is now forced to co-lead the Mariachi band with Rey, a boy he just so happened to have had a steamy make out sesh with several months prior to his transfer.

I love, love, loved this story. Rafie's character development within this story was so amazing to witness. I found myself screaming at the book when he backtracked but, fear not dear reader, this is a romance. This rivals to lovers romance was absolutely beautiful. There is something so touching about a coming of age love story and this love was even furthered by its queer representation. As a woman who constantly has the little girl within her praying she is making her grandfather proud, I boohoo'd through several chapters. I could relate to Rafi so deeply and that just made him that much more loveable.

The narrator for the audiobook absolutely elevated this story for me. I felt the heartbreak and hurt in ways that other audiobooks have missed the mark. The story truthfully is a love story to mexican culture and music. I found myself enjoying how Jonny intentionally worked in the Spanish language and latine cultural references. They not only highlighted them exquisitely, but also made it clear enough for those who may not be aware of the references. I would definitely say this leans more toward the young ADULT, based on some of the scenes, but have read other YA novels that are more explicit.

All in all, I know this will be in the top books of the year for me.

ne is my favorite and I didn’t go in expecting it to be! The relationship between Rafie & Rey was so raw and beautiful and messy and real from the beginning of them just meeting to being rivals for the lead spot in the mariachi band to them being vulnerable with each other and falling in love, falling apart, and finding their way back to each other. I think the emotions of these two boys made everything feel so much more heightened and I really think that’s what made it so special! They both had so much to prove, not only to the world but also to themselves, and watching them hurt and be hurt was heart wrenching but it was so honest. In the beginning it was so hard to like Rafie but as the story unfolds, you can really see the pain that he’s in and how much he struggling with and it leads to him being harsh and determined but you can really see his heart and kindness shining through in the quiet moments with Rey and with his family as well as when he’s standing up for what’s right, unapologetically. I just really loved this so so much!!

Canto Contigo - I sing with you…
This book had me in tears. Ugly cry tears. A beautiful, angsty story about learning to appreciate and love those around you and forgiving yourself for being just you. I thoroughly enjoyed the celebration of mariachi music mixed with rivals and love. Not to mention a little magical realism and LGBTQIA rep. Whew, just a gem all around!

The audiobook read by Alejandro Antonio Ruiz added to the feels immensely! The seamless mix of character voices and languages kept me involved and the story was easily understood at a faster speed.

Thank you NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and author Jonny Garza Villa for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

*Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and to MacMillan Audio for the gifted ALC*

I've somehow never seen Mariachi live, and that needs to change. This book felt like such an experience and the audio only added to that. The singing, the Spanish, the interludes of music, my heart! It isn't as hard hitting as Ander and Santi Were Here (thankfully so, my heart couldn't take another one like that right now), but does touch on some issues the LGBTQIA+ community faces. More than that though, it's a story about trying to reach unrealistic expectations you've set on yourself and how your chosen family will love you in spite of that. I really enjoyed how supportive Rafi's family was of him and how he grows throughout the story. He goes from a cocky frontman to a sensitive team player and I loved that journey for him.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's for this audio!

Jonny Garza Villa has done it again. This story was amazing!!!! What a great coming of age book!
Lovers to enemies to lovers!! So good!! Also add some Mariachi groups/music and this book has me hooked!! This story was so good. Rafie did piss me off a few times because he really is a jerk but in the best way lol. Queer first love, Latine representation, humor, drama, mariachi, grief, joy,all of the above!! This was a great read!!

The audiobook was really good. I liked the narrator and thought it was well done.

I liked the authors last book a little more than this one. I liked the story overall but the main character was a little frustrating for me throughout the book. I am an adult though so not surprising that I didn’t relate with a teenager, I’m not the target audience. I definitely think that teens and young adults will love it.

The stuff with Rafi’s grief about his abuelo really got me, I’ve lost a few family members in the last year including my own grandfather so that really resonated with me.

This was a fantastic YA romance between two rival Latinx high school mariarchis competing as a group but also between one another for a solo. I loved the romance between the two leads, the diverse cast of characters, the trans rep and the insights into the world of Mariachi. Highly recommended for fans of books like Kiss me Catalina. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review - this was excellent on audio and another hit from author Jonny Garza Villa.

I will not be reviewing nor promoting any St Martin's Press titles until they address the racism, Islamophobia and all over reprehensible behavior of one of their employees.

This is such a beautiful book! The audio narrator was fabulous - he had a beautiful singing voice as well - important in a book all about mariachi. This is my first book by Jonny Garza Villa and I fully intend to read their two other books now. The story arc of this boy processing his grief for his abuelo was so incredibly heartrending and realistic. It was extremely moving. I loved Rafi's family and their dynamic. It's interesting that we hear nothing really about Ray's family but the sense is that they are supportive of him. In fact, the familial support for these young people's identities overall was very heartwarming. I loved the sense of pride and love for their culture combined with their pride in asserting their own identities and claiming both equally. What a powerful message! I highly recommend this to everyone!

Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the audio ARC!

I adore Jonny Garza Villa books, and this is no exception. I know that no matter what the book is about, I am going to gobble it right up.

I had a hard time with Rafael in the beginning, but I warmed up to him. The discussion surrounding grief was so good. I was sobbing at a few points - the way Rafael grieves his grandfather was so real and raw.

Lead singer Rafie Alvarez has only ever been center stage- in mariachi, in his abuelo’s heart, and in his own mind. But when his abuelo dies from Parkinson’s the same year Rafie’s family moves three hours away from his hometown & 3x national champion mariachi group, Rafie has to learn to share the stage. If his ego, perfectionism, and grief, will let him that is.

Lovers to rivals to lovers hijinx ensue with Jonny’s signature big cast of beloved, funny af friends, family , fuckups, & dreamers as well as a winning love interest in Rey, a trans mariachi who is a literal saint for putting up with the (un)believably flawed Rafie.

A love letter to mariachi, abuelos, putting in the work, and above all love. Another laughter through tears, charming ass masterpiece from Jonny Garza Villa. Highly recommend. 5 stars.

What a brilliantly beautiful story. So much emotion. So much growth. So much love. Rafie & Rey were darling, their young love pulled at my heartstrings. I loved this story!! The audiobook was incredible, the narrator nailed it, it was beautifully done.

Jonny Garza Villa's Canto Contigo is a young adult, opposites attract, enemies to lovers story. The audio version is beautifully performed by Alejandro Antonio Ruiz. I loved the way this audiobook is produced, with the music and all the emotion at the forefront.

I fell in love with these wonderfully complex caracters, and it was such a treat to learn about the tradition of Mexican music called Mariachi. It's marvelous that these young people take such pride in their culture and their history.

Canto Contigo is a must read on so many levels, and I highly recommend this magnificent novel.

4 stars!

Thank you to Jonny Garza Villa and Wednesday books for an ARC of this book in exchange for my full, honest review!

I read and loved Ander & Santi Were Here last year so you can bet I jumped at the chance to read the author's newest book, and it absolutely did not disappoint. Both books have so much heart and culture and queer love at their cores, and Canto Contigo being a queer romance with a trans love interest...lets just say I really needed that right now and it came to me at the right time.

It's always harder to write reviews for books you like, and there's just a lot to love here. Raphael and Rey are both beautiful characters with plenty of depth, and I was really taken by the role of music in their story. Jonny Garza Villa's books also have a really healthy way of presenting and talking about sex and sexuality, which is rare in YA. Often I feel torn in YA romances between feeling like the relationships are almost unrealistically prudish or uncomfortably over-sexualized/present an unhealthy sexual relationship. The author does a perfect job of keeping it balanced.

The only criticisms I have of this book are not really problems with the book but just things that didn't work for me as a reader. First, I always struggle with characters having family as a central motivation, since I don't feel that same connection to family. All of Raphael's relationships with his family are well-established and don't come from nowhere, I just have trouble connecting to it. The other thing is that part of the reason I really enjoyed Ander & Santi was because of the high stakes. I'm largely a fantasy/sci-fi reader so when I do read contemporary romance I kind of need high stakes to feel really invested, and Canto Contigo didn't have quite the same stakes as Ander & Santi.

All in all, I really liked this book. I think if you like YA contemporary romance you'll love it, and if you prefer higher stakes Ander & Santi Were Here might fit you better. If you need some sweet, beautiful, mexican queer joy in your life, this book is for you. Happy reading!

✨ Review ✨ Canto Contigo by Jonny Garza Villa; Narrated by Alejandro Antonio Ruiz

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, Macmillan Audio and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

Okay, I'm absolutely obsessed with this book. I'm a sucker for any books set in San Antonio, if we're being honest, but there's just something so special about the way Garza Villa captures this place and the stories of his characters.

Rafie Alvarez, teen mariachi star, has a lot to grapple with -- the death of his beloved abuelo, his family moving from North Amistad (the center of his family and their legendary mariachi status), and his arrival in San Antonio at the Selena Quintanilla-Perez Academy, where Mariachi Todos Colores already has a lead vocalist. ...and the lead vocalist is Rey Chavez—the boy Rafie made out with in the first chapter of the book! The perfect set up of lots of tension of all varieties!

Rafie finding his place in a new city, a new school, and a new circle of friends is just so poignantly written. At times, he's a bit of a total jerk and very unlikeable, but in a way that felt very real, as you try to find your way as part of a larger whole.

The book is guaranteed to make you laugh and cry and love and mourn across its pages. Especially memorable are scenes with his abuelo's calavera figure that speaks to him (love this touch of magical realism), the open mic night (set somewhere special to me and to this story!), and so much queer and trans rep throughout the book!

A giant kudos to Garza Villa for writing another magical book!

PS: The audio and print copies are both fantastic -- either/both are a great choice!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: m/m YA romance, trans rep
Setting: San Antonio, Texas
Reminds me of: Garza Villa's other books
Pub Date: April 9, 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ mariachi & Selena & Bad Bunny and more
⭕️ your abuelo
⭕️ queer love
⭕️ coming-of-age stories

What a special story! After Raphael’s abuelo passes away while he is at Mariachi competition he makes it his mission to win again and keep his grandfather legacy going. When his parents move him to a new school and he has to win with a team that has never won the competition he may have his work cut out for himself. Especially when he gets there and his last year’s competition hookup is the lead singer and he has to be his backup…

I love a story that works through grief in different ways and what losing your person does to all aspects of your life and attitude. So even though I understood where Rafi was coming from he was a bit exhausting- and made me question his love interest a smidge. The grief aspects were my favorite and definitely hit me in the chest 😭

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an eARC.

4 stars

While I have little background in Mariachi stars, I do have some Jonny Garza Villa knowledge, and I'm an incoming fan. So, this was an obvious addition to my immediate reading list.

Rafie and Rey are at the center of this charming and sweet YA romance. Rafie is a competitive mariachi star who has to leave his big fish in a small pond life when he's forced to transfer schools. Rafie should really have known things would work out because the new school is called Selena Quintanilla-Perez Academy, and this is an obvious sign of impending success and excitement. Rey is already holding down the mariachi fort at SQ-P Academy, so the two develop an instant rivalry...with chemistry!

Though they definitely reflect some of the saddest parts of the novel, I loved every mention of Rafie's recently departed abuelo. This added a layer of complexity to what could have otherwise become a bit of a one-note (yep, intended) romance. The representation also really appeals to me here, and it's one of the many reasons that I'll be recommending this book to students.

This is another hit from this author, and I look forward to reading what JGV produces next!

Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan audio for the free alc. MY opinions are my own. The version I had was 4 chapters long I reported it and so far nothing more. This review will be based on 4 chapters. I loved book 1 it qas a favorite from February 2023 it was phenomenal so i was pumped to see this one and know when I get to read read I'm gonna absolutely love it.

5/5☆