If you like Heartstopper, I recommend Futbolista by Jonny Garza Villa.

It’s about Gabi and Vale, two queer Mexican-American freshmen figuring out how to love each other openly, confronting homophobia in their Latino community and Gabi’s soccer team while attending college in South Texas.

At a party, Gabi meets Vale, who is playing a card game where one of the rules is to either take a shot or kiss a stranger. And once their lips meet, Gabi’s world is rocked. He thought he was straight, although there was that one time in high school he kissed a guy and liked it. Suddenly Vale is all Gabi can think about, and his repressed bisexuality comes back to the surface.

Since Gabi is becoming a high profile goalie in a sport that’s known for being anti-gay, they decide to keep their new relationship a secret. But secrets don’t stay that way for long, and then Gabi has to figure out if he can have Vale and his futbol career or hide this part of himself forever.

Oh, Gabi, you gorgeous idiot. This boy thinks he can’t have it all but I love that his teammates/roommates rally around him and get vibes he’s bisexual before he can fully realize it himself! It’s a New Adult romance and there’s lots of self discovery going on, plus Gabi’s identity journey is paralleled with what he’s learning in Philosphy class, with Vale’s help as his tutor. These two were so cute! And I loved the Corpus Christi setting. I used to live there and it was fun seeing the local places mentioned throughout the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Levine Querido for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a fabulous New Adult romance! This was my first introduction to Jonny Garza Villa and I will definitely be browsing earlier works.

I think Gabi as a character was really well done. He is a driven, passionate, sweet, caring, and talented 18 year old just starting college. He has big dreams and bigger talent to back up those dreams. As he begins to understand his queerness, he never meets himself with shame or anger about his bisexuality which I think was really important. Instead he focuses on how queerphobia will impact his life and is angry at that instead of himself. This was a really fresh take on the coming-out storyline (or as mentioned in the book a 'bringing in') as it gave readers a pathway to realize their queerness free of self-loathing which is often a stage we wade through in traditional coming out narratives. What I really loved about this book is how it walks the reader through how intersectionality impacts our main character. Gabi often mentions how him being a Texas-born Mexican and a bi boy feels like a point of conflict for him and the machismo within his culture and potentially family. He speaks on how his race impacts his queerness. This is particularly evident when he discusses other soccer players coming out and how their white privilege offers them a different experience than he anticipates if he were to come out. I am so glad that this point is highlighted throughout the book! So often coming out narratives focus on white gay men where their queerness is the only point of contention from the norm within their identity. While of course these stories are important to hear, they often dominate in our society. To acknowledge the ways that race, class, gender, ethnicity, and sexuality all impact each other is crucial to understanding queer struggle, and I think this book with Gabi's story offers an amazing contribution to the conversation.

My one small point of contention is that I found that the women in the story were sometimes overlooked, especially Gabi's mom. When we only have two women in the whole book and the mom's character is basically all about feeding the men, it felt a bit off for me. I understand that a main point of the book was to break down toxic masculinity and we really see that with the loving relationship between Gabi and his dad, which is of course very valuable. I just wish that Gabi's mom also had time to flourish in the book in a similar way as Gabi's dad did. We did hear of her support outside of food near the end of the book which I appreciated, but I don't know, I wish she had a bit more page time that contributed to her depth as a character.

I also love how we have a non-binary friend and how there is no drama about them or their identity. This was really refreshing to read, especially in our current political climate that demonizes trans and non-binary folks.

I was surprised at how horny this book was! Not only between Gabi and his love interest, but just the roommate friend group in general really encapsulated young-men-first-semester-at-college vibe. There were so many mentions of thighs, friends in underwear, muscles, and just sex in general. I'm not mad at that- in fact I think captures a very realistic friend group- but I was just surprised!

Read this book if you love soccer, shortshorts with muscle thighs, positive male friendship, bi heros who fall fast and hard, and Latino rep in queer stories! If you're a vibes/seasonal reader like me, I recommend to read this book during the fall semester as it takes place throughout the whole term. It would also be great for if you're living / travelling souther US and want a reminder that queer people exist and flourish everywhere.

In all, read this book! Especially if you're a white reader who frequently consumes only white queer stories. This book should be replacing all the 'Love, Simon' esk books on your tbr.

WOW this was good. i would give this a 6/5 if that was possible. touching romance, wonderful characters (every single character had a lot of detail put into them).... 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Jonny Garza Villa’s Futbolista is a beautifully crafted adult romance debut that follows Gabi Pina, an 18-year-old goalie navigating college life and his own identity. Villa skillfully balances humor, emotional depth, and sharp social commentary, tackling themes of machismo, queerness in sports, and self-discovery. Gabi’s journey, driven by his Intro to Philosophy class, feels authentic and relatable, with dialogue that’s fresh and engaging. The Spanish interwoven throughout adds richness, while Villa’s nuanced approach to love and acceptance makes this story both powerful and memorable.

Another 5 🌟 read from Jonny Garza Villa! Futbolista is a book I needed in college. Like Gabi, I was definitely in bi-denial (de-bi-al?) most of my life until some deep introspection during 2020.

Being in a straight-passing relationship doesn't make anyone less bi. Realizing you're bi after marriage or after your early 20s doesn't deminish your identity or feelings.

Anyway let me rave about this book!!

💙 What I loved about Futbolista 💙
● Gabi's growth and inner dialogue throughout
● Vale and his never-ending patience (I woulda snapped at Gabi about 50% in, my Taurus mercury could never)
● Pérez and his hilarious shenanigans and his Naruto running
● the FLIRTING 🫦
● Pops is truly an MVP
● SO MUCH QUEER JOY 🩷
● the fantastic four bromance
● I've never in my life been interested in soc-FOOTBALL until now! ⚽️

If you're looking for a sports romance with Latine characters, queer identity discovery, and a great cast of characters, pick up Futbolista on 4/15/25!!

I had so much fun with this one! A compelling love story between a believably bi college athlete and the gay best friend of his former friend with benefits. Suitably steamy, with plenty of action both on and off the soccer field. I loved the characters, the examination of identity, and the message of being true to yourself. A great coming of age story, and a very fun book!

4 stars

The first quarter plus of this book is heavy on the football/soccer and gives a lot of love triangle vibes which personally was hard to get into. But once things started moving, I really enjoyed this book. The dialogue felt right for the age of the characters without coming off as “hey fellow kids” which was great. I love this author’s YA work so I was excited to read a NA romance and it didn’t disappoint. The philosophy and finding yourself within that storyline was really well done.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC!

5 stars. Emotionally resonant, unexpectedly steamy, and melding together a coming-of-age story, philosophy, and a love story with all of my favorite tropes, Futbolista is a winning goal of a new adult romance that sets a new gold standard for this genre.

A huge thank you to Levine Querido, Jonny Garza Villa, and NetGalley for the ARC of Futbolista.

In Futbolista, we follow Gabriel Piña as he embarks on his freshman year of college, chasing his dream of making it big in the football world. He thinks he has everything under control. That is until he meets Vale, an openly queer boy, at his first college party. As fate would have it, Vale is also in his philosophy class and best friends with the girl Gabi has been seeing. What follows is a heartfelt friends to lovers and bi awakening story.

I found the pacing a bit slow at first, which made it take me a while to fully get into the story. However, once I did, I really enjoyed it. While the plot was somewhat predictable and had its slower moments, it was undeniably cute and Gabi and Vale deserve to be protected at all costs!

Overall, Futbolista is a fun and sweet read.

My first Jonny Garza Villa book and it will not be my last. Their adult romance debut was amazing!
In Futbolista we met Gabi Pina a futbol player entering college as a freshman and who is the lead goalie for this college underdog team. Fully thinking that at 18 he has life completely figured out what else is there to learn about himself ? Well there is a lot Gabi still needs to figure out.
This book was excellently executed I loved that although the characters in this book are young I never felt that they were immature. There are of course sexual comments and conversations but done in such good taste that it never feels immature or like you stereotypical jock talk.
The characters are diverse ! There is Spanish through out the entire book that made me so happy to read. This book is a GEM!

Thank you Netgalley and Levine Querido for the eARC.

This book gave me all the feels. It was definitely reminiscent of Bend It Like Beckham and Red, White and Royal Blue. From the very first page it hooked me, and I knew I was going to enjoy this read a lot. The MC, Gabriel (Gabi) Piña, is a character that is easy to root for and you just want to hug and protect him. He very much reminded me of Alex from Red, White and Royal Blue with his determination, ally-to-bi-awakening, and humor. I really enjoyed his relationship building with Vale from strangers-to-classmate-to-friends-to-lovers, I was smiling throughout their interactions. They were so sweet with one another, it felt so wholesome. The balance between slice of life and Futbol was well balanced. The scenes where he is training or at a game were fun. I also think the challenge in the plot was very clear and the resolution was realistic. Even the villain, as much as I hate him, had a bit of depth to him. The third act breakup was more heartbreaking than any I’ve read about, Gabi was hurting so much. I also thought the philosophy aspect weaved into the story was nicely done, as it was easy to consume and relate to, and it went well with Gabi’s growth.

As much as I enjoyed the book, there were some glaring flaws. We are first introduced to Leana, a woman in his apartment complex that he starts hooking up with. She got a lot of page time in the beginning but once she decided not to make their relationship official, she disappeared from the book and had a couple very minor appearances. The problem with this was she was very much used as a tool for no other reason than to show how much Gabi is into the opposite sex and that he falls fast, but if you take out her character, nothing would change. It was also interesting that their sex scenes were very closed-door and suggestive, but once the sex was introduced with Vale, it was open-door and had a lot more page time. Which brings me to my next point, once the sex was introduced and everything else seemed to be lacking. His relationship with his roommates were shoved in the trunk, except his friendship with Perez and Kat, but they took a backseat. The ending was a bit rushed to me and I feel like some things should have had screen time or longer screen time, but the sex took up most of the pages at the 70% mark.

Regardless, of those few issues I had, I really liked this book and it was my first Jonny Garza Villa book. I will definitely bump up his other works.

Have not read a bad book by this author. No exception here. Big foray into more adult content, so younger fans should be aware of this going into it. Not a bad thing; rather a refreshing take on a usual formula for the author. Story moves along at a good clip, fully developed main characters (and some underdeveloped side characters, but that's a minor quibble.
For fans of the author, a definite must.

I fell in love with this book immediately. I'm so grateful to Mx Garza Villa for writing it and the entire publishing team for getting this book into the world.

Futbolista is a tremendous and beautiful work that showcases kindness, queerness, and the author's growth as a writer.

It made me cry, laugh, and yell "a huevo" with joy. I hope every queer kid and adult who's struggling with becoming and fighting what can be in order to preserve what was finds and loves this book as much as I do.

Like grass drinking up a bright sunbeam, Futbolista by Jonny Garza Villa is warm and irresistible. Intertwining a wonderful, digestible philosophy lesson with the weight of a world of cultural expectations, Futbolista questions if we have to sacrifice ourselves for something that we love, is that really living? (No, no it is not.)

I have never been so in love with a new adult book. Garza Villa’s writing is fluid and realistic, and it is an absolute joy to live inside Gabriel Piña’s head. A love letter to football, Mexican culture, and the young queer experience, this novel is unapologetic in its identity, even as Gabi questions his own. Hilarious and dumb, Gabi and Vale waltz around each other until neither of them can quite take it anymore. Their romance is captivatingly tender—push-and-pull, but not frustrating. Gabi is internal and aware, but still stupid and eighteen, thinking he knows everything about himself that will ever be. I think what I love most about this novel is that it feels real. Gabi is as much of a person as any of us could make him, and even though I’m a white girl from the Midwest, I see so much of myself in him. I am his overwhelming love for his friends, his growing attraction to Vale, his connection with his home, his fear that if he doesn’t hold on tight enough, it could all slip right through his fingers. A must-read for its genre, Futbolista is an integral building block of the safe space young queer people deserve.

this book changed the game for me. i consumed the whole thing in one day, because how could i not? i cant wait to see more from this author.

Jonny Garza Villa has done it again! Their books are so thoughtful, emotional, and heart wrenching. I was so excited to them jump to adult fiction with this one, and let me tell you, it does not disappoint.

Gabi is destined to be an MLS star, and nothing will stand in his way. That is until Vale offers to tutor him in philosophy. As their relationship evolves, Gabi is forced to contend with a shift in who he thought he was and navigate what it means to be his authentic self.

I absolutely adored this book - it mixes emotion, self-exploration, humor, and identity in such a thoughtful and authentic way. I loved both Gabi and Vale so much! I was rooting for them so hard throughout! I loved the intersectionality of Gabi’s Mexican heritage and his sexual identity exploration. It felt real, raw, and genuine. I felt so much joy reading this book. Definitely a lovely read that pulls on all your heartstrings; you simply won’t want to put down!

Thank you to NetGalley and Levine Querido for the advance reader copy!

I've seen nothing but 5 star reviews for this, and I wish I felt the same way. I definitely get what people are coming from, because there's a lot to love, and I especially loved the ending, but it didn't fully work for me. This book was written with so much inner monologue from Gabi, and it made the story so slow. I felt like it was dragging for the majority of the book. I never felt like I was in situations with him, but rather like he was telling me about them and leaving a lot out so I couldn't fully experience them. This made it feel like not a lot was happening, and it made me feel removed from what did happen and from the characters, who I feel like we barely get to know. I did love Gabi and I loved the romance, but I felt like it didn't quite reach its full potential.

Futbolista is the story of freshman goalkeeper Gabi who learns to accept and embrace himself, even if it means it’ll make his dreams of becoming a professional footballer very tough. As someone who loves queer sports romances and a football fan, this is completely up my alley.

Gabi and Vale’s love story is very sweet and slowburn-y as Gabi slowly comes to realize he sees Vale as more than his tutor/friend. The chemistry between the two is great, and the yearning and little touches before they give in are very delicious.

The backdrop of a college football team at a Texas college also feels very lived in — I really enjoyed all of Gabi’s roommates/friends and his parents, even his first romance prospect, who I really liked because she stood up for what she wanted out of college even though when she pops up I wasn’t sure how Jonny Garza Villa would resolve that plotline. I also thoroughly enjoyed all of the cultural references from music to food to Texas food/grocery chains.

I do have a couple of quibbles about aspects of football that were wrong that really took me out of the plot. Towards the start of the book where Gabi and his team travel to an away game and it ends in a tie but the two sides decide to settle via penalty kicks for fun — there were two separate references to a penalty going over the defenders standing in a wall in front of goal. That’s what defenders do in a free kick, not in penalties. When a game goes to penalty kicks at the end, it’s just the penalty taker going up against the goalie one on one. Honestly it didn’t bother me too much in the grand scheme of the plot, but it definitely made me do a double take.

Such a heartfelt and powerful read. The story follows Gabi, a college goalkeeper with dreams of making it big.
What starts a dare and later as a tutoring session quickly evolves into a deep friendship that makes Gabi question his identity, challenging everything he thought he knew about himself. The book explores Gabi’s internal struggle with his sexuality, especially as a Mexican futbolista where queerness is so often stigmatized.

This story is important, especially for anyone who’s struggled with identity and culture like Gabi. It’s a perfect blend of self-discovery, love, and soccer, and I loved how it showed Gabi’s journey toward accepting all parts of himself. It’s both personal and relatable, with themes that are so needed in today's world.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange of an honest review!

Futbolista tells the story about Gabi, a Mexican-American college goalkeeper, and his friendship with Vale, his boy philosophy tutor, who awakens something very bi in him.
There is one particular thing I loved about Futbolista, and is the exploration of having a queer awakening when you are already an adult, and the struggles that come with that and the identity you very much thought was already settled. It hit very close to home. And all that, while bringing the conversation about the very real queerphobic environment surrounding football, specifically in Latin American countries.
I must admit I was having a little difficulty vibing with the writing style, but that is something pretty subjective. Nonetheless, this book was sweet, and funny, and so emotional. I definitely recommend it!