It is so beautiful to see an exploration of trans representation being displayed in the latinx community. Ander and Santi, had me at a loss for words and constantly had me feeling emotional - as it dealt with heavy topics pertaining to an important topic which is being undocumented. This love letter for my community was nothing short of extraordinary.

Love, love, LOVE! If you like Adam Silvera or Benjamin Alire Sáenz this read is perfect for you! It was beautiful & soul touching! Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read in exchange for a review.

4.5 SO SO good

The FUN that comes from Ander's voice in this mixed with the tension that comes from the two teens fearing ICE over their backs at every turn mixed with the pure whirlwind teendom of their relationship... ugh it was just such a comfy ride even when there were stressful moments. I'm totally recommending this for older teens!!

My Thoughts:
Ander and Santi will pull you in and break your heart. This contemporary love story is a swoony story about a nonbinary Mexican American young adult, Ander, working at their family's taqueria and creating culturally relevant murals around the Santos Vista neighborhood in San Antonio, Texas. Santiago, Santi, is the shy new waiter that catches Ander's fancy. Although Ander's family knows that Santi is undocumented, Ander does not know until ICE comes to the taqueria and Ander must switch places with Santi.

Santi helps Ander to find value in their hispanic art aesthetic as good enough to stand up to western art standards. Ander helps Santi find home. I cried. I broke. I healed. The author's voice is authentic and brings difficult concepts like racism, homophobia, and immigration politics into a piece that is still a very romantic love story. This is going to be stand out in the romance lists because it is complex and swoony at the same time. Watch for this one! I loved it so much I listened to the audiobook and the narrator for the audiobook is just fabulous. This is one of my favorite audiobooks this year.

From the Publisher:
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe meets The Sun is Also a Star in this YA contemporary love story from Jonny Garza Villa, Ander & Santi Were Here, about a nonbinary Mexican American teen falling for the shy new waiter at their family’s taqueria.

Finding home. Falling in love. Fighting to belong.

The Santos Vista neighborhood of San Antonio, Texas, is all Ander Martínez has ever known. The smell of pan dulce. The mixture of Spanish and English filling the streets. And, especially their job at their family's taquería. It's the place that has inspired Ander as a muralist, and, as they get ready to leave for art school, it's all of these things that give them hesitancy. That give them the thought, are they ready to leave it all behind?

To keep Ander from becoming complacent during their gap year, their family "fires" them so they can transition from restaurant life to focusing on their murals and prepare for college. That is, until they meet Santiago López Alvarado, 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.

Publication Information:
Author: Jonny Garza Villa
Publisher: Wednesday Books (May 2, 2023)
Narrator: Avi Roque
Macmillan Audio

This book is closer to four stars on paper but five stars in my heart so I'm rounding up.

Ander & Santi Were Here is adorable, sweet, funny, deep and moving. The book is told from Ander's perspective and while they can be a bit extra and dramatic, they were lovely and so much fun to spend time with. This is also an example of single POV done well because I almost didn't notice I wasn't getting Santi's POV until half-way through. I feel like the way that Santi was folded into Ander's whole community gave us more perspective on him as a character (as opposed to solely relying on Ander's sometimes naive POV.) The sense of place is outstanding - I actually have a trip planned for next year where I will be in San Antonio and now I'm thinking about extending the number of days there (if not even just to try to eat at more places that sound like Tita's restaurant.) And I have to say, I don't even care that the characters are so young and whether that type of relationship feels realistic at that age. Their love is gorgeous and I buy it! The book also covers some heavy stuff related to immigration and ICE and the way people are treated. But at the same time the book has basically zero homophobia/transphobia and that is like a breath of fresh air.

The things that didn't work for me were mostly around pacing and a bit of repetition. The start of the book was not working for me - it felt a bit mundane maybe? I can't quite put my finger on it. But by 15-20% I was hooked and could not put it down. Somewhere in the middle the book was 10 stars for me - I was transfixed. The pacing was a bit off for me again toward the end. Oh and I ended up listening to the audio. I can't tell if my problems at the beginning were partly due to the narration but the narrator grew on me as well and I was totally charmed by the performance. (All this = four stars on paper, five stars in my heart.)

Great queer read for a YA audience! Contemporary and timely portrayal of being queer youth, with the addition of the realities of the experiences undocumented immigrants.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for proviiding me with an e-arc of this!

This was a stunningly beautiful book filled with so much love and art. I really liked that there was no homophobia or transphobia in this book, Ander's family was all really supportive which was so refreshing to see since it allowed for the focus to be on him and Santi. Their relationship was heart-warming and such beautiful representation :) Totally recommend.

Ander and Santi Were Here was a roller-coaster of a ride with uplifting and immensely sad moments. Whenever I read Garza Villa’s books, I smile and tear up throughout the book. I loved Ander and Santi’s relationship as it went from getting to know each other and not getting too invested in each other to full blown relationship and the love they had for each other.

Also, the Mexican culture throughout this book was so fun to read and learn about and all the food described made me so hungry! The paintings that Garza Villa described that Ander created sounded so beautiful that I wish I could see them in person and experience them for myself.

Ander and Santi Were Here talks about real life events happening to this day regarding undocumented citizens. It’s so heartbreaking that people go through this in everyday life and live their life looking over their shoulder and wondering if that is the day that ICE will find and take them.

I highly highly recommend this book to everyone and I can’t wait to read Garza Villa’s next book!

Beautiful, romantic and painful in the best way. This book broke my heart. These characters are so real and so worth rooting for. I’ll be honest I didn’t write this review right away, so all the details have left my brain already. But the feelings this book gave me have stayed long after reading. And I look forward to rereading this soon!

One of my favorite reads of the year so far! I loved Ander and Santi individually and together, and it was impossible not to root for them. This was a beautiful and tender story of growing up and falling in love. It was one of those books that I just wanted to hug when I was finished. These characters will stay in my heart for a long time, and I’ll definitely be adding a physical copy to my library! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

DNF at 15%

This was a me thing and not the book’s fault. I was not in the mood for the writing style and character wasn’t really working for me at all. I might try again at a different time.

This book really defines such a pure, heartfelt kind of love. There was so much happiness and lightness in this book but yet it was so emotional at the same time.

Two teens falling in love, something that is so gloriously messy. The author did a beautiful job here creating the story and making characters that you truly connect to and root for.

What a beautiful, tender, and challenging YA romance.

Ander is a queer nonbinary artist born in San Antonio. They nearly run into Santi, an undocumented worker from Mexico at their family restaurant, with their car & a friends-to-lovers romance quickly ensues.
Their love story is set against the structural inequities of the US immigration system, especially in border states. Meanwhile, Ander is also struggling to figure out their future and whether it will take them to art school where they will be tokenized ny white professors.

Garza Villa manages to write both a tender story of learning to open your heart to another wholeheartedly while also exploring big trauma.

It may be a YA/NA crossover: there were a few borderline spicy scenes, but it felt appropriate for older teens.

A beautiful & required addition to any lovers of YA, queer lit, or Latine lit.

Thanks to Wednesday Books & NetGalley for the e-ARC. All thoughts my own.

This was such a painfully beautiful story. I immediately fell in love with the characters and the writing. I think the inclusion of ICE was very important to the storyline and made it harder to read knowing how young Santi was and having to go through that. I'm not a big fan of insta love, but I could see it. Especially in young adults. I saw the author is coming out with another book next year so I'm looking forward to that!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

This book took me on a journey of feelings and emotions from over-the-moon joy, heartbreak, and total shock. We meet Ander, and from the start you know they're passionate about their passions, and you cannot help but want all their dreams to come true. Ander is a talented artist, we get to see their art throughout this story and it brings me so much joy. Santiago aka Santi... my heart. As soon as these characters meet you can't help but root for them, wishing them their happy ever afters. They go through a lot as a young couple. I have realized that I tend to be drawn to and enjoy stories set around family's restaurant. Ander's family is such a huge part of this story and I love that. YA books that have family in it and on the pages in many scenes it amazing. There is so many theme and important topics through these pages and the author, Jonny Graza Villa does a good job of talking and sharing about these topics without taking away from the story. The writing style is easy to follow. I do have to say there is one thing that I felt was such a woah moment that it took me out of the story, it felt like a storybook. Other than that I have a rollercoaster of a time reading this book. Ander and Santi's story is real, and bittersweet and shows hope that young people are powerful and can make a difference; their voices matter, no matter if it's a huge audience or just a few family members, they matter. With that said, if you are looking for a queer love story about real-life issues and topics told in a powerful story of family, finding one's path, and the power of art, then this is the book for you.

Beautiful story on love, to be young, and culture. Also, such a beautiful cover to go along with the book!

Thank you to NetGalley and SMP for the earc

This book is a masterpiece.

There’s so much DEPTH to this story. On the surface, it looks like a love story. When you read it, it’s a story about discovering oneself, standing face to face with adversity, and celebrating existing. It’s about having joy when so many systems and people are against you. And yes, there is a love story, too. I don’t want to say too much and spoil it, but do yourself a favor and read this one!

The writing is lyrical AND somehow relatable. I have to give kudos to the author for such beautiful writing! It’s descriptive without being overbearing. It transports you to the scene. I felt what the characters were feeling. The excitement of a new relationship, the anxiety of the unknown, the rage at the injustice…

I think this story is important. Ander and Santi’s story needed to be told. I’m thrilled that it’s out in the world. I have no doubt that there are people out there who need this book. I hope they find it.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press & NetGalley for this eARC!

This was a stunningly beautiful book filled with so much love and art. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator brought so much life to the characters! I also really loved that there was no homophobia or transphobia in this book, Ander's family was all really supportive which was so refreshing to see since it allowed for the focus to be on him and Santi.

🌈Queer rep: SO MUCH QUEER REP! Main characters are a queer nonbinary person and a queer (bi/pan) man. Secondary character queer rep includes bi/pan, gay male, grey ace, poly, lesbian couple.

"Ander & Santi Were Here" by Jonny Garza Villa is a heartfelt and poignant novel that beautifully captures the essence of teenage love blossoming in the vibrant backdrop of the Santos Vista neighborhood in San Antonio, Texas. This four-star review celebrates the novel's exploration of young love, identity, and the harsh realities that test the strength of that love.

Set in the rich tapestry of the Santos Vista neighborhood, the story immerses readers in a world of pan dulce aromas, the harmonious blend of Spanish and English, and the Martínez family's taquería, which serves as the heart of the community. Ander Martínez, the binary gay older sibling, finds inspiration for their art as a muralist in this very place. As Ander prepares to leave for art school, readers can't help but feel their hesitancy about leaving behind everything they've ever known.

The novel takes an engaging twist when Ander 's family "fires" them to encourage their artistic pursuits, and in walks Santiago "Santi" López Alvarado, the charismatic new waiter who ignites a passionate romance between the two. The portrayal of their budding relationship is as natural as breathing, and through Santi's eyes, AJ discovers a deeper understanding of their identity as an artist. Ander , in turn, becomes Santi's anchor as he takes his first steps toward making Santos Vista and the United States feel like home.

The novel skillfully weaves in the harsh realities faced by immigrants, exemplified when ICE agents come for Santi. This moment serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of the sense of home and love in the face of a world that can be hostile. Jonny Garza Villa's writing evokes a powerful emotional response, making readers keenly aware of the challenges that young people like Ander and Santi face as they navigate love and life in an unforgiving world.

"Ander & Santi Were Here" is a moving and relevant story that skillfully captures the essence of young love while shedding light on the struggles of those living on the margins of society. It's a compelling narrative that keeps you engaged from start to finish, offering a fresh perspective on the power of love and resilience. While it might not be a perfect five-star read, it's a solid four stars for its ability to evoke empathy and spark important conversations about the world we live in.