This is a moving new adult romance featuring two unforgettable young men who must find a way to be together despite the realities of border and immigration policies. Recommended.

In a powerful condemnation of the violence of borders, Jonny Garza Villa writes a soft and sweeping love story full of the beauty of art and young love while unapologetically using a Spanglish that feels just like home.

Ander & Santi touched my soul in that terrifying way that loving someone that you could lose at any moment does. Painful and beautiful.

This is a beautiful, heartfelt, raw and emotional love story!! Although the pacing is slow, we really get to focus on Ander and Santi as human beings and watch them grow into their relationship! This is a wonderful depiction of queer love and I really enjoyed my time reading this!

Gushing over the cover and the sweet characterization of Ander and Santi. I love that this book exists and the writing is tender in the best ways. As the story unfolded, the pacing was a little slow for me, knowing what the big reveal was for their relationship. In that pacing is where we get the complexity of character, but it did slow down my reading. I was curious about Ander being the MC, and the response of his family to Santi in a contemporary setting. All in all, a worthy read.

This book was amazing! I loved Jonny Garza Villa's other book and this one didn't disappoint! I'd definitely recommend it to all my friends!

Swoonworthy, gutwrenching 5 star new adult romance. I love Ander and Santi with all my heart. This book was a warm hug.

Rating;3 1/2 stars

Ander and Santi is a really cute story with a powerful message. If you love queer contemporary books then you’ll love this book. ( I’m not the biggest fan of contemporary romance)

Jonny Garza Villa does it again with this heartwarming (and heartbreaking) contemporary romance between a nonbinary Mexican American teen and the new waiter at their parent's restaurant.

When Ander meets Santi, there's an instant attraction, but Santi seems hesitant. The two have a very intimate friendship that ultimately evolves into romance, and Ander discovers that Santi is undocumented. This changes everything, the two of them constantly afraid for Santi, always worrying his life and their love will be uprooted.

I adored this book. I loved how real the characters were, how Ander struggles with how to support Santi and is an imperfect ally, despite having good intentions. I loved the ending, which I will not spoil, and I loved Ander and Santi so so so much.

More like Ander and Santi ARE Here, to stay on my mind and think about for many months to come. The family dynamic of Ander and their family reminded me of many situations from from my childhood as a Mexican born-US raised kid. The way swear words are used endearingly between them to the way of knowing how your parents are about to react just by seeing you walk in and know you’re about to tell them something. The story does feel a bit repetitive after the halfway point, but the characters are never boring and it was easy to find something to like about everyone of them.

Jonny Garza Villa’s message of how at times your dreams will change and that sometimes all the praying and hoping will not give bring a magical fairy tale ending to your problems. You have to be able to adapt, change, and follow your heart even if it goes against everything you had once planned out for your future, felt very impactful.

Ander and Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa

Thanks to @stmartinspress for providing us with an eARC through NetGalley

5/5

A beautiful and diverse love story about two young people that find each other at the right time in both their lives. It makes you root for them and against any forces trying to keep them apart. It brings humanity to a subject that is often viewed from a distance.

The main character of the story Ander is the perfect blend of confident yet relatable. They’re unapologetically queer and Latinx and yet we see how other people’s perceptions of those labels and what they mean affect Ander’s expression of themselves especially through their art and the decisions they make for their future. I loved reading about their relationship with their family and friends, every one of the side characters were really fun and three-dimensional. Santi was of course a favourite. A sweetheart that gets along with Ander’s family, someone that will make fun of Ander when it’s deserved, but will support them, always. Truly the perfect man.

Their relationship was such a breath of fresh air if you’ve read books that feel like they force romance for the sake of it. Their bond as friends with obvious crushes was so cute and awkward and their development from friends to dating felt natural and sweet. We get to understand how happy they are together and how they make each other happy. Then we also see how they deal with any struggles they face in life with each other’s support. Even though they may not be able to find a solution they’re there for each other and that does help. When it comes to the struggles Santi faces there’s no blame, just the understanding that it would be better if it wasn’t a problem, but it is, and they’ll do what they can.

I loved reading about a culture that I’m not as familiar with, especially as a Canadian, from an author that comes from that culture. Although it tested my high school Spanish and I may have had to use google translate a couple times, it was great to get an insider perspective and experience even more appreciation for the multitude of different cultures that exist even just within North America. I certainly plan on reading more novels by this same author and recommend this book to those that enjoy young adult romance and coming of age stories.

-Big Sis

Review posted on instagram and book to be included in multiple TikToks/reels

I don’t really know what to say. This was such a beautiful read. As a person born and raised in mexico and the u.s I could connect so heavily with a lot of the pain and fears in this book. Everything felt so real and authentic, none of it ever felt forced. Ander and Santi have such a beautiful heartbreaking story that I can’t even fully explain.
My only critique was that a lot of the conflict that happened seemed to be resolved too quickly. But honestly I think thats just a me problem, I live too much for the drama and pain.
Anyway, I enjoyed this a lot and definitely recommend. Please read this if you can, you won’t regret it.

Queer MCs + Latinx joy + YA! 🫶🏼

Ander has only ever known their home in the Santos Vista neighborhood of San Antonio. Their home, the mix of Spanish & English, & their family’s taquería is what inspired them to be a muralist.

As Ander’s gap year slowly comes to a close, their family “fires” them from the restaurant so they can focus on their murals & preparing for art school. But then Ander meets Santi. Because of Santi, Ander begins to really learn who they are & what they want as an artist. For Santi, Ander helps him find safety & a home in Santos Vista.

Ander’s life is stable until ICE agents come for Santi & everything they’ve ever known becomes fragile.

Read if you love…
- queer MCs & side characters with non-binary, gay, bi, & ace rep
- Latinx joy
- MC artist
- YA, post high school
- so much food & a family taquería
- insta-lust but a slow burn
- texts on page

I genuinely don’t know if I’ll ever have coherent words for Ander & Santi. This book ripped my heart out, had me crying so hard I couldn’t see words on the page, and managed to put it back together bruised and mangled.

Ander & Santi will make you question everything about immigration, make you Google and learn as much as you can, & make you want to fight, rally, and march for immigration rights.

The queer rep is beautiful & wonderful with so much rep - Ander is non-binary and gay & Santi hasn’t put a label on his sexuality, along with many queer side characters and the MCs attending Pride. I adored the way Ander’s family has always supported them.

The Latinx joy is beautiful & wonderful. So much food! Every scene at the taquería & with their family was just wonderful. I love how close they are, how much shit they give each other, & how deeply they love each other.

This book will be one of the best books released in 2023! It needs to be at the top of your TBR to read in April. I highly recommend you also read Jonny’s debut book.

Jonny, thank you for your beautiful words; I will read everything you ever write!

Thank you to Netgalley, St Martins Press, & Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

PUB day: April 4, 2023!

Trigger warnings: racism; deportation

Ander has postponed their plans for art school for a year, taking the time to paint murals for their neighborhood as a resident artist for a local nonprofit. While their family isn't happy that they put off school, everyone wants them to succeed with their artwork, and suddenly Ander finds themself replaced at their Tita Lupe's taqueria with a new -- and really cute -- waiter, Santiago. But the budding romance between Ander and Santi is frowned upon by Ander's family for reasons they don't understand...

After a slow start, the book hits its stride with Ander and Santi's mutual attraction and builds into a lovely romance with deep, painful undertones. I really appreciated how the author explored the full experience of Latinx life and identity and the impact of current US policies on citizens, immigrants, and undocumented workers. (Please do NOT skip over the author's note -- they have an important message to share there as well.)

3.5 stars (for the very slow start and the sometimes overwhelming descriptions), rounded up.

Thank you, Wednesday Books and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.

Ander and Santi Were Here had me hooked and loving the characters from the very start. It is many things: tender, hilarious, heartbreaking, beautiful, and sadly, realistic. I absolutely adored Ander and Santi, their chemistry and flirting had me giggling and kicking my feet. I loved seeing their relationship evolve throughout the story.

Once again, Jonny Garza Villa wrote a novel I feel a deep connection with as a queer Mexican. The story is very well written, so many beautiful quotes that I can’t wait to annotate the shit out of; I am beyond excited to get my signed copy!! I can’t put into words just how much I absolutely loved this book. Definitely my top read of the year. I’m looking forward to their next projects (cough cough, canto contigo).

I enjoyed this book! The atmosphere it created in the taqueria and while Ander was paining murals is cozy, comfortable, and sweet. It also certainly had its sad, stressful, dramatic moments. Still, I left the story feeling good.

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday books for the ARC!

This has just cemented. Jonny Garza Villa as an auto buy author for me, I love his writing style and character work, it really shines.

Let’s start with this gorgeous cover. It’s so beautiful and breathtaking. I feel like it should be hanging on a wall.

Next this story… the author was so vivid in describing the people, and scenery; I felt like I was there. I could imagine everything so clearly. The emotions and love shown between the two main characters had all of my emotions on display. I absolutely loved this book.

Arc provided by Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up**
This book was such a lovely and tender story about first love. i was really surprised at how much i enjoyed this. it’s definitely on the more mature side of YA, and it was a very sweet portrayal of an artist growing confident in themselves and their work. It had some heavy themes but i loved the emphasis on the happy moments. i loved both ander and santi together and as their own characters, and neither one felt flat outside of the relationship.
Despite the heaviness i loved the optimistic ending and genuinely felt better after reading this.

Such a sweet and powerful book that I wish existed before., but I’m happy it exists now! And that cover! So beautiful! I’m more excited to read more from the author after this genuinely made me feel all of the emotions.

Romance, art, tragedy, and sacrifices. Ander Lopaz has only known two things : the Santos Vista Neighborhood of San Antionio, Texas and their love of part. Ander has worked in their family’s taquería and has given them inspiration as a muralist who is preparing to leave for art school... but Ander is hesitant to leave all of this behind. Ander has taken a gap year and to keep Ander from being complacent their family fires them so they can transition from restaurant life to focusing on their art and preparing for college... but then Ander meets their replacement at work, the cute new hire named Santiago Garcia. Santi and Ander form a connection and soon find that they are falling in love... but then an ICE agent comes for Santi and Ander realizes just how fragile the sense of home is. Can their love work when the world is fighting against them and can they find a way to be together despite everything? This was a pretty sweet story that dealt with heavy topics and I did enjoy the bittersweet ending , but it very much ends with a happy ending for them, as much as it can be in their situation.

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*